Regal Beagle

Ben: BEAGLE BUGER w/ chips. Sausage shaped burger patty with cheese, shredded lettuce and special sauce on a toasted buttermilk 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: 35

NOTES:

- a copious cornucopia of condiments

- only 1 burger to choose from with not much in the way of toppings

- I ordered a tasty jalapeno cheddar sausage to top my burger with for an extra $6

- burger + sausage = no side necessary

- the building is a little stripmall-ish on the exterior, but it’s pretty nice inside, complete with a real dart board

- excellent beer selection, if you’re indecisive I recommend spinning the wheel of beer fortune and leaving it up to fate

- they are definitely pushing the boundaries of what a burger is with this thing

- seems like they could have taken it a bit further with the toppings

- the shape of the party and size of the bun foiled my plan to add the sausage, I could only fit half on top

- I’m not sure the sausage added much to the burger, I recommend keeping them separate

- the meat was well seasoned

- this might be the only time I’ve actually thought shredded lettuce was appropriate

- definitely not a burger destination, but if you’re stuck here and you’re all sausaged out, it’s not a bad option

James: BEAGLE BUGER w/ chips. Sausage shaped burger patty with cheese, shredded lettuce and special sauce on a toasted buttermilk 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: 27

NOTES:

- good beer selection

- nice little spot off the beaten path

- lots of interesting mustards to choose from

- only one burger, but you can add a sausage to it for 6 bones, I did, and it was Moroccan and it went bahh in its life

- even though the sausage and burger meat were delicious when isolated, together they didn’t hit the right harmony to make it really sing to me

- the burger was served in a sausage bun and only comes with shredded lettuce, cheese and thousand island dressing

- bun broke right away when I tried to stuff my sausage in it
- good sausages and relatively tasty burger but definitely not a “burger” destination per se

Bergie's Pub

Appetizer: Loaded Tots

Ben: BERGIE CHEESE SINGLE, 1/3 lb burger with swiss cheese, grilled onions, sautéed mushrooms, tomato, lettuce, pickle and onion on a toasted 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: 35

NOTES:

- advertised as “upscale” but the burger was served in a red plastic basket?

- I liked the mayo “B” on the bun though, a nice touch

- advertising 12 micros on tap is a little misleading: Coors Light, Guinness and Pacifico are not really micros

- more local beers would be preferable

- the trash talking of other burger joints in the menu/newspaper seemed unnecessary and a little over the top

- mushrooms were sautéed to perfection and onions were grilled just right

- a little over priced for what it was, you have to pay an extra $1 – 1.50 for anything other than cheese

- no options requested by server for how I wanted my burger cooked, other than that I can’t complain about the service, very friendly and cool

James: BERGIE CHEESE SINGLE, 1/3 lb burger with bacon, cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce, pickle and onion on a toasted bun.

Review to come...

Bopp (guest blogger): BERGIE CHEESE SINGLE, 1/3 lb burger with fried egg, bacon, cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce, pickle and onion on a toasted 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: 41

NOTES:

- first one here so they let me choose the Pandora station, I went with Pelican

- Apps of loaded tots: gravy, cheese and bacon, how can you go wrong?

- first fried egg burger, tasted like breakfast

- bun was sweet but not too sweet

- kinda small dining area

- seriously though, the Pelican station, fucking choice!

- a bit over sold

- I like the specials, including Fedora Fridays where you get 25% off your bill for wearing a fedora

- flavorful patty, but I would touch it up with some spice

- bacon was appropriately crispy without being over done

- friendly staff

- not as much beer selection as the online menu/website would lead you to believe

- egg was over-medium which is how I’ll ask for it on my burgers from now on

Encinitas Ale House (North County)

Ben: SIGNATURE HARMONICA BILL BOOTLEGGER BURGER with fries. ½ lb. burger w/ hot whiskey bbq sauce, crispy onion straws, bacon and pepper jack cheese on a toasted 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: 46

NOTES:

- the name is a mouthful and so is this burger

- I finished it but felt the pain later

- what isn’t better with hot whiskey?

- this was one of the best burgers I’ve eaten in awhile

- it was a tower of tasty goodness

- the onion straws were an excellent addition to the burger

- great beer selection

- the only issue is the size of this place, I recommend going off peak hours if you want to get a seat without waiting a long time

- I look forward to a return visit

James: SANTANA BURGER with onion rings. ½ lb. burger w/ fire-roasted poblano peppers, avocado, grilled onions, pepper jack cheese and ancho mayo on a toasted 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: 47

NOTES:
- sweet little burger & beer nook off the 101

- we tried to blog this place before, but we couldn’t even get a table

- this burger was friggin’ amazing

- boldest burger ever

- it came with a bunch of super hot peppers that made my face sweat

- my only complaint was that it was almost too hot, so it slowed me down a bit and the juices soaked into the bun a little more than I anticipated

- the burger was cooked perfectly medium rare without even asking me how I wanted it prepared

- they must have a wizard in the kitchen or some shit, reading minds and blasting burgers with boldness

- onion rings were some of the best I’ve had

- beer selection is awesome as the name implies

- I will definitely come back until I’ve tried every burger on the menu and had every beer

Callahan's Pub and Brewery

James: BUFFALO BUGER w/ tater tots. ½ lb buffalo burger with tomato, lettuce, onion and cheese on a toasted wheat 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: 29

NOTES:

- the best part of eating this burger was the thought of ripping it up on this blog

- this burger sucks

- I got a buffalo burger and it was pre-made and shitty

- imagine taking ground meat, freezing it, thawing it, freezing it, thawing it, mixing it with paper mache, freezing it and then microwaving it, that would actually be better than trying to grind through this atrocity

- service is good, beer selection is ok

- nice outdoor area, burger is bad, very bad

- I honestly don’t know how to rank its belt-busting, I could easily demolish it, should it have been desirable, however it was way too much shitty burger to finish

- not finishing this burger was the best decision I’ve ever made

- horrible music

Matt (guest blogger): GUACAMOLE PEPPER JACK BUGER w/ fries. ½ lb. buffalo meat patty (substitution) with guacamole and pepper jack cheese on a toasted 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: 27

NOTES:

1. Playing home sports on only a few tv’s without sound. Music selection sucked.

2. Good variety, but nothing special.

3. No lettuce or tomato c’mon! Guac had zero flavor.

4. Pre-frozen, not juicy, very little buffalo flavor. It was like eating a moccasin.

5. Held together nicely. No complaints.

6. I’ve had tastier tasting turds.

7. Expensive for a crappy, non-juicy burger.

8. Unfortunately finished without a problem.

9. No mess. Held together well.

10. Good house beer Shamrock Gold. I had 3.

Have Blog Will Travel - Herb and Thelma's Tavern: Covington, KY

Ben: DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER. Two patties with cheese, onion and pickle on a 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: 32

NOTES:

- this place has been around for a while and I don’t think much has changed since they opened, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing

- this is probably one of the best bargains out there for a no frills burger and beer

- impressive selection of cheap bottled beers

Dave (guest blogger): DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER. Two patties with cheese, onion and pickle on a 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: 36

NOTES:

- the lack of options was made up for by an excellent juicy burger

- the burger, cooked on an old griddle, has lots of flavor

- $5.50 for a double and a beer, excellent

Nate (guest blogger): DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER. Two patties with cheese, onion and pickle on a 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: 29

NOTES:

- should have bacon!!

- more selection

Have Blog Will Travel - Zip's Cafe: Cincinnati, OH

Ben: GIRTH BURGER. Burger topped with a split mettwurst, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle on a 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: 38

NOTES:

- not quite as big or cheap as I remember it, but still pretty filing and tasty

- my biggest beef with this burger is the use of shredded lettuce, which should be reserved for tacos and such

- the burger is pretty solid on its own, but extra delicious with a met

- old public house feel with an operational train the circles overhead while advertising the bottled beer selections

- good beer selection and full bar

Dave (guest blogger): GIRTH BURGER w/ fries. Burger topped with a split mettwurst, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, onion and pickle on a 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: 36

NOTES:

- burger had a good taste with the grilled mettwurst, never had that on a burger before

- bacon?? Not an option

- fries were not very good, shoestring fries really suck

Empirehouse Urban Palate

Ben: ZENMAI BURGER. Burger with zenmai (marinated Japanese fern shoots), Havarti cheese, mayo and lettuce on a seeded 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: 38

NOTES:

- nice amount of outdoor seating with both sun & shade

- one of the better pickles I’ve had, homemade?

- great bun that was perfectly toasted and sized for the burger

- a very subtle burger that gets better with each bite

- not overpowering in flavor, which is nice for a change

- not overly large, probably want to add a side if you’re hungry at all

- interesting way to cook the burger: cast iron skillet, which only allows medium and I normally get medium-rare, however this did not cause a lack of flavor or juiciness

- $5 bottled beer was a little steep, but the frosty pint glass that accompanied it helped to ease the pain slightly

James: BBQ BACON BURGER. Burger with red miso bbq sauce, bacon, Havarti cheese, garlic aioli and pickled red onion on a seeded 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: 39

NOTES:

- cool outdoor patio nestled between two houses

- kitchen in one and dining in the other

- the flavors were complex & delicious between the aioli, pickled red onions and house bbq sauce

- bbq was tangy & sweet like teriyaki sauce

- burger was juicy and well seasoned

- burger was $8.50 w/ no sides and presents no obstacles to even a mild hunger

- beer selection was decent, but all 12 oz. bottles for $5

- you will be satisfied, but you’ll be wondering how you managed to spend $17, still be hungry and want 8 more beers

Sneak Joint

(Inside and Outside pics to come)

Ben: SPICY CHILI GUACAMOLE BURGER w/ fries. Burger, medium-rare with applewood smoked bacon, provolone, guacamole, jalapenos and Fresno chiles on a 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: 38

NOTES:

- great napkins

- very tasty fresh made guac with a hidden pile of jalapenos to pack a little punch

- nicely toasted bun

- slightly over-cooked for medium-rare

- way different vibe than the Liar’s Club, but not necessarily in a bad way

- pretty relaxing environment to enjoy a burger with a decent number of tv’s

- initial beer delivery was pretty slow, but service got better as the meal went on

James: BLACK & BLUE BURGER w/ fries. Burger, medium-rare with sweet onion confit, crispy fired onions, gorgonzola blue cheese and balsamic reduction on a 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: 43

NOTES:

- superb napkins

- all the ingredients were super tasty

- great balance of flavor between the balsamic vinegar and the blue chese

- onions were sweet and delicious and crunchy

- bun was pretty damn good as well

- I’m not too into shoestring fries, I wish they were illegal, ‘cause they are poppin’ all over the place like gophers on crack

- other than that this place was a really

Andrew (guest blogger): SPICY CHILI GUACAMOLE BURGER w/ fries. Burger, medium-rare with applewood smoked bacon, provolone, guacamole, jalapenos and Fresno chiles on a 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:

- good burger!

- pretty expensive though, especially since I could still eat more

- check out Cody on Kadzuk

(see Ben's review for a pic of this burger)

Lori (guest blogger): KOBE BEEF SLIDERS w/ sweet potato fries. Three sliders with truffle mushrooms, sautéed red onions and cheddar cheese on buns.

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: 30

NOTES:

- they should have a sampler sliders with 3 types of burgers, hard to decide

- very nice napkins

- sliders not so great…pretty chincy and expensive for its worth

- I think its because of crappy cheese? Maybe got screwed b/c of sliders & not a real burger