Best burger in the Olympia area? (maybe Tacoma too)
Looking for high quality beef and prefer flame-broiled (but not required - i just love the outside to be nice and crunchy)
Anyway, I'm open to all suggestions about great burgers in the area.
David in Olympia
Apr 12, 2004 09:46AM
I really hesitated to respond, because I have to preface this response with a list of reasons why I am a lousy bet when it comes to burger recommendations, but since no one else is responding to your post, and, well, we are fellow Olympians after all, here goes, disqualifications first:
Top 3 reasons to ignore this recommendation:
1) I grill my own burgers if I want high quality beef grilled to my specifications with my personal choice of condiments (spicy eggplant relish) and just so crisply english muffin or whole wheat kaiser roll for a bun
2) On the rare occasions (once or twice or thrice a year) that I am dying to sink into a burger during my work lunch hour, I only go to one place in town, so:
3) I haven't taste-tested the competitors in town. Never had a burger anywhere else (except Egans on the westside, had their "steak" burger on toast a couple of times in the past 30 years - think total drive-in burger, the opposite of where I think you are headed).
So, if you are still reading, I will tell you that I go to Ben Moore's Bar & Grill on 4th Ave in downtown Oly when I want a deluxe burger and hand cut fries and a crispy side salad with a wedge of tomato and my idea of a fabu blue cheese dressing. Love that joint for a burger, love the waitresses, love the broken down booth seats, formica tables,and the weird mix of bureaucrats, Greeners, middle aged town ladies, blue collar folks and the occasional noon time alcoholics in the bar. Is the burger the best in town? I have no earthly idea. Do I go there often? Probably only 3 times a year, maybe not even that often. Do they literally know my name in there? Yup. Do I LOVE their burgers, fries and salad? Yessir! The last time I had one was during the snowstorm in early January when I was stuck in a downtown hotel because I was snowed out of my home. Coming in from my short snowy hike from the hotel, and accompanied by two steaming hot Irish Coffees, I am not sure I have tasted anything better in a long while than that burger on that snowy day, but it was probably the Irish Whiskey and snow that made the burger seem so tasty...
Good luck on your Olympia or Tacoma burger search..oh! Wait! Tacoma! I forgot until just now...doesn't the Parkway Tavern do burgers? I think they do, and as I remember, I had a GREAT burger there a year or two ago, a thick juicy burger with jalapenos and cheese, and a pint of their own brew. Great selection of beers, great place all the way around as I remember. Tacoma folks, help me out here...
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Thanks Jane for another excellent recommendation. I do not have the opportunity to grill my own, so I'm glad you went ahead and responded.
I went to Ben Moore's today. I only saw a long counter and booths, no real bar. But on the way out, it looked like there was a second door that was for the bar maybe. (?)
Anyway, I ordered this burger that had cheddar cheese inside it, grilled onions on top, was sandwiched between a nice roll, and came with au jus (my fave). The side salad was nice, especially the tomato and the dressing (bleu cheese is my fave), just like you said. The fries were great, and I absolutely loved my sandwich.
I'll definitely be going back. Thanks again!
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Oh, good golly mister D, it sounds like you had quite the burger! VERY glad to hear that you enjoyed yourself, wouldn't want to give a fellow Olympian a bum steer, so to speak. I've never tried that particular burger, but I've seen it on the menu.
Yes, the bar is kinda sorta "next door", and while you can reach it by going in the second door that you saw today, you can also simply walk past the long counter and turn right when you reach the grill. It's all connected. There is also a dining room back there yonder. The bar can be quite the scene, especially when Legislature is in town. I haven't been in there during happy hour for years, but they had (and may still have) a great happy hour menu...really good fresh fish and chips for $1.50, burger and fries for $1.50...that's probably dating me, but it might still be happening.
Happy burgering.
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