BurgerFi 3.5 out of 10

Our latest burger review brings us to BurgerFi at the St. John's Town Center. According to their website these are gourmet burgers. The pictures looked impressive. Needless to say our expectations were high. Afterwards, my thoughts are..Fee Fi, Ho Hum.

I ordered the BurgerFi cheeseburger, a double natural Angus patty double american cheese with lettuce, tomato and BurgerFi sauce. On the side I got the double fry; half French fries, half onion rings. I thought the onion rings were good but the fries were soggy. As you can see in the picture the fries and onion rings dwarfed my burger. I was expecting something that looked like the photos. Flavor of the patty was OK, kind of plain. The bun had the BurgerFi logo branded into it (nice touch) but more effort should have been out into using a better bun, this one was ordinary. Overall the burger was not "bad", just mediocre. I didn't even detect the BurgerFi sauce. Size wise I would say it was between a Five Guys double cheeseburger and a Steak & Shake double cheese burger. If I had ordered a burger with a single patty I would have been left hungry. I feel I'm being generous giving this one 5 stars.

The Burgernator

**********************************************************************

Here we are at the new place in town.  

Well I wish I would have not found it.  You can imagine where this is going.  I was not impressed at all with the burger. First the size of the burger was pretty small compared to the title of it.  I ordered the Supreme burger and doubled it.  As my partner in crime mentioned, we had high hopes for this, but personally I was very disappointed.  All over the restaurant and on the main menu screen you see those great pictures of those huge burgers.  Well, as you can see from the Burgernator picture and mine, this was far from what we saw on the pictures. 

The first impression I had was that the burger wasn't really hot, kinda warm but far from hot and I picked it up the sec I was called to do so.

For this to be a Supreme Burger and me putting a double everything on it, it was pretty small.  Now we were not asked how they should be cooked, so I thought, sure, they are trying to cook them all the way.  For sure they did.  They weren't burned, but for sure all the way cooked through.  I added a picture so you can see what I'm talking about.  Sorry to say I was not impressed about the taste at all. For them going on about being all Angus and stuff and this will change your view on Burgers, well it did.  I thought that the taste was below average.  Nothing special about it.  The cheese was alright, the bacon was alright, the bun was alright but I personally thought for a fresh made bun it looked like someone pushed it.  Hmm really, why?  They claim everything is freshly made and never frozen.  

Well sorry, if I take some frozen Angus patties and throw them in the pan, I will have this and probably better because my burgers rock or I wouldn't be so picky on my reviews.  I'm a bit more harsh then my partner but in my humble opinion this burger was nothing special and now to add to this experience were the onion rings and fries.  Man oh man, talk about adding to the entire picture.  To me the onions rings looked good, but that was about it.  I thought they were way to greasy and the fries.  Well the pictures showed some of them  I thought they were way to soggy and they felt like rubber and some were way overcooked almost to a burn as you can see looking at the really brown one. Really?  How difficult is it to make fries that are good and properly cooked.  I love my fries well cooked and crispy, man were they far from it. As with all my reviews they are my opinion on the food and might be different from everybody's experience, but I try to say how I see it.  To me the burger was ok but the fries and onion rings were way shyte in my views.  So on we go to more burger reviews to come. My rating is a 2 out of 10.
The BurgerMeister

Johnny Angel's 6.5 out of 10

For our next review it brought us to Johnny Angel's.  We received a few suggestions from people to check this place and their burger.  Before we go into the burger just let me tell you that this is a place to see.  I felt like going back into a time warp into the 'Back to the Future' and showing up into the 50's.  I love that.  The entire atmosphere in there was very entertaining.  But enough of the hype going into the real reason why we were there.  They have a nice selection of burgers, from your James Dean to your Atomic burger.  I picked the Heavy Chevy which comes with chili which is also a challenge by itself for restaurants to make enjoyable to eat.  Anyway, here is what was served as the Heavy Chevy as the presentation.  Before I get into the specifics let me just mention that we also ordered the onion rings which I'm a huge fan off, if they are done correctly. Believe me, there are many restaurants that can't make onion rings or even french fries correctly and in other words are shyte.  I have to say, they probably made the best onion rings I have had so far.

They were awesome, huge, perfectly cooked, tasty, so worth getting.  But enough of that, lets look at the burger.  The burger was perfectly cooked how I ordered it.  The chili on top was by the best alright. I spent many years in Texas and got spoiled for having awesome chili.  So in this case,  wish it would have been better. Actually I have to say that the burger was good, but not where I would go, out of the ordinary.  I felt that it lacked a lot of seasonings in the meat.  Even the chili was kinda of blahhh.  Was OK, not bad, but was missing something, if you know what I mean.  Same for the burger, it was OK.  Now, if you take this burger with the combination of the atmosphere, the fries and the onion rings.  Sure, I would order it again.  Great place to hang out and enjoy the surroundings.  But because we are doing a burger review here.  Would I come here just for this burger, sadly I would have to say no.  I know my partner in crime has a bit of a different view on his burger that he received and his review is coming next.
BurgerMeister

*****************************************************************************

MShack at 10281 Midtown Parkway, Towncenter 1 out of 10

Our next review brought us to Mshack in the Town center . The first impression I had was, a lot of people here . Those burgers must be awesome.

Lets get right to it . After a long wait the burger arrived.  Let me give you my opinion about this burger.

When the burger arrived I was thinking hmmm not so sure if I Like the presentation of this.  But as we know looks can be wrong.  So we attacked the challenge.  Right from the going, the burger was not cooked how I wanted it.  It wasn't medium at all.  So the first little ding, but well maybe the taste was good.  Nope, not at all.  It tasted burned.  Everything just tasted like, how should I put this.  Fast food on its worst day.  The bacon was kinda bacon, but really had no taste to it.  The letters looked and tasted like someone cut them the day before and they were just laying around so they threw it on the burger.  The meat was tough, no seasoning in it from what I could taste.  So, I was not impressed at all.  I kept on looking around and thinking, what the heck are all those people doing here.  Well yes, they are shopping and anything to eat would do I guess.  Maybe we expect more because we review burgers and we already had great burgers so the expectation is high.  I don't know, but to me, this was a poor example of a burger.  Now because we look at the entire thing at a restaurant I do have to mention the onion rings.  They were huge.  They looked great.  Ok, lets stop right there.  Perfect example how it is not all about looks.  The sec I picked them up, the grease was just dripping down.  I never had onion rings that looked so good and tasted so bad.  When you touched them, the grease was just dripping of them.  It was so bad, we all didn't even eat them.  So the entire experience of this place was not very good, I'm sorry to say.  Let me mention again, this review is my opinion and if we ever go back and have a better experience, I will edit this review.  For now though, I don't think I will try this Mshack again.  For sure, not worth the drive there.  BurgerMeister

We are back! Bonefish restaurant 8.5 out of 10

We're back. After a break the BurgerGeeks are back in business. Our first challenge after our break is the Bonefish Grill. They offer an American Kobe Burger. As you can see below, this was a picture perfect burger. Just looking at it made my mouth water.

As we all know, even though a burger looks good, that doesn't make it delicious. Time for the taste test. First inspection of my burger and I wished it was more medium like I had ordered it, rather than well done. Fortunately it still looked very juicy. Now to the first bite. Yup it was very good. The meat was very juicy, all the ingredients tasted fresh and well-balanced on the burger. So the bottom line is, would I come back here just for the burger? Yes, I think I would, not to mention their service was also excellent and their Bang Bang shrimp appetizer is to die for. So my rating is a 7 out of 10, as I felt it like many burgers it was still missing the wow factor, that one thing that makes a burger stand out above all others.
BurgerMeister
*********************************************************************************
After several months on hiatus, we are back on the hunt for great burgers. Our latest stop is Bonefish Grill on San Jose Blvd. What, you say? We'll, we've been hearing that the burger is really good, so we're here to see if the rumors are true. Besides, they have Bang Bang shrimp for appetizer. I ordered the "American Style" Kobe beef burger, with cheese, cooked medium.

My burger arrived fresh and hot and nicely presented with fries (it's usually served with housemade chips, but I'm about traditional, and this is the American Style burger after all). I tried a piece of the burger and it was cooked perfectly, still juicy and had a nice charbroiled flavor. The brioche bun was toasted, the tomato, lettuce and onion were fresh and cool, not warm and wilted. I really enjoyed the combination of flavors, and liked the burger very much. Using my 10 point rating system, I give the burger 3 out of 3, the bun 2 out of 3, and the toppings 3 out of 3, no extra point for the "Wow" factor. The total score is an 8. A solid score for a well executed tasty burger. Nice job Bonefish Grill!
Burgernator.

Olio 9 out of 10

Today our search took us in the middle of Jacksonville downtown area.  We visited Olio, located at 301 E. Bay Street.  Right away I have to say, the restaurant gave out a European flavor and felt different.  The staff was very friendly and was ready to help with any kind of special requests we had to the burger.  Well lets see how they done.  As you can see the burger looked great in the presentation with the fries in the paper cup. My little addition to the wow factor was to have them put a egg on it sunny side up.  Yes I know, some of you might go, ewwww, how can you.  Well, you better try it, because it tastes awesome if done right.  I have to say, Olio did it right. The burger tasted very good.  Good enough that I would take a drive just to get their burger.  Everything tasted fresh and the bun was right on the money as well.   I would have to put them into my high category of the voted 9's when it comes to burger reviews.  Excellent job Olio, keep it up.  But, we are still hunting for the best burgers in Jax, so many to taste, so little time. On we go, its a dirty job, but somebody has to do it..............
BurgerMeister

 

Pine Grove Market 6.5 out of 10

Our hunt for the best burger in Jacksonville brought us to the Pine Grove Market http://www.pinegrovemarket.com/ .  First impression I have to say I like those kind of places.  Small neighborhood places where you can find some of the secret culinary places that give you the best experiences.
Let's get right to the burger.  The first thing that hit me was the presentation.  I think this was the first time I saw a burger cut in half.  My burger was ordered medium and right away I could see, yup, cooked perfectly.  As you can see from the picture it was a great size as well.  Looking at the burger I have to say, it looked great, smelled good, so the first impression was: 'Yes I'm looking forward to this'.  Once I took my first bite I have to say it tasted very good.  The mixture of spices and the meat tasted great.  As you can see from the picture I ordered mine with fries and with onion rings.  Holy crap those rings where huge.  They as well tasted very good as the fries did.

I'm sure you wonder why my score isn't higher with me saying everything was good.  Well, as you know I'm looking for the extra wow factor when it comes to burgers.  This was a great burger, but it reminded me to much of a burger I would do at home.  So, yes, I know, isn't that what it should be?  Great tasting burger you could get home?  Yes and no.  I'm looking for the burger which I can't do at home or blows my mind how well it was done.  In this instance I have to say.  Yes, the burger was great but somehow was missing the umpf sorte say.  Would I recommend going there to try it.  Absolutely I would recommend it.  Would I take the drive there though just for the hamburger.  I would have to say, no.
BurgerMeister
*********************************************************************************

My first BurgerGeek foray was to the Pine Grove Market in Riverside just east of Park Street.  The Market is a neighborhood jewel.  The kind of place I imagine exists on most NYC corners.    On to the review.    My first impression was this looks like my Momma's burger:  Thick and moist, made with quality beef.  That the burger and fries were served on a real plate may have added to the illusion.  Taking my first bite, I was pleased by the taste: not to much seasoning and not bland.  Moist but not falling apart.   Definitely fresh, quality beef.  Not frozen, trucked and thawed patties.   The only thing missing were the cross-hatch marks and that slight hickory flavor from a backyard grill.  The fries were nicely done.  Not to thick or to thin with a good flavor.  They complimented the burger well.   The available toppings were the expected minimum burger standards - which was more than enough for me.

That said, my rating is a 7 out of 10.  Why?  I really could make a burger like this myself.  However, for a quick fix of homemade on a hectic workday without the prep and cleanup hassle, this burger would sure do the trick.   Using the BurgerGeek drive scale, no, I wouldn't go out of my way to have this burger; but, if I was already in the neighborhood, you bet I would.

Becky

Harpoon Louies 7 out of 10

Our best burger in Jacksonville brought us to Harpoon Louie's located at 4070 Herschel street.

I was looking forward to this, because I had a few people recommending this place to us. So let's get right to the burger. Out of our group I'm mainly the one who is looking for that wow factor, meaning, what can I put on it or order that makes it different.

As you can see from the picture I got it loaded up in addition to chili all over my fries.

This was a good burger. It had good taste and was what you are looking for in a burger. Now of course we are not looking for the average burger, but for the ones that stand out. Did this one stand out? Well, it was good all around, but didn't stand out.

As one of the burgergeeks uses this for giving his rating. Would I eat a burger here if I'm here, yes. Would I drive here for just the burger, no. So in short do we recommend it? Yes. You won't be disappointed. Is it the best burger in Jacksonville? No.

BurgerMeister

The search continues.....

Dave and Busters 5 out of 10

Our endless search brought us to Dave and Busters. As we all know this place is famous for the gaming but we got the recommendation to try their burgers. Sorry to say I wish we didn't get it. I didn't have big hopes, but you never know where you find that great burger. Let's get right into it. Right from the get go I was disappointed that the burger was not cooked, how I wanted it. Why ask how you want your burger, if you can't provide it.

Just looking at the picture I think you can already see the problem. It was so greasy, which of course gives the burger normally a great taste and texture, but not here. The minute you picked this burger up, it was just dripping the fat, way to much for my taste. All the burgers we got were the same size, the same cut, the same grease. It was screaming 'I'm a frozen burger' for mass production. Overall it had an alright taste, nothing special about it. If you are there for the games and want a quick burger, sure, why not. Would I recommend it? No.

BurgerMeister

River City Brewing company 7 out of 10

 Today our burger adventure took us to the very scenic restaurant by the river.  We had to check out if a classy restaurant is able to produce a good burger.

First I have to say that the place itself shows class and to my surprise a very reasonable lunch menu.  In addition to the atmosphere you get a gorgeous view of our river and city.  But enough of that, the important aspect is, can they make a good burger?
I have to say I didn't expect the hamburger to taste as homemade as it did.  We asked if they burgers were done fresh and were told, they are handmade fresh daily.

As you can see the hamburger not only looked good, but tasted great.  You could really taste that it came of a grill and in my case, asking for medium, was perfectly medium cooked. The burger was topped with mushrooms and were also perfectly done.  The salad tasted fresh and the fries were very good as well.  I rated them a 7 out of 10 and would recommend this burger to anybody who wants a good one in addition to a great dining experience with a wonderful view of our city.
MikeR

Hunt club 7 stars out of 10

The hunt club is located at 6426 Bowden Rd. , their site is huntclubsubsngrill.com
My first impression was, wow, different kind of place.  You are greeted with deer heads on the wall and a bunch of hunter memorabilia around. My first thoughts were, oh yes, they should know a good burger.
Seeing antillope burger and elk burger on the menu really got me exited, sadly, haven't been able to try them yet, they always been out, but I will and once I do I will update this post.

But back to the burger that they did have.  I've ordered the double barrel burger and as you can see from the picture, a good looking burger and size.  As you can see I ordered the Cajun spice fries with it.  Now to the taste test.  The burger was very good.  I liked the spices they used and also the freshness of it.  I wish mine would have been a bit more moist, but the other burgergeek had a more moist one.  His review should be posted pretty soon.
The bacon was crisp and plenty of it.  The staff was nice and friendly.  I will give them a rating of 7 out of 10 because I wish my burger was a bit more moist and being there twice, not having what you offer on your menu, talking about the elk and antiloppe burger rubbed me a little wrong.  I might give them a higher rating once I tasted them, because I do look for the burgers out of the norm.
MikeR

Appetites Cafe 7 stars out of 10

 Our first contender was the Appetite cafe located at 815 S. Main Street.  First impressions were that it is a very nice and clean cafe.  A very homy look, which i like. The staff is very friendly and helpful.
Now to the important aspect, which this blog is all about.  They only serve burgers 2 or 3 days a week.  Why do you ask, well they are homemade.  In this blog we try to find the places that stand out from the crowd.
I think if you look at the picture of my hamburger it speaks for itself.  Almost picture perfect how a burger should look.  Not only was I impressed how the burger looked and how fast they made it for me.  The burger tasted very freshly made and the toppings, lettuce, pickle in my case tasted very fresh.  The burger itself tasted very good, homemade and the spices used were a great combo in it. The kaiser bun tasted fresh and a perfect match for it.

In my personal view the only negative thing was that you couldn't get french fries but had to get chips or coleslaw, which was home made as well and oh yes, very good as well, not your typical coleslaw.
In all I have to say I highly recommend this if you like burgers.  To make our recommendations a bit easier to follow I think we'll give the places a rating.  I would have to give them a 7 out of 10. With 10 of course being the highest.  We'll see how the other burgergeeks rate it, but this one is mine.
MikeR

The burgergeeks

Welcome to the BurgerGeeks Blog site.  On this site we share our experiences that we encountered finding the best burger in Jacksonville Florida. The group consists so far of 4 work buddies who one day came up with the question:  What is the best burger in town?
Up to the challenge we thought, well, lets find the best burger in Jacksonville.  Each of us will give their opinion what we thought of the burger we tasted.  We all have different views what makes a good hamburger, but we agreed on that we are looking for to total package.
Was the burger freshly made?
Did the burger represent what was on the menu?
Was the burger out of the norm?
Would we recommend it to our friends?
This will not be a scientific adventure like so many other food blogs are, but just your normal Joe blow giving his honest opinion about a burger.
We are open to any suggestion you might have for a good burger restaurant in the Jacksonville area for us to try.

Thank you for checking us out and hopefully you will enjoy our blog and it will help you find the best burger beautiful Jacksonville Florida.

The BurgerGeeks