Chop House Burgers in Arlington hasn't been around as long as some of the other great burger joints in town. But in its short life, it has gained a loyal following and a stellar reputation, all cemented by an appearance on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives in 2012. When you go, prepare to wait in line. But if you're with friends, that's actually a blessing as you get to spend more time with them. And even though you may wait 20 minutes in line to order, your food will come out amazingly fast. There are about 10 burgers to choose from, including a vegetarian option, but most people I've talked to recommend the Chop House Burger and that is what I went with. What makes this burger so special is the actual meat patty, which is a char grilled ground beef and slow roasted brisket mix. Yes, you read correctly. and you can absolutely tell that it is a mix of the two. Very moist and packed full of flavor; with one bite you can tell why Chop House has become so popular so quickly. And to add that extra kick of flavor, the Chop House is served with a homemade steak sauce. Now, I've never been big on steak sauce, so I ordered mine on the side. It was super fabulous and really brought everything together. The bacon and melted cheddar were simply icing on the cake of this great burger.
Chop House didn't break my top 5, although I would say it's in the top 10. Two things prevented it from entering the top 5 - shredded lettuce and the bun. The bun is a bit of an oxymoron. The menu clearly states that it is served on a butter toasted bun and it most definitely was. And I love a butter toasted bun. However, there were parts of my bun that were super soggy, I guess from the tomatoes. One thing that I totally can't stand is soggy bread. Was almost a deal breaker. The sogginess and the toastiness of the bun was a bit confusing to the palette.
Overall, all five of the Burger Babes were very pleased with their choices.
As usual, we had quite a sampling of fried goodness. You can order a basket or a side. Even if you're sharing, the side is an ample enough serving. Fried pickles were good, nothing outstanding in my opinion, although Kelly really loved them. I'm still undecided about the onion rings. The flavor was greatness, but there was a heaviness about them that I really can't explain. It might be because I've gotten so used to tempura-style onion rings that anything else seems much heavier. But again, awesome flavor!!! The sweet potato fries were probably my favorite though, and what I would order next time.
Chop House is deep in Arlington and probably quite a trek for many of you. If you can combine a visit to Chop House with a Rangers or Cowboy game, that would be ideal. But if you can't, it's still worth the trip to experience that incredible ground beef and brisket combination. And if you go on your birthday, your burger is free!
Things to know before you go:
- You may wait in line to order for a good 20 minutes.
- Older building, crummy AC, especially in August
- Your patty will be cooked well unless specified otherwise. I asked for medium and it bordered on medium rare, which was fine with me.
- BYOB
Next month, the Burger Babe outing will be a touch different as there is a Burger Fest in Deep Ellum on the 21st. Hope to see you there.
