Over the past year, we have been quietly tasting and testing to see who has the best Burgers in George. A friend of toodoo's started a Burgers and Beers night that usually takes place on the first Thursday of every month. There are supposed to be a capped number of members, which is six or eight, depending on who you ask. Everyone gets a turn to nominate a venue and invite a friend (or two). Sometimes, we forgot to tally the score - but the result was always palpable, so scoring was merely a formality.
Our judges include Pierre, the founder of our local group and a self-proclaimed 'everything' connoisseur known for his impeccable taste in food and drink. Next is Roger, the group's rockstar, followed by Etienne, the most good-natured among us, who invariably opts for the 'weird' burger. We also have Tim, who meticulously dissects every burger to remove gluten and 'fun' from his burger but gives us an insightful look at the insides of what we are about to eat; Franz, famed for convincing his wife to chauffeur us all home post-11 pm; James, our beer purist who baulks at 'fancy' brews; and Jeremy, the group's business guru with a knack for practical advice. And then there's me, Steven, the expert Tequila taster and the driving force behind toodoo.
Full disclosure: we did not try the burgers at popular franchises where we already knew what we would get (for better or worse), and we didn't go to places where there were only one or two burger options on the menu. This list is by no means definitive, and there are plenty more great burger joints for us to score in 2024.
So, who has the best burgers in George, according to toodoo and friends? Well, let us start at the bottom, which wasn't a bad place to be - it just didn't cut the mustard for everyone in our group. Nevertheless, it's worth noting that all the restaurants on this list offer an above-average dining experience.
There are certainly enough burger options here for everyone to try something different. I usually have the chilli bomb, which packs a lot of flavour and heat and goes down with an ice-cold beer like a kid dunking a submarine, but unfortunately, the feeling wasn't mutual for the rest of the crew. The consensus was that the vibe felt like a mid-day corporate café and that the food lacked fresh flavour and heat.
We had high expectations for Blue Olive. The staff was friendly and accommodating and made us feel very welcome! The weather wasn't great, and we thought Wilderness was dead for a Thursday night, so the atmosphere was what we made it. The burgers sounded good, and the flavour combinations looked scrumptious, but for some reason, the hamburger buns were flat and soggy, which made everyone's hearts sink a little. It might have just been that we arrived on an evening when the entire town was out of burger buns, but in the end, that is what we thought. The chips were great, and so were the other aspects of our evening. We might have just shown up on the wrong night, and I hope we return to Blue Olive to see if that was the case.
Unlike Blue Olive, our expectations for Hennie's were low. We were pleasantly surprised. We all had something different, and all the burgers tasted great. From the 'plain Jane' to the 'Rolls Royce' version of their burgers, we all finished every last crumb on our plates. Hennies offers more than just tasty burgers; it's a lively spot where the beer is always cold, and the ambience brims with welcoming, lively hospitality. That distinct Afrikaans' gees' makes it very hospitable and fun. Their unique tradition of handing out penalty drinks for drinking beer with the 'wrong' hand added to the fun, though it meant we didn't linger too late into the evening and were keen to see what else York Street has to offer on a Thursday evening. While there is a kids' entertainment area at Hennies, it seems a bit out of sync with the adult-focused, thirst-quenching vibe of the place.
Mujō, or Mujo's as everyone calls it - surprised us all, but that could be because Roger briefed the staff and said this will be the one night this year that they need to cook like they are on Masterchef! All our burgers were tasty, fresh, and cooked to perfection. There was a great atmosphere, and we didn't want to leave. In fact, a staff member switched off the lights and said, 'Close the door behind you'. We all had various kinds of burgers and loved all of them, and we couldn't get enough of their cheese jalapeño spring rolls. The only reason Mujō didn't land the top spot was because we were unsure if their food was always this delicious without being specially prepped for our visit.
The Bench completely wowed us! For some in our group, it was the first visit, and the experience was delightful. It hit the perfect balance between 'contemporary' and 'old-school' for a fun and relaxed atmosphere. The food was outstanding from the first bite to the last. The poppers popped, the chips chiselled, and the burgers ‘beyonded’ our expectations! The Bench unanimously earned our vote for the burger venue of 2023. With a variety large enough for everyone to sample a different burger, we appreciated the quality of their 'de facto' standard burger, which was exceptional in every aspect: saucy meat, toasted buns, and fresh and flavorful sauces, all complemented by impeccable service and ambience. We opted to sit at the back on the second-floor balcony, which offered a more vibrant atmosphere than the front. To top it all off, The Bench has an irresistible Thursday special where all burgers are 30% off, so you can try and compare for yourself.
There are certainly enough burger options here for everyone to try something different. I usually have the chilli bomb, which packs a lot of flavour and heat and goes down with an ice-cold beer like a kid dunking a submarine, but unfortunately, the feeling wasn't mutual for the rest of the crew. The consensus was that the vibe felt like a mid-day corporate café and that the food lacked fresh flavour and heat.
We had high expectations for Blue Olive. The staff was friendly and accommodating and made us feel very welcome! The weather wasn't great, and we thought Wilderness was dead for a Thursday night, so the atmosphere was what we made it. The burgers sounded good, and the flavour combinations looked scrumptious, but for some reason, the hamburger buns were flat and soggy, which made everyone's hearts sink a little. It might have just been that we arrived on an evening when the entire town was out of burger buns, but in the end, that is what we thought. The chips were great, and so were the other aspects of our evening. We might have just shown up on the wrong night, and I hope we return to Blue Olive to see if that was the case.
Unlike Blue Olive, our expectations for Hennie's were low. We were pleasantly surprised. We all had something different, and all the burgers tasted great. From the 'plain Jane' to the 'Rolls Royce' version of their burgers, we all finished every last crumb on our plates. Hennies offers more than just tasty burgers; it's a lively spot where the beer is always cold, and the ambience brims with welcoming, lively hospitality. That distinct Afrikaans' gees' makes it very hospitable and fun. Their unique tradition of handing out penalty drinks for drinking beer with the 'wrong' hand added to the fun, though it meant we didn't linger too late into the evening and were keen to see what else York Street has to offer on a Thursday evening. While there is a kids' entertainment area at Hennies, it seems a bit out of sync with the adult-focused, thirst-quenching vibe of the place.
Mujō, or Mujo's as everyone calls it - surprised us all, but that could be because Roger briefed the staff and said this will be the one night this year that they need to cook like they are on Masterchef! All our burgers were tasty, fresh, and cooked to perfection. There was a great atmosphere, and we didn't want to leave. In fact, a staff member switched off the lights and said, 'Close the door behind you'. We all had various kinds of burgers and loved all of them, and we couldn't get enough of their cheese jalapeño spring rolls. The only reason Mujō didn't land the top spot was because we were unsure if their food was always this delicious without being specially prepped for our visit.
The Bench completely wowed us! For some in our group, it was the first visit, and the experience was delightful. It hit the perfect balance between 'contemporary' and 'old-school' for a fun and relaxed atmosphere. The food was outstanding from the first bite to the last. The poppers popped, the chips chiselled, and the burgers ‘beyonded’ our expectations! The Bench unanimously earned our vote for the burger venue of 2023. With a variety large enough for everyone to sample a different burger, we appreciated the quality of their 'de facto' standard burger, which was exceptional in every aspect: saucy meat, toasted buns, and fresh and flavorful sauces, all complemented by impeccable service and ambience. We opted to sit at the back on the second-floor balcony, which offered a more vibrant atmosphere than the front. To top it all off, The Bench has an irresistible Thursday special where all burgers are 30% off, so you can try and compare for yourself.
Have you tried any of these places? Or do you have a favourite in George that we should know about? Please share your thoughts and join us on this delicious journey! We look forward to tasting more amazing burgers in 2024.
Disclaimer:
Although every effort is made to provide the most up to date and accurate information, the information on this site may not be exhaustive and is for reference only. Knockout Productions trading as toodoo or any it’s associates cannot be held responsible for misuse of this information provided here or for injury, death or any losses that may result in taking part in any of the activities represented on the toodoo website.
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Things to do and places to be in the Garden Route. The 300 km Garden Route gets its name from the Garden Route National Park that it covers. It includes a lush and diverse vegetation. Explore some of our many lakes, mountains, forests, and beaches with toodoo.
