IN-N-OUT BURGER Location Visited: 333 Jefferson St., San Francisco CA 94133 [map]. Here are other locations Website: In-N-Out.com Getting There: Why not take a cable car? (Ding ding!) May I suggest the Powell-Hyde line? The Short Order: Not the best burger I've ever had, but it is the ideal fast-food burger. Check out the not-so-secret secret menu You Want Fries With That? Sure they're fresh-cut and what not, but so what? I didn't think they were all they were cracked up to be. I'd still take an order of perfectly done Mickey D's if given the choice. Maybe I should have ordered them animal style?
I just got back from my journey to San Francisco, a trip that afforded me my first opportunity to eat at an In-N-Out Burger. Some of you may be scandalized that the editor and publisher of A Hamburger Today had never had a Double Double before. Yeah, yeah, yeah: I'd never been to California prior to this trip, OK?
Having never been to San Francisco before, I did the requisite tourist stuff -- Alcatraz, Pier 39, a cable-car ride. Said cable-car ride stopped, conveniently, near Fisherman's Wharf, where there's an In-N-Out. (I love it when a plan comes together.)
The Fisherman's Wharf location was pretty much everything I'd heard an In-N-Out to be: clean, fast, and staffed with friendly workers.
The burger? Pretty much everything I'd heard it to be, too: fresh, never-frozen beef; crisp, fresh produce; well built. The double-patty, double-cheese variation hit the bun-to-beef ratio on the head. The bun was toasted perfectly -- a nice contrast of crunch and softness in and of itself. Easily the best burger from a fast food chain I've ever had.
Was it the best burger I've ever had? Mmmm, no. But it is exactly what a fast food burger should be, and it's a shame that the McDonald brothers' sandwiches, and not In-N-Out's, became California's burger ambassadors to the world.
Click through for an In-N-Out photo gallery ...
IN-N-OUT PHOTO GALLERY
Interesting fact: In-N-Out cup bottoms are marked with a Bible passage. I don't know if it's John 3:16 on all cups or if there are random passages marked and our cups both happened to have this one, but I think they could have gone with a less obvious passage. Then again, I guess it's probably better to avoid obscurantism when trying to gain converts via soft drinks.
Me at the Fisherman's Wharf In-N-Out Burger. In the shadow under the point -- the dude in the sunlight is just some random dude.
When the lights go down in the city, and the sun shines on the bay, oh I want to be there eating burgers, whoooah oooah whoooah.
nice. it is definitly the best fast food burger out there... i agree that it's not the best period... but if you compare another burger that costs the same, in-n-out is tops. while you're in san fran, you should also hit the "burger joint" on haight... more on the hompage link.
Yeah. I wanted to try Burger Joint, but there just weren't enough meals in the trip or enough time. I got back to NYC on Saturday night and am now retroblogging the various burgers I had while out there. —Adam
I can't claim to be an In-n-Out expert, but I've been lead to believe that the burgers used to be even better when they could cook them medium rare. After bad burgers made some people sick somewhere else (Jack in the Box?), they mandated that all burgers be cooked to a less juicy medium-well.
I have found that the fries at NorCal In-n-Outs aren't quite right; I've found that for some reason one must specify extra-crispy to get them to a crispiness equal to that of the straight-up order down in SoCal. The Oakland branch is a particularly egregious offender in the limp-fries category. Personally I think the 3x3 gets the patty-to-topping ration right where it needs to be.
T.A.B.: I don't think you'll be disappointed. You should eat burritos while you're there, too. Here's a good website for that: http://www.burritoeater.com/ rEd: Close but no cigar. He kinda looks like Emilio, but I don't know what he'd be doing at Fisherman's Wharf. Come to think of it, there was a Hooters next door ... SR: Medium-rare is always better! Aaron: I'll try the 3x3 next time! And the fries weren't soggy. They were crisp but still sorta tasteless. I don't know. Maybe I'm just too used to McD's taters.
damn! that is an arresting photograph! i live in the d.c. area and we have Five Guys franchises that are quite good, but frankly, no chain compares with In-n-Out. i only wish they'd head east. i love your blog!
Just so you know you can get your meat cooked to order. Just specify to the order taker that you want your burger either med-rare or rare, and they'll be happy to cook it for you. We have the safest meat in the nation at the cleaniest facillity in the nation....no joke. Eat w/o worries. :)
Another possibility for all you salivating In-N-Out deprived hamburger fans is available. Especially if you've made a vow to stay out of California. There are In-N-Out locations in Las Vegas. If you ever end up there, get a double double. Also some in Arizona. Check their website for locations.
nope different verses. here's the full list from wikipedia: * Burger and cheeseburger wrappers (Revelation 3:2) * Beverage cups and antenna toppers (John 3:16) * Milkshake cups (Proverbs 3:5) * Double-Double wrapper (Nahum 1:7) * Paper water cups, or "R-9's" (John 14:6) p.s. animal styling your fries is a delicious idea for the first couple bites.
I've had them three times at three different locations in the S.F.East Bay, and I'm gonna have to say I didn't find them really any better than most Wendy's. Mediocre meat flavor, harsh onions, sauce that added moisture but not much flavor. The last time I went I ordered the vaunted Double Double Animal, figuring "cooked with mustard and onions? This has got to be what the buzz is about." Ummm. It was okay. Better than the other two visits. The tang of the mustard brought the flavor level to satisfactory, up from mediocre. The people they hire are nice, the drive through moves along nicely, though I did wait 20 minutes the first time I went.
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IN-N-OUT BURGER
I just got back from my journey to San Francisco, a trip that afforded me my first opportunity to eat at an In-N-Out Burger. Some of you may be scandalized that the editor and publisher of A Hamburger Today had never had a Double Double before. Yeah, yeah, yeah: I'd never been to California prior to this trip, OK?
The Fisherman's Wharf location was pretty much everything I'd heard an In-N-Out to be: clean, fast, and staffed with friendly workers.
16 Comments:
nice. it is definitly the best fast food burger out there... i agree that it's not the best period... but if you compare another burger that costs the same, in-n-out is tops. while you're in san fran, you should also hit the "burger joint" on haight... more on the hompage link.
Hamburger BurgerSeeker at 3:55PM on 06/12/06
Yeah. I wanted to try Burger Joint, but there just weren't enough meals in the trip or enough time. I got back to NYC on Saturday night and am now retroblogging the various burgers I had while out there. —Adam
Adam Kuban at 4:24PM on 06/12/06
Ggggahhh. Given that the next time I'm in California may well be never, those photos really made me want a double-double. Bad.
Hamburger mikey utah at 7:34PM on 06/12/06
If the photos made you hungry, Twenty, then my work is done. —Adam
Adam Kuban at 7:47PM on 06/12/06
I've heard of In-And-Out Burgers for years, but never had the chance to try one. I'm definitely going to when I visit SF in August.
Hamburger T.A.B. at 8:35PM on 06/12/06
I can't claim to be an In-n-Out expert, but I've been lead to believe that the burgers used to be even better when they could cook them medium rare. After bad burgers made some people sick somewhere else (Jack in the Box?), they mandated that all burgers be cooked to a less juicy medium-well.
Hamburger SR at 10:09PM on 06/12/06
That's no random dude in the sunlight. THAT'S EMILIO ESTEVEZ!" HA, you were rubbing elbows with celebrities and didn't even know it. ;7) rEd
Hamburger redrhino at 10:38PM on 06/12/06
I have found that the fries at NorCal In-n-Outs aren't quite right; I've found that for some reason one must specify extra-crispy to get them to a crispiness equal to that of the straight-up order down in SoCal. The Oakland branch is a particularly egregious offender in the limp-fries category. Personally I think the 3x3 gets the patty-to-topping ration right where it needs to be.
Hamburger Aaron at 7:00PM on 06/13/06
T.A.B.: I don't think you'll be disappointed. You should eat burritos while you're there, too. Here's a good website for that: http://www.burritoeater.com/ rEd: Close but no cigar. He kinda looks like Emilio, but I don't know what he'd be doing at Fisherman's Wharf. Come to think of it, there was a Hooters next door ... SR: Medium-rare is always better! Aaron: I'll try the 3x3 next time! And the fries weren't soggy. They were crisp but still sorta tasteless. I don't know. Maybe I'm just too used to McD's taters.
Adam Kuban at 10:00PM on 06/13/06
damn! that is an arresting photograph! i live in the d.c. area and we have Five Guys franchises that are quite good, but frankly, no chain compares with In-n-Out. i only wish they'd head east. i love your blog!
Hamburger AV at 3:49AM on 06/14/06
Just so you know you can get your meat cooked to order. Just specify to the order taker that you want your burger either med-rare or rare, and they'll be happy to cook it for you. We have the safest meat in the nation at the cleaniest facillity in the nation....no joke. Eat w/o worries. :)
Hamburger An Associate of INO at 5:56AM on 06/14/06
Another possibility for all you salivating In-N-Out deprived hamburger fans is available. Especially if you've made a vow to stay out of California. There are In-N-Out locations in Las Vegas. If you ever end up there, get a double double. Also some in Arizona. Check their website for locations.
Hamburger Scott Mercer at 11:41PM on 06/14/06
It's not just the cups that have Bible passages on them. The burger wrappers and fry containers do too.
Hamburger Shaun at 8:10PM on 06/15/06
Shaun: Gargh! I totally missed that. I should have looked on there. Are they all John 3:16? --Adam
Adam Kuban at 8:39PM on 06/15/06
nope different verses. here's the full list from wikipedia: * Burger and cheeseburger wrappers (Revelation 3:2) * Beverage cups and antenna toppers (John 3:16) * Milkshake cups (Proverbs 3:5) * Double-Double wrapper (Nahum 1:7) * Paper water cups, or "R-9's" (John 14:6) p.s. animal styling your fries is a delicious idea for the first couple bites.
Hamburger theparkslopegastronome at 11:21PM on 06/16/06
The. Most. Over. Rated. Burger. Ever.
I've had them three times at three different locations in the S.F.East Bay, and I'm gonna have to say I didn't find them really any better than most Wendy's. Mediocre meat flavor, harsh onions, sauce that added moisture but not much flavor. The last time I went I ordered the vaunted Double Double Animal, figuring "cooked with mustard and onions? This has got to be what the buzz is about." Ummm. It was okay. Better than the other two visits. The tang of the mustard brought the flavor level to satisfactory, up from mediocre. The people they hire are nice, the drive through moves along nicely, though I did wait 20 minutes the first time I went.
cabronte at 6:40PM on 11/07/09