(6) Whataburger, 2401 W. Berry St., Fort Worth vs. (3) Charley's, 4616 Granbury Road, Fort Worth
You can't go more than a few exits in Texas without being reminded of our love affair with Whataburger. The thick and juicy burgers, served under the iconic orange-and-white A-frame roofs, make any long ride or late-night escapade taste better. Even in the light of day, our double cheeseburger with two slices of bacon and "fancy" ketchup proved very solid. The patties were substantial and had a nice sheen of griddle grease. The bun was sturdy, too. Even if the bacon was slightly wilted, our Whataburger was quite satisfying. But Charley's resides in a different burger stratosphere. It's a one-of-a-kind shack that's worth every wrong turn you'll have to take to find it on Old Granbury Road in south Fort Worth. Our avocado bacon burger was big, juicy and strongly seasoned on the grill with a hail of pepper. The creamy avocado provided a beautiful balance to the salt-and-peppery bite of the beef. And a no-nonsense, pliable bun held the whole, amazing concoction together. In the end, Whataburger was simply overmatched. Charley's, a Fort Worth favorite for 20 years, sometimes gets overshadowed by the likes of Fred's, Dutch's and Kincaid's. But if our avocado bacon burger is any indication, those joints better watch their backs. Charley's is coming for ya.
The winner: Charley's
