I love the idea of more "fast casual" burger places but I wish that people would have a normal burger on the menu if they're also going to experiment. Regular bun (ciabatta or sourdough is really hard to bite through and sends the ingredients fleeing out the sides), regular cheese (even Anthony Bourdain agrees[0], use something that melts like American or some other "fake" cheese), regular toppings (you can experiment with the other stuff but have lettuce, tomato, pickle, uncooked sliced or diced onion, and mustard/mayonnaise/ketchup available), and for all that is good and wonderful REGULAR MEAT (80/20 ground chuck with nothing "ground in," please).

I'm not saying that's the perfect burger, I'm saying it's becoming increasingly difficult in Seattle to find that as a "normal" burger. Something without the addition of kale, beets, sprouts, buffalo/bison/turkey/emu mix, or on some unholy bread that was never meant to sustain the stuff on a regular burger. Two places do an amazing job of "your basic burger and fries for a good price with nothing crazy" that I've found so far: A Burger Place and Burger/Kabob Hut, both in the U District.

0 - http://store.anthonybourdainontour.com/product-p/burger-prin...