This isn’t your typical burger shop. In a culture where advertising isn’t always what it seems and the pictures don’t always reflect what you get, in this case they really did get it right: These burgers are gourmet.
The moment we took our first bite it was evident that these burgers are made with quality ingredients. The meat has a better texture and flavor and is accompanied by fresh ingredients like thick-cut crisp tomatoes and a variety of leafy greens. Other touches that stand out are the locally made hamburger buns baked fresh daily, aged Tillamook cheddar, quality gorgonzola and the thickest-cut bacon you’ve ever seen on a burger.
The Gourmet Burger Shop was recently rated by the Tacoma News Tribune as having the best cheeseburger in Pierce County and they were one of the top two for best milkshake, fries and onion rings.
The owner, Travis Hightower, worked as a chef at some private golf courses before opening his first burger shop in 2010, serving upscale burgers in a tiny hole-in-the-wall off a roadside on the Key Peninsula. He opened his doors with the expectation of flipping maybe 50 burgers a day but soon found himself flipping four times that amount. And if you’ve tried his burgers you’ll understand why.
Though commercial real estate is extremely limited, especially along the waterfront, two years ago Travis relocated to historic downtown Gig Harbor to a bigger, though still small, place on Harborview Drive across from the water.
It was the location of the former Le Bistro that burned down in 2010 and just so happens to be the place of our very first restaurant meal ever when Todd and I were dating. (I hope our presence didn’t have anything to do with the fire!)
When the doors of Travis’ new place opened in 2013 the crowds poured in and business has continued as word of his gourmet burgers spread throughout the South Sound and beyond.
What’s particularly remarkable to me is the amount of food they produce within such a small kitchen. Some days they cook up over 200 burger baskets on just a 24×24 inch grill and one deep fryer!
I don’t know how they do it, but their service is fast and the food is fresh.
The menu offers a nice selection of burgers along with soup, salad and some seafood options like fried oysters and crab cakes. And I hear they make an excellent veggie burger.
The burgers are more expensive than what you’ll find at a fast food joint, but less expensive than burgers of comparable quality at a sit-down restaurant. The flavors are bold and the sides are fun: Shoestring garlic-herb fries, the crunchiest onions rings you’ve had and crispy beet chips.
For your sweet tooth they offer a delicious variety of shakes made with real ice cream.
And I’ll tell you what, it’s worth making a trip here just for the shakes!
The atmosphere is laid back and cozy with only a few tables and a capacity of around 25. We came on a weekday evening and had no problem finding a table around 6:30pm but before long things filled up. I can only imagine how packed the weekends get, but they also do To-Go orders.
The place is clean and tastefully decorated and service is prompt and friendly.
Our burgers came quickly and were hot and fresh. The patties were generous in size and I’d say our burgers were both close to 1/3 of a pound. I ordered the Gorgonzola & Avocado Burger and Todd had the Teriyaki Burger with grilled pineapple and sesame slaw. The flavors were rich and delicious. As I mentioned before, the beef had a nice texture and flavor and the accompanying veggies were very fresh.
My only recommendation would be that they convince the local bakery to make the hamburger buns a bit bigger. The buns are a little on the small side which made eating the burgers a bit tricky, but it didn’t take away from their enjoyment.
And unlike every other burger I’ve had that supposedly comes with avocado but ends up being a paper-thin slice (make that half a slice), this burger came with a super generous amount of both avocado and gorgonzola. Check it out!
I ordered my burger with their Garlic-herb Shoestring Fries and we wanted to try their beet chips, so Todd ordered those with his. Seriously, if your kids won’t eat beets the regular way, they’re sure to love these! Perfectly crunchy, the beet chips were a nice change from your typical fries.
But typical fries aren’t what you’ll find here either. For one thing they’re shoestring, which is just plain FUN. And mixed in with the fries were also whole cloves of roasted garlic and lots of fresh thyme and rosemary leaves.
And of course we had to try their onion rings. Oh, the onion rings! If I were to ever write a love poem about onion rings (and I wouldn’t entirely count that out) these would surely be the inspiration.
For perfect crispiness these onion rings are hands down THE best we’ve had. Period. The coating…amazing. It’s so crispy it gently shatters between your teeth but still has a nice chewiness underneath. I complimented them on their onion rings and they said their secret is using a really malty beer. For texture it is the best batter we’ve had outside the UK. Todd and I both, independent of each other, lived in England for several years and we both agree that nothing beats English fish and chips. They’ve mastered getting the batter just right.
And so has The Gourmet Burger Shop. We were so elated with the batter we pulled the staff aside and told them with a batter like this they could be making the best fish and chips in the Pacific Northwest. Well, it turns out they do make them occasionally, but they’re not a consistent feature on their menu. My suggestion: They need to be! And the next time they serve it, we’ll be the first ones in to enjoy it!
Back to the onion rings: Served with a variety of sauces, including their house White Truffle Mayonnaise, you don’t want to miss out on these!
By the time were done we were full, but we couldn’t pass up a milkshake and we had just enough room for one.
The two flavors that really grabbed our attention were Nutella (of course) and Bananas Foster. The Nutella had a far richer hazelnut flavor than I’ve ever tasted in plain Nutella, but they said they didn’t add anything extra. But somehow these shakes sure brought out the flavor. And the bananas foster milkshake was equally delicious. The vanilla flavor was exceptional – they use a vanilla bean paste – and the touch of cinnamon added depth and warmth. Both milkshakes really were fabulous!
If you’re looking for a quality, gourmet burger with terrific sides, the crunchiest onions rings you’ve ever had, and milkshakes that will satisfy the most discerning sweet tooth, this is the place.
The Gourmet Burger Shop
4120 Harborview Dr.
Gig Harbor, WA 98332
(253) 858-5205
Deborah says
Is it crazy that I want to plan a trip to WA now just to eat here?? Those onion rings look amazing, and there is not much better than a great burger. Yum!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
As a licensed therapist, Deborah, I officially diagnose you not as insane, but as having good taste :) There are a million reasons you need to visit WA and when you do you’ll know where to get your burgers!
Rose | The Clean Dish says
What! I want a burger like this!! They are huge – it’d probably be enough food for me for at least one whole day. We’ll be up in this area early next year so we’ll definitely visit this burger shop! Thanks for the recommendation!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
You bet, Rose, and you’ll be so glad you did! I don’t know what took us so long to get in there (actually I know…two young children ;) but I’m sure happy we finally made it!
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic.com says
Everything about Gourmet Burger Shop sounds delicious. Avocado is my favorite burger condiment, so I appreciate anywhere that puts a fair amount on top. Those opinion rings, though!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Kirsten, those onions rings were out of this world!! Really truly the best texture I’ve ever had.
Erin @ Texanerin Baking says
Oh my. I didn’t like reading this post because I just got sadder and sadder that I don’t live in the area! Love the huge hunk of avocado, the fries and chips, and I’ll take the peanut butter banana milkshake. :D
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Oh my gosh, Erin, it was so hard deciding which flavor to get! I finally asked for a recommendation and we couldn’t have been happier with them. Can’t wait to try the others!
Kristina says
We live just on the other side of the bridge. This burger shop looks wonderful, the food looks SO good, we will definitely be going. I always enjoy your reviews, thanks so much for the recommendation and we can’t wait to try it out!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Kristina, I’m excited for you! Enjoy your beautiful scenic drive across the Narrows Bridge and some fabulous food!
Katie @ Recipe for Perfection says
Looks like a lovely little shop! I really enjoy reading restaurant reviews. Thanks for sharing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I do, too, Katie! Even if the place is across the world it’s always nice to “imagine” eating there, isn’t it?
Sabrina @ Dinner, then Dessert says
This sounds like a great little burger shop! I hope you had a great time!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
We sure did, Sabrina, and it won’t be our last!
Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen says
Wow, these look so ridiculously amazing – my mouth is seriously watering. That burger looks out of this world (the gorgonzola and avocado!), and I love beet chips and milkshakes. What I wouldn’t do to make a trip just to eat there. And it’s so cute, too!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Heather, I know! When the burger came out and I saw the amount of avocado and that gorgonzola oozing from it I was already thinking, “man, this is going to be good!” You gotta come and try this place!
Martha @ A Family Feast says
Nothing like a really good burger (and yes – with onion rings and a shake!) You totally have me craving one now! I’m so sad I live all the way across the country from Gig Harbor!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Dang, that IS too bad, Martha! But if you’re ever in the area you know where to get your burgers! :)
Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
These pictures are making me drool, especially those milkshakes! How adorable is this burger shop?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I know, right, Lauren? Really quaint atmosphere in a terrific location and terrific food…how can you beat that??
Brenda@SugarfreeMom says
What a cozy looking little burger shop! Those burgers look aamazing nad those beet chips i want!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I know, Brenda, it was the first time I had beet chips in a restaurant, they were perfect!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
We just got a new Gourmet Burger Shop in our town and I’m loving it! I love this one that you got to visit!! Love those burgers and milkshakes!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
It’s a great place, Angie, we’ll definitely be frequent visitors! :)
Marlynn @ UrbanBlissLife says
These photos are making me hungry! What an awesome restaurant that the whole family can love. I’ll have to remember it the next time we’re up there!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
It sure is, Marlynn! Hope you make it here soon, your family will love it!
Ali @ Home & Plate says
What a quaint restaurant. Love burgers and milkshakes like old times. I think I would have to split the burger with my husband because they are huge. But they look fantastic and the ingredients are just endless. What a find!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Ali, they were so good we had no problem making room for them! :) And of course we had to make room for those shakes too, and I’m SO glad we did because they’re amazing!
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
This is one adorable burger shop! My sister lived in Gig Harbor for many years- such a cute town. Now she lives in Tacoma, so I’ll be dragging her to the Burger Shop in GH next time I visit!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Lori, you and your sister will love this place! Enjoy!