Review: Five Guys Burgers and Fries
Author: WIBIA | Filed under: Food Reviews, Location: Fishers, IN
Five Guys Burgers and Fries
http://www.fiveguys.com/home.aspx
When I saw Grub Grade’s Review a few weeks ago, that yummy cheesy burger made me think that it has been a while since I have stopped at Five Guys.
What I Ate: Cheeseburger $4.89, Fries $2.59 and a drink.
At Five Guys, you can customize your burger anyway you want it…for free! I ordered mine with lettuce, fried onions, tomato, ketchup and mustard. You order the burger and then about 5-7 minutes later, they will call out your number. In the meantime, they offer peanuts for you to munch on.
The burger feels like a foil wrapped brick. This is good sized burger. The burger was average in taste and it was a beefy burger, but the condiments were lacking. The two slices of tomato were more white than red and the lettuce was at the end of its peak freshness. I yanked them off after a few bites. My burger didn’t have the gooey cheesy thing like the Grub Grade Burger. If it did, I think that I would’ve liked it more.
However, the fries are really good. Skin on type friend in peanut oil. I added a little salt and pepper and they are about as good as you can get at a fast casual restaurant. My only problem is that a regular order is $2.59 and there is enough to feed two or more. If you are by yourself, I would like to see a smaller size that could save a dollar. If you like the fries at Penn Station Subs, these are exactly the same.
Would I Buy It Again? No and I know I am going to get flamed on this one. For the price, the beef was okay but condiments were bad. I have been to Five Guys before and had better burger, but this one was average at best. As much as I hate to say it, the more that I go to Five Guys, the worse it gets. The check will run you about $15 for two people and it is just not worth it. Don’t get me wrong, I would not throw a fit if a group of friends wanted to go there, but I think that I am done with Five Guys for a while.
If you are on the East Coast and wonder how I can say that Five Guys is not going to get my burger money, I have one word for you…CULVER’S.
-wibia
<a href=”http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/40/440941/restaurant/Indianapolis/Five-Guys-Famous-Burgers-and-Fries-Fishers”><img alt=”Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries on Urbanspoon” src=”http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/440941/minilink.gif” style=”border:none;width:130px;height:36px” /></a>
Bad condiments can ruin a good sandwich, for sure. Sorry it didn’t live up to your expectations. I just ate a mushroom swiss angus burger from McD’s ten minutes ago. Surprisingly, it was pretty darned good! I’ll be throwing a review up on my site shortly.
You’re right on. Check out donrockwell.com for a killer discussion on how 5 guys is a classic case of overexpansion.
I’m one of the ones in the “Five Guys is overrated” camp. I’m not big on big, greasy burgers. To be fair, I think I’ve had 2 Five Guy’s burgers in my life…and the last one was probably 8yrs ago. I like their hot dogs though.
That Culver’s burger looks amazing by the way.
Dang…you’ve had a series of disappointing meals. Sad to hear. You shouldn’t get “flamed” for giving an honest opinion of your experience. This makes me feel better that I don’t get to try them
@ Adam: Good to know, looking forward to your review.
@ J: Thanks for the heads up, I will check it out.
@Ryan: The more I talk to people about 5 Guys, lets just say we are not alone… Culvers is my favorite fast food burger, I think that I like it better than In & Out as well.
@Bear: Ha, you are right… I have had a few great meals lately, so I will try to balance out the bad ones.
I ate there about a year and a half ago and had a similar experience…I’m not ready to go back again at this time
WIBIA: That review is up: http://bronzechains.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/the-reluctant-mcdonalds-angus-burger-review/
I’m not gonna “flame” you but I dont get how you say yes to a “Potato burrito” and not to a burger made from scratch. haha
I love 5 guys. Its the only burger and fries i’ll touch. a bit expensive yes…thats my main issue with them.
Anyway sorry you got a crappy one. bad luck I guess…
I’m a bit baffled. You rave about 96th street steakburgers, which is one of the worst burger joints in town, and now you don’t recommend Five Guys. If you can’t recommend Five Guys, then you should not be evaluating burger places. I suppose you are now going to tell us that In n Out stinks too.
I can tell you that all three of them (Five Guys, 96th Street Steakburger and In N Out) are overrated. The burgers are decent, but not all that wonderful. And when you consider price along with taste, then each place becomes not worth it.
I have to agree, IMHO, all three of those places are overrated. At 5 Guys, I feel like I’m getting an assembly line burger…nothing something I relish.
@ AM: It is all relative really. By any means, 5 Guys is not bad, but there is a lot of fast food/fast casual burger competition and I find it to be somewhere in the middle. The potato burrito is one of the better offerings at TB, so it gets a yes. I have given fine dinning restaurants a “no” and a pizza by the slice a hall of fame. I just don’t think they are comparable to each other, but I try to compare them to similar experiences.
@ Yaboo: Nope, I like In N Out.
I’ve been to Five Guys in Indy four or five times and I’m yet to have a positive experience.
It seems like a place where you either love ‘em or leave ‘em and I know a few people who insist on loving ‘em.
The fries are droopy, the burgers are “meh” at their best, gross at their worst, and the service is always terrible.
It looks like maybe some of the 5 Guys franchises are slacking off on quality. The burger should be exactly the same regardless of which store you bought it at.
I have already comment on here about enjoying the original Five Guys [in VA] that was locally owned. It used to be awesome, but now with the over expansion [thanks J! I agree!] it has gone absolutely downhill.
I liked that it was local to us and the food was great and fun – the franchising killed it, but I guess the Mom, Dad and brothers needed more money – it just shocks me where this restaurant has shown up in the past few years.
Another memory down the drain. Sigh.
I give 5 Guys burgers a 7 out of 10 at best, but the fries are great. I might go back to try again, but I will definately get the fries again. The place is so hyped up and not worth the hype. Lots of better burger places around.
Maybe, and I’m going to just assume that it’s true, it’s the 5 guys in Indiana. The ones in the DC area are amazing. Even with the whole Georgetown one closing cuz of health violations and stuff, I ate there the week before that happened and the burger was still awesome. Even the one in the mall makes great burgers.
Getting a Five Guys in my area, in about three months. I will definitely try it out, given the recent media coverage lately.
I’m sorry your 5 guys experience was so bad because those burgers are pretty f’ing delicious. And I’m kinda picky.
Think Five Guys is good not great. I think their fry situation needs further thought – because no matter whether you order a large or small order, you get the same amount of fries (and by that I mean an absurd amount, essentially filling up a bag’s worth).
I think Boogie Burger is a better option. Good review WIBIA.
I like Five Guys’ burgers. I haven’t had them often, maybe five times, as I don’t live that close to their location at the U. of Pittsburgh, but I have liked what I had every time I’ve been there. I have no hesitation about recommending them to my friends. And I am considered the picky eater in every group of friends I have.
My only complaint is how many French Fries they give you. I can’t eat the entire smallest size. I finish my double cheeseburger long before I run out of fries.
Last time, I wrote on my table in French Fries: “TOO MANY.” And I still had plenty left over.
@ wibia: There’s no Culver’s on the east coast. The map shows them being all around the Great Lakes. Their easternmost location is in the middle of Ohio.