Dan's Hamburgers vs. Casino el Camino

KingKoopa

KingKoopa

250+ Posts
So the Chronicles Top Burger thread a couple weeks ago inspired me to try both places, and I agree that they both deserve the top two spots as far as hole-in-the-wall Austin burgers go (note: i haven't tried the crown and anchor burger yet).

I went to Casino and had the Amarillo burger with serrano chiles on it, and it was fantastic. Great burger, 3/4 lb, just like something you'd cook on the grill at home.

Dan's is a thin patty whataburger-style burger loaded with everything and cheap as hell.

I have to give Dan's the edge in the race between the two, however, because last weekend I wanted to expose a couple of friends to the greatness that is Casino. I called at 4pm (when the kitchen opens) to order 3 burgers for pickup, but was told that the cook wasn't taking pick up orders, and we'd have to come in.

Now, I'm not a restaurant manager, and maybe some of you will defend this as 'keeping austin weird', but what kind of stupid ******* customer service decision is it to turn down 3 customers who wouldn't even be taking up a table in the damned place? Dan's was so good we went twice in one day (we're real health nuts), but I'll be lucky if I can ever get either of those guys to try Casino after what was probably some of the worst customer service I've gotten from an Austin eatery. Yeah, I know Casino is a cooky place, but if you're running a business, you don't turn away money. I could understand if I had ordered a roast leg of lamb or something, but how hard is it to throw 3 patties on the grill?
 
Exact same thing happened to me. Wanted to treat the folks to the best burger in town but no way would I even attempt to take them to the hell bar in person. They don't take phone orders. I call him the burger nazi. But not to his face.
 
I should've mentioned that I called one in a few days earlier and didn't have any problems.

Somehow I had a feeling everyone would defend them. The ******** are in deep.
 
And the 'burger nazi' is a good comparison. I should point out that I plan to go back there plenty of times, but as I said, I'll likely never be able to convince those guys to try it, since they hadn't already developed an addiction.
 
First of all Casino kicks all other burgers asses.
Thick, thin it doesn''t matter Casino wins.

Now that we have established that here is the deal....the so called 'burger nazi' only does to go orders for people he knows. But, if you get to know him he will go out of his way to hook you up.

I tried the call in thing the second time I went there and he said about the same thing "We dont do call in orders...well we do but only for people I know...so no." I was like wtf ? but i thought it was funny at the same time. After that I just went in and got it to go, probably did this every friday for 6 months missing a week only every now and then . So he and the bartender got to know me, he would have my special order (im picky) written down as soon as I walked in the door and already on the grill on occasion. He even would let me get mine 'to go' when they were really busy and werent doing 'to go' orders (biker weekend, acl, sxsw etc..).

I even gave got my order and drinks for free one time when I brought a bunch of people in with me.

bottom line, play by the rules and it will be worth it.
When I started going there I was in the heyday of my "fratboy" days, so if I can get in good with them there then anyone can.

sidenote: P Terry's the new burger joint on Lamar and Barton Springs has the best 'thin' burger. fries and shakes are damn good too.
 
I have never had a problem w/ Casino. In fact, once there was a mistake on the order and the grill was full. I told the guy to go ahead and use my patty to fix that order since it was almost ready. Said I did not mind the wait, I would just grab a beer and people watch, no problem, I worked in that industry before. He could not believe it. I bailed him out.

Not only did my beers come free, but so did the burger. He came out and thanked me again. Never had a problem.
 
i've only been to the lamar Dan's, but i would absolutely compare that patty size to whataburger, and i am the leading whataburger expert in the state of texas.
 
The lure of the Casino-burger is so powerful that it once compelled a friend and I to walk from Zilker Park to 6th St. after ACL Fest last year. It was well worth the hike.
 
Another vote for Dan's, but then I don't eat meat that much so if I get a burger I want a thinner patty. Casino was too much meat, and they won't make it smaller if you ask.
 
OT, not sure if they offer lunch, but last time I called it was around 2pm and they said the kitchen wouldn't open until 4. This was on a saturday, if that matters.
 
I guess I should've done the ordering then. I didn't even go order, I waited at the table while the guy I was with ordered.
 
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