Commonwealth Cafe closed (aka Tioli's return visit)

(Sorry no photos)

Ben: VENISON BURGER w/ fries. Burger with Poached Red Wine Pears, Mushrooms, Bacon, Cream and Plum Jelly 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:

- decent beer & wine selection, no booze

- pears seem to big in scale, too much pear to burger ration

- pear & sauce don’t seem to add much to the overall flavor, gets in the way of the venison

- would have been better with a nice dry rub & simple sauce

(Sorry no photo)

James: SANTORIN BURGER w/ fries. ½ Lamb, ½ Beef burger with Tzaziki sauce 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:

- average bundle could have used something “crazier” like mint jelly

- the tzaziki sauce was a pretty good compliment b/c it had a minty taste

- the burger was juicy and flavorful

- you could taste both the lamb & the beef, easily demolished

(Sorry no photo)

The Gathering

Ben: SOUTHWEST BURGER w/ fries. Burger with avocado, jack cheese and salsa on a sesame seed 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: 26

NOTES:

- trying to be contemporary, but something is slightly off

- bad light jazz could be the first sign of something being wrong

- small outdoor seating area and 4 beers on draft

- this burger is similar to hiking above the treeline – a mountain of meat that’s very dry and lacking in vegetation

- nothing magic about this place

- the mediocrity of this place settles in like a heavy fog, even the customers are boring

(Sorry no photo)

James: BLUE CHEESE BURGER w/ fries. Burger with blue cheese, lettuce and tomato on a sesame seed 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: 30

NOTES:

- a denny’s like atmosphere and a middle of the road burger which is appropriate because I felt like I was eating a tire

- not much else to say

- terrible bloody mary, I’d rather pour ketchup in my water

- if any of you readers out there like lite jazz, get the hell off my blog

(Sorry no photo)

Dobson's Bar and Restaurant

Ben: DOBSON’S BAR ROOM BURGER w/ salad. Burger, med-rare, with cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, tomato, lettuce and onion 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:
- old timey restaurant feel, but not as cool as it could be
- parking is a bit of a hassle, unless you park at Horton plaza
- very good complimentary sourdough bread
- excellent bacon, some of the best I’ve ever had on a burger
- burger cooked perfectly
- good spread on toppings and condiments
- very juicy
- if you come for lunch be prepared to listen to some business schmoozing






James: DOBSON’S BAR ROOM BURGER w/ salad. Burger, med-rare, with cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, tomato, lettuce and onion 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: 35

NOTES:
- the burger meat was cooked perfectly, but tasted a little bland
- bun was above average
- a little pricey, and a little to fancy for me
- excellent presentation
- parking sucks with lots of crazy pedestrians who think they’re traffic cops
- bacon was very smoky and delicious
- only one burger on the menu, but it’s pretty good

(Picture same as above.)

Offshore Tavern and Grill

Ben: THE OFFSHORE BURGER Burger w/ garlic tater tots. Burger with bacon, melted cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, red onion, mayo, 1000 island dressing and onion straws on a toasted bun topped with a hot pepper and with a side of fresh pickle slices.

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:

- not quite on the water as the name implies, more off highway than off shore, but easy to get to

- only 3 burger options on the menu, but build your own is one of them

- 16 beers on tap

- great sports bar with lots of flat panel tv’s and a large outdoor patio

- burger cooked to order, bacon done to perfection

- this is a very solid burger with excellent taste, the deep fried onion straws as a topping is a nice twist

- garlic tater tots are dyn-o-mite

- kinda sloppy, you’ll need plenty of napkins, but it all stays together

- some additional appetizers/sides available: toasted ravioli (for the Midwest crew) and deep fried mac and cheese

James: THE OFFSHORE BURGER Burger w/ garlic tater tots. Burger with bacon, melted cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, red onion, mayo, 1000 island dressing and onion straws on a toasted bun topped with a hot pepper and with a side of fresh pickle slices.

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: 45

NOTES:

- cool atmosphere with a variety of seating options and flat screen tv’s

- huge burger with a ton of toppings including a pepper on a toothpick to top it off

- good service and quality burger

- an awesome place to watch your charger games or whatever inferior team you like

Just Burgers and Lounge

Ben: BACKYARD BURGER Burger w/ beer-battered onion rings. Grass-fed beef burger, bacon, cheddar cheese, bbq sauce, tomatoes, lettuce and grilled onions on a rye 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:

- 100% grass-fed beef

- small interior and even smaller outdoor seating area

- located next door to the waterfront and far superior when it comes to the quality of the burgers

- very friendly staff

- rye bun, one of the best buns I’ve had

- excellent beer battered onion rings

- massive burger

- even have organic condiments

James: 4TH OF JULY BURGER w/ seasoned fries. Grass-fed burger, JB sauce, blue cheese, grilled onion, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickle on a rye 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: 44

NOTES:
- this burger is not for the faint of heart

- you must love blue cheese to eat this

- you probably don’t have the sophisticated taste buds to appreciate this burger

- it is awesome, hands down the most cheese I’ve ever had on a burger and the grass-fed beef is delectable

- huge burger

- buy your burger here and go to the waterfront for “dessert”, ‘cause this burger destroys the waterfront burgers

How's this for scale?

Red Fox Steak House

Ben: WISCONSIN GROUND SIRLOIN BURGER w/ steak fries and salad. Burger, medium-rare with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles on a sesame seed 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:
- night time piano bar/steak house
- very dark interior with lots of wood finishes
- pretty mellow at lunch but very friendly service
- bun was pretty standard, but well toasted
- one of the juiciest burgers I’ve ever had
- cooked to perfection
- one of the better no frills, basic burgers I’ve had so far

James: WISCONSIN GROUND SIRLOIN BURGER w/ fries and salad. Burger , medium-rare with swiss cheese, tomato, lettuce and pickles.

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:
- the meat was just about as good as you can get
- friendly service
- a great deal for a speak easy steak house
- juicy- bun got a little soggy, but not too bad

The Corner

Ben: TOMATO PESTO BURGER w/ fries. Burger with heirloom tomatoes, pesto sauce, cheese, lettuce and onion.

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:
- good choice of quality ingredients for the build your own options, although the number of options is somewhat limited
- not the best beer selection, but good selection of spirits
- pretty cool interior, renovated warehouse/industrial vibe
- not the best music, unless you like crappy club stuff, but that could have been the bartender’s choice- fries and wasabi aioli were awesome

(SORRY NO PHOTOS)




James: SPICY JALAPENO BURGER w/ sweet potato fries. Burger with jalapenos, serranos, wasabi aioli, pepper jack cheese, onion, lettuce and tomato.

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:
- cool remodel of an old building, industrial style
- music not so good
- you can build your own burger or choose from about 5 specialties
- full bar, but a meager selection of beer on tap
- jalapeno burger was super spicy
- bun was good, but a little stale
- the flavor of the meat was the best aspect

(SORRY NO PHOTOS)