1521 Blowing Rock Road
Boone, NC
828-264-2797
We have eaten supper or lunch here on several occasions. Note that Back Yard Burgers is a chain restaurant. Visit them online if you want to experience what the authors of the book “Web Sites that Suck” call ‘mystery meat navigation.’ Somehow appropriate. We do not intend to review fast-food restaurants but BYBs is so much better than any of the others that we feel it merits attention. If you have never visited BYBs before, give them a try!
An update: those waffle fries and wonderful spicy Seasoned Fries are no longer available, as of 2008. They have been replaced by string fries (we have not tried these yet) and onion rings. While it is nice to have another fast food place that serves onion rings (Burger King being the other one), these rings are sort of lame. I did not think it would be possible to make an onion ring from a single layer thick ring of onion but that’s what they have done. The onion is dwarfed by the massive batter shell that surrounds it–it tastes mostly of batter. At least they did not use extruded, ground onion mash…
Ray: I had the double Backyard Burger combo with waffle fries and Pepsi ($6.09) and a side of all-meat chili ($1.09). The burger consisted of two generous 1/3 pound patties of angus beef on a kaiser-type bun, topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and a small amount of mayo. The burgers here are very tasty, probably the best of any fast food restaurant in town (although they are still not as large as the burgers at the Park Vista… those things are HUGE!). Mine was cooked properly and served hot. The veggies were fresh, even though we reviewed Backyard Burgers in December. If you are a juicy burger fan, however, be warned.
Backyard Burgers tend to be on the dry side. The waffle fries were substantial and well cooked, but not overdone, and lightly salted. This left them tasting like potatoes (as they should) instead of salty sticks of fry grease (as many fries taste these days). The chili here is some of the best we’ve had in Boone so far: spicy, with a thick base, and lots of meat. I can only fault Backyard Burgers’ chili for not having
any beans. To me, at least, the perfect bowl of chili has to include pintos.
Tom: Dang you’re picky! I think the chili is the best I have had just about anywhere! So what if it was not con habas? It has some spice and zip to it, unlike the can-like stuff you get most places!
I enjoyed my ususal–the Blackened Chicken sandwich with seasoned fries and root beer (I can’t stand Pepsi…). The fries have a spice to keep your taste buds alive after the chili for those of us who don’t think they need to taste like just potatos, and the sandwich has some bite, too. This is no meal for wimps! The sandwich has a nice topping of finely grated coleslaw, mayo and a slice of tomato. After this, you can forget Dave’s offerings.
Ray: The food here is presented on baskets and trays, with the chili in styrofoam bowls and the drinks in styrofoam cups. Environmentally probably not the best choices, but pretty typical for fast food.
The service when we visited was fast and cheerful, with our orders arriving only a couple of minutes after our orders were placed. However, we also came after the lunch rush, in order to avoid the huge lines that seem to always be present at Backyard Burgers between Noon and 1 PM. More about this below.
Tom: They do pretty well when you consider that they really only have one person taking orders! How about the atmosphere?
Ray: The atmosphere is typical fast food: simple tables, no memorable artwork or decoration, and no music in the background. The tables here are a little close together for my taste, also.
Tom: But of course, it is just fast food. I think they only survive because a lot of people have not tried them. If they had, they certainly would not be at McDucks or Hardly’s!
Ray: Hopefully the rumored expansion of Backyard will happen soon and alleviate much of the current congestion.
I would not hesitate to take friends to Backyard Burgers, and would recommend it with the caveat that it might be better to go some other time than the Noon-1PM hour. Great, tasty food in ample proportions served promptly and cheerfully in a (mostly) relaxing atmosphere. ‘Nuff said.
Tom: Not quite. My son also enjoys their hotdogs, an item you often can’t get at fast-food joints. I have also enjoyed their grilled chicken salad–but pay attention when they (hopefully remember to) ask you what kind of dressing you want. The first time I was 20 miles away when I opened it up and found none. Now that’s dry….
GPS Coordinates
Lat: 36° 12.086′
Lon: 81° 39.699′
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