Five Guys burgers good, not great

Originally published in the Oct. 13, 2010 issue of the Coast Report

 Photo by Andy Nguyen

When I read on the Orange County Register’s Fast Food Maven blog that there was going to be a Five Guys Burgers and Fries opening in Huntington Beach, I was ecstatic.

Called the “In-N-Out of the East Coast” in some circles, I first tried their burger at the Five Guys location in Cerritos a while ago, when Conan O’Brien was still the host of “The Tonight Show,” and said to my friends that it was superior to In-N-Out.

So I drove down to the Huntington Beach location during its grand opening and I have to say, while it was certainly filling, my opinion on it has changed.

One of the main selling points of Five Guys are the free toppings for their food, which include mayonnaise, tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, ketchup, mustard, green peppers, jalapenos and many more.

I decided to order a cheeseburger all the way — which meant that it came with practically all the toppings — and a regular drink.

The hamburger patty was cooked to perfection — it seemed that the cook left the meat cooking long enough to give the exterior a nice crunch.

While the patty was cooked perfectly, I was extremely disappointed that the meat itself lacked any discernible taste.

Thankfully, the meat’s lack in taste was compensated by the toppings’ which tasted really fresh. It was as if the lettuce and the tomatoes just arrived from a farm before being put on my burger.

Halfway through eating my burger, the buns became soggy and everything started to fall apart which required me to use a fork and knife—which the restaurant provides to diners as if they know it will have to come to that.

I found myself ambivalent toward Five Guys after finishing the burger. It wasn’t better than In-N-Out as I first thought, but it was certainly better than what McDonald’s or Burger King had to offer, so maybe a notch below it — although, to be fair, it all comes down to a matter of taste.

If I can think of any major downside of Five Guys it’s their prices. My order of a cheeseburger and a regular drink was almost $10 and it didn’t even come with fries.

As for the visit itself, I was presently surprised. While there was a line that was almost out the door, I was able to get my order taken within two or three minutes of arriving and it was ready in about three more.

Even if I had to wait awhile for my order, they provide customers with free peanuts (that are still in the shell) to munch on.

The interior of the Five Guys has the same red and white coloring as In-N-Out, but the walls are adorned with various reviews in praise of their burgers.

The kitchen of Five Guys

Photo by Andy Nguyen

In addition to the dining room, the location also has an outdoor patio including tables affixed with umbrellas.

Each of the regular burgers comes with two meat patties and diners have the option of ordering a “little” version that comes with only one patty.

They also have hot dogs, sandwiches and two different styles of fries.

The Huntington Beach location is at 18645 Beach Blvd. They’re open seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

For more information you can visit their website at www.fiveguys.com or call (714) 861-4448.