Andrew's Hamburgers, Albert Park by Big Fil

Andrew's is without a doubt the best known local hamburger joint in Melbourne. But is it the best tasting? I can't claim to have tried every hamburger place in Melbourne but from the small selection I've been to Andrew's certainly shines above all the others.


'Diamond in the rough' is sometimes overused but it's appropriate for Andrew's. From the outside it looks like just any other suburban hamburger joint, something reinforced by a quick glance inside. While the photos of 'celebrities' and newspaper clippings celebrating the burgers here is promising it's hardly compelling. Many mediocre places which once had a good reputation do this to hide that their best days are now long gone. Still, I'd rather read an old newspaper clipping saying how good a place was than how they got food poisoning here.

Hamburgers here come with a little self promotion with name, phone number and web address on the front of the package. I guess that makes it easy to know where to complain if you don't like them?



But it's hard to imagine that many people wouldn't like the hamburgers here. The burgers are of a good size, taking two hands to handle properly. Most importantly they come with an element of 'grill hei', breath of the grill. The cooking process imparts a slight smokiness and texture to the meat, the outside slightly crispy and the middle still moist. I'd have liked my bacon a bit crisper, my onions in rings and the choice of tomato or bbq sauce. However, in a true test of a good burger the moment I finished it I thought about whether I was greedy enough to put away another one (and it was close but no I wasn't).


A return visit to try the steak sandwich was at least as good, maybe better. The two stars were the nicely toasted bread and the steak, which while not prime fillet actually tasted like steak rather than an overly stretched piece of unidentifiable meat. The chips were generous for a 'small' serve and good as well, if not as good as say Hooked on Chapel Street.


A huge bonus of Andrew's is its close proximity to one of my favourite suburban parks in Melbourne (one day my ticket will come up and I'll buy one of those houses) as well as Jock's for a post hamburger ice-cream.

Overall
The food is good, the staff efficient and while the store isn't the best of places to eat just take the two minute walk to the park around the corner. If you like a good suburban hamburger joint you will like it here. If you prefer a more gourmet hamburger, you'll probably like it but not as much. And if you prefer McDonalds, then God help you.

Verdict
Food - 8
Ambience - 8 (go to the park)
Service - 7.5
Price - 7

Address
144 Bridport St
Albert Park VIC 3206
Tel: (03) 9690 2126