Top 5 Hamburgers

OK, for me a great burger starts with the freshest meat possible (not frozen). A good amount of fat is required for flavor. Lean ground beef doesn't cut it. The patty is loosely formed rather than smashed into a dense pancake, and it's thick so that the flavor of the meat comes through and there's something to chew besides bread and toppings. The patty is not overcooked so that it's dry. Moisture is extremely important.

I came to enjoy the simple goodness of a cheeseburger without anything else on it except maybe grilled onions.

Which is all pretty ironic since these days I rarely eat red meat and no longer eat cheese.

Tvad you got me salivating, and I am talking about your burger description (not your Audio Note speakers...)

;^D

Perfect burger: Soft bun, freshly baked. Crisp lettuce. Grilled sweet onions. Fresh meat: nice fat content. Perfectly grilled. Simple seasoning. Gooey real cheese. Freshly made condiments. Pickles with snap.

1) I think the number one importance is good ground beef with a nice, high, fat content. Results in much juicier and tender burger.
2) hand-formed, thick, patties are a must. The production line pre-formed patties are too thin, too dense, and improperly seasoned, if at all
3) Thick wedges of tomatoes, onion(or grilled), and a nice bed of crisp lettuce.
4) Toasted bun with some crunch to it

Get those 4 things right and everything is just a cherry on top. Cheese, mayo, ketchup, mustard are all great, but if the four things above are wrong, then it's simply putting lipstick on a pig.

So, why do so few get it right?

For Southern Californians, the beloved icon In & Out Burgers is classic example of a mediocre product. Paper thin patties with no flavor where buns and condiments end up the being the primary thing you taste in each bite. You have to go off-menu to, at least, the custom "3 by 2" three patty burger to begin tasting meat and it doesn't get real until the "4 by" at which point that's a fairly expensive mediocre burger.

I tend to like the burger grilled instead of pan seared as well. I agree 100% with D-Mob's analysis.

I like a huge variety of condiments, but to be pefectly honest, if I can put some tasty guacamole (or just fresh avacado slices) and pico de gallo on my burger, with that super tasty grilled fat infused patty and a toasted/grilled bun.....

K, it's Goode Co Taqueria and Hamburger for lunch today. Kirby at Westpark in Houston

I have to go to LA (well Orange Co) again next week, so I'm taking BongFury's recomendations. I must admit, in the same vain, that waiting 1 1/2 hrs for hot dogs at pinks a couple of months ago was actually worth it, so I'm stoked about looking for a great LA Burger.