When 5 Guys Burgers came to Memphis you would have thought it was the second coming. I just didn't get all the hype over a chain when there were very good burgers in town made by talented chefs in locally owned restaurants (i.e. City East Grille, Majestic Grille, Cafe 1912, Three Angels, need I continue?). Since it was so far out east, & far removed from Midtown where I live & work, I quickly forgot about it. This past Sunday we found ourselves out east doing some shopping & what not. I was famished so we went by 5 Guys. We ordered & waited & waited & waited & waited. The space looks like a down market Steak & Shake with no table service that utilizes the dining room for storage. The burger was decent size but misleading. It's a double patty but basically the same amount of burger you'd get at the previously mentioned restaurants. It was fine but not close to those other places. The fries were extremely plentiful but greasy & flavorless.
This experience was an unfortunate lesson. It seems like most people in Memphis are so used to mediocre chain food that they actually get excited about it. Sad. Really sad considering that we have a wealth of LOCALLY OWNED restaurants that offer better quality at great value.
Break the Chain! Eat Local! It tastes better.
Fried Chicken Thanksgiving
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If you’d like your holiday bird to be smaller, craggy-coated and scattered
with crispy sage, Sohla El-Waylly has a recipe for you.
5 hours ago
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Here in Huntington Beach the food scene is rather grim. Almost all chains of some sort and quantity is favored, like by far, over quality. Sad state but true and for Call-o and I to go out for a good meal involves driving into LA most of the time. I had read about 5 Guys when I used to hang out on Chow Hound so I admit that I was excited when I saw one pop up in our hood.
So first strike was not their fault, I had wanted to go to our favorite little Chinese joint and pulled up to find that it had closed, for good. I was heartbroken that we had lost pretty much the only decent local place we had. It was a Saturday night, I had worked all day and just wanted to have a peaceful meal....well now that you have been you can see what strike two was. So frigging loud! The interior, the music, the stacks of potatoes....dude. Just was not what I was in the mood for but I did not hold it against them.
Got the double burger as well but as a self proclaimed fry whore I could not wait to try the fries that I had been reading thread upon thread about....quantity over quality for sure! Yes you get a TON of them but a ton of crappy fries does not a happy me make. I thought the burger was really good but those fries were dreadful. Limp, no flavor and greasy. Ended up dumping vinegar all over them just to taste something. Have not been back....
My sentiments exactly. Sorry to hear about your favorite chinese place! What a drag. There are few things as depressing as one of your favorite establishments closing.
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