Courtney L.
Yelp
Every time I visit The Village at Totem Lake, Joe's Burgers is always bustling with customers. This small takeaway burger stand is smack in the middle of the parking area and can't be missed. The setup is simple with a window for ordering, a window for pickup and a few tables just steps away. Joe's has a couple locations in Oregon so far, but this is their first and only storefront in Washington!
Their menu features a variety of burgers, hot dogs, fries and shakes. However, they have a pretty good selection of lighter options and a few non-burger items as well. As a first-timer, I got Joe's Classic Cheeseburger ($6.75 single patty) with a side of Cajun tots ($3.50). I figured I couldn't go wrong with a traditional item to get a feel for what Joe's is all about. My companion ordered the Mushroom Swiss burger ($7.75 single) with onion rings ($4.25). For all of their burgers, you can substitute the type of bun or patty. It comes with an additional cost, but I appreciate this level of customization as an approach to cater to all.
Both of us immediately had the same thought once we received our burgers... they are so thin! After our first bite, they also seemed to lack seasoning and/or salt. The other ingredients in the burger provided all the flavor and the meat itself unfortunately fell flat. We didn't even detect any grill or char on the patty either which was disappointing. My cheeseburger was topped with American cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato and a liberal amount of sauce. The sauce coated both the top and bottom buns, which overpowered each bite with what tasted like a mix of ketchup, mayo and relish.
On the other hand, we were pretty pleased with our sides. First off, they provided a huge serving of tots! This is no exaggeration; after our lunch, we still had enough for two additional servings at home. The Cajun seasoning added a nice mild heat to each golden airy tot. The onion rings were also fried to perfection. Although the breading was thicker than I like, they had an audible crunch. Seriously, each bite sounded like it was accompanied by a sound effect!
Ordering was easy and service was friendly and quick, but I'd probably opt for other eateries in the shopping center. I had high hopes and wanted to love Joe's, but it's unfortunately not our top pick for a burger.