Burger Of The Month Club – “BOM Club” Austin

I live south. Top Notch is North. It was totally worth the drive. Burgers were delicious. Okra perfectly golden brown. The Dr. Pepper was spot on. Having just come from round Rock and picking up a new foster puppy. That puppy made a strong run at being the center of attention over the burgers. He came just bobby and left as Ricky Bobby. The Burger Club was awesome. BYOB as I recall. The flavors at Top Notch were exactly that. Then there was a group photo. Better ingredients, better burgers, that’s Unilocal Burger of the Month club.

BOM Club Round 2: Top Notch Burgers
If this is any indication of how amazing these events are going to be, then I’m just simply blown away. What a great group we had together this past Saturday! You little burgerlings made us so proud!
Special thanks to Kelly at Top Notch for putting up with and totally accommodating us. Special thanks to Darla and Shannon and Chris & Tami for being so prepared with chairs and accommodations. Thank you to EVERYONE who came, for taking pictures, for hanging out and drinking beer and getting to know one another! Keenan, thank you for popping your Unilocal UYE cherry with us and bringing your beautiful wife! Steven, thanks for being brave as a newbie to Austin and jumping right now — we can’t wait for your wife to join from LV! Jonathan, too! And all the usual suspects — Shannon and family, Joe, Errol, Melissa A., Kelly B., Marilee (Happy Birthday, dear!) Witty Kitty, Alyssa (is that everyone?!) AND we were graced by the fabulous presence of our illustrious Kelly S. even!
Most people reviewed Top Notch directly on their page, so I encourage anyone who is interested in finding out what the burgers were really like to go visit that page. My review is here:
And if you’re interested in joining the next BOM Club meeting in June, then bookmark this page and stay tuned! You guys are amazing!
My recap of the Top Notch Burger: It lives up to its name. A decently sized, cooked on an open charcoal flame right there before your eyes, so it’s flavorful and full of character. Then you add fresh veggies, crisp and cool and bright. Their tots and fries, piping hot and perfectly golden. Service is fast, the atmosphere is classic, tailgating is totally fun and the way to go here, too.
Love love love love love and can’t wait for the next one!!!
Thanks BOM Club for making this great!!!

Beth is a fat girl trapped in a super model’s body. I, on the other hand, am a super model trapped in a fat girl’s body. This is why I love her. She gets me. So when she announced the BOTMC, I just knew I had to come out and support her. I got to meet many more Unilocalers who I hadn’t met yet and got to hang with the OG Shanker and the elusive Miss Kitty. Melissa is my new favorite bad influence. Between her and Beth, two pickle shots were downed. I give in to peer pressure. I hate that about myself. But I swear, I didn’t inhale! Much.
Burgers were bomb diggity. The server was busy but efficient. We caused a kerfuffle with the manager on duty by usurping tables and then moving… cuz that’s what Unilocalers do, yo.

As a founding father of the BOTM Club, I must say that this event is the best!
Seriously though, if it wasn’t for Beth D. this thing probably wouldn’t even be happening. We had this idea months and months ago and we finally got the ball rolling. Beth is taking all the time to set up the events and even went as far as creating the event page. Thanks for spearheading the operation Beth!
The inaugural event at Hut’s was a great success (even if the food was hit and miss for the group), and we look forward to providing many more burger tasting opportunities for everyone.
See you guys at the next location — to be announced soon!

Unilocalers — Burgermeister and Beth
I said, Unilocalers — beef and cheese on their breath
Formed a new club, for some fun UYEs
And some burger places to try
Unilocalers joined us at Hut’s downtown
I said, Unilocalers ate till they were facedown
I said, Unilocalers had corn dogs, golden brown
There’s no need to be so hangry.
It’s fun to hang at the B.O.T.M.C.
It’s fun to hang at the B.O.T.M.C.
Guacamale and jack, jalapenos and crack
Bacon or Pineapple tooooooo…
It’s fun to hang at the B.O.T.M.C.
It’s fun to hang at the B.O.T.M.C.
Hickory-​sauced «Chubby Chuck’s», gluten-​free for two bucks
You can get it however you feel…
Unilocaler, sit in five different seats
I said, Unilocaler, choose what you want to eat
I said, Unilocaler, medium rare, if you please
Onion rings or side of french fries
Unilocalers, join us twelve times a year
I said, Unilocalers, for a food we hold dear
And please join us, the B.O.T.M.C.
Making new Unilocal friends is the key
It’s fun to hang at the B.O.T.M.C.
It’s fun to hang at the B.O.T.M.C.
Hitting all burger joints that consensus appoints
You can argue which one’s your fave…
It’s fun to hang at the B.O.T.M.C.
It’s fun to hang at the B.O.T.M.C.
You can finally pay, then just stand in the way,
Then have shots at Kung Fu Salooooooon…
(apologies to Jacques Morali, Louis Lassen, The Navy, and all the citizens of Hamburg, Germany)

Beth and Chris: GREAT INAUGURAL BOMTC UYE!!!
I delayed my trip to California just so I could be present for this, the Inaugural BOTMC (that’s: «Burger of the Month Club») UYE, the first in a series of great get-​togethers. It seemed fitting for the first one to be at Hut’s Hamburgers, being the oldest continuously-​operating burger joint in Austin (since 1939). For those interested in Austin history (and I hope you are, if ya live here) I refer you to the PDF of Hut’s menu. The entire history’s not quite all there; there are a few details they don’t mention cuz they don’t concern Hut’s, but are still part of Austin history.
BTW, Hut’s has the BEST onion rings in Austin! (imho) Just look at mine in the pic’s.
But this is about the EVENT. Hut’s did a great job of providing ample space for our ever-​changing-​in-​size crowd. There was a lil’ «musical chairs» to play, as part of our group got shuffled to a different part of the restaurant. And they all came back as folks left; no matter, it just made for more mingling, sitting next to different folks.
We got the BIG semi-​circular table in the very front of the restaurant. I’ve always had a fascination with those big round tables at the front of restaurants, so my «furniture fettish» was satisfied too.
A great time was had by all; my only regret was that I didn’t get for «formally» meet co-​founder of this event, and «The Burgermeister», Chris. We were BOTH there at the same time, and I meant to make a point to have someone point him out to me. Then, as happens all too often to me, I got to chatting with everyone and my feeble lil’ brain forgot I was supposed to be on the lookout for Chris. Anyway, that just gives me something to look forward to in the future.
Beth, as best I can remember (and as some of you already know), was among my very first Unilocal Friends (YF’s), way back in 2011. I have some Unilocalers I’ve never met to thank for that. They wrote a negative review about one of my fave pizzerias in my neighborhood, but posted no pictures to PROVE how «bad» it was. I posted some shots to show how GOOD they were (if anyone’s interested, I’m talkin’ about Milano Pizza, W. Stassney @ Emerald Forest). I had to defend my pizzeria, and had to create a Unilocal account to post my pic’s and accompanying review. That would’ve probably been the beginning and the end of my involvement with Unilocal.But Beth Complimented my pics with an «Ermagaad!», and so began my Unilocal «career», after a period of dormancy. Beth is the COOLEST! (and has good taste when it comes to photos, I might add) :-D
After Hut’s, some of us retired down the street, to the Kung Fu Saloon, for an «after party». Most (sadly, not tee-​totaler Larry) had «pickle shots»: Vodka shot with a pickle brine chaser (and OH, how I miss the Vodka). Well, guess where the pickle brine came from? HUT’S! As another Unilocaler said, it was just Kismet.
I posted pictures taken both at Hut’s, and also Kung Fu, as it was sort of a continuation of the festivities. If you’re not in ANY of ‘em, ya didn’t try hard enough. And if you didn’t want to be in ‘em but are anyway, ya didn’t try hard enough, and all I can say is: GOTCHA! (Kitty). (hehe, luv ya, girl)
And of course, in addition to getting to reunite with the YF’s I already have, I’ve now got several NEW ones too! I don’t know how each of you feel individually, but while it’s a whole lotta fun to interact with Unilocalers online, I think getting to know mah Unilocal Buds, in the flesh, is WAY better! I like the folks who get out and PARTICIPATE!
Again, endless appreciation to Beth and Chris (and Chris and Beth) for organizing such a wonderful event. I have my own suggestion for a BOTMC location, but I actually look more forward to experiencing places I HAVEN’T been to before. That’s one of the beauties of being a Unilocaler: If you don’t know about it, one of your Unilocal Friends WILL, if you’re willing to «eat outside the box».
And please don’t let anything containing the word «BOX» creep on to our BOTMC list!
Sadly, I’ll probably be out of town for the next month’s installment, in May (oh I think I heard ONE cheer; you know who you are). But I know y’all are in excellent hands; I can’t wait for the BOTMC UYE in June, and I hope I’m back in time to not miss it!
(This is a review of the BOTMC event only. Review of Hut’s itself will be posted on their page; let’s just say they didn’t rate as high.)
larrythediner
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I think Hut’s was a perfect choice for kicking off the BOTMC UYE’s! While the burger and rings left me unimpressed, it was great hanging out with everyone. We even had a couple of out-of-towner’s pop in from Vegas! The atmosphere was friendly and great. We were all packed around the table like sardines in a can. We chomped, slurped, and, licked our way through the afternoon. Afterwards, a group of us headed over to Kung-Fu’s for some pickle shots and beer. Looking forward to the next event for sure! It is my opinion that the BOTMC will become legend.