When most people hear the word “hamburger” they think fast food such as McDonalds or Carl’s Jr., and could never fathom a hamburger that cost $40. However, Las Vegas has become the hamburger capital where top chefs from around the world compete for the crown of the best gourmet burger.
One of the leading contenders as of this article is Guy Fieri. You might remember Guy from his Food Channel show “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.” Guy has several restaurants bearing his name in Vegas, but for the Burger Bucket List we visited Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen and Bar adjacent to the popular Carnival Court and The LINQ’s main entrance.
We had to try the Mac & Cheese Bacon Burger – the burger that crushed its competition in New York City’s 2013 Burger Bash! Built with crispy Applewood bacon, six-cheese mac, plus more super-melty cheese between garlic toasted brioche buns. The burger looks like a Frankenstein creation, but after the first bite, I was sold on the multitude of flavor. The meat is seasoned to perfection and overall, an excellent burger.
I didn’t think it was possible to have fries, which are usually a side dish, outshine the burger. However, the Vegas Fries did just that. The sidewinder cut fries are tossed in spicy buffalo sauce, topped with blue cheese crumble and served with Guy’s blue-sabi sauce. I rate these as the best tasting fries to date. Just a word of precaution, if you try the fries, and by all means do because they are that amazing, make sure to bring gum, a toothbrush and mouthwash otherwise you and everyone around you will get to experience dragon breath.
Steven Craig
If you are the kind of person that loves burgers as much as me, and also loves the good ol’ fashioned 50’s diner style burger and shake, the best thing to do is take a drive over to Steak ‘n Shake. They have 2 locations in Las Vegas. We went to the one at South Point Casino, and their other location is at UNLV. Everything is fresh and delicious. They are the original creators of the Steakburger, and for 80 years they have continued to provide top quality Steakburgers and milkshakes. They make their burgers from 100% fresh top quality ground round, sirloin, and even T-bones, with no preservatives or artificial ingredients. Their milkshakes are unbelievably scrumptious too!
I ordered their newest specialty item on the menu, which was a double Philly Steakburger topped with American and Swiss cheese, grilled peppers, and onions with a garlic mayo sauce, and served with shoestring fries. Combining a Philly Cheesesteak and a traditional hamburger might sound odd at first, but it was fantastic! It was a delightful mishmash of two American favorites – I give it five stars!
And since Steven loves jalapeños, he ordered the Jalapeño Steakburger, which is a double Steakburger, with pepper-jack cheese, fresh jalapeño’s and salsa, French-fried onions with a chipotle mayo; served with fries. He also ordered a side of chili, which is the best darn chili this side of the Mississippi! And for a milkshake, Steven got the Reese’s Peanut-butter chocolate shake, which was a specialty shake that they were promoting. This was a real winner!
Needless to say, we wobbled out of there very satisfied. They have a diverse menu, so even if you have guests that are not big on burgers, they are sure to find something they love to eat.
Francesca Maria