BachelorontheCheap.com
Burger Central Bacon Cheeseburger & Fries
It’s America’s most iconic food and we eat over 50 billion of them a year, so it’s only appropriate that there is a day to pay tribute to the hamburger.
Celebrated every May 28, a patty of ground beef placed in a sliced bun is an American invention, although there is an ongoing debate between Texas and Connecticut on who actually came up with the idea first.
So if you’re not grilling your own to celebrate the day, where can you get a great burger in the Wichita Metro?
A lot of burger joints in the ICT claim to have the best burger around, but who really does? For all the nuances involved in the crafting of not just a good, but a great burger, the bite that really matters is all about the beef! After sampling burgers from more than 60 burger joints in a Burger Challenge last year, here’s my short list of the best local joints to get a great burger. The Challenge clearly demonstrated that buying local is SO much better than settling for National Chain or Regional chain fare. Celebrating National Hamburger Day at a national chain restaurant is not a celebration.
Timbuktu Bar & Grill, located at 1251 N Andover Rd, Andover, KS 67002. Presented with pickle slices on the side along with a container of jalapeno relish for a little extra kick if desired, the Timbuktu Original is a ‘Texas’ or ‘Southern’ style of burger, and Timbuktu does it right! The patty has an excellent flat top crust, the beef is juicy and seasoned really well. The grilled onion is spot on and generous in portion, there is a nice melt on the cheese and the pickles being served on the side allows you to liberally apply them for maximum pickle tart coverage. What puts this burger in my “It’s another dose of YUM” category is the crust on that beef, creating another layer of flavor. Of note, Timbuktu cranked out the Best Curly Fries of the Bachelor on the Cheap Wichita Metro Burger Challenge 2022.
Harry’s Uptown Bar & Grill, located at 3023 E Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS 67203. The burger is huge, the Angus beef patty weighing in at a 1/2 pound. A nice flat top crust on each side creates a depth of beef flavor and juiciness. You get melty cheese in every bite, balanced out with fresh lettuce, juicy tomato, and tart pickle. Packaging everything up nicely is a lightly toasted bun, which holds up from first bite to last. Sometimes when you get a burger this large, the bun can fall apart after soaking up juices from the burger and moisture from the veggies, especially if it’s not toasted. No so with Harry’s! Of note, Best Onion Rings of the Challenge.
Burger Central, located at 3302 W Central Ave, Wichita, KS 67203. Featuring a 1/4 pound freshly ground all-beef patty, the burger comes topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mustard, and ketchup. Burger Central asks if you want grilled or raw onion which is a nice touch. Of note, the Best Tater Tots of the Challenge.
Deano’s Grill & Tapworks, located at 9747 E 21st St N Suite 101, Wichita, KS 67206. Here’s the description of Deano’s Classic Cheeseburger from the restaurant menu: Beef patty, lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onion, ketchup, mayo, and cheddar cheese. Served on a brioche bun. Pretty standard sounding right? Execution is key and let me tell you Deano’s crafts a FINE burger! Hitting all the points that you’re looking for in a stellar burger, the visual appeal is mouthwatering, the patty has nice grill marks, and it’s juicy and seasoned well. If you include bacon, it’s aplenty, with three strips topping the burger, not the typical two that you get in most joints. The cheddar cheese is melted nicely and has a good medium sharpness to it. Deano’s puts red onion on their burger which I prefer, it’s a nicer bite than regular white or yellow. The pickles are thick cut and provide some delightful tart notes, balanced out with freshly shredded lettuce and juicy red tomato. Packaging it all up nicely is that butter-toasted brioche bun.
Burger protruding from the bun
Buster’s Burger Joint, located at 1202 E MacArthur Rd, Wichita, KS 67216. A self-proclaimed burger dive (but a very clean dive) with limited seating, this place is cash only and is ALWAYS hopping with business! The burgers here are phenomenal, period. The patties have a superior flat top crust, they’re seasoned well and juicy. The double is a carnivore’s dream burger, check out that meat-to-bun ratio! Wrapping up all that savory beef, bacon, and cheese goodness is a butter-toasted bun complimented by tart, crisp pickles, and a generous portion of onion. Very reasonably priced, Buster’s Burger Joint was the Best Burger Value of the Challenge.
Fizz Burgers & Bottles, located at 7718 E 37th St N, Wichita, KS 67226. Fizz has a great lineup of burgers, but what I like about this place is you can build your own. Sure, there are other places that do that, but some burger joints aren’t so willing. What separates Fizz from others, is they encourage it. Featuring a variety of homemade sauces to top your burger with along with homemade garlic dill pickles (they rock!), the many ways to customize your burger will provide you with one of the tastiest burger bites in town.
Bill’s Charcoal Grill, located at 2957 N Arkansas Ave, Wichita, KS 67204. The char-broiled flavor is what puts this burger joint over the top. It’s grilled to perfection and that’s a flavor you just don’t get in many restaurants anymore. This burger is a repeat buy, again, and again, and again… Achieving the highest score, it was the best burger of the Bachelor on the Cheap Wichita Metro Burger Challenge – 2022. Of Note: Runner Up for Best Regular French Fries.
Is your mouth watering yet?
Enjoy National Hamburger Day in Wichita!
$pend Wisely My Friends…
~ Mike
Where is your favorite burger joint? Share your story in the comments and if you enjoyed this article, consider buying me a coffee to support my work.
How to celebrate National Hamburger Day in Wichita, Sunday, May 28, 2023 – Bachelor on the Cheap
BachelorontheCheap.com
Burger Central Bacon Cheeseburger & Fries
It’s America’s most iconic food and we eat over 50 billion of them a year, so it’s only appropriate that there is a day to pay tribute to the hamburger.
Celebrated every May 28, a patty of ground beef placed in a sliced bun is an American invention, although there is an ongoing debate between Texas and Connecticut on who actually came up with the idea first.
So if you’re not grilling your own to celebrate the day, where can you get a great burger in the Wichita Metro?
A lot of burger joints in the ICT claim to have the best burger around, but who really does? For all the nuances involved in the crafting of not just a good, but a great burger, the bite that really matters is all about the beef! After sampling burgers from more than 60 burger joints in a Burger Challenge last year, here’s my short list of the best local joints to get a great burger. The Challenge clearly demonstrated that buying local is SO much better than settling for National Chain or Regional chain fare. Celebrating National Hamburger Day at a national chain restaurant is not a celebration.
Timbuktu Bar & Grill, located at 1251 N Andover Rd, Andover, KS 67002. Presented with pickle slices on the side along with a container of jalapeno relish for a little extra kick if desired, the Timbuktu Original is a ‘Texas’ or ‘Southern’ style of burger, and Timbuktu does it right! The patty has an excellent flat top crust, the beef is juicy and seasoned really well. The grilled onion is spot on and generous in portion, there is a nice melt on the cheese and the pickles being served on the side allows you to liberally apply them for maximum pickle tart coverage. What puts this burger in my “It’s another dose of YUM” category is the crust on that beef, creating another layer of flavor. Of note, Timbuktu cranked out the Best Curly Fries of the Bachelor on the Cheap Wichita Metro Burger Challenge 2022.
Harry’s Uptown Bar & Grill, located at 3023 E Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS 67203. The burger is huge, the Angus beef patty weighing in at a 1/2 pound. A nice flat top crust on each side creates a depth of beef flavor and juiciness. You get melty cheese in every bite, balanced out with fresh lettuce, juicy tomato, and tart pickle. Packaging everything up nicely is a lightly toasted bun, which holds up from first bite to last. Sometimes when you get a burger this large, the bun can fall apart after soaking up juices from the burger and moisture from the veggies, especially if it’s not toasted. No so with Harry’s! Of note, Best Onion Rings of the Challenge.
Burger Central, located at 3302 W Central Ave, Wichita, KS 67203. Featuring a 1/4 pound freshly ground all-beef patty, the burger comes topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mustard, and ketchup. Burger Central asks if you want grilled or raw onion which is a nice touch. Of note, the Best Tater Tots of the Challenge.
Deano’s Grill & Tapworks, located at 9747 E 21st St N Suite 101, Wichita, KS 67206. Here’s the description of Deano’s Classic Cheeseburger from the restaurant menu: Beef patty, lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onion, ketchup, mayo, and cheddar cheese. Served on a brioche bun. Pretty standard sounding right? Execution is key and let me tell you Deano’s crafts a FINE burger! Hitting all the points that you’re looking for in a stellar burger, the visual appeal is mouthwatering, the patty has nice grill marks, and it’s juicy and seasoned well. If you include bacon, it’s aplenty, with three strips topping the burger, not the typical two that you get in most joints. The cheddar cheese is melted nicely and has a good medium sharpness to it. Deano’s puts red onion on their burger which I prefer, it’s a nicer bite than regular white or yellow. The pickles are thick cut and provide some delightful tart notes, balanced out with freshly shredded lettuce and juicy red tomato. Packaging it all up nicely is that butter-toasted brioche bun.
Burger protruding from the bun
Buster’s Burger Joint, located at 1202 E MacArthur Rd, Wichita, KS 67216. A self-proclaimed burger dive (but a very clean dive) with limited seating, this place is cash only and is ALWAYS hopping with business! The burgers here are phenomenal, period. The patties have a superior flat top crust, they’re seasoned well and juicy. The double is a carnivore’s dream burger, check out that meat-to-bun ratio! Wrapping up all that savory beef, bacon, and cheese goodness is a butter-toasted bun complimented by tart, crisp pickles, and a generous portion of onion. Very reasonably priced, Buster’s Burger Joint was the Best Burger Value of the Challenge.
Fizz Burgers & Bottles, located at 7718 E 37th St N, Wichita, KS 67226. Fizz has a great lineup of burgers, but what I like about this place is you can build your own. Sure, there are other places that do that, but some burger joints aren’t so willing. What separates Fizz from others, is they encourage it. Featuring a variety of homemade sauces to top your burger with along with homemade garlic dill pickles (they rock!), the many ways to customize your burger will provide you with one of the tastiest burger bites in town.
Bill’s Charcoal Grill, located at 2957 N Arkansas Ave, Wichita, KS 67204. The char-broiled flavor is what puts this burger joint over the top. It’s grilled to perfection and that’s a flavor you just don’t get in many restaurants anymore. This burger is a repeat buy, again, and again, and again… Achieving the highest score, it was the best burger of the Bachelor on the Cheap Wichita Metro Burger Challenge – 2022. Of Note: Runner Up for Best Regular French Fries.
Is your mouth watering yet?
Enjoy National Hamburger Day in Wichita!
$pend Wisely My Friends…
~ Mike
Where is your favorite burger joint? Share your story in the comments and if you enjoyed this article, consider buying me a coffee to support my work.