Room With A View @ Fireside Supper Club & Steak House, Detroit Lakes, MN 10.04.2026

 We were still in Detroit Lakes, MN for a few days and were looking for a bit more upscale experience. The Fireside Supper Club is right along the lakeshore with a view looking West. The building has that "up north supper club" vibe. When we stepped out of the car we were met with the smell of the grill at work. I thought, "this is going to be good!". Once inside, you forget that it's late afternoon on a Sunday. Time travel to a different day. We were set up in a large booth. It was in the Northwest corner so we had corner windows looking out on to the lake. The sun was already on the descent. We ordered drinks and a cheeseboard. Their title included Steak House so, why not try the burger? Sunday night is burger night making it an even easier choice. I got the Fireside Burger which included fries for $16. The sun set as we dined. Beautiful.

Burger talk. My first bite didn't hit me the way I hoped it would. Maybe the cheese board had my buds off course a bit. Then, the second bite. Much better. A different kind of seasoning than what I'd expect. Not as "pepper" based. Still good. Cooked right. 

Rate it: 4 of 5. Atmosphere helps. They had it in spades. Overall, I can't say I was crazy but still a very good burger.

Fireside Supper Club & Steak House 

 

A Little Hub Bub @ Hub 41, Detroit Lakes, MN 10.03.2026

 We're off on adventures again! This time, Minnesota. Specifically, Detroit Lakes MN. We chose Detroit Lakes because it was sort of a "split" distance to meet our friends Lisa & Keith from Montana. It also would serve as a hub (pun?) for troll tracking. There are several trolls that were created by Thomas Dambo. There was one just down the street from where we were staying which is also where Hub 41 is located. (Alexa's Elixir) The Hub was in the midst of a Cancer Awareness event so, a lot of bras were hanging on the rafters and just about anywhere you could throw one.

Enough chit-chat. I ordered the Bacon Cheeseburger with Sweet Potato Fries. (up charge) The burger was pretty straight forward. No frills. A decent piece of bacon rests atop the cheese covered burger in a slightly "sweet" bun. Not a bad thing. The center was pink. I liked that. Overall flavor was decent. A bit light on the seasonings. I will say that the fries were darn tasty too.

Rate it: 4 of 5 It was a decent burger at a decent price. Great service. 

Hub 41 

 

Who Would Like A Little Chaos In Their Life (or belly!)? 06.16.2026 Detroit

Hello Detroit! We decided to head to Detroit to catch Echo & the Bunnymen at the Fillmore theater. Part of our new "destination concert" thing we are trying. Go and see one of our favorite bands in a different city. Seems like a pretty good excuse to travel. We needed to grab a bite before the show. A search for "burgers in Detroit" turned up a decent list of places to go. Choas showed up. They have a location just a block and a half away from the Fillmore. Highly rated, "Smash" burgers. I know, here we go again.

The shop is the complete opposite. Clean and orderly. Almost void of the usual signage, artwork etc. The counter is well, not so much a counter but more of a simple space with a couple of monitors for the employees to input your order. The menu includes a Chicken Bacon Smash! (What?) 

I got the Double Classic, and my wife got the Chicken Bacon Single. My Classic was done just right—crispy on the edges, while still moist and flavorful in the center. The Chicken was amazingly delicious, and the fresh roll added great flavor to every bite. The fries were straight-up fries—nothing fancy, just crispy and satisfying. Overall, everything was simple, fresh, and really well done.

Rate it: 4.5 of 5 I really dug the vibe. Nothing was in my face about how awesome they are or that. The prices were rather amazing. A decent, fresh made burger for less than $15 is rare. Of course, it is take out, but still-it's a great value. 

 

I Like Big Guns and I Cannot Lie - Charleston, SC 04.06.2026

Big Guns is one of those places that throws you a curve ball. The online reviews talk it up. It's a small bar with a grill. The decor "spoke" to me. Wheel covers from older cars, stickers and writing on every surface, old school rock playing over the speakers. It was "Happy Hour" so the basic burger was $10, including fries. Tacos, $3 each. When I went to the bathroom, the guy ahead of me had a Brewer's T-shirt on. He noticed my West Allis Art Collective shirt and asked me "where is that?" Strange how you can travel far away and bump into folks from back home.

How about the burger. Quite tasty. Cooked a bit more than I would have liked but the bun and condiments brought it all together nicely.

A fun place to stop and grab a bite. Pretty chill. A lot of interesting folks both working and patrons. 

Rate it: 4 of 5 

 

Lack of blogging. Summertime is to blame. (Maybe)

 Whew, it's been a busy year. Traveling, attending different events around town. I've had some burgers both good and bad. I'll be sifting through my photos and identifying them. I might just cluster blog on them or if they were outstanding, special attention may be given.

Keep an eye on the blog... 

 

 

Poogan's Smokehouse-Charleston, SC - 04.05.2026

 It's our first night in Charleston, SC. We had a long day of driving from Atlanta the area. Heavy rain and traffic makes you weary. The hope was that temps would be warm enough in the evening to find a rooftop restaurant. It was windy and cold. Luckily, on the way to our first choice for dining, we stumbled into the Poogan's Smokehouse. We circled back and grabbed a booth inside. The building is pretty cool. Sort of old time manufacturing site mixed with stables. They had the smokehouse vibe down. I was thinking I might just order a pulled pork sandwich. I don't what I was thinking. The burger sounded pretty good. 8-oz. patty, poblano queso, pork belly, bacon, Carolina bbq. Normally, I'm not a big fan of all kinds of stuff loaded on my burger but for some reason, I trusted this one.

Upon arrival I noticed that it was quite tidy, considering it had all that stuff on it. Handmade chips on the side. The burger is hand formed and substantial. A pinch off the side to test for seasoning, yep no fear. Flavor came from everywhere! All of the toppings actually enhanced the overall flavor. The cook temp was near perfect for me. I think one of the things it had going for it was a very simple white bread roll. Nothing fancy. Something you might want to use to soak up some of the juices.

Rate It: 4.5 of 5 Really good. Juicy, seasoned, cooked near perfect.

 

Burger Bus-Ball Ground, GA - 04.02.2026

It's Thursday, my wife and I had been on the road since early morning when we left Bowling Green to head to Ball Ground Georgia. What's in Ball Ground Georgia? you might say? There is quite a bit going on in Ball Ground but what was important to a guy like me was the building that has a bus infused into the walls. Even more interesting for a guy like me, they make burgers in the building and serve them to you on the bus! The bus has been modified to accommodate dining. Very well done redesign of the interior. Stools along a bar that looks out the driver's side, smaller tables for two and a larger picnic table for families to sit together. If there isn't room onboard the bus, there are tables on a covered patio. It was my niece and her fiance' that suggested we meet them for lunch at the bus. My niece was getting married on Friday.Call it an "obligation" to share time and enjoy a burger with them.

My choice was the "1386". (1386 is the bus number) The basic burger. Cheese, onions, lettuce and tomato. I ordered fries as a side. My wife got the "Angry Swiss". Jalapenos, fried mushrooms and Swiss cheese. Prices were fair. The inside of the building is decorated with "nostalgic" images and kept my interest while waiting to order. The bus was pretty full so we went out to the patio. The food arrived in Styrofoam containers stacked inside a bag. Like it was "to go". Okay. It did heighten the suspense. I was very pleased to see that the cheese covered the burger completely. Decent portion of fries on the side. Let's talk about the burger. At a 1/4 pound it's not a big burger, per se. Big enough. It was cooked bit more than I prefer but it was juicy. Overall flavor, not bad. The bun, sweet finish. I didn't add any toppings. Pretty darn good.

Rate It: 4 of 5. It didn't blow me away but, it was pretty good flavor etc. Definitely a lot of fun.