The service was typical diner style with a touch of personality, attitude and flirtation.  As for the burger it was a pretty average burger with no special features or highlights.  It was cooked closer to well than I typically enjoy so it was in need of the toppings.  The toppings were all fresh but weren’t complementary of the overall burger so mostly felt like a fresh salad on top of a patty of beef.  The cheese was fine but also didn’t flow with the overall burger so as much as I wanted this to be an amazing burger experience, Iowa 80 was more of a bust…from the burger side.

Now as for Iowa 80 as a truckstop, holy crap!  It was amazing.  Whenever you’re at a truck stop and see stairs that lead up to a dental practice while staring at ice cream, toiletries and a full semi-truck on display with all the bells and whistles a truck could ever have you can’t be anything but amazed.  I can’t help but recommend stopping at Iowa 80 and taking it all in.  Maybe just eat at the buffet and let the burgers sound good on paper:)

Iowa 80 Truckstop
755 W Iowa 80 Rd
I-80, Exit 284
Walcott IA 52773

For example, the “Cruncher” may change your next barbecue plans.  Perhaps 6 layers of sliced onions, 6 layers of lettuce and two patties just hasn’t come up before.  Or maybe the “Buttercrunch” with it’s loads of lettuce, cheese and a single patty is the thing the neighborhood really needed to help with the late night party complaints?  All in all the Sky Burger app is inspirational, entertaining and free so if you love the world of burgers enough to read a burger blog then perhaps someone in your immediate circle of influence will enjoy Sky Burger.  Game on!

Tonight I tried the Hopdoddy Terlingua burger with Tillamook cheddar cheese, their unique sassy sauce, an amazing half-pound patty of some of the best burger meat I’ve ever tasted, chili con carne and Fritos (that’s right, corn Fritos).  This burger was right up there with the best I’ve ever tasted.  It was flavorful, clean, fresh, juicy and so packed with goodness that every bite was perfect.  The Terlingua burger was better with every bite and I happily used my fork to grab all the drippings after finishing the massive burger.  The corn Fritos blended deliciously with the chili and never took away from the patty.  The french fries at HopDoddy were delicously touched with herbal goodness but the chipotle ketchup took fry dipping sauce to a whole new level.

The atmosphere was welcoming, fun and everything a burger place should be with plenty of happy faces, packed tables and unique staff.  All of the ingredients are locally produced, the meat is freshly ground daily (you can taste the freshness) and their chili cheese fries offered one of the best “dip you fries” chili cheese combos I’ve had the pleasure of devouring.  Overall it’s easy to say that Hopdoddy offered some of the best tasting burgers I’ve ever had with the Terlingua burger’s combination of toppings making this burger guy very, very happy.  You’ll enjoy yourself, no doubt!

Hopdoddy Burger Bar
1400 S Congress Ave
Austin Texas 78704

The Ladder 41 burger includes the specially seasoned Firehouse patty (which was absolutely delicious), bbq sauce, American cheese, bacon, onion rings, lettuce, tomato and fresh pickles that helped bring the whole thing together.  In fact all the ingredients worked so well together including the bakery fresh bun that this was the best burger I’ve had in a while.  To top it all off the fries were lightly seasoned and super crispy which made the meal that much better.  The fry sauce (which regular followers of BurgerVoice know means everything to me) was wonderful as well.  In talking with one of the owners it turns out that a lot of their menu is uniquely their own.  I love a burger place that can say they make their own fry sauce, own seasonin and own style of service.

In a nutshell, Firehouse Burger is here to stay.  The bun was darn good, the patty was darn good, the fries were darn good and the ingredients were all darn good.  Overall review of Firehouse Burger is that it’s a darn good burger establishment and worth the drive to Springville.  Combo specials ranged from $5 to $9 including fries and a drink and for you challenge eaters out there, Firehouse Burger has the 4 Alarm Medic Stand By challenge so feel free to burn yourself.

Firehouse Burger
1445 North Main Street
Springville UT 84663

Opens daily at 11am

Outside seating is covered with heaters in the winter and open/airy in the summer.

Famous for what they Butterburgers, the Culver’s Deluxe Butterburger was the recommended first Culver’s experience (special thanks to the friendly staff for pointing me in the right direction).  I went with the double to really get the burger flavor going and I’m glad I did.  The burger can be best described as yummy.  The bun is buttered (insert clever sentence about them being called Butterburgers here) and comes across as a very delicious bun.  I’d call it a really high quality Wendy’s style of burger.  It’s the type of burger you think you are going to get at Wendy’s but never do.  The speed, the freshness and the pickle on top were all nice additions to the experience but I’m ok with the pickle inside of the burger.  I’m even happy to report that the Utah Culver’s has fry sauce.

As for the french fries at Culver’s.  Why on earth are you serving crinkle cut fries like I remember from the 80s french fry commercials.  Other than the weak french fries, the Culver’s butterburgers were absolutely delicious.  Kid’s meals even come with free ice cream or custard which is what they are also famous for.  Culver’s butterburgers and custard are worth trying and hopefully more will pop up around the state of Utah.  Overall review is that Culver’s hit the spot and you’ll enjoy your burger.

Culver’s Utah
7165 S Bingham Junction Blvd
Midvale, UT 84047
(801) 565-9999

@culvers and @culversutah for specials and custard flavors of the day

The bun is a unglazed baked donut with no hole.  The inside patty is actually a chocolate raised donut and the dressings include a whipped cream, icing for lettuce and mustard and a raspberry fill for the ketchup look.  I’m not a rookie to the sweet looking bad tasting pastry world so I was cautiously optimistic about the Lehi Baker donut burger but even the bakery worker said she’s heard good things about it, while not actually tasting it herself.  For $2.09 I was willing to give it a try, and give it a try I did.  DELICIOUS!

It was in all honesty a donut burger to beat all donut burgers.  I can’t talk to the amount of calories, fat and other potentially life threatening aspects of the donut burger but I can talk to the fact that it was delicious.  The fusion of donuts and whipped cream and a hint of raspberry filling was a beautiful medley of deliciousness that made me smile, contemplate and devour the donut burger.  Was it worth $2.09?  YES.  Should I have also purchased a maple bar?  NO, but I did and that’s beside the point.  Overall it is safe to say that if you are willing to give it a try you won’t be disappointed by the Lehi Baker Donut Burger.

Lehi Bakery
172 West Main Street
Lehi UT 84043

801-768-9544

Sunshine Grill features local ground beef and each burger is about 9 oz. of goodness. The burger menu includes a variety of burger options including The Heart Attack, The Kitchen Sink, The Crunch Burger and even an old fashion burger.  The staff is super friendly, but how could you be anything but awesome in Grand Cayman?  The fries are a combination of pre-made potato and sweet potato mixed with a combination of homemade deep fried onion straws, jalapenos and mushrooms that are quite tasty but make you wonder why you can’t just pick what you want and go with that.  Sunshine Grill also offers free soft-serve ice cream for kiddos so you can spend your time eating burger goodness.  Here’s the Sunshine Grill menu.

Overall the burger felt a lot bigger than the advertised 9 oz. and really hit the spot.  If you find yourself in the Grand Cayman Island, Sunshine Grill is well worth a lunch or dinner stop.  You won’t be disappointed.

Sunshine Grill
1465 Esterley Tibbetts | at the Sunshine Suites Resort
Seven Mile Beach
KY1-1201, Grand Cayman

345-946-5848
http://www.sunshinesuites.com/restaurant/

The Bomb is a half pound of Beefalo goodness.  Tasting more like chopped steak and less like your typical burger, the Bombdiggity burgers are definitely unique.  The bun, purchased from a local bakery, was phenomenal and helped to even-out the burger experience.  They also have a sweet sauce, originally made for their hot dogs, which makes the burger 100x better.  The fries were quite tasty and although they aren’t Beefalo fries they complemented the overall meal very nicely.  The sauces are all house specials, except for the ketchup and mustard and while you’re ordering you’ll probably see the custard creations in front of you (they do a good job of letting you know the upcoming flavor options via Facebook).  With less calories, less cholesterol and less fat than even chicken, Beefalo burgers from Bombdiggitys are not only healthy but they taste pretty darn good too.

The menu at Bombdiggitys includes Beefalo hot dogs, amazing custards and a variety of Beefalo burgers that range from sliders to 4 pound masterpieces.  The “Bodacious” wall of champion eaters inspires any foodie with pictures of successful Beefalo burger masters and their 2+ pound burgers.  The staff, the service and the decor help to make Bombdiggitys a place worth talking about but the Beefalo burgers are why I’ll be back.

Even the bathroom is cool at Bombdiggitys

Bombdiggitys
1481 West 12600 South
Riverton Utah 84065
801-466-2554

Bombdiggitys Hours:
Monday – Saturday 11:00am to 10:00pm

I was quickly seated and introduced to Steakburgers for the first time.  The diner inspired ice cream and burger shop is definitely fast food but was surprisingly similar to In-n-out burger.It had the same feel with happy, habitual customers and enthusiastic employees.  One big difference however was the ordering options which included plenty of toppings choices and some delicious looking and sounding shakes.  I went with the original double cheeseburger.  It comes plain and then you start adding your toppings.  I added lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup, regular mustard, their fancy sauce and pickles.  I also went with a Mint Oreo shake….I mean, this place is called Steak n’ Shake so who am I to not eat a shake.

The Shake arrived first and I was all done with it when my burger was presented.  It had a very In-n-out look to it with a light, crispy bun and felt like the same size.  In fact, after one bite I knew exactly what my review was going to be.  A Steak n Shake double cheeseburger is a meatier, heartier In-n-out burger.  I enjoyed it and devoured it. The bun lasted for the whole burger and every bite was the same…that’s a big deal.  The fries however were skinny and not special at all.  I ate them all but more out of obligation than because they were good.  Overall, Steak n’ Shake was pretty good and for $3.99 the Original Double cheeseburger meal was a great dinner.  Meatier, heartier but not quite as fresh as an In-N-Out burger is the best I can do for an honest Steak n Shake review.

Locals have lined up in droves ever since the streamlined burgers of In-N-Out have come to town, but otherwise the area’s burger personality is quite a bit more decadent—as in, pastrami burgers. To try a quarter-pound patty piled high with more beef, check out Crown Burger, where they also add Thousand Island dressing, lettuce, onions, and cheese.

The fact that Crown Burger and In-N-Out were called out by the blurb surprises me.  With Roy’s Burger Bar being featured on diner tv shows, Porter’s Place having the Destroying Angel (nothing says Utah like a Porter Rockwell themed Destroying Angel burger), the awesomeness that is Communal in Provo and so many variations of the pastrami burger dotting the state I guess a congratulations is in order for both chains.  Imagine how much sooner Utah could have been featured if In-N-Out hadn’t waited so long to join the ranks of burger stops.

We are in a burger paradise.