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.

I got the "1386". (1386 is the bus number) The basic burger. Cheese, onions, lettuce and tomato. I got 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.

 

Getting Social @ Social Haus (Burgers w/Brothers) - 03/23/2026

 It was the Spring edition of Burgers with Brothers. My little brother (6ft tall) turns 63 this year. He chose Social Haus in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. I've driven past a few times and wondered what kind of place it was. The parking lot is usually full, a good sign. The owners took what was a sort of "lost" space and cleaned it up and added almost another building. It was Trivia Night so, things were a bit noisy.

 I went basic, The Social (Traditional burger on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato & onion) They slapped on a slice of Cheddar for me. My older brother ordered the "Blackened Bleu" and said that I could have his bacon. (Yes!) The birthday brother ordered the same as me with American cheese. He's been to the Haus before and knows that you can order a "medium rare" and it comes nearly perfectly cooked. So, that's what I asked for. It's always cool when the burger arrives and the top of the bun is "branded" with a logo. Meat temp was perfect. A fair amount of pink. Not bloody. I tore off a chunk to get the real flavor without any distractions. It was good but could have used a bit more seasoning. Overall, I liked it. 

Rate It: 4 of 5. It was really good. A bit more seasoning would have helped. 

Consistent Camino-03/09/2026

 I can't recall how many times I've been to one of the Camino locations but, I'll say a few times. So, why go again? Great odds I'll have a great burger and $5 burgers on Mondays! (Whoa) This isn't the bait n switch where the burger they offer isn't the one you would get all the other days. It's 1/2 LB and arrives with everything you need. Normally, it would cost $11. Sort of a BOGO? I went with the "Medium Rare" request. They are not chicken about rare. Mine was almost a little too rare but the seasoning and overall flavor was solid. I had raw onions instead of fried. I'm not sure what else I can tell you. No matter, I was once again happy that I went, ordered and ate at Camino.

Rate It: 4.5 of 5.  Consistent, a great place to eat. 

 

Exploring the Explorium Distilled 02/20/2026

 A Friday night in the Deer District, on our way to Fiserv for "Flat Out Friday", in need of some tasty food. There are plenty of choices in the Deer District. For the most part, pricey and more pricey. That's how it goes when you are in one of the most popular areas of downtown Milwaukee. The menus offer a lot of the similar fare. You know what I'm looking for, a great burger! The Explorium Distilled listed a couple of decent offerings that we thought might be worth a try.

We split a Classic Burger, doubled! Two one third pound beef patties served on a toasted brioche bun with your choice of cheddar cheese. Lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion. The double made more sense for some reason. Less bun for starters. Also, cut in half, it's just over a 1/4 pound. It comes with fries! No chance to suggest how well done you might like it. Upon it's arrival, it looked amazing. Stacked high with a tooth pick in the middle. I will admit that it was not easy to cut in half to share. Partially because of the height and part because I started to think I might want the whole thing. I managed to slice it fairly clean. At this point, I didn't see any pink. Hmm, well, let's give it a go. First bite, I took in as much of all the burger, bun and fixings I could. Nice mix, a bit light on seasoning. So, I pinched off just the burger for a direct hit. Yep, a bit light. Still, overall flavor was good. It was also very moist. The fries were seasoned perfectly. The outsides, crispy. The inside, like a mashed potato. Nice.

Rate It: 4+ out of 5. It was a decent burger. Just needed seasoning. Extra points for the double and fries. I would suggest them for food. Service was great. Clean.

     

Let's Meat at the Milwaukee Public Market-Foltz Family Market Take II-01/14/2026

 It was "Mystery Night" at our Public Museum and we decided to meet our son and his family at the Milwaukee Public Market for dinner before the event. The Public Market is a good choice because they offer quite the gambit of food choices. Unlike a restaurant that offers different food choices, these places have the ability to be more focused on their selection.I knew right away that I would go to Foltz for a cheeseburger. I'd been there before and found out how great they were at putting together a decent burger. They feature a meat counter so, that might be part of it.

I went with the "Classic Burger". And why not? Choice of cheddar, pepper jack or provolone and served with arugula and tomato (add frites for $1.50) Since the food was fresh made while I wait, I perused the deli case. Again, amazing selection and all very nicely presented. The burger arrives in a cardboard box. Opening the box adds to the excitement.The pretzel bun stands tall on top the burger. Layers of cheese, tomato and arugula extend outside the reach of the bun. I wish I could cut it open and see the layers stacked. It's a bit more rare than I asked for but I'm not taking it back. I bite in, good stuff. All the layers in one bite without a mess of junk shooting out the back.

Rate it: 4 of 5 (4+). It's a real, hand formed patty. I can't guess the weight but I'd guess at least 1/3 or more of fresh beef, seasoned nicely. The price, pretty great at $12 including Frites. 

Foltz 

 

Copping Some Kopp's-01/14/2026

Is there a day that isn't good for a Kopp's cheeseburger? Even better, a nasty, Wintry, snow covered road kind of day. Kopp's reminds me of Summer days when I was a little boy on the North side of Milwaukee. When the budget allowed, our family could indulge in some custard from Kopp's at Appleton Avenue and Locust. That location close 30 years ago. Today, it's the Greenfield location at South 76th and Layton Avenue, now made famous because Hugh Jackman stopped by to serve custard as part of his visit to Milwaukee promoting "Song Sung Blue". My reason to stop there was unrelated. Nor was there a crowd waiting in line to see me. I was actually on my way back from picking up my younger sister and her husband from Mitchell Airport. It was nearly noon and all of us were thinking it might be nice to stop for a bite somewhere. Like that, Kopp's was across the intersection from us. It was a "sign". We pulled into the snow covered parking lot unsure if we were parked between the lines. 

I ordered my "usual", cheeseburger, plain with onion rings. I love a plain cheeseburger, especially a Kopp's cheeseburger. You get all that buttery flavor of the bun that gets toasted on the griddle. No onions, pickles, ketchup, mustard. I have to say that it took a bit longer than usual. Not like they were very busy at the time. No matter, it arrived in it's white paper wrapping along with a similar paper bag full of onion rings. First bite and every bite after, one of my favorites. Being honest, I know that these are frozen patties ordered in the mass amount. They just taste good.

Rate it: 4of5. Consistent flavor over the years. Still a value at $7.00. Nostalgic to a kid from Milwaukee.

 

Movie and a burger-Movie Tavern Brookfield Square 01/06/2026

 I really only planned to go to see "Song Sung Blue" on the big screen but found myself kicking back and enjoying a tasty burger as well.

The Movie Tavern at Brookfield Square is pretty amazing. The theater is loungers that do everything your lounger at home might do. They also have a tray that comes in handy for snacks to rest on. We took advantage of the $6 Tuesday shows. Seats can be reserved. Your ticket includes a small popcorn. We did everything online. Selected our seats and ordered dinner. Yes, dinner! They offer quite a selection of items. Wraps, Tacos, Pizza, a $3 hot dog, not bad. Oh, burgers too! They have a few to choose from. All sound delicious but, we decided to get the straight forward "Tavern Burger". Double smash burger, American cheese, lettuce, grilled onion, dill pickles, Tavern Sauce. ($16)

We had it delivered to us in the theater just before the movie started. I didn't get a picture because I would have had to use a flash.

The burger arrived all wrapped up. I didn't know what to expect. It was substantial. Not what I expected. The burger was nicely seasoned. All the add-ons, fresh. They were kind enough to cut it in two for us to share. First bite, all the flavors came together wonderfully. I only wish I could have seen it better. 

Rate it: 4of5 (maybe 4+) Not a bad price considering the situation. Served at your seat at the exact time requested. Delicious. Maybe I liked it more because it was a surprise or because I couldn't really see what it looked like? No matter, worth it.