Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Just ordered my burger. Cashier woman was incredibly rude after I tried to crack a joke with nobody in line. She never asked if I wanted a drink or fries. I’m very sorry I interrupted her behind the counter. VERY OVERPRICED JUST FOR A BACON CHEESEBURGER!!! Save yourself time and go to Wendy’s across the street.

Solid burger place, with staff generally knowledgable about GF options (and willing to scrape the grill without complaining.) I’m a fan of the hot dogs (sans bun, but with lots of toppings) and my partner loves the burgers with everything on it.
Fries are excellent, so long as they aren’t underdone (the bane of thick-​cut fries everywhere,) and free peanuts while you wait is also nice.
The State Street location means this place can get busy (and thus VERY noisy,) so if you go at peak times, be aware that it can be difficult to carry on a conversation, even with someone sitting just across the table from you.

All of my friends in high school told mid-​Michigan native, country-​bumpkin me, «AARON, you’ve never been to Five Guys?!?» throughout college. Whatever– suburb kids have their loves, and apparently Five Guys is one of them. So when I found this one on State Street, I was always excited to try it, because I had this picture in my mind that it was the In N Out of the Midwest — clean and quirky and simple and possessing fries covered in special sauce.
I finally got in here the other day, after convincing myself the calories would finally be worth it, and it probably wasn’t as unhealthy as I was making it out to be. (Also, the main display picture on Unilocal was less than flattering — another reason I put it off.) And boy was I wrong.
Pretty sure I consumed 408 grams of saturated fat for one of the most mediocre burgers ever. Also, the cashier made «Five Guys Style» fries out to be such a big thing. All I really got out of it was that that meant you get 5 (or more?) potatoes worth of fries. Holy crap, I’ve never eaten that many fries… and I threw some away. The burger was greasy as heck, and I was so scared of the acne attack I’d have afterwards.
Location-​wise, the inside left a lot to be desired. It was pretty grimy-​feeling, especially the bathroom. And there’s not outdoor seating, which I assumed was a staple for and main reason for even owning a business on State. I guess not.
The staff could have been interchangeable with the Wendy’s across the way. (Sorry, everyone I just offended there.) Just a bunch of minimum wage kids not knowing how to interact with customers in a non-​awkward fashion. Overall, not a pleasurable experience.

Their cheeseburgers have good flavor, as do their fries. Compared to other Five Guys restaurants I’ve been to, however, the flavor and experience just doesn’t add up.

Guy at register didn’t know how to describe what a bacon cheese dog had on it… regardless of that the food was GREAT!

The 2 star is only for the burger (which by the way is overpriced). Just about everything else is a 1. If waiting next to an overflowing trash can for 15 minutes is your idea of great service, this is your place.
The music was too loud, the floor was filthy, the fries were greasy and undercooked, mushrooms come from a can (and they list them as «grilled», WTF!), trash cans were overflowing. Over $ 20 for 2 small burgers, 2 small sodas, and 1 regular fry. REALLY! There has to be 10 places for a better deal and better food within 10 blocks. And you can get a beer in most of them.
It’s one and done for me. See you at Great Dane.

Is this the best burger around? Of course not. But what if you want to get your burger to go, or get it in a hurry, or get in and out for less than 10 bucks?
This place isn’t in competition with DLUX, it’s in competition with Wendy’s. And it’s at the top of its class by a million miles. I would love to hear if this so-​called mediocrity stands if you filter out the gastropubs.
I like that it hasn’t got the scrubbed and squeeky non-​offensive corporate-​aprooved atmosphere of the international giants. I like hearing the hipster college kids behind the counter talk to each other about their college hipster issues. I like the fresh meat and big variety of topping choices.
Once a guy that works there made fun of me for being such a dork while he was off work walking with a date down State Street. But the same guy more than a year later, not recognising me, gave me a whole fry-​basket full of fries because it was getting close to closing. So my advice there is… I don’t know… go when they’re almost closing and don’t be a dork?
And don’t be tempted to make your burger too messy. Not too many wet ingredients, and I don’t recommend «the works». Just go with a few things you really like. The burgers don’t need so many toppings anyway.

I think Five Guys is overpriced and overrated. As long as you’re in Madison, you can find local places with better burgers. The burgers at Five Guys still are pretty good, but more expensive than most fast food and not a good as a good local pub in Madison.

I just walked in this location and walked out once I reached the ordering counter. I was blown away by how LOUD the music was at 12:47pm on 4−4−15. I asked the cashier, «Why is your music so loud?» She responded snide-​like, «It’s music.» I work at a Taphouse (no liquor) and our music is never that loud. Five Guys is a step up from Wendy’s… I went across the street to Wendy’s and enjoyed good food and a calm environment… where I can actually carry a conversation without having to yell.
I’m NEVER going here again until management can be MANAGEMENT rather than just hold the title.

So it had to be done. Had to try the food after reading all kinds of positive reviews about Five Guys. I was not impressed. The choices of «free» toppings are the same «free» toppings you can get ANYWHERE! Cheese extra. Bacon extra. Also for the price what you get is terrible. The bun was by far the worst part of the experience as it could not hold up to the greasy burger for more than 2 bites. The Cajun fries that had gotten such rave reviews, were a lot like licking a salt lick. Overall, this place is ALL hype. You can get a better burger at just about any bar or restaurant in Madison.

I love five guys, but this particular place wasn’t doing it for me. The main seating area smelled almost exactly like the humane society, and that was kind of off putting. Also they put the peanuts on top of the trash cans, which seemed like an iffy decision to me. It also felt pretty dark and dingy.
The food was standard five guys fare, though, which means it was delicious.

I was a patron of the original Five Guys in Arlington, VA, and I was stoked when I first noticed the location that opened up in Madison. I really missed their burgers — we used to send interns on Five Guys runs when I worked on the Hill.
The menu is super simple (although you wouldn’t know it from how long someone took to order the last time I was here), just burgers, dogs, fries, and drinks. If you order a hamburger, you get two patties cooked to order. You can choose all sorts of toppings, from fried or raw onions, to BBQ sauce, to my personal favorite — some A1 sauce. If you get a regular burger (and not a 1 patty burger), you might want to split your fries with a friend, as they give you a big cup overflowing with their fresh cut fries. I go with the cajun fries (cajun seasoning sprinkled on).
The only disappointing thing about these new Five Guys locations is that the buns are not as good as the original. The Arlington location had a bakery next door that baked their buns fresh every day. That said, they are as good as anything else out there in the quick service burger segment.
Oh, and while you wait, you can help yourself to some complimentary peanuts!

The spot for a greasy cheeseburger.
Friendly staff right as you walk in, the burgers appear hand formed and I would say the patties are a bit thicker than Culvers.
They do give you a ton of fries and I appreciate the Cajun seasoning.
Good late night burger joint!

Second best burger in Madison after the Caribou on East Johnson. But these guys take cards.
What else can I say? I’m from the DC area, and that’s where Five Guys started… this is not markedly different. In Maryland some locations offer Old Bay as well as other fixins, but I’m not surprised that it isn’t the same here. People up here barely know what Old Bay is.
Same deal as always: friendly staff, great burger, too many fries (in the best possible way), simple school-​library furniture and red and white tile. If you’re looking for gourmet, or you have a peanut allergy, don’t waste your time. If you’re looking for a great, no-​frills burger, then you get what you pay for at Five Guys.
They lose a star for not being open later than 10, though. Really? Why can’t ANYTHING be open late in this city?

If I have to wait ten minutes for my burger to be cooked to order, why can’t they cook it to order? Why does it have to be well done? Why can’t they have cheddar, provolone, or Swiss? Why are the mushrooms canned?

Why can’t there be a Five Guys on the East Side near where I live? I would be there at least once or twice a week. As it is, with this place downtown, it’s a bit annoying to get to, but well worth it.
I like the franchise because they decided to do one thing, do it well, and not get fancy about it. There’s no chicken sandwiches or salads. You get yourself a friggin’ burger and some fries (and they will ply you with fries, my friend – their small is everyone else’s large), and you shut up and eat it. You will enjoy every bite and wonder why you don’t go more often.

I don’t know what it is about Five Guys’ food, but, MAN! The Wife and I absolutely love eating here, although we keep our visits limited since it’s not the healthiest food option available (
). Then again, who actually goes to a burger joint expecting a healthy meal?
At other burger joints, I order my burgers medium-​rare to ensure they don’t arrive overcooked and dry, but at Five Guys, I never have to worry that my «juicy and well done» burger will be dry. In addition to cheese, they offer a selection of 16 toppings that can be added to your burger including bacon, grilled onions, green peppers, and jalapeño peppers. And, if burgers aren’t your thing, they also offer several types of «dogs» and sandwiches.
Their cooked-in-100%-peanut-oil french fries are fantastic, and you can order them either Five Guys Style or Cajun Style. Oh, and they offer MALT VINEGAR to put on your friends. SCORE! A word to the wise, though: when ordering fries, order one size down from what you would order at McDonalds because Five Guys has huge portions of fries.
The food is ready quickly, the restaurant is clean, and the staff are friendly.

Well.
That happened.
And while I’m sad to admit it happened…
I can say it probably won’t again.
Because there are so many better options and so many local options that I would be hard pressed to find myself making the mistake more than once. But maybe it had to happen?

Ok, so the burgers are good. They are fantastic but they are so expensive. If you love getting more than two toppings then the money is worth it.
Their fries are delicious but there is no small size. This place is where people with big appetites go to eat. This is not a place for a dainty eater.
The feeling of the restaurant is simple, sparse. There is no need for anything flashy. I want to give this four stars but I am just so bored with it. It was new and fun 3 years ago, now it needs something new. Just one new thing on the menu.
Give me more 5 guys.

I’ve basically been to every fast food burger joint in the US, and Five Guys is head and shoulders above everything else.
Let’s start with the fries. These aren’t your momma’s fries (honestly, I don’t even know what this means, but I’ve always wanted to use it in a sentence), these are fries of substance. These are fresh, oil-​battered fries of delicious goodness. And by goodness, I don’t mean for your arteries, I mean for your taste buds.
And then the burger, oh their burgers. You can’t get a better deal for your money than one of their $ 3 – 4 burgers. Keep in mind that their default burgers come with 2 patties, so if you’re feeling like a pansy, tell them you only want one. The burgers are juicy and well cooked, with any amount of toppings you want.
The next best burger place would be In-​N-​Out, but that’s like saying silver comes after gold. It doesn’t even come close.