Five Guys has arrived in Abilene

 Five Guys recently opened a store in far south Abilene. I do not always write reviews of chains but when a new one comes to town, it is worth a mention when it has a reputation like Five Guys. 

Little hamburger--single patty

The first Five Guys burger I ever ate was several years ago in Georgetown, TX. At the time, I did not realize that their standard burger has two patties and that you get a bunch of extra fries in the bag when you buy even a small order of french fries. I had a much bigger lunch than I could finish and was facing a 3-hour drowsy drive back home.

On my visit to Abilene's Five Guys, I ordered a little burger with a single patty for $8.49 and a small fry for $4.79, and water to drink. Their regular size burger with two patties is $10.69.

The price point is not inexpensive. My lunch was about $14 but I did not leave even the slightest bit hungry. 

The hamburger meat has never been frozen and the fries are cut in-house. You can see the potato boxes stacked behind the counter. It  was a good burger, juicy without being super messy. The patty could have used more seasoning. The toppings were all fresh as was the bun. You can also get as many of the standard toppings as you want on  your burger.

"Little" fries

I find that hand-cut fries are often limp and soggy but the ones at Five Guys had a crisp to them. They must be double fried. I still prefer fries without the skins left on them but that did not keep me from eating and enjoying them. They use peanut oil to fry them.

The menu also includes hot dogs (start at $6.79) and milkshakes ($6).  

The restaurant was clean and well-staffed. It took about 10 minutes for them to cook my order on a Saturday at 11:30am. The restaurant had not gotten really busy yet. There was only one person in line in front of me but by noon, the place was filling up fast. 

I did not see any free peanuts out. There were multiple signs that warned people with a peanut allergies that free peanuts are available while people wait for their food.

If you are a burger and fry fan, give them a try. Especially if you have never had it before but be aware that it is going to cost more than the typical fast food burger. There is no drive through window either since everything is cooked to order. 

The location is convenient for people who live in far south Abilene, Wylie, and Potosi.

Five Guys--Abilene

6950 S. Central Clack St., Unit 1

Abilene, TX 79606

(865) 363-0590

https://order.fiveguys.com/location/five-guys-abilene/menu/burgers

Hours are 10am-10pm all week long.

CLOSED Jennie's Smoked Burgers and Tornado Fries--Fredericksburg, TX

Half of a stick of tornado fries

If you find yourself in Fredericksburg, Texas, and you aren't in the mood for German food, I highly recommend going to Jennie's for a scrumptious burger and some "tornado" fries. Tornado fries are spiral sliced potatoes served on a wooden skewer that have been crisped up like potato chips. To locate them you have to walk back from Main Street a bit to find Jennie's hidden away in a side court a couple of stores over from the Auslander restaurant in the block before you turn right to go to San Antonio. They are more than worth the effort.

The menu is simple--hamburgers, cheeseburgers (single or double), hot dogs (regular or foot long), or a grilled cheese. You can get tornado fries, regular fries or onion rings. Ice cream floats are also available, along with the usual sodas. They even sell beer and wine.

We walked in at 11:45am on a Monday and were the third and forth customers in the place. As noon approached, the traffic picked up considerably and included locals as well as tourists.

Cheeseburger $6

I ordered a cheeseburger ($6) and my husband got the double cheeseburger ($8). The patties were not thick but they had a definite smokey taste and were so juicy. I think there might have been some brisket in the meat mix. The buns were super fresh and toasted to perfection. The vegetable toppings crisp and delicious. They sauce the burger with a mixture of mustard and mayo. We shared an order of tornado fries ($2) but we should have each had our own order...they are addictive! 

The seating is both indoor and outside. It isn't a very big place, so I bet they get jammed on the weekends. The restaurant is family-run and was spotlessly clean inside. The service was super-friendly. All in all, Jennie's is going to be a regular stop when I'm passing through Fredericksburg from here on out.


 

Jennie's Smoked Burgers and Tornado Fries
319 E Main St #B
Fredericksburg TX 78624

Phone: (830) 990-4000

Closed on Tuesday

www.facebook.com/jenniesburgers/

UPDATE now brick and morter--Rock’n Roller’z Roll’n Grill--Scrumptious Burgers on Wheels

Old Schooler traditional cheeseburger

Update 2019--They are now a brick and mortar place at 1055 N. Judge Ely Blvd. in Abilene, TX. Same great burgers!

I'm late to the party with this review of Rock'n Roller'z hamburgers and a report on my first visit to Abilene's Food Park in south downtown. The park is an outdoor dining spot that hosts a rotating group of food trucks, primarily during the lunch hour. It is on the corner of S. 1st and Sycamore St. Most of the parking for diners is in a lot north of S. 1st close to the railroad tracks. The park fits about 4-5 food trucks, so it isn't very big but it is certainly a step in the right direction for food culture in Abilene.

Last year, I had a burger from the truck when they were parked at a local business. At that time I ordered the town favorite, a Poppin' Johnny. It is dressed up with cream cheese, fire-roasted jalapenos, bacon, fried onion strings, and a jalapeno ranch sauce...a mouth-watering combo of jalapeno popper and burger. No wonder it has won some local awards. This time, the hubby and I went to the food park just to have a burger from Rock'n Roller'z for supper. They were the only truck listed to be there for the evening so we did not have to fight a lunch-time crowd and the parking was easy.

Truffle fries

The burgers are served with fries and range in price from $8-$12. The buns they use are delicious and locally produced. The meat is never frozen. You can truly taste the difference so I don't mind paying more for something so delectable. The size of the burger was perfect for me. If you do have a really big appetite, they can throw an extra patty on the burger for an up-charge. My husband went traditional with his order of the Old Schooler cheeseburger. I ordered the Rockin Rolla burger which had pepper jack cheese, bacon, onion strings, tomato, lettuce, pickle and "nasty" sauce which is similar to thousand island dressing without the pickles but with a kick to it.

We decided instead of getting the regular fries that come the burger to upgrade to an order of truffle fries and share them. The fries were hand-cut, tossed in truffle oil, served topped with shredded Parmesan cheese and parsley. Truffle oil adds a earthy "mushroom-y" taste to the potatoes. So often with hand-cut fries they don't get much of a "crisp" on them. These fries had a bit of a crunch on the outside while still being tender on the inside. Score! The truck has other options for special fries ($6) that could be a meal in and of themselves. I've also seen homemade cheese sticks being offered as well.

My Rockin Rolla burger

The last burger on the menu, in addition to the Poppin' Johnny, the Old Schooler, the Rockin Rolla, is the Future Bird which is a bacon cheeseburger with two fried eggs on top. They also tend have a rotating option such as a chicken sandwich or another kind of burger to choose from.

The truck is distinctive so keep an eye out for the tattooed lady painted on it. If you see they are serving--STOP! You won't regret it.

Follow them on Facebook or give them a call to find where they are set-up for a truly exceptional burger. You can also check out the Facebook page for the food park in downtown Abilene to see which trucks are parked there (1089 S. 1st) on any given day. 

www.facebook.com/rollngrill/

(325) 665-0513