The Burger (7 of 10): In our quest, we have noticed that burgers tend to fall into "thick" and "thin." Thick burgers show off the meat, while thin burgers tend to accentuate the greens and whatnot that top the patty. The Ram's Smoky Cheddar Bacon Burger falls neatly between the two. The patty is not hugely thick, but thick enough that it's satisfying to the carnivore. The lettuce, tomato, onion toppings are okay, but pedestrian.
Sides (7 of 10): Most of us prefer fries that are thick enough to be crunchy outside and soft inside. The Ram's fries are like that, and well made. A few fries in the order were "cajun"-style; we weren't sure if that was intentional or not.
Other Stuff (7 of 10): The Ram has a big menu, and many of the other dishes are quite good. French Dip and Chop Salad recommended. And the beers are good, with the usual silly names.
Ambiance (7 of 10): A big, sports-bar type room. Can be noisy, but generally very pleasant. Finding the restaurant in the back corner of the U Village shopping center can be fun.
Service (7 of 10): Good, although our server may have been new. But we got our orders taken quickly, and he returned to ask how everything was.
Overall (7 of 10): Maybe not the best burger in town, but a reliably good meal. One of our cadre tells us that the Ram in Tacoma is better, so that will probably be on our quest soon.
Ram Restaurant & Brewery
2650 NE University Village St
Seattle
(206) 525-3565
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Friday, September 7, 2007
Two Bells Tavern
The Burger (4 of 10): We had a disagreement among the questers, but the writer gets to pick, right? Some of us liked the burger better than I did, but my blue cheese burger was so peppery that I couldn't taste any other flavor.
Sides (2 of 10): Weird. No fries, just stuff like cole slaw and baked beans, and the beans tasted canned.
Ambiance (6 of 10): Pleasant neighborhood joint, not pretentious.
Service (8 of 10): Good, fast, friendly.
Overall (5 of 10): Two Bells is a Seattle staple that was totally impossible for non-smokers until the recent indoor smoking ban. Now it's pleasant for everyone except the kids -- unlike some places, Two Bells doesn't allow minors anywhere in the place. We're not sure why some bars allow kids and some don't, but Two Bells cards everybody, even if they aren't drinking.
Two Bells Tavern
2313 4th Ave (at Bell)
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 441-8190
(206) 441-3050
Sides (2 of 10): Weird. No fries, just stuff like cole slaw and baked beans, and the beans tasted canned.
Ambiance (6 of 10): Pleasant neighborhood joint, not pretentious.
Service (8 of 10): Good, fast, friendly.
Overall (5 of 10): Two Bells is a Seattle staple that was totally impossible for non-smokers until the recent indoor smoking ban. Now it's pleasant for everyone except the kids -- unlike some places, Two Bells doesn't allow minors anywhere in the place. We're not sure why some bars allow kids and some don't, but Two Bells cards everybody, even if they aren't drinking.
Two Bells Tavern
2313 4th Ave (at Bell)
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 441-8190
(206) 441-3050
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Attic Alehouse and Eatery
The Burger (8 of 10)
Sides (6 of 10): No desserts to speak of, but by all means, take a walk to the ice cream shop up the block on the other side of the street. Just pretend you're walking off a few calories . . .
Ambience (7 of 10): The Attic is a neighborhood pub that feels slightly downmarket for upscale Madison Park; as a result, it's rather more friendly than some of its neighbors. With TVs showing sports channels, and a well-used dart board, it's easy to feel right at home. It's be nice if they did something about the slight smell of old beer, though. Oh, and the menu is an entertaining read.
Service (8 of 10)
Overall (8 of 10)
Attic Alehouse and Eatery
4226 E Madison St.
Seattle, Washington 98112
(206) 323-3131
Sides (6 of 10): No desserts to speak of, but by all means, take a walk to the ice cream shop up the block on the other side of the street. Just pretend you're walking off a few calories . . .
Ambience (7 of 10): The Attic is a neighborhood pub that feels slightly downmarket for upscale Madison Park; as a result, it's rather more friendly than some of its neighbors. With TVs showing sports channels, and a well-used dart board, it's easy to feel right at home. It's be nice if they did something about the slight smell of old beer, though. Oh, and the menu is an entertaining read.
Service (8 of 10)
Overall (8 of 10)
Attic Alehouse and Eatery
4226 E Madison St.
Seattle, Washington 98112
(206) 323-3131
Friday, August 17, 2007
Monday, August 13, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
Road Trip: Rossow's in Ellensburg, WA
The Burger (3 of 10): Bacon Cheese Deluxe. The bacon was real and well-cooked. The patty was pretty thin, and sort of grey-looking. But it was buried under enough lettuce, onion, and some sort of mustard-based sauce (oh yeah, and pickles, but I don't do pickles) that the whole thing tasted pretty good.
Other Stuff (2 of 10): Rossow's has a pretty large menu for a place of this sort. But if the fried shrimp was anything to go on, don't bother.
Sides (5 of 10): Fries were thin and commercial, and just slightly overdone, but they had a nice mix of crunchy exterior and soft interior. Having several options for sauces to put on the fries was a nice touch; too bad the ranch dressing was right out of a bottle. The chocolate milk shake was disappointing, especially after Zak's. It was a real shake, but I suspect vanilla ice cream with too much Hershey's chocolate sauce. On the other hand, Will had a blueberry shake that he really liked -- even if the blueberries got stuck in the straw!
Ambience (2 of 10): Think former gas station, complete with restrooms on the other side of the building. Cinder block walls (recently painted, though!) Walls done up in reproduction Betty Boop posters and one lonely 45 record...sort of low-budget Kidd Valley. Mind you, I suspect most everybody does takeout here.
Service (5 of 10): Customers have a choice of drive-up window or inside counter. Looked like one server was managing both, so the food took a while, but she kept track of everything on our fairly complex order and got it right.
Value (7 of 10): The Bacon Deluxe burger was just over $4. Complete with shakes and sides, the four of us ate for less than $30. Pretty good by Seattle standards.
Overall (3 of 10): Rossow's is essentially a take-out joint with a few tables. Even when you eat in, it comes packed in paper and ready to hit the road. We did eat in, and were surprised how few customers we saw at 6:30 on a Thursday night. But maybe the students from Central Washington University are still on vacation. Rossow's is the sort of place that the college crowd ought to like. As our friend Perry put it, "Not great, not too bad."
Rossow's U-Tote-Em
807 W University Way, Ellensburg
(509) 925-1500
Other Stuff (2 of 10): Rossow's has a pretty large menu for a place of this sort. But if the fried shrimp was anything to go on, don't bother.
Sides (5 of 10): Fries were thin and commercial, and just slightly overdone, but they had a nice mix of crunchy exterior and soft interior. Having several options for sauces to put on the fries was a nice touch; too bad the ranch dressing was right out of a bottle. The chocolate milk shake was disappointing, especially after Zak's. It was a real shake, but I suspect vanilla ice cream with too much Hershey's chocolate sauce. On the other hand, Will had a blueberry shake that he really liked -- even if the blueberries got stuck in the straw!
Ambience (2 of 10): Think former gas station, complete with restrooms on the other side of the building. Cinder block walls (recently painted, though!) Walls done up in reproduction Betty Boop posters and one lonely 45 record...sort of low-budget Kidd Valley. Mind you, I suspect most everybody does takeout here.
Service (5 of 10): Customers have a choice of drive-up window or inside counter. Looked like one server was managing both, so the food took a while, but she kept track of everything on our fairly complex order and got it right.
Value (7 of 10): The Bacon Deluxe burger was just over $4. Complete with shakes and sides, the four of us ate for less than $30. Pretty good by Seattle standards.
Overall (3 of 10): Rossow's is essentially a take-out joint with a few tables. Even when you eat in, it comes packed in paper and ready to hit the road. We did eat in, and were surprised how few customers we saw at 6:30 on a Thursday night. But maybe the students from Central Washington University are still on vacation. Rossow's is the sort of place that the college crowd ought to like. As our friend Perry put it, "Not great, not too bad."
Rossow's U-Tote-Em
807 W University Way, Ellensburg
(509) 925-1500
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Zak's in Ballard
The Burger (5 of 10): Brady warned us: "All I can say is get ready for a noticeable jump in cholesterol and lipid levels, have your AED charged up and on stand-by, and don’t plan to get on a scale for a week or two after eating there." Maybe this Burger Quest is raising my tolerance, but even after having a "Big Johnson," I managed to waddle out pretty well. There seems to be a class of burgers that are so full of greens, onions, and the like that the burger itself is kind of lost. The Big Johnson falls in that category. The bacon was really just a hunk of undercooked fat. The whole thing wasn't bad, but nothing to write home about. The regular burgers might make more sense. A couple of ravenous teenagers in our group were unable to finish the regular burger after having a milkshake.
Other Stuff (10 of 10): One of the gang said that the black bean veggie burger was "the best she'd ever had." (She ate my pickles, too!) Cool!
Sides (10 of 10): The fries were pretty good -- commercial but well-cooked. But the standout was the chocolate milk shake: WOW! It came in one of those metal cups directly out of the shake machine that one hardly sees any more. Not only that, it was topped with a full scoop of chocolate ice cream. I must say that I'm totally spoiled now. Even when I get a real shake someplace else, I catch the tell-tale taste of Hershey's chocolate syrup, which Zak's shake didn't have at all.
Ambience (5 of 10): Our crowd took over the long table in the middle, which could easily seat 20+. But the place didn't feel overly crowded on a sunny Sunday night. The walls are decorated with license plates and other memorabilia.
Service (6 of 10): Didn't take too long, given the big crowd. They didn't offer to split checks, so we took a while figuring out who owed what.
Overall (6 of 10)
Zak's in Ballard
2040 NW Market St., Ballard
(206) 706 9257
Other Stuff (10 of 10): One of the gang said that the black bean veggie burger was "the best she'd ever had." (She ate my pickles, too!) Cool!
Sides (10 of 10): The fries were pretty good -- commercial but well-cooked. But the standout was the chocolate milk shake: WOW! It came in one of those metal cups directly out of the shake machine that one hardly sees any more. Not only that, it was topped with a full scoop of chocolate ice cream. I must say that I'm totally spoiled now. Even when I get a real shake someplace else, I catch the tell-tale taste of Hershey's chocolate syrup, which Zak's shake didn't have at all.
Ambience (5 of 10): Our crowd took over the long table in the middle, which could easily seat 20+. But the place didn't feel overly crowded on a sunny Sunday night. The walls are decorated with license plates and other memorabilia.
Service (6 of 10): Didn't take too long, given the big crowd. They didn't offer to split checks, so we took a while figuring out who owed what.
Overall (6 of 10)
Zak's in Ballard
2040 NW Market St., Ballard
(206) 706 9257
Friday, July 27, 2007
Palace Kitchen
The Burger (10 of 10): Yikes! A $14 blue-cheese burger? In this case, we came to the conclusion that it was worth it, believe it or not. Chef Tom Douglas has a reputation, and at the Palace Kitchen, he has worked his magic on a (formerly) lowly hamburger, and turned it into something that is worth the price. I've never had a burger that was so tender. Even the bun was to die for. This might be the ultimate burger.
Sides (8 of 10): The fries were great, maybe not up to the Elysian's, but after the burger, who remembers? But I do remember "Tom's famous triple coconut cream pie." What can I say? The name says it all.
Ambience (7 of 10): Surprisingly friendly and laid back for 7:00 on a Friday night. We waited maybe five minutes, and while the place was full, it didn't feel crowded. Not fancy, just a standard bar-restaurant feel.
Service (8 of 10): Ditto.
Overall/Value (10 of 10): Okay, I've been thinking hard about this one. "Value," to me, means "you get what you pay for," not necessarily cheap. In this case, you definitely get what you pay for, and it's worth every penny. I won't be going back every week -- sorry, who has that kind of a budget? -- but I will be going back.
Palace Kitchen
2030 Fifth Ave., Seattle
On the corner of 5th and Lenora
(206) 448-2001
Sides (8 of 10): The fries were great, maybe not up to the Elysian's, but after the burger, who remembers? But I do remember "Tom's famous triple coconut cream pie." What can I say? The name says it all.
Ambience (7 of 10): Surprisingly friendly and laid back for 7:00 on a Friday night. We waited maybe five minutes, and while the place was full, it didn't feel crowded. Not fancy, just a standard bar-restaurant feel.
Service (8 of 10): Ditto.
Overall/Value (10 of 10): Okay, I've been thinking hard about this one. "Value," to me, means "you get what you pay for," not necessarily cheap. In this case, you definitely get what you pay for, and it's worth every penny. I won't be going back every week -- sorry, who has that kind of a budget? -- but I will be going back.
Palace Kitchen
2030 Fifth Ave., Seattle
On the corner of 5th and Lenora
(206) 448-2001
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Road Trip: Burgerville, Woodland, WA
The Burger (6 of 10): Disappointing. Thin and bland, with the usual skimpy bacon and blah fixings.
Sides (6 of 10): Fries okay, but try the rings and strawberry shake if you can get them.
Ambience (4 of 10): Basic fast food.
Service (3 of 10): Basic get-it-yourself-from-the-counter fast food.
Value (7 of 10): Beats the national fast food chains at similar prices.
Overall (6 of 10): I'm beginning to think that the quality of burger joints is 50% nostalgia. We keep being told about places that someone remembers fondly from their childhood, only to find that the reality just doesn't cut it. I outfoxed myself with recollections of this Portland-based chain that has restaurants as far north as Centralia. I recalled fondly the Walla Walla Sweet onion rings, and the fresh strawberry milk shakes. But if they aren't available, as was the case when I visited recently, the burgers just aren't worth the trip.
Burgerville
1120 Lewis River Road, Woodland, WA
360-225-7965
Sides (6 of 10): Fries okay, but try the rings and strawberry shake if you can get them.
Ambience (4 of 10): Basic fast food.
Service (3 of 10): Basic get-it-yourself-from-the-counter fast food.
Value (7 of 10): Beats the national fast food chains at similar prices.
Overall (6 of 10): I'm beginning to think that the quality of burger joints is 50% nostalgia. We keep being told about places that someone remembers fondly from their childhood, only to find that the reality just doesn't cut it. I outfoxed myself with recollections of this Portland-based chain that has restaurants as far north as Centralia. I recalled fondly the Walla Walla Sweet onion rings, and the fresh strawberry milk shakes. But if they aren't available, as was the case when I visited recently, the burgers just aren't worth the trip.
Burgerville
1120 Lewis River Road, Woodland, WA
360-225-7965
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Friday, July 6, 2007
Elysian Brewing Company, Capitol Hill
The Burger (8 of 10): We did the Elysian Burger with blue cheese ($8). Both the burger and the fixings were very good indeed. On our return trip, we tried the half-pound Kobe Beef Burger ($12). It was okay, but it was a bit disappointing for the price -- the charcoal flavor totally overpowered the "Worcestershire sauce aioli" which could hardly be tasted.
Sides (10 of 10): The French fries get a standing ovation. Get the special homemade "wedge" fries, not the ones that come with the burgers. They're more like potato wedges than the usual fries, and they are superb. The Elysian is a brew-pub, and the beer-lovers among us give a thumbs-up to Dragontooth, and the hard cider is excellent as well.
Ambience (5 of 10): The Elysian is a big, warehouse-like room, as befits a brew-pub. It was pretty empty when we went in the late afternoon, but it gets much more crowded later in the evening.
Service (5 of 10): The wait staff is friendly, but can be overworked.
Overall (7 of 10)
Elysian Brewing Company, Capitol Hill
1221 E Pike St.
Seattle, WA 98122
206.860.1920
Edited 9/3/07
Sides (10 of 10): The French fries get a standing ovation. Get the special homemade "wedge" fries, not the ones that come with the burgers. They're more like potato wedges than the usual fries, and they are superb. The Elysian is a brew-pub, and the beer-lovers among us give a thumbs-up to Dragontooth, and the hard cider is excellent as well.
Ambience (5 of 10): The Elysian is a big, warehouse-like room, as befits a brew-pub. It was pretty empty when we went in the late afternoon, but it gets much more crowded later in the evening.
Service (5 of 10): The wait staff is friendly, but can be overworked.
Overall (7 of 10)
Elysian Brewing Company, Capitol Hill
1221 E Pike St.
Seattle, WA 98122
206.860.1920
Edited 9/3/07
Friday, June 29, 2007
The Great Best Burger Quest
Edited 9/3/07
The Rating System
Frankly, we've been making it up as we go along. After the first several ratings, we discovered we had a "grade inflation" problem, and everything was being rated too high. We're now in the process of re-grading everything.
The List
Wimsey and Charlie came up with:
Elysian
Deluxe
Red Mill
The Ram
Suggestions received today from interested parties:
Daly's (two different people suggested this one)
2713 Eastlake Ave E
Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 322-1918
Mrs. Beesley's - near Centralia (road trip!)
393 Cowlitz Ridge Rd
Toledo, WA 98591
(360) 864-4866
Charlie says: If we're going to do Centralia, let's do
Burgerville
818 Harrison Avenue
Centralia, WA 98531
360-736-5212
Full Map and Directions at MapQuest.com
Scooter's - in Ballard - supposed to have great shakes, too - take to the Locks to eat
5802 24th Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 782-2966
22 Doors
1200 Bistro
12th & Pike
Attic Alehouse and Eatery
4226 E Madison St.,
Seattle, Washington 98112
(206) 323-3131
35th Street Bistro
709 N. 35th St., Fremont
206-547-9850,
Kobe beef burger
Hilltop Ale House.
Palace Kitchen is the number one favorite. The one that all others are graded against.
Two Bells - second person said Two Bells has my favorite burger in town (even though I'm not always wild about the crusty bread it's served on). Plus, beer!
Maple Leaf Grill are the next closest.
Collins Pub.
Zesto's in Ballard, 65st and 15th (?).
They have a good burger at a decent price.
Latona Pub in Wallingford has the BEST burger I've had in Seattle. It is served on an Essential Bakery bun and you can request caramelized onions for free.
I'm sure there will be more...
The Rating System
Frankly, we've been making it up as we go along. After the first several ratings, we discovered we had a "grade inflation" problem, and everything was being rated too high. We're now in the process of re-grading everything.
The List
Wimsey and Charlie came up with:
Elysian
Deluxe
Red Mill
The Ram
Suggestions received today from interested parties:
Daly's (two different people suggested this one)
2713 Eastlake Ave E
Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 322-1918
Mrs. Beesley's - near Centralia (road trip!)
393 Cowlitz Ridge Rd
Toledo, WA 98591
(360) 864-4866
Charlie says: If we're going to do Centralia, let's do
Burgerville
818 Harrison Avenue
Centralia, WA 98531
360-736-5212
Full Map and Directions at MapQuest.com
Scooter's - in Ballard - supposed to have great shakes, too - take to the Locks to eat
5802 24th Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 782-2966
22 Doors
1200 Bistro
12th & Pike
Attic Alehouse and Eatery
4226 E Madison St.,
Seattle, Washington 98112
(206) 323-3131
35th Street Bistro
709 N. 35th St., Fremont
206-547-9850,
Kobe beef burger
Hilltop Ale House.
Palace Kitchen is the number one favorite. The one that all others are graded against.
Two Bells - second person said Two Bells has my favorite burger in town (even though I'm not always wild about the crusty bread it's served on). Plus, beer!
Maple Leaf Grill are the next closest.
Collins Pub.
Zesto's in Ballard, 65st and 15th (?).
They have a good burger at a decent price.
Latona Pub in Wallingford has the BEST burger I've had in Seattle. It is served on an Essential Bakery bun and you can request caramelized onions for free.
I'm sure there will be more...
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