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High-five Five Guys for tasty burgers, fresh fries
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Also by Matthew Straub:
- Disney show 'King' of musicals (February 26, 2008)
Related Stories:
- Fuddruckers a welcome addition to area (April 24, 2006)
- Dotty makes its return (October 21, 2003)
- Burger lovers' perfect dishes (September 16, 2004)
- French fries: more than meets the eye (January 31, 2007)
- Superb treats for bar food benders (October 1, 2004)
by Matthew Straub
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Yesterday’s opening of Five Guys Burgers and Fries
on
Upon entering Five Guys it is immediately obvious
that this restaurant touts nothing but its burgers and fries, and as if they
were humanity’s saving grace. The walls are laden with advertisements and
excerpts from various publications glorifying their never-frozen ground beef
and fries cooked in peanut oil (no cholesterol!). Sacks of spuds stacked up
next to the entryway and a whiteboard announcing the specific town the day’s
potatoes come from create an atmosphere so self-important that one cannot help
but feeling a bit disappointed when the product does not completely change his
or her life. There are even index cards and crayons for fans to create their
own shout-outs to Five Guys, complete with a bulletin board to display them
all.
But pretentious decor and outrageous expectations
aside, the burgers remain pretty damn good. Perhaps the greasy double patties
won’t move you to tears, but with modest prices ranging from $2.79 for the
“Little Hamburger” to $5.19 for a bacon cheeseburger, they will probably have
you coming back for those burger cravings most other fast-food chains can never
satisfy. Every burger comes with two fresh ground beef patties, and toppings
are free, even grilled mushrooms and onions. This marvelous gimmick is so
favorable to college students that one will even overlook the fact that the mushrooms
were taken from a can.
Apart from those mushrooms, everything is served
fresh at Five Guys. Those fries don’t quite live up to their burger
counterparts, tasting a bit too salty with a consistency that’s just a little too
squidgy. Fries also come in Cajun style, which adds some needed flavoring, but
those with a low tolerance to spice might be leery of this option. Still, as
far as burgers and fries go, you won’t find a better meal at these prices in
the area.
And that more or less encompasses the entire menu.
There are no meal combos or deals to speak of, and the only non-burger, non-fry
items are hot dogs and grilled cheese sandwiches. One could argue that it’s
lacking the milkshakes typically found in eateries with red-and-white
checkerboard tiles on its walls, but really Five Guys is just about doing one
thing and doing it well. And if you need more options, metal pails of peanuts
await on every table. Now there’s something to be said about sitting at a table
with one pail of peanuts and another pail of previous guests’ peanut refuse,
but this isn’t fine dining, and it’s nice to have something to munch on when
you’re waiting for your number to be called. That being said, some may want to
pass Five Guys on the other side of the street — between the peanut oil used
for cooking and the peanut shells inside, this place is far from friendly for
those with nut allergies.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, many
with the late-night munchies may still be disappointed Five Guys eschews most
of the drunken ruckus that tends to disrupt State Street at night, at least for
now. But with its mastery of the classic American hamburger, it seems likely that
Five Guys has found itself a cozy and successful niche in the State Street
dining scene.
Anonymous (March 4, 2008 @ 1:41am):
The place would be disgusting if they stayed open until bar time--fries and pieces of buns every where, not to mention drunk people taking advantage of the free peanuts.
Anonymous (March 4, 2008 @ 10:58am):
I tried it out last night and was blown away. I am not a burger guy, but the little cheeseburger and cajun fries were delicious. Beats even Dotty's for best in town.
Anonymous (March 4, 2008 @ 12:41pm):
I don't think it beats dotty's, but it is pretty damn good. The fries I had were fresh, hot, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and perfectly salted. So, I guess the fries are inconsistent, since mine were so good and his were so bad. Regardless, the owner says they will soon be staying open until 3am once they can get the staffing together.
Anonymous (March 4, 2008 @ 1:11pm):
What in the name of high school football does squidgy mean?
Anonymous (March 4, 2008 @ 3:11pm):
five guys is the only thing that makes me regret being a vegetarian. it's bad enough being tempted while i'm at home, now the temptation has followed me here!
Anonymous (March 4, 2008 @ 3:25pm):
please DON'T compare this place to In & Out Burger...thats like comparing an average minor league team to the Red Sox or Yankees.
Anonymous (March 4, 2008 @ 3:35pm):
It doesn't beat Dotty's but they are damn good. The dude up top is crazy! Ill go back for sure though...prices are rediculous and the first time I went in they gave me everything for free for no reason...
Anonymous (March 4, 2008 @ 9:26pm):
"please DON'T compare this place to In & Out Burger...thats like comparing an average minor league team to the Red Sox or Yankees."
I agree, In n Out is the best fast food in the country, period. I'm glad someone else knows better.
Otherwise, a fantastic piece.
Anonymous (March 5, 2008 @ 12:33am):
So...I counted 7 guys in the picture. How did those extra two guys get in the picture for 5 Guys Burgers?
Anonymous (March 5, 2008 @ 12:51am):
When I ordered a Burger fries and a drink I was shocked to hear my total was 9.60 its a good once in while place but not a regular eatery for me
Anonymous (March 9, 2008 @ 6:00pm):
I thought it was terribly overrated and not very good. The cajun fries were disgusting - it tasted like they threw some Lawry's seasoning on them. The burgers lacked flavor and were overcooked.
Anonymous (March 24, 2008 @ 9:28pm):
"between the peanut oil used for cooking and the peanut shells inside, this place is far from friendly for those with nut allergies."
Factual news writing seems to be low on BH's to-do list. Peanut oil can be consumed perfectly happily (if not healthily) by most anyone, including those with peanut allergies. The oil, so long as it isn't "cold-pressed", doesn't contain any peanut protein, and by extension, no peanut allergens.
Anonymous (May 10, 2008 @ 7:10pm):
First - if the place is dirty, hopefully that will change. The original owners of Five Guys (back in the Washington, DC area) are VERY particular about their stores. Or just drop an e-mail to them through the web site - they would definitely like to know.
Second - Five Guys is a DC-area institution. I'm up in Eau Claire (moved here from DC several years ago), and may take a road trip down just to inhale Five Guys air.
I agree they are not In-N-Out Burger - the only similarity is that they both mostly serve burgers. That being said, the Five Guys hot dogs are well worth having as well.
Give 'em a chance. There are few places where you can get a good burger that cheaply. Of course, it's not that cheap when you figure in the bypass surgery 20 years down the road ;)
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