Burgers, Burgers, Burgers.
Five Guys Burgers and Fries is a hamburger joint located in the Kohl’s Shopping Center in Levittown. After reading an article in the Long Island Press about the “Best Of Long Island” in the Long Island Press it was time to give this place a try. Five Guys Burgers and Fries was voted best burger by the Long Island Press and I must admit I was skeptical of the Long Island Press’s award. That was before I had one of there burgers.
Stopping in for lunch on a monday afternoon at about 4:00 pm things were quite. The menu is straight and to the point. Burgers the way you want them done right. Being my first time there it was taking me a little more time to order to the guy at the counter asked If i needed help and the went ahead and explained the different options. Hamburgers, Cheese Burgers and Bacon Cheese Burgers are served 2 patties high and come with a wide choice of toppings free. For a little less meat and a slight bit less of a hit in the wallet you have the option of getting your hamburger or cheese burger “little”. “Little” just means one meat patti instead of two. I ordered a little cheese burger with A1 Sauce, a regular size cajun fries and a soft drink and a hot dog with cheese. After I paid I was given a number and told it would be about 5-8 minutes for my order to be ready. Each customers food is cooked to order. The nice guy at the counter then told me that I can help my self to Free Peanuts. This sounded a little strange to me at first because i never associated peanuts with hamburgers, and i didn’t expect them to be free. I scooped up a bunch of unshelled unsalted peanuts, filled up my cup with root beer and sat down at one of the many tables.
Sitting down and munching on peanuts i couldn’t help but notice the insane amount of reviews from different places all over the country. Five Guys burgers and Fries is new to the Long Island area but has been wining rave reviews around the country in other locations for years. There is also a striking similarity to Checkers. Im not sure who came first but this is not a Checkers.
About 5 minutes in to my peanut shelling frenzy the guy at the counter called my number and gave me a thumbs up that it was ready. This is what I was waiting for.
Wrapped in foil and in a brown bag. I opened up my burger and took a bite. For once the hype is right. This is a damn good burger. The burger was fresh, juicy and tasted like a burger should. It was over seasoned or salted to hide the taste of fillers or over cooking. It was just good ingredients coked right. The bun was nice and soft and you could taste the mastery and timing of the cook on the grill. I finished mine in about 4 minutes and have been thinking about it ever since. The cajun style fries were also good but not as memorable as the burger. The portion of fries is also pretty hefty. The regular size that at $2.49 was enough for 2 – 3 people easy especially when you have enough free peanuts around to train a circus elephant. The cheese dog I got was cut down the middle and filled with what tasted like american cheese. It was good but a little salty and the taste of the hot dog was strangely similar to the hot dog at Checkers.
Two root beers and who knows how many calories later it was time to move on. The service was great and big part of the experience. When the people who work some place are enthusiastic about their products it shows. I dont know If I would label Five Guys Burgers and Fries the Best Burger On Long Island yet but it is definitely a extremely strong contender and right now they are the burger to beat. The quality,taste and service have made this a regular on the lunch list.
Uhh. I got to say I love these burgers. I am still a huge fan of All American because it is uniquely a Long Island landmark, But Five Guys is the best chain hamburger place.
What does every one else think?
Five Guys or All American?
I don’t understand the appeal of 5G. An overcooked lump of grey meat… who can tell if the meat is any good when you cook the heck out of it? I can think of only one reason they do so: their legal team said that’s the best way.
Good steakhouses sneer at customers who order their steaks well-done, because they know it ruins the meat. Same is true for burgers. And Five Guys.
If you’re comparing 5 Guys to All American, 5 guys must be crap, since All American is crap. I was hoping 5 Guys would be better, and from what I hear it is better. I don’t “get” all this unabashed love for All-American Burger. The burgers are nothing. NOTHING. I’d never go out of my way for All-American ever again. I’m hearing good things about 5 Guys, and I’m assuming, based on the numbers that what I hear is true. But this love affair with All-American.–man, I just don’t see it at all.
I didn’t want to respond to these posts. I was simply online, looking for information about 5 Guys because I’d heard so much about the chain and the burger. Unfortunately, I saw Pete’s comment from May 2009, and I just had to respond. Okay, first of all, you Long Island guys (yes, I am one) have to concede that you are, first and foremost, nostalgists. You grew up on Long Island, and some of the endearing landmarks evoke many emotions, don’t they? Come on. Admit it. You know and I know that All American isn’t a good burger. It’s slightly better than a McDonald’s or Burger King, neither of which are any good at all. Yes, I “get” your affection for things-Long-Island. Hey, it’s a great place. Its proximity to NYC, the ocean, the Sound. We understand, but friends, please, if you know food, and especially burgers, you must admit that All American simply takes you back to another time in your lives. Here’s the problem–it just doesn’t deserve the crowd that forms outside those service windows.
Clambelly just curious what burger spots your liking on Long Island or even in NYC. I’ll eat a burger any place?