The Bucket-Kewaunee WI 05/22/2025

 Surprises are out there. You just need to look or maybe take a chance on a place. That's exactly how we came upon the Bucket in Kewaunee Wisconsin. You could easily pass it by. It's just off the main drag on a street that might think you are in the Old West. Older buildings that have been somewhat updated but they still maintain their original shape and size. Sort of cool. The sign out front "Char-broiled Hamburgers" Gotta love that. Homemade chili? I bet that's the good stuff.

It was a fairly simple decision to get a loaded cheeseburger. All the veggies, Tomato, Lettuce, Onion etc. Sitting at the bar or anywhere in the bar, you can see the guy cooking your order. He might have been the person that took your order. I would guess that quite a few of the folks in the bar were local and regulars. The burger came pretty quick. No, it's not hand formed from fresh ground meat but if you are looking for a decent cooked patty and bun, here you go! Prices were pretty unreal too. I think we paid North of $5.00. Outrageous! Of course I'm kidding. It's quite the value.

Rate It: 4 of 5

Between the staff being wonderful, the bar being just that, a bar and the nicely prepared food I think we got a deal that day.

 

Mason Street Grill-Tasty Burger-Pricey Drinks (12/11/2021)

Ah, downtown Milwaukee during the holiday season. We attended the afternoon showing of "A Christmas Carol" at the Pabst theater. What better way to finish the day but to head over to the Pfister hotel's Mason Street Grill. Top notch venue for sure. A place for seafood, steak and burgers! I've been to the Grill before. It has been some time. Not much has changed other than updates per Covid.

Our server, Casey took good care of us, making sure we had a full understanding of the menu. I just wanted my burger. Selfish not shellfish, right? First order of business, cocktails. We had to go through a long list of Bourbon makers to find one that was in stock. I guess the supply chain issues are having affect on the restaurant business these days. I ended up with an Angel's Envy Manhattan. Tasty, yes. Also pricey! $25 per. Ouch!

This blog isn't about expensive drinks. It's about burgers so, I'll move on. I ordered the Mason Street Grill Burger. As described on the menu, 10 oz. Black Angus Chuck and Sirloin, Honey Glazed Onions, Muenster Cheese, House Relish. I ordered my typical "medium rare". Some pink in the middle, please.

The burger itself was delicious. Maybe a bit past medium but seasoned nicely. The Muenster cheese really added to the flavor. The roll was fine but didn't seem fresh made. I would guess in the old days the roll would have been cooked on site. Maybe I'm wrong. Over all, I was pretty happy with the assembled sandwich. Interesting that by the time I finished eating the patty seemed to have "dried up". Moist to start. Hmm, not sure what happened. No matter, the plate was cleaned off when I finished. 

Rate it: 4 out of 5. Mostly because I think it was a bit to well done. With such good meat and the venue, I was expecting it to be medium without fear of being under cooked. I also think that making sure the rolls are fresh is important. Maybe it was just me. $18 isn't crazy for the service and venue.

Homestyle Burger (08/31/2021)

 I'm calling this the "Homestyle Burger". I'm not going to lie, I do love the burgers I make at home. Meat from my neighborhood butcher counter, rolls from the local bakery and a stack full of Cowboy brand hardwood charcoal. My Weber kettle helps assure the flavors circulate properly. I use Ney's seasoning. Ney's is a family owned farm in Hartford Wisconsin. I haven't found a spice that can do what their spice does for steak, burger or pork.

I use a timer but, visual and a general sense of when to pull the patties off the fire and allow them to rest seems to be the favorite way to grill. The timer keeps me on track I guess.

There's not much to talk about when it comes to staff attitude. My Sous Chef, Annette is one of the best when it comes to setting up a night of burgers at our home. As for the price, an excellent meal for the price!

Time to rate it:

4.5 of 5

Service, presentation, quality, taste and of course price are all top level.

Raised Bar, Chicago IL

It was a super cold night in downtown Chicago. Windchill at -10 degrees. We had a room at the Marriot Renaissance for the night. In town for the Interpol concert at the Chicago Theater, across the street.
Most of the time, I wouldn't dine at the hotel restaurant just because the prices and a lot of times, the food is good but not worth the $$$.
Throw that one out the window! I'm glad we were afraid to go out in the cold to scavenge for mediocre food. Nice and warm with a view of downtown Chicago. During the warmer seasons, the rooftop is made available. We started with Edamame and a drink. I had a Tequila based "Old Fashioned" I plan to stick with Whiskey or Brandy in the future. The Edamame, something I've never had before was delicious. When it came time to order dinner the choice was clear, a burger. Grilled beef, smoked bourbon pork belly, pickled slaw and butterkase (cheese) on a seeded brioche bun. Presented beautifully and cooked perfectly. What a burger! I'm thinking this may have been one of the best I've had. At least the top five.

4.75 of 5
Forget the price. It wasn't that high anyway. What you get is worth it. I took part back to the room and warmed it up later, still delicious!

Fontina in Foenix

As part of our family's vacation in the Phoenix area Wednesday was scheduled as a spa day for the girls and a visit to Desert Valley Auto Parts and a burger at Joe's Farm Grill for the guys.
My nails looked fine.
Joe's was recommended by a friend from Waukesha WI. They saw it on Diners, Dives and Drive Inns.
I never heard of Fontina cheese before I saw it listed on the menu at Joe's.
The description read like this:
6 oz., roasted red pepper, grilled mushrooms, field greens, farm made pecan pesto and imported fontina cheese
Wow, what a combo. If the burger is good to great, these flavors are going to make it outstanding.
The place was packed when we got there. Maybe not too surprising, it was around 1:15PM. Upside of a crowd, fresh food!
We put in our orders and then took a seat outside in the little grove of trees out back of the restaurant. The farm was our back drop.
A short time later, the buzzer went off. Time to find out.
Fries and onion rings looked excellent. The burger, stacked and beautiful. I snitched  a piece of just burger off the one side. Mmm. Pretty tasty. A little overcooked for my liking but, seasoned nicely. As I thought, the flavors all really came together.
The price was a bit steep but, it's really fresh everything. I won't pick at it too much. The staff was very helpful. They seemed to understand that not everyone has been to Joe's before. The outside area was clean and really just a great place to sit and take in the scene.

4 of 5.
Price and a little too done had an effect on my rating.

Parkside 23-Anniversary dinner

Parkside 23 is one of those places I've been wanting to go to for some time. The curb appeal is really something. Outdoor seating wasn't an option because it was cool with a chance of rain. Maybe next time.
You already know how classy I am so, this won't be too surprising... I went for dinner with my wife to celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary and had a burger. (Loser!) She's cool with that. Actually, it might put some flags up if I didn't order a burger.
The menu has quite a few interesting dishes to order. Brats, bacon & mac. How good does that sound? Maybe it should be on a burger?
It's always best to go with the basics. Parkside really only offers one burger. Simply called "Burger with cheese". That is fine with me. I won't have to take away all the extra stuff to get to the meat.
The burger arrives. Fresh fries (peel on potato) bun shining from a buttery touch, vegetable accessories on the side-tomato, pickle, lettuce. A little cup of ketchup on the side. I ordered medium rare with cheddar. It was a little more towards rare but, not a lot.
I cut a little chunk to get the taste. Nice. Butter, onions and seasoned without fear. I tried the onions by them self, exceptional. All of the flavor came together when I added the tomato and lettuce (both very fresh and crisp)
4 of 5
Price was relative to modern pricing on burgers, scene was okay-we had a corner table, a little more private

Factory Food (04.04.2015)

I've always wondered what happens inside of the Cheesecake Factory. A stand alone structure, usually near a mall of some kind. You might think that upon entering, you would find yourself in a Willy Wonka like environment of cheesecakes. It wasn't.
The decor is sort of like a set from Raiders of the Lost Arc. We were seated immediately in a booth in a really neat little room off the main floor. (did they know who I was? I doubt it.)
It's hard to believe how many different dishes they serve at any given time. The cocktail and wine list was even more vast. Fresh bread and refreshments to get started.
I got the Factory Burger. The description seemed closest to a regular burger. My only concern was the bread/bun. The sample piece at the table was tasty so, what the heck.
Medium rare, as usual. The burger arrived. Hold it, it wasn't a round patty? Trust them. First bite, these folks aren't afraid to season their food. Black pepper and grill flavors mixed with sauteed onions and a fresh tomato. The bread was interesting, a little crunchy. The salty edge of the bread sort of tied everything together. So, I'm not complaining.
Cooked the way I like. My only thing was the shape of the "burger". To my taste buds, this was something slightly different than a burger. I can't put my finger on it. Was it the shape or bread?

The rating:
3.5 of 5
I would almost like to call this sandwich something different than a burger just for the fact that it is elongated. Overall, I liked it. I'm not sure if I would go back specifically to have a burger. The fries were tasty and just enough quantity. Price was the same as it is all over these days. (old guy talking)

Duke's in Malibu (Not so legendary) 11.2014

It's the second full day of my visit to California. Heading up to Malibu from Anaheim. Through L.A. and up the CPH1!
I'm meeting my niece, who now lives in California, for lunch a Duke's. Duke's has come a long way from back in the days when the surfing crowd were the only inhabitants of the waterfront.
Valet only parking. I think that's because the parking along the highway is premium, limited.
The building is beautiful. There are three sections. Outdoor casual, indoor casual and indoor upscale. Upscale is the dinner level of visit. We opted for outdoor casual. The view of the homes along the shore and the ocean itself, beautiful.
She a selected Pulled Pork sandwich and I got the Charbroiled Cheeseburger.
When the food finally arrived it looked really great. Although her Pulled Pork looked more like a piece of Tuna.
Turns out, the Pulled Pork was tasty.
My burger was tasty enough. My buds were really on high alert. Duke's is supposed to have great meat and fish.
Rated:
3.5 of 5
Staff messed up order and didn't really seem to feel bad about it. Burger was tasty but, not flavorful. Maybe order some fish stuff. The view is awesome. If I lived near by or was staying down the road, I would hang out in the Barefoot Bar and enjoy a couple of drinks. The indoor lounge area has a spectacular view also.

Return to Fred's in Burlington WI

I can't imagine that I didn't already post about Fred's in Burlington WI. But, alas I did not.
The first time I went to Fred's was at least two years ago. Friends that live in the area were adamant about getting me to go there. As I recall, it was worth it.
Fast forward to just a couple of weeks ago. As part of helping our friends move a computer desk to their place in Lake Geneva it was suggested that we stop at Fred's. Scott & Pat both know I blog about burgers and thought it was time to blog about Fred's. To assure the best blog post, I agreed to stop. (you know they didn't have to twist my arm)
The place was hopping. Families, couples and a few stray Packer fans that decided a burger & fries my complement a game on the big screen.
I snooped around to get a better feel of things. I got a glimpse of the staff working in the kitchen area. Big patties of beef on the griddle top. Baskets of fries, onion rings etc. I was impressed that the patty looked rather fresh packed.
Cheddar Cheese Burger, raw onion and fries with a root beer for me. The wife got the Garlic Burger. Both were delicious. The Garlic Burger was a bit much once your buds adjust to it. My cheese burger was cooked just a tad too much but, flavor was still there. A wonderful and tasty bakery bun brought the flavor all together.
The staff was attentive and cheerful.
Overall, if I'm near by and had a moment, I would stop in again. And now that I know it's sort of on the way to a friend's place, I might visit Fred's more frequently.

4 of 5
Price is reasonable. Great little shop. Cheerful staff. Tasty food.

Taking stock at the Stockman, White Sulphur Springs MT

120 some miles outside of Great Falls on our way to the Smith River for a three day float on a raft...
The road trip was breathtaking. Elk, deer and waving grasses. Big Sky country. The GMC Pickup was loaded with gear to float the Smith River but, two plus hours away from Great Falls and half an hour until we get to the campground it was necessary to make a stop for some food. This far away from the big city there isn't many choices. We passed a place called Bob's in hope to catch what was referred to as one of the best if not the best burgers our hosts had ever had. My taste buds jump to attention. As we pull in to the small town of White Sulphur Springs you can't but notice that there aren't really any other chances to grab a bite. Stockman Bar & Grill really doesn't look like anything super special. It's got a feel more like, last chance before camp to grab food and use a flushing toilet.
The burger came cooked almost exactly the way I would like to have it cooked. Flavor wasn't over seasoned. Fresh buns. I think the burger started bigger than 1/2 lb because when it arrived, it was still one half pound! Whew. Lettuce, tomato, red onion and a pickle. Simple. I got the Pepper Jack cheese version. Glad I did. Juicy, flavorful. The folks at the Stockman aren't taking advantage of being nearly the only game in town. They are earning return visits.
Damn good burger folks.
Price was the usual $9. Fries covered more than half of the large plate. A steak knife made sure I could reduce the size of the burger to fit in to my mouth.
Rated:
4.5 of 5.0
If I didn't live so far away, I'd be in trouble because I would find reasons to be in this area just so I can snag a burger to go!

North Avenue Grill lives up to reputation

The North Avenue grill has been around for a while now. The word on the street, great burgers. Really? I must stop in some day. That day came. No regrets. It's good stuff.

The grill setting is fun. Sit in a booth or hang at the counter. The staff greets you as you walk in and thanks you on the way out. Nice.

It's "build your own" so, I get thrown off a little bit. Toppings are extra at some point. I didn't make it there. Simple food for a simple guy, I guess.

The burger was cooked exactly the way I like it. Just enough pink. Juicy, flavorful. The fries were way delicious. Peel on, cooked just right and quite a large order. 

Rating: 4.5 of 5
Seasoned right, tasty bun and fresh toppings. Neat place, sort of the throw-back stuff I like. The leftovers fared well.

North Avenue Grill

Local Patty on St. Pat's-The Burger Co. LA

The name made me do it. The Burger Company. I wonder what they make? Ground fresh daily from all natural, hormone and antibiotic-free meat.

The store/restaurant was a bit nondescript. Clean and sort industrial inside. The order counter and grill area were stainless steel. You could watch the guys cook your food if you wanted to. Otherwise, Rocky V was showing on the monster HD television. When the movie finished, it was 80's music over the sound system. Something else I thought was sort of cool/home spun, the signs were all written on craft paper flip charts.

If you wanted seconds on a beverage (they serve beer and liquor) there was a separate window so you don't mess with the people ordering their first round. Nice. The building must be well ventilated because you really couldn't smell the grill much. A little bummed.

Food came fast. The beer was super tasty. Onion rings are Red Onions, nice twist. The fries were decent but, I think I was expecting something really spectacular. That wasn't the case. Still obviously fresh cut, cooked and tasty.

The Turkey Burger had a sauce that sort of finished strong. The patty was cooked nicely and the rest of the ingredients were fresh. Overall, tasty.
What about that burger? On it's own, the meat was tender and juicy. Taste was lacking. Maybe the patties are meant to compliment the tasty cheese, pickles and onions. I applied the housemade mustard, fantastic.

4 of 5 I'd send someone on the journey. The food was fast, tasty and the store was clean. A bit pricey. But, maybe because we had a beer.

What we had...
Company Burger: The classic American cheeseburger - two patties, housemade b&b pickles, American cheese, and red onions. Onion Rings: Thick cut red onions, buttermilk hand-battered Hand cut and twice cooked. Turkey Burger: Tomato jam, green goddess dressing and arugula. Beer: NOLA-New Belgium Chicory-molasses Milk Stout
Our bill: $34 with a tip.

The Clover Grill, NOLA covers it, with a hubcap! (03/16/14)

Really, a hubcap from a truck is used to steam and cook your burger.

The Clover Grill is snuggled in the middle of the French Quarter, New Orleans LA. Recommended by one of those online review sites it meant that I would need to challenge the reviews.

It's a frozen patty so, don't get too excited. No matter. The grill top is never cleared completely from the previous items cooked on it. So, flavor is naturally built in. Liquid butter, food service cheese and buns. Still, not afraid. The cook is working super hard cooking everything from gravy and biscuits to burgers. Technique is art as he cooks omelet after omelet, rarely using a spatula. A waffle cooks while our burgers simmer on the griddle top. The smells combine and the cook continues his movements like a routine in the gym. Drop the fry basket, start toast, blend more eggs, grab a couple of slices of cheese. More smells. I got a Barg's Root Beer to wash my Cheddar burger down. Sparing no mayo, lettuce onion or tomato the cook builds my burger. I am so ready. The bun is cooked on the same surface as all the other food so, flavor pops. A sweet finish after all the onions and meat flavors.

 Price with onions and cheddar cheese as my options was around $8.50. Pretty normal.
If you go, sit at the bar. I don't think we would have enjoyed the wait time without the cook show.
I can't complain about the frozen patty nor the food service products. The taste was there.

Rated: 4 of 5. Price was a bit high for frozen patty and counter/grill venue. Fries were only okay. Loved the show. Could have done without the music cranking. I'd go back for breakfast.
http://www.clovergrill.com/

Muskie's a classic burger joint

My Wednesdays are spent driving around Chicago and the surrounding area delivering programs to theaters. I see quite a few places that draw my attention but, Muskie's called to me with their sign that states "the original charbroiled hamburger". The building is old school. Cash only. I got the jumbo cheeseburger with everything, medium rare. I turned out more rare but, still had great flavor. The relish was excellent and the bun tasty. I only wish I would have gotten fries.
Money well spent. $4.73
4 of 5 stars.
The scene is worth stopping for. I'm guessing the rest of the menu is as good. A lot of people outside on the patio area. Great neighborhood for discovering different shops etc.

Others said:
http://www.burgered.com/2010/08/muskies-hamburgers/

Return to the Nite Owl (a Milwaukee treasure)

So, it's one of those times when all things align. I was on the south side of Milwaukee, had some time and cash. Also (and not so unusual) I had a craving for a tasty burger.
Heading west from beautiful Cudahy, I can taste and smell a juicy Nite Owl burger. Again, it's cash only. Place your order and hang out in the little shelter attached to the front of the original building.  Just to add to the experience, there is a cool old LaSalle parked in the lot. It's chopped and shaved. The burger arrives. White paper bag and some napkins. I eat it before I sit down. Fantastic! Fresh and reasonable priced. Local character all the way and not so out of the way.
Keep the good eats going Nite Owl. Some day, I need to sit in the parlor and enjoy an ice cream treat.
What other's have written about the Nite Owl.
http://onmilwaukee.com/dining/articles/whiteowldrivein.html

Five Guys. One bag.

This summer has been a busy one for burger eatin'. I finally stopped at Five Guys tonight. I've been driving past on my way to night school. People said they had good stuff. All the information on their website points to an excellent meal & deal. Very interesting.

The store is only slightly interesting, I can't see myself sitting down inside the restaurant. They have it decorated with only white and red tiles, everywhere. Maybe it has something to do with the original store. The music was quite loud. Maybe it was just the staff's doing. Three guys, one taking orders then, dropping back to work the fryer while the other two set up the burgers. I was surprised that the grill guy slapped a chunk of ground beef on to the grill top. After a couple minutes of intense heat, he flipped and squashed the beef. Finally, I could smell some stuff cooking. The ventilation system is too good. Being the cheapo I am, there was a bit of sticker shock when I found out that it would be $7.03 for a "little" hamburger and regular fries. The burger was $3.79 and for the money, darn good. The fries were interesting. Regular fries are $2.89. That's a lot of lettuce to shell out for fries, according to me. On the other side of the coin, I got a lot of fries for the money. Also, they taste fresh cut. Just a little greasy for my buds.

Over all, I'd say it was a decent experience. Would I go back? Probably. There is a lot of competition for my burger budget.

4 of 5 stars.

Later,

Burgerman

Home Grillin' Still Rocks!

Well, there are a lot of great burgers out there. Quite a few restaurants make 'em the way I like 'em but, nothing can compete with the homemade version. You can only blame yourself for the lousy service and quality of meat. This past Friday evening, after attending an art exhibit opening, I set up for a grill session. It was already pretty dark out. Instead of my usual baked beans I decided to use some of our farm fresh green beans. Fries in the oven, stovetop steaming the beans, fire for the grill and the chimanea. It was just plain old Angus Beef. Cooked just right! One burger was treated with our Neys Steak seasoning (local beef farm product) and the other with a mix of basil, garlic, salt and pepper. The garlic had cheddar cheese the other, swiss. Buns toasted on the grill. Perfect timing, everything came together. A glass of lemonade to wash it down.

Til the next time...

Keep grillin'

Dasburgereater.

What's the deal? Tallgrass Beef, overcooked?

It was my birthday yesterday. Being the birthday boy, the dinner choice is mine, old tradition. Gee, I wonder what a guy like me might want for dinner? Burgers. Specifically, burgers that someone else made. I've got a long list of places that say they have the "best" or "tastiest" or whatever they claim. Locally, we have quite a few places with such claims. Talk about getting psyched up... we're heading to Sobelman's Tallgrass Grill for Milwaukee's BEST Burger! Remember, I always make the statement that, maybe my tastebuds are different than yours but, dry is dry and overcooked means overcooked. A severe case of cottonmouth followed. I was really sad because I thought for sure they would take the time to care for each $7 burger they made. Aside from the burger just being done so wrong, the fries were really good and the vegetables used to garnish the sandwiches were all fresh and tasty. I wonder where they get their buns? Even a small amount of juice could have saved the burger with the excellent quality bun they use. I almost forgot to mention that the atmosphere and staff were not at all interesting. Pop dance music cranking in a room that echos, staff really didn't respond to the order with anything more than preset statements. It should be more earthy and cool.

I would go 2.5 stars only because of everything but the burger.

Burgerman out!

Tackle Box Grill: Big Success!

It was an almost perfect night for grilling. The original plan was to just get the Smokey Joe out and cook up some burgers. Close. I recently built a grill using an old tackle box. The first burn to remove any paint that didn't want to hang around had been done a week before. So, the grill was good to go. My normal lack of confidence told me I should try something simple like hot dogs on this new grill before jumping in to burgers etc. No time like the present to discover the unknown! I grabbed a pound of Angus Ground Beef, Mild Cheddar and fresh onions, good to go. The buns were getting toasted on the grill so, I prepped them with butter and a sprinkle of Garlic-Basil Salt. Sort of a light garlic toast. Everything turned out excellent. The grill fared pretty well, not too much mess. I need to come up with a removable liner for the bottom. Things could get funky. I've posted video of the grill on my Facebook page, not sure how many folks can see the post.

'til the next event...

Be safe out there!

Dasburgereater.

Twasn't Burgers...

Tonight was Italian Sausage. The wife threw together some green peppers, onions etc for add ons. Baked beans, vegetarian style. Zucchini, cooked up with mushrooms and onions. Super tasty. The night was perfect for outdoor eats. (alfresco, for you fancy folks.) We had RadioParadise.com playing some great tunes.

Later,

Dasburgereater.