Burger review: Adair’s Saloon in Dallas

by Rob Banes of The Quest for the Ultimate Burger

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A decent burger that would probably be even better after a few pitchers or cans of beer.

DALLAS — This week's burger adventure took us to Deep Ellum to Adair's Saloon on Commerce Street across from Twisted Root Burger Company.

Walking into Adair's at noon, you are met by the smells from the previous night's debauchery, which shows that it is definitely a dive bar but not necessarily what you want to smell while eating lunch. I was surprised that the jukebox wasn't playing, as I fully expected to hear the King Bucks blasting through the speakers, but instead ESPN was on the TVs, which were showing the host from Man vs Food preparing to eat a 48-ounce steak at the Super Bowl. We sat down at our table and the server came over to take our drink order. After bringing our drinks, she asked if we were ready to order lunch.

The only menu is a handwritten menu at the bar and choices are limited: burgers, cheeseburgers, ham and cheese, and chicken sandwiches. We all ordered a burger; I ordered a cheeseburger with mayo and onions and a side of fries, but they don't serve bacon, so I was out of luck on that front. About 10 minutes later, the burger was brought to the table.

The burger definitely looked impressive, with the thick patty and thick slice of purple onion sitting on a layer of mayonnaise on the bottom bun. Another glob of mayonnaise was slathered on the top bun and a semi-melted slice of American cheese was place on top of the half pound patty. French fries were seasoned with what seemed to be a typical curly fry seasoning and were thick cut.

I unwrapped my burger and immediately the untoasted bun started falling apart. It could have used some toasting to help keep it intact. Taking my first bite, the bun continued to crumble in my hands and I got a overwhelming flavor of mayonnaise and raw purple onion before getting to the relatively unseasoned flavor of the patty. The patty was cooked to a nice medium but could have used some seasoning. The patty was moist but not overly juicy. I enjoyed the seasoning on the fries but the texture was hit or miss -- some were crispy and hot and others were cold and flaccid. I am not sure what caused the difference but everyone at the table commented on the same thing.

Overall, Adair's Saloon cooked a decent burger that would probably be even better after a few pitchers or cans of beer while listening to one of the numerous live acts that play their stage. I didn't really like the bun since it crumbled so easily. The kitchen could have used a little less mayonnaise but the patty was thick and cooked well.

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