sandwich/burger/hot dog restaurants Archives - Page 2 of 11

St. Elmo Deli & Grill

November 23, 2016

St. Elmo Deli & Grill offers salads, burgers, hot and cold sandwiches, and wraps for lunch and dinner (on weeknights) near the Incline.

Philip’s new work schedule has really thrown off our Saturdays of late. For nearly 15 years, he didn’t work on Saturdays. Now…he works on Saturdays. He loves his job, so I’m not complaining, but it has definitely made visiting some restaurants challenging (never mind the fact that I have to have a snack before he gets home lest I get hangry).

St. Elmo Deli is one of those restaurants. A friend had recommended St. Elmo Deli a while back, so I’ve been wanting to go. They close at 4:00 on Saturdays, and we hate to go into restaurants near closing time. Since he usually doesn’t get home until 3:15 or 3:30, it’s hard to make it to St. Elmo before 4:00. Last Sunday, though, we went to Finley Stadium for my nephew’s football game (they won the Scenic City Championship) and headed over to St. Elmo Deli afterward.

The place was basically dead when we got there around 2:30. There was a family finishing up when we arrived but they left shortly after we got there and we were all alone. I didn’t notice the stash of takeout menus by the register, so we stood and stared at the huge chalkboard wall until we decided what to order. They serve salads, vegetarian sandwiches, burgers, hot pressed sandwiches, wraps, and toasted sandwiches.

I considered getting a Reuben (and after we ordered, I kind of wished that I had so we could compare it to others around town) but instead I ordered a Philly Cheese Wrap for $8.50 plus and additional $1 for fries (chips are included in the price of the wrap). The Philly cheese wrap is roast beef, provolone cheese, portobello mushrooms, sautéed peppers and onions, and horseradish cream sauce wrapped up in a jalapeño-cheddar wrap. The flavors were spot on and the cheese nice and melty. I loved the way that the horseradish cream complemented the other flavors in the wrap. I was disappointed that there was a lot of fat in the meat, though…I ended up having to pull a lot of it out of my mouth. The fries were frozen; I thought that my friend had recommended the fries but as we were leaving I noticed that the chips are housemade chips and thought that must have been what she recommended. You guys know I love a good housemade chip. The fries were good, but they were just standard frozen fries.

Philip decided to go for the bacon cheeseburger ($9), the price of which included either fries or chips (he chose fries). The bacon cheeseburger included two beef patties, cheddar cheese, and thick-cut bacon on a Bluff View pretzel bun. He was impressed by the burger, which was nicely crispy and just a little bit greasy, not in a bad way – just the way you expect a pan-fried or griddled burger to be. The pretzel bun was a nice package to serve it up in.

The atmosphere at St. Elmo Deli is, well, deli-like. Simple decor, clean, basic. The food was pretty good, aside from that unfortunate fat in my sandwich. The prices were about what I’d expect from a deli in this area, at $20.21.

If you are looking for a deli sandwich or a burger in the St. Elmo area, St. Elmo Deli is a solid option.

St. Elmo Deli & Grill is located at 3931 St. Elmo Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37409. They are open Monday – Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. You can call them at 423-825-5555. For more information, you can check out St. Elmo Deli’s website or find St. Elmo Deli & Grill on Facebook.

Armando’s Chester Frost

September 28, 2016

Armando’s Chester Frost is a popular spot in Hixson for burgers, fries, and just about every sort of sandwich you can imagine.

Can you guys believe I’ve been writing this blog for 5 1/2 years now? When you write a blog for that long, sometimes you need to write about things more than once. This is the case particularly when you realize that you wrote some restaurant posts and didn’t even include pictures, like I neglected to do when I wrote my original Armando’s Chester Frost post. So…once a month, I’ll be writing a “revisit” post to update you all on a restaurant that I wrote about many moons ago.

With the “gas shortage” last week, Philip and I were trying to conserve gas and stay in Hixson. I drive a lot for work, and if I ran out of gas and wasn’t able to get more (as most of the gas stations in our area did run out at some point), then I was going to have to stay parked in one spot, which makes being itinerant a bit of a challenge. We decided to head just a few miles down the road and eat at Armando’s Chester Frost – the final decision to go there instead of Biba’s or El Metate being made because of the lack of pictures.

Armando’s Chester Frost has been around for as long as I can remember (my family never went there when I was a kid, but I remember going there with a friend when I was probably 9 or 10). It hasn’t changed much, though – still teeny inside, dark with wood paneling. The menu board is pretty retro with those push-pin black and red letters. I am sure they’ve made additions to their menu over the years, but all the classics are still there.

I’m usually a burger girl when I go to Armando’s Chester Frost, but since I knew that Philip would order a burger I decided to get my second favorite, the deluxe grilled cheese. This is a monster grilled cheese – a triple decker. Between the first two slices of bread are bits of ham, bacon, and roast beef and melty Swiss, American, and Cheddar cheese. Between the middle slice and the top slice lies lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayo. I, of course, opted to forego the onion. The deluxe grilled cheese is not for the faint of heart or the dainty eaters…it’s challenging to take a bite, to say the least. I don’t care about getting a little messy, though, as long as the food is delicious, and this grilled cheese did not disappoint. The bread was crunchy and buttery and all the fillings make a perfect savory, melty, gooey treat. We opted to split an order of onion rings. I’m not convinced that the onion rings at Armando’s Chester Frost are homemade, but they’re good – battered instead of breaded, and a little bit sweet. I do highly recommend the fripps (homemade chips).

As I predicted, Philip went for the cheeseburger all the way. It’s a pretty classic cheeseburger – hand-formed patty with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, ketchup, mayo, and mustard on a soft bun. I have never been disappointed by a burger from Armando’s Chester Frost. This one was no exception – Philip remarked that it was exceptionally juicy. He decided to order a chocolate malt as well. The malts and shakes are handmade by the girls who wait the tables and run the register. The malt was creamy and chocolatey, and personally I thought it was pretty malty, but Philip would have liked to have had more malt.

Armando’s Chester Frost is a neighborhood favorite around here.

I don’t think they’re going anywhere soon – why would they when they’re always overflowing at lunch and dinner with customers dining in or picking up t0-go orders? With their menu of classic homemade fast food favorites and their friendly staff, it’s easy to see why they’re so popular.

Armando’s Chester Frost is located at 7330 Hixson Pike, Hixson, TN 37343, for dine-in and drive-thru. Call in your orders at 423-842-0479. While the Facebook page for Armando’s Chester Frost lists a website, the website is not currently functional.

Original Post:

So, this was the night that I realized that, aside from a Lean Cuisine that I ate alone on my couch one night before logging in for my online class, every meal that I had eaten for a solid week (aside from my yogurt or smoothie breakfasts) had been from a restaurant. Even lunches had been leftovers. I had offered to cook at my parents’ house, but my mom didn’t have anything specific planned to cook, so she suggested Armando’s. I love Armando’s but I actually called her back and asked if she wanted to come to my house….I had all the ingredients to make spaghetti carbonara and thought for sure that I might implode if I ate one more restaurant meal. Alas, she had already asked my brother to meet us….so on I went.

Armando’s at Chester Frost Park has been around for years and years. I can remember the first time I went there with a friend in elementary school. My family lives in deep Soddy, so this wasn’t somewhere we came (we were more JJ’s type people….but JJ’s doesn’t exist anymore!). Interestingly, Philip and I have lived in the Dallas Bay area for nine years now, and I think we have only gone to Armando’s once. Why? Because it’s hit or miss with the crowd. You can go there and get your food immediately, or you can go there when they are packed out with a long line at their drive-thru and wait, wait, wait. This is certainly not a bad reflection on them. They must be doing something right! We just aren’t much on crowds or waiting (Philip especially).

This night, however, I don’t know if we just got there at a good time or if we just got lucky, but there were maybe four or five tables taken in the restaurant (of course, it’s tiny, so there are probably only about 10 tables altogether) and a car or two in the drive-thru. We walked right up and ordered, and our food was out within 10 minutes. My mom and I ordered a cheeseburger and fries to split, and my brother ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and tater tots.

Armando’s food is your basic hamburger stand kind of food….burgers, fries, onion rings, tots, chicken sandwiches, grilled cheese, now salads, and so on. I’m pretty sure they have milkshakes, too. I loved that there was a note on their menu board that said something along the lines of: “Don’t see what you want? Ask us. Maybe we can make it.” Now that’s keeping the people happy! It’s family-owned, and there are several Armando’s locations around the Chattanooga area but they are all owned by different people and have variations on their menus.

The cheeseburger that my mom and I split was huge and half was plenty for me. It was just basic with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, pickle. I, of course, took the onion off because raw onions are the worst in my opinion. The fries….they are probably frozen, I don’t know, but Armando’s doesn’t really claim to be 100% superfresh and I’m not judging. They were hot and pretty tasty, although fries at places like that never seem salty enough to me so I always salt them a little. I also ate a couple of tots out of my brother’s basket, and they were pretty good too, although I’m really not so much of a tots kind of girl. He felt like there was a little too much mayo on his grilled chicken sandwich, but I probably would have been fine with the amount of mayo. That’s just a personal preference kind of thing.

I really like the food at Armando’s. It’s not likely that I’m ever going to become a regular due to the reasons stated above, but it’s definitely a place to go to get a tasty burger or sandwich. They don’t have a website but you can find them at 7330 Hixson Pike, Hixson, TN 37343, for dine-in and drive-thru. Call in your orders at 423-842-0479.

Main Street Meats

August 24, 2016

Main Street Meats, AKA the place with Chattavore’s #1 burger, serves amazing food AND provides great local meats in their butcher shop.

My birthday was a week ago, and because life has been very busy with school starting, I re-shared my Top Ten Burgers in Chattanooga (According to Chattavore) last Wednesday. That was my birthday, too, coincidentally, so the burger post was pretty fitting. Burgers are my A-1, superstar, perfect food, the thing that I could eat at least once a week (along with tacos. And queso. Always queso.). I knew when I shared it that a visit to Main Street Meats was in order this weekend (we stuck around suburbia and got a free birthday burger and a mojito at Ruby Tuesday on my actual birthday. There’s a lot to be said for free.).

I’m embarrassed to say that I haven’t been to Main Street Meats since it was taken over by Erik Niel of Easy Bistro fame, though we went lots back when it was butcher shop that happened to serve some sandwiches at lunch time. I’ve been wanting to go back for quite some time now, but new restaurant posts usually take precedence over “revisit” posts, though one could really consider this a new restaurant post since it’s essentially a totally different spot than when I first wrote about it. The seating area is small and was pretty packed when we arrived around noon (maybe a little after) on Saturday and were shown the available seats by a hostess. We chose to sit at a little bar in the back of the restaurant and were quickly greeted by our server, Meri (great name!) who filled our water and took Philip’s order for a Stiegl Radler (Stiegl-Goldbräu and grapefruit soda), which he’d never seen on tap ($4).

We have been on a bit of a pork rinds jag lately (we cannot go to Merv’s without having them, and we had some at Clyde’s last weekend – highly recommend), so we decided to continue the streak and order the pork rinds ($4). I assume that, just like everything else at Main Street Meats, the pork rinds are fresh and come from pigs raised locally. They were definitely fresh out of the fryer, crackling from being exposed to the air on their ascent from the fryer, dusted with hot smoked paprika and something just a little sweet (I couldn’t put my finger on the flavor) and served with a spicy harissa aioli. They were delicious but left my lips tingling from all the spice!

I couldn’t order anything but the burger. It just wouldn’t have been right, not this time anyway. The BLT did look tantalizing, but the classic Local Beef Burger (formerly known as the Ryan, for Ryan Coulter, who created the burger back in the old days) was the order of the day for $10. I added fries on the side ($5, maybe a little pricey, but more than enough to share). The burger, customarily served at medium temperature (they will cook it to a more “done” temperature if you want, but this is meat I trust, so I’m good with medium) is served on a wheat bun with mustard, mayo, house pickles, Gruyere cheese, house bacon, and caramelized onions. It’s quite possibly the juiciest burger I’ve ever laid eyes on (or teeth into), but somehow it manages to hold together. The rich flavors from the bacon, cheese, and onions are the perfect complement for the amazing, dry-aged local beef that makes up the burger patty. It’s burger heaven, or burger nirvana, or something. The fries are not your average fries…they’re sliced crosswise from the potatoes, so they look like chips, but they just aren’t as crispy as chips. They too were delicious.

Though the Bánh Mi ($11), with its head cheese, mortadella, and liverwurst paté were quite tempting for my adventurous eater husband, Philip decided to go for the MSM pastrami Reuben ($10), with sour cabbage, Gruyere, Russian dressing, and cornichon (small, sour pickles), served on marbled rye bread. He immediately pulled off a piece of the pastrami and handed it to me to try. I adore good pastrami, which is basically peppered corned beef, and this was just so good – a little salty, a little peppery, with a great meaty flavor. He said that it was one of the driest Reubens he’d ever eaten – but in a good way. The bread was not greasy, as can be a big problem with a little of Reubens, and it had a perfect amount of sauce to flavor it without being drippy or making it fall apart. It was a perfectly structured Reuben, for sure.

On the way out, we stopped at the butcher counter and picked up a pound of baconage so I can remake this delicious casserole and take some presentable pictures, as well as a bag of Riverview Farms Milling Grits. I ran into a friend, Suzanne, who writes GMOGone…nice surprise!

Main Street Meats is a casual dining spot serving casual yet upscale food in a beautiful atmosphere. The food is about as local as it can possibly get. How could you get more local than meat from local farmers that was butchered and dry-aged in the same building where you’re about to eat it? That’s right, it can’t. I know that a lot of people disagreed with me about Main Street Meats having Chattanooga’s best burger (Tremont Tavern has lots of loyal customers!), but the meat here is just so incredibly high quality…that just puts it over the top for me. For $36 and some change for two sandwiches, fries, pork rinds, and a beer, the prices aren’t terrible either. I just really want to go here every day.

If you haven’t tried Main Street Meats, what are you waiting for?

Main Street Meats is located at 217 East Main Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37408. They are open from 11-10 daily (they stop serving the full menu from 4-5 daily, but still offer meats, cheeses, and drinks). You can call Main Street Meats at 423-602-9568. You can find Main Street Meats online at mainstreetmeatschatt.com. You can like Main Street Meats on Facebook or follow @MainStreetMeats on Twitter and Instagram.

Top Ten Burgers in Chattanooga (According to Chattavore)

August 17, 2016

It’s a hotly contested topic, and I won’t lie…some of my choices are controversial. These are the top ten burgers in Chattanooga according to Chattavore. What are your favorites?

It’s been a year since I first posted this! Exactly a year – since 2016 was a leap year, my birthday falls on a Wednesday just like it did last year! Since it’s my birthday, I thought I’d share my favorite post ever again. I fully intend to have at least one of the burgers off this list this week!
This is a pretty perfect list for today, because it’s my birthday, y’all! You know how I love burgers, so I think a burger list on my birthday is pretty ideal. My top five, from summer of 2013, has gone a long way….but I’ve eaten a lot of burgers since then and wanted to give some love to my new favorites…so here’s my latest list: top ten burgers in Chattanooga (according to Chattavore).

To be fair and objective (I got accused of a little subjectivity the last time I wrote a burger list), I devised a rating system for my top ten burgers in Chattanooga. The ratings are on a scale of 1 to 5 and the categories are: meat (quality of the meat, cook of the meat, and seasoning); cheese (how well does it melt, how much flavor does it add); quality of the bread; toppings (how well-thought-out are the toppings? How do they affect the structural integrity?); and speaking of that-structural integrity (how well does the burger hold together, all the way to the last bite); and size (is it big enough? Is it too big?). I add them all up and divide by 6.

One more thing: in order to be eligible for the list, a burger must be on the menu every day, not a special, and the restaurant must be local.

10. Tie: Merv’s – 3.7

So, after a little thought and recalculation, Merv’s tied with Dub’s. Merv’s is kind of the dark horse here, though lots of people will tell you that Merv’s is the only place in Chattanooga to get a burger. Merv’s used to be known as a pretty dank dive bar that happened to have a great burger. They became non-smoking and family-friendly a few years back, and after a flood put them out of commission for several months Merv’s reopened last year with a totally new look. I wouldn’t call it a dive anymore, that’s for sure! Merv’s hand-patted burgers now come in two sizes (small and large, duh) and is a pretty classic, standard burger-American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle, mayo, and mustard. Don’t pass up the hand-cut fries. It’s worth a trip just for those! Ratings: Meat: 3.5; cheese: 4; bread: 3; toppings: 3; size: 5; structural integrity: 3.5.

Merv’s on Facebook

Dub’s Place – 3.7

Dub’s has been around in Red Bank for many years…it’s definitely a town favorite. Their burgers are simple and old-fashioned…and gigantic. They are hand-patted and well-seasoned and served with very fresh toppings (you choose your own toppings). If you’re looking for something a little different, you can try Dub’s famous crumble burger, which is a delicious and grease-tastic loose meat sandwich. Don’t pass up the shakes here, and let me know if you figure out which states are missing from owner Jordan’s license plate collection! Ratings: Meat: 4; cheese: 4; bread: 3; toppings: 3; size: 4; structural integrity: 4.

Dub’s on Facebook!

9. Southern Burger – 4.0

Southern Burger made the first list, back when their static location was in Warehouse Row. I really think that they had a major role in Chattanooga’s “burger renaissance”, making people put a little more thought into their burgers. The Warehouse Row location is closed now, but they have a beautiful spot in Ooltewah now. My favorite things about Southern Burger: thin patty, bacon jam (which I always add to my burger) and Wickles Pickles. They pile it on to a Niedlov’s bun….this burger was a little messy, so they lost some points for structural integrity. I’m not hatin’, though. Ratings: Meat: 3.5; cheese: 4; bread: 5; toppings: 3; size: 5; structural integrity: 3.5.

Southern Burger Co. on Facebook.

Southern Burger Co.’s website

8. Mike’s Hole in the Wall – 4.08

Look, I’m not afraid to admit when I’m wrong. I had never been to Mike’s Hole in the Wall….in fact, until a year or so ago I didn’t know it existed. It’s pretty obscure, located on Cherokee Boulevard past the flash and flair of the North Shore, and it’s a pretty small and nondescript space. With a pretty impressive menu for a bar (lots of sandwiches and some out-of-the-box appetizers) even non-burger-lovers will find something to eat here…but the comprehensive burger menu is one of the best I’ve seen, with ten different varieties. We had the “Classic” with added cheese: lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mayo, and mustard on a Niedlov’s bun. Executed very well…I can’t believe I’ve never been before! Other reasons to visit: darts, dog-friendly deck, and some of the best hand-cut seasoned fries I’ve ever had. Ratings: Meat: 3.5; cheese: 5; bread: 5; toppings: 4; size: 4; structural integrity: 3.5.

7. Clyde’s on Main – 4.17

A lot of people may be surprised not to see Clyde’s sister restaurant, Urban Stack, on my menu (I liked it but it just didn’t make me want to turn cartwheels). Double Angus beef patties, American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion (which I left off, of course), Duke’s mayo (!!!!), and whole grain mustard on a Niedlov’s bun. I was just expecting an average burger but I got so much more. Dividing the meat into 2 patties gives more surface area to crisp up on the griddle, which pretty much makes the burger for me. This burger held together surprisingly well considering all the toppings. And paired perfectly with a Jungle Juice from the bar! Ratings: meat: 4; cheese: 4; bread: 5; toppings: 3; size: 4; structural integrity: 4.

Clyde’s on Main on Facebook

Clyde’s website

6. Blue Plate – 4.25

This one was a surprise. I’ve always liked The Blue Plate, but when I ordered the burger this past spring I wasn’t expecting a burger that I would deem worthy of “the list”. Surprise! The best thing about this burger is that the meat is divided into 2 ultra-thin patties that are cooked to a perfect crust and topped with melty American cheese, a slightly sweet, creamy burger sauce, and pickles on a Niedlov’s bun. The Blue Plate tries to source as many ingredients as possible locally and they don’t even own a microwave. Ratings: meat: 4; cheese: 4; bread: 5; toppings: 4; size: 3.5; structural integrity: 5.

The Blue Plate on Facebook

The Blue Plate’s website

5. The Terminal – 4.3

When I originally wrote my first list, the Terminal burger was my number one pick…but then Tremont went and started grinding their own meat, catapulting themselves into the number one spot. Obviously, I’ve had a few more burgers since then and there are some new players on the field as well…but The Terminal still serves an amazing burger. Topping-wise it’s basic, served with your choice of cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle on a Niedlov’s bun. Mayo and mustard are included on request. I always find that the burger here is cooked just the way I like it. It doesn’t hurt that the rest of their menu is fantastic and they serve up their own house-brewed beers. Ratings: meat: 4; cheese: 5; toppings: 3; size: 5; bread; 5; structural integrity: 4.

The Terminal on Facebook

The Terminal website

4. Zarzour’s – 4.4

Zarzour’s has been around for ages, for good reason. Salty-mouthed owner Shannon slings burgers (among other things) Monday-Friday, 11-3:30. These burgers look pretty unassuming, but GAH. They are amazing! She uses the flat-top to put a perfect crust on the burgers, which she puts on a grilled to a crisp Niedlov’s bun along with American cheese, mayo, mustard, ketchup (well, whatever condiments you want, that is), lettuce, tomato, and onion. Almost everyone I saw in the place was having a burger and I totally get why! Ratings: meat: 4; bread: 5; cheese: 4; toppings: 3.5; size: 5; structural integrity: 5.

Zarzour’s on Facebook

3. Tie: Slick’s – 4.5

Slick’s has slick (see what I did there?) new digs on Main Street, but I haven’t made it to check them out yet. However, I don’t really care where they’re located…all I care about is that they serve me up a great burger every time. Slick’s is one of the spots that grinds their own meat, and I always appreciate that. You can choose your own meat (beef, turkey, lamb, chicken, veggie) and your own cheese and toppings, or you can choose one of Slick’s creations from the board. It’s all served on a Niedlov’s bun. They have excellent house-cut fries, too! Ratings: meat: 4; bread: 5; cheese: 5; toppings: 5; size: 4; structural integrity: 4.

Slick’s Burgers on Facebook

3. Tie: The Honest Pint – 4.5

Okay, the Pint tied with Slick’s so I had to break the tie. The Pint wins because of their duck-fat fried tots. The burger that I based this score on was the “This Burger is the Jam” burger with caramelized onions, blue cheese, and bacon jam. The Honest Pint uses a very unique seasoning blend on their burgers that adds a great flavor to them. They recently added another burger, the “Papaw’s Minter Cheese Bacon Burger” with applewood smoked bacon and house pimento cheese, that I’ve heard is even better than the Jam Burger. They recently converted to a non-smoking space and now allow the under-21 crowd before 10 p.m. By the way…my initial review of this burger was a little “meh”…but I’ve had it several times since and loved it every time. Ratings: meat: 4; bread: 5; cheese: 4; toppings: 5; structural integrity: 5; size: 4.

The Honest Pint on Facebook

The Honest Pint website

2. Tremont Tavern – 4.67

I realize that this is going to cause quite a bit of controversy. Tremont’s house-ground meat gave them the edge on my last list and they are definitely the hometown favorite. They got edged out just a little bit into the number two slot, but don’t let this make you think that I have any less affection for their burgers. To my knowledge, Tremont was the first spot in town to grind their own meat in-house. They offer a large variety of burgers, including the Gouda (pictured here) with Gouda cheese (obvi), onion strings, and BBQ sauce. Tremont is a tiny spot, so I try to time my visits for less busy times; however, they are currently expanding into the space next door so that problem will be over soon! Ratings: meat: 4; bread: 5; cheese: 5; toppings: 5; structural integrity: 4; size: 5.

Tremont Tavern on Facebook

Tremont Tavern website

1. Main Street Meats – 5

Yep. The house burger is the perfect burger. Main Street Meats edged out Tremont with their burgers made from grass-fed beef, dry-aged in house, removed from the case when you order and cooked up in cast iron. Gruyere cheese is melted on top, then the burger is dressed simply with a light layer of mayo on the bottom bun and whole grain mustard, with their amazing Link41 house bacon on top. It has just enough toppings to add amazing flavor but not enough to distract from the flavor of the perfectly crusted meat or effect the structural integrity. They have recently expanded their seating and added a bar and have started serving dinner! Ratings: meat: 5; bread: 5; cheese: 5; toppings: 5; structural integrity: 5; size: 5.

Main Street Meats on Facebook

Main Street Meats website

Photo courtesy of Main Street Meats’ Facebook page.

So, those are Chattavore’s top ten burgers in Chattanooga…and now for some honorable mentions:

Blue Ribbon Café – Would have made the list, but it doesn’t qualify because it’s a special, not part of the daily menu. As far as I know, the only bun made in-house in town!
Innside Restaurant – I just discovered this one. It’s huge and tasty and served by some very nice people in a spot I’d never even heard of till not too long ago!
Armando’s Chester Frost – the best burger within a couple of miles of my house!
Urban Stack – inarguably Chattanooga’s largest variety of burgers.

Now, obviously not everyone feels the same way as I do! I asked my readers to vote for their top ten burgers in Chattanooga as well. Here’s how that went down:

10. Nikki’s Drive-in

9. The Honest Pint

8. Tie: Main Street Meats & Armando’s Chester Frost

7. Universal Joint

6. Sofa King Juicy Burger

5. Slick’s

4. Merv’s

3. The Terminal

2. Urban Stack

1. Tremont Tavern

What’s your favorite burger in Chattanooga?

Full Moon Chattanooga (American Burger & Bar)

July 20, 2016

Full Moon Chattanooga, AKA Full Moon American Burger & Bar, is a burger joint and bar on Chattanooga’s North Shore, near Coolidge Park.

You guys know me…I love a good burger, and any time that I see a new restaurant featuring burgers I get pretty excited. When I first saw the sign for Full Moon American Burger & Bar on the corner of Frazier Avenue and Market Street, I was intrigued; even more so when I read that it was owned by Krist Biba, owner of Hixson’s Italian restaurant, Biba’s.

Full Moon Chattanooga opened in May, but I wanted to give them a little time to work out any kinks in their service before we went in. We went for a visit late on a Saturday afternoon. Arriving at around 4 p.m., well past any lunch crowd but before the dinner rush, we were seated immediately. One server, Tyler (I think it was Tyler? Or maybe it was Taylor?) started us off with drinks and an appetizer then another server, Robert, took over from there.

Of course, the first thing that Philip noticed about Full Moon Chattanooga was the extensive line of beer taps behind the bar. In fact, he sat where he could face them. The beer list is impressive, but be warned: the Full Moon lager is not a specially brewed craft beer. It’s Keystone Light. Funny.?Anyway, Philip ordered a North Coast Scrimshaw and was happy as a lark.

There are quite a few appetizers on the menu here at Full Moon American Burger and Bar. House made kettle chips, topped with bacon & cheese…Philly cheesesteak egg rolls…pretzels or pork rinds with beer cheese…and several more. You guys know I had to go for the fried pickles, though. The fried pickles were pickle chips, breaded and fried to golden, served with horseradish sauce, for $5.95. They were tasty but maybe a little too salty. The horseradish sauce was just slightly spicy; the horseradish lent flavor but not so much heat.

The menu is further divided into salads & soups, burgers, pizzetas, sandwiches, and desserts. While I considered a Philly Cheesesteak, I ultimately decided that I came for a burger, so a burger I would get. The BBQ bacon cheeseburger sounded pretty tempting, and I had a good laugh at the Werewolf – a burger served between two grilled cheese sandwiches (I would never order that – I’d probably not be able to eat even a quarter of it!). I decided on the patty melt ($9.95), with Swiss cheese and grilled onions on grilled marble rye bread, with chips as my side.

The burger was pretty large (I could only eat half) and cooked to my specifications. The onions were a little more crunchy than I prefer for my grilled onions, but they were a little sweet and pretty tasty. The Swiss cheese was melted nicely. I would have liked for the sandwich to have a sauce (patty melts frequently have a Thousand Island-style sauce). The bread was grilled with butter and was nicely crunchy. The house cut chips were a nice thickness, very crispy with no soft or soggy chips in there, and perfectly seasoned.

Philip thought about getting the Mediterranean Links, grilled veal and beef sausages on pita bread with homemade vegetable spread, feta cheese, and onions. He decided to go for a burger too, though, so he got a classic cheeseburger ($8.95) with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and pickles, with bison instead of ground beef ($3.00 upcharge). He ordered fries as his side.

We were amused by the fact that the burgers are branded – as in, the top of the bun is seared with a branding iron. There was a proper amount of toppings on the burger – not overdone. The condiments are on the table so you add your own. The burger was nicely cooked, well seasoned, and had a good flavor to it. I am pretty sure that the fries were frozen, but they were the kind that are battered so they’re extra crispy – pretty tasty.

The prices were on par with similar restaurants. Philip got a “tall” beer, which turned out to be $8.50 (!), so don’t cringe when I tell you that our total pre-tip was $37.89 (remember we got an appetizer too). The burgers were good – not the best we’ve ever had (for that info, check out my top ten burgers list), but definitely tasty. The drink menu is good, so it’s definitely a good spot for tourists or locals alike looking for a drink spot. The atmosphere is pretty cool and our server, Robert, was very friendly and helpful.

Give Full Moon Chattanooga a try and tell me what you thought.

Full Moon American Burger and Bar is located at 61 Market Street, Chattanooga, TN 37405. They are open Monday – Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., Wednesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. You can call them at 423-521-6666 or email them at info@fullmoon.com. You can find more information about Full Moon Chattanooga on their website, www.fullmoon.bar or their Facebook page. You can also follow them on Twitter (@fullmoonburger) or Instagram (@fullmoon.bar).

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