Goog's Pub And Grub consistently tops lists of West Michigan's best burgers, usually in the same lists as Stella's Pub in Grand Rapids. I'll be honest, they both make a hell of a burger, but I'll offer this hot take: They both try too hard. There's something wonderful about the simplicity of a burger; meat, some simple toppings, and maybe some cheese (if you're into that kind of thing). Goog's in particular (and Stella's, by association) are culinary artifacts of the late 00's Epic Meal trend that spawned the BACON EVERYTHING craze. But, the focus of this blog is Holland and Ottawa County, so that precludes Stella's from my general aim. And please don't get me wrong, Goog's makes a mighty fine burger. However, Tulip City Dispatch endorses 4 burgers from 3 different places (in no particular order) above Goog's:
The Curragh Irish Pub, right on 8th St. in downtown, offers their Dublin Burger, which features Dubliner cheese and Irish bacon. Yes, it's an "epic" burger in that it's a ludicrous size and features bacon (seriously, bring a friend! It was quite a meal when it was only a third pound, but now that it's a half pound patty, it's entirely too much for one sitting), but there was a good, long while that the Dublin Burger was one of two burgers on their menu. It felt completely organic on their menu, as it was tucked neatly into their sandwich section. Try it with one of their layered beers, or just a plain Guinness! The Curragh is one of the few locations authorized by Guinness to properly pour their beer (and it's supposed to take a few minutes to get the pour correctly). Other items on the menu that I like are the Ambassador Sandwich, their Guinness Fish and Chips, and their Seafood Fleadh.
New Holland's Pub On 8th have a unique thing, in that nearly everything on their menu is Michigan-sourced. As their menu has evolved over the years, their burger selection has expanded; when I first began going there, the burgers were wrapped into the sandwiches (much like Curragh), but they now have their own section. That doesn't mean that the NHB Burger is bad by any means...it's just not "epic," as it's just some fresh toppings and cheese if you want it. A close second, for me, is the Blue Cheese Burger, with onion jam, blue cheese, and lettuce and tomato. Other honorable mentions on NHB's menu are their Bahn Mi-chigan sandwich, and their Reuben (which I honestly rate better than the Curragh's).
Something of a "hidden gem" is tucked away near the airport and fairgrounds on Holland's north side: The Itty Bitty Bar. This one's weird in that it's a hidden gem for locals, but has a huge tourist following (apt, as it's right along the road to the State Park and several yacht clubs and marinas). It's away from downtown, and pretty firmly within the West Ottawa school district. What makes the Itty Bitty Burger awesome is that it's just so far removed from everything else on this list. It's literally nothing but melted cheese and sauteed onions. And, it's cheap! $6.75 for a burger and fries; add in $3 for a PBR, and you've got yourself a great meal for under $10...and it's hard to buy fast food these days for much less than $10.
The Curragh Irish Pub, right on 8th St. in downtown, offers their Dublin Burger, which features Dubliner cheese and Irish bacon. Yes, it's an "epic" burger in that it's a ludicrous size and features bacon (seriously, bring a friend! It was quite a meal when it was only a third pound, but now that it's a half pound patty, it's entirely too much for one sitting), but there was a good, long while that the Dublin Burger was one of two burgers on their menu. It felt completely organic on their menu, as it was tucked neatly into their sandwich section. Try it with one of their layered beers, or just a plain Guinness! The Curragh is one of the few locations authorized by Guinness to properly pour their beer (and it's supposed to take a few minutes to get the pour correctly). Other items on the menu that I like are the Ambassador Sandwich, their Guinness Fish and Chips, and their Seafood Fleadh.
New Holland's Pub On 8th have a unique thing, in that nearly everything on their menu is Michigan-sourced. As their menu has evolved over the years, their burger selection has expanded; when I first began going there, the burgers were wrapped into the sandwiches (much like Curragh), but they now have their own section. That doesn't mean that the NHB Burger is bad by any means...it's just not "epic," as it's just some fresh toppings and cheese if you want it. A close second, for me, is the Blue Cheese Burger, with onion jam, blue cheese, and lettuce and tomato. Other honorable mentions on NHB's menu are their Bahn Mi-chigan sandwich, and their Reuben (which I honestly rate better than the Curragh's).
Something of a "hidden gem" is tucked away near the airport and fairgrounds on Holland's north side: The Itty Bitty Bar. This one's weird in that it's a hidden gem for locals, but has a huge tourist following (apt, as it's right along the road to the State Park and several yacht clubs and marinas). It's away from downtown, and pretty firmly within the West Ottawa school district. What makes the Itty Bitty Burger awesome is that it's just so far removed from everything else on this list. It's literally nothing but melted cheese and sauteed onions. And, it's cheap! $6.75 for a burger and fries; add in $3 for a PBR, and you've got yourself a great meal for under $10...and it's hard to buy fast food these days for much less than $10.
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