The Diplomat on Brady Street (Burgers w/Brothers!) 11.20.2024

 It was the third installation of the Burgers w/Brothers 2024. The eldest made the choice to go a bit more upscale for his burger. Not that we've been hanging out at dives or dumps. We've enjoyed quite the range of locations and varieties of burgers. His choice, The Diplomat. Located just East of Van Buren on Brady street. Cool vibe as soon as you walk in. There is a front space/bar area that's pretty chill. Around the corner is the dining room area. Well done. Warm, almost cozy space with plenty of art and little vignettes with interesting items. Our server was Roxanne. The menu is very simple, not many items. The idea is shared plates. I'm just not a fan of the term "small plates". Shared I can handle. Anyway, there is only one burger to choose from so that's what we all had. "The Diplomac". Prime beef burger, tomato, lettuce, American cheese, "1000 Island Dressing", pickle and red onion. (their description) $17 without a side.

How about that burger? Dang, it was good! I don't know if it was because I was surprised by how tidy it looked or the choice of roll/bun. No matter, it all worked together perfectly. The "1000 Island Dressing" is nothing like the Kraft foods version. All the condiments were freshly created on site. It made a difference for sure. The sandwich held together bite after bite. Nothing sliding out the back or slopping on to my plate or lap. I took a snitch off the side, just meat. Not crazy seasoned. Could have had a bit more flavor but maybe the rest of it makes up for that. We shared a plate of the Diplomat Fries. These aren't your average fries. Blanched and then fried 3 times. Light and crisp.

Rate it: 4.5 of 5

Overall great taste. Fresh ingredients made for a great mix of flavors. If I'm paying $17 a burger it should be like this.

https://www.thediplomatmke.com/

Smashing Good-Tide & Boar (Moncton Canada) 10/19/2024

 Yet another unintentional burger. 

We met a relative that gave us a tour of the city of Moncton Canada. She shared stories of relatives that had lived there and times past. Lunch was in order by the time we finished touring. Down the street from our hotel room was an interesting place called the Tide & Boar. It looked wonderful inside. The walls had photos of musicians like Roger Daltry, Bob Dylan and Neil Young. The beer selection is quite large. The menu is also diverse. Of course I saw they have a "smash" burger. I couldn't resist.Two patties, cheese, onion, red onion, "house" ketchup on a potato bun. Yum!

It looked beautiful. The patties were crispy on the edge and hanging out from under the bun. Cheese drooped over the edge of the patties. Cut open, all the layers of condiments were in good proportion. The patties had plenty of seasoning. Overall, excellent. The fries looked fresh cut.

Rate It: 4.5 of 5

Tide and Boar

 

 

Pump House is Here to Pump-You-Up! (Moncton Canada) 10/18/2024

 I really didn't plan to check out burgers in Canada. I was supposed to be going out for poutine rapée. The restaurant where they serve it closes at 6PM on a Friday night! It was a long day of driving and too late to go looking for another place serving it. Maybe we'll check out a local place for dinner and a beer. The Pump House was just a block away from where we were staying. Worth a shot? Sure.

It looked like the pizza might be a good choice but the list of burgers grabbed my attention. (go figure). Brew Pub Burger it is! A simple cheeseburger.It was. Good flavor, fresh roll and just enough toppings. Seasoning was decent. 

Rate It: 4 of 5

I'm thinking they aren't known for their burgers. It's more about the beer and pizza. It was a good burger and I'd suggest it for anybody that stops in. 

Pump House

They Did Not Butcher the Burger (Portland, ME) 10/17/2024

 I'm on the East coast of America. I should have seafood every time I go out for food, right? Well, maybe not. I had a Lobster Roll the night before that might cover me for a couple of days.

 I was in Portland Maine for a couple of days. There is seafood everywhere. Lobster rolls are sold at food trucks like tacos. Chowder a dominant word on most menus. I'm glad to try those things. I did but there's a place called Butcher Burger in the port area that has some high ratings. I had to.

The first thing you will notice about the Butcher Burger, it smells like burgers are being cooked. Go figure. So many places don't have that. I'm not sure why. I think even Burger King makes sure that you can smell burgers being cooked from blocks away. It was sort of cool because the sun shined through the window and cut the smoke into strands. There's a cool outdoor patio space but we opted for the inside seating. The seating area is small giving it the appearance of always being busy.

We had the Cheeseburger. Pretty straight forward. House patty, tomato, lettuce, onion, cheddar and block sauce. They did not ask how I wanted it cooked. I'm not sure if that would have made a difference. It arrived after quite the wait. That's okay, I was watching the crowd and what they were eating. 

My first impression, it looked like a burger. Not quite as big as I was expecting a 1/2lb burger to be. My first bite was full of flavor. Raw onions, spicy pickles on a sort of sweet tasting roll. The burger was not heavily spiced. All the other flavors made up for that.

Rate It: 4 of 5

I'm going to be a bit tough. It was a really decent burger. I think they could step up the seasoning. Again, the 1/2lb looked a bit shy. Overall, good value. I'd say if you are near and want to have a good burger, here ya go. I wouldn't go out of the way to have one.

https://butcherburger.com/portland/

Annual Trip to the Nite Owl 08/09/2024

 It might be a new tradition, at least one trip to the Nite Owl with my son's family. The Nite Owl has a limited window to get there and grab some food. The season seems short. Their hours, even shorter. The amount of food sold per hour determines how long they will be open on any given day. The meat is ground fresh on site and when it's gone, they close. They are closed on Sunday and Monday. Tuesday through Saturday, 11AM-3PM. I've heard of them closing by 1:30PM because they "sold out". The whole thing is just a total experience. Expect a long wait, it's not fast food. Arrive early, they might run out of meat. Bring cash.

How about the burger? I went with the plain cheese burger. No nothing on it. Actually, raw onions. On this day the wait wasn't too bad. Just enough time to catch up with my son and grandson. It's Theo's third time with grandpa. I'm pretty sure he and his dad stop there at least one time without me. We quick drove back to their house to enjoy our food on the sunny deck. My burger was just right. Juicy, decent size and loved having it plain. Very good. I will say that I was getting more of the "meatloaf" taste. Quickly, the meatloaf taste is when the burger has the same flavor as meatloaf. I'm not saying that's bad. I'm also not sure how they make their burgers. Do they add stuff to the beef? It was tasty no matter.

Rate it: 4+ out of 5

Prices are increasing each season but, that's business. ($3.90 in 2012) Overall, they still serve a decent if not great burger for a decent price. It's fresh food. The staff is always friendly. It's interesting that they still have you pay when the order is ready. Is that in case they run out of meat, they don't have to refund the money?

Al's Diner-Green Bay WI 07/12/2024

 We were in Green Bay Wisconsin for a opening night reception for the Art of the Automobile at the Art Garage, 1429 on Main Street, Green Bay. I have a couple of pieces in the show. We planned to grab dinner on our way back to Milwaukee. Since it was "my" night, my wife decided to look up burgers near the venue. The usual stuff showed up, Culver's, Burger King, McDonald's etc. On the same list was Al's Diner. Once I heard the description, I had to go there. First opened in 1934, Al's has been serving up some classic grub for nearly 90 years! A small white building snuggled between a couple of older three story buildings. Interesting. The main dining room is classic malt shop vibe. Booths and a counter with little stools covered in a shiny red vinyl. 

We ordered the Deluxe burger as a half pounder. That's two 1/4 lb patties. Add some fries and a strawberry shake, good to go. It didn't take long before the food arrived. It looked like a decent burger. Our waitress was nice enough to have the cook cut the burger for us to share. They also split the fries. Nice.

How about the burger. It was good. I'm not saying like, shout from the rooftop but, tasty. I feel like it was me but the burger had a bit of a "sausage" flavor to it. Maybe something on the grill top. No matter, all was fine. The burger was a bit messy as a 1/2 pounder. I think one patty at 1/2 pound with the same toppings would be the way I might do it next time. The fries were excellent as was the shake. Gotta love the mix of flavors. Sweet and savory.

Rate it: 4 out of 5. Great scene and service. Fries and shake, top notch. The burger was darn good. Price was fairly good. I'm getting used to paying $14 for a regular burger. 

Al's Hamburger

St Bibiana's-Burgers With Brothers 07/08/2024

 Three times a year my brothers and I get together for what we call "Burgers With Brothers". The brother that has the birthday is treated to a burger of his choosing. The process rotates through each brother's birthday. It was my turn again. Part of the BWB is to try something new. I check the burger listings for Milwaukee. I chose St Bibiana's because it had been ranked in the "8 Best Burgers" recently. Located on East Brady Street in one of Milwaukee's older neighborhoods it's definitely got the "cool" vibe. The inside feels like a local watering hole. Some nice touches are the church theme art etc. The menu has breakfast all day! Of course I'm not there for breakfast. This is a burger outing. I ordered the Bibiana Burger. Described on the menu: "Two 3-oz., handmade ground beef patties, American cheese, grilled onions, sliced pickles, and sweet, savory Saint Sauce on a sesame seed bun". So, not quite a half pound. I was a bit concerned about all the add-ons. The description made me think of Big Boy or McDonald's Big Mac. I'm not a fan of the "sauce" part but, it's their signature burger. Go with the flow! Ordered exactly like suggested, I found it to be okay. The patties got "lost" in the sauce and grilled onions. I did pinch off a chunk of the patty to see how it was on it's own. Fairly good, not great. I thought the price was a bit high for a couple of 3 ounce patties and an order of fries. 

Rate it: 3.5 out of 5. I'm being tough on this one. The price for the sandwich had me a bit off course. The burger itself was fine. Not anything to write home about, I guess it was blog worthy. I'd say, try it. It might be what you've been looking for. 

Swinging For The Fence! Swinging Door Milwaukee 07/05/2024

It was my birthday. What better way to celebrate but to chow down a burger. Where to go? I've got some favorites I might default to but why not try something different? My wife suggested we check the interweb for ideas. She mentions that the Swinging Door has one of the top rated burgers. I've heard this before. It seems that every week a new list of best burgers in Milwaukee is released. Well, the Swinging Door seems to be a repeat offender on these lists. It was definitely off my radar. My recall of the Swinging Door takes me back to when I was in my late teens and working nights in downtown Milwaukee. Just two blocks from my job, it was a place you could take your "lunch" break at. (aka, liquid lunch) If I did eat there, it was probably appetizers.

The Swinging Door hasn't changed much since those days. (see photo) It's a small venue tucked away in the lower level of The Grain Exchange building. From the outside, you would think much of it. Even once you are inside it might still not impress you that this it's a great place for dinner. Definitely a great bar to hang out at.

Enough about all the nostalgic stuff... let's talk burgers! The bar was set pretty high with all the online chatter about how good it was. I'm going to say, it wasn't wrong. I ordered the 1/2 lb with bacon, cheddar, raw onions and no condiment of any kind. The burger includes fries or chips. I went with fries. The burger was cooked nearly perfect. The overall flavor gave me a bit of a meatloaf vibe but worked. Juicy, seasoned nicely and fresh raw onion made it delicious. The fries were so flavorful, I found it hard to use ketchup. The bacon add on was $2.50, a bit pricey since the plain burger starts at $12.50. Don't get me wrong, it's all good.

Rate it: 4 out of 5. It's more like a 4.25 but not quite a 4.5. The whole package including the throwback scene really made it a great experience. I'd suggest a person might go there for a burger. 

Fred's on Vliet 06/21/2024

 It's that time of the year, get to all the seasonal burger joints around the area. One of my favorite places to go has been Fred's Frozen Custard on West Vliet street in Milwaukee. Fred's is the classic small stand that has been operating in the same location for what seems like forever. The stand has been there since the late 50's and it has been Fred's since 1967. New owners took over a couple of seasons back and brought some changes to the traditional Fred's "experience". Read more

I could have placed my order online but I wanted to get the whole experience of face-to-face ordering and hanging out waiting for my order. You never know who might stop by. It's a neighborhood thing. I was a little bummed when I saw that the old entrance was marked "employees only". My only option was to approach a window on the side of the building. I was greeted by a pleasant young lady with an electronic pad of some sort. She took my order. Simple, cheeseburger (American cheese) with raw onions. No other stuff. I opted for onion rings as my greasy side. Tip included, it was a $15 venture. Hmm, not what I expected. Prices have gone up quite a bit since the last time I visited. So, how about the burger? I was a little disappointed. A lack of seasoning and slightly overcooked. The bun lacked "character" also. Just sort of a ho-hum kind of mix. I was expecting the burnt edges on a slightly skinnier patty. 

Rate it: 3.5 out of 5. I'm not saying that it wasn't a decent burger. I just think that the personality of the smash burger of the past has left the theater. I'll go back with different expectations some day and do a re-check. The price doesn't match the meal. I can go for sit down at other places and get more, better for less.

 

Kickin' it at the Kiltie 06/20/24

 The Kiltie has been on my list of my must have burgers. The problem with a place like the Kiltie is that I rarely go out that way and the season goes by fast. It's also difficult to find. Large trees block the view of their sign from the highway. I finally decided to use GPS to locate it. It's on what might be considered a frontage road along Highway 16 near Oconomowoc Wisconsin. I stopped by last year just to see the building and signage. This season I finally made it a point to stop during hours of operation. I'm glad I did.

The Kiltie is a throw back with car hops and cash only sales. You can either do take-out or park. I did take-out because I was in the middle of a busy day. The folks on either side of me had the old school tray on the window. Pretty cool. I ordered a cheeseburger and small fries. It didn't take much time before my order was ready. As I drove away, my car was filling up with the smell of the food. I pulled into a parking lot to eat. I should have just stayed at the restaurant. The fries have an outstanding seasoning on them. No chance I'd mess it up with ketchup. The burger was super thin. I was concerned that it might not be what I hoped for. It surprised me. Fresh toppings helped matters. The combination of flavors worked well together. 

All in, $10. That's tip and all. The girl that took my order was very nice and asked all the right questions like "ketchup, napkins?" I think the only thing I would change might be get a double cheese instead.

Rate it: 4 out of 5. It's a pretty good burger and deal. The nostalgia adds to the experience. The surroundings are a bit odd. I think it would be cool to go for dinner and see the building all lit up.

Return to 5th Ward Camino 04/19/2024

 I've been to Camino a few times now. Both locations keep on satisfying my burger needs. This time I was back in Milwaukee's 5th Ward for Gallery Night. I was showing several pieces of my art at the Eagleknit Building on South 2nd Street. It was going to be a long night if didn't have some kind of nourishment. A quick search for nearby food turned up Camino. It was literally across the street from the venue.

Camino on South 2nd street is quite a bit smaller than it's West Allis location. Limited seating makes it cozy. The grill is embedded in the bar space. A couple of guys are cooking food directly behind the bartender as she moves back and forth along the bar. If the weather cooperates, you can sit outside in the cool outdoor area snugged in along the one side and behind the building.

I had the Burger. Pretty straight forward. Ordered it medium. Perfect. I cut it in half. The first side I ate without the pickle. Great flavor. The onions really added to the overall taste. The second half I added the pickle. Next level stuff. Where's all this flavor coming from? I got to see the process. The bun rests along side the burgers as they cook. What can I say about the fries. Super skinny and crunchy. Flavor so good I skipped the ketchup!

Rate it: 4.5 of 5

Yummy. Priced right. The fries really made it all come together. Love the vibe inside this place.

 

The Scene at the Public Greens, Broad Ripple IN 03/15/2024

 Broad Ripple is a wonderful little space along the Broad river in Indiana. Funky businesses, a great bike/run/walk path runs through the middle and walking distance from the Vogue theater where we would see the Dandy Warhols play later in the evening. 

From our room we could see all the roof tops of the businesses along the pathway. The one restaurant had a plume of smoke rising from the kitchen. Our host explained that we were looking at the Public Greens restaurant. Without knowing about my burger thing, he mentioned that they do a very good burger. This just made it difficult on any other potential place to dine. There are plenty. We actually stopped at a BBQ joint on our way out. Centerpoint brewery occupies the back room. We stopped for a flight of beer. Good stuff. 

Public Greens is one of those places where it seems like you do all the work. You fill out what you want to order. They give you a number and you find a place to sit. The person at the podium talked me into having one of their Old Fashions. I trusted her. I probably should have trusted my gut and skipped the drink. No matter, it was fine, just not made how I expected. The burger looked like it was a winner. Grilled Wagyu beef burger, house American, lettuce, onion, pickle, smoked onion aioli. 

The burger had decent seasoning and was cooked relatively close to medium. The toppings were fresh and the aioli was on point. I would guess the bun was a Brioche roll.

Rate it"4+ of 5. Not enough to get the .5 more. Overall, a decent burger but not one of those "you have to try it sometime!" kind of burgers. The brisket sandwich and wrap sounded pretty good. My wife had the Crispy Chicken. Not bad.

Public Greens, Broad Ripple IN

The Scoop on Schoop's (est. 1948) Munster IN 03/15/2024

 It was time for a road trip. Four and a half hours to Broad Ripple Indiana. We broke the trip up by stopping in Munster Indiana for some lunch. What could a small town in Indiana have to offer? Schoop's! Classic through and through. Old school booths with a coin operated "remote" for the vintage Wurlitzer Juke Box. There is also a small counter with stools. On the other side of the wall is a throwback ice cream shop. Lunch would start with a banana shake! The burgers come in a couple of different sizes. A single patty is 7 ounces. Not sure why it isn't just 6 or 8. Anyway, you can get a double of that! Whoa. Or order the "Junior". I think that's a 5 ounce patty. I went with the regular cheese burger. Fries are not included so we ordered some fries and onion rings to share. The fries were okay. A bit lacking in flavor or something. The onion rings were delicious. The burger, pretty swell. I thought it tasted a bit "meatloafy". Not to worry, it was okay. The edge of the burger is a crispy curtain of cooked meat. The middle part of the patty is still fairly moist and tasty. The start of the whole composition was the condiments. The combination of mustard, ketchup, onion etc was perfectly balanced and didn't over take the burger but sort of lifted it. Tasty bun, just a little sweet which was also complimentary to the whole thing. All in the meal cost around $30. Not too bad

On the way out of town, we stopped at 3 Floyds Brewery.

Rate it: 4+ of 5

The shake was the star. Onion rings, delicious. The burger is what I expected and a little more. 

 

Schoop's Munster IN

Drifted In to the Driftless Glen Distillery-Baraboo WI 03/09/2024

 It's that time of year to head up to the Wisconsin Dells for the Oldsmobile Club of Wisconsin's annual "Holiday Banquet/Auction". Food, fun and friends! On our way up, we met up with another couple for lunch at the Driftless Glen Distillery in Baraboo Wisconsin. Quite the beautiful setting. Right on the river. Nice outdoor deck and a well designed building. Being a distillery you know they know how to mix a great drink but what about the food? They've got a decent variety of choices. I of course went straight for the burger selection.

The Driftless Burger. I did it pretty much the basic version. No extra stuff. My side was Roasted Red Potatoes. While I waited for the food, I enjoyed a Bourbon Manhattan. Delicious. The food arrived fairly quick. First impression, I'm in for something good! A pinch off the side to see how the burger stands on its own. Decent seasoning. Slice it, just a bit of pink in the middle. Could have had more but the flavor was right. Juicy, fresh veggies and just enough condiments. The roasted potatoes were a great choice to go with this burger.

I'll try not to share sticker shock because this is a re-occurring event for me. The service was great. The food as great. At least it was a decent burger.

Rate it: 4.5 of 5 The extra .5 is just to make sure it ranks above "good".