ALL AMERICAN BURGER

Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★⭑

Retro-style diner with smash burgers & shakes

Perfect For: Casual Dining; Takeout; Lunch

Standout Dishes: Nebraska Smash; Smokin’ Hot Smash; All American Fries

We’ve entered an age where the burger has entered fine art. Even steakhouses and fine dining restaurants offer burgers, crafting patties with Japanese wagyu beef, basting them in truffle butter, and topping them with lobster claws and crab cakes.

There’s nothing wrong with those options, but they’re starting to get away from the heart of what the burger is. A burger is a backyard cookout with the family. It’s grilling with buddies on a Saturday afternoon. It’s grabbing late night takeout after a great night on the town.

When you want that burger, go to All American Burger.

This restaurant takes a burger back to its roots: use high quality ingredients, cook the meat really well, and cover it all in melty American cheese. You’ll find no brioche buns, chutneys, or sun-dried tomato mayonnaise here. These burgers are simple and to the point, allowing the beef to shine.

And does it shine.

All American Burgers’ offerings all feature smash patties. The cooks smash each 3oz. ball of beef into a patty so thin you can almost see through it. Doing so caramelizes the patties and doubles the surface area for the Maillard reaction, giving the burgers a beefy, robust flavor. The patties have a crispy flavorful crust and lacy, jagged edges adding both texture and a salty pop.

The other commonality across All American’s burger line is the Martin’s potato roll they’re housed inside. This slightly sweet bun has a pleasantly squishy consistency, and the restaurant butters and grills the interior of the bun to add a bit more char and smokiness.

The highlight of the menu is the Nebraska Smash, a play on the classic Oklahoma burger in which onions are actually smashed into the burger patty while it’s cooking. The onions add a mild sweetness and a crispy consistency. All American’s cheese melting techniques are on point, as each patty is adorned with a melty cheese robe.

The Classic Smash is as close to the classic cookout burger as you’ll find. The burger is dressed very simply; along with its cheese blanket, it’s topped with ketchup, mustard, pickles, and onions. But the simplicity allows the brilliance of the patties to shine brightly.

The Smokin’ Hot Smash takes things up another level with several elements, starting with crispy, salty smoked bacon. The strips are joined by a tangy All American sauce (think the standard mayo/ketchup burger sauce combo) and caramelized jalapeños for a touch of heat.

If there’s an area where All American Burger stumbles, it’s the Fries. These crinkle cuts are very inconsistent from fry to fry; some are pleasantly crispy, while others are rather limp. Some are seasoned brilliantly, but others are begging for salt.

Those fries are redeemed when All American Burger loads them up and turns them into All American Fries. Topped with tomatoes, diced pickles, cheese, fry sauce, and chunks of smash patties, this side dish gives the spuds an additional flavor boost they don’t have alone.

All American Burger has two locations: inside the Inner Rail Food Hall and downtown at the intersection of 15th & Farnam. Most of the latter’s exterior consists of windows, creating a light, warm dining area. The employees are friendly and seem happy to be there, and food is typically delivered within 10 minutes.

The prices at All American Burger are a bit higher than some might expect at a fast casual burger joint, as a burger and fries will cost at least $15. But the portion sizes are fairly substantial, and when you’re getting quality like this, it’s worth the slight upcharge.

If you’re looking for an upscale burger in a swanky setting, All American Burger isn’t that, and it doesn’t want to be. This is the classic Americana burger, the greasy, napkin-killing combination of beef and bun that made this country fall in love with the cheeseburger in the first place.