During my various journeys around the system I had occasion to visit some of the best burger joints on earth. For example, in San Diego it was Hodad's near my apartment on Ocean Beach. Later on I became addicted to The Steerburger at Boll Weevils (see link). Nick M will probably say it was the beer on draught and the pool tables, but for me... the steerburger. Of course Nick was a major BarBQ fan/chef, but that's another story. So, what was your favorite burger joint?
My vote goes to the Boll Weevil in SD. In 1968 their burger, fries, and draft for $1.25 could not be beat.
The Boll Weevil in SD is indeed OUTSTANDING. However, prior to my moving to SD, I was working in the proposal center on a Saturday afternoon in 1988 when the thought of a burger dominated my thought process. I didn't know about the Boll Weevil back then, and wasn't real familiar with the area. A fellow proposal writer mentioned the Wendys down the road, but I described what I wanted. I said that I wanted something that took two hands to lift, and left a tell-tale grease spot where it sat on the plate. He referred me to a little joint in the corner of an old strip mall called the "Longhorn". Sort of a long bar in front with massive booths along one side, but the main eating area was a room in the back called the John Wayne room with life-sized posters of the Duke from many of his films. By far - the very best burger in SD!!!
Don't remember exactly where it is, but it is on a main road north out of the eastern end of mission valley (not as far as it sounds).
Ah yes The Longhorn Cafe up on Mission Gorge Rd. They do have good burgers, but I didn't like the fries... then, if you have enough beer they taste fine 
Famous Dave's has a pretty good burger for a franchise. Don't remember what it is called, but it is a nice size burger patty is topped with pulled pork and jalapino bacon...................yum yum! Who started this string? Its too early on a Saturday AM to think about burgers, but now I am.
Dear Rick, You should try the hamburgers at the Dining Hall here!! I got ran over by a car back in my pirate days. Now have staff infection in my right knee. Had emergency surgery at KCVA two weeks ago. Now in V.A in Leavenworth in for at least 6 weeks must have IV treatment every 8 HOURS. i HAVE PT twice a day. I still might lose my leg. After a month flat on my back it feels good to be walking with a walker! The Staff is great!! They have found 2 more herniaS. Ive had 4 hernia surgeries since I was in Special services and picked up that boat that was crushing Jim Myers hand! The plastic mesh they put in my side in 1995 in Biloxi Ms Va is defective! great!! Am trying to up grade my VA percent. Lost my Brother to Cancer Last November Now my mother has lung Cancer. Im the only member of my immedate family who hasnt had or died from Cancer. Mary Jo and Jennifer are doing fine Madie and Merdith are 7 and 3. My address is Larry Carrel,Room 134A,Community Living Center, Building 122. Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center.4101 South 4th Street TRaffic way. Leavenworth,KS 66048. My cell # is 660 424 4858. The big excitment is to play Bingo I won 7 50 cents pieces last night. Alot of time to read and do arts an crafts. time to do a 810 have a good night and say hello to JOAN. would like to get a couple more patches ,they would look good on a ballcap. Larry
Just saw this LC. Will give you a shout this week. R
I'm not a big burger guy but I did enjoy the Icelandic Lamb Dogs at the 5151 (or was it 4141?) Taxi Stand on base at Keflavik, Iceland. The lamb dogs were made with high-quality Icelandic lamb and were delicious. I always ordered mine with "the works" - mustard, raw onions, fried onions, remoulade (similar to tartar sauce but more yellowish because its flavored with curry contained chopped pickles or piccalilli). Yum!!
I agree with the Booweavil being great..My new favorite is 5 Guys...Probably a million calories though...4m8p
Got to agree with you about 5 Guys, Chuck. Can't beat the double bacon cheeseburgers with chopped jalapeno! That's a heart attack on a plate. However, possibly the best hamburger in the world is the Green Chili Cheeseburger that Blake's Lottaburger in New Mexico is famous for. You can't get one out of the state, and I always enjoy one when I go back to NM for a visit.
Took my sweet daughter out for sushi tonight but was thinking about those fine Boll Weevil burgers. You're right Rick.....the cold drafts were awful good, too.
Oh for the days when we could eat cheeseburgers anytime we wanted and still lose weight. Now days, if I even look at one on a menu, I gain 11 pounds.
The Dorothy Lane Market in Springboro, Ohio (where my oldest lives) makes custom speciality burgers in their meat dept and they're just ridiculous. Almost as good as a fine filet.
On the other hand, pretty hard to top a Denny's omelet after a long night of recreation at Dirty Dan's.
Nick
This just isn't fair!!
Dirty Dan's, 3131-or was it 4141...whatever! Longhorns, Boll Weevle, Hodads. There was even a Denny's mentioned.
Not fair!
I had two duty stations. Argentia and Eleuthera. Arg had one place, Kellys, just outside the base and the folks on Eleuthera didn't know what a good burger was. They had conch fritters but it's just not a greasy burger.
Hell, I don't even remember Kelley's burgers, so I'm guessing they were nothing to brag about.
Like I said...this isn't fair!
It's now 2200 hours and I was about to hit the rack, but now I'm dying for a nice, old-fashioned burger like the ones on all of those 'other' duty stations I never was. What a choice you guys had.
I'll never be able to fall asleep now.
Maybe I'll peruse Orbitz or Travelocity to make reservations for either San Diego, Iceland, or one of those other burger places that leave a grease spot on the plate.
Thanks a lot George!!!
Charlie
I was rather fond of the White Castle burgers in Key West with all the raw onions. The worst was in Reykjavik because if you ordered a hamburger you got a ground HAM burger!
Charlie Kellys burgers were pretty good.But thier french fries were the best I ever had,especially with the homemade gravy Mike kelly made.an order was a whole plate full of fries.towards the end of the order the fries were so limp you had to use every finger to hold it up.yummy.
This had been a pretty good read. I'm surprised no one has mentioned our beginning...ie: the Snack Bar next to the FSS school in Key West. They made the greatest grilled steak sandwiches.
Let us not forget the Key West Taco Factory that made those huge "Mamoo's". What a buy!!! The wife and I still make those regularly, and the kids ask for them when they come home.
Last but not least...how about the San Nic Snack Bar that made those "egg and cheese burgers" What a treat when working those 12hr back-to-back Mids on the weekends...my mouth still waters for them. 
I will take you back - to the best burger... The USO right outside the main gate at FSS Key West in early 1954. Very large bun with beef burger to match, thick slice of Bermuda onion, tomato, lettuce and mayo... 25 cents... Ed Smock
Smokey, You always have to top us! Best stories with longest memories. I remember 10 cent beers(Milwawkee's Best) in Key West on Friday nights at the EM Club. But I don't think they had 25 cent burgers outside the front gate in 1973. Probably closer to $.50. (<: Ahhh... To do it all over again... - Jim
The goat or mutton burgers in Spietstown Barbados wont make the list but the flying fish sandwiches will when we get to seafood burgers.
I do remember the USO burgers....Brought back many fond memories of Key West in the 50s. But that's another subject.
Good try, Ed. They didn't have cows back then.
Might have been an Ox burger ??? Not sure... - Ed Smock
Sounds good Master Chief. I was only 3 years old at the time but it was probably pretty good, lol.
One of my favs was the beer-battered ýsa at the EM club in Iceland...yum!
Jane commented on the Keflavik USO fish specials (Ysa) so I thought I would repost the recipe.
Ysa is the Icelandic word for haddock and we saw scores of it drying on wooden racks, especially on the road out to Grindavik.
The wonderful fish frys at the USO served cod. But many American's referred to it as ysa. Not sure what the Icelandic word for cod is.
Here's the recipe:
BATTER - FRIED FRESH COD
1 1/2 lbs. boneless Icelandic cod fillets, 1 inch thick
1 c. cold water (or beer)
2 tbsp. peanut oil
1 egg yolk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c. plus 2 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Oil for frying
Cut fillets into 10-12 pieces of equal size. Combine water, oil, and egg yolk in mixing bowl. Add salt, pepper, and flour. Beat with a wire whisk until blended and smooth. When ready to cook, add baking powder and blend well. Heat oil for frying in deep fryer or frying pan. Dip pieces of cod in the batter, one at a time, and drop into oil. Do not crowd. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown, cooking time will vary with size. Transfer to paper toweling to drain. Serve with tomato horseradish sauce.
Capt Jim,
Thanks for reposting the recipe as it sure was good.
I’m not sure which species of fish Haddock or Cod was served at the USO. However, to upgrade your knowledge of Icelandic, Cod is þoskur pronounced Thoskur.
While I did know what the Icelandic word was. I had to consult with my technical expert for the spelling.
How about a Wimpy!s burger in the UK; boiled water just as you like it. But the double cheeseburger Banjo at Brawdy was OK.
I have to agree with Ed, the wimpys in the UK were so bad that the Brawdy Bowl burgers were fantastic in comparison. However, since living in New Mexico I can hardly tolerate a cheeseburger without diced green chile. I would have to vote for San Antonio, NM as the home of the best green chile cheeseburger, Owl Cafe or the place across the highway. They are both outstanding.
Jerry
I have been looking for this recipe since oh...about 1987. We spent many a day in the US while stationed at Keflavik and YSA is probably the best fish we have ever eaten. Thanks for the recipe!!!
The fish served at the USO each Friday was Ysa, which is haddock.
The burgers at the Viking weren't all that bad either. At least the bowlers thought so. Perhaps that is why they drank so much beer to get the burger swallowed down!
greasy spoon Charlie's in Bermuda. Best place for grease on a plate. and not a bad burger.
Actually, the two best burger joints in the world were the BOQ bar at Charleston Naval Station and the BOQ bar at Long Beach Naval Station. Long gone.
The two places where sitting for an hour would let you run into half the people you ever knew in the Navy were Mickey Finns in SD and the Chuck Wagon on the Naval Station at Subic. Ditto long gone.
The best Submarine Sanctuary was (I hope still is) at Yokosuka, Subic a close second.
The two best places in the world to screw up a marriage were the back bar at Oceana, Tailwinds at North Island, and the O Club at Miramar. Yeah, I know that's three but back in the day I tended to lose count.
I don't know if I'd vote it the "best" burger I've ever had but the club at CVB used to have a pretty darn good bacon cheese burger with grilled onions on it.
And when I was in Guam from '85-'87 the best burger on the island IMHO was at the Andersen AFB Palm Tree Golf Course Club House. It was worth the drive.
I can remember the Best Burger I ever ate was in "Doc Zeek's back yard on base in Argentia, NFLD. I recall Dave Williams was there as well as others as we all took a turn at watching and turning amazing moose burgers on a grill outside wearing foul weather jackets. What were we thinking!!!!!
Chuck
I've heard people say that moose is really good. I imagine it is similar to deer meat.