Bwuh? Are you still in Rochester Exapno? Because both Bill Gray’s and Tom Wahl’s (which are owned by the same guy now) both offer veggie burgers and grilled cheese. Can’t get much more local than that.
This is one of the things that gets me about 5guys. If I wanted to order fries for 3-4 people, I would. I’d be much happier if that had a $1-1.50 portion. Also, having lived in Baltimore, their fries taste like the fries I got all the time at my favorite pit beef place (and pit beef is da bomb for beef) but without the Old Bay Seasoning. So it just feels like something is missing. Probably would be fine if I just took my own Old Bay in there, but that would seem weird. And I don’t want left over french fries, either. I’ve never been happy with leftover fries.
For the burger itself, it does win lots of “awards”, but usually those seem to be “people’s choice” kind of awards. Unless the restaurant critic likes well done burgers (and I’ve asked for medium/medium well and they say that they won’t), then I can’t see any critic rating this place at the top. If most people like it was the reason to eat at place we’d all eat at McDonald’s and shop at Wal*mart.
I just had them for the first time the other day. I wasn’t impressed–it was just a generic burger, nothing special about the taste.
To put it in context, my favorite burger is In and Out.
As for the fries, I suspect someone won’t like the way I put this but… they tasted too much like potatoes. I mean, I know, they are potatoes and all fries taste like potatoes but these just had a really strong, dirt-like fresh potato flavor that I found quite off-putting.
And peanuts? Who wants to eat peanuts with a burger and fries?
Well, that’s a lot of information there, thanks for the replies.
I don’t actually like burgers, though I adore Johnny Rockets. If Five Guys is anything like Johnny Rockets, I’m there! I know Mr. Sali is swooning at the thought of yet ANOTHER burger and fries place, that’s about all he eats.
The burgers are kinda like Johnny Rockets, but with more topping options.
Close to the top for a fast-food burger, but I prefer the pub burgers that I can order rare.
And for the person who said the fries were missing Old Bay seasoning, have you tried their Cajun fries? They taste like slightly spicier Old Bay–you’d probably really like them.
Someone mentioned Red Robin. We have one here but it’s off my beaten path and I’ve never bothered to go there. What’s it like?
There is a Five Guys here, right next to McDonald’s. When I stop and McD’s in the morning for breakfast, there are always Five Guys employees in there eating. So it made me curious. I’m not sure I’m going to try them after the reviews here!
Regarding the music: that’s one thing I do know about Five Guys. They blare the music outside the restaurant, too.
The burgers are good as are the (endless) fries, but it is hard to compare the experience to fast food. It is a “wait to be seated… give your drink order… are you ready to order yet…” sit down kind of experience (they even have a bar). You can get more than burgers there also… salads, steak sandwiches, etc.
I really like them, but it isn’t a grab a quick burger for lunch kind of place.
Five Guys doesn’t serve breakfast so that could explain why their people go to McDonalds.
That’s what I was about to say. I’m not sure what time Five Guys even opens, so I don’t know that the employees could be in there getting food at a usual breakfast time if they wanted to. Regardless of when they open, they serve burgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, and fries all day. I like Five Guys, but I wouldn’t want it for breakfast or three meals a day.
I meant that the local Five Guys don’t have grilled cheese sandwiches on the menu. At least I don’t remember seeing them. Or the steak sandwiches and salads that Spud mentions. Hot dogs, yes.
Five Guys doesn’t sell breakfast, so unless they want a burger at 9am the employees would have to eat elsewhere.
I like it. They do one thing - burgers – and they do it well. The ingredients are fresh and high quality. I like the fries. Contrary to other reports I have never had a dry burger there, over several branches in two states. I normally prefer rare meat but they do the best job I’ve seen cooking well done. They definitely beat any fast food burger and beat 90% of the "boutique burger " fast food chains in NYC (like New York Burger Co., Brgr). I put them comparable to In-and-out and Steak & Shake. (neither of which we have in NYC). It is of course possible to get a better burger, but you’d be in a sit-down restaurant atmosphere and that doesn’t always work. For what it is, it’s the best.
ETA: in re: sit down service & steak sandwiches, I think Spud was talking about Red Robin.
My impression from reading this whole thread is that there must be more variation among locations than I thought.
I’ve never been disappointed in a Five Guys burger. I’ve been to three or four locations. One opened near us maybe six month ago. I’ve been there a few times. One of those times the wait was very, very long, and the fries were disappointing (underdone, I think). I think the burgers are good enough to warrant the higher price over the big chains, but the price does keep me from going there more often.
Also, I’ve never gone to Five Guys alone. One of the smaller orders of fries is
plenty for our family of three.
I fervently support local business. My business is on the same street as the nearest 5 Guys, and it’s a pretty busy commercial corridor. I just took a mental survey of restaurants between here and there. I counted 28. Of those, sixteen are chains or franchises. Among the independent locals none of them focus on burgers. The one that I think has the best burgers is more known as a sports bar than a restaurant and it’s on the edge of a university campus. It is so loud in there that I don’t go. Also it’s a sit down place, more directly in competition with Red Robin than Five Guys.
Sorry if it wasn’t clear… steak sandwiches and salads are at Red Robin. Five Guys is just Burgers and Dogs.
At Five Guys you basically pick how many burger patties and tell them what you want on it. Red Robin you get a menu and choose from the Santa Fe Burger, the Aussie Burger, a Chicken Sandwich, a Southwest Chicken Salad, etc (I just made those burger names up so don’t nit pick on that).
Now that’s more like it. The ones they used to make were very greasy and fried once (redundant, I know). In order to get them cooked through, they had to fry them too long, which blackened the outside and didn’t necessarily cook them well enough.
I think you just didn’t notice them, I’m pretty sure they serve grilled cheese/veggie sandwiches at every Five Guys. I’ve been to four or five different Five Guys locations and they’re all exactly the same with no menu variation at all. These items are listed on the menu on their website, too. You may not have noticed because they’re listed under the hot dogs.
BTW, I just got back from Five Guys, and I want to take a moment to dispute the “expensive” charge. A single patty cheeseburger with as much as you want on it (for me: lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, ketchup & mustard) is $4.79.
Is that outrageously expensive? I don’t think so. The average price for a Big Mac in the US is $3.79, and Five Guys has better quality bread, better quality meat & more topping choices.
There was an Article that got pretty high up on Digg yesterday:
http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100401/jerry-murrell-five-guys-burgers-and-fries.html
Offers a Time line for Five Guys, along with a few stories of their trials and tribulations.
I’ve eaten Five Guys once or twice. Second, Third, or Fourth on the Fries. Huge. Peanuts are good though.
Wouldn’t say it was the best burger, but it beats Fast Food and Denny’s / IHOP. Can’t make a judgement on Applebees / Chillis / O’Charleys. I would say it’s neck and neck with Johnny Rockets, but for different reasons. Red Robin on the other hand has nothing to worry about.
I love them! I’ve only been to the NYC locations but they’ve never disappointed me. Hmm, now I want to go there for lunch, there’s one about 4 blocks away.
And how can you people call them expensive!? A cheeseburger is $5. Sure I guess if you want to compare them to McDonalds, but at any other restaurant of similar quality I’ve been to (New York Burger Co, Goodburger, etc.) they’re $7-8.
I lived a block from their original location for a while. Five Guys was by far the best place within walking distance.
This thread prompted me to find out where the nearest one is, and it turns out that one will be opening right in Salem soon! YUSS!
From reviewing the thread it seems like my opinion fits with the consensus.
Five Guys burgers are good but expensive for what they are. They are better than McDonald’s and Burger King and worse than what you get at most bars and greasy spoons. That they are bar priced and smaller than your average bar burger hurts their appeal.
The unlimited free toppings is okay I suppose but I think people that load up their burger with tons of crap are weird. You get free lettuce, pickle, tomato, mayo and onion everywhere so I’m not sure why fans brag on this point. You still have to pay for the bacon and they don’t have avocado so apart from grilled onions and mushrooms I’m not seeing the upside.
Their fries are pretty good if you like the fresh-cut, droopy, greasy, salty carnival style fries. I prefer McDonald’s fries and their golden, light, fluffy flawlessness. Five Guys are a nice diversion and fresh cut fries have their own appeal but they aren’t other worldly. The portions are great for 2 people if you want to pig out. They are completely absurd if you are trying to go by yourself.
The fresh peanuts are okay, but considering the size of the fries I’m usually not that enthusiastic about eating them when I’m waiting. I’m there for a burger and fries.