Harden's survey result
Summary
“Nearly but not quite the last man standing after the burger wars” – this “busy” chain offers “a limited menu” that’s generally credited with being a “reliable” way to “hit the spot” when craving a “decent” burger with “fragrant rosemary fries”. Ratings, though, do support those who say they are “not as good as they used to be” and risk becoming “nothing special” if the trend continues.
Summary
“You get what it says on the tin” at this hugely popular, “no frills” (“no starters and no puds”) brand – the most commented-on burger multiple in our annual diners’ poll – which is “still consistently good, despite having turned into a massive chain”. The “top-quality meat and a good variety of specials” (“check out the latter for something a little different”) are “cooked to your liking from a basic menu” and “the wonderfully flavoured rosemary fries are a fab accompaniment”. Having flirted with an all-vegan sub-brand in Leicester Square (‘V Honest’), it was converted back to the core concept in June 2022.
Summary
“Rosemary fries to die for” are still a mainstay of this “gourmet burger” chain: now with around 40 branches in the UK (and which raised money in early 2021 to allow it to take up opportunities as they present themselves post-pandemic). “Although they have been around for some time, the burgers are arguably among the best in London, and they have maintained standards despite expanding to become a sizable chain”. Well, that was our view till now anyway, and it remains the majority verdict. Is the brand finally becoming a victim of its success, though? Ratings were dragged into chain territory for the first time this year by a few reporters who felt “the old flair and fun were missing…”, or that it’s “sometimes interesting but overall so-so”. On the whole, though, it still gets a big thumbs-up: “had to eat and run but worth almost missing the last train for!”.
Summary
“A chain that defies the image of chains!” – “by far the tastiest of the ‘gourmet’ burger groups has yet to succumb to the typical slip-in-quality as it grows”, and is nowadays the most-mentioned burger multiple in the survey. It has “taken the mantle from Byron” in recent years, with both a “better, less formulaic approach” and also a “slower and steadier opening programme”: a combination that’s “maintained the basic fundamentals of a decent, un-mucked-up formula”. “Half restaurant/ half fast food in style, there are no starters and only ices for dessert, so you are in and out inside an hour. But, if you are looking for a good quality quick bite, this is the place for you”. “It knocks out great-value, no-nonsense burgers, still serves them medium rare in flagrant defiance of food hygiene fascism, does the best veggie burger around (more of a fritter), and now does the famous ’bleeding’ vegan burger, oozing beetroot juice for those requiring the illusion of meat with their veg”. Other winning features include “addictive rosemary chips”, “interesting specials (which vary by branch)” and “great beers on draught” from local breweries.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
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