I can't add too much to what was already said about Fred's. It does look like an uber-dive bar from the outside but the inside has been recently remodeled and is clean and inviting. Everyone else talks about the burgers, I tried the cod sandwich which was a huge cut of fried fish; I asked for cheese on my sandwich which I feel is the way to go. It was definitely one of the top fish sandwiches that I have ever eaten.... anywhere at any price. If you are in the mood for something spicy- try Fred's handmade potato chips with cajun seasoning. I expected more "heat" from the seasoning but the combination was very tasty and enjoyable. A surprise for me was the number of micro-brews on tap, including Onion Brewery of Lake Barrington's seasonal "Pumpkin Ale" which sounds weird but I felt was tasty and well worth a try. Fred's service was good and down-home friendly. I am not sure if they don't allow smoking but there was no one smoking when I was there which was great. (not that I have anything against smokers mind you!) In spite of the lack of curb appeal- I would strongly suggest giving Fred's a try; I am sure that you will be pleased. read more

If you love deep fried appetizers... oh I have the place for you! The burgers are fine, they're good... they're fine.

We headed to Fred's on a Friday night, getting there around 6:45pm and it was packed. Luckily we scored a table fairly quickly. Oddly the Miller Light options at the bar were tap or can, we opted for the cans. It may be a confession but part of the allure of Fred's for me was the golden oozy cheddar cheese sauce. We both ordered burgers, mine medium rare with fried onions, cheese sauce and pickles. His medium with just the cheese sauce, we both added orders of the potato wedges. Our wedges came out first, which was a good thing because we were hungry. They were your standard issue wedges but also served with a little cup of the cheese sauce. I know I sound like a broken record but damn it I love that cheese sauce. The burgers came out shortly thereafter and they were huge hunking behemoths of burgers, each 1/2lb each on a buttered roll. Mine was of course piled high with cheese and onions. It was cooked a touch rare but as far as that goes I'd prefer rare as opposed to over cooked. It was a thick patty, loosely packed with a hint of what I believe was worchestershire sauce. The meat was very tender and buttery, I'm glad it was a loosely packed burger because over-packed tight thick burgers are no one's friend. We certainly will be heading back, especially I want to try their onion rings. They looked lightly battered and piping hot from the fryer. (And maybe get my cheddar sauce fix). read more

Fred's - Fred's 1/2lb burger: medium rare, fried onions, and cheddar cheese sauce. - Burgers Near Me - Burlington, Wisconsin

I'm a regular here so I know some of the workers. I heard Patrick yelling at the kitchen staff and it was not only disturbing to my meal but extremely disturbing to hear. I'm never coming back here. read more

Holy Yum! Had always heard about this place. Had a fantastic lunch there. Great onion rings and phenomenal home made chips. Blue Moon on tap and well chilled. Burgers are incredible. My wife enjoyed her 1/4# mushroom and Swiss. I had and loved the Cowboy Burger. Cheddar, Bacon, and BBQ sauce. I had a 1/2# burger medium rare. Perfectly cooked. The grilled bun held up well to the sauce and juiciness of the burger. For those of you liked The Little Muskie in Arbor Vitae, go here for an awesome experience. $1 off per sandwich between 2-4 PM M-F (not on holidays) Second visit as good as the first! Had a cheeseburger with raw onion. This simple choice really let the burgers goodness come through! Tried the fried pickles. They were great! The potato-bacon soup was very good too. Would love a bowl of it on a cold day! read more

Always wanted to stop in Fred's but never had the chance in the past, very glad we took the time today to stop while heading through Burlington. I've heard great things about the burgers here. Tony Romo was also a regular back in the day and you will find memorabilia behind the bar. I ordered a cheese burger w bacon, everything was fresh and cooked perfectly, amazingly seasoned patty and the buttered bun was slightly crunchy it was awesome. You order from the bar when you come in so you know, don't want to be sitting for 15 min before you realize this, if you're sitting at the bar your all good. Nice selection of drinks and beer on tap. I will definitely make the time to stop in again! read more

I see that Fred's is in YELP...twice....under Fred's and under Fred's Parkview....same place....will give the same review as we did under Fred's....one of our favorite places.... Hey, this is what it is.....a burger bar!! And a good one, at that...we go to Fred's when we have a JONES for burgers....this is the way they used to be....not HUGE, not FROZEN, not stale....just really good burgers and really good things to go with them. First off, start with a pitcher or two...good stuff on draft...used to have Bass, but not any more...sigh...but get over it....do have several wheat beers (for the girls) and other good beers on DRAFT... then...go for the taters....they have really really good home made chips and Parmesan fries...hey, you're not gonna live forever, anyway....do a basket or two and then...the burgers...there is a wide variety from your usual...plain and cheese burgers...to the FRED (very good) and CAJUN JACK (hot) and HORSERADISH (also hot) burgers.... we go back there often...even if it is a 30 minute drive...this is THE PLACE for burgers... enjoy.... read more

Got the Fred burger and fries Burger had a homemade look/taste Fries were way greasy but still good 7/10 I'll be back read more

Our threesome went in for a late lunch on a Saturday. Very crowded, very loud, and the food took quite a long time to arrive. After about a half hour, the curly fries, wedge fries with cheese, and sweet potato fries arrived. Very tasty but very strange for them to arrive 15 minutes before the burgers. The fries were gone by the time the burger arrived after another 15 minutes, about 45 minutes in all for the burgers. (We talked to nearby diners who said they'd waited about 45 minutes, too.) We ordered the 1/4 pound sliders which looked small but were very filling. Tasty but world's best? Not at all. Maybe just a tad above average. Sprecher's Root Beer on tap was extremely tasty as were the fries. The burgers were good but not great. Note: We didn't notice it til afterwards but they don't ask how you want the burgers done. If you don't say anything, they cook them medium which was very red inside and undercooked as far as I'm concerned. We are meeting friends there in a few weeks and are willing to give them a second chance. If it's not better then, we won't be back. read more

Fantastic burgers! Worlds best, prob not, but pretty darn close. We flew into Burlington in our Cessna- pilots- this restaurant is definitely not fly in it is quite far from the airport, but there is a free jalopy courtesy of the airport to borrow for the trip over. The kids say the cheese curds were very good. I enjoyed the on tap root beer and homemade potato chips. The place was clean and busy on a Monday lunchtime. PS- For those pickle connoisseurs out there- no lush kosher dills, but instead those flat, no ripple, super salty circles that seem impossible that they ever started life on a vine. But in my opinion if you aren't going fancy, then these cheap pickles are the best for a salty crunch. Mmmm mmm read more

Fred's - I am quite fond of this little gem. - Burgers Near Me - Burlington, Wisconsin

I don't know if Fred's burgers are the worlds best, but they are really good burgers. I had a Fred Burger which has ham on it. Odd twist, I don't know if the ham was thick enough to even factor in to the taste. That being said, it is a great burger. Had the Parmesan curly fries. Very thin cut and very fresh. I am usually not a fan of shoestring cut fries but these were really good, just a little greasy when you get to the bottom. We also shared an order of fried pickles. I liked them but nobody else did. They were a little hot... but the breading was thick and worked nicely. If for some reason you find yourself around Burlington stop in and give Fred's a try. read more

Fred's - Fred Burger, Parmesan Fries and Fried Pickles - Burgers Near Me - Burlington, Wisconsin

I love Fred's food. I have been going here for forever. They have gray service and ambiance. They don't make you wait to long for your food either. Solid place to eat. Also kid friendly read more

Good food, good atmosphere. I do recommend although I personally prefer John's main event a bit more for burgers

Wow! If you are nearby, eat here! The bacon jam burger is the bomb! The cheese fries were delicious and fresh. Don't miss the chocolate chip cookies. The food was amazing. The ambiance is regular bar, not much to write home about. It is a cozy place where you can eat extraordinary food. read more

Cowboy burger was gas. It had an amazing amount of bun to bacon to burger to barbecue ratio.

As good as ever. I haven't been in a while. Great food and a Burlington WI mainstay. It has been expanded to add more inside dining.

Fred's was a fantastic stop on our way around Burlington. Good beers on tap--I had Moon Man. They also have Sprecher Root Beer on tap--yum. We enjoyed their cheese curds (totally perfect Wisconsin cheese curds, still with a "squeak" on the bigger ones, breaded in a cornmeal mix, which lets the cheddar flavor shine) and French fries (delicious, hand-cut to order, perfectly fried to let the flavor out; we added salt, but the way they were served allows for customization). I wish we would've been able to eat a full meal here so that we could experience the burgers. I also felt like we missed out on the chips with the Fred's Special Seasoning. One note: the fries come before your main, which allows you to enjoy the deliciousness of the fries separate from your meal of choice. Yummy! read more

Such a great place to meet with friends and eat some of the most delicious bar food around. Many Deep fried choices and all delicious. BurgerS are fabulous- ask to try the 'Fred's special Sauce'. read more

Visited my mom here for lunch one day, and WOWZA. Everything is great from the prices to the portions. But wear stretchy pants and prepare to hunker down for the rest of the day. These burgers are a doozy on the belly!!! read more

Their burger is in the top 3 best I have ever had. From the outside it may not look like much but the food and the character inside is worth a stop. read more

Worst service ever. You have to place your own order at the bar...food isn't that great. After placing order...waited 45 minutes only to find out they never sent order to the cooks. Save yourself some money and go down the street to Culver's read more

Love it !! Delicious food ESPECIALLY BURGERS ! Fun, casual place where you can hangout. Highly recommend! 5/5

This place is very busy all the time. You would think quality would come with the service. Unfortunately, over years I've stayed away from this place because it isnt a very good place to eat. Their fries may be good. But when I order an appetizer, it shouldn't hurt my jaw to chomp on some onion rings. I waited almost 10 mins for a rootbeer that I am sitting in front of... how sad. It's the little things. I wish they could pay attention to timing on their food... read more

Went to a garage sale and was enticed to find Fred's after seeing the people at the sale eating it. The food took forever to come to the table. Numerous people that ordered after us received their food before us. We were very confused with the ordering process and when to pay. The person at the desk was slightly rude, but I tried to diffuse that. The table was dirty and we wiped it ourselves. I just received the food and the girl to bring it was very rude. My brother received his food from a different guy who was actually polite. The burger was good but I'll never eat here again. I'm very disappointed overall. read more

Excellent burgers and appetizers. When passing through Burlington, it's a must stop in your journey.

Delicious burgers and famous hand cut chips. Also nice beer menu. Lots of famous burger options also. read more

Fred's - Burgers Near Me - Burlington, Wisconsin

We came to Fred's and love it. Patty melt delicious.fRies are incredible. My party was 3 adults and 6 kids. Everyone loved the food and courtesy of the employees. No crying babies at our table. Check it out if you are in Burlington Wis read more

I'm sure it is a great place... Never had a chance to find out... We were first timers and we surmised you order at the bar under the "order here" sign and go to your table, as they did not appear to have a dedicated wait staff. It was just my wife and I and we did not feel comfortable taking the only open table, a six top. We picked up a menu and was none too kindly told that the "menu's were at the table" and was asked for the the menu back by the bartender. Granted they where busy but the "attention" we received at the bar made us feel uncomfortable, so we headed down the street to the Lucky Star Pub, where we were greeted at the door, welcomed and escorted to a table and had a great meal. We'll try Fred's again when they are not so busy. read more

I have been a fan of Fred's burgers for years. The food is delicious and the service is great. Whether you want a great burger or a bowl of savory cheese curds, Fred's has you covered. Not to mention the burgers are the most juicy and delicious of anywhere in Burlington. A must visit read more

Great stop for burgers, curly fries, popcorn chicken, and local beer! Burgers are so tasty, bun is perfectly lightly toasted. Fries come out unsalted, so you can salt to taste. Friendly staff! read more

Very tasty. Service was great too. The atmosphere was fun. TVs going people laughing and having a good time. read more

Fred's - Cowboy burger and parmesan fries - Burgers Near Me - Burlington, Wisconsin

Overrated and overpriced! If you want a raw half cooked burger sitting in a bunch of grease be my guest. John's Main Event has a much better Burger At a fraction of the cost. read more

Not the world's best burger as advertised or even close. Staff was nice, food was average. They really love Tony Romo here and in a way maybe mirror his career. A lot of potential, a lot of hype. But in the end will fail to deliver a championship burger and spend most of their time on the sideline injured with a broken recipe. read more

Fred's - Burgers Near Me - Burlington, Wisconsin

They have a sign "worlds friendliness people" - I would have to agree - great service and good! Will stop by next time I'm in Burlington. Definitely recommend! read more

This was our second time eating at Fred's and the first time since their new addition has been completed. The reason we had only been there once before is because we could NEVER get a table...the place was always jammed. It was nice because we didn't have to wait for a table at 7:30 on a Saturday night. It feels more "family friendly" now with the addition - whereas before, it felt more like a tavern that also served food. Honestly, my burger was just okay. I was really expecting more for a place that boasts "World's Best Burger". While I was eating, nothing made me pause mid-bite to say "OMG this is soooooo good!!!" They don't even ask you how you want it cooked. It was - at best - cooked medium WELL, but definitely more on the dry/well side. (I prefer a JUICY medium burger). It was well seasoned but just too dry. The fries didn't impress me. This time we ordered the parmesan fries which are just their regular fries (curly fries) with parmesan cheese sprinkled all over. They were just "ehhhh" . I'd prefer if they came out with the rest of your meal instead of before (like an appetizer). Another thing that would be nice is if they would bring you a fork and a knife with your meal...some people prefer to cut their burger in half before eating. And the customer shouldn't have to PAY extra to have lettuce and tomato on their burger. Really, Fred? That's just downright cheap and annoying. This is a burger joint....it should be INCLUDED. However you can have as many onions as you want free of charge? Makes no sense. Although it's only 50 cents extra, just the fact that they don't include it pisses me off (more than the dry burger did). All in all, it was just okay. I was left scratchin' my head wondering what all the fuss is about. I believe that Fred's is someplace that people "think" they are supposed to LOVE because everyone in Burlington raves about it. I don't get it. read more

Tony Romo posters all over the place notwithstanding, Fred's is a pretty great spot. I couldn't even tell you how or when I heard about Fred's. I must have stumbled upon some "best burger" list once upon a time and bookmarked it to try on the way back from Milwaukee or Madison. Okay, so 15 miles off the interstate isn't really "on the way back," but what can I tell you? When it comes to food, I often go out of my way, or in this case, make others go out of their way. I'm lucky that my boo is a good sport and indulges my high-maintenance food ways. Fred's is a no-frills, regular-joe joint, just the kind of place you'd expect to have great food. Burgers are what they're known for, and they definitely delivered. The beef is freshly ground, and high-quality, no frozen hockey pucks used here. I believe the burgers come in two sizes, but trust me and go for the larger size in all its beefy glory. Burgers can be customized but you won't find "fancy" toppings here. This isn't Kuma's. The most exotic cheese they have is pepperjack. There's no bacon jam, ghost peppers, aioli, or onion marmalade...but it might be funny if you tried to order that. I'm sure the locals at Fred's would get a kick out of some city slicker trying to gussy up a burger. The burger totally hit the spot. It was cooked medium, which was fine for me, and I added American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickle; simple, yes, but that's my go-to burger. The bun was toasted, which made it sturdy enough to hold the juicy patty and fresh toppings. To that we added an order of "frings," which are half signature curly fries and half onion rings. These too, were excellent. The fries were thin, crispy, piping hot, with the skins on, and the onion rings were clearly homemade with a beer batter. I hate onion rings that are nothing more than minced onions with a breadcrumb coating that taste like they came from a freezer section. Fred's doesn't have waiter service; you order at the bar, find a table, and they bring your food out to you. It's laid-back and super-casual, but that's what I love about it. I highly suggest giving Fred's a try next time you're in Burlington. It's even worth going out of your way for a great burger and beer. read more

Fred's Parkview is a great place to hang out after a long day and have a drink. Fred's claims to have the best hamburgers in the world. I disagree with this claim. I found their hamburgers to have such high concentrations of MSG that they practically cook themselves. My parents, who aren't allergic to MSG, both had general allergic reactions. read more

Freds caught our eye because of the old sign out front boasting the amazing claim to "The Best Burgers in the World." A couple of city boys we are, and although we have had everything from Roquefort and Shiitake to BBQ and Onion Rings placed on a burger to try and stake the claim, we just had to try this retro-looking, diverbar-esque little establishment, and see if it lived up to its declaration. We both ordered double cheeseburgers and as we sat waiting in our decidedly city clothes of the button down and dark jean variety, the man next to me, still in his reflective construction vest, chuckled with the notion that we would be able to FINISH a double cheeseburger. They arrived. His with bacon and mine with sauteed onions (ketchup and mustard is on the bar), and I have to tell you, my first bite indeed confirms that Fred's of Burlington is in fact one of the top 3 burgers I have ever had. read more

This is a really good place for burgers, wings, etc. The staff is super friendly, and the decorative signs are pretty humorous. A nice little place in our small town. read more

We went to Fred's on a Tuesday on the recommendation of a good friend. "World's best burger" not even close but it was a very good hamburger especially for the price. A half pound burger for $8-$9. Fresh cut Curley fries were excellent as were my wife's sweet potato fries. One drawback was that we got our fries about 10 minutes before we got our burgers! Not good. Would definitely eat at Fred's again. read more