Burger Guide. 02.

Who doesn't love a good burger...and the french fries that go with it?

All burgers are not created equal; however, everyone's tastes and preferences differ as well. Therefore, this burger guide is less of a review and more of a compilation of places to grab a burger on O'ahu.

Of course, I'll certainly let you know if I loved or disliked a something, but don't take my dislikes to mean it's a bad burger. I'm just super picky about my meats (sorrynotsorry), so give it a try!

KUA 'AINA SANDWICH

66-160 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa

Kua 'Aina serves up one of my favorite burgers...and fries! No fussy sauces, just a good burger. Added bonus is their shoestring fries. So ono!

*     *     *

JOHNNY ROCKETS

91-5431 Kapolei Parkway in Kamakana Ali'i Mall

(Also Pearl Highlands, Pearl City)

I probably had one of the worst burgers at Johnny Rockets. I wanted to love it since I've seen them on TV and the restaurants were new and fun...but something was off. I tried their signature Rocket Single burger which was loaded with way too much special sauce to begin with. I'm not sure if gamey is the right word, but the meat just tasted bad. Next!

*     *     *

W&M BAR-B-Q BURGER
3104 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu 

Another absolute favorite is the "Royal" at W&M. It's always a treat because of it's limited parking and faraway (from me) location. There's something about a no frills, plain 'ol burger in that plain wrapping paper...did I mention it's very reasonably priced? Their fries are nothing to write home about, and many people love their crab flavored (macaroni) salad, but for me it's all about the burger!

the "royal" hamburger includes lettuce, tomato, onion, and cheese.

*    *     *

MC DONALD'S

Okay, okay...just including McD's for kicks. But in all seriousness, I've never had a bad burger from McD's. They also have the best fast-food fries, in my opinion. I usually get plain hamburgers or cheeseburgers but will splurge on a Big Mac once in a while (minus that third bun). What's your go-to here?

*     *     *

THE SURFING PIG

3605 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu

The Surfing Pig signature is a bacon-burger blend topped with bourbon onions, smoked gouda cheese, and citrus aioli. Fancy. And delish. Definitely a splurge in terms of calories/fat/cholesterol, etc, but worth it. 

*     *     *

KAILUA TOWN PUB AND GRILL

20 Ho'olai St, Kailua

A friend claimed this was one of the best burgers he had, so I had to try it. I can see why guys like it...it's a lot of burger, about an inch thick, lean and on the firm side. Pretty good, but not in my top five.

Did you see any you'd like to try?

In case you missed it, check out:

Burger Guide 01