(6) Wingfield's, 2615 S. Beckley Ave., Dallas vs. (3) Keller's Drive-In, 6537 E. Northwest Highway, Dallas
Two Dallas burgers that have virtually nothing in common ... except that, after eating them, you need to proceed directly to the carwash. Keller's is an appealingly old-fashioned drive-in on Northwest Highway that's been around for decades. (You even get one of those neat metal trays that hook onto your car window.) We ordered the cheeseburger, a thin patty topped with American cheese, pickles, tomatoes, white onion and a thin coating of tangy mustard. And while we're not usually a fan of the poppy-seed buns, this one -- lightly buttered and judiciously toasted -- helped raise what might be a merely solid burger to a much higher level. (So what if we'll be vacuuming those damn poppy seeds off the car's carpet for months?) Meanwhile, Wingfield's is an out-of-the-way foodie fave that D Magazine lauded as the best burger in Dallas in 2008. Everything about these burgers -- served out of a jampacked shop which offers no seating -- is over-the-top and oversized; you can barely wrap your mouth around the single patty. But we think this emperor wears no clothes: The cheeseburger we tried was overcooked and slightly dry; the slice of American cheese was slapped on and not fully melted; and bright yellow mustard aggressively oozed out of the sides of the burger. Wet naps, please.
The winner: Keller's Drive-In
