Check out "Best Sandwiches in Utah," "Best Cheesesteaks in Utah," "Best Shakes in Utah," "Best Fish and Chips in Utah," and our OTHER FOOD REVIEWS at TasterTestersClub.BlogSpot.com
We tested burgers at 25+ cafes and about 60 fast-food places in Utah Valley (all of them) and Salt Lake City (most of them) - over 100 in all. Most of the C grade places are not listed.
TOP 12 BURGER PLACES in Utah
(The Top 6 have at least one burger rating B+ or higher. Bold-faced shows each burger rating B+ or higher. Most need to be customized per recommendations below to achieve the B+ grade!)
Rev. 10 August 2022
Burgers & Barley, American Fork (Park City has one with different recipes), July 2022
Meat Man A-/A
Outlaw A-/A
Aloha A-
Good Life B+/A-
Johnny B++
Basic B++
Note 1: This and Lucky 13 below are two places where you can get the beef patties Medium Rare. (At Cubby's below it comes Medium with a slightly pink center).
Mooya, Provo 8/2/22
Build Your Own: two beef patties, two slices of their high quality Tillamook cheddar cheese configured with both slices atop the first beef patty!), lettuce, tomato, pickles, raw onion, mayo. Add sauteed mushrooms: B++
Note 1: Because of their very good beef and seasoning, this is a rare place where two patties are better than one!
Note 2: If no mushrooms, the grade comes down slightly to B+
Note 3: Mayo tested better than Mooya sauce (fry sauce), but very slightly
Note 4: bun B+, meat B+, meat seasoning B+
LOWER GRADE BURGER AT MOOYA:
Hambur-Dog, with bacon. Grade B. (Bacon alone B)
Lucky 13, Salt Lake City, 8/1/2022
Customized Bacon Cheeseburger (ground chuck alone: cooked at medium rare: B+); get with two slices cheddar; comes with lettuce, tomato, mayo. Delete grilled onion and replace with raw onion). Tested both ways, same grade. B+
Regular Bacon Cheeseburger: B+
Regular Cheeseburger (tested in separate test to above burger: with no bacon, no extra cheese) B+
Bun: B
Beef (ground chuck), medium rare: B+
Note: All 3 above burgers rated B+, but are listed in order of what's best.
Pastrami Beef Swiss (pastrami alone grades out at B/B+, nice and mild but lower grade texture and quality for pastrami). B+
LOWER GRADE BURGERS AT LUCKY 13:
Nutter Butter: burger, cheddar, peanut butter. Package is flavorless, peanut butter disrupts flavor ot great bacon and everything. (A grade bacon, C- grade peanut butter). Overall: B-/B
NOTE: In March 2022 when tested hot, their garlic rosemary fries were tied for first with Smashburger at A-. But their Cajun fries and regular fires grade lower at B/B+. In August 2022 they were served barely warm and rated C+, which is very standard for “cold” fries. Fry sauce (mayo, ketchup, and Woostershire?): best in state: A-
Cubbys, several locations 8/4/22
Customized Houdini (comes with medium, pink-centered beef, bacon, mushrooms, gouda cheese, spring mix, tomato, raw onion, tarragon garlic aioli. To customized it, add 2 T extra of tarragon garlic aioli and delete crispy onions): (rates a bit lower than Lucky 13's best, above): B+
Note 1: meat, cooked medium, rates B/B+, bun rates B/B+.
Note 2: get crispy onions on side and add them to burger if desired. (We prefer this burger without crispy onions).
Note 3: get extra side of tarragon garlic aoili to add to that sauce already on the burger. Add 2 tablespoons extra to it!
Note 4: The Houdini with no extra sauce scores only a B.
Note 5: Without cheese and bacon, but with mushrooms it's a B.
LOWER GRADE BURGERS AT CUBBY'S:
Gypsey. Smoked bacon, cheddar, carmelized O, butter lettuce, tomato, house sweet BBQ sauce, medium beef. B/B+
Note: medium rare beef: B/B+, BBQ sauce B/B+
Regular Houdini, not customized per above: B
Dragonslayer: B-
LeSquish (adding 2 slices cheddar, replacing American, P, red O, mayo ore secret sauce): C+/B-
Montauk, Draper 8/10/22
Ribeye Burger, sharp Provolone family of cheeses, spring mix, cherry tomatoes, carmelized onions. B+
Meat B+
Bun (unfortunately, heated, similar to Chom's “toasted” buns but better) B/B+
Five Guys 7/26/22
Customized burger using all ingredients from Veggie Sandwich, added to burger, with no cheese: burger, L, T, Mayo, grilled mushrooms, grilled onions, grilled green peppers B+
Sesame bun B
Beef alone: B
Bacon burger and all other combinations tried: B
Bacon alone: B
Note: They have no cheddar; we strongly recommend you don't get American, anywhere!
Station 22, Provo 7/31/22
Customized All American Burger, deleting sriracha mayo and replacing it with Carolina Gold BBQ sauce (the magic of this burger): B/B+
All American Burger, standard (with sriracha mayo, LTP, Swiss, Bacon): Pak: B
Adding avocado B/B+
Note 1: Side: Mac and cheese (3 cheeses), unsmoked pulled pulled pork B-, combined: B/B+
Note 2: chicken and dumpling: the “soup” B, dumpling (biscuit) B+, combo B
Beef: B- (high priced burger for this taste of beef; needs more fat content)
Bun: B/B+
Bacon B/B+
LOWER GRADER BUIRGER AT STATION 22:
Jack Kurowac. The bourbon sauce lowers the grade to a B-. (But many love this burger.)
Buffalo Wild Wings 7/28/22
Guacamole Bacon Burger, double patty + pepper jack, guac, bacon, shredded L, pico, bacon aioli, challah bun. The pico, high quality bacon, guac, and bacon aioli make this work. The bun and beef are cheap; if they were better, this would burger would rate higher. Still, this burger with the pico, guac, very good bacon, etc. almost gives it a B+, but the cheap burger and dry bun makes it B/B+
Note: When first tested in March 2022 it did get a B+, perhaps fresher bun that day.
Meat: B-
Bun: B
Bacon: B+
Guac: B- but too salty if eaten alone; in the burger it's not too salty
LOWER GRADE BURGERS AT BUFFALO WILD WINGS:
All American Burger B/B+
Bacon smashed hatch chile burger B-
Note: fries B, onion rings B/B+
Smashburger 7/24/22
Customized Classic Single (L, T, raw O, P) delete American cheese (replace with 2 slices Cheddar); delete ketchup and Smash sauce (replace with Mayo and Smash sauce on side with which to test with Mayo if you like). With mayo as the sauce: B/B+
With Smash sauce (mayo-mustard) as the only sauce: B/B+
With crimini mushrooms added: B/B+
Bun grade: B/B+
Meat grade: B
LOWER GRADE BURGERS AT SMASHBURGER:
Colorado (tried two ways: 1. replaced melted cheddar sauce with 2 slices aged sliced cheddar), 2. kept melted cheddar sauce. Same grade, but two slices cheddar slightly better than melted cheddar sauce. Also includes: L, T, Mayo, chipotle bun, grilled Anaheim chiles). Spicy hot. B/B+
Chipotle bun: B/B+
Meat: B
Avocado Bacon Club burger; sliced avoc, bacon, L, T, Mayo, delete Ranch! Replace multi grain bun with white bun. Grade B/B+.
2018 Notes: Tested this 8 different ways: 1st best: white bun best with mayo and chipotle sauce B/B+, 2nd best: multi grain bun with mayo and chipotle sauce B/B+. 3rd best: white bun, mayo and ranch B/B+, 4th best: white bun and mayo B, 5th best: white bun, smash sauce B-/B. 6th best: white bun and smash sauce with no cheese (tied with 5th best): B-/B. 7th best: white bun and smash sauce with American cheese B-. 8th best: white bun with chipotle sauce C+
Truffle Mushroom Swiss; has aged Swiss, sauteed crimini mushrooms:
Option 1: with truffle mayo C
Option 2: with mayo: C+/B-
NOT SOLD IN 2022, BUT HOPEFULLY WILL RETURN: Baja Burger B+
NOTE 1: No longer sold: French onion burger (onion bun, white cheese, grilled oniions: B
NOTE 2: Grades on their buns in 2018:
chipotle bun B++
white B+ (2022 test: white bun preferred over chipotle bun)
multi grain B
onion bun B
Chubby's, several locations. 7/22/22
Utah burger (replace American cheese with two slices Cheddar; use their default fry sauce, L, T, raw O, P): B/B+
Adding mushrooms: B
Note: They applied way too much fry sauce, so I removed most. So, ask for burger with fry sauce on the side, then apply the amount you want.
Meat B-
Bun, when fresh B+
LOWER GRADE BURGERS AT CHUBBY'S:
BBQ Burger with slaw B/B+
Bacon Mushroom (Bacon rates C; L, T, mayo, swiss, mushroom sauce, mushrooms) B/B+
Guac burger with pepper jack B
Hawaiian BBQ: C
Red Robbin 7/29/22
Bacon Guacamole (guac B/B+, bacon B/B+, meat alone, charbroiled B-, dry, thick sesame bun C+). Pak: B/B+
Cheeseburger (L, T, O, P, mayo): B-/B
Beef: B-
Bun, dry B-
Shake Shake, SLC
Nice bun; cheap American cheese only. Good burger. Rates B/B+
NOT IN TOP 12, BUT SHOWN HERE FOR COMPARISON:
Chom, Provo, AF (has no mayo) 7/20/22
Cheeseburger (customized with 2 slices cheddar): pak B
Garlic burger: B-/B
Beef alone: B/B+
Bun, toasted C+, untoasted B
Chom sauce, salty, strong C-
OTHER 2022 BURGER TESTS:
Wingers, their several burgers: B
Dairy Queen: C+
Arby's Wagu burger, June 2022: B
Traditions, Springville, “Brand X”: B
2021 and Earlier" Tests.
Cafes vs. Fast Food: Cafe burgers are usually more expensive and higher quality.
Best FAST FOOD BURGERS
IF BURGERS ARE CUSTOMIZED, PER OUR SPECS BELOW THIS LIST, THESE ARE THE TOP 8 NATIONAL CHAINS:
1. Mooya
3. Smashburger Jalapeno Baja. Order it as is, with chipotle bun (which comes with it) and jalapeno sauce (which comes with it): B+
meat: B-/B, bun: B/B+, bacon alone: B; if burger is with bacon: B
9. Maddox, Layton and Brigham City. Order the Red Sauce - it's thousand island dressing with mustard in place of ketchup, with the mayo and chopped pickles. Surprisingly good sauce for a decent burger. Grades: burgers (great red sauce: like thousand island dressing but mustard instead of mayo). bun: B-/B. meat: B- (it needs more fat and seasoning); minus red sauce (with just ketchup and mustard) it scores B/B+; with "red sauce" it scores B+
10. Cubby's, several Utah locations
High quality ingredients but with two problems: the ground steak is too strong and apparently lacks having enough fat, and the deli buns are too thick and not soft enough. Fix those 2 things and they would jump up a grade on these 3 burgers:
a. "Dragonslayer" burger with blue cheese (buffalo sauce, spring mix, remove carmalized onions, add tomato; mild bleu cheese inside meat: total B+
The Mid-majors: Those rating B to B/B+
Wendy's
a. Dave's Single. B (Customized with mayo, no ketchup,. Note: Don't bother with their Jr. bacon cheeseburger, with a cheap yellow bun and thin meat and horrible cheese, rates a C; with no cheese it's a bit better: C/C+; specifically: bun B - - , meat B-/B. total (Pak): B-.B
a. Signature Crafted burger with artisan bun, guac pico (artisan bun C, new, fresh beef B/B+, total: B
b. new quarter pounder (leave off the horrible American cheese): customized now, with lettuce, tomato, raw onion, pickles and mayo: B
c. (Note: their once innovative Big Mac, compared to much better burgers now, rates a C-, as so many other burgers have surpassed them over the decades.)
BYU Baseball Stadium (and presumably other sporting event snack places on campus) B
Chom Burger, Provo: non-customized, standard burger: B-. Delete American cheese and smash sauce/ketchup, replacing with mayo, to bring it up to: B
JCW's Burger Boys (among the cheapest and worst cheddar cheeses we've had; but American cheese is possibly worse). Char-grilled. Bun: B/B+, meat B, total: B
These next 5 are truly charbroiled over coals; they along with B&D and the now defunct Palace Burgers all broke off from a Greek immigrant who started Astro Burger; the one exception may be Crown, which might have started on their own, but the owner is also Greek.
Atlantis, Salt Lake and Bountiful - charbroiled B
Burger Supreme, Provo.- charbroiled (meat quality C, flavor B+, bacon B, bun B) total B
Apollo, Orem - charbroiled B
Crown Burger, various SLC locations. (meat taste B, quality C-) total burger package - charbroiled B
Astro Burger, SLC - charbroiled B
c. reg. cheeseburger, another visit (meat C-) total B
Culvers B
Carl's Jr., including the Star and other burgers. B
The Minors Those Rating C to B -
2018
Sonic Drive-In (chain) B -
A&W papa burger (lettuce, tomato, onion, meat C+, bun B-), with fry sauce, B -
Rumbi Grill, delete pineapple B-, with bacon B - -
B&D, SLC - our least favorite of the Greek-inspired charbroiled burgers, from the one test we did several years ago. Meat had too much grizzle. C+/B-
Purple Turtle, PG C+
Ripple's Drive-In, Provo C+
Burger King's Whopper - gas grilled C+
Dairy Queen C+
Del Taco (it used to be better), tested again in 2018: C
Note: We've tested many other fast food places that graded out at C's and B's, but our emphasis (and what we saved most of our notes for) are places rating B+ to A- above.
SEE CAFE BURGERS BELOW . . .
The Test for Fast Food Burgers – how it happened
(We initially spent a whole summer going to three or four fast-food places per day, a couple times per week at lunch, actually testing them side by side, until we came up with what were obvious play-off contenders. Then we tested the playoff contenders only, side by side, which took more weeks, until we came up with the best of the best, listed above.)
Since then, more of us have joined in, and we've tested another dozen new, fast food places - as well as a couple dozen of the more expensive, creative cafes starting in 2013.
At each one we tested cheeseburgers, chocolate shakes, fries, and (if they battered their own fish) fish and chips.
A final NOTE on testing fast food burgers:
The fast-food charbroiled places like Atlantis, Apollo, Burger Supreme, B&D Burger and others on the Wasatch Front were all break offs of the original Greek place, Astro Burger, at 3877 South State St in SLC. Various employees broke off from the owner, a really nice Greek fellow, then other employees (at the new places) broke away from the break-aways. But all those charbroiled places have their roots with the original guy at Astro. Some are actually better than the original.
Now . . . the best CAFE Burgers:
Grade A
1. Black Sheep, Provo. Bison deluxe: meat: A-, bu, toasted pretsel: A, sauce A, total: A/A+
(Lesser burgers there: Black Sheep Burger: B/B+, etc.)
2. Winger's -
a. Roadhouse Burger: (meat A-, bun B+) total: A-
b. Ranch Burger (you can substitute ranch dressing for the mayo to create their old Ranch Burger) B+
c. Don't get Teriyaki (is glazed with teriyaki sauce on the grill on the meat, and "island teriyaki" on the bun) B/B+)), Double sauced with amazing sauce on one bun and bootleg bbq sauce on the other bun(B-) or Wingers Sauce burger (C/C+),
3. Station 22, Provo. NOTE: IN 2022 MOST OF THESE ARE GONE.
a. Honest Abe (butter and mayo sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheddar) total A-
b. Chubby Checker (with unsmoked pulled pork) A - -
c-1. Golden State (sweet roasted red pepper and pesto mayo sauce, insert the additionally served items of avocado, tomato, and spring mix) total B+
c-2. NOT AS GOOD AS THE ABOVE THREE: Jack Kareuok (mozzala cheese) B-
Virg's, SLC valley and Tooele, 4 locations. A-
Places we have both tried and not tried amount to dozens more. But some, whose notes we saved, follows:
Buffalo Wild Wings, chain. A- bleu cheese sauce burger
The only "A" rated one is the bleu cheese sauce burger. It gets an A-. The meat is only a C- (average-minus), but the bun rates a B+ and the super-mild bleu cheese dressing not only gets an A+ but makes the burger sing. Their other burgers range from C's to B's - don't bother with them.
El Tropical, Provo. Chimichuri burger (but no chimichuri flavor, unfortunately, when we tested it) B+
b. cheeseburger (meat B) total B
Red Lobster. meat flavor B+, but meat overall C+; with added lettuce and tomato B+
Iggy's Black and Bleu B+ (don't get their Bistro: C-). It does have nice, mild bleu cheese.
Grades:
a. black and bleu burger (sesame bun, glazed teriyaki sauce, bleu cream cheese, blackened burger - meat C, lettuce, tomato) total B+
b. bistro burger (no seseme bun, olives - strong bad taste, tepenade mix of bleu cheese and parm over lettuce and onions with garlic aioli and strong balsamic, plus tomato on french bun, meat C) total C-
ABG's (A. Beuford Gifford's) Bar and Grill, Provo
a. ABG Classic Double with bacon (bun A, charbroiled angus B+, bacon A-. American cheese. CUSTOM ORDER IT WITH MAYO, avocado, and red onion, lettuce, tomato) total grade B+
b. ditto with spicy chiptole aioli on it, which normally comes with it (at least when we had it), dropped the grade down to a B-
c. Hickory Burger (with cheddar and bacon) they make their own BBQ sauce, which grades a B+, but we're not fans of BBQ sauce on burgers, because it clashes with the flavor of the buns, tomato, onions, lettuce, etc. B
Note: they have great custom sauces (they make their own).
Red Robbin, chain. B+ Their best burger of the 19 offerings, for us, was the reg. cheeseburger, tomato, lettuce, etc. Their Special Red Sauce is house-made Thousand Island Dressing (mayo + ketchup + pickle relish: best ever thousand island dressing. (This burger's meat rated a B, the bun a B, the house-made Thousand Island Dressing an A, the cheap cheddar a C, an anemic, orange-ish tomato slice a D, and unfortunately iceberg lettuce, the cheapest of all lettuce - D.). Total: B+
Note about sauce for burgers: We mostly prefer mayo for great burgers unless there is a special sauce that is truly special (like Station 22, Spark's molasses sauce when they were in business, Wild Mustang, A. Beuford Gifford, and Black Sheep)!
Slate, Provo: angus burger (meat B, bacon C+, bun B, no sauce) B/B+
Sundance, Provo. B/B+ (meat, cooked stove top B, no sauce, chargrilled bun on inside rates a B+ for the bun alone) (this was rated in May 2013; a new chef may have changed t his burger, as new chefs come and go there and usually change the food)
Snake Creek Grill, Heber City (bision) B/B+
Slate Restaurant, Provo (bison) B/B+
Slate Restaurant, Provo
b. angus burger (meat B, bacon C+, bun B, no sauce) B/B+
Marley's Sliders, Lindon, Provo FAST FOOD B/B+
a. Classic (we tried all 15, including breakfast sliders) B/B+
with no cheese B/B+
bun alone (fantastic!, house-made) A
sirloin ground beef B
with bacon B/B+
Little America Hotel, SLC cafe, total with onion, mayo, pepper jack, shredded cabbage, brown gravy a nice touch!: total: B/B+
bun alone: B/B+
wago burger meat alone: flavor with seasoning C+/B-, texture A, meat total B/B+
Pollo Royo, SLC and Provo B/B+
Smokehouse BBQ, Orem B/B+
2018: meat B/B+, bun B+, pak: B/B+
2015, unfortunately now no longer served: Buffalo burger: A (if you leave off the bleu cheese)
2018: meat B/B+, bun B+,pak: B/B+.
Bison burger (remove bleu cheese - too strong for some as it is medium-strong; but keep everything else with it! As is, it's a B for some, an A for others who love stronger bleu cheese. Also has melted gruiere cheese - really a nice touch. High quality A grade meat: Best bison burger we've had in the state, followed by Snake Creek Grill in Heber City and Slate Restaurant in Provo). (Grades: bison A, bacon A, grilled bun A, leaf lettuce, good, grilled mushrooms, tomato, gruiere cheese, but no special house sauce.) A
(all are essentially tied):
Smokin Bones, Bountiful
a. grilled beef with smoked pulled pork. Currently B
b. same with sauce B/B+
Sean's Smokehouse, Saratoga Springs. Cheeseburger B, Better than average meat patty on a decent bun B
Burgers and Bourbon, Park City. Smokehouse burger. B
OUT OF BUSINESS - cafes with excellent, A- burgers:
4. Chef's Table, Orem. A- Get the BAC and the Bleu. Both: A-
(no sauce, meat A, sesame store bun, bacon A-) total A-
b. Bleu burger (wing sauce, melted gorgonzola) A-
5. Wild Mustang, Orem. One burger offered. A-.
6. Joe's Gourmet Burgers, Provo, 500 North Freedom Blvd. You can tell these are foodies that run the place. They know what they're doing. Stoneman Burger: secret sauce on one bun, mustard on the other, sauteed mushrooms, onions, guac, tomato. Only a decent bun. Meat quality: B-/B) Total grade: B+/A-. Price: Only $7.50, which compares to those at other places costing $10-15.)
OUT OF BUSINESS - cafes with good, B+ burgers:
Cony's, Orem and American Fork. It was better before they changed their meat. B+
a. mushroom and onion burger (meat B-, many mushrooms) total B+
b. bleu cheese burger (strong cheese) D
THIS GREAT BURGER NO LONGER SERVED, BUT STILL IN BUSINESS:
. . . Carl Jr's Natural Burger (Note: their Star, California Classic, and other burgers that they still serve rate a B/B+). Kudos for them going Natural, with a great bun with it. Comes with mayo-mustard-ketchup sauces on it - we suggest you request they leave off the mustard and cheese!. bun alone B+, meat B, bacon B/B+, total B+, total with bacon B/B+
Some specialty BIG CHAIN BURGERS in June 2013, now gone:
2. McDonald's Deluxe. B+ Mayo with mustard, not mixed, gives a good flavor. Same bun as above.
3. Wendy's Bacon Italian style - forget the name. C. The bun is cheap, thick stuff and the meat is C+. But the thicker bacon is MUCH better than McD's. The sun dried tomatoes and Italian style flavor isn't to our liking.
Note of 2 September of new releases:
4. Wendy's Pretzel bacon cheese burger B-/B (best they have)
5. McDonald's Quarterpounder BLT B-/B.
6. McDonald's Create Your Own. Editor prefers only tomato, raw onion, lettuce, pickle. He also tried mushroom and raw onion. Both got a B
7. More Wendy's:
a. Double Stack. a newer creation now at Wendy’s and the only one we love there; PS. Wendy’s uses fresh beef, like In and Out)
b. bacon burger (bacon B-, beef B) total B-/B
8. More Discontinued McDonalds burgers - some of these are no longer offered; they often come up with a burger to test but which doesn't last
a. bacon clubhouse burger - too much sauce - beef alone: B, bun: B-, bacon: C-/C, total: C
b. Deluxe burger C+ (with bun quality C+
c. bacon cheddar burger, with leaf lettuce, tomato (bun: B, bacon C-, beef B-, total: B/B+
d. queso burger (strong S.W. flavor) B-
e. quarter pounder blt (bacon B+, beef B-) B-/B
f. Jan 2018: signature crafted garlic and white cheddar burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, garlic, dried flaked garlic C/C+
g. July 2017: sweet BBQ bacon burger B
h. maple back dijon
NO LONGER AVAILABLE AT Smashburger: spinach, tomato, and goat cheese burger: B. Add mayo to it and replace the goat cheese with double cheddar slice, to improve the grade.
6. McDonald's Create Your Own. Editor prefers only tomato, raw onion, lettuce, pickle. He also tried mushroom and raw onion. Both got a B
7. More Wendy's:
8. More Discontinued McDonalds burgers - some of these are no longer offered; they often come up with a burger to test but which doesn't last
a. bacon clubhouse burger - too much sauce - beef alone: B, bun: B-, bacon: C-/C, total: C
b. Deluxe burger C+ (with bun quality C+
c. bacon cheddar burger, with leaf lettuce, tomato (bun: B, bacon C-, beef B-, total: B/B+
d. queso burger (strong S.W. flavor) B-
e. quarter pounder blt (bacon B+, beef B-) B-/B
f. Jan 2018: signature crafted garlic and white cheddar burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, garlic, dried flaked garlic C/C+
g. July 2017: sweet BBQ bacon burger B
h. maple back dijon
Eating at fast food restaurants can be a minefield for those on a diet or are just trying to eat healthy. But all is not lost, with a little planning and a few stratagies in place you can minimize the unhealthy impact of most fast food restaurants and stick to your diet.
ReplyDeleteDinner in Bryce Canyon