Billing
itself as Arlington's Burger Shop and Social Club, Grease Monkey is
exactly that. It's located in the heart of Arlington, near Division and Center.
It's a casual hang out with a bar that opens up to the street. After grabbing a
table, we made our way to the counter to place our orders. I wavered
between the Black and Blue Burger and a cheeseburger, finally opting for the Black and
Blue - a blackened burger
covered with crumbled crispy bacon, melted Swiss cheese, onion strings, and a
Blue Cheese dressing. I've ordered plenty of Black and Blues before, but this
was the first time the patty was actually blackened. So the spice of the
seasoning did throw me off, but it was a flavorful burger. After about 10
minutes, our pagers went off and we headed back to the counter for pick-up.
Doesn't this look yummy? The burger doesn't come with any of the usual condiments, you add what you want at a side bar. Notice the lettuce. That was probably the greatest disappointment. It's my opinion that shredded lettuce is for tacos, not burgers. Obviously Grease Monkey disagrees, but to each his own. The burger was quite flavorful; I can only imagine how much more flavorful it would have been if I had gone for just the cheeseburger and not had blackened meat to distract my taste buds. The Swiss cheese and blue cheese dressing is a great combination, giving the burger a tangy yumminess. I really liked the crispy bacon crumbles, although a few more crumbles would have been nice. The absolute star of the show? The hamburger bun! Before the buns are toasted, they're coated in a butter blend of honey, cilantro, lime, and jap spread. Even if you're kind of iffy on the burger, the bun would most definitely sway you. It was so delicious!!!
There are a lot of sides to choose from: fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, and fried pickles. I think there were more, but we focused on our usual suspects. I can't really rate either of the fries too highly. Pretty average, to be honest. I did like the onion rings, although there was a discussion about the style. These rings are the thin ones that tend to fall apart easily. Those kind of onion rings are fine by me as long as the flavor is there, and it was. But, overall, the best side on our table was the basket of fried pickle chips. Sliced and breaded thinly, the pickles were a great addition to the meal.
Overall, Grease Monkey got pretty high ratings from the Burger Babes on this visit. It's not going to break my top 5, or probably even my top 10, but Grease Monkey is the place to go when you want a casual atmosphere and a good, solid burger that will fill you up. They've got the choices and options for building your own burger, as well as a couple of unique burgers, like the Chicken Fried Burger. If you need a place to go before or after a Rangers game, this would be a great choice. Or, if you need a place to watch the game, there were plenty of televisions with both the Rangers and the US Open on.
See you next time!
About six years ago, I made my first trip to California. I was visiting one of my best friends, who had just moved out to the central coast, and I was excited to see her and experience the Golden State. The very first place she took me? In-N-Out Burger. Now at this time, I wasn't quite the burger girl I am today, although I had heard of In-N-Out and knew it was a must-visit. My initial reaction was favorable. It was a really good burger, obviously made with fresh materials. And the fries were pretty great, too! So when the news broke that In-N-Out was making its way to Texas, I was pretty excited. I chose not to visit In-N-Out until they had been open for awhile. The buzz about this institution was phenomenal and the wait to get a burger was often a couple of hours. Since In-N-Out's arrival to Dallas-Ft. Worth last year, I've only been a couple of times. I have to be honest and admit, I don't really get all of the hype. It's a good, decent burger for a fast food burger, and it's obviously made with quality ingredients. But I haven't had one in Texas that really makes me want to make it a regular part of my life. And a lot of times the french fries can help out an average burger. The fries I've had both times were lackluster with a greasy taste (and not greasy in a good way). Pretty disappointing. I'm sure a lot of people think I'm crazy, but to me In-N-Out is justy another fast food place with a decent burger, but it's nothing to get excited about. In fact, the one I would typically go to is within 5 minutes of both a Five Guys and a Smashburger. So, if I have a say in the matter, hands down, I'm headed to Smashburger. As far as chains go, they've got one of the best burgers and a variety of sides around. Sorry California, maybe Trader Joe's will have a bigger impact on me.
There are a lot of sides to choose from: fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, and fried pickles. I think there were more, but we focused on our usual suspects. I can't really rate either of the fries too highly. Pretty average, to be honest. I did like the onion rings, although there was a discussion about the style. These rings are the thin ones that tend to fall apart easily. Those kind of onion rings are fine by me as long as the flavor is there, and it was. But, overall, the best side on our table was the basket of fried pickle chips. Sliced and breaded thinly, the pickles were a great addition to the meal.
Overall, Grease Monkey got pretty high ratings from the Burger Babes on this visit. It's not going to break my top 5, or probably even my top 10, but Grease Monkey is the place to go when you want a casual atmosphere and a good, solid burger that will fill you up. They've got the choices and options for building your own burger, as well as a couple of unique burgers, like the Chicken Fried Burger. If you need a place to go before or after a Rangers game, this would be a great choice. Or, if you need a place to watch the game, there were plenty of televisions with both the Rangers and the US Open on.