Jim-Denny's - Sacramento, CA

Jim Denny’s in Sacramento is a Jim Dandy of a place for a burger. A Sacramento fixture for years, it was resurrected a few years ago and now serves up a great hamburger.

You can’t miss the landmark as you walk up 12th street from the Convention center. It is a small white building with a vintage red sign out front. On a Saturday afternoon, the tables outside were packed with people eating and waiting for their to-go orders served up at the side window. The real action is inside, where a small counter of about 10 chairs faces the griddle. Patsy, the owner fries up burgers starting with the tiny 1/6-pound model going all the way up to a 1-pound monster. I went for the 1/2-pound Superburger with fries ($8.75). I added American cheese ($1), Bacon ($1) and grilled onions. Patsy slapped the fresh beef on the griddle and chatted with us as we waited. I also ordered up a blackberry-Oreo shake on her recommendation.

The shake came first. I found it creamy and perfect. The Oreo and blackberry nicely played off against one another. Yum. My friend Margaret ordered a chocolate shake along with her Superburger. She liked it as well.

When the burger was ready, one of the servers asked us what we wanted on it. Mustard, yes. Mayo, yes. Lettuce, no. Tomato, no. I really liked the interaction. At one point a friend called to join us. I ordered a burger and fries for him and they let us save a place at the counter. When he arrived the burger came right off the grill for him. Great service.

My burger was yummy. The classic white bun was toasted nicely. The American cheese hung out on the side artfully. It was just the right amount of mayo and mustard. The beef was tasty and juicy. The fries were thin, crisp and salty.

I really do not know how you can improve on an experience like this. (Except if they had onion rings.) It was a fun walk back to a time when things were simpler and everyone was friendly. I cannot recommend Jim Denny’s any more highly.

Burger 5 spatulas out of 5
Fries 4 spatulas
Shake 5 spatulas

Jim Denny’s
816 12th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-443-9655
www.jim-dennys.com

Ford's Real Hamburgers - Sacramento, CA

Ford’s Real Hamburgers is Sacramento has the look of an old ice cream stand. It is pretty seedy looking when you pull up, giving one pause to eat there. But the place was very busy mid-afternoon one Sunday, so I went ahead and gave it a shot.

I placed my order at the window, which is inside an area that was probably once outdoors under an awning, but has now been glassed in. I ordered the 1/2-pound burger with bacon and American cheese ($10.51), eschewing the tomato and lettuce when asked. I also ordered the onion rings ($4.04) and fries ($1.68). Just for grins, I also ordered a small chocolate shake ($3.58).

I took my place at a very worn wood table attached to the wall. There where other threadbare tables and chairs strewn about. A dusty sign leaned precariously in the window next to me proclaiming Best Hamburger 2001, City Search. It seemed a place in decline and my expectations were low.

My name was called and I retrieved my brown plastic tray loaded with grub. Ford’s does not cheat you on quantity. The shake was in a Styrofoam cup. It was very chocolaty with a hint of coffee, and none of the Hershey’s chocolate taste you often find in shakes. I liked it for its uniqueness.

The onion rings were thin and dark, looking a little overcooked. They were hot and crisp and tasted good dunked in the spicy mustard sauce that accompanied them, another unique little touch. Fries were very thin and hot. Also, a little overcooked. I can’t be sure, but they tasted fresh cut, but also tasted a little of old grease.

The burger was a big patty with lots of crisp bacon top and bottom. There were two slices of cheese on the top and two more on the bottom. Also, a tangy Thousand Island sauce graced the top and bottom bun, which was a little crunchy and toasted, but good. The burger was not that hot and the cheese not melted, but the flavor of the burger was really good. Along with a slice of red onion, Ford’s achieved a nice blending of all the flavors. I would like to try this burger piping hot and with the cheese next to the patty instead of having the bacon in between the patty and cheese.

I left and took external shots of the faded signed and worn exterior. Ford’s is a real enigma. A lot of good ideas, executed in a fashion that results in less of an impression than they could have with a little more attention to detail.

Burger 4 spatulas out of 5
Fries 2.5 spatulas
Onion Rings 3 spatulas
Shake 4 spatulas

Ford’s Real Hamburgers
1948 Sutterville Rd.
Sacramento, CA 95822
916-452-6979
www.fordsrealhamburgers.com