Teddy’s Bigger Burgers
Posted by: foodgasmic on: February 22, 2009
- In: Restaurants
- Comment!
M here. After a morning of sunbathing in Waikiki, Y and I decided to grab a bite to eat at Teddy’s Bigger Burgers, a Hawaiian burger joint. As its name suggests, the local favorite offers a variety of large flame-broiled burgers including the Monster Double, weighing at over 1 lb! In addition to its enormous size, we were told that Teddy’s burgers were quite tasty, voted Hawaii’s Best Burger for many years running. Needless to say, we were excited.
Food (Menu): Mediocre.
After sampling Teddy’s burgers, Y and I came to the realization that Hawaii must just not have any good burger joints. Why else would Teddy’s be voted Hawaii’s Best Burger for so many years running? Since I could not quite stomach the Monster Double, I decided to opt for Combo #1 (5oz Original Big Burger, Fries & Drink) with the works (Super Sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles). The cashier convinced me to add a grilled pineapple to my burger. When in Hawaii…right? Y decided to be adventurous and ordered the Spud Burger, which was a seasoned hashbrown on top of Teddy’s Original Burger. The burgers were nothing to write home about. Let’s break them down. The buns were of the supermarket variety. The patties dry, though not as noticeable on mine when dosed with the Super Sauce and topped with the grilled pineapple (recommended addition!) as in the case of Y’s Spud Burger. The Super Sauce had a nice fruity, tropical taste. The seasoned hashbrown, while an interesting concept is not recommended. On the plus side, fries were quite good and not too greasy.
Monster Double (Source: Teddy's Bigger Burger website)
Service: Good.
The cashier and busboy were quite chipper, which is not something you generally encounter at fast food joints. Then again, it may just be a Hawaii thing. Y and I found that the locals are happy, all the time, something startling and almost unsettling coming from New York City (though not unexpected considering the weather).
Ambiance: Mediocre.
Everyone is entitled to his own opinion. When a person sees red-and-white 50′s style checkered decor, he may think cool and retro. Unfortunately, all I saw was tacky. To me, Teddy’s was the mishapened love child of a New Jersey diner and a checkered racing flag.
Quirk: Mediocre.
I suppose as a Hawaiian burger joint, Teddy’s is quite unique. Their burgers are also hand-formed, which is a nice touch (no pun intended), but that did not quite help with the taste.
Location: 134 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, HI (across the street from the Waikiki Zoo) with two other locations in Oahu and one to be opened in Washington.
Price: Combo #1 and a Spud Burger = $13
Verdict: Medicore.
Uninspiring burger, tawdry decor, completely skippable local favorite.
