Cook-Out "Cooked Outdoors Style"

For lunch, for dinner, for late night 'I am hammered and I will literally eat anything', Cook-Out is always a good choice. If you live in NC/SC you know what one is, you know how good it is, and you know that you probably will order way more than you wanted to. It's not really fast food, for my CNY/Utica readers it is essentially a Voss' on the go with way more options, and for someone that doesn't get that reference, Cook-Out is a perfect hybrid between fast food and sit out burger restaurant. Boom. The best part? The price, you would pay more for a 'value meal' at a BK or Wendy's and get a flat "burger" with suspect fries for the same price of a HUGE real burger with fresh cut fries AND a shake! (Side note: this review was a long time coming, I have eaten here about a dozen times before I did a review, why? Because I inhaled the food before I could get a crappy cell phone picture of it!)

Bigger picture than normal but this gives you the idea quality/quantity and price!

That's lot of choices! And if you are in a hurry you can order via their TWO drive-thru windows and there is also a walk up window on the other side of the building! Everything is always fresh and hot, I have never ever had a wilted fry or cold hot dog from here. Now, a rookie move is pulling up and not knowing what you want. Why? Because you tend to start 'ordering hungry' which could lead to multiple bags of heart-stopping goodness. And what is a must? Adding on to your burger or hot dog! My favorite? A huge (that's a small patty on a larger patty) burger Cook-Out style with chili, slaw, mustard and onion mmmmm.....

This cost $21.48 (huge cheddar burger, regular Out-West burger, cheddar dog, hushpuppies, chili-cheese fries, chicken strips and a Peanut butter fudge shake)

What did I like? Well, what don't I like? I could list everything I have ever eaten there and then explain each thing but I am not going to do that for obvious reasons.... But, I will tell you what is a must if you are heading out to a Cook-Out for the first time. One, you need a burger from here. It isn't like a Mickey D's burger that looks like a clay disc that was boiled (blah). It is real hand formed ground beef burger, BOOM! Sizes are small, regular, large and, my favorite, HUGE. You get to then add on for .65-.85 cents, cheddar, steak, Cook-Out and Out-West! What goes better with a burger than homemade chili and cheese on some freshly cut fries! Feeling that tingle? That may be the early signs of a heart attack but you have to keep adding on! A hot dog is a must with a .65 cent add on of cheddar, Mexi and Cook-Out. Finally, it wouldn't be a Southern meal with out .99 cents for of a dozen hushpuppies! (They fry these in the same fryer that cooks the onions rings so it has a nice onion-esk taste). If you have a hankering for something sweet then look no further than there 35 choices of homemade shakes from Blueberry Cheesecake all the way to Peanut Butter Fudge. Too thick? A Cheerwine float with a shot of soft-serve vanilla is a more 'healthy' (hahahahaha) choice.

This is a immaculate HUGE cheddar burger (Onions, cheese, mayo and REAL bacon)

What would I change? Now as much as I have praised the daylights out of this place EVERYONE has room for improvement, but nothing drastic here. From order, to paying, to driving away is fine; it's as long as you would expect to wait from a semi-fast food place, think '5 Guys Order Timing.' So, that isn't so much of a problem as it is just an FYI. But, there are a few things on that rather voluminous menu that I would avoid like the plague. This is something that saddened me, their quality of  their onion rings. Booooo! Sadly, the breading was flimsy, which lead to a weird cooking of the onion which leads to sub-par onion rings. All the onion rings do that thing that every ring eater hates... you take a bite and then the whole onion rips out and then you are stuck eating a scorching hot 1,000 degree onion while holding the shell of it's breading... if you don't know what I am talking about then you must have a very active and healthy lifestyle and I applaud you. The only other downside is their chopped BBQ. It... it isn't right to eat 'drive thru BBQ' (can you hear me McDonald's and your gross McRib, nasty.) Their pulled or chopped 'pork' looks like canned pet food or maybe ground meat? Avoid please.

'God Bless America' is on very take out object... (I don't know how I feel about that)

 Recommendation? If you are hungry and want something quick please do not go to BK, Wendy's, McDonald's etc... Look out for Cook-Out! They are scattered all over NC/SC and should be your first option for greasy on-the-go-food. For two dinner is cheaper than any crappy Chili's or Outback and is way better, trust me. I have only broken a $20 once and that's because I was trying to see what it would take (and I was hungry, and yes it was for two people.) Never underestimate that 'Co_ _ _ut' sign (I have never seen a Cook-Out neon sign that has all it's letters.) Now I am going for a 100 mile run to burn off a 1/4th of that HUGE cheddar burger.

A link to all Cook-Out's, it's essentially a locations tab and menu: Cook-Out "Cooked Outdoors Style"

5 Guys Burgers and Fries

To quote Man vs. Food host Adam Richman, 'oh my goodness, oh my goodness'; this review was a long time coming. I was first blessed with this place when they opened up a few miles down the road from my college in Utica, NY, and there was no looking back. It's a bare bones place and because of their limited menu, they are able to give their products the royal treatment... mmmmm burgers. 

It's NOT fast food!

Every 5 Guys has a unlimited quantity of free peanuts, monster orders of fresh fries and BIG a** burgers! It must be noted that I have never eaten a hot dog there because it's not called 5 Guys Hot Dogs and Fries [just doesn't have the same ring to it.] Another side note is that when ordering a burger or a bacon cheese burger you must say you want a 'small' if you only want a single patty on your buns. Toppings? They have quite a lot and they put them on... no they stack them... no they pile them on for you by the handful. And when this burger creation is done it kind of sings.... metaphorically that is, other wise that would be creepy.

What did I like? Lets start with the fries. They are always cut, blanched and fried fresh for every costumer. They aren't sitting under a hot lamp waiting to be chucked into a cup. A regular order of fries is good enough for even the most robust consumer; while, a large order is good to split. Basically a large is a big cup o' fries and then they dump another serving into your brown bag. Now comes the burger- your topping choices are vast: mayo, pickles, relish, lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, ketchup, mustard, jalapeno peppers, green peppers, A1 Sauce, BBQ sauce, hot sauce, extra cheese... phew! And then there is the burger. It's a fresh hand patted patty grilled up special for you. Nice char on the outside allows the patty to have some bite to it while the inside is juicy and full of good-old-meaty-flavor BOOM. Finally, the time it takes from ordering to indulging isn't at the machine gun rate of a major MAJOR chain yet not restaurant wait time. Even at 12pm rush time I have never waited more than 5-6 minutes for my burger.

No you don't get a plastic plate with your order...

What would I change? The burgers themselves do not need any modification by any means but there are a few things that I would change. It's the consistency of burger assembly [seems like a reach right?] But, what I mean is that sometimes I would order my favorite and it would be a towering mass of toppings and cheese and sometimes it would be a flat line squish burger. I realize it can't be the same all the time but some consistency? The only other fault I can even muster is the fact that you should NEVER EVER order the Cajun fries. BLAH. I have never ordered them but have sampled others and they taste like chemical cardboard... what? Yeah, chemical cardboard. No need to drench these wonderful fries in anything other than an occasional dip in ketchup. Please avoid!

Recommendation? What do I get everytime? Bacon and cheese burger with ketchup, mustard, relish, grilled onions and lettuce, quite the misha-mosh as my Nana would say. But, no matter what you order you must try a burger and don't go too conservative with your toppings. Also, try to avoid this bad boy at rush lunch/dinner time; yes, I said ordering and receiving was at a good pace... that was NOT factoring waiting in a 20-30 person line FYI. But, they offer ordering by phone and newly added, online. Last side note, it's not chain fast food cheep, example bacon and cheese burger $6.38, but it's worth it!

Five Locations in the Charlotte, NC 28262 area: 5 Guys Burgers and Fries in Charlotte