Decemburger

My Quest for the Best Bacon Cheeseburger in San Antonio

“…such stuff as dreams are made on…” ~from William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Act 4, scene 1, line 157

No, Prospero was not referring to burgers when he spoke of dreams in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, but let’s face it, maybe he would have, had he had access to the burgers in this town and a food blog of his very own.

Perhaps Prospero would have chosen to put the best burger in its rightful place, as opposed to all the fuss he ended up making over daughter, Miranda. Too much of a stretch? Probably, but hey, I love burgers and I love Shakespeare, and well, this is my blog so I can over-stretch any analogy I’d like…

But yes, Decemburger was my dream and my dream alone. I’ll leave Prospero’s quest alone (for now).

A Whole Lotta Burgers

Speaking of dreams, and in case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been eating a lot of burgers recently. In fact, in the last month, I’ve eaten twenty-three burgers to be exact; actually, I ate twenty-three burgers in sixteen days, starting on November 27th and ending on December 31st. (A few out of town trips and a vacation in Switzerland caused me to improvise a bit, but hey, what’s a dream without a little snooze in between!)

Was it really my dream to eat all those burgers?

Yes! It was.

You see, for at least the past three decades or so, I’ve been telling people that I’m on a quest to find the best bacon cheeseburger in the world. It’s usually how I judge any restaurant that doesn’t involve ethnic food, any bar or pub serving anything other than beer and booze, and definitely how I judge the best fast food joint.

I’ve Always Loved a Good Burger

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved burgers. I didn’t get them a whole lot when I was a kid, but when I did, it was a real treat!

I always looked forward to putting my hands around a nice, big juicy burger, and preferably one with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and mustard. Extra points if that cheese was real cheddar, and as I got older, double points if the burger had bacon. Triple points if that bacon was super crispy. If the burger came with mayonnaise and the bun had sesame seeds, so be it, although as a kid I judged accordingly and took away points if the bun did have sesame seeds on it. Same for ketchup on the burger. Only McDonald’s can get away with that.

My First Burger Love

For a few years in the early 80’s, my dad was the manager of a few Denny’s restaurants. You remember Denny’s, right? They were—and maybe still are—open twenty-four hours, had nice comfy booths, and were famous for their Grand Slam breakfasts. My siblings and I loved that my dad worked there because it meant that we got to eat there.

At Denny’s, we got to sit in a booth, we got to eat (almost) anything on the menu, and Denny’s was the first place I ever got to order my own iced tea. Believe me, this was a major rite of passage in my family. No longer did I have to drink the glass of milk my mom would order for me, but I could have a tea, with my own lemon wedge. Major life memory for me! (Maybe a subject for another blog post…)

My brothers were all about the pancakes, but not me. I wanted that Denny Burger. I don’t think they still call it that, but that’s what the burger used to be called. It was a full-sized burger (you know, for an adult), perfectly cooked, and I would get it with cheese and add as much mustard as the soft bun could handle. That burger on those beige plates Denny’s served it on, and I was a happy girl. Let my brothers have their pancakes, I was all about the burger.

Fast forward forty years or so, and not much has changed. I’m still all about the burger. Bacon is a must now, but other than that, my standards haven’t changed much. Burger perfection should include a really well-toasted bun, a great tasting beef patty, good cheese that gets really melted, iceberg lettuce, ripe tomatoes, crispy pickles, and a good amount of mustard. Mayonnaise is fine, although I usually don’t add it if it doesn’t already come with it. Oh, and as I mentioned, I need that bacon. The crispier the bacon, the better. “Extra points” are still given for really crispy bacon.

Back to the quest

I planned this official month of “Decemburger” at the end of December in 2017. I “borrowed” the term from a heavy metal festival flier while in Denver that month. (I think maybe they do something where they listen to heavy metal and eat burgers. If I’m right and that is what they do, it sounds pretty badass!)

At any rate, I thought the term “Decemburger” sounded fun, and then thought that maybe if I added it to my list of 52 things for 2018, I would finally make it happen. Decemburger could really jump start this so-called quest I was always talking about, and maybe I could put my so-called points system to work. Thus, Decemburger 2018 was born. I wrote it down at any rate, and so it was happening.

The List

Who would make the list, and how would I come up with the list? I basically brainstormed with my best friend, asked a few other friends, used Google to search for the “best burger in San Antonio” and voilà – a list! Not very scientific, but effective, I think.

Here are the twenty-three places whose burgers made the final list:

• Luther’s Cafe http://www.lutherscafe.com
• Big Bob’s Burgers* https://www.bigbobsburgers.com
• Babe’s Old Fashioned Food http://babeshamburgers.com
• Burger Boy* https://www.burgerboysa.com
• Fletcher’s Hamburgers* https://www.facebook.com/fletchershamburgers/
• The Broadway 5050 https://www.broadway5050.com
• Chris Madrid’s http://www.chrismadrids.com
• Texas Hamburger Company http://texashamburgercompany.com
• Cheesy Jane’s http://www.cheesyjanes.com
• Good Time Charlie’s https://www.gtcsatx.com
• Fattboy Burgers and Dogs* http://www.fattboyburgers.com
• Longhorn Cafe https://www.thelonghorncafe.com
• Wicho’s Mexican Deli* http://www.wichosdeli.com
• TJ’s Hamburgers* https://www.facebook.com/TJs-Hamburgers-101220989919570/
• Max and Louie’s New York Diner* http://maxandlouiesdiner.com
• Big’z Burger Joint* http://www.bigz-burgerjoint.com
• Chunky’s Burgers & More* https://www.mychunkysburgers.com
• Josephine Street http://www.josephinestreet.com
• Armadillos Texas-Style Burgers https://www.armadilloburger.com
• Mad Mack’s Burger Co.* https://www.facebook.com/Mad-Macks-Burger-Co-871838942851131/
• Papa’s Burgers* https://www.papasburgersandmore.com
• Brenda’s Burgers* https://www.facebook.com/brendasburgers1988/
• Roxy’s Burgers* https://www.facebook.com/pages/Roxys-Burgers/1503159713129288

Asterisks above note places that I had not visited before, or at least note that I had never had their burger before December’s official visit.

Kenny’s Burgers, and Sherry’s Texan are two places not listed above that I had planned to visit, but it didn’t work out as they were closed for the holidays the last week of December. Having their burgers, would have made twenty-five to judge, which was my goal. Oh well, there’s always next year!

Let the countdown to #decemburger2019 begin!

Whatabout Whataburger?

Where’s Whataburger, you ask? Well, I didn’t include any chains. A few locations are fine, but no chains, and although I did allow those that have multiple locations outside of town, I didn’t include any burger joint that isn’t originally from San Antonio. Also, all places had to be within the city limits. My quest, my rules.

“You Missed One!”

Many people told me I was missing some good burgers, and I’m sure I did miss quite a few good burgers. Some of the places I was told I missed were actually on my original list. Tycoon Flats, Boiler Bar, Esquire, Hawx (whose burger I have had) are among places I removed from the original list created earlier in the year. I removed them because once I saw their burgers, they were a little too much more than just your normal bacon cheeseburger—and my quest is about the best normal burger, if you will.

No super fancy lettuce or shi shi foo foo buns or crazy condiments that require hours of braising or the pureeing of some strange fruit from an island in the Pacific. I am not interested in any pepper jellies or raspberry mustard jams or anything like that on my burger. No offense, I mean nothing wrong with some of those things, or fried eggs or avocado slices or pretzel buns (well, actually I’m not a fan of pretzel buns) but that’s not what I want on my burger, especially not on my bacon cheeseburger. And especially not on what I would consider to be the best bacon cheeseburger.

The ultimate quest is about my search for the best bacon cheeseburger in the world. And since I gotta start somewhere, and San Antonio is home, I may as well start right here in the Alamo City.

The Quest Begins!

Every food journey begins with one small bite, and this journey was no exception. I decided to separate the quest not only into bites of burgers, but into rounds of burgers, and then judge the winner of each round. It’s a similar system that I have used in other food adventures, and so it seemed like a good plan for this current judgment, as well.

In All Their Glory

Here they are, in all their glory, and in what ended up being six rounds of burgers.

Round One

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Luther’s Cafe: I love Luther’s and I usually love their burgers. The first burger of my quest was not their best effort, though. The bottom bun was completely stale. Everything else was great as always, but the bun ruined them for a ranking this year. I’ll see them again soon, because I know they can do better.

Big Bob’s Burgers: Wow! This was a great burger. Sesame seeds and all! I will definitely be going back. Oh, and their fries were some of the best I had all month. Great service, too. I actually can’t wait to go back! Winner of Round One goes to Big Bob’s!

Babe’s Old Fashioned Food: Well, like Luther’s, I’ve always loved Babe’s, but I didn’t catch them at their best this day. The taste of the meat was a little off this time. I’ll see them again soon but they didn’t fare too well this Decemburger.

Round Two

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Burger Boy: It’s a San Antonio legend and well, I’m sorry it took me so long to try them. I’ve been missing a great burger! The photo doesn’t do it justice, but trust me when I say they have a great burger. Great service, too. They are so close to home that I know I’ll be visiting again very soon. I love that Burger Boy is around and doing what they do!

Fletcher’s Hamburgers: Well, this burger was as good as it looks in its photo; the burger itself was very juicy and the cheese was all over that great bun of theirs. In the end, though, I can’t give them those extra points of mine for their lettuce or the fact that the tomato slice was just too thick and kept slipping out of the burger. Burger integrity counts for something, or at least it does for me. I’ll go again, but I’ll know what I’m dealing with. It’s definitely worth a trip but it’s not among the very best.

The Broadway 5050: I love Broadway 5050! The food is always good, as is the service, and I didn’t experience anything different this time around. The burger was excellent and just look at that bacon! I truly love Broadway 5050 and am proud to say they have one of the better burgers in the city!

Chris Madrid’s: So, I’ll confess right now that at the beginning of the month I kinda admitted that this quest was really about finding a burger that would be better than the Porky’s Delight from Chris Madrid’s. It’s truly one of my most favorite things in the universe. And well, this one didn’t let me down. It was just as perfect as they all have been. I was not surprised at all that Chris Madrid’s won round two! 

Texas Hamburger Company: They serve a great burger here and I’ll gladly eat another one of these big suckers along with their great fries. Anytime! They didn’t win this round but they won the day that this was eaten. Texas Hamburger Company also has great service – everyone was super friendly with smiles aplenty!

Round Three

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Cheesy Jane’s: Oh, no. I was so sad after this burger and a little dumbfounded that I have to type that this burger was not good. I don’t know what happened as I’ve had many really good burgers from Cheesy Jane’s but this one didn’t measure up at all. The cheese never melted, the burger’s seasoning was all wrong and I think I sat there a little in shock as I tried to eat it. I’m not sure what was going on that day, and I won’t hold it against them for future visits (because I know they have a good burger!) but this burger was not good. They were as friendly as ever, though. I promise I’ll go back soon because I know they will be redeemed.

Good Time Charlie’s: One of the best burgers in the city? Right here at Good Time Charlie’s. It’s juicy and flavorful and it’s just damn good. I also love the service and just about everything else I’ve ever eaten there. (Just wait for the chicken fried steak challenge!) Thank you, Good Time Charlie’s! I love y’all mucho!

Fattboy Burgers and Dogs: Well, my first time visiting Fattboy wasn’t a good experience. The burger was not good at all, and while this isn’t a quest about fries, the fries were actually pretty awful. I was disappointed because they had been highly praised by people I know, and also because the service and vibe of the place was so great. Seriously, the service was amazingly good. Will I try them again? I think I’d like to just because there’s no way the burgers can be that bad. I don’t know how to explain how bad the burger patty itself tasted. Maybe next time I’ll get a better burger. I hope so.

Longhorn Cafe: As bad as the previous burger was, this burger was the opposite and then some. It’s always been one of my favorites and so I wasn’t surprised that Longhorn Cafe won round three. Their burger isn’t called the Original Big Juicy for nothing. If you love a juicy burger like I do, you’ll love Longhorn Cafe!

Round Four

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Wicho’s Mexican Deli: This was a very good burger, a lot better than their service, which was just okay. It may have been because I asked them to hold the Wicho sauce, or maybe they just didn’t feel like smiling that day. As for the burger, everything tasted really good, especially the bun. I’ll definitely go back to eat there again, and maybe I can get my smile to rub off on them.

TJ’s Hamburgers: Oh, so good! I don’t know why I had never been to this Southside institution but now that I’ve been, I’ll definitely be going back. That bun and the bacon were perfect and the service was really great, too! TJ’s won round four!

Max and Louie’s New York Diner: Not only was the burger at Max and Louie’s really good, it was really huge! This burger was just about as big as my face, and even with that kinda fancy lettuce that isn’t my favorite on a burger, it was still a whole lot cuter than my face, too! No worries, I can admit when a burger has me beat.

Round Five

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Big’z Burger Joint: The most disappointing burger and experience of the month unfortunately happened at Big’z. Not only was the service not good at all, but the burger itself was not good either. And to be sure, I shared half of the burger with someone who loves a good burger as much as I do and she agreed. There just wasn’t any flavor in the burger. I’m sorry to say as it had pretty good reviews on a few different websites, but because of the poor service, as well as the lack of flavor or anything special, it was my least favorite burger of the bunch.

Chunky’s Burgers & More: In contrast to the service at Big’z, Chunky’s had amazing service! I wish that I would have enjoyed the burger as much as I enjoyed the experience. While the burger didn’t taste bad, it just wasn’t that special. I do wonder if it was their cheese. That white cheese just didn’t have the right flavor or consistency. As it was my first time there, I can only assume that is the cheese that usually comes on their cheeseburger (I didn’t ask for anything special, just ordered their good ol’ fashioned hamburger and asked for cheese and bacon). If they do have different cheese, I’d like to go back to give them another try.

Josephine Street: Oh, this burger is so good! The bun is great, the burger is nice and juicy. I wish they had different lettuce (here I go again…) but overall they have a darn good burger; a burger that truly makes the city a better place to eat! Thank you, Josephine Street!

Armadillos Texas-Style Burger: I do like Armadillos an awful lot. The bacon is really crispy and I love the vibe of the place. They didn’t make it to the top of my list, but I’ll go there many more times in my life and I likely won’t ever be let down. The service is also top-notch, too.

Mad Mack’s Burger Co.: Surprise of the month? Mad Mack’s! In my old southside neighborhood, and definitely missed by me many, many times as I’ve driven by the last few years. Trying the burger at Mad Mack’s alone made Decemburger a food adventure worth having. The service, the juiciness and flavor of the burger were all great! I can’t wait to go back! Mad Mack’s won round five!

Round Six

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Papa’s Burgers: Another surprise and a big wow for Papa’s! Probably the best bun and one of the best tasting patties, Papa’s knows what they are doing in the Westside! I would have liked the bacon to be a little crispier but yep, even with that lettuce, they are going to win this round. (Decemburger at Papa’s: winning friends and influencing lettuce!) Oh, and the service was as good as the burger – which was truly amazing. Papa’s was hands down the winner of round six!

Brenda’s Burgers: This time the surprise was again in the Southside. Brenda’s has a really great burger! If it weren’t for Papa’s, it would have won this round easily. It was a tough call, as Brenda’s probably would have won a few of the other rounds hands down. If you find your way in their neighborhood, please stop in and have a burger. (P.S. It was also one of the best deals in town as the burger is worth a lot more than they charge for it.) Brenda’s is doing things right on S.W. Military Drive!

Roxy’s Burgers: Last but certainly not least is Roxy’s burgers. Roxy herself is making the burgers in this converted house in the Southside. Literally walking distance from my old home near Harlandale, Roxy’s is a small place serving a great burger, and even better hospitality. Not only will I go back but I bet the burger is going to get better and better each time I go. Thank you, Roxy, for doing what you do!

While Decemburger was about me finding the best bacon cheeseburger, I was also hoping it would be about me finding great little places just like Roxy’s, Papa’s, Brenda’s and Mad Mack’s. Places where a lot of love goes into making a meal for someone. I am really thankful they are all doing just that.

The Winner?

Love and good vibes aside, this quest was about the best bacon cheeseburger, and me choosing who the winner would be.

Was it difficult? In one way, it wasn’t difficult at all, I just chose the burger that tasted the best to me. In another way, it was a bit difficult because in their own way, each burger is different and so it makes it hard to compare.

But, to be fair, and to do what I said I would do, my winner is the Porky’s Delight at Chris Madrid’s. And yes, even in the short time I’ve been doing this blog thing, I’ve blogged about Chris Madrid’s before. Why do I love their burger so much? I love the perfect buttery toasted bun; I love the shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes; I love the thin beef patty whose texture works perfectly with their crispy bacon and the pound or so of cheese they magically get to melt all over the entire masterpiece. It’s just perfect in its simplicity, and complicated in how to explain how good it is. Even now, being served in a tent, it’s still perfect, and to me, it is the best bacon cheeseburger in San Antonio.

Runners Up?

Fair question. Here is how my top five ranked:

1. Chris Madrid’s
2. Longhorn Cafe
3. Papa’s Burgers
4. Mad Mack’s Burgers
5. Good Time Charlie’s

With very honorable mentions going to TJ’s and Brenda’s.

You may have noticed that I didn’t really award points. I thought that I would try but in the end I didn’t want to take away from good old fashioned taste by taking away points for lettuce, or not enough pickles. Papa’s burger (and its lettuce) proves that points probably wouldn’t have been fair or made much sense. At the end of the month, my dream was really about finding the best burger, and maybe a few others that wouldn’t be too shabby either. Such stuff as dreams are made of, for sure!

~Elda XO

Did I foreshadow a bit back in July when I wrote about Chris Madrid’s? You be the judge: https://eldaeats.com/chris-madrids/

The burger photos in this blog post contain no filters. I may have adjusted the lighting on a few where it may have been too dark, but even then it’s very minimal. The photos of the burgers are all them, in all their glory.