More burger reviews—some heavenly, some not

    Jon’s Grille

    A college guy with a voracious appetite and a budget looking for a filling meal would likely be happier with a nearby drive-through. But Jon’s Grille, established in 1989 and across from TCU on University, seems to chiefly cater to the business of men and women who don’t have the time to drive anywhere else.
    Arriving at Jon’s around lunch time Friday, I walked into the restaurant to find it sparsely populated. Unlike most of the hamburger hideouts reviewed previously, no music greeted me.
    As a matter of fact, the place was silent save for the sports-related noise from the single small-screen TV, the sounds of a kitchen and the subdued speech of the patrons.
    As the door shut behind me, it became immediately clear there was no actual service taking place. Instead of waiting to be seated, I found a corridor that led to a large menu and a metal counter with a cash register.
    Looking at the menu, I learned that hamburger prices ranged from $3.39 to $4.69, which is fair enough, until I realized that the price covers only the hamburger.
    I made my choice and walked up to the counter, where a fellow behind a cash register took my order.
    After paying for my meal, I took the disposable plastic cup and filled it with my beverage of choice, and then picked a nearby table and waited.
    In a relatively short amount of time, my name was called, and I retrieved my order.
    My hamburger wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t that good either. The lettuce on it was chopped and tasted very much as if it had been pre-packaged.
    The thin hamburger patty wasn’t terribly impressive either, tasting like a somewhat larger version of what I would get at one of the more common drive-throughs.
    If Jon’s Grille has a claim to fame, it’s not in its regular hamburger.     If it doesn’t have a claim to fame, then the only thing keeping it in business is its location.
    Jon’s Grille is a decent place to eat ... if you’re stuck at TCU and don’t have time to drive to any of the fast-food chains.
—Bryan Bland

    Jim’s Burgers

    Hamburger aficionados looking for a real burger joint, where the meat is moist with just a touch of grease, should head to Jim’s Burgers.
    These burgers taste like the old-fashioned hamburgers of yesteryear, long before the health police made us paranoid of everything that tasted good.
    Located in an old drive-in restaurant, Jim’s Burgers is the perfect place.
    Jim’s has so much character that it fairly reeks of a time gone past.
Most food orders appear to be to go, but the few tables at Jim’s always seem to be full.
    Serving a wonderful half-pound patty on a toasted bun, costing only $2.75 (the cheeseburger is $2.95), this place is hard pressed to seat 18, but not to worry. Jim’s offers plenty of outdoor seating at the shaded picnic tables, and with autumn upon us, the weather is more comfortable for dining alfresco.
    The patty is fresh and delicious and comes with mustard, lettuce, pickle and a special treat, sautéed onions.
    Jim’s is the best-kept secret in the metroplex. However, with good reason, this burger emporium is fast gaining notoriety outside Arlington.
    Extra toppings include jalapenos, chili and cheese, bacon, Swiss cheese and mushrooms.
    Another marvel at Jim’s is the fresh-cut, skin-on French-fries (95 cents)—cooked just right to a crispy golden brown.
    Jim’s Hamburgers is located at 120 E. Division in Arlington (between Center and East streets) and is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (winter) and 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. (summer).
—Paul Matson

    Kincaid’s

Kincaid’s Hamburgers, located on Camp Bowie in Fort Worth, is “where friends meet to eat.”
    Patrons can expect to spend very little money for a large amount of food. Kincaid’s hamburger is massive and available with all the trimmings. Customers can delete any items they do not want when placing their order at the back counter.
    The hamburger and cheeseburger are both full of flavor. They are filling, and even those customers with a large appetite should leave satisfied.
    The cheeseburger was definitely my favorite, and I chose to add a side order of fries. They tasted very fresh and were so hot they must have just been taken out of the grease. My husband had Kincaid’s traditional hamburger with everything on it and said it was well- seasoned and very juicy.
    Included on the menu are different variations on the traditional hamburger. Kincaid’s offers a bacon cheeseburger and various side items.
    While waiting for someone to shout your name and wave your burger in its paper bag, you can pick your favorite blow-up character hanging from the ceiling. Newspapers, magazines and other reading material are scattered on counters where customers can stand and eat while catching up on current events.
    If you don’t arrive at Kincaid’s with friends, chances are you will make a few while sitting shoulder to shoulder at the long picnic-style tables, complete with red and white checked table cloths. Kincaid’s reasonable prices and great burgers make it a good spot for a date or family outing.
—Michele Whitehead