Hype? I Don't Get it

So there's this place in Cali that everyone raves about ... I think it goes beyong Cali but I don't keep tabs on where the franchise opens as it's not one of my favorites.  I guess you can say that it's only a favorite by association, meaning that I eat here only because the people I'm with seem to love it so dearly and it's the best thing in the world for them.

I don't understand the hype about this place, In and Out.  Yes that burger place that has the secret menu, that burger place that looks like an old fashioned fast food place from the 60's and 70's.  I don't get it???  I really don't understand why everyone seems to love this place, is it the food, the atmosphere, or both? 

It's a place that I've been eating at for a few years now and I haven't found anything special about it except the secret menu which isn't so secret anymore since the internet became popular. 

The burgers are regular, they don't even have bacon as an option!  Comeon now ... there isn't any bacon!  The one thing I do like about the burgers is that they put a whole slice of onion on them when you order the grilled onions and not the sliced up pieces, but that's about it. 

This isn't a review of the place but just a general "WTF" as in I don't understand the hype with it.  I don't understand why people think it's so good here.  I'll be honest and will compare it to the places that I've been to before, the burger places.  The one with the Quartet of Guys definitely has better food than this place.  The fries alone, cajun fries that is trumps what In and Out has to offer ten fold. 

These are the cheese fries and it was alright, nothing to write home about, that's the reason why I don't feel like writing them a review as they aren't that great to me.  They might appeal to other people and are the best thing since sliced bread, but I don't understand and I might go through life never understanding why this place is so loved.

Perhaps it's the style and the way things are presented because I do admit that I like their old fashioned look and feel.  I like watching the single person putting a potato in that chopper and pulling on the handle to make the fresh fries. 

If someone does know why these burgers are "so good" to people, please let me know ... as the only responses I got were "they are just sooo good" but never a concrete reason as to why they are just so damn good.

+ mon

In and Who??? It's all about the Number of Guys!

Everytime I'm in Cali the ones who I go with make a big deal, a huge deal about In and Out.  They talk about how wonderful it is and how great it is.  To me it's just another burger, it's good, but it's not what I go to Cali for (that's another topic all it's own ... MmMMM Jack in the Box and Salt n Pepper Chicken!).

There has been one place here in NyC that has come close to that In and Out type burger, and it's on the eastside called Blue Burger Heaven.  The reason I sayy the In and Out type burger is because of the way they cook it and serve it to you, and somewhat on the taste, which I still think tastes like a regular good burger. 

Well I've seen this place before but hadn't tried it until recently.  It's called Five Guys Burgers.  Diday brought me back a "Little Bacon Cheeseburger with onions" the other week.  The "little" is only one patty as their "regular" burgers have two patties.  I decided noti to eat it with ketchup or anything else, just however they made it.  Took two bites and I could taste the goodness, instantly an In and Out killer for me.  The taste and meat was just different and better, yes I said it's better than In and Out! 

Two bites into the burger I took a "break" and went into the living room.  When I turned my head back to the dining table, I see my dad eating the burger until there was nothing left!  So I'm guessing my dad likes it too, he ate that thing pretty fast too ... and he just ate dinner. 

I had a chance at my own burger during the workweek as we were trying to figure out what to eat.  But looking at the menu, something else caught my eye ... it was the hot dog.  Unknown territory again ... how would this hot dog compare to anything that I've had before, most especially Gray's Papaya and Weinerschnitzel. 

Here I had the bacon cheese hot dog with mushrooms and onions ... just typing that I could feel my heart struggling for it's next beat!  But it was good! 

One of my favorite things about Five Guys is that they give you fries ... A LOT OF FRIES!  They put it in these styrofoam cups, but once they get all that you ordered in the bag, they dump more fries in the bag!  I can't forget about the Cajun Fries ... these are extremely good and I want some right now!  All I've been doing is craving these fries since yesterday when I last had them. 

All that seasoning on the fries along with ketchup ... I could go without the burger.  Potatoes are healthy right!? 

Taste : 8.2
Price : $ out of $$$
Restaurant : 8 (quick, free peanuts and refills)

+ mon