Best Burgers in the North End of West Seattle

[john moore]

Spring Hill was very good but was $17 just for the burger…

Porterhouse was very good but not there…

Jak’s has been very good at times, but last time wasn’t. Besides, it’s a crime to go there and not have their steak!

Likewise, I’ll never know if The Matador burger is good because I could never NOT GET their Texas Sized Nachos w/steak!

I hear Zippy’s is good… but I’m only interested in someplace where I can sit down indoors at a cool, clean table and have a beer or other drink with my burger…

I have NO BURGER PLACE TO GO TO…

Please help…

[Bonnie]

Elliott Bay has good burgers.

[TKDguy]

Luna Park has pretty good burgers. Get a shake too!

[2 Much Whine]

“I hear Zippy’s is good… but I’m only interested in someplace where I can sit down indoors at a cool, clean table and have a beer or other drink with my burger…”

What about Zippy’s doesn’t fit this description? They serve beer. Tables are clean. Granted, they’re not in North End of West Seattle. Looking for a white tablecloth or just unaware that they sell beer?

[lazybeard]

In the north end, give Circa a whirl. In the in south end, give Zippy’s or Katsu Burger in Georgetown a try.

[john moore]

I didn’t know. I haven’t had much luck with Zippy’s. I was thinking of their old location I guess. Are they really busy at lunch and closed on Sundays? Not open evenings? I have to work. I was up near Lynnwood recently on a Sunday and thought I’d try “Dick’s” and see what all the hype is about. So I stood in their long line and got up and gave my order and got out my card and the girl says, “Don’t you know it’s “Cash Only”, Sir?” While the thirty people behind me look on impatiently. No sign anywhere to that effect… Anyway, Thanks. I WILL try Zippy’s if I can make it work. And thanks for the other tips you guys! It will take me a little while to try them ’cause I’m on a budget, but I’ll let you know how it went…

[katman]

Check the ad in the right column >>>>>>>>>>>>>

It has the menu too and prices and hours>>>>>>>

[john moore]

Wow thanks I did not know about the point and click thing. I see Zippy’s is completely different! Open at night and on Sundays. I’ll probably try it this week!

[katman]

Things are better since the move

[cwit]

I’ll second the Circa recommendation. Terrible Beauty has the Banger Burger, which is a Banger sausage and Angus beef mixture that’s pretty tasty, too.

Zippy’s No. 11 is a fave and to me, they’re more what I consider a burger joint (root beers, onion rings, shakes, etc.). Just try to get there early if you’re going for lunch.

[HelperMonkey]

seconding Elliot Bay if you’re in the junction. great burgers and great beer.

[smokeycretin9]

Luna Park’s burgers are sub par at best. They taste like frozen patties bought at Safeway. I love Luna Park’s breakfast, their staff is always nice and great people, and the shakes are like crack, BUT the burgers are not that good.

take my 2 cents for what its worth,

Another vote for Elliot Bay and Zippy’s

[Myr-myr]

Yummm for Swinery beef burgers with sauteed onions!

[56bricks]

It’s a bit out of the way but I’ve always enjoyed Smokeys charbroiled burgers in Burien for at least 40 years so they must be doing something right!

[shed22]

Myr-myr, you beat me to it. Swinery, for sure! While their courtyard hours are not amenable to everyone, they sure have some good eats. Don’t be surprised if you go for a burger and end up with their pulled pork or bacon dog instead.

[sunshine]

Shadowland has a really good wagyu burger – it’s even on the happy hour menu!

[bsmomma]

I love Jaks “Chop Chop burger” But honestly, I live in (North) WS and I will drive to WC for Zippys, hands down.

[bsmomma]

There’s a new place opening in the old Porterhouse spot……… it would be awesome to have an amazing local “go to” burger spot……

[JanS]

I’m thinking the same thing, momma…looking forward to it. It’s been such a bad luck location, hope this one’s the charm :)

[Smitty]

Jan, I like you – and I like burgers.

Would love to buy you one some time.

I’m being serious.

[JanS]

My heart doc would probably tell me to lighten up on the burgers, but…I may take you up on that :D

[john moore]

OK!

So I got ahold of “The World’s Hardest Man” (who is my fellow burger investigator) and we both got permission from our womens to do a burger busting on Friday night.

Based on YOUR recommendations so far (WSBers), I gave him a choice between Luna Park, Elliot Bay and Zippy’s. He chose Zippy’s. I thought he was cheating ’cause he had already eaten there once at their old location. So I thought he really liked it a lot already and wouldn’t give an unbiased opinion.

He got there first and had a booth already staked out. This was valuable real estate at the time.

I sat down in the booth and knew right away it was clean. I didn’t even have to look. I could sense that the table and the seat were very clean and that the whole place was very clean. I almost wanted to cry. You probably could have fed me bark-o-mulch on a bun right then and I would have been happy.

They were serving out shakes “like hot cakes”, and it was clearly as much a shake place as it was a burger place! I would have ordered a shake but “The World’s Hardest Man” is a beer man, so I stuck with him. They didn’t have a large selection of bottled beer, but it was at least diverse. I had a Scuttlebutt and he chose a very large bottle of Pabst with two frosted glasses.

It seemed like there was two ways to go: their classic burger in ascending sizes; or one of their specialty burgers. Hardness went with the 2/3 lbs version of their classic. I think they called it a “Zip Royale” I hope he will get on here some time soon and give you his take. I am sorry but I was excited and don’t know how well done he had it or what kind of cheese he chose, etc. He didn’t complain about it so it was probably pretty good.

I ordered two burgers–both Well Done. I asked for them to be cut in half. I asked for cheddar. I forgot to add bacon. I also ordered both fries and onion rings. I got the Zip Royale and also chose a specialty burger called The Big Bully. The Big Bully has garlicky mayonnaise and was buried in grilled onions.

It was clear that the hype was well founded. The patty’s were completely different from everybody else’s. Kind of solid and far superior in flavor and texture. I totally forgot to add salt because I didn’t need it. Shockingly, I didn’t even miss the bacon. For me a Zip Royale has almost so much meat in that it overpowers the rest of the ingredients. It was like a brick of really good meat and I don’t even remember what else was there. I would rate the Zip Royale as Very Good. That is a really high rating for me. I liked the bun a lot too.

I am sorry to say that the fries and onion rings were just silly in comparison. I don’t mean to be unkind. I won’t say they were “bad”. Uninspired? Inadequate? Not up to the scale of anything else I was experiencing. The low point in the entire adventure. I left them 99% uneaten. And I am a red-blooded American starch attic who would probably steal a fry or onion ring from a blind homeless man after it had been dropped in the gutter (twice).

The high point was The Bully Burger. That was the hottest burger I ever put in my mouth (“stove hot” not “spicy hot”). Hardness said so too. He took half of it. I was immediately jealous of the half he took because it was so good. For a moment our friendship was in danger. Then he says, “I don’t even consider that a burger…” I was peeved. I asked him to clarify but he ignored me. I assume he meant that it was so wet and hot and buried in grilled onions that it would have been easier to eat off a plate with utensils. He certainly couldn’t have had a problem with the flavor…It could be that he was just so happy with his Royale. I remember he was digging the red onions.

We went through a lot of napkins! The service was great! The price was very reasonable.

Next day (today) after work I brought Patio Pam. I bought myself another Bully Burger that was every bit as good. I also tried another specialty burger (The Great Dane?) The highlight was blue cheese (and they didn’t skimp on the blue cheese). I really liked the Great Dane, but I LOVED the Bully.

This time I had tater tots. They were good and I was happy with them. That solves the fries/onion rings problem.

Patio built her own burger. She also had tea and a vanilla shake. I hope she’ll share her impressions here soon. I snuck a hit off her shake. It tasted like real ice cream and real vanilla. Very good.

Good luck to the other establishments. This is going to be a hard burger experience to beat.

[2 Much Whine]

Apparently your experience with the Bully Burger is similar to my experience with the No. 11. It’s the first Zippy’s burger I ever tried and I’ve never tried anything else because it’s so darn good I don’t need to try anything else. Mmmmmm, Zippy’s!

[john moore]

Amen, Brother. And a special thanks to you and the rest of the congregation for bringing me into the fold. I forgot to mention that they got our order exactly right. Also, I am sometimes hesitant to order “Well Done” instead of “Medium Well” “cause some old-school chefs would dry it out. They didn’t dry it out. “Well Done” turned out to be just what I had hoped. ALSO, when we left, one of the guys there called out to Hardness by name and asked him how was his meal. They must have gotten his name off his card. That’s going the extra mile!

[Sue]

Love your description, John. They’ve got a really good black bean burger too if you’re ever in the mood for something different.

I do have to say though, that if one is vegetarian, they might want to check what they eat there first. Last time I went in I ordered the black bean burger (as I always do since giving up meat 2 years ago). I noticed cheese on it when it arrived and thought “I don’t recall the black bean burger coming with cheese” but ate it anyway (even though I don’t usually eat cheese). I’m busy talking with my husband and wasn’t really paying attention, except it was a fantastic burger. Then I looked down at my half eaten burger and realized I was eating beef and they had messed my order up.

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