I've reviewed some fine dining, and a few places in between. But visions of cheeseburgers have danced around in my head long enough. This week I discuss and highly recommend Five Guys Burgers & Fries. Its located in a small shopping center right at the intersection of Fall River and Highland avenues in Seekonk. It's well worth a visit.
Aside from vegans and my arteries, who doesn't like a good burger? Sometimes when browsing a menu, nothing quite mixes with my mood until I get to that sandwich and burger section, and I think, "I haven't had a good burger in a while." If you haven't had a good burger in a while, or even just an unsatisfactory burger experience, Five Guys should be your next stop.
There's a few different types of burgers, all of which have their merits. First is your typical restaurant burger or gourmet burger. It usually has a big fat patty in the half pound range. Components and toppings range from the simple and typical to fancy cheeses, vegetables and buns. Most always, you're offered your choice of temperature on these types of burgers. They're good and filling, and usually I get through about a half. Second is the chain fast food burger. Here I will make the first mention in writing ever of my McDonalds addiction. Although I am in the maintenance/recovery phase of my addiction, McDonalds, Wendy's, and Burger King all are onto something pretty good with their burgers. They offer consistency, variety, value, and plenty of availability. The ranges of toppings are much more narrow than the gourmet burger, and include only the basics.
The last type of burger is the type you'll find at Five Guys. They are made to order. They have thin, greasy, and delicious patties, and are a throwback to the style of burger joints from the 50's. The closest comparisons are places like the infamous In and Out Burger and Johnny Rockets (without a waiter belting out Aretha Franklin). For those East Coasters who have never had the privilege of eating at an In and Out Burger, Five Guys is your closest option. Not to say that one is necessarily better than the other, it is just that the lack of availability outside of the Southwest region of the country for In and Out has been a trademark of their reputation. The first Five Guys opened in 1986 in the Washington D.C. area. Once they worked out their formula for burger perfection, they started with regional franchising in 2001 only to go national in 2003.
At first bite, the Five Guys burger took me back to a place that my parents used to take me when I was a kid. It was a torturous hour drive from our house in south Jersey to a suburb on the far side of Philadelphia where the same guy was making burgers every single time we went. This nostalgia was certainly welcome and enjoyable. At Five Guys, the well seasoned meat, ample yellow cheese, and list of 16 free and fresh toppings were a quick sell for me, and a few other details put the final stamp of approval on this place.
The experience at Five Guys may start out with a wait in line to order, and the extra time is certainly not needed to make decisions from the menu which is as simplistic as it gets. My one tiny bit of feedback that may be considered negative, or rather a warning, is that what they call a cheeseburger is in fact a double cheeseburger. The "little" cheeseburger is simply a single. During my visit to Five Guys, something very rare happened. My fiance, Amy, and I, without a moments hesitation, ordered the same exact thing, bacon cheeseburger. As far as I was concerned, there was no other option. My second and final word of caution for a newbie at Five Guys is to think twice about what toppings you order. While my burger was perfect, Amy oped for mustard on hers, and found that they over did it just a touch. Consider toppings on the side if you're on the fence. After ordering while waiting for your food, guests are treated to a luxury typically reserved for wild west themed steakhouses, all you can eat peanuts in shell. Although here, tossing the shells on the floor is not encouraged. The orders are taken, cooked, and delivered by a team of five guys. Interesting. The wait was reasonable and well worth it for the tasty burgers. Catchup and soda's are self serve, another bonus, as I sometimes like to change up soda choice by the time a refill is needed.
The burger was great. The Cajun fries were great. Despite having felt tricked, at first, into ordering the double bacon cheeseburger instead of the single, I realized maybe the powers that be at Five Guys know me better than I know myself. I happily stuffed down the whole burger and my half of the Cajun fries. I won't say it was easy, but I wasn't about to bring it home or waste any in the trash. The restaurant was extremely clean, and the bulletin boards give a nice local spin to the restaurant franchise. A meal for two including burgers, drinks, and fries to split came in at just under $25. Five Guys is at the top of my list for a great burger at a good value. If you're in the mood for a burger and willing to put the diet on hold, make Five Guys your next stop.
