O'Brien's American Pub

Ben: BEER CHEESE BURGER Burger w/ jalapeno poppers. Burger with white cheddar & Russian River IPA beer cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion on a white bun.

HOW THEY STACK UP:

1. BACKGROUND 1 2 3 4 5
2. BONUSES 1 2 3 4 5
3. BUNDLE 1 2 3 4 5
4. BURGER 1 2 3 4 5
5. BUN 1 2 3 4 5
6. BOLDNESS 1 2 3 4 5
7. BARGAIN 1 2 3 4 5
8. BELT-BUSTING 1 2 3 4 5
9. BURDEN 1 2 3 4 5
10. BUZZ 1 2 3 4 5

TOTAL SCORE: 37

NOTES:
- strip mall layout with pub decor
- not awesome, not crappy
- good people watching
- regardless of background this place goes off
- amazing beer selection
- burger patty appears pre-made, but angus beef and good size
- beer cheese is very tasty and toppings are very fresh
- professional grade dart board






James: BRIE PROSCIUTTO BURGER Burger w/ jalapeno poppers. Burger with prosciutto, brie, grilled onions and mixed greens on a white bun.

HOW THEY STACK UP:

1. BACKGROUND 1 2 3 4 5
2. BONUSES 1 2 3 4 5
3. BUNDLE 1 2 3 4 5
4. BURGER 1 2 3 4 5
5. BUN 1 2 3 4 5
6. BOLDNESS 1 2 3 4 5
7. BARGAIN 1 2 3 4 5
8. BELT-BUSTING 1 2 3 4 5
9. BURDEN 1 2 3 4 5
10. BUZZ 1 2 3 4 5

TOTAL SCORE: 40

NOTES:
- excellent selection of beers if you’re into that, I am
- the bun was pretty damn good, kind of a ciabatta style, held its form well throughout
- burger was ok, pre-made which was a little disappointing, but good flavor
- the prosciutto added a delicious flavor
- the burger was a little expensive considering no sides were included
- be prepared to kill someone to get a parking spot

Hob Nob Hill

Ben: HOB NOB BURGER Burger w/ crinkle cut fries, carrot salad, waldorf salad and sourdough bread. Burger with bacon, avocado and cheddar, medium rare.

HOW THEY STACK UP:

1. BACKGROUND 1 2 3 4 5
2. BONUSES 1 2 3 4 5
3. BUNDLE 1 2 3 4 5
4. BURGER 1 2 3 4 5
5. BUN 1 2 3 4 5
6. BOLDNESS 1 2 3 4 5
7. BARGAIN 1 2 3 4 5
8. BELT-BUSTING 1 2 3 4 5
9. BURDEN 1 2 3 4 5
10. BUZZ 1 2 3 4 5

TOTAL SCORE: 29

NOTES:
- almost divey, weird, cool, but not quite
- tons of chandeliers
- no price numbers listed, all prices spelled out, kinda weird
- not a burger joint, definitely not
- burger cooked to order
- burger comes with choice of fresh bread or baked good, salad or soup or potato salad
- burger was pretty juicy, but slightly over-cooked
- bacon was perfect, crispy and not burnt
- soggy bun syndrome
- crinkle cut fries were decent
- belt-busting could be a 4 or 5 if you take into account the ridiculous amount of sides you get






James: HOB NOB BURGER Burger w/ crinkle cut fries, carrot salad, fiesta salad and sourdough bread. Burger with bacon, avocado and cheddar, medium rare.

HOW THEY STACK UP:

1. BACKGROUND 1 2 3 4 5
2. BONUSES 1 2 3 4 5
3. BUNDLE 1 2 3 4 5
4. BURGER 1 2 3 4 5
5. BUN 1 2 3 4 5
6. BOLDNESS 1 2 3 4 5
7. BARGAIN 1 2 3 4 5
8. BELT-BUSTING 1 2 3 4 5
9. BURDEN 1 2 3 4 5
10. BUZZ 1 2 3 4 5

TOTAL SCORE: 32

NOTES:
- comes with fresh baked bread, fries and a diverse choice of salads and carrot salad
- bun was too soggy
- meat was pretty quality, but not spiced enough
- this is not really a burger destination, but the other food looks pretty good

Lucky Buck's

Ben: ROD LUCK BUCK BURGER Burger w/ waffle fries. Grass-fed beef burger, blackened, with blue cheese, Cajun spices, Tabasco onions, house chipotle, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle.

HOW THEY STACK UP:

1. BACKGROUND 1 2 3 4 5

2. BONUSES 1 2 3 4 5

3. BUNDLE 1 2 3 4 5

4. BURGER 1 2 3 4 5

5. BUN 1 2 3 4 5

6. BOLDNESS 1 2 3 4 5

7. BARGAIN 1 2 3 4 5

8. BELT-BUSTING 1 2 3 4 5

9. BURDEN 1 2 3 4 5

10. BUZZ 1 2 3 4 5

TOTAL SCORE: 41

NOTES:
- industrial, unfinished look with roll-up doors to outdoor seating
- has transitioned from a burrito shop with burgers to a true burger place, although the background has suffered slightly since the transition
- waffle fries are amazing, recommend requesting a side of chipotle sauce for dipping
- blue cheese melds with the burger and bun to create an explosion of taste
- good daily drink specials
- made the 2007 san diego magazine best restaurant list, I’m guessing for burgers

James: BEST BUCKIN’ BURGER Burger w/ waffle fries. Burger with beer battered onion rings, bacon, sautéed mushrooms, chipotle mayo, onion, tomato, lettuce and pickle.

HOW THEY STACK UP:

1. BACKGROUND 1 2 3 4 5

2. BONUSES 1 2 3 4 5

3. BUNDLE 1 2 3 4 5

4. BURGER 1 2 3 4 5

5. BUN 1 2 3 4 5

6. BOLDNESS 1 2 3 4 5

7. BARGAIN 1 2 3 4 5

8. BELT-BUSTING 1 2 3 4 5

9. BURDEN 1 2 3 4 5

10. BUZZ 1 2 3 4 5

TOTAL SCORE: 38

NOTES:

- meat wasn’t all that flavorful
- the fun got way too soggy and the bacon was to soft and fatty
- the overall flavor wasn’t as bold as I expected for all the ingredients
- I think I will definitely come back and try a different burger
- there are many upgrades available to choose from which adds a nice dimension