Come and travel Oklahoma with me.

Posts tagged ‘Burgers in OK’

Food Friday: Biglow’s Burgers

The whole purpose of my Food Friday feature is to bring attention to local restaurants. I really want to be able to give 5 strips of bacon on every review but I also know it’s not always possible. Biglow’s Burgers is an excellent example. When it first opened around the beginning of the year, I was excited. I had read reviews about the food truck and it sounded great. So on a cool Friday night we visited.

They had been open for about a month and I had heard about the issues they were having, I had hoped those had been worked out. It took 10 minutes just for us to place an order for dine in, and the cashier wasn’t exactly the nicest person, not even able to answer basic questions about the menu. So we took a seat near the back, the whole interior looked unfinished and the tables look like they had been used and abused. There we sat, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, then at 27 minutes someone realized they had forgotten to make our order. We were brought some complimentary egg rolls which turned out to be cold in the middle. And we continued to sit. By this time I had noticed that it was really cold in the restaurant, I don’t think they had the heat turned on. Finally after 40 minutes we got our order. The burger was just ok, I wasn’t blown away by it. The fries were awful, way too much salt. We finished and left. Back near the end of March we decided to try again, even though the hours on the building and online said they closed at 8p, the restaurant was dark. It was 6:30p on a Friday night and they were already closed. Some other potential patrons were sitting in their car nearby and told us that a very rude employee locked the door in their face when they tried to enter.

I’m giving them 2 strips of bacon, I hope they improve in the future but with 3 other really good burger places within a mile of the restaurant I just have no reason to attempt another visit.

Address: 12309 N Council Rd. Suite 1, Oklahoma City.

Category:

Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

Tagged with:

Food Friday: Barry’s Grill

You ever drive by a restaurant and think “I need to try this place”? I have done that for years driving by the big green burger sign for Barry’s Grill on North May Aveune. It even smells good when I stop next door at Bedford Camera, after years of thinking about it I stopped and truthfully I wish I hadn’t.

First thing I noticed when I walked in wasn’t the old time menu sign, it was the dirty unvacuumed floors. I got over it and ordered a bacon cheeseburger with a side of tots. The guy behind the counter took my order but didn’t seem friendly. As I took a seat I noticed a old musty smell that permeated the restaurant. The tables were clean but obviously had some age to them. The whole vibe was 1960’s cafeteria. The pictures on the wall were faded to blue and the “greenery” in between the tables was older than me. Before my burger was ready I took a quick trip to the bathroom, indoor outhouse is a good description. A couple minutes after I returned to the table my order was ready. It did bother me that the tray was sticky. The tots were just plain tots, nothing really special. The burger was the same, nothing special. The veggies were fresh and crisp and the bacon was cooked perfectly. It was just ok though. I wasn’t blown away, really along the lines of a fast-food burger. I finished my food and left. The odd smell was still there and really permeated my experience.

From my research, this business has been at the location since at least 1996. I think it does a good job attracting a lunch crowd not looking for anything fancy. Personally I don’t think I’ll return. I give them 2 strips of bacon.

Address: 3124 N May Ave., Oklahoma City.

Category:

Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

Tagged with:

Food Friday: Nic’s Grill

Nic’s Grill is known around the country, several tv shows have featured it, many magazines have done stories on it.  My first visit was a few years ago, at the time it was only open during the week for lunch.  Even though we got there early, my claustrophobia set in and we got the burgers to go.  Now after a 30-minute drive back home I wasn’t really impressed with the burger.  But I wanted to give them another chance, I just needed to work through being in such a small place.

While passing it a few months ago, I found out that they are now open on Saturday as well.  So I took a long breath and went in.  To say this place is tiny is an understatement, there is a long counter with 9 stools overlooking the grill, a shorter counter near the window on one side of the door and 2 small tables on the other side of the door.  I felt it best to sit in the corner with one window behind me and another I could see out.  The menu was pretty straightforward, burger or cheeseburger, by themselves or in a combo.  You do get a selection of cheese and can get add ons like bacon or mushrooms.  The only sides are curly fries.

My order was taken quickly even though they only have 2 employees, one on the grill and one doing everything else.  I didn’t wait long for lunch to be delivered.  The curly fries were the first thing I tried, freshly cut, fried, and lightly salted.  They were really enjoyable and a reminder that simple can be good.  Then the burger, it was huge.  Lettuce, tomato, pickles, lots of fried onions and melty cheese all piled on top a nice sized patty with a soft bun.  I was pleasantly surprised how good it was, juicy, needed to use both hands to eat it.  I really wish I had tried it fresh years ago, was much better experience this time around.

I keep mentioning it was a small place, it really is. No place for large groups or small children (I did watch parents realize this when they opened the door). It’s just an old time burger stand, not seen like this in many years. Only open for the lunch crowd and still closed on Sunday. I will go back as long as I can sit near the windows again, I’ll give them 5 strips of bacon.

Address: 1201 N Pennsylvania Ave., Oklahoma City.

Category:

Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

Tagged with:

Food Friday: Eskimo Joe’s

There are a lot of places I’ve gone that are tourist traps, many fall flat and don’t live up to the hype. Being the good Sooner, I always felt that way about Eskimo Joe’s. Just a place for OSU fans to go, and it can’t be that good or it wouldn’t be in Stillwater. I started to change my mind about it in 2018, when Mae’s band stopped there for lunch before contest. Since we were both nervous, we just got Little Joe burgers with no sides. No, we didn’t try the cheese fries or anything else but we did come home with a couple cups to remind us of the trip. For the years since that trip I think about making a real visit but never had the chance. Last weekend I had research to do in Stillwater, so lunch at Eskimo Joe’s became a priority.

I’m lucky we decided to go earlier than noon, at 11:22a that place was already packed with a 40-minute wait time. This is probably why they have a store next door, so you can shop while waiting for a table. So while we wandered through the colorful shirts, we patiently waited for a text telling me they were ready. After a little over 30 minutes, I got the text and upstairs to our table we went. This time I was getting the world-famous cheese fries, topped with sweet peppered bacon of course. I now understand why this is one of their most popular items, they were so good. The fries were perfect, covered with a generous amount of cheese, topped with a mound of bacon. This is a must order if you go. I might try them other ways on a next visit but even if you get just the plain, it’s worth it.

Next up were our burgers, I chose to order the sweet peppered bacon and cheddar while my husband got a fire burger. This burger was one of the best I’ve eaten in many years. Juicy, well flavored meat, soft bun, and that bacon. If you are a bacon connoisseur like me, I highly recommend the sweet peppered bacon. It is the true definition of meat candy. Cooked perfectly, not too crisp or limp, covered in brown sugar with just a touch of pepper. This was true culinary heaven. My husband loved his fire burger, said it had good heat to it without being overpowered. He did add the sweet peppered bacon to his burger as well and totally agreed that this was the best bacon. We were too stuffed for dessert, so back down to the store to actually buy some shirts (once again being the good Sooner I couldn’t have one that said Stillwater or OSU, so I got one with the dog).

Eskimo Joe’s really lived up to the hype and then some. Even though it’s in Stillwater (and I could see the campus for little brother), I’m ready to go again. Full warning, give yourself plenty of time since there will be a wait. The service was excellent, even with me in my finest crimson and cream, everyone was nice and friendly. Didn’t wait long for any of the food to come out, so that’s a big plus. Overall I will definitely give them 5 strips of bacon, especially if its the sweet peppered bacon. Their food is worth the drive and wait, trust me.

A bit of the history, Eskimo Joe’s opened in 1975 as a bar. That’s the old stone building at the east end of the complex. They added food to the menu in 1984 when the drinking age was raised in Oklahoma, including the famous cheese fries, which got an endorsement from President George Bush, Sr. The building has been added onto and remodeled several times, adding a huge store to the west end.

Address: 507 W. Elm St., Stillwater.

Category:

Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food, Oklahoma history, Stillwater OK

Tagged with:

Food Friday: The Garage

the-garageAs you’ve probably noticed by now, there are a lot of burger places in Oklahoma City.  And if you’ve been reading my work, you know that I’ve been to about half of them.  So today I’m going to tell you about The Garage, a local burger chain that popped up a few years ago.

The Garage is an automotive themed restaurant with a dozen locations not only around Oklahoma City but now in two other states as well.  I personally love the theme- with a grandfather who owned a service station, I love old automotive signs and the neon that sometimes surrounds them.  What I don’t like about The Garage are the tall tables that seem to be popular recently.  I’m short and feel like I need a step-ladder just to get into my seat.

As for the food- it’s ok.  They do have a varied menu with different types of burgers.  But the menu isn’t much different from some of the other burger places around town.  On my last visit I tried the Mushroom Swiss.  Not bad, meat was fresh and the taste was good but I just found myself expecting more.  The fries are just ok as well, not great.  My daughter loves the fact that the kid’s meal comes with a bomb pop but then she is easily entertained.

So after a great build up with the décor, I’m just disappointed that the food doesn’t live up to my expectations.  And with that I’m giving The Garage 4 strips of bacon, only because I really do like the service station theme.

UPDATE:  I decided to give them another try.  I’ve heard so many good reviews that after 8 years, we checked them out.  I will admit they’ve gotten much better.  We started with thunder fries.  I loved them, seasoned fries with blue cheese, and bacon crumbles topped with a sriacha aioli.  The flavors blended so nicely, they were addictive.  Our burgers came out quickly afterwards, for this trip we both tried the Sweet Oklahoma burger- with cream cheese, bacon, grilled jalapenos along with a jalapeno relish.  This was the best burger I’ve had this year.  The meat was perfectly cooked and those toppings came together for a sweet burger with very little heat from the jalapenos.  I was really impressed with this burger.  I also got a side of onion rings, enjoyed them as well.

I will be upgrading The Garage from a 4 strip to a full 5 strips of bacon.  The service was great and everyone there incredibly friendly.  I’m happy I tried them again.  So give them a visit again if you haven’t in a while.

 

Address: Oklahoma City- 1024 W. I-240 Service Rd.; 209 Outlet Shoppes Dr.; 1117 N. Robinson; 6900 NW 122nd St. 101; 2900 W Britton Rd.; Del City- 5301 Main St.; Edmond- 601 S. Bryant; Edmond- 1316 W Covell Rd.; Moore- 2060 S. I-35 Service Rd.; Norman- 307 E. Main St.; Shawnee- 190 Shawnee Mall Dr.; Stillwater- 520 W. Elm Ave.; Broken Arrow- 801 E Hillside Dr.; Owasso- 13303 E 96th St. N.; Tulsa Sheridan- 7104 S Sheridan Rd.; Fayetteville, AR- 100 E. Joyce Blvd.; Rogers, AR- 4200 S. 48th St.; Omaha, NE- 7610 Dodge St.; Kansas City, MO- 8811 State Line.

Category:

Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

Tagged with: