When it is a Real Hamburger You Crave

The traditional burger joint has become an endangered species as fast food has moved in and offered their $1 burger value meals. Granted, those dollar burgers have their place, but if it is a true hamburger that you are looking for in Modesto, there are still multiple options. These are places that will always cook it fresh and add loads of toppings instead of that sad single piece of lettuce left behind by a clown.

If you are looking for a throwback to the 1950s drive-in, the A&W Drive-in at 1404 G Street is the place. They have the spots to park and order right from your car, out door picnic tables, indoor seating, as well as a playground for the kids. The playground is not one of the modern plastic pre-fabricated types, either. On the weekends, they frequently have car shows. This is a place that fits perfectly with Modesto's love it its' place in American Graffiti. The burgers are above the average, but the primary draw here is the ambience and the root beer floats. For an above average burger at a place that is a step back to an earlier age, drive in.

It is under new management, but Scenic Drive-in's knockout burger still packs a punch. It is also a throwback to the days of drive-in restaurants, but it does not have the carhops. Ordering and pickup are done through an outdoor window, and there is only outdoor or patio style seating. Their famed knockout burger features avocado, bacon, cheese, and jalapenos for only five bucks. (Take that Carl's Jr Six dollar burger.) For those who are a bit on the squeamish side, be warned the location is next to Modesto's original cemetery, so ordering it to go may be your thing. They also have REAL milkshakes, the kind that are made with real milk, real ice cream, and are extremely thick. It is located at 1150 Scenic Drive about half a block west of Coffee Road.

For a place that is focused on indoor seating and has crazy good hamburgers, there is Fast Eddie's M.O.A.B. Meal on a Bun. Moab, as it is known to the locals, is a sit down burger joint. They serve their burgers in the little plastic baskets with generous helpings of french fries. The interior is eclectic with images from Modesto's history, as well as about anything else that doesn't seem to make sense. The burgers are mouthwatering. Their milkshakes are REAL milkshakes. With its centralized location and proximity to Modesto Junior College, it can get busy at times, but their Meal on a Bun claim for their hamburgers is definitely true. Moab is located at 1228 Tully Road.

These spots are small family owned joints and don't have an advertising budget like Sonic or In N Out, but destroy both of them in quality. Sonic only pretends to be what A&W is. The In N Out double-double is probably the best fast food burger, but it does not come anywhere close to these three spots.