HYDE'S SLYDES
BURGERS & FRIES
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★⭑
District: Southwest Omaha
Smash burgers & loaded fries
Perfect For: Casual Dining; Lunch; Takeout
Standout Dishes: The Lancer; Banh Mi Fries; The Rosenblatt; The Fresh Prince
Around the early 2020s, the concept of the smash burger really took off, and a bevy of burger joints jumped into the trend. But in their rush to develop their smash burger and get it on the menu, they lost the heart of what a smash burger is.
Thankfully, we have places like Hyde’s Slyde’s Burgers and Fries to remind us just how great smash patties can be.
Most renditions of a smash patty are simply thinner burgers stacked atop another. But correctly-made smash burgers utilize science to extract every ounce of flavor out of the beef.
Smash patties are created by taking a loosely packed ball of beef forcefully pressed by a spatula onto a hot cooking surface for about 10 seconds. This invokes the “Maillard reaction” (sorry to get all nerdy, but burgers are serious business), as the heat causes sugars and amino acids to react and form a dark, caramelized, rich crust that makes food taste and look so mouthwatering. The smashing process also creates a hard sear on the meat, ensuring those wonderful beefy juices and tastes don’t escape.
And if you want a great example of what a smash burger should be, stop into Hyde’s. This former pop-up gained such a cult following that it quickly outgrew its humble beginnings and now resides in a beautiful restaurant just off 168th and Q.
To be clear, there’s way more than great burgers at Hyde’s, which also serves excellent, creative wraps and some of Omaha’s best fries. But any conversation about this restaurant starts with the beef.
BURGERS
Owner Nick Hyde isn’t afraid to get creative with his burgers, and he’s become known for his ability to successfully pair seemingly odd flavor combinations. But even with his ingenuity, his burgers would fall flat if he errored on the patty.
He very much does not error.
A Hyde’s patty is smashed wafer thin and boasts glorious crispy, laced edges. The caramelized beef not only adds texture, but a hint of sweetness to counteract the perfectly seasoned patties.
The Rosenblatt showcases the beef beautifully, keeping the ingredients simple and allowing the beef to star. The cheddar is melted perfectly, and the ketchup, mustard, pickles, and onions deliver the flavors you want from a standard American burger.
The real home run is The Lancer, which pulls together a vortex of wild flavors together to create a meaty masterpiece. First, the burger patties are infused with ranch seasoning, giving them a hint of unique tang.
But the star is the bacon, which isn’t presented in strips like on most burgers. This bacon is diced and fried, creating crispy bacon twists that give expect bite a pop of salt and porky goodness.
Mayo and BBQ sauce come together to give a creamy consistency and some sweetness and smoke, and pepperjack cheese brings just a touch of heat. It sounds weird on the menu, but it all comes together to make one of the best burgers in Omaha.
Hyde’s has burgers with strawberry aioli, mozzarella sticks, and BBQ chips, and Nick is constantly coming up with new specials that showcase his ingenuity. The one slight inhibitor with these burgers is the bun. The potato roll isn’t bad by any means, but it’s dry and doesn’t add any flavor to the burger.
FRIES
Burgers may be the star, but “fries” is in the restaurant’s name too, and there’s a reason for that. They don’t take a backseat to the beef.
These spuds are battered before their encounter with the fryer, giving them a crispy exterior with a tender, fluffy center. They’re dusted with a delicious savory seasoning that makes them dangerously addicting.
Tasty as these fries are on their own, Hyde’s takes them to another level by loading them with toppings. Each of the five fry baskets brings a different flavor profile to the table.
The best are the Banh Mi Fries, which transport all the deliciousness of the beloved Vietnamese sandwich to a bed of fried potatoes. The grilled beef is sliced thin, sriracha and hoisin add some heat and sweetness, and pickled veggies bring a funky umami. Kewpie mayo swoops in with its rich, tanginess to tie it all together.
The Surf & Turf Fries employ that same delicious beef alongside shrimp, cheese sauce, and a delectable garlic cream. The shrimp are very small and don’t add much to the dish, but it’s still a heck of a fry basket.
WRAPS
The burgers and fries get all the love at Hyde’s, but don’t sleep on the wraps. Hyde’s takes beloved flavor combos like chicken & waffles, buffalo chicken, and fried chicken sandwiches and stuffs them inside a tortilla that’s then griddled to achieve a crispy exterior and lock in all the glorious flavor.
The Fresh Prince is what you’d get if a burrito and a Philly cheesesteak had a baby. The shaved steak is tender and well-seasoned, and the peppers and jalapenos add freshness. The cheese whiz is the kicker, bringing a gooey, cheddar-y taste.
The Outkast is a sinful cheat meal, filling the wrap with creamy mac & cheese, bacon, sweet BBQ chicken, and fries. It’s going to cost you some extra time on the treadmill, but it’s worth it.
But the most surprising might be The RZA, which proves you don’t need meat to create explosive flavor. Rice and quinoa provide a starchy, hearty base, amplified by crunchy corn chips, banana peppers, and sweet roasted tomatoes. But the hero is the hummus, which brings a nutty, tangy brilliance to the show.
The space is warm and friendly, as sunlight spills in from giant plate glass windows to envelop the dining room. After orders are placed at the counter, your burger is typically delivered within a few minutes.
That time could fluctuate based on how busy the restaurant is, and it gets quite busy. True to its name, Hyde’s is doing burgers and fries (and wraps) right, and the general public has certainly taken notice. Because in a world of lazy attempts at smash patties, Hyde’s does it right—and that makes all the difference.