Last month at Fast Food Critic, John reviewed a burger from Five Guys Burgers and Fries. His photos and description left me craving 5G, so I decided to revisit the rapid growing quick serve establishment. I’ll be honest and say I’ve never been a big fan of Five Guys, despite rave reviews they’ve received from others. I hadn’t been in several years, and wanted to give them another shot. John’s review inspired me to do that, and even try something new. 5G is primarily known for burgers, however they also serve an item rare in the fast food industry these days… the elusive hot dog.

On this occasion it’s the Bacon Cheese Dog, and I was not disappointed. It’s a very good dog. I decided to add diced raw onions and mustard/ketchup to the bacon and American cheese. One thing which makes Five Guys special is the ability to pile on a large variety of free toppings to your burgers and hot dogs. In fact, 5G’s recently revamped website says there are “15 FREE Toppings”. Today I felt like standard, typical ingredients, but will get more adventurous with choices in the future.

As I waited for my food I munched on whole peanuts in the shell, a nice perk offered to all customers. I watched the burgers and dogs sizzle on the grill, which made me hungry. It’s a nice change from many fast-food restaurants where you have no idea how, or by whom your food is cooked. Upon getting my order I noticed the dog is a good size and the beef frank is split right down the middle. Having it split in half was a nice touch, and helped distribute the toppings generously and evenly. The diced raw onions were tasty and fresh, the bacon was crisp and salty, and the frank was full of flavor. The American cheese tasted fine, but unfortunately was barely melted. It would have been improved with a more consistent melt. Having part of the cheese warm and gooey while the rest stayed refrigerated cold and firm… was a minor turnoff.

The frankfurters are supplied by Hebrew National, containing 100% kosher beef with no artificial ingredients. Not the best I’ve eaten, but still one of the better franks around. The buns were soft, fresh and toasted on the inside, though nothing special.

A single dog is not enough to satisfy a hungry appetite, and at $3.89 each it could get expensive to fill up. I’ve yet to try the fries, either Cajun or Regular, but I’ve heard a lot of positive response from people who have. FFC founder Timothy plans on reviewing both in the near future. The bacon cheese dog plus fries and drink will cost you about $6 and change. It’s definitely worth trying and something I can easily recommend. Since hot dogs are a rare breed in the fast food world, go show them some love. Yes, Five Guys is a burger place, but it’s nice to see every dog does have it’s day.

Price: $3.89 / Website: FiveGuys.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B+

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Nutrition Facts - Five Guys, Bacon Cheese Dog.

Calories - 695
Calories from Fat - 425
Total Fat - 48 grams
Carbs - 40.5 grams
Saturated Fat - 22 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 96 milligrams
Sodium - 1700 milligrams
Protein - 26 grams

Thank you Burger Gods — This burger is amazing — I love everything about it.

Timothy, FFC’s Editor/Founder, is a little upset with me. You see, we both wanted to review Five Guys but neither had confirmed a date, so it ended up being a free-for-all. Basically, it was a race to see who could get there first, and I won. Why is this a big deal? Because Five Guys has been getting publicity from major food magazines and websites, and is regarded as one of the best burgers in the biz. They are located mostly in the east and northeast, but have begun to expand nationwide. They still have a limited presence, and the average fast food eater has probably not had access to them. Tim’s homestate has only recently seen their first 5G locations appear.

If you’ve never been to a Five Guys Burgers and Fries before, their name pretty much sums up what you’ll find. It’s a simple menu, burgers and fries are obviously available, but you’ll also find hot dogs, and veggie or grilled cheese. As far as the burgers go, they’ve got the Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Bacon Burger and Bacon Cheeseburger. Each of those also comes in a “Little” version, which I soon learned means a single beef patty as opposed to the regular version’s double stacked meat. They offer a good selection of toppings which are all free, included with any burger purchase.

When you walk into Five Guys, huge bags of potatoes line the windows, and they have lots of awards and reviews plastered all over the walls. They’re definitely proud of their success, and their freshly cut fries. After eating there, I cannot argue with either. One off-note I have to mention, the first 5G location I visited, the cooks were quite loud and animated. They were shouting orders to each other and it was a bit distracting. Things at the second location were quieter and more laid back, which I appreciated.

With the amount of toppings they offer, I wasn’t quite sure how to dress my burgers. For consistency, both times I ended up getting the Cheeseburger (regular, not “little”) with fried onions, jalapeno peppers, and bbq sauce. After placing my order, the wait at the two locations averaged 5 -7 minutes. It’s definitely a longer wait than a typical fast-food place. Once I got my burger, I tore the wrapping open and was surprised at the size. It was big, and I hadn’t expected 2 beef patties. And they were delicious, cooked perfectly, with just a bit of char on the outside, plenty juicy inside, and a taste almost like homemade. Each patty looked different, the result of fresh beef that’s shaped by a human being, instead of a machine spitting out clones ready to be frozen.

Another surprise was fresh jalapenos. Most fast food places use jalapenos from a jar, which are less spicy. I was excited to get some real heat on my burger. The jalapenos were great, and with three or four slices per sandwich, had just the right amount of kick without being overwhelming. The Kraft American cheese was nicely melted, the onions were fried to perfection, and the Cattlemen’s bbq sauce added the finishing touch of flavor. Even the buns are worth mentioning, soft and squishy yet firm enough to hold everything together, and soaking in some of the juices from the meat.

As I said in the beginning, I was satisfied with everything about this burger. It’s one of the best I’ve eaten, regardless of the classification: fast-food, casual or quick-serve. This is one burger that lives up to the hype. If there’s a location near you, GO!

If there’s any complaint about my Five Guys experiences at all, I guess it would be the waiting time. I just wish they could make them faster. Then again, I’m not sure they’re technically considered “Fast Food”, and there’s a reason they don’t have a drive-thru. Burgers this good take time. If I’m in a rush, and don’t think to call ahead, my short lunch break will force me to swing into another fast food joint, but if I have those extra few minutes I’ll definitely be visiting Five Guys again. After getting a closer look at the nutrition facts, perhaps it’s best that 5G remain my special occasion burger.

Price: $4.99 / Website: FiveGuys.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A+

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Nutrition Facts - Five Guys, Cheeseburger (onions, jalapenos, bbq sauce).

Calories - 1033
Calories from Fat - 520
Total Fat - 59 grams
Carbs - 61 grams
Saturated Fat - 26.5 grams
Trans Fat - 2 grams
Cholesterol - 195 milligrams
Sodium - 1735 milligrams
Protein - 67 grams

NOTE: The nutrition numbers above include the regular Cheeseburger with two beef patties, two slices of cheese, onions, jalapenos, bbq sauce and bun. Five Guys does a good job at breaking things down by individual ingredient. For the complete 5G nutrition information, visit this link. (.pdf file)