Review #8: Kincaid's Hamburgers - Fort Worth, Texas

Since the very first time I started discussing the TexasBurgerGuy concept with people - EVERY person I spoke to said I had to try Kincaid's in Fort Worth. They claimed it was hands down the best burger joint in Texas. That is a mighty bold statement. Obviously with such high expectations, I was prepared for a royal letdown. I am happy to report that Kincaid's definitely lived up to at least part of the expectations. They do have without a doubt the most unique atmosphere I have EVER witnessed in visiting various burger joints. I'll talk more about this later. As for the burger... mmm mama... it was a big, thick, juicy, 2-handed monster that made me remember why I enjoy travelling around the state enjoying mom and pop burger joints.

IMPORTANT: If you haven't already, please read the Texas Burger Guy terminology post. That will help you understand this review.

Kincaid's Cheeseburger Review
Almost the entire TexasBurgerGuy family made the trip to Kincaid's located just west of downtown Fort Worth. As we approached the restaurant - I was shocked at the amount of cars parked outside. I was sure we were in for an hour wait just to sit down. My step brother jokingly said that they move you in and out of this place like cattle at a stockyard. Well - he was on the money. They do feed you like you are at a stockyard which makes Kincaid's a one of a kind in my mind. Not only is the restaurant itself a one of a kind - but when my burger arrived - I discovered that the atmosphere was just the opening act for what proved to be a very enjoyable burger eating experience. Here is how I see the Kincaid's Cheeseburger ranking in the TexasBurgerGuy categories:

Oooze Factor
Once my burger arrived and I had unwrapped it from the paper it was wrapped in - I opened up the bun to take a look under the hood as it were. I wanted to catch a peek of the patty and the inner workings of the burger. I spotted a fair amount of ooze all around the bun, vegetables and especially the patty. The sheer size of the patty made me a little bit nervous. I was worried that with the patty being as big as this one was that it would surely be dried out in parts of the patty. Well - all that worrying came to an end when I took my first bite. The patty was very moist. It wasn't too moist in that the bun was all "ooozed out" or anything like that. It was just fine in the oooze category. Pretty good oooze!
Oooze Factor Rating: 8


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Herd Killer
Seeing as how we were in Fort Worth - just a few miles from the Fort Worth Stockyards - I was going to be really depressed if Kincaid's had a little weak looking patty. Man oh man - this thing was by no means a weak patty. Halfway through the burger I stopped and almost took another picture to share with you all the size of the patty. It had to be an inch thick in the middle of that thing. I had never thought about this - but another important attribute is slopage. That is where the patty is thin on the outside to kindof draw the eater in to the middle where the real meat is. This burger had slopage - no doubt. It is safe to say that more than a few cattle mosied on down the road from the stockyards and were placed between 2 buns at Kincaids! Great herd killer burger!!!
Herd Killer Rating: 9

Handling
I wish I had gotten an "aerial view" shot on the burger so that you could fully appreciate the size. It isn't a one handed burger. Definitely a full 2 handed burger and then some.
Handling Rating: 7

Bling Bling
This category is where this burger really shines. This bad boy of a burger was just $3.85!!! I left Kincaid's feeling like I had easily trimmed off 3 days of my life for a very small amount of money! Where else can you die sooner and still keep some money in your pocket!!! WOO HOO!! Absolutely one of the best values out there - hands down!!
Bling Bling Rating: 9

Overall Kincaid's Cheeseburger Rating: 9


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Restaurant Review
Kincaid's other menu items were pretty good. We tried the Chili Cheeseburger, Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Grilled Cheese, Onion rings, and the fries. Fries were plain ore-ida style fries. Nothing really special. The Onion rings were good and greasy. They were the "soft and slippery" kind of onion. Mrs. TexasBurgerGuy really liked them. I thought they were pretty good myself. I had a bite of the Chili Cheeseburger and it was pretty awesome!! Meat on more meat with cheese.... oh yeah - my heart is just hating me but the burger was good. All in all - I didn't eat anything that I didn't like at Kincaid's.

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Restaurant/Atmosphere
My step brother was driving and he said before we left that it was easy to drive right by Kincaid's and not even see it. He was right about that as we drove right past Kincaid's. Once we arrived and made our way into Kincaid's - I got very excited. I knew immediately that I was in for a very unique dining experience. Kincaid's is very unique in that they offer stand up eating. There are 3 rows of stand up tables which I think are not really tables - it is really the stock room for the restaurant with tables mounted on top. In the front there are several picnic tables with more picnic tables on the far wall. We went to Kincaid's around 1 pm on a Saturday and there were LOTS of people there. We had to stand and I am actually very glad we had to because I feel we got to experience the uniqueness of Kincaid's by standing and eating. I highly recommend it when you go. **TBG Warning** You don't want to go to Kincaid's while they are busy if you are any of the following: anti-social, snob, suffer from Agoraphobia (fear of waiting in lines), not from Texas, or suffer from BO. You have to go into this place ready to rub shoulders with your fellow Texans. All in all a one of a kind dining experience I won't soon forget.

Directions
Since I am not from Fort Worth - I am going to have to direct you to the map below to find your way. All I can tell you is get on I-30 West of Fort Worth and take the Camp Bowie exit and go north. It will be on your right.

Address/Phone:
4901 Camp Bowie Blvd.
Fort Worth, TX 76107
817.732.2881

Map: Map to Kincaid's

TBG Overall Rating
Overall a VERY good burger in an unforgettable environment. I had heard all the talk but nothing beats being there yourself. Now I understand why everybody raves about this place. Do yourself a favor and make the trip to Kincaid's. You won't soon forget it.

Overall TBG Rating for Kincaid's Hamburgers: 8

Other Reviews of Kincaid's:
http://www.digitalcity.com/dallas/entertainment/venue.adp?sbid=108863696
http://www.fwculture.com/kincaids.htm http://www.skiff.tcu.edu/fall_2001/101801/kincaids.html

16 X-Tra Patties and X-Tra Cheeses

Ever wonder what a regular fast food burger would would look like if you ordered 16 extra patties and 16 extra cheeses??? Well a dude in Santa Ana California went to his local In-N-Out burger and did just that. Now I know In-N-Out isn't a mom and pop - but these pictures were too good not to post on the site.

Check this out...



20 bucks for this bad boy...

Christian's Totem Makes the Saveur 100

Christian's Totem continues to rack up great reviews and awards for their burgers. They were recently named to the annual Saveur 100 list for their Jalapeno Cheeseburger. I haven't had the Jalapeno Cheeseburger myself but I can imagine it is pretty awesome.



Link to Story: Christian's Makes Saveur 100 List

This story was submitted by: Eugene from Houston, Texas

TBG Presidential Burger Reviews

TexasBurgerGuy's version of Hail to the "Chef" debuts today as I open a special section dedicated to reviewing burger joints that are frequented by President Bush as well as his father, former President George H. Bush. If I ever make it to Arkansas, I'll try out the Clinton hangout, but last I heard - he is Big Mac man and putting a review of McDonald's violates so many rules of my site - I wouldn't be able live with myself. If you know of any other burger joints that a former US President frequents - send them to me by sending a Presidential Review Request and I'll check it out.

Click the banner below to be taken to the special section for The TBG Presidential Burger Reviews.

100-Pound Woman Eats 11-Pound Burger!!!

Not one person before Kate Stelnick, 19, of Princeton, N.J. had ever been able to finish the Denny's Beer Barrel Pub "Ye Olde 96er". This 11 pound burger (6 lbs of meat and 5 pounds of trimmings) had beaten many an aspiring over eater including Eric "Badlands" Booker who on his last try took him 7 1/2 hours to eat this thing. Kate was able to eat the burger in 2 hours and 54 minutes. Here are some pictures of the event:








Link to the Story: Link


Update:

I found a picture of Eric "Badlands" Booker - the professional eater that took 7 1/2 hours to eat what Kate did in 2 hours and 54 minutes. I thought it was postworthy:



Update:

A TBG reader wrote a story about this on FoodMarket.com: Link

This story was submitted by: Tom from Cypress, Texas

Review #6: Bailey's Restaurant - Spring, Texas

A good friend of mine told me about Bailey's. His description of the burger, "These are old-timey, Texas-style, mustard and onion burgers that knock 3 months off of your lifespan upon consumption." Well I hope the part about knocking 3 months off my lifespan wasn't true - but the rest of his recommendation certainly was true. The Bailey Jumbo burger is truly an old-timey Texas-style burger. Man oh man it was reaallly goooooooood!!!

IMPORTANT: If you haven't already, please read the Texas Burger Guy terminology post at: http://texasburgerguy.blogspot.com/2004/12/important-texasburgerguy-terminology.html. That will help you understand this review.

Bailey's Jumbo Cheeseburger Review
The TexasBurgerGuy family made the trip to Bailey's on a Friday night. As soon as we walked in the door - I knew we had arrived at a good 'ol mom and pop burger joint. Bailey's had the sights and smells of a hole in the wall. Once my Jumbo Cheeseburger was placed in front of me - I quickly realized why Bailey's has been able to stay in business for 40 plus years. The Jumbo is mentioned on the sign out front for a reason - it is a mean meaty, greasy, cheesy burger. I sure did enjoy consuming that bad boy. Here is how I see the Bailey's Jumbo Cheeseburger ranking in the TexasBurgerGuy categories:

Oooze Factor
The first thing I noticed when the burger basket arrived was the grease that was on the paper. (see the picture below) Then my eyes were led to the patties themselves which were also covered by a good amount of oooze. Just like my momma always said about my girlfriends - doesn't matter what is on the outside - what matters is on the inside. This applies to burgers as well. After my first bite - I was pleasantly greeted by a very moist - very ooozy burger. The vegetables that were piled on the burger combined with the juices from the cheese and meat to make a very pleasant flavor. Very good oooze!
Oooze Factor Rating: 8


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Herd Killer
The Jumbo is a double meat - double cheese monster. It certainly will give your belt a run for its money. I know when I got up to leave I could feel Mr. Jumbo Cheeseburger pushing out from my belly. The patties are not too thick - but just thick enough to get the flavor from the meat. I recommend having double jointed jaws to bite into the Jumbo when you are half way done with it. I had to push it down a little to get it all in. It just wouldn't be right to talk about the meat on this burger and not mention the cheese meltage on this thing. It was perfect! It just ooozed itself all over the meat which made the burger that much better. All in all - good herd killer burger!
Herd Killer Rating: 7

Handling
Definitely a 2 handed burger. No way you can one hand the Jumbo. Even at the end I found that I needed an extra hand to keep the patties, buns and vegetables all together.
Handling Rating: 7

Bling Bling
The Jumbo Cheeseburger was $5.95. If I had paid that and wasn't really full when I left - I would say it wasn't worth it. But - I was full when I left. 6 bucks is borderline - but I still think it is worth the money.
Bling Bling Rating: 7

Overall Bailey's Jumbo Cheeseburger Rating: 7


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Restaurant Review
Bailey's had a pretty comprehensive menu. They have Chicken Fried Steak, salads, kid's menu, and ofcourse all the usual burgers, fries, O-rings, etc. We tried the onion rings, frieds, tator tots, chicken sandwich, and grilled cheese. Everything was really good. Mrs. TexasBurgerGuy really enjoyed her chicken sandwich. The O-rings are pretty dang good. I like my O-rings not so greasy. The fries are the long, thick variety - served good and hot. Tots were just plain ol' tots. Bailey's also makes their shakes, malts, sundaes, root beer floats and banana splits with Blue Bell ice cream. For those that have never had Blue Bell ice cream... well... I just feel really sorry for you because it is without question THE best ice cream on the planet.

Breakfast Menu

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Dinner Menu

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Restaurant/Atmosphere
Bailey's is located in a small strip center just off Stuebner Airline. It certainly had the look from the outside of a hole in the wall burger joint. When we opened the door and took a whiff of what was going on inside - we KNEW we found a good place. The air was filled with smoke from the fryer. Friday night is one of 2 all you can eat catfish nights and the place was smoky and greasy. I think that Bailey's might have some ventilation issues - but it didn't bother us. We found it pretty funny that the whole restaurant was non-smoking despite all the smoke in the place from the kitchen. Bailey's accepts credit cards and cash - they do NOT accept checks. Waitstaff was very nice to us and took care of refilling our drinks promptly. A nice dining experience for sure.

Directions
Bailey's is just north of Klein High School off Stuebner Airline. You can go down Louetta to Stuebner Airline and go north. It is probably an 1/8 of a mile on your right after turning onto Stuebner Airline.

Address/Phone:
17032 Stuebner Airline Rd
Spring, TX 77379
281.655.5569

Map: Bailey's Map

TBG Overall Rating
Overall a very good dining experience. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when we walked in the door. After getting my food and interacting with the staff at Bailey's - I can understand why Bailey's has been around Houston for many years. If Bailey's keeps the same formula of good food and friendly service - I bet they will be around for years to come.

Overall TBG Rating for Bailey's Restaurant: 8

Other Reviews of Bailey's Restaurant:
None found.

A Burger for 41 Bucks!!!!

Yep! A 41 dollar burger!! What is this thing made of? Gold? Diamonds? Almost. The burger is made of Kobe beef. For those that are not in the know (I didn't know what it was either) Kobe beef is from beer-fed, hand-massaged cows. OK - I am not making this up - however I REEEEEALLY wish I was... These cows live better than most humans then die and go on to be the meat in outrageously priced hamburgers. Incredible! You won't catch the TexasBurgerGuy reviewing this burger joint in New York anytime soon.. that is unless one of you want to pay for me to fly out there and then pay the 41 bucks for this burger!!!

Link: http://www.crossville-chronicle.com/Chronicle/Opinion/SpatesArticles/daveburgers.html

Other Links about this story:
http://gershkuntzman.homestead.com/files/The_Burger_Wars.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/life/2003-07-21-sandwich_x.htm

This story was submitted by: Tom from Cypress, Texas

Review #5: Lankford's Grocery - Houston, Texas

With a name like Lankford's Grocery - I knew this place was going to be a hole in the wall. Well I must say I was not let down. Lankford's most definitely is a dive complete with a floor that drastically slants left as you walk in the door. But - all the character and color of the restaurant itself did not prepare me for the burger I was about to face at Lankfords. On Lankford's menu it reads "We're not fancy, but we are MMMM MMMM good." I don't think I could have said it any better. Lankford's was awesome!

IMPORTANT: If you haven't already, please read the Texas Burger Guy terminology post at: http://texasburgerguy.blogspot.com/2004/12/important-texasburgerguy-terminology.html. That will help you understand this review.

Lankford's Cheeseburger Review
We went to Lankford's during a weekday lunch hour so the place was pretty busy and it took a while for our food to arrive. Once the burger came into sight - I knew I was about to consume a good burger. The burger had a healthy amount of oooze all over it. The size of the pattie also made me pretty interested in the burger as well. It looked like a good greasy, beefy and cheesy burger... boy was I right. All in all a fantastic burger. Here is how I see the Lankford's Cheeseburger ranking in the Texas Burger Guy categories:

Oooze Factor
As soon as my burger came into sight, I could see that it was leaving a sweaty oily stain on the paper it was wrapped in. With great anticipation, I unwrapped this beefy beuty and began to size it up. One of the first things I noticed was the sheen on the bun itself. (see the picture below) Once I bit into this baby - immediately I knew I was eating a burger with a considerable amount of oooze. It was good and juicy. It was not too much, but not even close to being a dry burger. There was a healthy stack of vegetables piled onto the burger that added to the juices coming out of this thing. All in all - great oooze!
Oooze Factor Rating: 8



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Herd Killer
Just take a look for yourself at the picture above and tell me that this isn't a herd killer. I hate to admit this - but this burger almost beat me today. I finished it - but I was hating life for the rest of the day. I wasn't ready to eat another meal until late at night. The patties are very good looking meat. You can tell they are handmade. The best way to describe a Lankford's patty is it tastes exactly like the burgers you would cook up on your own grill. They have that backyard grill taste that makes you want to stand on a table and sing! The Lankford burger completely filled me up - huge herd killer!
Herd Killer Rating: 8

Handling
If you can one hand this thing, good luck at your next game Shaq. This burger is a 2 hander for sure. Just to keep all the vegetables from taking a flying leap from the patty requires 2 hands. Handling Rating: 8

Bling Bling
Believe it or not - that big burger up there was $3.75! For the "roll me outta here" feeling it gave me - I would say the Lankford's Cheeseburger is a great value and therefore high Bling Bling score.
Bling Bling Rating: 9

Overall Lankford's Cheeseburger Rating: 8



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Restaurant Review
Lankford's menu had the usual stuff. Burgers, fries, O-rings, chicken stuff, some salads, and some things for the kiddos. They have a pretty tempting breakfast menu as well. Guess I'll have to go back to try that out. We tried the chicken sandwich, grilled cheese, fries, onion rings, and tots. Chicken sandwich was very good. Mrs. TexasBurgerGuy had to take some of it home because it too was pretty big. If you like very greasy onion rings - you will like these. The breading on the O-rings was nothing to get excited about - but again - if you like your onion rings a little loose and greasy - then you will like these. Fries and tots were your average fry and tot.

Restaurant/Atmosphere
This has to be one of the more memorable mom and pops I have been to strictly because of the atmosphere inside Lankford's. This is one of the reasons I don't take pictures of the interior of the restaurants - it simply can not capture the feeling of sitting in a building that is barely standing but serving some wonderful food. Some notables... when you walk in - the 2 tables immediately to your left (tables 14 and 15) are sitting on a downslope. We sat at 14 and were about to fall down the hill. There are tables and a few booths. There is also an outside area to sit and eat too. For me - you have to sit inside where the action is to soke up the atmosphere. Lankford's had the mom and pop signature hand me down look. All the tables and chairs were different. The waitstaff couldn't be nicer. They don't accept credit cards so take a checkbook or some cash. All in all - just being there was a memorable experience for me. But for me the more hole in the wall - the better.

Directions
I could be a jerk and make you search for Lankford's. Unless you are familar with that part of town - you are destined to get lost in the endless maze of streets. Here are the directions from 45N (coming from The Woodlands):
- Exit Pierce/Dallas off 45
- Pass Dallas Street and take the Bagby exit (curves right)
- Turn right on West Gray
- About 1 mile take a left on Gennessee (spelling?)
- Gennessee takes you to Dennis St.
- Lankford's on the left

Address/Phone:
88 Dennis St
Houston Texas 77006
713.522.9555

Map: Lankford's Map

TBG Overall Rating
Overall a very memorable experience. Mrs. TexasBurgerGuy still talks about how good the food was there. The food combined with the unmatched atmosphere and location make Lankford's one of my favorites. I can see now why so many people speak very highly of Lankford's. It really is a one of a kind!
Overall TBG Rating for Lankford's Grocery: 9

Other Reviews of Lankford's Grocery:
http://www.b4-u-eat.com/houston/restaurants/reviews/rsv1965.asp
http://www.digitalcity.com/houston/entertainment/venue.adp?sbid=108966453&type=userreviews

Burger Stories

We've added a new feature to TexasBurgerGuy.com!! Send us your interesting or funny burger related articles, websites, or stories and we'll post them on the site. We'll post your first name and hometown with the post! You can send your story to us at Burger Story and I'll review it and post the best ones!

Examples:
The Bill "Burger" Bunyan Story
The "Roethlisburger" Story
The 9 Pound Hamburger Story