I admit it, I love to eat. My passion ranges from Sushi to Barbeque to French to Middle Eastern, to Tex Mex (of course). Sometimes I just want something simple. And, if I am going to splurge on a few calories, I want them to taste very very good.

As someone originally from the West Coast (sometimes affectionately called the Left Coast!), I grew up on Pinks Hot Dogs and Tommy Burgers. And I do NOT mean the one in Beverly Hills. Yipes, you gotta get down to the CITY if you want the original. I also love Phillippes Home of the Famous French Dip Sandwich and the Pantry Cafe in downtown L.A. The Apple Pan was my home away from home. I have eaten a few Fatburgers as well.

That is my west history. Fast forward to the East coast, where they have some good stuff, too. I have hit the White House Sub shop in Atlantic City, Pats and Genos Steaks in South Philly, Steves in the Northeast, and Papaya Dog in NYC. Of course, I have frequented the vendor carts all over cities - and all over the world. I have grazed at Ruts Hut and Five Guys. I have eaten at Old Original in Pittsburgh.

Of course, my life is not only about dogs, fries, burgers, etc., but, heck, those quick meals get you from one place to another with their unique kind of satisfaction.

I am not a food critic, and have no credentials other than life experience and a willingness to try a lot of stuff. I am not Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods. But I like to watch him. My tastes are definitely a bit more conservative, but I have gone out on a limb, especially in Turkey and Greece.

So, what a pleasure it was to find something in the Philadelphia area suburbs - sometimes the blandest of places - that also had true character. It is a legend in the making. After all, they have to start some place.

I saw the sign - and who could resist a red sign saying GREAT BURGER - for a while before I actually indulged.

Finally, I snagged a coupon (okay, I am a little cheap) and decided to give it a shot. The place is not huge, maybe 30 seats, and has a counter where you go and order, and another where you pick up your food. That is nice, because I hate the fast food places where ordering and picking up is at the same counter. You all stand around there, crowding each other out, trying to hear your order. No, here you get your order - very civilized - and go about setting up your eat-in or take out feast. There is free fresh popcorn while you wait, and of course you have got to grab the napkins, straws, ketchup, malt vinegar, etc., and your drink. By then, food is usually ready and you are good to go...

The classic thing to order is their Great Burger. But, you really do get it your way. In fact, they are careful to point out that, if you do not order it, you do not get it. I would not want all 20 toppings at once anyway - what a mess - but it is nice to have the options and positive way of building your sandwich. Before you get to the toppings, you choose a white or whole wheat bun (nice option!), and then you start building: mayo, ketchup, raw onions, fried onions, yellow mustard, brown mustard, honey mustard, Ranch dressing (good for Chicken, too), A-1 sauce, Barbecue sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickles, jalapenos, salsa, sauteed mushrooms (yes, and for FREE), hot peppers.... They also have a variety of cheeses.
They do not say STOP so I DO suggest starting easy...I mean, this can turn into a really big Burger in no time. You can also ask for LIGHT, or EXTRA, or ON THE SIDE.
After that, you need to get your fries. These are made the same way they do in the good places. They are these huge Idaho fresh potatoes that they double fry, so they are tender inside, crispy outside. They season them with pure Kosher salt (you can ask for no salt) and they also have Cajun Salt available if you want to kick them up a notch.

You can also turn them into CHEESE FRIES or CHILI CHEESE FRIES - meals in themselves. The medium size is good for two, and the large will feed four. SECRET HINT: What they will also do is give you the other FREE TOPPINGS for your fries. So, you want NACHO FRIES? Ask for Jalapenos and salsa on the side. BACON FRIES? Ask for bacon bits - they are the REAL FRESH THING, not the jar stuff. For 50 cents you get a load.
Are you from Belgium or just wish you were there? Ask for Mayo (I know, some of you think this is crazy). Ranch dressing is also interesting. BUFFALO FRIES: I mixed Ranch, cajun salt, and hot sauce for my own unique thing.

Anyway, about the BURGER: I found out they use REALLY high quality local beef, freshly ground to their specifications. Then, they hand make the patties and lightly season them. They are about 4 ounces each, and some people get doubles. Personally a SINGLE is good for me, because I have all those toppings and fries. You can really taste the difference. It will also be surprising. This is a very juicy burger, not dry. I would not suggest eating this in your car. This is REAL food.

We also got a CHICKEN sandwich, which uses their secret marinade and is excellent. Again, you build it how you want it - same free breads and toppings. This is a perfect healthy option, since the chicken is NOT breaded and is simply grilled. Choose a wheat bun, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and you have a healthy meal option. Too bad you will not get the fries...

The HOT DOGS are delicious Jersey style, but they also have Kosher grilled ones. WOW, they had white or WHEAT Hot Dog buns. I did not even know Wheat dog buns were made.
They had a veggie burger as well, but I did not try it. It was a Boca burger. Someone else can try that. I am going to eat meat when I am there, because it is worth it.

The chocolate chip cookies are dough from a famous downtown place that they fresh bake, so the smell when the come out of the over...help, it is amazing.

In fact, the place simply smells good, because all this fresh stuff is cooking, and it is all made to order. The kitchen is open, so you see your food being made. There is not a microwave in the place.

My meal cost me $5.95, including fries, drink, cookie - and I did have a coupon for free fries. A family of four could eat for $25.00 - and eat well. If you have little ones, you would eat cheaper. (They will even cut the food in half if you ask, and do not hassle you if you bring your own drink).

The ambience is simple and very clean: tables you can move around to make for a group, padded chairs, easy music. But, they also have movie and sports star drawings on the wall, and I noticed that a LOT of people got a kick out of seeing The DUKE and Ronny Reagan, not to mention Marilyn and Elvis. The place is super casual, and I noticed that they are ADA accessible, including the bathrooms. (I have a disabled friend, so this is important to me).They have kids seats as well.

You can also call ahead or fax for take out, or if you have only a short lunch and want to stop in, call first and then it will be ready when you get there.

The menu and information is available on their site:
www.greatburger.net. They have also gotten some very good reviews.

While this is a local place, it is a real find for anyone in the northeast Philadelphia, Bucks County, and Eastern Montgomery County areas. It is not far from major highways - in fact, it is on one - so I would give it a shot if I were nearby...or even a few miles away. Besides business people, kids, and local students, a lot of Seniors really love it. They have a Cheeseburger special platter where you get a Cheeseburger (all the free toppings, natch), small fries, and a drink for $5.99. That cannot be beat.

I heard someone say that they were SO HAPPY that Southampton finally had a great local place to eat. There is also a great Vegetarian restaurant in the area - more elegant and expensive, of course - so, indeed, Southampton is becoming a destination! Since it is just over the border from Huntingdon Valley and near Warminster, Hatboro, Richboro, Bryn Athyn, and the Northeast, it is actually a pretty central location in the area.

Now, ME - I travel everywhere, so, when I think about it, I agree it is nice to have someplace CLOSE TO HOME.





Recommended: Yes

Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Highly recommended if you want a real burger and you live in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.
Best Suited For: Kids and Families