After hearing about the greatness of Five Guys over and over again and possibly being the only burger writer who had never eaten there (yes, I'm full of shame), I finally visited the burger chain for the first time a few weeks ago. If I were really lazy, I'd tell you to read Kevin Pang's review at the Chicago Tribune because my experience was pretty much the same—in a nutshell, the fries are awesome and the burger is alright. But I'm only kind of lazy, so I'll throw up some pretty photos accompanied by commentary.
Being a complete Five Guys newbie, I didn't know that regular burgers came with two patties and little ones came with one, and that I could get as many toppings I wanted for free. Oh my, the possibilities.
I heeded my coworkers' advice and went for a little cheeseburger topped with pickles and grilled onions—nothing too crazy. While I'm sure I could eat a regular double-patty burger against the wishes of my stomach, the single-patty burger was just the right size for me.
Alas, the burger looked better than it tasted (keeping in mind that I was half expecting my mind to explode from delicious after reading so many of Five Guys' accolades). Not that it tasted bad, nor was it dry—my only problem with the patty was that it seemed to be missing something. Like seasoning and sodium. Each bite I took mostly tasted of tart pickles with the melted cheese and grilled onions providing textural contrasts. The soft, slightly chewy griddled bun was great though.
The star of the show was the french fries. I've eaten a lot of fries in my life, but I had never know the full potential of these simple deep fried potato sticks until that moment. All previous knowledge of french fries up to that point meant nothing. Nothing. All future, non-Five Guys french fry-eating experiences are destined to be ruined. I don't know how to describe how perfect that first bite was, through the delicate, salt-studded, crispy crust to the soft innards, but my reaction was probably something like, "Oh my god these fries are made of crack and rainbows and how the hell can fries taste this good oh sweet jesus I'mgonnaeattenmore." Pang's description is much more eloquent: "The fries tip more crispy than crunchy, and the interior has a creamy consistency with assertive potato-ey notes." The potato-ey notes in my fries were from Pasco, Washington, according to the whiteboard by the potato sacks. Thanks, Pasco!
My only problem with the fries is that the regular order is way too much for one person. The cup above is only half of the order while the rest of the fries sat in a paper bag, making me wonder why they bothered with the cup in the first place. Another thing is that one of my coworkers told me that their fries aren't always transcendental; it depends how busy it is when you go. If it's swamped, the fries will probably suffer. Luckily, there weren't many people during my visit.
While I would definitely go back to Five Guys for a reliably tasty burger, the fries are the main draw for me.
Five Guys
Multiple locations, but here's the one I went to:
296 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10014 (at 7th Avenue; map)
212-367-9200
I actually think it's better to share a double-pattied burger with another person rather than eating a mini by yourself. Helps the meat-to-bun-in-single-bite ratio.
Five Guys. I tried them so many times, starting at least six or seven years ago, here in Virginia, and every time, their burgers were just plain worthless. Good hot dogs, though. And, yes, the fries are terrific. The peanuts are fun, too, but I have no idea why anyone thinks Five Guys puts out an edible product. They're simply awful.
I will never eat there again when they will not allow you to order a temperature on the burger. If I want a well done burger, I will get one at one of the fastfood chains. The only time I've ever had their fries they were extraordinarily greasy and subsequently, not very crisp.
I hate to break the theme of negativity here (sans redfish), but if you are putting Five Guys up against any other fast food burger (i.e. McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's, and others of the like) it is leaps and bounds more delicious. If you are seeking a gourmet burger experience (comparable to a fancy or even semi-fancy restaurant) than you shouldn't be going to Five Guys, you should go to a fancy restaurant.
Five Guys is by far the best "fast food" burger and fries I have had yet...until I try In & Out Burger on the West Coast.
I know that most people consider ground beef to be the only true burger, but I would highly recommend trying the turkey burger from Johnny Rockets. I get the original burger as a turkey burger, with american cheese added. Please try this and tell me this isn't phenomenal. I have never eaten a better turkey burger in my life (and I have eaten many). It's messy, juicy and delicious, just the way I like it. I would love to see some write-ups about alternative burger options (turkey/veggie/etc...) since not everyone eats ground beef.
thebooth - thanks for the tip on Johnny Rockets' turkey burger! I don't eat beef, so that's quite useful.
Re. Five Guys' fries. I had them by themselves once, hadn't been warned about the ginormous portion.... I put Old Bay on them and scarfed them down, but to be honest, although they were in the right direction of quality, I found them kind of dry, and boy was I thirsty afterwards.
Here is the problem with putting five guys up against a fast food burger...It isn't fast food. There is no drive-thru, they make everything fresh to order, and they are much more expensive. (Last time I was there, two burgers, one order of fries, and 2 sodas was $18.00.) That is why I would never compare Five Guys to fast food places-they aren't in the same category. So using that as a defense doesn't really hold up.
That said, I think Five Guys is decent, not great. The fries are seasoned nicely, but are more soggy than I would like. The burgers need the added condiments/toppings to make them stand out, when I would usually just get a tomato slice and cheese on an outstanding burger. I would rather go to The Vortex down the street than Five Guys.
@maggiejane: I hadn't thought of that; not a bad idea. I happened to be eating my by lonesome. No one else wanted to go burgering! :(
@decemberain27: I'm not sure what other people are comparing it to, but I'm definitely not pitting it against McD or BK; both of their burgers taste like bleeeccch. I think McD is the reason I wasn't into burgers growing up; it was probably the first place I ever had one, and I thought it sucked.
I've only tried In-N-Out once. And I loved it! I think I liked it more than Five Guys. But their fries weren't as good.
I have to say that my Five Guys experiences have been a bit different. The burgers are always good, but not great. And the fries are very hit and miss depending on the location, in my experience.
Started going to Five Guys at the Wayne, PA location and the fries there are consistently terrible due to overcooking (I have not been in a year so maybe they have improved). The State College, PA location has consistently fantastic fries, and I would deem the fries at the other two locations I have been to (once each) - as pretty good.
One of the advantages of eating at a chain is that you always get the same thing. Except for the fries at five guys...
The fries are very good, but there are a lot better ones out there. That being said, the Five Guys burger is fine if you like a well done, tasteless, greasy burger. Now I love a burger that has juices dripping down your hand and I like my burgers and meat rare, so that could be a possible flaw for my judging Five Guys, but I doubt it. BRGR, Stand, BLT Burger, Shake Shack, Dinosaur Burger, Westville, West Branch all have superior hamburgers with terrific taste and they will cook one up that need not be grey...
Having actually accomplished the difficult feat of eating at both an In-N-Out and a 5G in the same 24 hour period[1]... burgerwise, I give a slight edge to In-N-Out. Neither is a stellar burger, but both are very well done. They are very different styles of burgers, however, in both content and fabrication (the In-N-Out is nicely composed, the 5G is pretty much slapped together). I like both, however, giving a very slight edge to In-N-Out.
Frywise, however, 5G completely annihilates In-N-Out. Indeed, I don't really like the In-N-Out fries at all, they are one of my classic examples of why single-stage-cooked-from-raw french fries aren't good.
I agree with womandingo -- the hot dogs are the way to go at Five Guys. Quite tasty and the freeness of the toppings allows for experimentation.
The burger is a cut above a regular diner/bar burger and several cuts above, to my mind, a fast food burger but I would rather spend a few dollars more and get any of the burgers hondo3777 mentions. I blame the lack of much flavor on well-doneness, but it could be the meat, absence of any discernible seasoning, etc. It's just that, given the well done only policy, we'll never know.
So the burgers only serve to reinforce my perception that it is very strange and sad to eat well done meat (I'm always very taken aback when i'm eating with someone who orders beef well done -- it always seems anti-meat to me, in which case -- isn't it better to have something that isn't meat and delicious than to denature the meat to just being background?)
@roboppy--ahh I can see how that is a different situation. I guess because I grew up with only crappy national fast food burger chains (not any real local chains or neighborhood burger joints) Five Guys is catapulted to a pedestal for me, haha.
@hondo3777--I envy your burger connoisseur status. I have heard good things about all the places you've recommended, however it is hard to get your fix of great NY burgers when you live in DC!
I also definitely agree with the locations being all different. I can understand that one might receive a different experience than I have had at my local Five Guys in VA.
I've only been once, when we were in DC last summer, but we just started getting Five Guys here. To be honest, good not great. Certainly not worth rave reviews, and I must have been there at a busy time because the fries I had were a soggy, overseasoned mess. The burger was okay, but greasy, not juicy. In short, I can make a better burger at home. Not sure it's worth a revisit.
If you look closely at the photo with the menu, at the bottom it says "We cook all of our meat well done." That is why it cannot be any better than an OK burger.
I concur wholehearted about the dogs. Quite tasty.
I'm sure you're going to get SLAMMED with opinions today, but I just have to throw in my two cents -
I had my first 5 Guys burger about three months ago. Here's my tip:
Order a regular burger, "all the way". The "small burger" just doesn't have the right bun to meat ratio. "All the way" seems to be the easiest way to get the best assortment of toppings, and I've never noticed a lack of flavor.
Take a friend, and get a large order of fries. When I go, it's me, hubs and my two year old. Between the three of us, we make quick work of two regular burgers, all the way, plus a large order of fries and a large Coke to share. Never, ever, ever get the cajun fries - they taste like great fries dipped in Lawry's seasoning salt. Kinda nasty.
Five Guys opened in Austin about a month ago and I was excited! I had heard nothing but great things and even tales about how it was BETTER than my beloved In N Out Burger. I only get In N Out a few times a year when my wife and I travel to the West Coast to visit family, but while I'm there, I have it as often as possible. So when the local Five Guys opened, I was there opening day!
I was horribly disappointed. The fries were pretty good, but definitely not the best I'd ever had by any stretch. I'd even put In N Out's against them, but maybe they were just having a bad day. The burger was not good. Bun was gummy, meat was bland, cheese was blah, they got my toppings wrong (but it was the first day, so what are you gonna do?).
I gave them a second chance about 2 weeks later, thinking that it was just opening day jitters and it was an almost exact duplicate of my first experience. Weak burger with tasteless meat, smooshy, gummy bun, messed up toppings (if you offer that many, at least be able to get them right when I order them...0 for 2 is not a good ratio on orders). Fries were pretty good again, but still nothing I'd go back specifically for.
And as has been said, you can't put this up against either gourmet burgers or fast food. It's not good enough to compete with the big boys, and it's WAAAAY too expensive to compete with fast food. A little burger, regular fries (the smallest possible order...LET ME ORDER A SMALL IF THERE'S JUST ONE OF ME, I DON'T NEED A POUND OF FRIES!!!), and a drink comes to $9+! At In N Out, the closest thing I could compare it to because it's a good tasting fast food burger joint, a regular combo is like $4.35 and tastes like heaven! There's no reason I should pay double for Five Guys, and I definitely won't in the future. There are too many good places that I'll go to instead.
Anyone that tries to tell me that Five Guys is better than In N Out can argue until they're blue in the face...no chance. Not the burgers, not the atmosphere (I didn't even get into the extreme loudness of the place...ugh! Really with all the shouting?), not the price, and I won't even give you the fries...I actually prefer In N Out fries! What do you think of that?!?
After living in LA for a couple of years, I became hooked on In-N-Out. Now that I'm living in the DC area and have been introduced to Five Guys, I gotta say Five Guys wins. Hands down. It's the perfect, sloppy and fresh burger one dreams of (and tries to replicate at home).
@thebooth: Not sure where you're located, but if you're in LA, stop by Sloopy's in Manhattan Beach. It's a neighborhood, borderline dive, beach bummin' place but they make THE best turkey burgers I've ever had!
I've only had a few five guys in my life, but I had In-n-Out for lunch today and there is nothing in the world like that first bite of an In-n-Out cheeseburger with grilled onions. It helped that the cheese on mine had melted into this blob with the onions, forming some sort of super bite. Still, Considering that burger was two dollars In-n-out burgers win against Five guys in my book.
I enjoy 5Guys and if you get the fries good, they are really, really good. I think the burgers are tasty and are better than most other chains (meaning both fast food and "cheap casual").
When we have too many fries we bring them home and toss them in the fridge, they make excellent home fries the next morning.
I've eaten at both 5G's and In/Out. Both are great and I bet you'd have a better 5G's experience at a non-NYC location. Since I'm an East coast guy I don't get In/Out that often. However, I think a lot of the love for In/Out is the fact that it's a west coast only joint. We love what we can't have. For those old enough to remember, I think it has a litlle "Coors Beer" thing going on. When you could only get Coors west of the Rockies, folks on the East coast raved about how great it was. Now that it's nationwide, do you know anyone that drinks regular Coors?
Five Guys is essentially In 'N' Out with better french fries for twice the price. Don't think that the fries can make up for the price differential. They are fortunate that there are no In 'N' Outs in their neck of the woods. Would seriously impact their business.
From Pang's article: "But what Five Guys has going for it are the remarkable french fries (regular size, $2.59—and, oh, named "Best '08 by Capital Region Living Magazine!")."
I can't believe they're using the rating from an Albany, NY (aka Smalbany) publication. It's not really saying that much. I don't know what other fries we would have voted for here...McDonald's?
I was never impressed by In n Out, but, oh, how I love Five Guys burgers - cheese and catsup only, for me.
I gotta say...I kind of had the exact opposite reaction to their burgers and fries. The burger I had was juicy, tasty, smoky and delicious. The fries...they weren't bad, but I don't see what all the fuss is about. They're pretty standard to me.
What is there to eat in Kingston, where i live? From Friendly's to McD to BK to Starbuck's to Taco Bell to Red Lobster to Texas Road House, there is very little "real" food here. So I love 5 Guys and consider it a special, above-average place. Of course, my daughter finds it boring in comparison to the other places, but I think the burger quality (2 patties with the works for me) is really good.
If I lived across the street from the Shake Shack, I'd never touch the stuff.
Oh. My. Gosh.
My husband and I are HUGE Five Guys fans - we've been eating there forever! In fact, one of our first dates was to the Five Guys in Woodbridge, VA. Earlier this year, on a family trip (we're now married with two kids :D) to Alabama, we happened across one in a shopping center, and it was the same bliss we remembered : peanuts, baggies full of fries with the superfluous cup, and greasy burgers.
Ahh, heaven, thy name is Five Guys Burgers and Fries.
The burgers I've had in N.J. are very good. Well done, but juicy and flavorful. The fries are as good as any I've had. Maybe some franchises are better than others?
These reviews baffle me. I have always felt that relative to other burger places, Five Guys burgers are the stand-outs, while the fries are good, but not great.
FYI, you (and anyone in the metro St. Louis area) should know that Five Guys has opened in scenic Chesterfield, Missouri (just west of St. Louis). I can verify that the LCB (little cheeseburger) is every bit as tasty as in Alexandria, VA, the toppings are as assorted and fresh, an extra handful of fries comes in the bag, and the box of peanuts is readily available while you wait. I advise going for the cajun fries over the regular, thought. My only complaint is that the root beer choice is caffeinated Mug (I prefer A&W, which is decaf, or local brand Fitz's in the bottle).
I know that Adam hails from K.C., MO and he keeps threatening to road trip to St. Louis when he is visiting the parental units to partake of assorted local burger joints on the east side of the state. (@lemons can confirm our wide selection of choices and high quality!) Please tell him that Five Guys needs to go on the list if he has not made it to one out there . . .
AMEN!! Their fries are THE BEST!! I have a Five Guys within walking distance of my house ... I seriously could eat their cajun fries every night!
I agree the burgers are really good, but not the best I've ever tasted.
@hungryone, you're absolutely delusional. Just in 5 Guys' own native DC/NoVA region, the burger at RAY'S HELL-BURGER is utterly sublime, cooked to order rather than burnt, (even if not always perfectly accurately), deliciously-seasoned, juicy and 10 whole ounces of ground-on-premises top quality prime beef for a price of $7.
And they have REAL cheese, not that flavorless processed american cheese crap. You need to get out more.
Agreed very good fries, but it may very well be the most overrated burger in the country. When I still want to fix my burger "Jones" I will head over to the Shake Shack and get a couple of Shack Burgers.
I had my first 5 Guys burger at the DC airport a few week ago. It was mediocre. Neither the burger nor the fries compared to In-n-Out, not to mention the 10 other places in LA, SF, and Chicago that are better than In-n-Out. You all should travel more.
@bwbollom:
You should never write off an eating establishment if you went there on opening day. Better yet, you should never GO to an eating establishment on opening day. That's just asking to be a "learning experience" for the new staff members.
@Rodrene:
You should travel less. Or at least, stop eating at airports. ;-) Go to an actual, established location outside of the airport to get the true experience.
@toad3000:
I completely agree about never writing off an establishment on opening day...that's why, if you read the rest of what I wrote, I went back again about 2 weeks later and had the EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE. Some of the things that I had a problem with really should have no bearing on when I went...the quality of the ingredients like buns and cheese are not going to change and should have been INCREDIBLY fresh on opening day. They should never be more fresh than when I went the first time. Those were two of the biggest problems for me. Gummy buns and cheese that tasted worse than what they use at McDonalds is not going to win any points. And they were the exact same the second time, which tells me that there's no reason to expect that they'll be any different in the future.
But the other things like getting an order wrong, possibly seasoning the meat wrong and cooking it poorly...I can understand that being done on opening day. So I went back and tried again...and it was all the same. Almost exactly. Should I try again and expect it to be different? Possibly, but why when there were so many other things that I didn't like about the place. There are too many good burger places in town, why waste time going back again and again that I've already been to twice and have not enjoyed?
And my biggest complaint was the price. So, if I have now waited a couple of months and go back again, do you think the price will have dropped by 1/3 to be more in line with the quality? I'm fairly sure it won't.
But thanks for the "rocket science" comment. I think I really gave them a fair shot. I didn't just go on opening day and then bash them. I went twice, had two OK experiences, but nothing that I feel that I need to have again. After all of the hype I've read about the place, I was quite disappointed. And I was blown away by the price! Thanks for trying.
I rate the place exactly as you do. The cooked in peanut oil fries were fantastic, the burger was rather mundane. Free peanuts were a nice touch, but kinda kill the appetite.
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The star of the show was the french fries. I've eaten a lot of fries in my life, but I had never know the full potential of these simple deep fried potato sticks until that moment. All previous knowledge of french fries up to that point meant nothing. Nothing. All future, non-Five Guys french fry-eating experiences are destined to be ruined. I don't know how to describe how perfect that first bite was, through the delicate, salt-studded, crispy crust to the soft innards, but my reaction was probably something like, "Oh my god these fries are made of crack and rainbows and how the hell can fries taste this good oh sweet jesus I'mgonnaeattenmore." Pang's description is much more eloquent: "The fries tip more crispy than crunchy, and the interior has a creamy consistency with assertive potato-ey notes." The potato-ey notes in my fries were from Pasco, Washington, according to the whiteboard by the potato sacks. Thanks, Pasco!
52 Comments:
I actually think it's better to share a double-pattied burger with another person rather than eating a mini by yourself. Helps the meat-to-bun-in-single-bite ratio.
maggiejane at 2:46PM on 12/05/08
Five Guys. I tried them so many times, starting at least six or seven years ago, here in Virginia, and every time, their burgers were just plain worthless. Good hot dogs, though. And, yes, the fries are terrific. The peanuts are fun, too, but I have no idea why anyone thinks Five Guys puts out an edible product. They're simply awful.
Womandingo at 2:48PM on 12/05/08
I'm loathe to admit this, but I really liked my regular five guys burger.
simon at 2:57PM on 12/05/08
I agree with you, the burgers are eat-worthy, but not super amazing. The fries are definitely tasty, but at least one buddy is needed to split.
Laurel E at 2:59PM on 12/05/08
I will never eat there again when they will not allow you to order a temperature on the burger. If I want a well done burger, I will get one at one of the fastfood chains. The only time I've ever had their fries they were extraordinarily greasy and subsequently, not very crisp.
pksmash at 3:00PM on 12/05/08
I love the burgers, the fries I think are decent but not great.
redfish at 3:05PM on 12/05/08
I hate to break the theme of negativity here (sans redfish), but if you are putting Five Guys up against any other fast food burger (i.e. McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's, and others of the like) it is leaps and bounds more delicious. If you are seeking a gourmet burger experience (comparable to a fancy or even semi-fancy restaurant) than you shouldn't be going to Five Guys, you should go to a fancy restaurant.
Five Guys is by far the best "fast food" burger and fries I have had yet...until I try In & Out Burger on the West Coast.
decemberain27 at 3:12PM on 12/05/08
I know that most people consider ground beef to be the only true burger, but I would highly recommend trying the turkey burger from Johnny Rockets. I get the original burger as a turkey burger, with american cheese added. Please try this and tell me this isn't phenomenal. I have never eaten a better turkey burger in my life (and I have eaten many). It's messy, juicy and delicious, just the way I like it. I would love to see some write-ups about alternative burger options (turkey/veggie/etc...) since not everyone eats ground beef.
thebooth at 3:17PM on 12/05/08
thebooth - thanks for the tip on Johnny Rockets' turkey burger! I don't eat beef, so that's quite useful.
Re. Five Guys' fries. I had them by themselves once, hadn't been warned about the ginormous portion.... I put Old Bay on them and scarfed them down, but to be honest, although they were in the right direction of quality, I found them kind of dry, and boy was I thirsty afterwards.
emilydev at 3:22PM on 12/05/08
Here is the problem with putting five guys up against a fast food burger...It isn't fast food. There is no drive-thru, they make everything fresh to order, and they are much more expensive. (Last time I was there, two burgers, one order of fries, and 2 sodas was $18.00.) That is why I would never compare Five Guys to fast food places-they aren't in the same category. So using that as a defense doesn't really hold up.
That said, I think Five Guys is decent, not great. The fries are seasoned nicely, but are more soggy than I would like. The burgers need the added condiments/toppings to make them stand out, when I would usually just get a tomato slice and cheese on an outstanding burger. I would rather go to The Vortex down the street than Five Guys.
brittj8585 at 3:24PM on 12/05/08
I couldn't aggree more about the fries. They are sensational. Darn good burgers too.
Also, Five Guys FTW in the In-N-Out/Five Guys Debate.
In-N-Out = Mono
Five Guys = Stereo
JudgeFudge at 3:26PM on 12/05/08
@maggiejane: I hadn't thought of that; not a bad idea. I happened to be eating my by lonesome. No one else wanted to go burgering! :(
@decemberain27: I'm not sure what other people are comparing it to, but I'm definitely not pitting it against McD or BK; both of their burgers taste like bleeeccch. I think McD is the reason I wasn't into burgers growing up; it was probably the first place I ever had one, and I thought it sucked.
I've only tried In-N-Out once. And I loved it! I think I liked it more than Five Guys. But their fries weren't as good.
roboppy at 3:39PM on 12/05/08
I have to say that my Five Guys experiences have been a bit different. The burgers are always good, but not great. And the fries are very hit and miss depending on the location, in my experience.
Started going to Five Guys at the Wayne, PA location and the fries there are consistently terrible due to overcooking (I have not been in a year so maybe they have improved). The State College, PA location has consistently fantastic fries, and I would deem the fries at the other two locations I have been to (once each) - as pretty good.
One of the advantages of eating at a chain is that you always get the same thing. Except for the fries at five guys...
cxg231 at 3:40PM on 12/05/08
The fries are very good, but there are a lot better ones out there. That being said, the Five Guys burger is fine if you like a well done, tasteless, greasy burger. Now I love a burger that has juices dripping down your hand and I like my burgers and meat rare, so that could be a possible flaw for my judging Five Guys, but I doubt it. BRGR, Stand, BLT Burger, Shake Shack, Dinosaur Burger, Westville, West Branch all have superior hamburgers with terrific taste and they will cook one up that need not be grey...
hondo3777 at 3:42PM on 12/05/08
Having actually accomplished the difficult feat of eating at both an In-N-Out and a 5G in the same 24 hour period[1]... burgerwise, I give a slight edge to In-N-Out. Neither is a stellar burger, but both are very well done. They are very different styles of burgers, however, in both content and fabrication (the In-N-Out is nicely composed, the 5G is pretty much slapped together). I like both, however, giving a very slight edge to In-N-Out.
Frywise, however, 5G completely annihilates In-N-Out. Indeed, I don't really like the In-N-Out fries at all, they are one of my classic examples of why single-stage-cooked-from-raw french fries aren't good.
[1] http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaszeta/468608797 and http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaszeta/469886954/
kaszeta at 3:53PM on 12/05/08
I agree with womandingo -- the hot dogs are the way to go at Five Guys. Quite tasty and the freeness of the toppings allows for experimentation.
The burger is a cut above a regular diner/bar burger and several cuts above, to my mind, a fast food burger but I would rather spend a few dollars more and get any of the burgers hondo3777 mentions. I blame the lack of much flavor on well-doneness, but it could be the meat, absence of any discernible seasoning, etc. It's just that, given the well done only policy, we'll never know.
So the burgers only serve to reinforce my perception that it is very strange and sad to eat well done meat (I'm always very taken aback when i'm eating with someone who orders beef well done -- it always seems anti-meat to me, in which case -- isn't it better to have something that isn't meat and delicious than to denature the meat to just being background?)
ElaineG at 4:03PM on 12/05/08
@roboppy--ahh I can see how that is a different situation. I guess because I grew up with only crappy national fast food burger chains (not any real local chains or neighborhood burger joints) Five Guys is catapulted to a pedestal for me, haha.
@hondo3777--I envy your burger connoisseur status. I have heard good things about all the places you've recommended, however it is hard to get your fix of great NY burgers when you live in DC!
I also definitely agree with the locations being all different. I can understand that one might receive a different experience than I have had at my local Five Guys in VA.
decemberain27 at 4:05PM on 12/05/08
I've only been once, when we were in DC last summer, but we just started getting Five Guys here. To be honest, good not great. Certainly not worth rave reviews, and I must have been there at a busy time because the fries I had were a soggy, overseasoned mess. The burger was okay, but greasy, not juicy. In short, I can make a better burger at home. Not sure it's worth a revisit.
Grilled cheese was pretty good, though.
KBestOliver at 4:13PM on 12/05/08
I get the junior with A1, lettuce, tomato and cheese. I think it's a good burger, it just needs the right sauce.
The fries are typical boardwalk fries that I grew up eating in NJ. I love that they have malt vinegar available on the condiment counter.
gingercookiewithlime at 4:35PM on 12/05/08
If you look closely at the photo with the menu, at the bottom it says "We cook all of our meat well done." That is why it cannot be any better than an OK burger.
I concur wholehearted about the dogs. Quite tasty.
CVilleBilly at 4:39PM on 12/05/08
I totally agree about the fries. I've given up fries except for five guys... I got tired of being disappointed with regular fast-food fries.
anninva at 5:03PM on 12/05/08
I'm sure you're going to get SLAMMED with opinions today, but I just have to throw in my two cents -
I had my first 5 Guys burger about three months ago. Here's my tip:
Order a regular burger, "all the way". The "small burger" just doesn't have the right bun to meat ratio. "All the way" seems to be the easiest way to get the best assortment of toppings, and I've never noticed a lack of flavor.
Take a friend, and get a large order of fries. When I go, it's me, hubs and my two year old. Between the three of us, we make quick work of two regular burgers, all the way, plus a large order of fries and a large Coke to share. Never, ever, ever get the cajun fries - they taste like great fries dipped in Lawry's seasoning salt. Kinda nasty.
Go forth and enjoy!
Teahlo at 5:21PM on 12/05/08
Five Guys opened in Austin about a month ago and I was excited! I had heard nothing but great things and even tales about how it was BETTER than my beloved In N Out Burger. I only get In N Out a few times a year when my wife and I travel to the West Coast to visit family, but while I'm there, I have it as often as possible. So when the local Five Guys opened, I was there opening day!
I was horribly disappointed. The fries were pretty good, but definitely not the best I'd ever had by any stretch. I'd even put In N Out's against them, but maybe they were just having a bad day. The burger was not good. Bun was gummy, meat was bland, cheese was blah, they got my toppings wrong (but it was the first day, so what are you gonna do?).
I gave them a second chance about 2 weeks later, thinking that it was just opening day jitters and it was an almost exact duplicate of my first experience. Weak burger with tasteless meat, smooshy, gummy bun, messed up toppings (if you offer that many, at least be able to get them right when I order them...0 for 2 is not a good ratio on orders). Fries were pretty good again, but still nothing I'd go back specifically for.
And as has been said, you can't put this up against either gourmet burgers or fast food. It's not good enough to compete with the big boys, and it's WAAAAY too expensive to compete with fast food. A little burger, regular fries (the smallest possible order...LET ME ORDER A SMALL IF THERE'S JUST ONE OF ME, I DON'T NEED A POUND OF FRIES!!!), and a drink comes to $9+! At In N Out, the closest thing I could compare it to because it's a good tasting fast food burger joint, a regular combo is like $4.35 and tastes like heaven! There's no reason I should pay double for Five Guys, and I definitely won't in the future. There are too many good places that I'll go to instead.
Anyone that tries to tell me that Five Guys is better than In N Out can argue until they're blue in the face...no chance. Not the burgers, not the atmosphere (I didn't even get into the extreme loudness of the place...ugh! Really with all the shouting?), not the price, and I won't even give you the fries...I actually prefer In N Out fries! What do you think of that?!?
:)
bwbollom at 6:30PM on 12/05/08
After living in LA for a couple of years, I became hooked on In-N-Out. Now that I'm living in the DC area and have been introduced to Five Guys, I gotta say Five Guys wins. Hands down. It's the perfect, sloppy and fresh burger one dreams of (and tries to replicate at home).
@thebooth: Not sure where you're located, but if you're in LA, stop by Sloopy's in Manhattan Beach. It's a neighborhood, borderline dive, beach bummin' place but they make THE best turkey burgers I've ever had!
keybomb26 at 6:50PM on 12/05/08
I had a burger last Monday at the new one in Brooklyn. I will go back and try the fries.
Blue387 at 8:04PM on 12/05/08
Haven't tried the burgers yet. But the guys from the Trib is Kevin Pang, not Kevin Pan.
Julia Thiel at 8:24PM on 12/05/08
I've only had a few five guys in my life, but I had In-n-Out for lunch today and there is nothing in the world like that first bite of an In-n-Out cheeseburger with grilled onions. It helped that the cheese on mine had melted into this blob with the onions, forming some sort of super bite. Still, Considering that burger was two dollars In-n-out burgers win against Five guys in my book.
mortarNpestle at 11:23PM on 12/05/08
I enjoy 5Guys and if you get the fries good, they are really, really good. I think the burgers are tasty and are better than most other chains (meaning both fast food and "cheap casual").
When we have too many fries we bring them home and toss them in the fridge, they make excellent home fries the next morning.
vox8ight at 12:30AM on 12/06/08
I've eaten at both 5G's and In/Out. Both are great and I bet you'd have a better 5G's experience at a non-NYC location. Since I'm an East coast guy I don't get In/Out that often. However, I think a lot of the love for In/Out is the fact that it's a west coast only joint. We love what we can't have. For those old enough to remember, I think it has a litlle "Coors Beer" thing going on. When you could only get Coors west of the Rockies, folks on the East coast raved about how great it was. Now that it's nationwide, do you know anyone that drinks regular Coors?
fwbeach at 12:41PM on 12/06/08
I'm glad I've resisted walking into this place. I simply can't get past the prices here! $6.95 for a cheeseburger??? Come on.
I'd rather go to Shake Shack and get a Shake Burger there for $4.75.
gsd96rk1 at 1:38PM on 12/06/08
Five Guys is essentially In 'N' Out with better french fries for twice the price. Don't think that the fries can make up for the price differential. They are fortunate that there are no In 'N' Outs in their neck of the woods. Would seriously impact their business.
PommeDG at 4:03PM on 12/06/08
From Pang's article: "But what Five Guys has going for it are the remarkable french fries (regular size, $2.59—and, oh, named "Best '08 by Capital Region Living Magazine!")."
I can't believe they're using the rating from an Albany, NY (aka Smalbany) publication. It's not really saying that much. I don't know what other fries we would have voted for here...McDonald's?
I was never impressed by In n Out, but, oh, how I love Five Guys burgers - cheese and catsup only, for me.
cara_mia at 4:31PM on 12/06/08
I gotta say...I kind of had the exact opposite reaction to their burgers and fries. The burger I had was juicy, tasty, smoky and delicious. The fries...they weren't bad, but I don't see what all the fuss is about. They're pretty standard to me.
kevinw at 5:12PM on 12/06/08
What is there to eat in Kingston, where i live? From Friendly's to McD to BK to Starbuck's to Taco Bell to Red Lobster to Texas Road House, there is very little "real" food here. So I love 5 Guys and consider it a special, above-average place. Of course, my daughter finds it boring in comparison to the other places, but I think the burger quality (2 patties with the works for me) is really good.
If I lived across the street from the Shake Shack, I'd never touch the stuff.
annien at 9:38PM on 12/06/08
Oh. My. Gosh.
My husband and I are HUGE Five Guys fans - we've been eating there forever! In fact, one of our first dates was to the Five Guys in Woodbridge, VA. Earlier this year, on a family trip (we're now married with two kids :D) to Alabama, we happened across one in a shopping center, and it was the same bliss we remembered : peanuts, baggies full of fries with the superfluous cup, and greasy burgers.
Ahh, heaven, thy name is Five Guys Burgers and Fries.
jellybeans at 2:34PM on 12/07/08
The burgers I've had in N.J. are very good. Well done, but juicy and flavorful. The fries are as good as any I've had. Maybe some franchises are better than others?
hotdoglover at 7:30PM on 12/07/08
I tried Five Guys at the Dulles Airport in DC, needless to say that was the highlight of the trip :) and the terra chips of Jetblue of course..
Bettydee at 11:42PM on 12/07/08
I LOOOOOOVE 5 Guys!!! Best burger of my life there recently. Small cheeseburger with the works. Excellent fries too!
Jessie65 at 11:54AM on 12/08/08
These reviews baffle me. I have always felt that relative to other burger places, Five Guys burgers are the stand-outs, while the fries are good, but not great.
So Good at 12:06PM on 12/08/08
Robyn -
should have had the cajun fries dipped in malt vinegar!
Ambitous at 1:39PM on 12/08/08
Five Guys is has the best price to quality burger you can get. Period.
hungryone at 4:15PM on 12/08/08
Robyn --
FYI, you (and anyone in the metro St. Louis area) should know that Five Guys has opened in scenic Chesterfield, Missouri (just west of St. Louis). I can verify that the LCB (little cheeseburger) is every bit as tasty as in Alexandria, VA, the toppings are as assorted and fresh, an extra handful of fries comes in the bag, and the box of peanuts is readily available while you wait. I advise going for the cajun fries over the regular, thought. My only complaint is that the root beer choice is caffeinated Mug (I prefer A&W, which is decaf, or local brand Fitz's in the bottle).
I know that Adam hails from K.C., MO and he keeps threatening to road trip to St. Louis when he is visiting the parental units to partake of assorted local burger joints on the east side of the state. (@lemons can confirm our wide selection of choices and high quality!) Please tell him that Five Guys needs to go on the list if he has not made it to one out there . . .
Mizbee at 1:39PM on 12/09/08
AMEN!! Their fries are THE BEST!! I have a Five Guys within walking distance of my house ... I seriously could eat their cajun fries every night!
I agree the burgers are really good, but not the best I've ever tasted.
caramel at 2:25PM on 12/09/08
Mmmm floor dropped oùt__ :P¨in lol
nocrabjoe at 7:29PM on 12/10/08
I never understood the Five Guys burger madness--there are many other fast food burgers I prefer. You're right about the fries, though--awesome.
bettyjoan at 3:48PM on 12/12/08
@hungryone, you're absolutely delusional. Just in 5 Guys' own native DC/NoVA region, the burger at RAY'S HELL-BURGER is utterly sublime, cooked to order rather than burnt, (even if not always perfectly accurately), deliciously-seasoned, juicy and 10 whole ounces of ground-on-premises top quality prime beef for a price of $7.
And they have REAL cheese, not that flavorless processed american cheese crap. You need to get out more.
Loweeel at 4:41PM on 12/12/08
Robyn,
Agreed very good fries, but it may very well be the most overrated burger in the country. When I still want to fix my burger "Jones" I will head over to the Shake Shack and get a couple of Shack Burgers.
Anthony A at 5:18AM on 12/13/08
I had my first 5 Guys burger at the DC airport a few week ago. It was mediocre. Neither the burger nor the fries compared to In-n-Out, not to mention the 10 other places in LA, SF, and Chicago that are better than In-n-Out. You all should travel more.
Rodrene at 2:20AM on 12/14/08
@bwbollom:
You should never write off an eating establishment if you went there on opening day. Better yet, you should never GO to an eating establishment on opening day. That's just asking to be a "learning experience" for the new staff members.
@Rodrene:
You should travel less. Or at least, stop eating at airports. ;-) Go to an actual, established location outside of the airport to get the true experience.
This isn't rocket science, people.
toad3000 at 3:58PM on 01/09/09
@toad3000:
I completely agree about never writing off an establishment on opening day...that's why, if you read the rest of what I wrote, I went back again about 2 weeks later and had the EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE. Some of the things that I had a problem with really should have no bearing on when I went...the quality of the ingredients like buns and cheese are not going to change and should have been INCREDIBLY fresh on opening day. They should never be more fresh than when I went the first time. Those were two of the biggest problems for me. Gummy buns and cheese that tasted worse than what they use at McDonalds is not going to win any points. And they were the exact same the second time, which tells me that there's no reason to expect that they'll be any different in the future.
But the other things like getting an order wrong, possibly seasoning the meat wrong and cooking it poorly...I can understand that being done on opening day. So I went back and tried again...and it was all the same. Almost exactly. Should I try again and expect it to be different? Possibly, but why when there were so many other things that I didn't like about the place. There are too many good burger places in town, why waste time going back again and again that I've already been to twice and have not enjoyed?
And my biggest complaint was the price. So, if I have now waited a couple of months and go back again, do you think the price will have dropped by 1/3 to be more in line with the quality? I'm fairly sure it won't.
But thanks for the "rocket science" comment. I think I really gave them a fair shot. I didn't just go on opening day and then bash them. I went twice, had two OK experiences, but nothing that I feel that I need to have again. After all of the hype I've read about the place, I was quite disappointed. And I was blown away by the price! Thanks for trying.
bwbollom at 11:32PM on 01/19/09
I rate the place exactly as you do. The cooked in peanut oil fries were fantastic, the burger was rather mundane. Free peanuts were a nice touch, but kinda kill the appetite.
dmcavanagh at 12:50AM on 01/31/09
try burger 'n que's 1/2 pound cheeseburger in orland park--it beats them all
golfer123 at 4:08PM on 07/10/09