Let's call this the Burger Showdown of West Fifth Avenue. Five Guys has opened just to the east of the new local burger favorite Graffiti Burger. Can the Tri-Village/University West area support two burger only chains? i guess time will tell.
I visited Five Guys today around 1:30, after the lunch rush. This appears to be a very well run Five Guys, compared to the Grove City location, which I found to be a nightmare to get your order. I walked right up to order my double burger with relish, grilled onions, pickles, and lettuce. There's only one cheese choice - American - so i chose to abstain from cheese today. I also ordered a regular fry, and a regular soft drink - total tab....$9.69.
I had time to grab my drink and some ketchup for my fries from the condiment area - and to grab a table. There are two soda machines offering quite a few choices to drink. The dining area is very large, stacked with bags of potatoes for the fries, and the open containers of peanuts. Unfortunately, my burger was done before i could indulge in any peanuts....oh well - maybe next time?
My burger was submerged in a pile of fries (buried in fact). i lost some fries to the floor when extracting my burger from the bag. They serve WAY TOO MANY FRIES - about 2 and half orders in that little paper bag. the fries are twice cooked, and they have pretty good flavor from being fried in peanut oil. They don't appear to be greasy, but when they sit in the paper bag during the time you eat your burger, the bag becomes translucent from the draining of the peanut oil from the uncupped fries.
The burger was wrapped tightly in foil - two patties cooked well done. luckily the burgers weren't hard and crusty, as I have had from other Five Guys locations. the bun was a mess - the grease from the grilled onions turns the bottom bun into mush. the pickles were pretty pedestrian, as was the relish. The lettuce was fresh, but torn into bite sized pieces. i added a bit of mustard and ketchup at my table, rather then letting the heavy hand of the burger maker apply it. The burger was A-OK - it wasn't very juicy, was a bit dry and crumbly. It had good burger flavor - as if I had fried it in my skillet at home.
Now comes the comparison...Graffiti vs. Five Guys. On the fries, I would give the edge to Five Guys - the peanut oil makes a difference. The portion size is obscene - probably a bit more than Graffiti.
Now the burger....No contest - Graffiti wins hands down. If nothing else, the Graffiti bun is a firm Kaiser and holds up to the toppings - whether it's the wet graffiti sauce or the grease from some Grilled Onions. Graffiti also gives you the choice of real cheese - real Swiss, Provolone, Cheddar. And it's not one slice - two slices of ooey gooey melting cheese. Next, the pickles at Graffiti are NOT pedestrian - they are cold premium packed slices - no sour chips here...think Claussen vs. Kroger brand. Graffiti's toppings are top notch, premium. At Graffiti - you also can choose that vinegar Italian slaw for your burger, and the homemade Graffiti sauce. Most important, the Graffiti burger is juicy moist burger, not dry and crumbly.
Burger wars may prove to be a difficult challenge, like your favorite pizza. But for my ten bucks, I'll be at the Graffiti Burger for that juicy half pounder. read more