Two burgers in two days! We had to erase the memory of the Barley's burger somehow. Today's burger was suggested to Husband and I by the same reliable source who clued me in to the Jeni's Butterscotch and Cocoa Nib ice cream.
The Queen Bee is a cozy little diner on 4th Street at Rich. They serve breakfast (which I hear is pretty tasty) and lunch only, closing at 3 pm. The joint is staffed by the owner, a nice lady who recently purchased the 'Bee, and another nice server, who was polite and efficient. Another bonus after Barley's.
Just as a reminder, here are the guidelines:
1 fry = eat at your own risk
2 fries = acceptable, decent burger
3 fries = good burger, would eat again without reservations, sticks in memory
4 fries = excellent burger, will definitely eat again,
5 fries = transcendent burger, will dream about until such time as can revel in its burgery glory again and again.
We will each assign a fry rating, and then will average it for the end summary.
Lisa's Review:
We're back on the upswing. Husband and I ordered the two signature burgers at the Queen Bee: the Queen Bee burger, which is 2 patties on a kaiser roll with American cheese, pickles, tomato and onions; and the Stinger, a half-pound Angus burger on kaiser with smoked cheddar, onion petals (fried onion slivers), and "special sauce." I ordered the Queen Bee burger (pictured whole above, cut open below); must remember for the future that I prefer the higher bun to burger ratio offered by a single burger, but that's neither here nor there. I promised on the outset we would order signature burgers. First of all, the fresh bun: a nice, firm bun which never sagged, grew soggy, or failed to hold the ample burger meat in any way, so that's a big bonus right off the top. The burgers were good-quality, full of that greasy burger flavor; the meat was good and, although fully cooked, was still very juicy. Again - juicy, but the bun still did not become soggy. The onions were nice and crunchy, without stench (this is important to me for some reason; onions can make or break the burger) Accompanying fries were the out-of-the-freezer-bag variety, but were at least hot and salted. The Queen Bee burger is a nice, solid burger. It is well worth its $5.99 price tag and would make a nice lunch for anyone nearby. 3 fries.
Husband's Stinger was a hand-formed Angus beef burger. The meat definitely tasted more meaty and rich and had less of that "ground beef" flavor than my non-Angus burger. The Queen Bee special sauce tastes like cocktail sauce doused with a good bit of mayo. Nothing wrong with that. The tang of the special sauce, combined with the tart pickles, worked well with the rich meat and smoked cheddar. The onion petals (although another out-of-the-freezer bag and into the fryer option) were an interesting addition. The Stinger arrived on the same solid Kaiser roll, which also maintained its integrity throughout the dining process. The Stinger is well worth its $6.99 price tag - a solid, flavorful specialty burger. 4 fries.
Husband's Review:
Great place and a great couple of burgers.
How can you go wrong with a huge slab of Angus topped with smoky
cheese, crispy onion petals and a tangy barbecue-esque sauce?
Pickles. Yes, the humble pickle adds the right crispness and tang.
They take an otherwise good burger and transform into something
great…the Stinger (pictured whole above and cut in half below). 3 fries + a side of ketchup.
I expected the Queen Bee to be the "lighter" burger option. But, two
patties glued together with American cheese proved to be substantial.
A little gilled onion adds sweetness with lettuce and tomato providing
nice contrast. 3 fries.
As we were paying the check, Husband commented that it was twice the lunch for half the price of Barley's. Two could easily have lunch for around $15. Not bad. In summary, the Queen Bee was a good burger - we will definitely revisit in the future. I'll have to revisit the 'Bee for breakfast; I'm always on the lookout for some eggs over easy with fake-butter smeared white toast on the side. Three and a quarter fries:
Info: Queen Bee 248 S. 4th St ( Downtown Columbus) 614.221.4710
