Best burger you've ever had

Wasn't impressed with Ray's. It's better than Fuddruckers, no doubt, but it wasn't because of the toppings or a second meat.

When I pay $19 for a burger, I don't want a bunch of toppings getting in the way. Maybe that's just me.

 

Lettuce belongs nowhere near a burger.

 

The first time I go to any worthwhile burger place where I live, I get one with American cheese, raw onion and yellow mustard. But if I'm going back, I get other things. Half of Ray's reputation comes from the toppings, which isn't a knock on the burger itself.

That said, I still can't figure out when wanting bacon on a burger (or anything) became weird or emasculating.

 

Anyone mention Louis' Lunch yet, where the thing was invented?

www.louislunch.com

New Haven, Ct.

 

It's weird complaining about the lack of toppings when you're paying $19 for the burger. Not so much when you're paying $5.

Kinda like when a really good steak doesn't need steak sauce. The not-so-great steaks, meanwhile, might need it.

 

I can't imagine paying $19 for a burger. If I want to pay that kind of coin for meat, it's going to be something better than ground beef.

 

That's fair. It's ain't cheap. But I'm definitely not opposed to slurging once in a while. Definitely not going there on the reg.

Here's the description from Serious Eats...

"The eight-ounce patty, served medium rare unless otherwise requested (but don't request otherwise), is made of high quality dry aged beef—a 75/25 blend that includes brisket, short rib, and chuck, freshly ground everyday."

 

These are expensive burgers:

most-expensive.net/burgers-world

Even the burger at the 21 Club is past $30.

Best deal in the burger world?

The lunch burger at Peter Luger.

www.complex.com/city-guide/2011/04/pickin-burgers-luger-burger-peter-lugers-steakhouse-nyc

 

The Daniel Boulud burger with the braised short ribs and foie gras got a ton of press when it was introduced, and launched the expensive burger category.

$19 is a lot for a burger, but it's not a ton if it's a "fine dining" version of a burger, as that one looks to be.

And, the fact is, as anyone who travels a lot knows, the average hotel bar/restaurant burger can set you back a pretty penny.

This one is $14.50, and just comes with cheese:

www3.hilton.com/resources/media/hi/CHIOHHH/en_US/pdf/CHIOHHH_Sports_Edition_menu.pdf

If you order it from the room service menu, it's $16.00, plus 18% tip, plus a $5.00 service fee:

www3.hilton.com/resources/media/hi/CHIOHHH/en_US/pdf/en_CHIOHHH_In_Room_Dining_Menu.pdf

 

The best burgers I ever had were from a long-closed Greek coffee shop at the corner of Hereford and Newbury streets in the Back Bay. Second place, the equally long gone Post House restaurants in my home town of Wilmington, Del. But it has been years since I had a burger I didn't cook myself. Maybe that'll change when I go visit my son in LA this spring.

 

Yep. I've been there more than once and been disappointed. But, once, it was the best burger I've had.

I feel like people tend to get pretty clinical about "best" experiences. I just go with, well, which one was the best when I ate it? That's the one.