Maple Tavern - Maple Grove, MN - Signature Burger

The Maple Tavern is not a place that I hear many people talking about when it comes to their food.  Well it should be, at least when talking about burgers.  I have previously posted about the Half & Half Burger which is a blend of beef and bacon.  That was a great burger but I was not feeling the like clogging my arteries quite that much this night.  So I went with this gem instead.  The beef was juicy but not undercooked by any means.  The burger to bun ratio was spot on (which you all know how much I hate too much bun).  I definitely would recommend trying any of the burgers from this joint.  If you are in the north-west suburbans and need a good burger, I would go here.

Price: $9.95

Burger: 9/10

Bun: 8/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Overall: 9/10

Website

Surly Beer Hall - Minneapolis, MN - Surly Burger

This was clearly not a burger made at a place known for their burgers nor was it anything special.  The burgers were very thin with little flavor to them.  The cheese and sauce made the burger pretty good but the bun made it go back a bit.  The thin meat with a large bun made this burger something I would never order again.  I would suggest going for something else if you are eating here.  The beer hall itself is great though and a fun place to go and hang out with friends.  They even have "Where's Waldo" books that can add to the fun (if used correctly of course).

Price: $12.00

Burger: 6/10

Bun: 4/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Overall: 6/10

Website

Earl's Kitchen + Bar - Denver, CO - Bacon Cheddar Burger

I had this little burger when I went down to visit Bubba and Rachel in Colorado.  I would say the burger itself was very good but definitely not worth a 14 hour car ride (ha ha).  It definitely is not the best burger I have ever had but it was worth eating and I would have it again.  The fries were great so that also added to the appeal.

Price: $16.00

Burger: 9/10

Bun: 7/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Overall: 8/10

WEBSITE

5-8 Club - Champlin, MN - Le Bleu Ribbon

I have always been a fan of 5-8 (this is where I have had a majority of my juicy lucys while growing up after all).  They have a 5 burger "Cheese-tastic Challenge" where you eat the five juicy lucys and get a free one and a shirt.  I thought "heck yes, lets do it!"  My and my friend decided to go with the Le Bleu Ribbon first as we both love a good chicken cordon bleu.  It is stuffed with cheddar cheese and ham chunks.  The burger itself was pretty good but then they put a "touch" of dijon mustard on it (really it was a lot of dijon mustard not a touch) that was the turning point for my dislike for this burger.  I thought it was way overpowering and made you not able to taste any of the other good things in this burger.  I would not recommend this burger.

Price: $9.99

Burger: 5/10

Bun: 6/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Overall: 5/10

Website

Smashburger - Golden Valley, MN - Bacon Cheeseburger

I had a meeting at school this day so we decided to take our rare availability for a lunch out and go to Smashburger.  I went with the regular Bacon Cheeseburger this time.  I am much happier with this than the BBQ, Bacon & Cheddar burger from before.   I got the smaller one so I wasn't ridiculously full while sitting through the rest of the meeting and it was plenty of food.  The burger was good and juicy but done to nearly perfection.  Overall this was a very good burger that I would definitely have again.  It was not one of my favorites nor would I drive 30 minutes to get one but if you are in the area of a Smashburger I would get it.  Again, this location is very small and we caught a busy time for lunch.  There was limited seating and we had to wait in line for about 10 minutes before we could order... I wish the place was bigger...

Price: $5.99 ($1.99 more for fries)

Burger: 8/10

Bun: 7/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Overall: 7/10

Website

Five Guys Burgers & Fries - Maple, Grove - Bacon Cheeseburger

Well I could not resist stopping in and getting this burger while out shopping.  I am not mad about my inability to stay away from 5 Guys either.  I decided to splurge and get the bacon (it did cost a whole $1 more).  I was not disappointed as they definitely made it worth the money.  The bacon is below both patties and unlike most places who are very stingy with their bacon, 5 Guys gave plenty of it so that I had some in each and every bite.  Just like the first time I was there, the burgers were ridiculously juicy, the cheese was melted and gooey, and the fries were given in mass.  Remember, if you go there with someone else, you never have to order more than the small fry!  Trust me.

Price: $7.49 (not including fries nor drink)

Burger: 9/10

Bun: 8/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Overall: 9/10

Website

Smashburger - Golden Valley, MN - Big BBQ, Bacon & Cheddar

This was a pretty good burger.  I am usually not a fan of deep fried onions on my burger (haystack onions in their words) but on here it was not bad.  The burger itself was very tasty and I would definitely suggest making a trip here for a burger.  I would not get this same burger myself again but I would try another one (maybe just a simple bacon cheeseburger next time...).  Downside: fries and drinks come separately so you are basically going to pay the same price as a sit down restaurant at this fast-ish food place.  I would compare the speed of this to Five Guys Burgers & Fries.  This location is very small and I can see being a hassle if it were busier but it was pretty slow when I went in.  Overall a good burger but probably not somewhere that I will put on my "have to go to before you die" list.

Price: $6.99 (Smashfries an extra $1.99)

Burger: 7/10

Bun: 7/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Overall: 7/10

Website