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. 

 

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.

 

Feeling A Little Bleu @ Cunningham's Journal-Kearny NE 09/14/2025

It was the second day on the road to Colorado and our last overnight would be spent in Kearny Nebraska. The drive from Iowa to Nebraska was mostly good except the wicked storm that almost brought traffic on the interstate to a halt. Our hotel was one of several in a cluster just off the freeway. There were all the usual offerings, Godfather's Pizza, Red Lobster etc, only a short walk away. We did a quick search of the area for something more local. Cunningham's Journal showed up. They had two locations, one was just behind our hotel, less than a block away. The menu looked good. They had quite the list of burger offerings. The restaurant also has a really nice deck/patio space that overlooks a "lake". Another storm was approaching so, no patio. 

Let's talk burger. I ordered the Ole Bleu Burger. 1/2 pound ground chuck patty, bleu cheese, crispy bacon. My request was to be cooked medium. It came as described, a bit of pink in the center. I did my traditional pinch of the patty without all the stuff on it. I couldn't help getting a bit of Bleu Cheese with. Very nicely seasoned, juicy. The bacon was a thicker cut than usual. The bun, sweet and it had a "split" in the center almost suggesting I cut it there. When I bit in to it, all the flavors came together. 

Rate It: 4+ of 5  Priced at $16, it's not crazy money for a decent burger at a nicer restaurant. The burger as a whole was really nicely done. I might go to the 4.5 level on a different day.

Cunningham's Journal @ The Lake 

 

Made It To Wayne's Drive-In!!! 10/02/2025

 The Summer season goes so fast here in Wisconsin. One of my favorite places to go for a burger is Wayne's in Cedarburg, WI. Throughout the Summer they host a Classic Car Night every Thursday. The last official cruise night was last Thursday, September 25th. I missed the cruise season. Wayne's will close for the season in early November. I didn't want to miss a chance to have one of their burgers so I decided that I would take my "classic" 1997 Toyota Celica GT convertible out tonight. To my surprise, there were several true classics parked in their lot. ('57 Ford Fairlane, '63 Ford Galaxie, '72 Javelin) It was after 7PM, Wayne's closes for the night at 8PM. The place was hoping. Almost all the seats inside were full. People sat outside at the tables below the neon glow of the WAYNE'S sign (see picture). 

I ordered a single cheeseburger, cheddar cheese, onion (raw), tomato, lettuce and a pickle. My side was their Crinkle Fries. It was all tasty. The burger didn't have as much flavor as I remember from other visits. I just enjoy the scene. The staff is always helpful and friendly. Prices are still within reason.

Rate It: Not this time. I was just getting my Wayne's fix.

 

Season Tradition & Favorite: Nite Owl Drive In 09/27/2025

 In Wisconsin we have quite a few "seasonal" things. Outdoor (Drive-In) theaters, Outdoor Farmer's Markets, Dining El Fresco, Beer Gardens and Burger Stands. The Nite Owl falls into the last. I'm never sure when Nite Owl might open or close for the season. I'm sure it's similar each season. I guess I like to be surprised. The season passes faster than I like. I've got a couple of other burger stops that are similar. Wayne's in Cedarburg has a similar season. Nite Owl is just a bit more quirky. Not only do they have a short season, their hours are challenging. On top of short hours, you can never know if they "sold out" for the day. They grind all the meat fresh daily. When they run out, they shut down. Some days that can be just a couple of hours.

This post is mostly about the "joy" of Nite Owl. I think they make a great burger especially for $8. There is a certain value to standing in the parking lot waiting for your order. The crowd is usually pretty friendly. Yes, they too are waiting for their order which on certain days can take a while. It's "cash only" so don't try your fancy charge card, paypal, apple pay or whatever you like to use at other places.

This time I got a cheeseburger with onions and a pickle. No ketchup or mustard. Simple. It's a hefty patty placed on a decent roll. I'm not going to say it was packed with flavor but it was a good mix between the cheese, onion, meat and bun. Cooked nearly perfect for my tastes. The fries were a bit soggy.

Rate It: 4 out of 5 Still a great burger. Always cool to get the old school vibe. You pay when you get your order. Is that because they might run out before they get to yours? I'll be back next year. Hopefully more than once.

 

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

 

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.

 

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/

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

 

 

 

10/02/22 - Wayne's Drive-In, Cedarburg WI - Seasonal Favorite

Wisconsin like the rest of the upper midwest has a restricted outdoor dining season. Over the years, businesses like drive-ins have adapted their property to serve all year round. Others, they just keep it seasonal. Wayne's is one of them. No complaints. I hope they enjoy the time off.

Wayne's is one of my seasonal must haves. Is it because it's the best burger? Not really. I think that because Wayne's is seasonal and I can only have it during the warmer months, my mind associates them with that warm feeling of the sun shining down while you lean against your car munching a cheeseburger fresh off the griddle. The building adorned with memories of the history of Wayne's and all the kitschy items new and old that cover the walls. Generations come for meals together to share this. The staff is always working hard, friendly and helpful. It would be interesting how many of the current staff may have a link to past staff members. See what I mean? You got to support this stuff! Families, generations of friends and neighbors. 

Oh yes, I did have a burger. Well, a cheeseburger. With American cheese, tomato and raw onion. It was dang good. They don't use words like grass fed or organic. I think they just get the best beef patties they can. I'm cool with that. Fresh condiments, bakery (buns) are a plus. It was really juicy.

Rate it: 3.5 of 5 Always a decent burger, good price, great service (could be a 4 of 5?)

Wayne's website

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

08/15/22-Cruize the Spur Elm Grove, WI

 Another gorgeous night to be in Elm Grove for a "Cruise the Spur". Cars, food and comrade. We took the '60 olds convertible to the cruise in. We decided to enjoy a sit down style dinner rather than doing the car show cuisine. They offer a less expensive smaller menu on the area where the cars are parked. Sort of nice. Otherwise, attending a car show can get expensive without even calculating in the fuel cost!

The Silver Spur has always served decent food. Not "wow, this is delicious" but, pretty decent. For some reason, maybe the cook was in a better mood, fresh spices who knows? The food was extra tasty. Not much of a story to tell. I went to the show with the intention of consuming a burger. All the toppings were fresh and flavorful. 

I'll be honest, I'm writing this some time after the fact. Details fade unless I write them down. I just remember, it was pretty remarkable. 

Rate it: 4 of 5 Decent price. Tasty.

Good City Brewing=Good Burger 07/08/2022

 My wife heard about a burger that I should check out. It was my birthday week aka burger week. I consumed a burger once a day for five days in a row! I didn't mind. I did run more miles than my usual in an attempt to pre-burn the calories.

The story told was that Good City  Brewing at the Mayfair Collection was one of the best burgers in town as ranked by On Milwaukee columnist Lori Fredrich. She was correct in her assessment. 

I'll cut right to the experience. I ordered the Double Cheeseburger. That's two quarter pound patties! Upon arrival I knew it was going to be a decent burger. I cut it in half to better manage consuming it. I could smell the flavors as I brought it to my lips. Yum! I think this has to be one of the better burgers I've had recently. Perfect color, just a little pink. Juicy, fresh.

I can't find anything I didn't like about the burger. Just the right amounts of toppings, hand packed patties.

Rate it: 4.5 of 5

Staff was awesome. Price wasn't crazy for such a well crafted burger. I might have to go back to be sure it was really that great.

Time for Elder Rime-01.22.2022

It was a Saturday night and we felt like taking the night off cooking. Our son and his wife gave us a gift card for a local restaurant, a bit upscale but casual, the Elder Rime. It's housed inside of the Renaissance at Mayfair Mall shopping center. We heard some good things about the place and thought, let's go!

Super cool vibe. Especially considering it's at a super busy corner for traffic and the mall is in plain view. It's all booths unless you decide to sit at the bar but why?

We ordered drinks. I ordered the Reykr Old Fashioned. Great choice. The presentation was something else. The server brings the cocktail under a dome of smoke. The drink is perfectly mixed and has that smoked edge to it. Totally setting the scene for what's to come.

About the only offering for burgers was the E+R Burger. Described like this...wisconsin grass fed beef, Roth Butterkase (WI company), smoked onion jam, house pickle, potato bun, hand cut frites. What I know is this, when it arrived I was surprised at the bun to meat ratio. Somebody finally figured out that I like the bun but really want the burger. All the components were also in perfect ratio. The cheese was buttery and flowing out from everywhere. The beef was near perfect cooking for me. Would have liked it a bit more pink. Wonderful seasoning. Not an inexpensive burger but, presentation, flavor and balance of ingredients made it a decent value.

Rate it: 4 of 5 The patty could have been a bit more pink. Maybe they don't like to serve it that way? Maybe a bit less cheese? Really, there isn't much to pick on.

First meal after our release from Alcatraz. Hillstone (09.21.2021)

 It was our last full day in San Francisco. We decided to take the boat over to Alcatraz prison. The tour of the island was really interesting. The island's history dates back before the Civil War. It was a Federal Prison for a less than 30 years.

After the tour we thought we should grab a bite to eat. The Wharf  in San Francisco offers quite a few different opportunities to enjoy fresh seafood. We were looking for something a little more like a light lunch. Salad, sandwich or soup? Across the street from the Wharf is a wonderful little restaurant called Hillstone. Nestled in a garden of trees and plantings, there's a sculpture of a cowboy riding a fish at one end of the cozy patio.

Enough about how cool the scene is. Let's talk burgers. Yep, another burger. Six burgers in 10 days! This one brings me back full circle to the start at my brother Dan's place. We decided to split a Hickory Burger. Applewood smoked bacon, grated cheddar, onion, hickory sauce. Sounds delicious, right? It was! Cooked to perfection on a fresh bun. The price, $21 didn't even matter anymore. This was a great burger.

Rate it: 4.5 of 5

Again, $21 is a lot for a sandwich at lunch time but, we are in San Francisco at the Wharf area. The restaurant is part of a hospitality group. I don't think that matters much. This location is upholding the company standards of service and quality.

 Look at the stack of cheese and onions!