Best Burger in Providence?

[bucketfoodsnob]

Where and why.

go!

[icouldeattoo]

It's not in Prov but worth mentioning. uglyAmerican in Fall River.

[celeriac]

I really liked the feel of ugly american, and the burger was perfectly tasty. it very much reminded me of the burgers my parents used to make growing up--quite thick, almost round and not too huge. It fell a bit short of my ideal, but certainly worth a stop if you're in the area.

[Jenz]

Ditto the La Laiterie recommendation. Seriously the best burger I have had in my life, and at $8.50 I didn't think it was all that expensive.
The fries are herbed encrusted fried polenta served with some sort of ranch dipping sauce. It's fantastic.

[tabasc]

I LOVE the burger at La Laiterie. Had one two nights ago. Split the burger and the mac and cheese - does not get much tastier. It was $14.
I really can't find any other burger that is close.

[GabachaYucateca]

My comment about East Ave Cafe's burgers...I love the place, great beer selection, and so close by our house that it's a perfect place to go when I'm too tired to cook. But I definitely wouldn't rave about the burgers...tasty, definitely, but amazing, no.

Months ago, a friend and I went for burgers and both felt a bit ill the next day. No recent problems up until two Saturdays ago. The place was packed, and the kitchen jamming, but I ordered a burger well done and it came to me all red inside, which seriously makes me queasy. The owner took it back to the kitchen for me, and they put the same burger that hubby had taken a bite out of right on the grill, and brought me back a sorry looking burger. Still quite red in the middle, but ate it anyway.

The owner was lovely enough to not charge me for it, which I appreciated, but I don't think we'll go there on a Saturday night with the intention of eating dinner. During the week when it's slower, definitely.

I love LJ's Barbecue burgers, and they're the perfect size...not those monstrosities that must have a pound of meat on them.

[im hungry]

the burger @La Laiterie is pretty awesome too.the fries are kinda weird,but its a serious burger,and maybe the most expensive too.

[JaneRI]

they're not really french fries, that's why. They are actually sticks of polenta, not potato.

[Moonpie1]

Get out! Polenta fries? I would love them. Gotta get there and try them.

[f1rehead]

I had a really good burger at the new Downcity Diner last week. Maybe it's been too long since I had a burger, but I'd rate it one of the best I've had. Good flavor, very juicy.

It was a bit too 'busy' though. I had to remove the onion rings -- they were too much.

[celeriac]

I finally found it! Lili Marlene's on Atwells Ave makes a truly terrific burger. It's a very simple, lightly packed, super-juicy patty that's not too lean. They sear it nicely and cook it as ordered -- often when i order medium it comes closer to medium-well. It's served on a plain griddled bun and the only cheese choices are swiss and american. It's definitely the most satisfying burger I've had in Providence. Nice size too, not huge but just large enough. If I recall correctly it cost all of $3.50, 50 cents extra for the cheese. And definitely get a side of fries, they're pretty damn good too.

Hooray! Finally!

[im hungry]

lilis burgers are really good,i crave em too!!but the thing i really like there is the steamed shrimp,always perfectly cooked,cheap,and really really good.the shrimp po boys pretty awesome too,i love this place,dark,free pool,cool music,great freindly staff,i wish i wasnt 10 in the morning or id be headed up there right now!!!

[Sean]

Not Prov, But I vote for the Beef Barn, awesome flame broiled flavor and jucy patties. I prefer them plain with cheese only...

[zoogal]

Can I bring my teenager with me? It has always struck me as more of a bar than a restaurant.

[celeriac]

I'm not totally sure, zoogal. It;s certainly more of a bar than a restaurant, but that doesn't necessarily mean that that there's a 21+ policy, especially since they do have a (small) menu and kitchen. It's not an inappropriate bar to take a teenager to, depending on your feeling on such subjects--kind of like going to a pub or something, just with a very limited menu.

I feel I should reiterate that it's a VERY no frills burger--that happens to be what I crave when I'm looking for a burger. Comparing it to the (excellent) burger at La Laiterie is apples to oranges, or at least Golden Delicious to Esopus Spitzenberg, if you get me. Different stripes of the same species.

[bucketfoodsnob]

thanks all for the tips!

[mjg0725]

I love the fact you wrote go! I often answer the phone like that when certain friends call me.

I can't help you in Providence.

[Frobisher]

The Abbey' s Great American Burger hands down.

[JaneRI]

Where/what is The Abbey?

[Moonpie1]

What's the Abbey? What's the Abbey!?

Go!

(a totally fine way of making a request for a best burger, imo)

And my two favorite burgers ever (an apple and an orange, in thier style) are both outside of the city. Crazy Burger (Narragansett) and Beef Barn (N. Smithfield), without hesitation.

[Keithel]

Ok, ok! sorry I spoke up.
I didn't mean to demean so much.

[JaneRI]

I don't work far from there (west end), I'll def try it!

Moonpie, I grew up on BB burgers - a fave of my whole family. Along w/Mezza Luna chicken pizza (from back in the days when putting chicken on pizza sounded nutty).

[gubby_ri]

Oh JaneRI, Mezza Luna pizzas! They just don't make 'em like that anymore. My ex-husband did the plaster work in the Beef Barn.His initials are still there somewhere in the silo.

[Frobisher]

It is a pub on Admiral St. across the street from the second location of Lasalle Bakery.

It is something a beer bar, with an above average tap selection and an extensive menu of bottles. Given its proximity to PC, it can be overrun by college kids depending on the day of the week/time of day. That being said it remains a great place to catch the game with a burger and a beer.

[Moonpie1]

"overrun by college kids"----heh, I resemble(d) that remark (long ago).

And yeah, I do know where you mean now----I saw it when I stopped into LaSalle over the summer. Will have to give it a try----our family hits the occasional PC soccer game on the weekend (hockey in the winter) and it's a good opportunity to try it.

Jane, you must be from up that way----the husband grew up on Mezza Luna and BB and Ye Olde and Janet's, etc. Chan's is his comfort food. And his first high school job was in a Burger Chef (gag! even as a kid, I knew that was just wrong) right in that same strip (?) near Mezza Luna.

[JaneRI]

North Smithfield Burger Chef ROCKED. Best fast food around.

I still miss Janet's.....the sign is still up next to the now empty lot where the bldg once stood....like it's taunting me. I shouldn't care - my fried clam night now is The Redwood in Mendon (closed for the season now) and a stop at Bangma's Farm on the way home for ice cream.

[Moonpie1]

Ooh, I don't know from those places. I'll have to tell him there was at least one person out there that didn't completely skeeve Burger Chef and think he was a dork, working there (or maybe he WAS a dork, but the Chef still rocked, heh).

I still get Mezza Luna at my in-laws'. The crust is really good. Are you an NS girl?

[celeriac]

Finally made it to the Abbey last night and while it was a perfectly nice place to watch the game, have a good beer and have a bite, I have to say I was not impressed by the burger. It was good, but far from great. It was well charred and perfectly cooked to order (medium) but it was remarkably dense and un-juicy. It wasn't a hockey puck or anything, but there was none of the dripping juiciness I look for in a great burger. I think the problem was that the meat was too lean, and too tightly packed.

A side note, the buffalo wings were also so-so. Crispy, which is critical, but not saucy enough.

[JaneRI]

Good to know - I don't like dense, very lean burgers either. Not my thing.

[Frobisher]

Sorry you had a less than satisfying experience. Absence of juicness has never been a problem for me. In fact, I always request a side plate on which to place the burger. Otherwise, the bottom bun turns to mush in the juices that accumate in the basket as I make my way through it.

Did you get the Great American Burger or some other variant?

[celeriac]

I had the Great American. The vast difference between your description and my experience makes me wonder if it is just a consistency issue... maybe their better burger dude has the night off to watch the game too.

[ginqueen]

try looking at this post: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/363559

[Keithel]

I'm sorry, but we're not dogs here.

I have no problem recommending something to someone if they ask in a nice matter, but just saying "go" and expecting a response seems a bit rude to me.

It's like posting a question to a software development mailing list, IRC, or whatnot -- If you don't do at least a little bit of homework first, you probably won't get many replies (at least not a useful one from me -- though I can't really answer your question anyway -- at least not burgers *in providence*).

[nancyhudson]

oh, please! i think it's perfect and to the point, and since we'll be in providence on sat. and sun. and dh's favorite food is a burger, bring it on!

[bucketfoodsnob]

um... Sorry I offended you Keithel. It was meant to be a quick to the point post, rather tongue and cheek. Chill out. I know you're not a dog. And I guess i did get some pretty good replies. Thanks to all who helped me out! BTW I also hear East ave Cafe has a good burger. mmmmm...burger

[Keithel]

*nod* I see the err in my ways, and was too quick to react.
I definitely don't want people to hold back on the fun tongue-and-cheek comments.

I'm finding a lot of these posts potentially useful and interesting too.

Sorry!
And I consider this closed - hopefully before the CH moderators come in :)

[basachs]

East Ave has undergone ownership changes and the food has gone seriously downhill. 8 of us went recently, big hands down.