Benton's Bacon, Madisonville, TN

I know this isn't a burger but it's worth the feature in this blog.  This is Benton's Bacon- made famous by the World famous Blackberry Farm restaurant and Inn outside Knoxville, TN.  Now when you are in many part of the country you'll see dishes that feature Benton's Bacon.  It's a smoke-house you need to know about- especially if you want bacon on your burger.

T.C. Grill, Maryville, TN

This is another "you gotta see it to believe it" road side classics.  My friends brought me here today to get this beauty on my list.  While it's not ever going to be a "top 10" burger, it's a good-solid burger worth venturing out for.  And even if you don't eat burgers, ya gotta go for the smoked fries.  You heard me right....smoked french fries!  They are awesome and unique.  They come crispy with a smoke sea salt mixture all over them.  They smell and taste as if they have been cooked outside in the smoker.  This is truly a no-frills kinda place.  When my friend Jerry asked our waitress if he could please have a slice of onion for his burger, she said "gladly". She then returned to the table with a small plate with one onion RING on it. Not a slice, not a small piece....one ring of a slice of onion that once put on the burger it almost disappeared.  That made the whole trip worthwhile!  If you are ever in the smokey mountains or in Knoxville, TN, venture out to TC Grill and get yourself a burger!

White Rose Diner- Linden, NJ

This is truly a dive.  Touted for their sliders I thought I'd give it a try.  Can't say I'd vote for them so they will have to live off their glory.  It's a classic gotta do kind of place. Burgers just don't cut it though.  It is what it is!

Bukowski Tavern- Cambridge, MA

http://bukowskitavern.net/cambridge

Interesting joint! Not my favorite town to be in so it's hard to enjoy anything there- even a burger : )
This is clearly an evening place to be but we had lunch there when our schedule allowed me to get away.  I had their famous "White Trash Burger" featured above with onion rings and their jalapeno cheese dip served on texas toast.  It's huge and tasty.  I had to take a few onion rings off to get it in my mouth. They serve tater tots in a basket with your choice of two sauces.  They are famous for their peanut butter burger but I just couldn't go there....  Also featured above is the California burger.
I think I'd still rather hit Bartley's burger cottage on H_____d Square.

The Twisted Tail, Philadelphia, PA

http://www.thetwistedtail.com/home.html

Garden and Gun Magazine's (yes, true, not a joke) February/March issue features The South's 50 great dive bars. Within the article they note a few places around the country that pay proper respect to southern heritage.  The Twisted Tail was on this list and this southern girl had to check it out.  Good burger, not record breaking though.  Mine was overcooked but my table-mate's burger was perfect.  I'll for sure go back and give them a second try especially when they have blues music playing.  This dive bar features some great sides of fried pickles, creamed corn, and other various southern delicacies.  Worth checking out when in Philly.

Cheesecake Factory - Menlo Park, NJ

Such a disappointment.  I was always in the camp that said there isn't a bad dish at Cheesecake factory and I found out I was wrong.  How can they be so good at everything else and blow this?  Meat had no flavor. And might I add, I just stopped eating it because it wasn't worth the calories!

Gallagher's Steak House - Newark Airport

If you have to be in Newark Airport, this is a great option.  Terminal C.  Sit at the bar and order up!

Lunchbox Labratory - Seattle, WA

 

http://lunchboxlaboratory.com/

This is a MUST DO BURGER in Seattle. 'nuff said

Minetta Tavern- New York City

http://www.minettatavernny.com/reservations.php

Finally, I got to eat one of the most talked about burgers in the country and I must say.......it lived up to it's billing.  I've jumped it into the top three burgers I've found so far.  It's a must do in NYC. You must make a reservation well in advance.  I made myself eat as slowly as possible so I could make every bite count!

Sketch Burger - Philadelphia, PA

http://www.sketch-burger.com/


Folks, this is a MUST DO BURGER in Philly.  I mean top 10 on my list. It's a simple "burger joint" with about 5 tables. Classic place.  While the entire menu is tempting to try, get a burger first and then go back another time  for more.  Went there today to get over the Thanksgiving Turkey Blues.  I had the Kobe Burger with Blue Cheese. One of the tastiest burgers I've had in a while.   We started with the Green chili cheese fries which are dynamite.  A must order item.  I was told that the chili's today are still from the summer's harvest in their own garden (not kidding).  These folks are doing some fresh and creative stuff.  My niece had the pulled pork sandwich which was really tasty and that's coming from a southerner!  I will definitely be a frequent diner at Sketch. It's worth the hour drive to get it from Jersey.

The Little Owl - New York City

http://www.thelittleowlnyc.com/

This Burger has been chalked up to be the best burger in the world.  I'm here to tell you- NOT TRUE.  Maybe I hit them on a bad day, but this burger did not live up to any of it's billings.  While the restaurant itself is quaint and charming, the greeting at the door was more like "why are you here and what do you want".  A simple hello or welcome would have been nice.  I felt like these people were doing us a favor by serving us.  That said, they should have picked up our tab on this one.  It's an overpriced average burger.  Enough said.

Burger and Beer Joint - Miami, FL

http://bnbjoint.com/

This is a little pub in downtown Miami that's worth a visit, especially if you need to see a sports event.  Lots of TV's, tables and burger options.  I went for their famous Mustang Sally. It comes with the       B & B logo branded into the bun- a nice touch! Cooked perfectly.  The chili cheese fries are winners, also the green bean fries, zucchini fries and mushroom fries ( yes, we had a lot of fries!).  Enjoy!

Charm City Burgers - Deerfield Beach, FL

This little screen door dump is a gem amongst the big boys.  It's eclectic in nature and features burger specials nightly.  Sorry for the ridiculously bad picture- I was in a hurry to eat!  This burger joint is in a small strip mall off Hillsboro Blvd and you'd drive right past it if you weren't looking. LOOK! It's worth stopping for. And while I didn't have one myself, rumor has it that the salted caramel milkshake is a winner!         http://www.charmcityburgers.com/

Elevation Burger

http://www.elevationburger.com/EB.php

This is a chain that will rival 5-Guys and the likes.  Good Burger- get the double! The cheese is real and you can taste it.  While they are not on the menu- ask for the cheese fries!  We drive an hour for this burger and it was worth it!

Le Tub - Hollywood, FL

 

http://www.theletub.com/ 

Rated as the #1 Burger in the country by GQ, we've got it at the top of our list as well.  It's a lot of meat so you need to be hungry when you sit down.  It's cooked perfectly and served on a paper plate. What's better than that?  The atmosphere of this place definitely helps the burger.  Open air seating on the inner-coastal.  A must do if you're in the Ft. Lauderdale area.