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I will preface that this isn't a joke. Those who know me know when I compare Tommy's to a burger restaurant, I'm talking serious food. This is hands down the best burger I've ever had in my life, and the second best chili-burger next to Original Tommy's in L.A.

For the Greensboro folks, it requires a drive to Siler City. (Worth it, trust me...) We happened to be down there today, and there's a restaurant call "Johnson's" Burger. I was advised to go there by a former co-worker of mine when we first landed back in NC about 4 years ago. At the time, I was working the odd job doing work for Dish Network at the time trying to survive just moving 2600 miles.

Whether it's true or not, I was told by my former co-worker that Johnson's is one of two connected restaurants which serve a unique type of hamburger. The one location is actually on the farm property which houses the cows, rightly called "The Stockyard", (a bovine auction) the other: Johnson's Drive-In is a kitschy greasy spoon off Highway 64. At The Stockyard you can actually pick the cow you want to eat, have it butchered, and cooked by the restaurant, but at Johnson's Restaurant on Highway 64, the ground beef comes in the day before. Never frozen, freshly ground, mid-western, grain-fed beef grilled only after it's ordered. Fixins such as cole slaw and chili are prepared daily for your hamburger that had a heart beat just a short 24 hours ago.

Sounded compelling to me. The problem is there's a catch. (Again according to lore.) They only have a certain amount of beef each day, ground fresh each morning, so when they run out, they close up shop for the day. So about 10am the pilgrimage begins, as hordes of people descend upon Johnson's Burgers. Finally today we stopped in.

It was life changing.



Two Chili Burgers with lettuce, tomato, chili, mustard & onions. Covered in a slice of cheese 1/2 inch thick cheese that would make grandma proud. I was anticipating a good burger-It wasn't: it was breathtaking. It's like a jump to light speed in burger taste. The meat was so tender, so juicy... so unbelievably incredibly good... I cannot for the life of me describe that without a doubt in my 30 years of existence I've never tasted anything in America as good as this. This is up there with the famous namesakes from around the world. I can all but guarantee you will crave this, miss this burger.... purposely drive to this place for this burger because it's that seductive.

The best burger in North Carolina... if not the entire east coast... perhaps even all the way to Barstow, CA. This is one darn burger. Under the hood of this beauty is a hunk of Velveeta cheese, mustard, onions, lettuce, tomato, & chili. This is the definition of comfort food, of soul food if you will. Johnson's knows what they're doing. They're not to be messed with...

It's hands down the best burger in North Carolina.

Johnson's Drive-in Restaurant
1520 E 11th Street
Siler City, NC 27344
map

well... road trip!

Seriously... They've got this taste on it... much like in-n-out.. but better... too...

If you're a beef lover (as in love to slaughter and eat).... then this is the burger for you.

*watching my avatar speak for me*

Well, I've got some relatives in that area, so maybe if I'm visiting them, I'll have a chance to stop by there and give it a shot!

Liv wrote:For the Greensboro folks, it requires a drive to Siler City. (Worth it, trust me...)

Liv speaks the truth!

A little trip down Hwy 64 was already in the plans for this weekend. And with a little help from K.I.T.T., Sanjuro and I headed a few more miles to the east in the quest for our first Johnson’s cheeseburgers.

I don’t even know where to begin!

Driving up, we realized that it was a tiny establishment. We were just ahead of the lunch rush, but all tables were occupied as were all the seats at the counter. We got into the line that seemed to be made up of others waiting for seats... I wondered if at the end of the dining experience, would this cheeseburger be worth the trek and worth the wait?

It may have been about 20 or 30 minutes before we were able to get a seat and place our order, and we kept it simple – 2 cheeseburgers, 2 fries, 2 drinks. Keeping it simple is very easy to do at Johnson's. Everything is kept simple. The menu is minimal. Even the burger fixin's are minimal. They didn't have pickles, and there you have it. My only complaint. No pickles! ...but I survived.

Liv wrote:… Johnson's is a kitschy greasy spoon off Highway 64. At one location you can actually pick the cow you want to eat, but at Johnson's on 64, the ground beef comes in the day before. Never frozen, freshly ground... your hamburger had a heart beat just a short 24 hours ago.

I have never had a fresher tasting burger than this one. From the first bite, I knew it was totally worth the wait.

Liv wrote:Covered in a slice of cheese 1/2 inch thick cheese that would make grandma proud.

But it wasn’t just cheese. It was Velveeta. Velveeta in all its processed cheese glory with its perfect-melt properties… And the way that Johnson’s presses the patties on the grill, you need not worry about a single bite of burger missing cheese.

Liv wrote:I can all but guarantee you will crave this, miss this burger.... purposely drive to this place for this burger because it's that seductive.

I sit here, typing at this very moment, craving the Velveeta rivers that flow through the Johnson’s cheeseburger. I am trying to come up with reasons that I would have to regularly visit Siler City, and therefore pay Johnson’s a visit while I’m out there!

Liv wrote:It's hands down the best burger in North Carolina.

I haven’t done the cheeseburger tour, but of all the NC burgers I’ve had so far, Johnson’s is definitely a blue ribbon burger!

Serendip is right on. That thing was incredible and I'm craving one just thinking about it. Never a fan of Velveeta, I give it a pass in this instance. The blend and balance of everything made my mouth pretty darn happy, although I'm sure my cholesterol level was pretty darn sad.

I'm so going back as soon as I get my butt up on the treadmill to burn off the first visit.

That said... yes... these burgers are legendary.

And you didn't alert me...

...or Sanjuro...


And I had to eat a frakkin' Lean Pocket and chips for lunch today.

Y'know... I take back every nice thing I said about you.



I think the I Love Liv fanclub president role is now available...







Yes, People. Their cheezburgers are THAT GOOD.

So anyhow... I just want to brag that I just got done with a chili-cheese burger with mustard, chili, onions, lettuce and tomato with a chili-cheese fry from Johnson's.... and well life must suck for you if you're eating some rancid fast food variation on your lunch hour and not Johnson's.

But be grateful... be thankful... because not every state has a Johnson's worth driving too... (Poor A.P.)

Yes, this whole post was a ploy to advertise Johnson's and keep them in business till I die of chili cheese cardiac arrest... with a smile on my face!

Liv wrote:But be grateful... be thankful... because not every state has a Johnson's worth driving too... (Poor A.P.)

I am not a fan of burger chains, but on the occasion I want a good burger I either go to my local casual restaurant for a buffalo-burger, or if I'm in town Boogie's Burgers is pretty good, if a bit over the top.

Liv wrote:So anyhow... I just want to brag that I just got done with a chili-cheese burger with mustard, chili, onions, lettuce and tomato with a chili-cheese fry from Johnson's.... and well life must suck for you if you're eating some rancid fast food variation on your lunch hour and not Johnson's.

Oh, and it's a chicken salad croissant from the Teeter today... but still not a cheezburger.

A Person wrote:I am not a fan of burger chains, but on the occasion I want a good burger I either go to my local casual restaurant for a buffalo-burger, or if I'm in town Boogie's Burgers is pretty good, if a bit over the top.

I love it! They call soda... "pop"... that's what we called it up north in Toledo till I moved till the south.... Occasionally I slip up... and people look at me like I'm an idiot when I order a pop.

Liv wrote:I love it! They call soda... "pop"... that's what we called it up north in Toledo till I moved till the south.... Occasionally I slip up... and people look at me like I'm an idiot when I order a pop.

Pop is the English name too (aka fizzy pop). In Turkey it's called gazoz which I think is a wonderful word.

But seriously - pop hasn't been made with sodium bicarbonate for many decades get with the program!

I loved it the first time my grandma visited California and met Shannon... We were all sitting at a restaurant out in Ventura and Grandma said to Shannon "Doncha wanna Pop, dear?" Shannon thought she was speaking German.

Man, I still need to check this place out! Too bad I'm never west of Wake County all that often. I'll have to make a special visit to Siler City some time!

Pineview Style wrote:Man, I still need to check this place out! Too bad I'm never west of Wake County all that often. I'll have to make a special visit to Siler City some time!

I can only speak personally... but I think I have the resume for it... I've been to Tommy's, Pink's, In-N-Out, Carls Jr, etc....

It's worth the pilgrimage.... Try to make it before the lunch rush is what I'd suggest....

I would like everyone to know I had a Johnson's burger for lunch today. My gawd.... "look at all the stars".... pure burger seizure followed by motorskill lockup occured while dripping crispy cheesey burgery goodness touch my mouth....

Liv wrote:I would like everyone to know I had a Johnson's burger for lunch today. My gawd.... "look at all the stars".... pure burger seizure followed by motorskill lockup occured while dripping crispy cheesey burgery goodness touch my mouth....

Screw you Liv!

Liv wrote:I would like everyone to know I had a Johnson's burger for lunch today. My gawd.... "look at all the stars".... pure burger seizure followed by motorskill lockup occured while dripping crispy cheesey burgery goodness touch my mouth....

"why are you such a megabitch?"

NOM NOM NOM

Yeah, that was me and Sanj this past Saturday.

Dip.... Why are you such a mega bitch too?

Actually, me and Shannon found "The Stockyard" last week... which is the place that's open on Monday when Johnson's is closed... it's at a cow auction place out in the woods. Shan refused to go in. Tons of people in overalls just standing by the door.

Liv wrote:Dip.... Why are you such a mega bitch too?

"Because I can be."




Oh, and birds of a feather...