Previously on the Great Burger Hunt , I tried out three burgers, and chose which I thought was my favorite: Super Duper Burgers. Now I’m eager to try three new places to compare to see if it’s still in the lead. This week it goes against Wes Burger ‘n’ More, Causwells and Popsons Burgers.
1. Wes Burger ‘n’ More
Wes Burger ‘n’ More is conveniently located on Mission street just south of the 16th street BART exit. It’s a pretty no frills approach to eating as you order at the register and sit at the table and wait for your food. They do have more than just burgers, hence the ‘n’ more (and their chicken sandwich is probably better than the burgers), but this review is about the burger. I had the Okie burger with mustard, pickles and american cheese (basically because I love pickles), and it was a pretty solid burger. The patty was a bit small for the bun, but the bun was pretty good at holding it together. I had it medium rare, so it has plenty of juice. But the real winner here are the sides. They have several, but the tater tots are pretty much a no brainer. If you’re feeling incredibly hungry, the deluxe tots are smothered with whatever toppings they choose for the week (kinda like animal-style fries, but with tots). But even plain, the tots are a winner. And if you go for lunch, they include tots on the side for free (at least the last time I went), so it’s a great deal.
Patty: ★★★★☆
Bun: ★★★★☆
Sides: ★★★★★
Value: ★★★★☆
2. Causwells
Causwells burger is touted for being an “award-winning burger” so it was definitely something I needed to try. It was a bit of a trek for me as it’s in the Marina, but I got in and sat at the bar for lunch to give it a try. It’s a fairly standard burger as burgers go: Double meat, double cheese, special sauce. It’s a bit like an upscale version of a big mac (without the extra bun). And it was a good burger with a tasty bun. Nothing amazing or worth awards in my book, mostly do to the slightly dry and overcooked beef patties. But the fried onions that came with it? Give me a pile of those any time.
Patty: ★★★☆☆
Bun: ★★★★☆
Sides: ★★★★★
Value: ★★★★☆
3. Popsons Burgers
Finally, I hit up Popsons Burgers. It turns out that Popsons is the basically the Causwells burger with more options. I had the Bacon Blue Burger (with double meat, because I love a mouthful of meat), and in all honesty it is definitely a subpar version of Causwells. Very dry, very overcooked patties forced me to add quite a bit of ketchup to give my mouth some lubrication. And the seasoned fries were really nothing special. All in all, Popsons was extremely overrated.
Patty: ★★☆☆☆
Bun: ★★★★☆
Sides: ★★☆☆☆
Value: ★★★☆☆
Winner: Wes Burger ‘n’ More
Wes Burger ‘n’ More definitely blew the other two on this list out of the water, but it was a pretty close call between it and Super Duper Burgers. I think Wes Burger really just had the slight edge with the tots, a slightly tastier patty and a great lunch deal. So it will be moving on to the next round to compete against three new bay area burgers.
What was the poundage on the Wes Burger? (i.e., was the bun just monstrous, or was it a smaller or thicker patty?)
This burger reality show is a ton of fun. Can’t wait for the next round!
I think it was about six ounces of beef? I don’t really know. Maybe it’s on the website.
Welcome back to California, Grant! You should come down to Santa Cruz to see The 39 Steps at Santa Cruz Shakespeare. There are several new upscale restaurants to check out.