Waltz Me to Heaven: Where's the beef, Pensacola?


  • March 20, 2015
  • /   Emily Mitchell and Traci Hart
  • /   early-learning
Over the past several weeks, Traci and I have been indulging in burgers all over town in search of Pensacola’s best burger. It’s been a tough job, but somebody had to do it! We visited eight establishments from from a fine-dining restaurant to a local dive and plenty of places in between. They all have one thing in common: They pride themselves on their burgers. Below we’ve recapped our findings, but I have to warn you, the following pictures may cause intense hunger. The Blue Dot [caption id="attachment_20081" align="aligncenter" width="427"]Blue Dot burger all the way. Blue Dot burger all the way.[/caption] Blue Dot Barbeque is located at 310 N De Villiers St., in a tiny little blue building that is easy to miss if not for the line out the door. This is a no-frills kind of place, but what they lack in decor, they more than make up for in the burger. We ordered it straight up (mustard, mayo, onions and tomato), and every bite was delicious. The burger was juicy, and the buttered bun made all the difference. Atlas Oyster House [caption id="attachment_20082" align="aligncenter" width="640"]Barrack Street burger at Atlas Oyster House Barrack Street burger at Atlas Oyster House[/caption] This is one half pound of house ground beef tenderloin with lettuce, tomato and red onion on a toasted kaiser roll with a side of Zippy sauce. Atlas House Oyster, sister restaurant to the Fish House, is located at 600 S. Barracks St. on Pensacola Bay. We visited Atlas on a beautiful Sunday afternoon and you cannot beat the view. We have seen countless beautiful sunsets from this deck. The Tin Cow [caption id="attachment_20083" align="aligncenter" width="640"]The Tin Cow with swiss cheese, arugula and garlic aioli on a brioche bun.  Served with bacon infused potato chips. The Tin Cow with swiss cheese, arugula and garlic aioli on a brioche bun. Served with bacon infused potato chips.[/caption]   The Tin Cow is located at 102 S. Palafox Place in downtown Pensacola. As the name suggests, burgers are the house specialty, and a wide list of options allows patrons to come up with their own creative concoctions. We opted for an Angus steak burger with Swiss cheese, arugula and garlic aioli on a brioche bun. The combination was quite tasty, and in my opinion the garlic aioli was the real kicker. It was a really good dip for the chips, too. Tops burgers [caption id="attachment_20084" align="aligncenter" width="640"]Tops burger all the way with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, ketchup and mayonnaise. Tops burger all the way with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, ketchup and mayonnaise.[/caption]   Tops burger all the way with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, ketchup and mayonnaise. The tater tots are a must. Tops is located at 401 E. Cervantes St., and while the tiny building doesn’t look like much, the burgers are cooked to order and delicious. Type by Blake Rushing [caption id="attachment_20085" align="aligncenter" width="427"]Type by Blake Rushing. Type by Blake Rushing.[/caption]   Burgers might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Type by Blake Rushing (inside Duh at 501 N. Ninth Ave), but this fine-dining restaurant does a Burgers and Bordeaux special every Tuesday night. It is a great deal, and the burger was cooked to perfection. It comes with tomato jam and a house-made mustard, and we added Havarti cheese and mixed greens to ours. The glass of Bordeaux made for a great pairing. Jerry's Drive-In [caption id="attachment_20086" align="aligncenter" width="555"]Jerry's Drive-In Jerry's Drive-In[/caption]   When I think of Jerry’s Drive-In, I think of cheeseburgers and little league teams covered in red dirt. So we thought it would hit the spot after our team’s first practice. We arrived with three little boys covered in red dirt (and three sisters along for the ride), and we left satisfied customers. Jerry’s, at 2815 E. Cervantes St., is a Pensacola institution, and the burgers and the atmosphere are the reasons why. McGuire's Irish Pub [caption id="attachment_20087" align="aligncenter" width="593"]McGuire's Irish pub burger McGuire’s Irish Pub’s Angus steak burger with extra sharp Cheddar cheese, served with pickles, lettuce and tomato on the side. The Irish Potato Fries were delicious.[/caption]   McGuire’s Irish Pub is located at 600 E. Gregory St. McGuire’s houses a brewery and an extensive, award winning wine cellar. In addition to the food and drinks, the $1 million in dollar bills covering the ceiling and walls makes McGuire’s a great spot for out of town company. This is truly a unique spot. Apple Annie's in Seville Quarter [caption id="attachment_20088" align="aligncenter" width="641"]The Apple Annie’s burger from Seville Quarter with Cheddar cheese and bacon on a toasted Kaiser bun.  The Apple Annie’s burger from Seville Quarter with Cheddar cheese and bacon on a toasted Kaiser bun.[/caption]   A part of Pensacola history since 1967, Seville Quarter is located at 103 E. Government St. With seven rooms, live music, a restaurant, and a wine shop, Seville has so much to offer its patrons. Through the course of our research, a few other burger spots have been suggested, but two girls can only taste so many burgers! The Oval Office ( 4241 Avalon Blvd., Milton) has been awarded Best Burger of the Bay twice for their famous Myrtleburger. Five Guys (1690 Airport Blvd. Suite 800) is delicious but not unique to Pensacola or the Gulf Coast. We’ve listed our top-three favorites below, so now we have to ask, what’s your favorite burger? Emily’s Top Three: — Blue Dot — Seville Quarter — Tin Cow Traci’s Top Three: — Blue Dot — Tin Cow — Type  
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