Meet the Meat

The Quest for the Best Burger in Corvallis

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Tommy's 4th Street Bar & Grill

This place is on 4th street down by the Safeway on 4th.
This sign has been in the last THREE consecutive restaurants that Shauna and I have been to.

Skyler says:
I got the Mexican Burger, which means Guacamole, pepper jack, and jalopenos. With the cajunized fries.

The burger was good, it reminded me of the burgers that dad would grill up for us, had that "dad-made-it" flavor. The fries were good but, as Shauna pointed out, they tasted like the Red Robin seasoning was dumped on em.

I ordered a chocolate malt shake only to find that they dont have any malts. OK, so I ordered a chocolate shake. It was good, but over priced.

In fact that is how I would summarize the experience: "Good, but overpriced" For the same price, I think I'd go get more quality. If it tastes like home-barbecue and home-made shakes, why not just stay home?

Skyler rates it: 6.5

Shauna says:


My first impression was of a big, hearty burger-- maybe some competition for Jamie's? Unlike Jamie's, they used a liberal amount of lettuce and a bun with sesame seeds (yay!). Also unlike Jamie's, they put on too much mustard and used less quality meat. Considering that the prices were a little higher than Jamie's, I thought that was kind of disappointing.

The fries were okay, but too potato-ey. Even for you people who like potatoes in their fries, there was nothing remarkable to recommend them.

Also, $5.95 for a milkshake made with Hershey's syrup?! I could get a better, cheaper one at Shari's.

Finally, on the plus side, the decor was pretty sweet. Like the diner in Diner. Lots of Beavers memorabilia, but what can you do? I bet the outdoor seating is nice in warmer weather.

Overall, it was a little sad because I was really, really hungry, and it looked so good at first... but it left something wanting. I think you can find better value for your money elsewhere.

Shauna rates it: 6.5

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Jamie's Hamburgers

Jamie's Hamburgers is our first review. Overall it was a pretty tasty experience.

Skyler says:

I ordered the Big Bopper Burger which is a cream cheese/bacon/avacado burger.

I have to day that this was a very high quality burger! Yum! Very meaty and the cream cheese made it taste awesome even if it did keep sticking in my beard.

Add a chocolate malt shake and you are set for some good times as far as flavor is concerned.

The fries, however, were *OK* The were pretty crispy, but not like steak fries or anything. They were the small fries so I think they were just cooked too long. But I don't write off a place for its fries!

The waitress was also very nice. I even made a stupid joke and she was a good sport. She asked me how I would like my burger cooked, and I replied "on the grill, please"

Skyler rates it: 8.0

Shauna says:


I wanted to start at Jamie's because it's a Corvallis staple. I used to come here with my family and get the kids meal in a cardboard box shaped like a classic car. Their burgers are just my type: juicy and delicious, with a homemade sensibility.

I ordered my regular: medium well with mayo, mustard and lettuce (Skyler will be sampling the specials, while I'll be the control group in this experiment). It was cooked perfectly, with a great flavor. A little shy on the lettuce, however. Of note: the bun, exactly the type you'd find in the cheapest package of hamburger buns at WinCo. Which is to say: I thought it was perfect. Skyler is right, the fries are a touch weenie... think Burger King. But never having been much of a fan of health foods (which in my mind includes fries that taste like potatoes), I can't complain.

Milkshakes made from real ice cream? Bonus points for sure. They have some unusual flavors (including root beer and lime), and the super-exciting option to combine up to three flavors to create your own perfect shake.

Like the ever-elusive perfect backyard BBQ burger, for me, Jamie's is the one to beat.

Shauna rates it: 9.0

On a personal note, I look forward to not having to look at cream cheese stuck in Skyler's teeth (and beard) during our next meal. I would say, I also look forward to not hearing that "on the grill" joke again, but I know better. :)

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Not a burger, but still great


Skyler says:
This may not be a burger, but it is still worth mentioning because it tastes friggin' awesome!

This is the Orange-Creamsicle shake from Arby's and it was so good I had to go back and get another one!

It reminds me of those little orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream cups that you eat with the little wooden spoons, only you eat this one with a straw.

Skyler rates it: 7.0

Shauna says:
Brings back fond memories of chasing ice cream trucks down the street for a 50 cent orange dreamsicle. Yummm. Of course, now the lactose intolerance gets in the way, but these are worth the indigestion. Damn, they're good. If the orange flavor was a little stronger, they'd be perfect.

Shauna rates it: 7.5