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| - I think it's funny that places like this are creating such a splash in the local food scene. Lobby's excels at being an average burger joint by using high quality, fresh ingredients. It's the kind of place that once was common, but was replaced in the last 20 years by novel and trendy restaurant concepts of other sorts. Or, for a more modern reference, imagine if Fudrucker's got rid of its ambiance and added a Chicago twist with its Italian beef, Polish sausage, and Chicago dogs.
Lobby's is very proud of its caramelized onions (apparently, they have a magical way of making a crispy white onion brown and soft). When I asked about getting sauerkraut on a Polish sausage, the owner insisted that he too loves sauerkraut, but the onions are sooooooo much better: "Just look! We grill them right here," he says, pointing at the grill. In other words, they do not offer sauerkraut.
And then there's the secret sauce. It's pink! And when offered as a dipping sauce for the otherwise mediocre school-cafeteria-style fries, it's made a little bit spicy with chili powder or something of the sort. Again, total magic!
Just so that I don't sound too let down, I will say that the buns make the burgers above average at Lobby's. Good idea not to skimp on the buns. As you walk in, you get the sense that this place should have a drive thru and charge $2-3 per burger, but the burgers are more comparable to pub fare. And apparently people love Lobby's. My three stars are below average, and the owner drives a Mercedes when he's not happily engaging in chit chat with his customers -- they're apparently doing well enough and I would frequent this place if it were in my neighborhood.
So if you're ever craving a burger and fries in Tempe, I would say skip the In-N-Out and go here instead. But for hot dogs? Granted, I'll never understand the whole Chicago dog craze, but this place is right near Ted's.... The only way I'm ordering a dog other than Ted's in the area is if it's wrapped in bacon and prepared Sonoran style. Sorry, Lobby's. Also, your onions are pretty much the same as anyone else's caramelized onions. I still want sauerkraut on my Polish sausage.
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