Burger Battle: Final Roundup and Winner Declared

Patch visited six burger joints in St. Charles. We visited two local favorites, two national chains and two Main Street staples. You can read our individual reviews of , , ,  , and after we give you the skinny on the town’s best beef.

BEST BURGER ON MAIN STREET

Uncle Joe’s put up a good fight, but honestly, they were no competition for Lloyd and Harry’s. You can’t beat 99 cents for a base price. The restaurant nickle and dimes you by charging for individual toppings, but the end result is a burger that has a ton of variety options for less than you’d pay at a drive-through. I was impressed with Lloyd and Harry’s selection, speed and friendly servers. If you want a fast, affordable burger on Main Street, Lloyd and Harry’s wins, hands down.

BEST CHAIN RESTAURANT

It’s really no surprise that Smashburger beat Loco’s Pub and Grill. Loco’s has a nice selection of burgers with some good topping options, but Smashburger is a dedicated burger joint. I’m not normally a fan of chain restaurants, but Smashburger has spoiled me for lesser burgers. It wasn't  as fast as Lloyd and Harry’s, the serving portions weren’t as large as JJ’s, and the prices weren’t as low as AAA’s, but the combination of quality and selection of ingredients was nearly unbeatable.

Smashburger’s bun was designed to hold up to the toppings, the locally themed options warmed my heart, and the burger patty itself was nicely executed (albeit a bit reminiscent of Steak and Shake). It was the most expensive burger I tried, but honestly, it was worth it.

BEST SIDE DISHES

You can get french fries or onion rings anywhere, but two burger joints really stood out in the battle for best side. Uncle Joe’s on Main Street offers a fried potato salad unlike anything I’ve seen. It starts with crispy cubes of deep-fried hash browns then, since that’s not caloric enough, adds on plenty of mayo, some mustard, chopped celery and onions, and a bit of secret sauce all mixed up as soon as the potatoes come out of the fryer. Try it just to say you have.

If you’re looking for something a little more highbrow, Smashburger takes sweet potato fries to a new level with the incredibly tasty addition of rosemary and garlic. I love the usual cinnamon sugar-dusted sweet potato fries, but these rosemary and garlic ones are a wonderful savory option. I hope other chefs steal the idea, because I want to see this dish spread as a side. I couldn’t get enough of them.

BEST PLACE TO AVOID

Uncle Joe’s had great atmosphere and one of the most interesting side dishes on any menu, but the burger itself was somewhat disappointing. However, nothing could compare to the disappointing experience of AAA Burgers. Burnt food, poor service and smoke so thick it was practically a side dish left me thoroughly unimpressed. If you want a cheap burger, go to Lloyd and Harry’s. If you want a schmancy burger, go to Smashburger. If you want the best burger in town, keep reading.

BEST LOCAL BURGER

In the end, I circled back to where I began. Yes, after trying half a dozen burger options in St. Charles, JJ’s still wins. It's not perfect. The buns are too flimsy to contain all the goodness within. However, a few extra napkins for cleanup made it possible to ignore that one weakness.

First, JJ’s offers a tremendous selection of burgers and assorted toppings for customization. Second, the patty, oh the wonderful burger patty itself. The wonderfully moist, meaty burger at JJ's is second to none.

Some places excel at exotic toppings in interesting combinations. Others offer juicy burgers which taste like meat instead of like filler. At JJ’s, you can enjoy both.

I am proud to declare JJ’s the winner of the St. Charles Burger Battle.