UPDATE: June 15, 2011, 2 p.m. Voting is now CLOSED. Stay tuned for an update on the burger play-in match-ups.
UPDATE: June 14, 2011, 9:45 a.m. Fans of Patty Shack Burgers have been on our case, saying that we haven’t give the Grand Prairie eatery the chance that it deserves to shine in the play-in round. Well, Patty’s partisans, we have good news and bad news. The good news is that we’re adding you to our list of Burgers on the Bubble. The bad news is that you only have until Wednesday at noon to vote, and you’ll need to garner a lot of votes and overcome some mighty burger forces before then if you want a place in the play-in. So put down that Patty Shack Burger and start voting.
UPDATE: June 13, 2011, 4:30 p.m. Last chance to vote your favorite burger joints into the play-in round. Burgers on the Bubble voting ends at noon on Wednesday, June 15.
UPDATE: June 7, 2011, 3:20 p.m.:
After listening to the suggestions in the comments section -- not to mention the nagging of our colleagues and friends -- we're adding two new burger joints to the Burger Bubble: Magnolia Motor Lounge in Fort Worth and Myrtle's in Burleson. In order to make the final bracket, though, you'll need to vote for them to earn a place in the play-in round. They have some catching up to do, so if you're a fan of either Magnolia or Myrtle's, time to get the word out.
The 2011 DFW.com Battle of the Burgers
Ladies and gentlemen, start your appetites. The DFW.com “Battle of the Burgers” is back.
Our first Battle of the Burgers took place during the summer of 2009, when 32 area burger joints squared off against one another, bracket-style. Week after week, we ate – oh, boy, did we eat – gradually whittling the competition down to a truly thrilling Final Four: Fred’s vs. Pappas Bros. and Five Guys vs. Jakes.
When the grease finally settled, Fred’s emerged as the ultimate champion.
Much has changed in two years: Recently-opened gourmet-style burger spots like H2 Burger Co. in Fort Worth, Chop House Burgers in Arlington and Maple and Motor in Dallas have made a quick and vivid impression. National chains like Heart Attack Grill and Smashburger have planted their beef flag in North Texas.
Oh, and let’s not forget the 800 and ¼-pound gorilla in the room: In and Out Burger, the beloved California chain which just opened its first North Texas location in Allen and plans to add a dozen more in the coming months.
The 2011 edition of the Battle of the Burgers will kick off in late June.
First, though, we need your help finishing the bracket. We’ve already selected thirty of the burger spots that will be competing. To see that list, go here.
But we’ve also left open two “play-in” spots and we're giving you the chance to pick the final competitors.
Here’s how it works: From the list below, vote for up to four burger joints that you think deserve to be included in the final 32. The four highest vote-getters will advance to the play-in round, squaring off against each other. The two winners of the play-in round will each secure a spot in our final bracket.
Oh, if you think there’s a burger joint we’ve left out, you can make mention of it in the comments section. If it secures enough mentions, we’ll consider moving it onto the bubble.
The bracket
As for the 30 burger joints that have already made the cut, here’s the list, in alphabetical order. We will be revealing the official ranked bracket in the coming weeks, when we’ll also invite you to vote for a Readers’ Favorite burger.
Al’s Hamburgers, Arlington
Charley’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers, Fort Worth
Chop House Burgers, Arlington
Chubby’s Burger Shack, Fort Worth
Dutch’s, Fort Worth
Five Guys Burgers and Fries, multiple locations
Fred’s Texas Café, Fort Worth
Fuddruckers, multiple locations
Grumps, multiple locations
H2 Burger Co., Fort Worth
Heart Attack Grill, Dallas
In-N-Out Burger, multiple locations
Jackson’s Grocery and Grill, Arlington
Jakes, multiple locations
Johnny B’s, Southlake
Keller’s Drive-In, Dallas
Kincaid’s Hamburgers, multiple locations
The Love Shack, Fort Worth
Maple and Motor, Dallas
M & O Station Grill, Fort Worth
OC Burger, Euless and Watauga
Pappas Burgers, Fort Worth
Pop’s Burger and Grill, Fort Worth
Red Robin, multiple locations
Smashburger, multiple locations
Steak and Shake, multiple locations
Tommy’s Hamburgers, multiple locations
Twisted Root Burger Co., Dallas and Roanoke
Whataburger, multiple locations
Wingfield’s Breakfast and Burger, Dallas
