Terra Burger

I’m a 9 or 10-​year gluten free vet, and I have to say I’m in love with the burgers here. A Hill Country with bacon or a thousand island are some of my favorite snacks in town. As mentioned by a previous reviewer, the gf buns are some of the best you can get. I totally dig the health conscious/​drive-​thru nature of this place. I like both varieties of iced tea, and every time I’ve eaten here (as well as the now-​defunct Terra Burger on the drag) I’ve been 100% satisfied. When removing the gf bun from consideration, Are they the best burgers I’ve ever had? No — but they are damn near the best drive-​thru burgers I’ve had. When I do indulge in sugary beverages, I really enjoy the natural, Boylan sodas also. I have driven across Austin for these burgers.

So disappointing to see them go. Every time I want a burger now, I just get mad. Elevation is GROSS and expensive for the garbage they dish out… so that is not an option.
I miss the atmosphere, the friendly staff… and the YUMMY healthy food. My sons often tells me how much he wishes Terra burger was still here… and so do I. Gluten Free burgers, great chicken, organic drinks… crispy fries… and a private little setting at a park. It is very much missed.

When I noticed the big «Closed-​For Sale» sign the other day, it prompted me to write a review not so much for potential clientele but for the potential new owners who (I would hope) are doing their research.
One word for the 2-​star rating: Overpriced. I love the fact that the burgers were organic, grass-​fed etc BUT when I can go down the street to Elevation Burger and get the same caliber (and, in my opinion, better tasting) burger for a fraction of the price, well, I’ll give up the handy drive-​thru service to save a few bucks. Not to mention, the shakes were a joke! I’m talkin’ kiddie-​size for $ 5!
Give more options for toppings, make the shakes bigger, offer something besides ketchup to put on sweet potato fries, offer good old high-​fructose corn syrup-​laden sodas along with the healthier varieties, shave a couple bucks off the bottom line and, from someone who eats out every day and whose BFF is a drive-​thru window, now we’re talkin!

Good burger, super expensive, awful soggy fries. $ 13 for a double cheeseburger and large fries.
McDonald’s fries would crush theirs, just being honest not pretentious. Will probably be back to get a burger through the drive thru if I’m too lazy to get out of my car and walk into Mighty Fine.

I’m between a 3 and a 4 on this place.
The quality of meat in the burger was GREAT, however the toppings and everything else was basic. Tasted similar to something you’d cook on your back door barbq.
The ORGANIC black cherry soda was Really good, I’m a Coke fan but it felt good to drink something that may be a little bit healthier.
Fries we’re good as well.
I guess what it is about this place is the food is decent but the fact that its «Organic» makes it a bit better.
But at the end of it all I probably won’t be back, and the reason is the prices are too high for what you get IMO.
I’ll go with a 3.

I’m a big fan of this place because
a)It’s organic fast food, which is just awesome
b) the outdoor playground and waterpark are really cool, way better than some sticky, mysterious ball pit type play area
c) the sweet potato fries have gotten way better, have had them drenched in oil before
Only negatives are the burgers could be way lighter on the condiments, and one day I ordered a Terra Burger and got a Thousand Island burger instead, it looked pretty withered and it was luke warm, I wondered if the staff didn’t feel like cooking a fresh one even though I may have been the only customer there at the time

When I first moved to Austin, Terra Burger was my favorite drive-​thru… However, over the last couple of years their quality has gotten worse and worse.
Burgers EXTREMELY dry, too much condiment drowned onto it, the sweet potato fries are hit and miss. Sometimes they’re cooked nicely, still raw, or over-​cooked and burnt. Yuck. The tea has a HORRIBLE bitterness to it, and I know good tea. Milkshakes are funky, but I like the bigger straw!
I finally gave up on their burgers, and made the move to their grilled chicken salad. It’s alright but not for what they charge for it.
The wait is absolutely horrific! It should NOT take 20 minutes to get through a drive-​thru.

We have been meaning to try Terra Burger, after passing it along 183 for a while and decided to stop in tonight, as we didn’t want to go to a sit down restaurant because let’s face it — it’s Friday in Austin… everything is packed… and just wanted to grab something a little better for us than McDonald’s. Soooo… we went all the way down 183 from Cedar Park to give it a go.
What I was expecting, was a great homage to Burgerville out of Oregon and Washington — but this place hasn’t quite gotten there yet.
We ordered:
1 Terra Burger, Double
1 Chicken Sandwich — Fried
1 Regular Fries
1 Vanilla Cream Soda
1 Green Iced Tea
The burgers were so-​so. My chicken burger was flavorful and good, but there was so little of it. The buns were good, and the veggies were fresh. My boyfriend said of his burger, «It was ok, but a little plain.» The fries were super squishy. I prefer a mix of squishy and crisp fries. these were all limp. They tasted good, but the texture was just wrong.
The service was quick, but the price was high. we paid just under $ 23 for this meal, and were left with the feeling that meh. we’ve had better. I’d like to go back and try their turkey burger at some point — but I’m not all that motivated to go there now, as I wasn’t impressed.
What does impress me is that they are local, organic, recycle their oil for biofuels, and are a healthier fast food option — and I like to support all of those causes. I was surprised that they aren’t on board with Go Local… odd.
Anyways, two stars is what it is… I believe that if you’re going to do something, you should do it well… I like the cause, but it wasn’t good. So there you go…

What makes a good burger joint is a completely different monster when you’re gluten free. The meat patty was a little too juicy (who knew that was a thing) and, if I had access to every burger place in the world, I don’t know that I’d be as nuts about it. However, every burger place in the world doesn’t offer a gluten free bun, and the ones who do don’t usually offer a *good* gluten free bun. The Kinnikinnick buns they use here are nice and soft, with a buttery flavor and a slight sponginess to them. That’s a deal maker, folks.
Also, did I taste a slight smoked flavor in that cheese? Damn, that was good.

Wow. People seem to feel very strongly one way or another about this Terra Burger, and the haters are particularly passionate. I can only report on my experience, though, and I still have nothing but love for TB.
After a pass through the Costco gas station for a fill-​up, I felt qualified to take one of those «Costco Customer Only» parking spots at around 12:15p on a Monday. There were plenty of empty spots in that lot at this time of day, but I imagine they’d get mad if I tried that during Christmas shopping madness.
This time, I ordered the 3 slider basket with a tiny Terra, tiny Hill Country (to which I added bacon at no additional charge), and tiny 1000 Island burger (which I subbed out with a chili burger, again with no penalty). These little burgers were delicious! The buns fresh and sweet, the pickles and veggies crisp, the condiments flavorful, and the meat, well, meaty. My only complaint, and it’s a minor one, is that the onions were a little too much; I prefer sliced to chopped so that I can easily remove them when I find them overpowering, but now that I know, I’ll just ask for them on the side next time.
Now the fries. I really cannot understand all of the Unilocaler reports of soggy, otherwise unsatisfactory fries here, as my order today was potato perfection. Crisp, hot, salty, plentiful, and no weird added flavors like you get at the mass-​produced-​semi-​food purveyors. Then there’s the ketchup. Oh so good. I need to get two of those next time.
Service was friendly, accurate, and prompt for me, but they definitely were not slammed. I wonder if some of the negative reviews have come from times when the staff weren’t able to keep up with the demands of a «rush.»
My earlier review covered all the reasons a tree hugging hippy (and those who love them) should support this local biz. Knowing that the food is real and every bit of the waste from the meal can be recycled or composted is pretty admirable for most restaurants, not to mention a drive though burger joint.
Next time — chocolate shake, I’m coming for you!
I guess I can’t close this update without mentioning again the kid-​friendly angle. On this visit, 95% of the other patrons were families with children (during Spring Break week). All I observed seemed to eat & play at TB regularly and clearly appreciated what they’re offering.

An organic fast food place in Austin? Ha, that doesn’t surprise me! But I love Austin and this place is perfect for it.
This is real food, not that processed stuff. I’m very for the idea of this place because it’s healthier than those other fast food joints. Does it cost more? Yes. You are putting better food in your body so it’s worth it.
I had the veggie burger with sweet potato fries and black cherry cola (made with real cane sugar). The veggie burger was pretty good. Nothing amazing. It’s a black bean and rice burger I believe which was a bit dry but still solid. The sweet potato fries were fresh and piping hot. They were decently good. The black cherry soda was damn good. No corn syrup here!
Terra Burger is a great place for organic fast food. If you want that fast food feeling while putting healthier (not necessarily healthy) food in your body, this is your place. I enjoyed the food enough that I would come back once in awhile for a veggie burger served at a fast food joint. The sodas were damn good and there were many other options I wanted to try.
Cheers!

I do appreciate that there is a place that I can get a burger or chicken sandwich and have it taste like real food. It’s more expensive, but I don’t mind at all. Heck, I can even get a soda from here I can drink (calorie free, caffeine free). The fries taste like real potatoes and not «potato food product». The playscape and area around it makes for a nice place to eat lunch.
Why only 3 stars? The burgers… while they do taste like good quality burgers… just aren’t all that good. Elevation burger’s food blows them away. The chicken sandwiches are pretty decent and so are the fries, but with Elevation right across the freeway, cheaper, and better — I don’t know how often I’ll frequent this place.
I definitely wouldn’t complain about going back. ‘Specially if I want a chicken sandwich.

Do you know why food at McDonald’s isn’t organic? Do you know why high fructose corn syrup is used in everything instead of cane sugar? Do you know why Wendy’s uses hormone-​pumped, grain fed cattle instead of grass-​fed grazing cows? Because doing things right is too damned expensive.
Yes, Terra Burger costs more than Burger King. Thank God for that. Some people value what they put in their bodies, and aren’t always looking for the cheapest bidder to supply their fuel.
Terra Burger offers up a place for the discerning but lazy diner to grab a quick meal, and for that, I’m grateful. Add in a FABULOUS gluten-​free bun, and I’m hooked. The only low note was the sweet potato fries, which I found limp and overcooked, but the service was excellent, the patio charming, and the cane sugar soda delicious.
Keep up the good work, TB, and let the cheapskates waddle on over to Wendy’s.

Terraburger has won the following awards:
— Most expensive drive-​through burger in Austin
— Limpist, soggiest, coldest fries
— Best practical joke of handing me a warm aluminum can when I clearly asked for a soda
My burger looked like someone hated it more than I did… it was a total beat-​up mess when I unwrapped it. They also committed the fatal flaw of putting the vegetables under the meat patties… WHY WHY WHY do places think this is a good idea? As expected, it was a soggy, nasty mess by the time it got home.
I’m no eco-​warrior, and I really don’t care if my food is organic or genetically engineered by some evil vegetable baron. Terra Burger’s whole organic spiel is completely wasted on me, but I was willing to pay the higher prices if the food was awesome. Bad news, it ain’t.

«One double turkey burger. Nothing else.»
«That’ll be $ 9.72.»

I will say this, at $ 10.50 for a chicken sandwich, fries and a drink, Terra Burger isn’t for the masses.
That being said, this was most likely one of the most pleasant fast food experiences in recent history. The lady at the window knew how many carb grams were in the sugar free (Stevia sweetened) diet soda and how many calories were in a regular order of sweet potato fries. For those of us looking to control our diet, this is definitely a plus.
The grilled chicken sandwich was AWESOME. I am one who believes that adding bacon and cheese and avocado, while delicious, is just a way of hiding a mediocre cut of meat and the veggies that go along with it. The chicken was juicy and the veggies were crisp and I was a happy little girl. The sweet potato fries almost looked baked but I could tell they were flash fried.
All in all a positive first impression.

Equally or more important than the concept (organic, etc.), I have something to say: TASTY. This could be my new favorite burger in town, and I LOVE burgers.
Today was the second time this month that Jack and I made the trip north to nosh some meat and burn some calories on the playscape. The food did not disappoint. He loves the cheeseburger, but he thinks it’s silly how little the slider in the kids’ meal is. They do offer a 2 slider option for the little ones. Not a bad idea if your munchkin is an eater. Mine is.
To me, the sweet potato fries are DELICIOUS. First time I had the beef; this time the turkey. Both were top notch in my book. The cane sugar sodas are rad. The basic paper packaging of everything puts me at ease. I’m not a tree hugger, per se, but I’ll vote for biodegradable over styro any day. I would pay an upcharge for that vote if necessary, but I didn’t feel like that was the case here. Prices are fair.
The play pen is fully enclosed– very cool for parents hoping to catch a few minutes of texting with your guard down.
The irony of the big Yellow Arches across the highway struck me enough that I actually snapped a picture of them in the same frame as the Terra Burger sign boasting all natural and organic. But, again, that’s not the extent of what makes this place special. The food is good. The kids will be happy. Nuff said.
In closing, Jack and I still LOVE Phil’s Icehouse– and it’s closer to home– but we have already made room in our hearts for Terra Burger as well.

When I visited the Terra on the drag a while back I was pretty impressed, so I was excited when I found out they were opening one near me. I went a couple times shortly after they opened, but I figured I would wait a while before reviewing so they could get their «we’re new at this» kinks worked out. I’m glad I did because the last time I went their fries were DELICIOUS. They’ve figured out the exact amount of time needed to fry them to a perfect golden brown, lightly crispy on the outside but still soft on the inside.
Unfortunately they haven’t quite figured out how long to cook the burgers, because my burger was a tad dry. I blame the lean organic beef they use and the fact that most burger places cook the everloving shit out of their burgers (presumably for health reasons?). Next time I go I’ll see if they will cook it «medium» for me instead.
The coolest thing I’ve discovered about this place is that they are open late (which is a rarity up here) AND they have some pretty good deals after 8pm. A burger, fries, and drink will run you $ 7, so it’s a great option if you want something quick later at night (I’m looking at you, Kerbey Lane.)

I wanted to like this place more than I did, I left there thinking I could make a better burger with my own organic ingredients.
My Terra Burger with cheddar wasn’t bad, just bland. The mixed fries were too oily for me and oddly Freudian – short white nibs entwined with long colored stalks. I did get an interesting buzz from the Coke and the ketchup, possibly from the organic sugar.
If my priority was just to eat organic, with little regard for taste or texture, I’d probably frequent this place; but I think I was expecting to be wowed by the food, with the organic factor being a bonus, and that just didn’t happen for me on this visit.

I’m sorry Terra Burger.
I really wanted to have a hot passionate love affair with you.
For one, you live right around the corner: Convenience.
You are «healthy», all natural, and organic.
You have such enticing signs that make me salivate when I drive past.
You have sweet potato fries, I mean really.
Sadly, like many food fantasies, Terra burger did not live up to my expectations. I ordered the regular Terra burger and the small sweet potato fries. For one, it was almost 9 dollars. Which is like a serious dinner out for me, so I expected perfection.
My fries were not cooked. They were barely half cooked, and the burger, while it tasted mostly OK, was dry and had a fishy aftertaste. Maybe a 2 dollar burger? My jumbo jack earlier in the day was better. By a mile.
I am sad, Terra burger. You took my money and you left me hungry, sad and broke, dreaming of the all natural (but super awesome) burger joint you could have been. The burger joint of my dreams. :sigh: