Cheap Food Critic

708 Post St
San Francisco, CA 94109

So with the massive amounts of reviews on Yelp and Urbanspoon I was actually expecting this place to be a bit fancier, bigger, and well…overall less divey. I think I was expecting something like Super Duper just down the street on Market. Not a big deal to me of course. As long as they got good food that’s all that really matters.

It took me a few tries to find this place. I think I walked by this place 3 times trying to find this place. The restaurant is located on a street that is not to well lit and the sign is pretty difficult to see. Also, the place is tiny (maybe 5 or 6 little tables). It was all worth it once I found it though.

I ordered the Bula Burger for $10 after tax. I though about getting a side of sweet potato fries also but I saw how big the burger were here and passed on the fries. The burger was super-super messy. It was cooked medium so it was soaked in all the grease and juices from the meat. The cheese also added to the mess. The burger also comes with thick pieces of bacon and this awesome homemade teriyaki-ish sauce. All I really have to say is Mmmm-Mmmm-Good.

Also, when you get your order don’t forget to pick up some pickles and napkins to the right of the counter.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (1319 Ratings)

305 Harrison St
Seattle, WA 98109

Mon-Sun 8:00 am – 8:00 pm

Skillet is one of my favorite places to eat in Seattle. I first started following them when they were just a food truck (Skillet Mobile). Now, they also have Skillet Diner in Capital Hill and Skillet Counter in Queen Anne. For the most part you can get their most popular items at all of the locations. The biggest difference between each of the locations is the type of service you get and price of the food.

Skillet Counter is the newest of the Skillet locations and is located in the Armory aka the Center House in Seattle Center. It’s more of a fast food style restaurant than the Diner location. Not a big deal for me since they have the Fried Chicken Sammy and the Bacon Jam Burger on the menu. My last trip here I got the Sammy and it was delicious as always. The Sammy comes with a huge piece of fried chicken breast with a fennel seed crust, jalapeño aioli, and kale all in a potato bread bun. The jalapeño aioli along with the fennel seeds gives the sammy just a little bit of heat but still do able for most people. The meal also comes with a side of french fries that have been tossed with kosher salt and cilantro. I normally like my fries more on the soggy side (like Dick’s Burger’s fries) so these were perfect for me. Flavor on these guys are also really good. Probably one of the better french fries in the Seattle-area.

The grand total for all that food was $10.90 after tax. This is about $2 cheaper than the diner location. Plus there was no wait for a seat since there plenty of seating in the Armory. So if you don’t mind busing your own table and eating in more of a food-court style location save yourself a few bucks and head to Skillet Counter.

Yelp – 3.5/5.0 Stars (25 Ratings)

122 NW 10th Ave
Portland, OR 97209

Mon-Sun 11:00 am – 10:00 pm

So I have to be honest. Prior to my trip here I have never heard of Little Big Burger. I’m pretty disappointed in myself for not knowing about this up and coming burger spot. Chasing the heels of larger chains like Shake Shack, In-N-Out, and Five Guys it is only a matter of time before these guys get just as big and popular.

The inside of the restaurant was actually pretty nice. It had a hip-trendy vibe with the walls painted in red and white with about six metal tables. But more importantly it was maintained very clean, especially for such a high-turnover restaurant with only three employees (from what I could see). Of the three employees I saw two were cooking and preparing the food and the other was taking the orders. These guys are either very efficient of there are employees hidden behind the scenes.

With really just six items on the menu I ordered half of them for about $10. I went with the cheese burger with Swiss cheese, a veggie burger, and French fries. I dived into the fries first and was immediately in love. The fries had truffle oil sprinkled on them and were salted just perfectly. The Camden ketchup was also a very good complement to the fries (compared to the normal Heinz ketchup everywhere else serves). What’s so special about Camden ketchup you ask? Well, the biggest difference is that the ketchup is sweetened with natural honey and not that syrup crap.

As for the burgers, I like the smaller (1/4 pound) size so I can try a few of the menu items. The meat in the Cheese burger was cooked perfectly medium-well (pink but not bleeding) and was super juicy. The brioche bun was light and fluffy with a nice toasted crunch to them. Overall, I thought the cheese burger was an above average burger.

As for the Veggie burger, it had a pretty strong mushroom flavor. So if you don’t like mushrooms this is probably not for you. I however, loved this little burger! I’ve never had a veggie burger this good before, especially for how simple it was. All that was in the burger was a “meat” patty, two slices of pickles, lettuce, and ketchup. I definitely think it has to be the high quality ingredients that made the difference.

Note – Service was really fast without the fast food feel. Credit cards are accepted.

Note 2.0 – I forgot to mention this before but they also have beer. How awesome is that?

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (410 Ratings)

2413 Elliston Pl
Nashville, TN 37203

Mon-Fri 10:30 am – 10:00 pm
Sat 9:00 am – 10:00 pm

Found this place by chance running around the Vanderbilt campus. It caught my eye because it was one of few run-down buildings in the area. It was also one of the few cheap non-chain places in the area. The outside of the building was a pretty good indicator of the restaurant inside. It was super divey with very cramp booths but had a comfortable atmosphere to the place. There were about five groups of diners when I was here and about half were locals and half college kids.

The staff was friendly and helped me navigate the menu until I reached the Burger section and he said I have to get burger on French bread. It sounded good so I got that along with a side of half onion rings and half fries. The total bill was $10.21 after tax.

After about a 10 minute wait my food was ready to go. The Burger was interesting…I felt like I was eating a sandwich the whole time I was eating it because of the French bread. The bread was obviously fresh and contained the normal Burger fixings such as onions, cheese, tomatoes, mustard. The meat Patty was also really well seasoned. As for the the onion rings and French fries, they were nothing special. I could have did without them, the burger was filling enough.

It was an interesting place that I would definitely come back to if I make it back to Nashville.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (111 Reviews)

6538 4th Ave S
Seattle, WA 98108

Mon-Sat 10:30 am – 8:00 pm
Sun 11:00 am – 4:00 pm

Hidden in the industrial part of Seattle you’ll have to dodge the semi-trucks and potholes to get here but it is sooo worth it. The restaurant itself is pretty small. There’s three booths and three tables inside and two outside (for the three months of nice weather in Seattle). Also, parking is a little awkward (you’ll see when you get here) but at least there’s parking. As you get inside and see the crazy names of the burgers on the menu (such as the Ohayou Gozaimasu, Godzilla Attack, or the Ninja Delux) you might be a little confused. No worries though the service is super awesome here. They will help you make the right selection.

As for the food…I really love the Ohayou Gozaimasu (“Thank You Very Much” in Japanese) burger but this time I went for the Katsu Curry Burger. The Katsu Curry Burger was super crunchy from the pork katsu yet meshed well with the shredded cabbage, tomatoes, red onions, and pickles. The bun was nothing special but it did its job of holding all the veggies and meat together. It’s hard to compare but I love the Ohayou Gozaimasu burger because of the fried egg but as an over all sandwich I think I would prefer the Katsu Curry Burger. It’s definitely my favorite item here so far.

For most people all you would need to get here is one of their specialty katsu burgers and a drink for a very filling lunch or dinner. The burger (with the of the Ohayou Gozaimasu) and a drink would run you under $10. However, this trip here I really wanted to try the curry fries so my meal with the Katsu Curry Burger was just over $12 after tax. I really didn’t even touch the fries because the burger was so fricking filling…it’s ginormous. Although I really enjoy the french fries seasoned with Nori or curry it was the wasabi mayo dipping sauce that makes them so addicting.

Note – Winner of the Seattle Weekly’s Best Burger 2011, Best Place to Get Fatter 2011, and the 2012 Sustainability awards.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 (121 Ratings)

1613 W Dravus St
Seattle, WA 98119

and

312 N 67th St
Seattle, WA 98103

Tue-Sat 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sun 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Red Mill Burger is definitely a staple in the Seattle-area. However, is this the best burger in town? It’s debatable. My take on it, because this place has been so hyped up by the media attention everyone comes here expecting to see Jesus when they eat the burger’s here. If you come here with the right expectations you will really enjoy the food and the atmosphere. Come here knowing all of the burgers are good (especially the ones with bacon) but none of them are going to blow your mind away. The award winning onion rings on the other hand are a game changer. I’m normally not a big fan of onion rings but I would have these here any day.

My most recent trip to Red Mill I had the Verde Burger and Onion Rings; totaling just over ten dollars after tax ($10.27). I think the best part of the burger is the grilling of the bun and the melted pepperjack cheese. The Anaheim peppers on the other hand didn’t really add much to the burger (maybe made it a little more moist). Next time I will probably go back to the Double Bacon Deluxe w/Cheese. The Deluxe is a surefire winner here with the mound of bacon they put in the burger.

In summary, if you are in the area and want to experience a little piece of Seattle on the cheap Red Mill is a must visit in the Phinney Ridge and Interbay/Magnolia neighborhoods.

Note – Cash Only

Phinney Ridge Location:
Yelp – 4.0/5.0 (721 Ratings)

Interbay Location:
Yelp – 4.0/5.0 (523 Ratings)

115 Broadway E
Seattle, WA 98102
And
111 NE 45th St
Seattle, WA 98105
And
9208 Holman Rd NW
Seattle, WA 98117
And
500 Queen Anne Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109
And
12325 30th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98125

Mon-Sun 10:30 am – 2:00 am

This place really is a Seattle staple.  You cannot come to Seattle and not try a burger at Dick’s.  There probably are better burgers out there but definitely not for under $3 for a burger (i.e. Red Mill).  These guys open late, so this is a great option to grab some grub after having a few beers if you are the Edmonds, Queen Anne, Capitol Hill, Lake City, or Crown Hill areas of Seattle.  But remember all of the Dick’s are drive-in locations with the exception of the one in Queen Anne.

The Deluxe Burger and fries is my normal order here.  This will run you only about $5!  So if you are not lactose intolerant like me go for one of the milkshakes as well.  I have very fond memories of the milkshakes as a kid here.  All three flavors (chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla) are really great addition to any meal you get.

For under $10 you can get a Deluxe Burger, fries, and a milkshake.

(Based off of the Capitol Hill location)
Yelp – 3.5/4 Stars (403 Ratings)

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