Harboring A Fugitive Burger? Bartolotta Take Out at Harbor House 08/13/2025

 

It was another beautiful night in Milwaukee. We headed to the "Live At The Lake" concert down at Discovery World. The plan was to meet up with my son and his family to check out the show and grab some food from the food trucks. The venue's website said there would be food trucks. When we arrived we noticed a lack of previously mentioned food trucks. There were none and none were expected to turn up at any time. We had to figure out what to do for dinner. GrubHub or some other delivery service? We sort of joked about take out from the Harbor House Restaurant that was across the street from the venue. Food at Bartolotta's is not really "casual" nor are the prices, generally speaking. We decided to check it out. Yes, they do have take out. We ordered the Harbor House Burger to share. It's topped with Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Sciortino’s Bun and includes French Fries. All that for $15? I guess so. 

The burger was so good that we didn't even need any condiments. Lettuce and a big fresh tomato did the job. Perfect seasoning and cook to perfection. This was a great burger and a wonderful surprise. The fries were enough to feed three of us. Very satisfying. 

Rate It: 4.5 of 5

I have to admit that Bartolotta's has been one of my favorite burgers over the years. They used to have a place in downtown Milwaukee called the Rumpus Room. Best burgers. The Rumpus Room has been closed since Covid. The staff was super helpful and the price was pretty amazing too!

Harbor House Restaurant 

 

And the Oscar Goes to... Oscar's on Pierce 08/22/2025

 It was a Friday night. I had an art show opening at the ArtBar on Milwaukee's East side. My buddy and fellow artist Rob needed to hitch a ride. Keeping with tradition, we headed out for a burger before the opening. We've done this for Gallery Night on other occasions. Most often, Wicked Hop. Not this time. We headed to Oscar's on Pierce street. Not Oscar's Winner's Circle on Burnham Street. Rob had never been there so I was excited to share the other location. Tucked away off the main streets, you would never know its there but it seems like everybody does know. The place was hopping with Brewer fans waiting to jump on the shuttle to the ballpark.

Rob got the "Big Foot" I went for  "Big Gringo". The Gringo is topped with Wisconsin white cheddar & American cheese, thick hickory smoked bacon. I asked for "medium" and that's how it came. Just a little pink, almost perfect. From the moment it arrived I was ready for something great. The bun, fresh and buttered just a bit. I cut it in half for easier consumption (and photos). The layers of toppings were in balance. Juicy without being messy. My first bite had all the flavors mixing. Excellent. Priced at $9.75 I'm sort of surprised the fries are included. I'm not a fan of having to pay an extra chunk of change for fries. 

Rate It: 4.5 of 5

That's right. Great burger. Excellent price. Oscar's never fails to create a great burger experience. They might be my favorite in the city.

Oscar's on Pierce

 

 

Leff's Again?? Yep, Burgers With Brothers! 03/24/2025

 It's that time again, Burgers With Brothers! It was the younger sibling's choice this time. He had recently dined at Leff,s and recalled they have a dang good burger. He wanted to put it to the test. Bring the brothers. Not that either of us is such an expert or critical thinker when it comes to burgers. We do enjoy them. I've been to Leff's plenty times. I don't always blog about the burger I had. You know I have a hard time not ordering a burger especially when they are a decent value.

Let's get down to it. Right? It was $8 Build Your Own Burger night. They offer quite a few toppings as part of the $8 deal. (see the pic of the list) I opted to have a double bacon cheeseburger because a guy near us had one and it looked awesome. So, that's the $8 BYOB with an additional patty for $4. I'm still ahead of the game financially. Their patties are 6oz each. I kept it simple, nothing but bacon and cheese. I'd add some spicy brown mustard and a drip of ketchup later after I taste the pure version. Yum! Tons of flavor without anything else on it. That's what I'm talkin' about. The condiments only enhanced it.

Rate It: 4.5 of 5 Flavor was there. Price was right. Overall a great burger.

Leff's

 

Pheonix, AZ-The Collins: A Fine Burger

 We were back in Arizona for some sunshine and warm temps. It was also our friend Beth's birthday. We decided to go out for dinner, someplace nice. I'm not sure why I always end up getting a burger when I'm at a place like The Collins in Pheonix, AZ. Their menu had quite a few wonderful offerings. No matter, I chose the Bistro Burger. (havarti . vine tomatoes . red onion . dressed arugula . dijon . mayo . noble brioche) It seemed to have more "basic" ingredients than the King's Burger. Cooked nearly perfect for my liking. I took a pinch of the patty alone to get the facts. What does it taste like without all the condiments etc. Pretty decent. A lot of smoke. The noble brioche? I wasn't sure what that is. A little research and I found that they are using a local bakery, Noble Bread based in Pheonix. Nice touch. 

By the way, Alice Cooper was in the booth right next to us.

Rate It: 4 of 5. I thought is was decent. Everything seemed fresh. I just wasn't feeling amazed. Maybe I was set up for something other world based on how good it looked?

The Collins

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/

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

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. 

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

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".

Public Market: Foltz Family Market

 I was downtown for a program at the Milwaukee Artist Resource Network (MARN) and decided to grab some food at the Milwaukee Public Market. I saw something about a place that was supposed to have a decent burger. The online information said that they were only doing online and phone orders. Thankfully, they were very present and taking orders at the Foltz Family Market. Mostly a butcher shop but also a restaurant and bar! (I'll mention that later)

I wasn't sure what to expect. They seem to be good at pizza too. Not always a partnership with a good burger. I ordered the "Classic Burger" with cheddar. No fries. I paid for the burger and slid over to the bar to wait. Before the burger arrived, I had ordered a Jack n Coke. My favorite combo. The cocktail was fairly inexpensive for a "call" mixer. How about the burger, right? Well, I looked at it and thought, pretzel bun. Did I miss that in the description. I'm not a big fan of the pretzel bun. That's how they serve it, that's how I'm eating it. First bite. Wow! Flavor(s) just bursting out. The surprise flavor, arugula. Combined with the tomato and creamy cheddar cheese, it works well. The pretzel roll actually made it happen. Stiff yet soft inside with a heavier texture. Yum.

Rate it: 4.5 of 5

This is ranking in one of my favorite burgers of 2023 if not all time. The flavors were on point. The fresh from the butcher beef, juicy and flavorful. Priced right.

https://foltzfamilymarket.com/about/

Holiday Dinner at the Mason Street Grill (Pfister Hotel MKE)

 Keeping with tradition, a group of us headed to the Mason Street Grill for dinner after a showing of "A Christmas Carol" at the beautiful Pabst Theater in downtown Milwaukee. I'm always temped to order something different off the menu but once I see their burger listed, I can't help myself. A restaurant known for top level meat and fish will very often have an excellent burger. Also, I know for a fact they do a burger justice. (Previous blog 12.11.2021) 

The Mason Street Grill is such a great setting for a special dinner outing. The staff is usually hustling around making sure everything is on point. It's the kind of place you feel like you should be dressed a bit more formal. Not tuxedos but make sure your shirt has a collar and if you do wear jeans, make sure they don't look like you schlepp around the house in them. 

I ordered the Mason Street Grill Burger, a 10 oz. Black Angus Chuck and Sirloin, Honey Glazed Onions, Muenster Cheese, House Relish. Still priced at $18 and served with fries. I ordered medium as I often do. No fear of the meat being a bit pink at this level. The food arrived. I cut the burger in half to check the insides. Pretty decent. I was psyched. A small pinch off the side to test the meat without all the stuff, okay. The overall flavor of the combined cheese, relish and onions was pretty good. I felt like the seasoning on the burger may have been too heavy. The meat didn't have the charbroiled flavor. Hmm. The roll was fresh and soft.

Rate it: 4 of 5

I don't think it's as good as it used to be. Still, it's one of the better burgers I've had. Returning to places can sometimes be a let down. Sort of like a sequel. Priced at $18 it should be a bit above the others.

 

Cary Ale House serves a "Smash" Burger (and I liked it!) 09/08/23

I'm not sure if I've ever had a "smashed" burger or at least it may not have been referred to as such. No matter, I was pleasantly surprised. 

We traveled to Crystal Lake IL for an Oldsmobile car show at the Holiday Inn. We always like to get a group of Olds club members and check out some local eats. There's a place in Cary, IL that fit the bill. They've got a little of everything Fish, Ham, BBQ and Burgers. I chose the Smash Burger, A double patty pressed thin, with smashed onions, chipotle remoulade, house pickles, candied bacon, butter lettuce and American cheese. I had no idea what I ordered but man, I'm glad I did.

The whole sandwich just fit together perfect. Enough of everything listed but not of it excessive. Flavor, spot on. Juicy patties, fresh bun.

Rate it: 4 of 5 (very strong 4)

I don't know why but this really hit the spot. Overall flavor worked so well.

Cary Ale House

 

 

 

Leff's @ Tosa Tonight 06/28/2023

 It's that time of the year again when all of Wauwatosa attends the "Tosa Tonight" events at the Rotary Performance Pavilion. Warm Summer nights, great music and food.

There are a few different vendors ranging from pizza by the slice to down home southern cooking. I landed somewhere in the middle at Leff's Luckytown. Leff's offers some straight forward options, hot dogs, brats and burgers. Simple fare at a reasonable price. You know that I went for the burger. (Duh)

Trust me, the other vendors offer up Jambalaya, Mac & Cheese, Pulled Pork Sandwiches etc. but, if you follow my blog, you will know that I'm a fan of Leff's burgers. This time I got a cheeseburger. Leff's doesn't dumb it down for the outdoor event, it's still up to standards. Priced at $9, potato chips included. The flavor was on par with the brick and mortar version. 

Rate it: 4 of 5

It was very tasty, fairly juicy, just a bit of the "kept warm until sold feel". Otherwise, great deal for the buck. It would be hard to find such a deal and taste from any other mobile kitchen.

Let's Go To Sluggo's! 06/27/2023

So many burgers, so little time!

For 40 years, Sluggo's in Brookfield Wisconsin has been cooking up grub for it's loving public. The proof is verified by the large crowd on a Tuesday night in Summer.

My brother-in-law had driven past Sluggo's several times and noticed that, no matter what day or time for that matter, Sluggo's lot was pretty full. They must be doing something right to make them that popular. For that reason, he wanted to celebrate his birthday there. His vision, a Sluggo Burger. My kind of vision!

I chose the Cheeseburger with bacon. (there isn't a bacon cheeseburger) It's a 1/2 pound patty, hand formed as far as I could tell. Nicely charred on the outside, pink inside. Just the way I like it. I ordered it Medium Rare. Everything about it was on spot. Just enough bacon and cheese leaving the burger to shine. The seasoning was really good, done with confidence that it would enhance the flavor and not over power it. The brioche roll was fresh and buttered up a bit, yum.

Prices have gone up quite a bit over the past couple of years at Sluggo's but the burger stepped up to the plate. At $14.99, it isn't a cheap burger but, I've had less tasty ones for just as much or more. The bar/restaurant itself is a throw back, nothing fancy but well kept. The crowd added to the experience.There's a lot of hungry people in our town.

Rate it: 4.5 of 5

It's one of the better burgers I've had recently. Sorry, I didn't get a picture.

Back at Leff's Lucky Town 02.16.2023

 Hey, it was Valentine's Day 2023. What better way to celebrate but to consume a burger at Leff's. The past couple years we've bought our Christmas tree at Leff's because it's a fundraiser for a local baseball league and we get a coupon for a "Buy One Get One" meal. There's a hitch, you need to use the coupon before March 1st. Valentine's Day is one of those days that we respect the idea but just aren't fans of the actual day's activities. Overpriced flowers, no chance to dine out etc. So, we adjust the day. Thus the celebration two days later. Same intent. Just more convenient. A bit of a bonus, it was lousy weather helping keep the crowds down! (selfish?)

What about the burger? It was the classic tasty burger I get almost every time I go to Leff's. It was cooked a bit more than I prefer but still had all the flavor and fresh tomato, onions etc. The bun is just enough to manage the burger patty and also fresh and tasty. I can talk about the price, even though we got a free meal. Still priced in the appropriate range for a burger at a place like Leff's. (a bit classy for a bar) I don't think I'll ever have a bad burger at Leff's. Consistent, priced right, clean place and always a great staff. I had the Cheeseburger, add bacon for $2.

Rated: 4 of 5

Hopped in to the Wicked Hop (Again!)

 It's tough to be in downtown Milwaukee's 3rd Ward without a stop at the Wicked Hop. They make an awesome Bloody Mary as well as an outstanding burger. Again, I'm not sure how many times I've had a burger at the Hop, a lot. There's never been a time that I didn't want to write about the experience. The staff is always wonderful. The bar is cool. There's an additional space called the Jackalope Lounge that is a chill space for hanging with your friends and having a drink. I've seen live acts, participated in a version of Karaoke.

I had some time before a meeting at a gallery down the street so, time to grab a Cheeseburger and maybe a Jack N Coke. I had the Hop Burger with Cheddar cheese and all the regular veggies (tomato, lettuce, onion) A half pounder is a bit much sometimes. Well, I ate it all anyway! From the first bite to the last, glad I indulged.

Always great service. Always great food. Prices are within the normal range. Parking can be a problem but, walking down Broadway is always interesting.

4 of 5

Sorry, no picture. :(

Here's a stock one...

09/29/22 - Nite Owl - Time Capsule and Burger Time

Every year as part of this whole burger thing I do, I have a couple of places I "have" to go to for a burger to keep my burger health on course. The Nite Owl is one of those places. Sometimes elusive because the seasonal situation or because of the hours they keep and my ability to be there during those times. Even if you get there during the prescribed time, you may not be able to order anything. I tried early in the season and thought I would miss the lunch hour group. I arrived at around 1pm. There had to be at least 15 or more people standing around. One guy told me they weren't taking any more orders. I didn't believe it. But as I got closer to the building I saw the hand written sign (chunk of cardboard) "No More Orders Today". Whoa! I survived to come back another day. My son Daryl and my grandson Theo met me there. We ordered our food and chatted while we waited. It had been two seasons since we were there. Covid kept it closed and us away. 

My son ordered a double cheeseburger to split with his wife and a hot dog for the kiddo. I got the single cheese burger and fries.

Rate It: 4 of 5 Really decent burgers, price is still in the ballpark. I'll be back next season!

*the other places I "have" to go to? Wayne's-Cedarburg, Hefner's-Cedarburg, Nite Owl-Milwaukee

Nite Owl

09/24/22 - Wedl's Burgers, Jefferson WI - Swap Meet/Burgers

It's been a while since I've written up Wedl's in Jefferson. I blogged about them back in 2011. I know I've been there since.

Anyway, it was that time of year again. The Fall Jefferson Swap Meet and Car Show. I hadn't been there in a few years. Covid being the most recent reason. The show was cancelled for a couple of seasons. Now, it's back! I had to go, for more than one reason. Yes, there's the swap meet with all the cool cars, piles of stuff for sale, crazy vendors and crazy prices but, on the way home, Wedl's. After walking a couple of miles over a couple of hours, I deserve a decent meal. Don't judge me. Burgers and fries cover a couple of food groups if you get all the extras. I did the single cheese burger with raw onions (vegetable) and American cheese (Dairy). An order of fries (more veggies/startch) 

Half of the fun of stopping at Wedl's especially during the swap weekend is that the wait time is fairly long. The conversations you have with others waiting for their order and others around you chatting really makes it special. I met a guy from Rockford IL. He knows a guy that vends at the swap. He and his family come up a couple of the days and spend time just hanging out at the meet. Then, head to Wedl's for Burgers and ice cream. A tradition. His son and grandson were along.

I like to watch the folks working in a building the size of a Fotomat Booth. The gal at the griddle had to have a least 20+ burgers cooking at the same time. They start as a wad of beef and get "smashed" on the griddle top. Some break apart, she re-forms them. Cheese, bacon etc gets added. A person steps out the door of the building or yells out the window "Order for Dan!" You have to sort of watch for the people in front of you to pick up there order. That means your in the que.

3.5 of 5 The burger is good. The price is climbing but, still reasonable. Nostalgic. Family owned. Small town.

 

Sorry no picture this time. :(

Their website