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| - Basis for my starred ratings (which skews heavily to the food or drink):
1 star: Never again.
2 stars: Poor food, poor experience, extraordinary measures in order for me to come back.
3 stars: Average, nothing really special, nothing particularly bad.
4 stars: Very good, would definitely return.
5 stars: A favorite, one of the best.
Had Culver's a long, long time ago when I was growing up in Ohio and visited Wisconsin, then had more of it when I lived in Chicago and went up north again. Was excited when Culver's finally made it to the Valley.
Comparing Culver's to both fast-casual burger joints AND other frozen custard joints, it holds its 4-star rating. The custard here is very good. The concretes here are superior to those at Shake Shack, basically because the custard is superior. The custard is better than the other chains that have popped up (Rita's, Freddie's), but is not better than some of the independent custard joints I've been to back in the Midwest.
The burgers and food here are fine too. I like that they have non-traditional dishes for a burger joint, like fried shrimp (which my wife really likes) and pot roast (which is pretty good for "fast food" pot roast.) Their sides are pretty great - the green beans are never overcooked and the cheese curds are squeaky, just like they should be. The burgers, being buttered and all, are different from other fast-casual burgers and are a tick above average fast-casual.
So all in all, 4 stars for Culver's, mostly for their custard.
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