Cheeseburger at Dickie Jo's Burgers, Eugene, OR

A hungry man's search for a burger in Eugene, Oregon will surely land them at Dickie Jo's Burgers. Dickie Jo's is named after the owner's parents (Dick and Joanne) who had their first date in 1952 at Manner's Big Boy- a burger joint in Ohio. With 2 Oregon locations, Dickie Jo's serves up a wide selection of burgers, chicken, and salads with made to order flat-top grilled burgers burgers served on house-made bread and buns. The locations have a 1950's diner decor and feel with plenty of booth and counter seating.

Dickie Joe's Burgers

Burgers are available in 3 sizes: a 3oz Jr ($3.99), 4oz regular ($4.99) or 6oz big ($5.99) and come standard with lettuce, tomato, onion and house-made DJ sauce. Add cheese or any additional topping of bacon, sauteed onions, sauteed mushrooms or chili for $.49 each. All burgers can be ordered a "liitle pink" for medium and "no pink" for well done.

I ordered the big burger with american cheese, sauteed mushrooms and onions- a "little pink". Unfortunately  the burger came out well done and drier than I expected though the beef patty was fresh, had good beef flavor, was seasoned well and held together nicely. The sauteed onions, mushrooms and DJ sauce were nice additions that really saved the burger, but the bread could have been a bit fresher.

The Cheeseburger at Dickie Joe's

I give Dickie Jo's some credit for creating a bit of a nostalgic feel with their 50's diner decor and some kudos for baking their own bread, but it's burgers, and burgers alone that I rate. Don't get me wrong, Dickie Jo's makes a decent burger and I'd go back again, but I'll certainly be trying out other burger joints first before I do.

Aburgeraday rating- 6/10

The Apollo burger at Apollo Burgers- Draper, UT

I'm not sure of the reasons why, but there are at least three great Greek-owned burger chains in the Salt Lake City area- Astro Burger, Crown Burger and Apollo Burger. They all serve typical Greek fast-food fare- Gyros- carved off a spit, souvlaki, awesome fries and rings, Greek salad and of course- charbroiled burgers- and they all feature pastrami topped signature burgers...Oh yes- Smoky, salty, tasty pastrami- piles of it.

Apollo Burgers

Some burgers are also come topped with a unique Utah-created concoction called fry sauce- a mayonnaise-based condiment whose origins can be traced to Utah burger chain -Arctic circle (who claims to have created it back in 1948). Fry sauce is now a staple at almost every Utah fast-fooderie and is used as a substitute for good 'ole ketchup.  It's so popular that each establishment has their own signature recipe that they claim to be the best. Some say fry sauce it's just Mayo and Ketchup mixed together...but after trying to make it at home yourself, you can tell that it's so much more.

On today's trip I chose Apollo burger to try out. Apollo opened it's doors back in 1984 and now has 11 locations in the Salt Lake Valley and they serve up some tasty burgers including their signature "Apollo burger" ($4.99)- A char-grilled burger topped with layers of moist pastrami, american cheese, shredded lettuce, onions, tomatoes and fry sauce served on a toasted sesame seed bun.

The Apollo Burger

The 1/4 lb Apollo burger patty was very moist with noticeable bbq cross sear marks, nice char and great beef flavor and a somewhat solid texture, the pastrami overflowed the burger and was tender, juicy and not too smoky- (though a tad bit fatty), the bun was very fresh and the fry sauce- well wow- it just took everything to the next level.  And at $4.99 the Apollo burger was one hell of an affordable burger that will have you craving it and coming back time and time again.

Aburgeraday rating: 7/10

The Beehive Burger at Smashburger- Draper, UT

Originating in Denver, Colorado Smashburger franchises are popping up all over the United States. Their claim to fame is the process in which a round ground beef ball gets smashed into a flat patty when it's placed on a flat-top grill. The flattened patty is then seared on the outside while still locking in the juices making a signature juicy burger patty with a perfect outside crunch. Some locations even offer unique burgers that appeal to each market based on regional flavors that the franchise is located in. In Denver, it's the Colorado Burger- topped with green chilies or in Tennessee - the Tennessee burger- topped with Jack Daniels BBQ sauce and grilled garlic jalapenos.

Smashburger

You can build your own burger, grilled chicken sandwich or hot dog with regular, sweet potato or smash fries (topped with olive oil, garlic and rosemary) as sides- they've even got salads and Haagen-Daaz milkshakes!

The Beehive Burger at Smashburger

On this visit I tried the beehive burger topped with Honey BBQ sauce, apple-wood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, haystack onion strings served on an egg bun ($5.99). The burger came out cooked medium with a nice crust from the flat-top grill. The patty was semi-moist though I was expecting it to be juicier- it was also fairly packed and not crumbly with just enough seasoning and a good meaty beef flavor. The egg bun was slightly sweet but I wish it were fresher. The cheese, onion strings, bacon and honey mustard were a great compliment to the complete the burger. Overall the beehive burger that I got that day was pretty good but I've had better from the same location- and having had better their before would have me come back to Smashbuger again.

Aburgeraday rating: 6/10

The Mama Burger at Val's Burgers- Hayward, CA

I've been trying to find some time to make it out to Val's for months and although it's not far from where I live I just haven't found the time- until today. Val's is located in Hayward, CA in a mostly mixed residential area a bit off the beaten path. They've got ample parking and I was even able to find a spot during a busy Friday afternoon lunch stop.

Val's Burgers

Val's opened in 1958 and has been grilling burgers ever since. It's 900+ favorable Yelp reviews likely helps draw in a lot of business and the burgers keep people coming back. When you walk in it has a bit of a nostalgic diner feel- lots of newspaper clippings on the walls from over the years, signed pictures of obscurely known celebrities who have eaten there, old decor, booth seating and an open seating area along the counter which runs the span of the whole business.

I wish I would have tried this place sooner because Val's does a good burger. The burgers are available in three sizes from the 1/3 lb baby burger to the 1 lb papa burger. All burgers are char-grilled and served with lettuce (cheese an extra $.35 and tomatoes an extra $.25). All other toppings and condiments are at your table to build a burger any way you like including pickles, onions, relish, mustard, ketchup, and mayo.

The Mama Burger at Val's

I went for the 1/2 lb mama with tomato, American cheese and a side of grilled onions- medium rare. I topped it off with lettuce and all the condiments. The burger was cooked perfectly. It was amazingly run down your arms juicy, awesomely flavorful and seasoned just right. The grilled onions came on the side and there was enough to top at least 5 burgers- a great value at $.75 extra that added some caramelized sweetness that made the burger even better. I have to say, Val's makes a near perfect burger- and for that I give Val's an 8 out of 10 and I have to put it on my top 10 burger list.

Aburgeraday rating: 8/10

Biggie Bacon Cheeseburger at Cecil's Burgers, Hayward, CA

Located in Hayward, Cecil's Famous Burgers has been serving up burgers, fries and shakes for as long as anyone can remember. I actually tried to find how long they've been opened, but I wasn't able to find anything- they don't even have a website and rely on Yelp and other sites for their info.
Cecil's is conveniently located in a detached building in a strip mall with a walk up window, outdoor seating and lots of parking in the lot or even on the street. It's not in the best part of town but the street is busy enough that it's safe during most times of the day.

Cecil's Burgers

Cecil's burgers can be ordered in a variety of sizes ranging from the tiny 1/6 lb. regular to the 1/2lb. Biggie meant for big appetities. Not surprisingly, I went for the Biggie Bacon Cheeseburger. 

The flat top grilled beef patties were thin, yet moist. Bacon- crispy but what I liked the best was the buttered and grilled bun. It was like biting into garlic bread without the garlic. A crunchy buttery crust with nice chew. The special sauce, ketchup, onion, and tomato added to the overall girth of the burger- Damn it was good. 

Biggie Bacon Cheeseburger at Cecil's Burgers

If you are ever driving on the East Bay and craving a burger, the convenient location on Tennyson Rd. just off the 880 is worth the detour.

Aburgeraday rating: 7/10

Burger Disappointment- The Memphis BBQ burger at Carl's Jr

You've seen the commercials. The 2 hotties in dazy dukes and bikini tops trying to hoist the behemoth Memphis BBQ burger to their mouths. The burger bursting with BBQ pulled pork with Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, cheese, and onion strings on top of a flame broiled patty. The marketing image makes the burger look big and highly appealing- however, what you actually get is nothing like it is advertised- even if you get the $6 restaurant burger version.

The Memphis BBQ Burger at Carl's Jr.

The Burger patty came dry, only had a few onion strings and the pulled pork was barely noticeable making this burger a wimpy wanna-be of Carl's Jr. marketing. I won't be trying one of these again.

Aburgeraday rating: 3/10

Colossal burger at California Burgers, Citrus Heights, Ca

Sometimes you go to a reputable or even highly rated restaurant and instead of getting the product that many others have raved about, you get a product that is more a result of the cook having a bad day, not paying attention, being distracted while having to fill the ice machine- whatever. Call it what you will but consistency, or the ability to deliver a quality product, day-in, and day out is a challenge all restaurants struggle with. I'm not sure what the exact reason was today- the restaurant was mostly empty, it was 5'o'clock on Sunday evening and it wasn't like there was a lineup and the cook was getting slammed...but the burger just wasn't as good as it could have been. A shame, because on a good day, this burger could have been spectacular. In fact, I think that this place churns out a fantastic burger more often than not...they have all of the elements for an awesome burger.

California Burgers

Located in Citrus Heights a suburb near Sacramento, CA,  California Burgers has a pretty substantial menu featuring everything from burgers and fries to mexican food- but today I was there for the colossal burger- a double patty burger topped with smoky pastrami.

The burger patties came out a bit overdone and dry, but you could taste the smokiness that came from cooking over charcoal. The pastrami was a little dry as well. The lettuce, tomato and special sauce added the needed lubrication to tie the whole burger together. What was noticeably absent was cheese...I'm not sure whether it's normally included, but a missing element that I would have preferred.

The Colossal Burger at California Burgers

Overall the colossal burger was good, something I'd come back to try again and hope that on my next visit that the beef will be perfectly cooked and juicy and the pastrami tender and moist. Until then, I'll be dreaming about how good this burger could have been.

Aburgeraday rating: 6/10