Living the High Life in IOWA? el Bait Shop 09/13/2025

It was time to hit the road again. We were on a three day journey to Colorado. The first stop was Des Moines IA. Someone suggested that we try el Bait Shop for a delicious burger. Personally, I think it's a bit over the top, in the most loving way.  The menu, whoa! The burger is only part of the whole menu. They have Pot Roast, Liver and Onions and more. It's vast. 

Nestled in the downtown of Des Moines, IA is a friendly pub that would most likely be a destination for any beer lover. From the outside el Bait has a vibe of a crusty old warehouse converted to a grab some food and a beverage. There's an open bar off the parking lot. A patio and of course the main building. When you first enter the first thing you will notice is all the tappers. I can't even count how many taps they have for beers both local and national. Next, almost every surface has something stuck on it. Stickers from all kinds of breweries, ads from the decades for beer, toys etc. A huge mural that looks like an Ed Roth (Rat Fink) plus a wall with "Where the Wild Things Are"! The staff is on constant move checking in and following up. We had Kayla. She helped us navigate the beer list to create the perfect flight. 

How about the burger? I chose the Highlife Burger-Double. My wife had the single. The burger came out relatively quick. I pinched off a chunk. Not Bad. Plenty of flavor. I cut it in half. No pink? It was still juicy. They were frozen patties brought back to life. First bite, all the flavors. Cheese, onion, pickle, tomato,. The bun was nostalgic, similar to a George Webb burger. Not a wow but tasty. Comfortable. I probably could have done the single. The fries and tots were tasty.

Rate It: 3.5 of 5. Service, price, atmosphere and the choices of food and beers were amazing. The food was very good. Staff, worked hard.

el Bait Shop 

 

Tucson, AZ-Where's My Lindy's on 4th? 02.25.2025

 Tucson Arizona has been a favorite place to go back to. Over the years we've found a couple of things that we have to do. We stop by the "Hut" bar to get a picture of the Easter Island statue out front, Goodwill on 4th Avenue, check out the "Hippy Gypsy" and grab a burger at Lindy's. Well, Lindy's has moved down the street (avenue) into a larger space. They now have more indoor seating and a nice outdoor dining space. It's sort of all grown up now. The old place was pretty simple, a hole in the wall. I can appreciate the upgrades.

I'm at Lindy's for the burger. I fell in love with their burger a long time ago. I can even recall how long ago it was. I'd like to say it was in the mid 0's. Again, a funky shop that offered crazy burgers at a decent price. Not only did they have fries but tater tots too! Did the move change things? The only difference was the location and the idea of sitting and waiting for your waiter to visit. That took a bit. We were alone on the patio for some time before our server stopped by. I ordered the Shroomin' Cow. Sauteed mushrooms, grilled onions, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and a pickle. It came out fairly quick. A bit of a surprise but not a bad surprise anyway. I'm not going to say it was loaded with flavor but it wasn't flat. The combination of flavors worked well together.

Rate It: 4 of 5 I'm going low on this one. Again, a tasty burger but I was expecting just a bit more flavor from the patty. The price is up, just like most places.

 

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

 

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

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

Super Duper in San Fran (09.20.2021)

 The next stop on our California journey was San Francisco. We landed in the Financial District and had a room at the Palace Hotel. The hotel was wonderful, full of history. I'm not sure what that all has to do with the quest for a tasty burger but, it would serve as my start point each day.

Market Street has quite a few offerings for potential breakfast, lunch and dinner spots. One place caught our attention, Super Duper Burger. This needed to be investigated. The beef is ground daily. It's a vegetarian fed beef. I think we call that grass fed in Wisconsin. The bun is artisan bakery fresh baked daily. They offer a "mini" burger that weighs in at 4 oz. Otherwise, it's a double patty version. We checked it out. 

I got the Mini Cheeseburger. The burger in it's own little bag. The 4oz is probably the start weight because these didn't seem that big. Still, overall flavor and quality was pretty decent. It was all that they promised. I thought $7.25 wasn't too outrageous.

Rate it: 4 of 5

I liked the burger. The bun was okay. If you are looking for a good burger, they deliver. I also think that they are probably pretty consistent on quality. Burger for the buck, relatively good.

Lost In The Woods (Birchwood Bar & Grill) 07.11.2020

When I was a teen, our family used to rent a cabin in the Northwoods of Wisconsin for a week. There were nine of us. (7 children and 2 adults plus a dog) The place we stayed was just down the road from a funky little bar and grill, Birchwood. It was classic late 70's mixed with "Up North" A jukebox, sodas all the way around. The parents enjoyed cocktails. A great place to drop into during a rainy day for sure.
After a couple of years renting, my parents bought a lodge that originally was the office with guest rooms for the Limberlost Resort. They bought it in 1979. This weekend, we were moving them out. 40+ years of memories.
We decided to head to Birchwood for dinner. Tonight's visit to Birchwood might be our last for some time. This put a little pressure on your burger eater man. I chose to take the biggest challenge, Stark Tower, a homemade burger topped with onion rings, cheese curds and American cheese, another layer of ham, green peppers, onions, diced tomatoes and Swiss cheese, finished with bacon and melted cheddar. Held together on three layers of Texas toast. $17.99
I have to say, I was expecting a "tower" of food. It was tall, trust me. (see photos) The flavors all played together, none more outstanding than the other. I pinched off a piece of the burger patty just to be sure it tasted that good. Yep, good stuff.
Over the years, Birchwood has change owners. The current owners have elevated the cuisine to a much higher level than Bar Food. You can still get some of the classics, just better. Pizzas, Patty Melts, Fish Fry.

4.5 of 5
Relative to what I got, the price wasn't too crazy. I'm sure some folks that pass through might consider a $18 sandwich at a little bar and grill in Northern Wisconsin a bit much but, what a special treat. The staff had to stop out on the patio to view the person that took on the "Tower"

A Jam Session at the Wauwatiki 07.07.2020

It was my birthday on Sunday, July 5th (thank you, thank you). We weren't in town to celebrate, nor were many restaurants open. We decided that we would celebrate on Tuesday night. Our good friends Karen and Brian gave us a gift card some time ago for Wauwatiki Bar & Grill, one of my (our) favorite places to drink and eat.
The situation with Covid-19 made the crowd a bit more sparse than usual on a Taco Tuesday. Not sure why a Caribbean/ Hawaiian restaurant would offer tacos but, what the heck. We got a booth somewhat distanced from the nearest couple or group of people. It felt special, really.
We ordered a couple of cocktails. She had a Rum Manhattan. I had a Mai Thai. Appetizer, Pork Belly. All, delicious!
Gee, what would I order if I could? A burger? Why not, it's my birthday, right?
A Bacon Onion Jam Burger for me, Hawaiian Style Fried Rice for her.
There may have been a Rum & Coke in between the ordering and delivery of the mains.
Wow!! So delicious! I'm not a big fan of covering my burger with all kinds of stuff but, dang, this was awesome. Juicy, flavors all worked together. The Crack Fries, a little too much for me. I also think it took a bit away from the main dishes. The fries on their own might be delicious but, each time I had some, I had to re-adjust my mouth to eating other foods. (sorry)
Everything was excellent. The staff was cool with all the masks and respecting our space.
I can't complain about the prices, it's worth every buck.
4.5 of 5
I will be back. Next time, outdoors on the cool patio with friends (I hope)

Wait, a Patty Melt? that's not a burger!-Birchwood, Up North (08.2019)

A Fall tradition, pulling the pier out for the season. It's one of those events you don't look forward to for a couple of reasons. It's a lot of work and it also means that the warm season in Wisconsin is coming to an end. It's a family project.
Part of the day's events is lunch at the bar that's down the road a piece. The same place we go to pull the boats out. They have a boat launch that is public access.
We usually grab our favorite beverage, shoot some pool and grab a bite to eat. I usually get the burger. This time I thought I might try the Patty Melt. Why not? It' and open face burger on rye. (less carbs!) They always do right with their burgers and other food.
The melt arrives. Looks good. Tastes even better! Now I'm really glad I decided to go with the melt.
Rate it:
4 of 5
Dang good stuff. Funky place on a lake. Up North. Always great eats.

Snug in the woods. (not my photo)

AJ's Not Bombing-AJ Bombers Mayfair Collection (06.2019)

Well, I'm way behind on my blog. The season has been very busy. A lot of burgers to write about. That's Summertime in Milwaukee.
06.2019
AJ Bomber's was my Burgers With Brothers choice. I wanted to try the Big Boy Tribute.
Marc's Big Boy was a family restaurant in the Milwaukee area back when I was younger. By the late 70's maybe the early 80's, the Big Boy was no longer available. Then, recently, AJ Bombers got the rights to share a burger that pays homage to the Big Boy. It had been more than 45 years since I had a real Big Boy. Would I recognize it? I didn't have to pay for it in the old days so, I would just scarf it down, with a shake, of course. I've seen pictures of what the original looked like. The photos were taken at an angle to make the sandwich seem huge. Back then, relative to my person, it was huge.
When it arrived, I did my normal burger snob stuff. Pinched off a piece that was condiment free. It was fine. Not heavily seasoned. Then, the combination of just the burger and bun. Better. Finally, I got to chomp a bite of the complete ensemble. I liked it. Does it scream Big Boy on spec? I have to believe they have done everything they could to replicate the experience. (Dave Marcus talks about the recipe)
I don't regret the choice. I'm not running out to tell Milwaukee and the world to get it while they can either. It's a decent burger. I think that daily, several other venues serve a similar burger. Nostalgia gives this one a bit more value.
Rate it:
4 of 5
AJ's does burger well. Price is in the ballpark. Service can sometimes be a bit challenging. Glad I did it. Glad to share with my brothers.

The Spot, Kenosha (2X)

It's a throw back in time. Since 1945, The Spot drive-in, Kenosha has been cooking up some tasty burgers, dogs and serving up delicious ice cream based treats. Check their website for more background on the owner and the restaurant.
"Why fix what ain't broke" might be their mantra.
Cash only, so make sure you grab some before you head over. My guess would be $10-12 per person if you want a sandwich, fries and an ice cream treat.
I've been to the Spot twice in the past three months.
The first visit was a bacon cheeseburger and fries. I pulled up to the building thinking that I needed to go inside. Almost as quick as I got out of the car, I was told to sit down and the carhop will get around to taking my order. Okay. The menu is pretty extensive. A lot of deep fried stuff. The carhop took my order. Not much later, she returned with a white bag, Spot logo on the side. The smell got my mouth watering.  Big pieces of bacon slung across a griddle top patty with old school cheese. Perfect. First bite, everything worked perfect together. Not too much mustard, ketchup etc.
My second visit was just the other day. I was back in Kenosha checking in on my classic car that is in a showroom not too far from the Spot.
This time, I ordered a regular cheeseburger with the works and an order of fries. Now I felt like a seasoned visitor. I pulled up, rolled down my window and waited for the carhop to come over. A couple of minutes later, she returned with my bag of yumness.
$6.40 for the burger and fries. Fresh made. I love this place.
I'm not a big fan of the fries. Not that they are bad, just that I'm not a fan of the larger block style fries. I'm more the waffle or string fry guy. Next time, maybe I will get the onion rings.
It's easy to find the Spot, Hwy 50 gets you there so, if you are near Kenosha and need a bite to eat, I suggest stopping by to check it out. Be sure to tip the carhop.
4.5 of 5
Decent price, love the throwback style, great burgers. Can't wait to try some ice cream.

07.11.2018 Kettle Range Meats at Tosa Tonight

I usually don't like to use a store's stand at an outdoor event to judge their food but, when I goes right, why not?
A little background about the venue, Tosa Tonight. During Summer months in Wauwatosa Wisconsin we celebrate summer with outdoor concerts at Rotary Park on the East side of town. There's a band shell. Food vendors and local businesses set up tents on the top of the hill behind where the crowd sits.
This night was a special night. Not only did they have Trapper Schepp, a local superstar, it was also Neighborhood Association night. The crowd was the largest I have ever seen there outside of 4th of July fireworks.
My wife and I decided at the previous event that we would support the event by eating at the venue. Kettle Moraine Meats was the entree' choice. They offer a 1/3 cheeseburger and a bag of chips for $8. The line was the longest of all the vendors. Always a good sign. After a long wait, probably only 5 minutes but, it feels like longer when you are waiting in line, we ordered. "Just a cheeseburger" The person taking the orders said what we thought was "we don't have anymore cheese". Turns out they said "it will may take some time" or something like that. Anyway, we say a burger will be fine.
We joined the crowd waiting for their food on the side.
While I stood there waiting, I was watching the guy on the grill. Two grills covered with patties plus an additional grill warming beef hot dogs. All charcoal, not gas. That's my kind of grillin'!
It turns out that the person serving the burgers got us the cheeseburger as an apology for the wait.
No regrets. It was cooked nearly perfect. Great flavor.

I've never been to Kettle Moraine Meats but I might have to visit soon. I went back after the crowd cleared and thanked the guy at the grill for the performance during such a potential crisis.

4.5 of 5
Price was good for the venue. Staff really did well under pressure, I think because the guy at the grill wasn't freaking out. Oh, great taste.

3 Burger Weekend (or as I call it heaven!)

It wasn't my intention to have three different burgers in one weekend but, let me tell you how it happened.
Junior's Custard Milwaukee, WI
Hunger and nostalgia drove the first burger. Now called Junior's Custard, the food stand that's been at the intersection of 60th & Appleton Avenue in Milwaukee has been a custard stand serving Jumbo Burgers since 1950 when Elsa & Karl Kopp opened their first stand. Will Junior's deliver the same quality Jumbo burger? I had to find out. The lot was empty when I arrived. I thought maybe they weren't open yet. The menu is quite different than the days when it was Kopp's or Robert's. Chicken, Fish, Gyros, Rubens etc. I went straight for the classic, Jumbo cheeseburger. When it arrived, I so ready to eat it. I sat in my car and had the first bite. Pretty decent. I wasn't having the nostalgic taste bud reaction that I thought I would. It was different. Was it because of all the anticipation? I decided to wait until I got to a place where I could sit and just enjoy it. Not much of a difference. The burger was okay. The bun, a bit dry. The seasoning was alright but didn't really do much for over all flavor.
2.5 of 5
Price was fair. Restaurant was clean and staff was pleasant. Not amazed with burger. Actually not as Jumbo as I recalled.

Trocadero Milwaukee, WI
The next experience was truly unexpected. Dinner and the theater. We decided that Trocadero, Milwaukee would be a nice place to dine at. Their menu offered choices for all of us. Little did I know, they had a burger on the menu. Was I silly to order a burger at a place that serves Sordfish or Marengo Chicken & Lobster sandwiches? Not at all. Everybody knows that I've passed up some delicious menu items to test the burger. No regrets. The cook/chef wasn't afraid to season the patty or to cook it to near perfect for my likings. My choice, Au Poivre Burger.
4+ of 5
Pricy, Excellent flavor, Not embarrassing to eat a burger while others have the fancy stuff.

Within 24 hours, I was sitting for the third and final burger experience of the weekend.

Red Dot Wauwatosa, WI
I went straight for the Classic with cheese. I've been to Red Dot for a burger before. It was quite good. (will I have to look at my own blog?) This was per-meditated. I came seeking a burger. A burger I got. Simple and tasty.
4 of 5
Price is appropriate, scene is swell, staff took good care of us.

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)

Mad at Mad Madeline's (Temecula, CA) 11.2014

It was a return visit to one of the best burgers since I started this whole writing about burgers thing. Five years ago as I drove in to Temecula, CA a sign on the side of a building boasted Best Burger. It was Mad Madeline's. We saw Madeline's on Triple D. Cool. Looking back in my Burger Manual (hand written entry), it was April 2009. I didn't write much more than, the burger was big enough for two. All present recall it being tasty.
Fast forward to November 19th, 2014.
On a quest to score some of the best Asiago infused Olive Oil I headed back to Temecula, know full well that Madeline's was still there. Olive Oil shopping complete, we headed over for the burger. Still sporting the signage and newer smaller statements of grand burgers. (2014 Inland Empire Best of)
Just a cheeseburger and fries for me.
Wow, this is not what I remembered. Great story, my dad was along and had the bacon cheese burger. I didn't have the heart to say it but, dad did... he told the waitress that the burger was not even good. No flavor, dry and the bun was sort of dry. The waitress suggested that maybe it was the person cooking that day. No excuse! I wish I had that out when I need it.
Maybe it was an off day. Maybe our memory of that wonderful day back in 2009 was messing with our ability to truly judge this round.
Trust me when I say that each time I enter in to one of these taste n tell situations, I clear my mind and just try to let it happen.

California visit: 2 of 2 burgers not able to rate.

Red Dot (Tosa) Hits the Spot!

11.06.2014
The plan for the night was to hit a couple of art exhibits and then head home for some grill time. Specifically, burgers on the grill. As you might guess, because of this entry, we never made it to our home grill.

Turns out, that's okay because we decided to check out the Red Dot in Wauwatosa. It's been on the list of places to go for some time. The big draw was the idea that they serve French-Canadian cuisine. Poutine, a crazy mix of fries, cheese and gravy. I don't blog about Poutine. I blog about burgers...

Using our fancy phone and the internet, we research the menu as we headed West from Riverwest. They list quite a few burgers. Now I'm interested! The Classic seems like the correct one to select. A burger, bun and some veggies on top of the patty. Or should I go for the Bacon Cheese Burger?

When we got there the place was hopping. While waiting we noticed chalkboards with specials listed. The one board listed something called the Gordo Burger. Time to go big or go home! This puppy has a burger topped with pulled pork, caramelized red onion, roasted garlic and lettuce.

Gordo it was. The smokey flavor of the pork really bumped the taste buds to a different place than I expected. The patty itself, pretty good. I always snitch a piece without any stuff on it to get the true taste of the burger. From there, game on. Everything together. The combinations of garlic, caramelized onion and buttered bun just melded with the pork and beef. Hold on, was this a pulled pork sandwich with a burger or a burger with pulled pork? The pork was on top so, it's a burger. Really yummy.

Rate It:
3.5++ of 5
$11 was fine. Burger proper was fairly tasty. Maybe a little seasoning to the patty. All the items on it were done perfectly. The bun had great flavor and seemed to be very fresh. Atmosphere was pretty decent. The bar was cramped. The dining area, although we were in the middle of the room, had a cozy feel. I plan to return when the patio is open again.

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.

Ate it at 8th Avenue Ale House

I was going to use some cool reference about eighths. Henry, amendments etc. No such luck.

The 8th Avenue Ale House is a friendly spot on a corner along 8th Ave. in downtown Sheboygan WI. Sheboygan's downtown is really a wonderful little stretch of businesses. Places to get food a rather abundant. Pizza, Subs and several bars. Ale houses tend to have decent grub and beer. So, we dropped in. Sure, they have burgers. I had the Classic. As far as I could tell, the patty was not hand formed from fresh ground meat. No matter, decent stuff. The roll was tasty and had a great texture to it. Washed down with a cola. The fries were tasty. Seasoned potato.
I'm not going to say this was one of the best burgers I've had. Served the way it is and all, pretty tasty.
3.5 of 5
Price and overall flavor were good. Not outstanding. Staff was friendly and the bar in general seemed very inviting. I'm not going to drive from Milwaukee for this burger but, if I find myself in Sheboygan craving a burger, that's where I'll be going.

Mazo's (I'm on a roll, buttered & toasted)

Started back in 1934, Mazo's has got the history, for sure. The restaurant is a neat place. Smaller and not too chic, it's one of the hidden gems of Milwaukee. Unless you are looking for it as you are driving North on 27th near Oklahoma Avenue, you might not see it.
Going to Mazo's has been on my list for a couple of years. Check it off. Was it worth the wait? I would say, yep! When we got there it was around 11:45AM. There were people at a couple of tables and a some folks at the counter. By noon, it was packed.
I have to say, it was what I had hoped for. The bun was buttered and toasted. I had the double cheeseburger. That's two 1/3 pound patties, fresh packed with American cheese and raw onions. The burgers could have been cooked a little less but, flavor was still there. The combo includes two sides. I chose fries and baked beans. Both were excellent. The beans made me think they were scratch created. Sort of a smoky/bacon edge to them.
The rest of the group all agreed that the food was tasty. Patty Melt and Strawberry Shake both made it on the "glad we ordered it" list.

Five of us ate and the total bill was around $45. I'd say we got a decent value for the investment.

4.5 of 5
Tasty food. Decent value for the $$. I'd go back/tell others about it.