Sometimes you want a burger. You just don’t want a burger joint.

Maybe the person across the table has something else in mind, maybe you’re looking for a new neighborhood spot, or maybe you’ve learned that a burger can be particularly good when it has to earn its place on a menu devoted to other things. So I went looking beyond the usual burger spots. The search turned up three very different burgers, each worth ordering even when the rest of the menu is making a strong case for your attention.

Housemade pickles and yellow mustard give Mean Sandwich’s D.A.M. burger its sharp, mouthwatering punch.

Photo by Brandon Ferguson

Mean Sandwich

Ballard and Bellevue 

At a place called Mean Sandwich, it takes some conviction to pass over the inventive sandwiches and order a burger. The D.A.M. burger rewards that decision. Two patties get the smashburger treatment, with the char and firm, browned edges that make this style so satisfying. There’s plenty of beef flavor here. But the ingredients that really grab your attention are the housemade pickles and yellow mustard.

The first bite gets your salivary glands going. The pickles bring a sharp tang, the mustard follows with its own punch, and together they cut through the richness of the meat and American cheese. You get all that browned beef without losing the brighter flavors around it. It’s a rich, satisfying burger, with just the right amount of acidity to balance it out.

The Ballard shop now has company: Mean Sandwich has added a downtown Bellevue location, giving Eastside burger seekers a shorter route to the D.A.M. burger.

Find it: Mean Sandwich, 1510 NW Leary Way, Seattle; and 500 Bellevue Way NE, second floor of Lincoln South Food Hall, Bellevue.

The Collective’s burger pairs a charred, juicy patty with the satisfying chew of a pretzel bun.

Photo by Brandon Ferguson

The Collective

South Lake Union

At The Collective, the burger is easy to overlook. It’s the lone burger among dishes with considerably loftier ambitions. But one bite makes it clear that someone in the kitchen knows their way around a good hamburger. 

Kobe beef, bacon, white cheddar, butter lettuce, and thousand island dressing come together on a pretzel bun. It’s a promising lineup, but the cooking is what keeps bringing me back. The outside of the patty develops enough char for a little crunch; inside, it stays juicy. That contrast has been consistently excellent.

Then there’s the bun. We spend plenty of time talking about beef and toppings, but bread can make or break a burger. This pretzel bun gives just enough resistance as you bite through it, adding a satisfying chew to the juicy beef and melted cheddar. It deserves some credit of its own. On a menu that gives you plenty of reasons to order something more elaborate, this burger holds its own.

Find it: The Collective, 400 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle. The Collective is a private club; check current public dining reservations through OpenTable before visiting.

The Time Out Burger, pictured with an extra patty, delivers bacon, two cheeses, and old-fashioned diner satisfaction.

Photo by Brandon Ferguson

Time Out

Mountlake Terrace

Time Out is a family-owned Greek restaurant whose comfort food is worth the drive from Seattle. It also happens to make the kind of burger that reminds you how satisfying an old-fashioned diner burger can be.

The signature Time Out Burger starts with a one-third-pound beef patty and adds two thick strips of bacon, American and Swiss cheeses, grilled mushrooms and onions, lettuce, tomato, raw onion, pickles, and mayo on a Kaiser roll. I ordered mine with a second patty, a detail worth keeping in mind when looking at the photo.

The patties are pressed enough to have a dense, substantial bite, without going quite as far as a smashburger. The bacon is thick enough to look perfectly at home beside a stack of pancakes, and the two cheeses melt around the beef, complementing the smoky bacon and grilled onions. It’s a generous, deeply comforting burger from a restaurant that already gives you plenty of reasons to visit. Choosing between it and the Greek food may be the hardest part of the trip.

Find it: Time Out Greek & American Restaurant, 5807 244th St. SW, Mountlake Terrace.

Special thanks to my friend David Shulman, entrepreneur and founder of the Seattle Film Institute, who graciously joined me on this burger search. Finding a great neighborhood meal is a pleasure. Having a good friend across the table makes it even better.