Five guys was always an unicorn to me.
Only available on another continent. Always told it is a hamburger with no match. Always told to try it.
The first time I have heard from it was on youtube through the user Daym Drops on this video.
Well, fortunetely, it was an unicorn.
I was informed that Five guys have opened a few restaurants in the UK, including one in Central London, Covent Garden.
Isn’t that just lucky?
After some 30 minutes commuting, I got to their place, which has a rather bland look.
The interior is also basic. Red and white.
But once inside, there is a vibe in the air that tells that the burger is good.
Everywhere on the walls there are reviews from Journals, magazines, blogs saying that their burger is exceptional.
Right away, I can say, that the kitchen is exceptional.
The kitchen is in front of every one to see. It is an open style kitchen that always to see what the guys are doing.
Since the bacon cheese burger over there always receives high praise, I had to know what it is all about.
The meal chosen was:
Bacon Cheese burger (the large one) with grilled mushrooms. I’m pretty sure I could have chosen more toppings.
Cajun Fries (was recommended)
Bottomless Coke.
Receipt says: 14 pounds.
So, after a few minutes waiting on the line, this is what they give you.
I’m pretty sure the last time I saw a brown bag it was hiding booze. Or drugs. Or both. But matter not, let’s look inside.
Are you seriously going to serve me a burger that cost me just shy of 9 pounds on tin foil???
Setting that aside, and unrapping the foil
That is a good looking burger. It is oozing cheese and has a heavenly smell.
But the taste…
I had a reaction similar to this.
(Copyright by Pixar)
The first bite left me speechless.
It seemed that the way the burger is presented was some kind of clever plot to lower the expectations and then having hammer falling on the head.
The bun is moist. The meat is succulent and fills the all the space in the mouth. The cheese is there to round up the taste and the grilled mushrooms were done just right.
I take it all back with my tin-foil comments and brown bags. Keep them. Please, keep them!
This burger is, without a shadow of a doubt, crack cocaine on a sandwich format.
If I had a golden burger award picture, I would have posted it already.
But it doesn’t end here, oh no.
There is more and it is just as good.
The fries
A huge portion of it.
These are some sexy fries over here.
So sexy, they deserved a zoom
These are not only sexy, but they also have character.
Spicy. Well fried with skin-on. A bite will land a haymaker on the face. They are the best fries out there.
Full-stop.
I don’t usually go for seconds.
This meal didn’t need seconds… but this is crack-cocaine.
So, since Five guys also offer “mini” hamburgers, a mini cheeseburger was the choice.
First impression was “that isn’t a mini hamburger. That is a space-sta… almost the size of a big mac!”.
And it tastes the same as the bacon cheeseburger!
Same quality meat, left me speechless yet again.
To wrap things up.
This restaurant won’t win any prizes with appeal, looks, marketing and presentation but who cares?
The greased brown bag and the tin-foiled hamburger is part of the experience and despite this shady look it wins on all relevant departments: Taste, attention to detail and customer satisfaction
Five guys, as far as I’m aware, have their marketing done by word of mouth. The burger is *that good*. And they deserve every bit of praise.
If this isn’t a perfect burger, it is very close.
Food – 4.75/5
Choice of drinks – 2.5/5
Service – 4.25/5
Location – 5/5
Try this.You won’t regret it!
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