Jeffrey H.

Ahead of our second NC trip I discovered Fuddruckers in Fredericksburg VA. Unfortunately though, it had closed (Google map not updated) but I discovered one was in Cheektowaga NY. We went there after a brutal hour getting over the border at the Peace Bridge - I ended up picking up a 1/2LB burger and onion rings. I also spied and bot freshly baked cookies in their "bakery". Being a "new" place and my wife not wanting to eat ground beef while on the trip, her and the kids had McDonalds. It was a great burger and on the way back we stopped at this Erie PA location located in the Millcreek Mall (food court) where all of us had something at Fuddruckers - the wife loved the turkey burger with guacamole. The next opportunity was during our visit to Chicago last year in the spring (pre-Yelp days friends - but I will be back to that food heaven). We again had an excellent meal. During our journey back from Chesapeake this year we chose to go through Erie and though we had originally made plans to shop at Wallymart (no tax on clothes - chocolate bars) in Erie and go onto eat in Buffalo, we took longer than we wanted and chose to eat here again. I opened up Yelp to verify the location and could not find it - and neither did the GPS see it! Ouch! But we don't give up so easily and I checked out their website and found the location was still open - unlike Google Maps in 2010, I knew their site was updated regularly. * Meats & Buns & Toppings Oh My ... What is very interesting is that they serve not only beef and chicken burgers (plus various other items) but some pretty exotic ones like "Wild Boar", Elk and buffalo. Some of these were available in the Buffalo location (larger standalone restaurant) and not in the Erie location. Sizes of the burgers range from ... 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 or 1LB "fresh never frozen - 100% USDA All-American, premium-cut beef." (My mouth waters now just reading that ...) They make their own buns ("Our sesame-topped buns are baked from scratch in our restaurant bakeries all day long.") and then to prepare them - they roll them in I think butter and toast them - Wendy's since then started doing something similar as well. At Harveys (in Canada) you can see and choose the toppings you want and they build your burger for you. Five Guys - you tell them at the beginning exactly the toppings you want and they build it. At Fuddruckers, it is more like Harveys but you build your own burger. You are given the full gambit - tomatoes, sliced or diced onions, chopped or whole leaf lettuce, jalepenos, pickles etc. Go to town making your monster! * This Visit My wife got her turkey and guacamole, my eldest son a chicken burger and the younger chose a hot dog and fries. (They actually substituted a kids menu drink with a grown man's Powerade at no charge!) We also got a regular rings. I saw they had a burger with Samuel Adams type BBQ sauce - it came with grilled onions, cheese, and bacon --- can anyone go wrong with this!!?? Well ... the alarm bells started to ring in my head - "the sauce will be too sickly sweet Jeffica - you know it!!!" I thought about it but went ahead anyways - and got the 1/3LB beef burger (v. 1/2 since I am on a diet!!!). Boy I am glad I did go with that one - it was phenomenal - everything on that burger worked - the sauce was just fantastic. Knowing I would be depressed the next day back home in Canada, I kept about 1/4 of it for lunch - well played!! It was our last full meal in the US of A - and what a way to end our trip. The staff was great and the cook said that not only were the locations in NY closed but all of OH - making the Erie PA location the only one in the tri-state area. Sad very sad. My crystal ball is saying "Chicago Fuddruckers you are next ..." .. we shall see. Next time I will make a point to get one of their shakes. Finally I will add that though I have had a lot of Five Guys double burgers, I still would lean toward Fuddruckers being the best all around (beef) hamburger. Everything about it - is great. Unrelated on "Burger v. Burger" one gripe with Five Guys is that their menu is not deep - and yes I know that works for them (I saw an interview with the founder) - but my wife not having the ground beef will only have so many hot dogs. A chicken or turkey burger option really is limiting. Regardless, my wife really loves Fuddruckers too - any dish with fresh avocados usualy is a sure fire hit with her! Visited July 26/13. PS: The bottom of the bill says "Don't forget to try our Kobe Beef Burger!!" ... as Stewie would say ... whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?