Who makes the best burger in the town of Turlock? Seems to be the one question that comes from any burger-loving mouth in this area. So which is it? Red Robin, In-N-Out, or even Applebee’s? Come on man! This review is about the local establishments. We don’t want to eat a burger filled with corporate gree…I digress.

To my surprise there are not many Ma and Pa places in Turlock that serve up good burgers. Maybe I have been watching too many “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives?” Regardless, the one establishment that serves up the best burgers is Hot Rod Diner.

Hot Rod Diner is a hidden gem of this area. The atmosphere is filled with, you guessed it, hot rods! This is THE place to get an old-fashion fine crafted burger with fries and a shake all for around 12 dollars.

Let’s start with the bun. This is no ordinary bun, it’s more like a mini-sourdough loaf. It is chewy on the outside, buttered and grilled on the cut side, and soft and fluffy on the inside.

The ingredients always taste fresh, with the lettuce crisp, tomato sweet, and onions savory. The meat is cooked perfectly to keep all of those tasty juices in. When you bring it all together with a thick slice of your choice of cheese, you end up with everyone at the table eating quietly.

First bite, the juice from the beef comes out and mixes with the cheese, onions, tomato and lettuce. Also, the bun begins to hold the burger juices. You get a culmination of all the ingredients in every bite. With those fries and a shake, it is hard to finish everything on your plate.

This burger is just all around great. Other places like Red Robin, In n Out, or Applebees all lack something in the burger department. Their food is edible but you don’t go to those places and order a burger for the experience and you don’t pick up a burger because you think it is the best you can get. Sure the competitors burgers might taste good, but they don’t compare to Hot Rod Diners completeness. The best burger is a burger that I can experience. Intimacy with taste, texture and scent in an awesome environment is the whole package, and good golly gosh does Hot Rod Diner deliver.