Restaurant review: Del’s Charcoal Burgers in Richardson

by Rich Vana of Entree Dallas

• Tweet
• Email
• Print
• 4 Comments

Stick with a single patty: It’s better not to mess with the quantity if the quality’s already there.

There are restaurants, dives, and fine dining establishments alike where the burger is about the bigness of beef. Double meat, double cheese – one can order a Whataburger with three patties – and one-pound burgers can be made simply by doubling up on some restaurant’s house-standard, half-pound patties.

Del’s Charcoal Burgers, however, is not such a place. Where so many places may confuse quantity for quality, their burger is all about the latter.

It’s not that Del’s serves a small hamburger – their patties weigh in at one-third of a pound – it’s simply that they know that a good burger is more than just the beef. And that’s especially the case with their Texas Burger.

As the name suggests, all the patties at Del’s are cooked over a charcoal-fueled flame, and the patties are cooked to include a noticeable char. They also pay attention to the bacon, making sure it is crispy throughout before adding it to the sandwich. Jalapenos are added along with tomatoes and lettuce to comprise the vegetable component, and plentiful shredded cheddar cheese is added at assembly. Hickory-flavored barbecue sauce complements the rest of the burger, which is held inside two white buns. It’s spicy without being overbearing, gets some sweetness from the sauce, and the smokiness of the beef asserts itself despite the plethora of other ingredients. No, it’s not a huge hamburger, but it will certainly do the trick. Especially if you spring for the fries.

Del’s fries are cut a little thicker than one might find at a drive-through window, but they are crispy on the outside and light, airy, and "fluffy" on the inside. Some burger places may consider the fries to be secondary to the sandwich. That is clearly not the case at Del’s.

Del’s does have a wide menu that goes beyond the bounds of burgers – BLTs, hot dogs, and chicken sandwiches can be had, but their Texas Burger is the star of the show. For a very reasonable $7.50, it can come with a drink and the fries.

And if it just so happens that you think a one-third pound patty isn’t going to satiate that appetite, we’d suggest not ordering a double – sometimes, it’s better not to mess with the quantity if the quality’s already there.

Tweet