Keeling Group

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a big fan of cheeseburgers. From the Burger Dunny I designed for KidRobot to the Best Burger Ever t-shirt I designed for Burlesque, this passion for grilled meat sandwiches has shone through in my art and design work. To expand on this particular passion, I thought it only appropriate to set out on a quest to find the best burger in the Twin Cities. Ladies and gentlement, welcome to a little web series I shall call... I should mention that this web series is sponsored in part by the Best Burger Ever t-shirt, available exclusively in our BRLSQ online store. Last night, my dude and fellow burger-admirer Jimmy 2 Times and I hit up two spots in downtown Minneapolis. The first was the highly-acclaimed Vincent, A Restaurant. Not Vincent's Restaurant, but Vincent, A Restaurant, home of the elusive Vincent Burger. Based on Minneapolis' infamous Jucy Lucy, the Vincent Burger is two thin beef patties stuffed with braised short rib and smoked gouda cheese, then sealed shut to form a seared pocket of flavor. That's one good-lookin' burger. Let's have a look inside. You can see the short rib and gouda bursting out. I gotta say, this is truly one of the finest burgers I have ever eaten - incredibly savory but not over-the-top. I was worried it was going to be a meat overload, but it's balanced perfectly. The fries were also very nicely done - very simple and clean. As far as burger-eating experiences go, this is one of the best you can ask for. I cannot recommend the Vincent Burger enough. I rate the Vincent Burger a 9 out of 10. On to our second spot, Ike's. Even though we were pleasantly full from the Vincent burgers, I insisted we check out Jimmy's highly-recommended pick: Ike's on 6th St, just South of Hennepin Ave. Where Vincent touts French fare and French-speaking waiters, Ike's steez is more hovering between a '50s drive-in and a traditional supper club. I thought the décor was a bit corny and they could have really killed it with the old school supper club feel, but they went more like sports bar meets Applebee's with all the shit hanging on the walls. ANYWAYS... as full as we were, I was looking forward to trying this burger that Jimmy had been telling me so much about. As far as your bare bones, traditional burger goes, this thing is pretty damn on point. The sharp cheddar was exceptionally sharp, and I will always approve of that. I thought the fries were awful - too thin, too overcooked, too salty. But the burger here is great. If you're looking for a real meat and potatoes kind of burger experience, Ike's is a good spot. Oh yeah, the milkshakes are great too! Overall I rate Ike's burger a 6 out of 10. Stay tuned for more burger adventures in the Twin Cities as we continue our quest for the BEST BURGER EVER! Where is your favorite burger spot in town? Leave a comment and tell us where we should go next! Also, don't forget to pick up a Best Burger Ever t-shirt to let folks know you're down with the quest!