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Find O.C.’s finest burger … at Del Taco?
May 15th, 2009, 7:45 am · 66 Comments · posted by Jeff Overley
Editor’s note: Please welcome Food Frenzy writer Jeff Overley, who is guest reviewing today about the so-called “shocking” results of his burger contest.
Over at our dining-out blog, we commemorated National Hamburger Month by asking readers to name their fave local beef patty. We expected a few votes for Morton’s, maybe a few for Islands, certainly several endorsements of In-N-Out.
The runaway, hands-down winner? Del Taco. The Double Del Cheeseburger, to be precise.
I’m familiar with the unexpected deliciousness of the Del burger, but it had been quite a while since I scarfed one, so I headed to my local DT to confirm what I already knew.
In short, I can happily report that the Double Del remains superb. The ingredients are akin to a Big Mac - finely sliced lettuce, minced onions, Thousand Island dressing - but the result is significantly better, as the Double Del omits the center bun and adds an extra slice of cheese, not to mention juicy tomato slices.
In addition, the Double Del is served with its cheese completely melted, an important point if you’ve chomped into a lukewarm slice of American in, say, a Famous Star at Carl’s Jr. Finally, the sesame seed bun is super-soft, similar to a potato bread bun.
There may be Del Tacos everywhere, but when it comes to burgers, this chain is a hidden gem.
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Sorry…I had this burger yesterday and it was so inedible I threw away 1/2 of it. I was enticed by the thousand island/salsa sauce desciption but it was nasty nasty nasty! I think I will stick to the mexican food at del taco and keep getting my burgers from mickey D…
yuck….i wouldnt eat either one
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you may be needing it after eating too many of those gross, hormone jacked, pesticide, profit making burgers….
just a thought!
give me a break
Has anyone been to EZ Burgers in Costa Mesa? I saw a post that it was open (the chain) back in 1969 in socal by a x-In-N-Out employee and I was just wonder if anybody has been there and how did they taste?
They taste just like In and Out without the crowds.
Next this burger guy will tell everyone he’s rediscovered Spam, which is so incredibly delicious compared to Honeybaked Ham.
Is there a payoff from DT here, perhaps or just a moment of forgetfulness?
For a quick, inexpensive good tasting burger, Del Tacos’ is hard to beat. But there are so many burgers out there and so many different tastes there’s a buger for everyone!
oh, boy, they all taste the same…. you make it sound like there’s so much variety.
But they DON’T all taste the same! Why do you think there are so many posting’s when the subject is hamburgers?!
are you guys kidding me? Del Taco has the BEST cheeseburgers!
Taco Mesa in Costa Mesa used to be this place called A’s Burgers…. they had the best burgers!!!
I’ve seen one in Laguna Nigel off the 5 but have never stopped, I wonder if they are related???
There is a A’s in Dana point, yes, all the A’s are owned by the same family.
They are and have locations in Dana Point and Laguna Nigel
The Double Del is great, way better than any of McDonald’s Burgers. Sorta like In-N-Out.
Double Del is good, but I can still never go wrong with the Famous Star at Carl’s.
For fast food burgers, I’ll go with DT, too!
Yum! Now I know where to take my Babydoll for lunch tomorrow. We are BIG burger fans! Extra cheese please!
Umm….are you friggin kidding me? I thought my hubby and I were the only ones who thought this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mixed with their mild sauce it is RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!
actually, i seldom do fast food, but i love sliders, and the Jack-in-the-Box Mini Sirloin Burger ads piqued my curiosity.
i tried them yesterday, and was startled by how REALLY good they are - you can actually taste the quality beef (not like the cardboard-y beef patties in the microwaved BK Burger shots) and it’s garnished with fresh SLICED onions (not that weird, mushy, factory-minced stuff), cheese and a dab of ketchup. surprisingly good.
meanwhile, The Winery Restaurant in Tustin serves up my favorite non-fast-food sliders, with high-grade beef, a dab of Brie and some mushrooms. and they’re on the bar menu, which means they’re fairly cheap at Happy Hour time!
YES YES YES!!! Jack In The Box sliders are very very good and the commercial is starting to not bother me.
I love that commerical! It makes me laugh out loud!
I suspect most of you people are gluttons. The over-indulgence and over-consumption of food in this country is sickening. It is a sad individual indeed that gets all worked up over what, some grilled meat? The United States is filled with FAT, OBESE people. Instead of spending so much time worrying about where your next cheeseburger is going to come from why don’t you all go outside and TAKE A BRISK WALK.
And yet you took time out from your busy exercise regime to post a comment about a burger article. Why are you reading the Fast Food Maven column anyway?
TauiGirl: I will, thank you, down to the new TK Burgers that open near my house!
And just for heck of it, why are you even reading this blog if this how you feel about it??
The only place I take a brisk walk to is the local burger joint!
Well, why aren’t YOU out walking instead of posting?????
And your life is so exciting that you not only read but posted on a food related blog? Hmmmmm
I have NEVER had a bad burger at Del Taco. So folks, Lower your noses, and breathe the delicous aroma in.
I give Iin-and-Out top rating for one main reason: it’s the only fast-food place I know of that will cook a burger medium-rare! Every other place gives you well-done, which is pointless.
Anyplace else not cook burgers to death?
On point!
a hamburger patty cooked well done is a crime!
TK Burgers - you have to ask for it to be cooked well-done.
Love TK Burgers - my son brought two home from the beach and my husband and I barely let him eat them!
The Naugle Burger was best, but the Double Del is close! In-n-Out, anything and everything Animal!
I think the Double Del is a direct descendant of the Naugle burger since those two companies merged a couple of decades ago.
RIP Naugles… I miss that place
Kevin,
The Naugleburger and Del Taco Double Del are one and the same. Del Taco took over Naugles years back and kept the burger on their menu. Great burger, but Red Robins is the best.
Love the Double Del!!
I am stoked about this. I’ve been telling people about the Double Del burger for decades as the ultimate burger. Used to practically live on them when I was an undernourished single. Congratulations.
haven’t tryed the burger, the frys are the best.
the double del is quite nice after a long night of bar hoping. but if you really want a big juicy burger with all the fixings try steves charburger on warner and springdale in HB ( i always get the avocado bacon cheeseburger) . the fries are awesome with ranch too. he he
Their fries are incredible!
Hi all,
What I like about the Del Taco Cheese Burger is that its:
1 tasty fresh, not frozen beef patty
2 cook on a grill, not charbroiled (for a change) cooked in grill grease
3 melted cheese
4 all their fresh fixens on it
5 the way they wrap up the burger, to keep it hot and greaseless (off u
6 price, even better with a coupon discount
7 lastly for someone that was lucky enough to remember / eat burgers from the 50’s 60’s they taste of that era
8 thier cokes are more coke surupy than other places, and I like their fries
So Triple B:
lets get this straight:
You enjoy burgers cooked on a grill rather than being charbroiled, so you can have the grease; or, you are stating that DTCB is not greasy?
I might have to check this out, but am no fan of greasy-cooked burgers.
good grilled grease griddle is always the best way to have a hamburger. Even better if its cooked on a cast iron griddle with melted butter to cook the patty in.
Even Alton Brown would agree!
meant to say that they are cooked in their on meat jucies, aka hamburger fat, aka good grease as the saying went or goes. That’s why In-N-Out taste the way that it does, good hamburger meat fat ratio to beef, on a season grill (i think its cast iron) and the other things that they have done since 1948.
Don’t get me wrong, I do like a good char-broiled burger sometimes, I think Husky Boy in Laguna Beach makes them that way and they are very tasty too.
Just click on this web site below and just see how some people have taken their love for the hamburger to a whole new different level of Hamburger Gastronomy and discussions like “What came first the Hamburger or the Bun?” type of stuff along with some great reviews and recipes.
http://aht.seriouseats.com/
I had a coupon early this week for a Double Del Cheese Burger for 99 cents that had expired ~ they took it anyway!
People were raving about the Double Del in the Carls Jr thread. I can’t believe it won the poll. But like I’ve said before, OC also voted Pick Up Stix best Chinese food. No wonder all the good restaurants are up in LA, they can’t survive in OC.
“Instead of spending so much time worrying about where your next cheeseburger is going to come from why don’t you all go outside and TAKE A BRISK WALK.”
How do you know people here don’t take brisk walks?
On another note remember there’s also bun tacos at Del Taco:
http://ocmexfood.blogspot.com/2008/08/naugles-bun-taco-at-del-taco.html
I have yet to try a Del Taco Cheeseburger, but I will soon.
However, a lot of people seemed to vote TK Burger as number one in hamburger land. So, yesterday I stopped by the one on 19th near Harbor in Costa Mesa. I ordered a Cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato. Like the 50 drive ins you get the condiments you ASK for.
To my amazement, this was the best burger I have had in a long, long, time. The bun perfectly fit the patty, the meat was tastey with just the proper amount of grease, the lettuce and tomato were very fresh. About that bun…..it was awesome. Soft, delicious, did not fall a part.
The fries were nothing special, kind of soft and wimpy. I will try the onion rings next time.
I will try the Del Taco burger, although it will be a hard sell since I have discovered TK Burger. They have four OC locations.
Make that 5 - just opened up in Mission Viejo and I have already eaten there twice.
And I like Del Taco burgers too, but TK has taken over the #1 spot for now. But I will say, I still like DT french fries the BEST of any!
Nobody says you have to adopt Del Taco and give up TK.
Del Taco has the best of the both world…Mexican & American Fast Food.
You can’t GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWrong…
At least you know what you are eating and it is not from the Baggggggggggg.
TK is also a good burger and is usually listed in the top 10 of AOL Best of Burgers in the OC. I hope they do well !
Carl’s Jr. Burbon six dollar burger is the best.
Beach Bum BoB you certainly should try EZ burger. The chicken sandwiches are good as well and the fries are soooooooo much better than inNout.
Yay! I knew the Double Del Cheeseburger would win! I’m heading on over there now!
The Bun Taco is the best burger anywhere!
It LOOKS just like the Big Buford, featured at Checkers /Rallys, that I know and love. http://www.checkers.com/
The price is about the same.
The Buford, BTW, is rumored to be a clone of the famous Big Boy.
Since we just got our first brand new Del Taco in Orange County FL (Orlando) after a 10+ year absence, I’ll be trying this taco stand burger this week.
Expectations are high…..
Just ate my very first Del Double Cheeseburger…………………while not bad…………..it certainly wasn’t on the same level of a Double Double from In N Out………..not even in the same zip code!
A Double Del #9 with the large cup of fries and drink! Yum!
-Mr. Pud
my only problem with the Double Del is the bun! It’s like not toasted enough,plus the cold lettuce&tomato just makes it worse! It’s like cold/warm partially toasted bun,sauce,tomato,lettuce with hot meat and cheese! Del TAco either toast the bun all the way or not at all!!
I moved out here a little over a year ago, with a teenager obsessed with trying his first In ‘n’ Out burger. Had it, like it. BUT THEN I tried a Double Del. That’s the real deal! I didn’t vote in the poll, but I have to agree with the outcome…the Double Del is the best in town. Add the crinkle cut fries to it (with a touch of hot sauce in the ketchup!) and I can’t think of a better fast food meal.
So I finally, (due to Blogosphere peer pressure) went to Del Taco and tried the Double Del. The best thing was that I had a coupon for .99 or I would have felt ripped off. O.K. people lets get real. Del Taco is built for fast Mexican food and NOT burgers! I now need a real burger to wash my mouth out with!
I visited and reviewed Orlando’s brand new Del Taco, and found the Double Del to be good enough to be included in my top three fast food burgers available here in Central Florida.
The others contenders being Hardees /Carls thickburger (stretching the definition of ‘fast food’ here) and Checkers/Rallys Big Buford.
Del Taco tops the other two in my book because of the nicer dining room, clean restroom and kitchen, and the variety of the menu.
And the fries.
Crinkle cut fries rule.
I hate ’shoestring fries’ or battered fries.
The burgers aren’t bad. Not great either. Definitely no match for In-N-Out. Better than AM/PM!
The fries suck. I hate them. They remind me of the garbage Car’ls Jr. had back in the 80’s. I know a lot of people love them, so give us a choice.