The bright red letters that distinguish Cousin’s Burgers from its surrounding competitors tempted me. The name suggests one thing: this place serves burgers. As a burger aficionado, the promise of a good burger tempted me more. 

We were first greeted by a large chalkboard menu studded with food options ranging from pancakes to burritos; odd for an establishment advertising its specialty in burgers. As we ordered, we were intrigued by the self-serve topping bar, stocked with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, carrots, and pickles; now the burger possibilities were endless. Beside it was the condiment bar, which gave more options than your typical fast food chain. They offered barbeque sauce, ketchup, and their delectable homemade ranch dressing, which was akin to the famous Wing Stop ranch. And, at Cousin’s you can choose from three different mustards – yellow, spicy, and honey! 

Order number 5068 was called, and we were ready to feast. With proper burger-eating etiquette, we ate the fries first. And they were impeccable. A perfect brown crisp on the outside and a soft, pillowy potato on the inside. Paired with the ranch, we couldn’t get enough. I wish we could say the same about the burgers. We tried two: the Frisco Burger (which was technically a patty melt and not a burger), and the bacon cheeseburger. The Frisco was patty, grilled onions, and Swiss cheese sandwiched between two slices of sourdough bread. I am disappointed to say that there was no flavor to be found. Whenever I took a bite, it felt like I was just chewing tasteless ground beef. I requested my patty to be cooked medium, but it was cooked in hues of brown and gray and not a twinge of pink. The only way I felt I could enjoy the Frisco was when it was dipped in the tang of barbecue sauce. The bacon cheeseburger was not much different. The patty possessed the same blandless, and the bacon and cheese did little to improve the taste. The bacon itself was your standard strip of bacon. And, if we’re getting nitpicky, the bacon was arranged in an ‘X’ shape, and not placed side by side, which throws the bacon distribution off balance. In any sense, the bacon’s smokey flavor was lost when eaten with the rest of the burger. After eating only half of our burgers, we abandoned them for the fries. 

The prices were mediocre. A combo – burger, drink, and fries – was priced at $14. At those prices, I’d stick with In-N-Out. But, there is an air of family-owned charm in Cousin’s Burgers. The walls are plastered in Calvin and Hobbes comic strips and continues all throughout the bathroom, which makes for nice reading material! And speaking of the bathroom, I felt thrown off by the urinal being a mere foot away from the toilet. 

I’d recommend this place solely for their fries (and ranch!), but what’s the point in going to Cousin’s Burgers if you won’t have a burger?

Overall Rating:

✰✰✰