Lokal Serves it with a dash of nostalgia

We were in Coconut Grove Florida for a couple of days and as is usual, looking for a good local place to grab a bite. If it happens to be a burger, well that would be okay.
Lokal was a short walk away and according to what we read online, they serve a decent burger.
We got a table outside. Inside, the decor was pretty much what you might expect with one exception. The bar front was covered with cassette tapes! In the one corner, a telephone booth that had a sign that said "time machine". Interesting... through the back side of the phone booth was a "malt shop" that was created to appear similar to the owner's parent's place back in 1986. Part of that included video games that were popular in that time. I had to play a couple of games of Galaga.
Our order came. The bun on my burger had the Lokalz logo "branded" into it, (always a cool touch) Cooked just right, a little pink. Everything was tasty. The girl suggested going 50/50 on regular fries and sweet potato fries.
A bit pricey but, I think that's just how things go down there.
Rated: 4 of 5
I loved the scene. The food was darn good. Glad I went there.

Burdines Waterfront Marina (& Burgers!)

Recently, we spent a few days in the Florida Keys. There is plenty of fresh fish items on all the menus. Burdine's Waterfront Marina has fish and more. I was surprised to see how many variations they did on burgers. That made me think they might be a valid burger to check in to.
Our hotel was only a couple of blocks away so, we walked over. Easier said than done. Hwy 1 doesn't stop for pedestrians. Once across the road, we passed a little Cuban Cafe'. Behind the cafe', in a fenced area was a small village of trailers and campers. I would guess that they were regular housing. The outsides were all decorated nicely. As we walked along the parameter down the road to Burdine's, we got to glimpse in to a couple of them. Families watching television, eating. Far out. Then, a rooster and chickens! What a nice little added bonus to the night's adventures.
The walk turned out to be about 3/4 of a mile back in to the dock/port area. Burdines is obviously about the people that use the dock service and some locals that no where the good food is.
The restaurant is atop the dock service store and office. The posts are wrapped in license plates from all over the place. The bar area is decorated in an island theme.
How about the burger? Well, it's a fairly large patty and bun. First thing I did was pinch off just the meat to get the true flavor. Cooked just right, seasoned nicely. Not bad for a fish joint, right?
As we ate, the sun set on the bay. Smaller boats were still coming in giving us a postcard like moment.
Rated: 3.5 of 5
It was really good. I wasn't blown away. The fries are tasty. Location is special, hidden from the whole "Keys" experience. Nice.

Fred's on MKE's North Side: One of the best!

One of the most consistent decent burgers in Milwaukee has to be from Fred's on Vliet Street.
The staff is friendly and the customers that are waiting for their order are always fun to chat with.
Last Sunday, I was looking for an alternative to pizza for dinner. (the people I was hanging out with were having WyEast Pizza) Fred's is only half a mile east. My son and I headed over to grab a couple of sandwiches. He had his eye on the Italian Roast Beef, "soaked". I was thinking double cheeseburger and fries.
The burger was excellent. Fries, just how I like 'em, skinny and fried.
We walked away at about $20 after a tip. Not bad for good grub.
The thing about a place like Fred's is that the burger is cooked on the griddle and brings the characteristics of the griddle surface. Get some onions out on the top... then, drop the patties!
The bun they serve the burger on has the classic sweet edge to it. The cheese, old school grill stuff.
The only thing that didn't go exactly right, the Italian Roast Beef wasn't "soaked". Just sort of juiced.
Still, you can't beat the value and small town feel of Fred's.
4.5 of 5
Love the scene. Great staff. Wonderful food at a decent price.

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.

Sobelman's-Soberring Effect

I'm probably going to get some crap from people for this one.
I started a journal about burgers in 2006 and I've always tried to keep it positive. So, understand, this is not negative, just my opinion...
Tour buses stop here. People come from other cities and have to have a burger.
I feel like Sobelman's may be living on a legendary burger experience for days gone by.
This is my second time dining there. It might be my last.
The burger looks like it's preformed, not hand packed. I wasn't even sure if they were grilled or flat top griddle cooked. I always snap a little piece of just meat to see how it tastes without all the other flavors interfering. The patty lacked flavor.
The roll/bun, not interesting. It looked as though I was in for a treat, wonderful color and shiny from what I would guess is butter or oil of some kind. Nothing.
Fries, reminded me of Ore Ida fries.
Is any of this created on location? or is it just cooked/prepare there?
On the plus side, it looked like the staff was very attentive to the patrons. Our waitress made sure we had everything we needed and double checked to make sure the order matched what was requested.
The bar and dining areas are decorated with cool Milwaukee and Wisconsin items. I know that in Summer the outdoor seating area is always full.
Pricing is in alignment with the food style.
If you are a fan of Sobelman's, cool. This isn't a person attack on your favorite food. Maybe, I just don't get it.
Rating: 2 of 5
Good service, nice atmosphere and fair prices.

Peninsula Pub, Bailey's Harbor WI

What a weekend! Door County has so much to offer when it comes to food & drink.
Saturday evening we went to the Door County Brewing Tap Room & Music Hall. The seating arrangements make it impossible not to meet other people. Well, the people playing Sorry at the other table may have been a bit preoccupied. We sat with a couple from Indiana. They spend a lot of time in the Door and because of that they got some inside information about tasty eats around the peninsula. They suggested the Peninsula Pub, if we wanted a great burger.
The following night, we did just that.
The Pub offers the "Burger of the Day". No altering that burger. They also offer the "Build Your Own" variety. I didn't read the fine print and just ordered a Cheddar Burger with and order of Onion Rings.
The burger arrived exactly as requested. No nothing on it. Just a burger, cheese and a bun. I didn't think it was worth requesting all the other additional toppings. Just me and the cheese burger, intimate, right?
It was cooked just right. Seasoned a bit more than I like but, once my taste buds adjusted, it was all good. Served on a Kaiser roll, a nice compliment to the burger.
The onion rings we yummy, of course. Did I mention that the onion rings are served with a small dish of the Pub's Cajun Ranch Dressing. (additional yum!)
The rating:
4 out of 5
I was sort of set back by the stripped burger I ordered. I would think that staff might ask if you really want it without anything on it.
Flavor was decent. Service was fun. Dave is the guy with the personality.
The bar doesn't feel like it's in the middle of a tourist destination. I liked that.

Bayside Inn, Fish Creek WI (Repeat visitor)

I don't know why but, anytime I stop in Door County, I end up at the Bayside Inn on a Friday night.
Traditionally, Friday night is Fish Fry Night. That tradition must be someone else I was thinking of.
Cheddar cheeseburger for me!
The place was packed as usual but, a bit more this past Friday because the Brewers were on the televisions. We lucked out and found a small booth in the far back of the dinning area. No view of the game so I was sneaking a peek around the corner each time the crowd was cheering.
The food showed up pretty quick. I'm guessing the cook wanted to watch the game also.
As usual, the burger was nicely seasoned and cooked nearly perfect.
Looking back at my blog, I don't see a previous entry about Bayside. We were there last June and I just wanted to note that.
Atmosphere at the Bayside is always genuine. You get to chat with locals as well as folks from Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana etc. Just about every person we've met there is pleasant.  Last year we met a family that camps each year, it's become a multi-generational event. Because the weather wasn't so great, they decided to hang out at the Bayside for awhile.
Price makes it an outstanding value.
The ratings:
4 out of 5.
Not the best burger I've ever had but, damn good and consistent.
Sure, I snitched a bit of the fish fry, it was tasty.