Just back from three days of sunbaked, 117 degree Las Vegas…If you’ve never experienced that sort of heat before, here’s what it is like. Visualize stepping out of a pleasant, 78 degree, air-conditioned hotel lobby into a 117 degree oven. It’s almost like inhaling fire. And all that garbage about at least there’s no humidity doesn’t much matter at that point. It sucks the energy right out of you.
One of the must stops for my grandson Gage (and in all fairness for me, too)was In-N-Out Burger. Especially after all we’ve been hearing about that hamburger haven for the past several years. We hit the closest one to the Bellagio where we were staying at Dean Martin Drive and Tropicana, a $10 taxi ride away.
And trust me, we were prepared to experience the world’s greatest hamburger.
There in lies the problem.
We were expecting the Second Coming, but while the cheeseburgers and rest toppings were very good, we weren’t overwhelmed. The same goes for their fries. They were very tasty, but the curly fries at the Westport Flea Market, the ones at Wendy’s, at 5 Guys—even the ones served by McDonald’s are comparable.In-N-Out’s shakes? They were also quite delicious, but I’ve had just as good at Winsteads, Town Topic and those great Frosty’s at Wendy’s.
So to those, including myself, who always think the grass is greener somewhere else, it just ain’t so.
Finally a show tip.If you’ve never seen a great Vegas magic show then by all means take in David Copperfield’s family-friendly spectacle at the MGM GRAND. Not only does Copperfield interact well with the audience, some of the illusions he pulls off are mind boggling. As can be the ticket pricing. Expect to pay from $85 to nearly $120 for the better seats.
And that’s NO illusion!
I gotta bust Jack on this one, guys…
I’ve eaten at all of the burger joints Jack mentioned and more, and while they all have their relative merits, In-N-Out blows them all away. Plus the place is as clean as a whistle, run as efficiently as a hospital emergency room and even with the massive crowds it attracts, you don’t have to wait very long for them to deliver the goods.
In a nutshell, In-N-Out is in a league of its own. And if KC gets lucky one of these years, we’ll join the club. In the meantime, do what jack did and check it out for yourselves!
I agree with Hearne, while living in LA I so enjoyed In N Out and to me we don’t have that back here. But I stopped doing fast food a few years ago so maybe things have changed a little but I really doubt it.
“In a nutshell, In-N-Out is in a league of its own. ”
It is among the best. This post comes off sounding like Jack flew to Vegas just to eat there. Which, obviously, he didn’t. I just think the tone was slightly off.
Obligatory…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLkA3AlmBc8
The magic at In-N-Out is a combination of two things, demand for the highest quality food products including custom spec buns and compared to any other fast food burger joints In-N-Out operates with about 50% less SKU’s, no BS nuggets, faux ribs or fish crap.
This allows for a highly efficient operation, hence the quick service.
Is it to die for? No! Fast food will kill you so in that sense you may die from it. Your life will not be incomplete if you never eat at In-N-Out.
Like anything it gets old if you can access it whenever you want.
Would I like one here? Hell yes! I’d also like a Del Taco, Green Burrito, Pink’s and a Wienerschnitzel too.
The legenday and iconic Carney’s on Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles has a chili-cheeseburger that makes an In-N-out burger taste like Alpo.
+1
Del Taco kicks azz. I used to work at Der Wienerschnitzel on 71 Hwy before I had to go in the service. One of my first jobs. Loved the Polish, the Chili Dogs. Spent a year living on Redondo Beach around 1999. God I hate LA, but the Fat Burgers were killer too.
Good Mexican food out there too, imagine…
Does anyone recall the little burger joint that sat at the north east corner of 43rd and broadway. Little Angus ? Tiny little joint but the best open pit grilled burgers ever.
I think I remember Little Angus. Wasn’t their motto something like “Eat it and beat it” ?
Wasn’t “Eat it and beat it” Little Jakes barbq motto downtown on Grand?
Yeah, I remember, excellent burgers.
Yeah, I think ya got me, Lee.
I’ll ask Ferruzza!
The killed off the word “Der” in front of Wienerschnitzel some time back. Never ate there all the years I lived in Tucson, but took the kids there two years ago and it was pretty darn good.
The man who founded der wienerschnitzel was from the area.
He is a business school footnote as he successfully founded and franchised two major fast food brands. The other was taco bell.
Use to be a place also in Mission in the 60’s and so on, ran by a lady whose tongue could cut stone when she talked to you if you was taking to long to decide what you wanted. The place was called Whooper Burger located on Johnson Drive just up the street from another hangout called Campus Madhouse. Whooper Burger was no doubt a whooper and a great burger for your eating enjoyment. As well used to be a hole in the wall joint on 75th street east of Switzer called Jodies that made a great home style hand pressed burger with all the fixins then wrapped it in foil. I’m not talking some shreds of lettuce on it I’m saying they peeled a whole layer off a head of lettuce, Der Wienerschnitzel wow I had forgotten about that place, great dogs they was.
Are u talkin about Wanda Burgers?
Hefty white chicks with regretable fasion sense, no dental plans and attitude?
Great burgers
Just had a vision of a Black Lotus illegally double parked in front of Wolf Burgers.
Johnny Ray’s in Lee’s Summit is best burger joint in city.
Flea Market still best sit down burger.
Beel S. Your Burger is Ready Beel S.
Used to be a place in KCK, dine in, on the site of the old Peter’s Drive In or at least close to it if I recall correctly. Paul Bunyan Burgers.
They used a 6″ or 7″ bun for a 7″ or 8″ pattie. Best hamburger I’ve EVER had and I’ve shelled out over $100.00 for Kobe beef and Bison Burgers.
The buns were steamed and seasoned in a way that complimented the beef and toppings. Unbelievable.
Jesus smarty, a $100.00 hamburger?
Did ya chop the fu*ker up with a blade and snort it? Ya gotta serve a $100.00 dollar hamburger on a mirror. Don Henley sings the jingle for the Bolivian Blue Cheese Bada Bing Burger. It’s really good and you stash it, forget where it is and it turns up in your sock drawer before work 2 months later and well, hell, ya may as well eat it.
If I ever buy a $100.00 hamburger, I hope it is from my old coke dealer.
I hate change.
The In and Out in LV, NV is especially shitty for what it’s worth.
Just thought of this…
You guys tried Grandstand Burgers on Merriam Drive yet?
Do it!
Sure been hearing a lot about this place. Back in the 70’s that little place use to be a Texas Toms and had the best Italian steaks. Was funny because the one in Shawnee had crappy food. This is by the way is the NE corner of Antioch and Merriam Drive in what use to be called South Park. Yup KC had it’s own South Park long before a certain TV show was called that.
STEAMED buns? Guess there’s no accounting for taste.