Restaurant Review: Five Guys Burgers and Fries

The other day my husband had a day off from work, so we hit the town with the two littles to run a few errands. I knew if I timed it just right, we would be able to eat lunch out.  :)

Several monts ago, Five Guys Burgers and Fries came to the metro area, and more recently one opened up in Norman at 24th and Robinson across from the Super Target.  I figured this was a good time to go try it out.  My husband was not one to object.  He's what I like to call a "burger conessiour".  His family owned and operated a couple of burger joints when he was young.  Maybe you know of Cecil's Burger Palace.  He learned the art of burger making (and enjoying) from his late father. 

The inside was nicely decorated with red and white.  The kitchen is open.  We enjoyed seeing the food being prepared. You could definitely tell it was a new establishment. You have to stand in line to place your order.  The line was sectioned off by giant bags of potatoes.  Dual purpose. Ha! 

The menu is simple.  Burger.  Hot Dog.  Grilled Cheese.  Fries.  Toppings.  And drinks.  The burgers come in two sizes, regular and little.  The choices of toppings are unlimited, so you can choose as many (or as few) as you want. 

My husband ordered a regular burger with mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles, grilled onions and mustard.  I had the little bacon cheeseburger with mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles, grilled onions, and grilled mushrooms.  We ordered a grilled cheese for the boys to split.  We also shared a large order of fries.  The boys had waters.  My husband and I had pops.  (I know, I'm "off" Dr. Pepper.  But you can't have a burger and fries without soda.) ;)

We were able to find a table and sit down right at noon on a weekday.  And then the rush hit.  Had we arrived 10 minutes later, we would have had trouble finding a table for the four of us.  The food came out quickly, and we began to dig in. 

The food was good.  It definitely ranked higher than a fast food burger and burgers you would find at a national chain.  My husband enjoyed the food as much as the environment.  He said it felt and tasted like his childhood memories.  Which says a lot. 

One down side of our visit was that it was a little more costly than we expected.  For the food mentioned above, our bill was just under $25.  That may not sound like a lot to most, but for our frugal little family it was. 

Will we return?  Possibly.  The only hinderance for us would be the price tag.  The atmosphere was lively.  The staff was very friendly.  If you love burgers and fries, Five Guys is definitely worth your time to check out.

(My choice for a good, cheap burger is still McNellie's $3 burger night.)

Restaurant Review 1: Steak and Catfish Barn

I'm a sucker for tv, especially shows about food. Food Network and the Cooking Channel are at the top of my list. Travel Channel also has their fair share of great food shows, one of which being Man v. Food. I love learning about great places to eat in cities that I would love to visit. Although it may also be that Adam Richman, the show's host, looks a lot like a grown up Kevin Arnold. ;) Wouldn't you know it, Adam (and the show) visited Oklahoma. I had to go check it out.

A few weeks ago, my family visited the zoo and worked up quite an appetite. We weren't too far away from an eatery where the show filmed. The Steak and Catfish Barn it was!

I admit, driving up to the place wasn't the most exciting. It truly does look like a truck stop off the busy interstate. The inside stayed with that theme. It was a little dark and seemed like it hadn't been decorated in about 15 years. That didn't bother us. It was clean, and honestly some of the best eats come from hole in the wall establishments.

The waitstaff was very friendly and attentive. Our boys enjoyed looking at all the decorations covering the walls. The menu was large enough, mostly with fried foods. But after all, that's what The Travel Channel came for, and so did we! My husband and I both ordered the catfish dinner. It came with hush puppies and our choice of two sides. I chose the green beans and okra. He chose a side salad and fries. I also ordered a side of the green tomato relish. Our oldest chose his favorite, popcorn shrimp. Boy #2 opted for the catfish. The baby was happy with Cheerio's.

The food was good. I won't say spectacular. Honestly, I prefer my catfish a little more thinly cut. My husband enjoyed the catfish and had no complaints. I will say, the green tomato relish was delicious! Eating it with the hush puppies, catfish, or straight....YUM! (mental note for a recipe search....) The boys each enjoyed their meals as well. The food was very fairly priced, and the service was great. It was easy place to eat with the children as well. If we are up on the north side of Oklahoma City again, we may head back.

And a shot of Adam for the road.....