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What's the best burger in Karachi? One month and 12 buns later, this foodie tells all

Does Mr Burger trump CHiPS? Will Obeez make us Obese? Read on and find out.
Updated 12 Dec, 2015

Is there any grub as deliciously medieval as a burger? It is, after all, a hunk of cooked meat, caught between two slabs of bread, and held together by a splatter of sauces and some greens. Made well, it has the potential to gratify the brain with a slow seduction of the taste buds. Prepared poorly though, and it feels like a blow to the guts from a morning star.

Pakistan’s love affair with the burger has been interesting to observe. Visiting the country as a teenager over twenty years ago, I found street food dominated by the usual desi fare such as kebab rolls, bun kebabs, biryani, chaat, and the like, yet few eateries aside from the legendary Mr. Burger and a handful of other restaurants offered a good burger. In fact, Pakistanis at this time developed an aversion to the western meal.

Seen as a symbol of imperialist culture, the word ‘burger’ became a slur for countrymen who spoke a kichri of English and Urdu, only wore shalwar kameez on holy days, and believed Karachi began and ended with Defense Housing Authority.

The entry of the world’s biggest fast food franchise, McDonald’s, changed things by starting a burger revolution that our arteries are still paying for today.

As of this moment, aside from the world famous Hardees, Fatburger, Burger King and McDs, there are dozens of burger chains across the port city, the majority of which came to life recently. Hearteningly, most of these are local endeavors, and offer interesting food at reasonable prices.

Yes, we have converted from a nation of burger haters to burger lovers! Surely, our biryani loving ancestors must be rolling in their graves. Well, with the way we are consuming these fat-rich foods, we may be joining them in the not too distant future.

On that morbid note, let’s start with my worst burger experience in Karachi.

1. Amigos Express

Both times I had the Rs. 290 Hickory Beef Burger I felt like I had taken a bite out of the rear end of a live stinky goat, screaming at the top of its lungs. To be fair, the well-cooked, thick beef patty was juicy, tastily seasoned, and went fine with the barbeque sauce and onion rings inside the sandwich. On the other hand, the meat carried distasteful bits of indigestible fat that had to be spat out with regularity.

Verdict? I felt like I had French kissed Popeye after he had eaten a can of spinach.
Verdict? I felt like I had French kissed Popeye after he had eaten a can of spinach.

To make matters worse, the lettuce, melted into a slimy paste, was sickening. A few mouthfuls of the food and I felt like I had French kissed Popeye after he had eaten a can of spinach.

Ordering food from Amigos Express was an adventure in itself. It took over an hour to for the delivery person to arrive close to my home after which it took thirty minutes of directions in Urdu, English, and Klingon before I finally decided to drive to him instead.

Final score: 1 out of 5 stars.

2. Hanifia Restaurant

Hanifia is one of the oldest restaurants in the country, and their signature burger tastes as good today as it did a decade ago.

The star of the simple sandwich is the eatery’s famous hunter beef. The meat is perfectly cooked, spicy, and makes for a potent combination with Hanifia’s signature sauce. The fried buns, on the other hand, are just a little too greasy. I also wished the burger had a larger helping of meat and sauce. That being said, at Rs. 140, as the phrase goes, jaan logay kiya?

Final score: 3 out of 5 stars.

3. Rowtisserie

This little hole in the wall has the best flame grilled chicken in town. Healthy and utterly delicious, Rowtisserie’s mouthwatering chicken is on my plate at least once a week.

Rowtisserie's burger just didn't impress. Guess I'm sticking to the chicken!
Rowtisserie's burger just didn't impress. Guess I'm sticking to the chicken!

Sadly, their burger is a disappointing affair. The patty is mediocre, while the excessive sauce breaks the bun apart like the high seas engulfing a fragile ship. The sauce is so heavy, in fact, that the burger usually crumbles half-way through, leaving my face left looking like that of a performer in a Japanese fetish video.

The price, at over Rs. 650 after taxes, is twice as much as the burger realistically deserves, and seems like highway robbery considering the lower charge of the fabulous quarter chicken.

Final Score: 1.5 out of 5 stars.

4. Obeez

Obeez has to be one of the most ill-advised names for a restaurant. At a time when patrons are more concerned about their health than ever before, a word which rhymes with ‘obese’ doesn’t sound very inviting.

The Rs. 650 Hercules is, hands down, the biggest burger I have ever tried to eat. Though perhaps a more appropriate name would have been ‘Jabba the Hut’, for Hercules was muscular and a specimen of good health. This thing, on the other hand, is well… look at it… it almost looks like it wants to put you in a Princess Leia slave outfit.

I must admit, the moment the Hercules arrived; I spent about ten minutes examining it from different angles, and even invited others to check it out. I then came to the conclusion that ‘obese’ was the perfect name for a restaurant selling this burger.

Taking a bite out of the Hercules was fairly difficult. The last time I had opened my mouth so wide, I was at the dentist’s office. The burger itself was surprisingly enjoyable, at least initially. The creamy sauce, alongside the juicy beef patty and the delicious egg made for an interesting combination.

Too bad the feeling didn’t last.

The meat patty was from a poor cut, full of indigestible bits of fat, especially closer to the nucleus of the burger. Hercules also carried a generous helping of uncooked mushrooms that felt out of place. Grilled mushrooms can be a pleasing component in a burger, but the raw variety, especially in a meaty sandwich, taste like the flesh of a long dead jellyfish.

Overall, I would still recommend this burger once for the novelty factor, especially to eaters who are about to go into hibernation for the winter, or have recently ended a hunger strike.

Yes Altaf Bhai, whenever you end your hunger strike, please call Obeez.

Final score: 2.5 out of 5 stars.

5. CHiPS

One of the most recognizable old-school franchises in Pakistan, CHiPS, was about to go out of business when a longtime fan, like a knight in shining armor, revived the eatery at a brand new location.

It is possible CHiPS is having an identity crisis, as is Blossom, with that confusing signage.
It is possible CHiPS is having an identity crisis, as is Blossom, with that confusing signage.

I felt quite excited as I drove to the reopened CHiPS, wondering if the food would still carry the same enticing taste. Upon my arrival, I couldn’t help but notice how a certain Blossom Beauty Parlor was located right above the burger joint. Now, I know times are tough, and businesses are expanding to multiple markets to survive, but it was strange to see Blossom offer not only beauty services, but chicken tikka and Delhi degh biryani as well. I wondered how this worked.

On the inside, CHiPS sports a tasteful blue and yellow color scheme. Perplexingly, the restaurant manager barred me from taking any pictures within unless it was a selfie or involved my food.

It is possible CHiPS is having an identity crisis, believing itself to be a nuclear weapons facility rather than a fast food joint.

CHiPS’ signature roast beef burger is certainly one of the most piquant sandwiches in Karachi. The spicy seasoning of the meat coupled with the melted cheese and greasy bun makes for a dynamite meal. Disappointingly, this is another Karachi burger let down by a key element — the meat.

Undoubtedly, the roast beef at CHiPS tastes like the leftover cut from last year’s Eid sacrifices (you know, like the meat your khala was saving for a dinner party, and sort of forgot about for a year). This can’t be put down to price, either. Hanifa, for one, at half the cost offers better meat quality.

Final score: 2.5 out of 5 stars.

6. Mr. Burger

Is there a burger franchise more quintessentially Pakistani than Mr.Burger?

While the other eateries offer their own westernized versions of the food, Mr. Burger is unapologetically desi. This, as I discovered on a trip to their Boat Basin branch, is right down to the lazy service.

The Mr. Burger with egg and cheese is easily the most delightful sandwiches offered by this chain.
The Mr. Burger with egg and cheese is easily the most delightful sandwiches offered by this chain.

Entering Mr. Burger’s dilapidated Boat Basin branch is like entering the home of an aging rock star that hasn’t had a hit in a while. Immediately noticeable is how the pink, purple, and white color scheme is more suitable for an ice-cream shop. Meanwhile, the chairs are so uncomfortable that you could expect the next king of Westeros to use one of them as a substitute replacement for the Iron Throne.

Most worrying though, is the glazed, faraway look the staff has on their faces, as if fantasizing about something sinister. When one of them steps closer to the shotgun of a security guard, you instantly hold your breath, fearing for the worse. The CNN headlines quickly take shape in the old noggin, “Disturbed lone wolf suspected in mass shooting. Motive unknown. Boredom suspected.”

More like an ice cream parlour than a burger joint, right?
More like an ice cream parlour than a burger joint, right?

You can estimate the employees’ level of disinterest when attempting to place an order. Standing at the counter, I was thrown off when one of the waiters asked me if I could pass a seated customer his cold drink.

“Can I keep the tip then?” I should have asked.

When I paid for my meal, I was surprised to see almost no money in the register. Here, the manager took out his own wallet to put together my change, eventually also borrowing some from the staff. It was like I was at Broke Donald’s.

On the other hand, the modern looking Khayaban-e-Rahat Mr. Burger branch is a wonderful place to visit. None of the staff members, for one, look ready to make headlines on CNN. The restaurant is also clean and features contemporary decor.

Regardless of where you order, the Mr. Burger with egg and cheese is easily the most delightful sandwiches offered by this chain. The simple burger shines thanks to the delicious hot egg, and the scrumptiously juicy beef patty, seasoned to heavenly bliss with spices and salt.

Clearly, there is little consistency in terms of form between restaurants. While, as you can see, the Rahat Mr. Burger always looks the winner of a Mr. Universe (burger edition) contest, the Boat Basin branch has the tendency to produce a sorry looking deflated football of a burger. Thankfully, the taste is consistently good at either location.

Final score: 4 out of 5 stars

7. Burger Inc.

If you are looking for a burger joint with the best quality meat in Pakistan, cooked to medium rare perfection, then close your internet browsers and drive down to Burger Inc. for the nicely prepared Tribeca.

The meat patties offered by Burger Inc., stand apart from the rest. So succulent, so juicy, so rich, you’d think it wasn’t cut from a cow, but from the bicep of The Rock himself (so that’s what The Rock has been cooking).

What’s more, the chefs at Burger Inc. know how to grill them. These are true medium rare burgers, finely cooked on the outside, a lovely pink in the center.

Tragically, the bread is pretty bad by comparison. Although the ‘home baked’ buns taste fine, they are simply unable to hold the sandwich together, invariably falling apart. The burgers themselves, which once tasted amazing when Burger Inc. and Big Thick Burgerz were the new kids on the block, lack the exciting flavors found in Karachi’s newest burger champions.

But though Burger Inc. is an aging Pete Sampras in this age of young Roger Federers and Rafael Nadals, it still packs a mean serve and volley game, purely thanks to its superb beef patty.

Final score: 3.25 out of 5 stars.

8. Big Thick Burgerz

BTB’s charcoal grilled burgers are tasty, yet not the most delectable. Its food looks nice, but isn’t nearly the prettiest. The sandwiches are sizable, though not the biggest or thickest.

Yet, BTB’s Most Wanted is my most eaten burger in Karachi.

This is because Big Thick Burgerz offers the healthiest burgers in Karach, prepared in the most sparkling kitchen of all the burger joints. The ingredients, from the meat patty, to the buns, to the crunchy fresh greens, are remarkably fresh. In fact, when my pregnant wife was craving a burger, the only food I dared risk feeding her from all the burger options in Karachi was BTB.

Yes, the food at Big Thick Burgerz is so healthy; you can safely pass them to your unborn fetus.

This focus on health is a double edged sword for BTB, however. For one, the meat patty is cooked to medium rather than the riskier yet tastier medium rare of Burger Inc. For the other, the fresh yet mundane components lend BTB a yummy home cooked, rather than a restaurant quality, feel.

Final score: 3.25 out of 5 stars.

9. Burger Shack

It took nearly an hour to get my Full House burger from Burger Shack in what was the most frustrating burger ordering experiences I've had yet.

Upon arrival at this rather unhygienic looking eatery at Seher Commerical I was told payment by plastic wasn’t an option. Confused, I examined my calendar and told the cashier that it was the year 2015, and not 100 B.C. (B.C. as in Before Christ… no, I wasn’t cursing at him).

The closest ATM, a five-minute drive away, wasn’t working, so I ended up driving for fifteen minutes to and back from a slightly further ATM.

When I returned, the cashier told me to wait some more, since the entire staff was away for prayers. Here, I took a seat in my car in front of the cashier, following his advice. Meanwhile, Christ had spread religion through half of Jerusalem.

Finally, the staff arrived, but the cashier didn’t bother to inform me. When I made another trip to the cashier, he told me, “Oh, they finished five minutes ago. Why didn’t you come?”

Just as I starting placing an order the cashier sheepishly asked me to linger for another five minutes, as the manager with the keys to the register was still praying.

At this point I realized why they had named it Burger ‘Shack’, for it was truly ghetto. In fact, I think a better name would have been Burger Kachi Abadi.

Of course, I would have been willing to forgive Burger Kachi Abadi had their food been good, but sadly, it wasn’t. The bun was soft at one end, yet slightly stale on the other. The beef patty was skillfully charred from one end, but lacking consistency from the other. Yes, it was almost as if one side of the burger had been cooked by Tom, while the other by Jerry.

What’s more, the burger had overdosed on sauce like a 50’s Hollywood star. Worse still was the perplexing addition of sweet pickles in the sandwich. Burger Shack should realize that only little children and the elderly like sweet pickles…yes, basically, people with no teeth.

Final score: 1.5 out of 5 stars.

10. Burger Mafia

Located at Shahbaz Commericial, Burger Mafia is one slick establishment; the décor is made up of glossy yellow and black colors with art inspired by the classic Francis Ford Coppola film; mugs of movie wise guys decorate a wall; management is dressed to kill; orders are punched in through a large touchscreen.

Most importantly, the efficient staff served me like I was the godfather himself; it took less than fifteen minutes for my cheeseburger to arrive. Alas, the waiter did not press his lips down on my hand out of respect like I was Marlon Brando… next time when I show up with a purring Persian cat, perhaps.

Feel like a godfather.
Feel like a godfather.

For around Rs. 259, the Burger Mafia cheeseburger is an offer you can’t refuse. Certainly, the Burger Mafia bun is the most aesthetically pleasing breads of all the burgers I had in Karachi. Just look at this work of art:

Not only does the bun look gorgeous, but it manages to hold form throughout a meal. It is also soft, supple, and tasty … wait… what ‘bun’ were we talking again?

The other core ingredient, the beef patty, is beautifully cooked, juicy, and from a prime cut of meat. In terms of taste, the burger was seasoned with enough spices and salt to add flavor, but not enough to overpower the high quality core ingredients. And appreciably, Burger Mafia didn’t overkill with the sauces. Clearly, this eatery’s philosophy is one bullet to the head rather than twenty five to the chest.

My only concern was the burger’s sauces, which weren’t as electrifying as OMGs or Burger Lab’s, ultimately holding back the establishment’s cheeseburger from a higher score.

Final score: 4 out of 5 stars.

11. Oh My Grill

Alongside Burger Lab, OMG is the most recommended burger restaurant in Pakistan. Their food receives glowing reviews on Facebook pages such as Karachi Food Diaries, and they are so crowded they sometimes run out of buns and burger patties on the weekends as the complaints go.

The two burgers I tried were the Classic with Aged English Cheddar, sporting cheese, tomatoes, onions, and a delicious slice of aged cheese, as well as the Gouda Burger that featured tasty turkey strips, and a generous helping of Gouda cheese. Both sandwiches carried a nice serving of the eatery’s signature sauce, and were massive enough to shut Donald Trump’s pie hole.

Just kidding… nothing is that big.

For the purpose of this review, I am going to score the Gouda Burger, though both burgers were delightful on the first bite. Certainly, no burger joint in Karachi does cheese like OMG, and the slightly sweet Dutch cheese in their Gouda Burger is to die for alongside the OMG sauce.

Unfortunately, the meat patties in both the sandwiches suffered from the same quality issues. For one, both patties were full of sinew. These difficult to chew bits were stringy, fibrous, and demanded to be spat out. While sinew was the Gouda Burger’s worst crime, it wasn’t as cardinal as the sin committed by Classic with Aged English Cheddar.

To my surprise, I was met with a tiny sharp piercing piece of bone from the meat of OMG’s flagship burger. It is inexcusable for an eatery selling burgers costing around Rs. 700 to use meat cut from near the bone of an animal. And yes, it was most certainly bone.

I believe the massive demand for OMG’s delicious food as resulted in the business outsourcing to less reliable suppliers in order to meet meat demand. But of course, I am speculating.

Although this eatery has a tremendous reputation, I can only review what was on my plate. Just to confirm, when I had the Gouda Burger again a few nights later the fibrous tissue was still a fixture in this otherwise tasty burger, which is a shame, because the thick lightly seasoned beef patties are otherwise d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s.

When I had the Classic with Aged English Cheddar again a few days ago there was almost no sinew. Yes, this is the sort of weird unpredictability Shahid Afridi would be proud of.

Final Score: 3 - 4 stars… depending on the mood of the lalas at Oh My Grill.

12. Burger Lab

If you eat with your eyes then Burger Lab will have you at ‘hello’, for the presentation from Burger Lab is without parallel.

To begin with, the wonderfully nifty packaging enclosed the food in a clever flower like box. Open the box and you see an undeniably pretty burger, boasting beautiful form from all sides.

Thrice, I had the eatery’s Big Bang, and every time I was amazed by the steadiness in shape.

There are beautiful looking burgers you see in magazines from big franchises, but they don’t quite look the same on the plate, yet Burger Lab manages to maintain visual homogeneity with all the consistency of a North Korean team performing under the fear of Kim Jong-Un at the Olympics.

So consistent, in fact, that I imagine an Asian military dictator screaming at workers in the kitchen of Burger Lab, “You make good-looking burger or your family die!”

Needless to say, visual fidelity would be meaningless if the food wasn’t good, and thankfully, Big Bang tastes even better than it looks. The meat is thick, juicy, from a prime cut, and expertly cooked to medium grill. The lettuce is fresh, the onion rings crispy, and the pepperoni coupled with the spicy Burger Lab sauce adds a slightly candied spicy taste.

The only way to make a saucy burger sing is to exercise restraint in the dressing, and Burger Lab balances the Big Bang to perfection. At Rs. 350, the sandwich is not only tasty, but incredible value.

In my book, the food doctors at Burger Lab manufacture some of the best burgers in Karachi.

Final score: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The winner? Burger Lab!


Do you agree with the author? Take our poll and share your best burger experience in the comments below.

Comments

Goga Nalaik Dec 11, 2015 02:46pm
Honestly, all these images of burgers don't invite me at all to go for one. However, "Bon appétit" Noman Ansari
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analyses Dec 11, 2015 02:52pm
Nice analysis, but only for beef burger crowd. Chips' Roasted Chicken burger is one of the best chicken burger (and no meat quality issue there either).
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S. Khan Dec 11, 2015 02:53pm
Thank you author for a great article. I haven't been to some of these places but I do love Burger Lab. You clearly have a knack for doing food reviews - so this is where you should focus on , IMHO. Agree that Hanifia is a great value for money, but perhaps you should also add that place on the Nursery Bus stop to this list, located right in the furniture market. I think they have been selling their burgers for the last two or three decades. Their signature chapli bun kebab + fries is just for Rs 90. And they have perhaps the best traditional bun kebab in Karachi. Perhaps your next topic should be Bun Kebabs
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Not so pretty Dec 11, 2015 02:57pm
Mr Burger is my first and last love
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Little Khan Dec 11, 2015 03:01pm
I don't know what the author was eating cuz his ratings are all wrong.
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Zeresh Dec 11, 2015 03:03pm
Great one, Noman! Currently, Amigos Express is number 1 on my list.
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Aftab Ahmed Dec 11, 2015 03:10pm
I have tried Burger Lab. It's the first ever thing in burgers which I have tried again. They made me to say, "you sell the burgers only!!!". Now, I am sure they won't degrade their taste after they became more popular; Yeah! I have seen many eateries when they became famous, suddenly, their quality vanishes somewhere in the sales.
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kallan Dec 11, 2015 03:13pm
way back in 1988 when I got married in Karachi I bought a few burgers for my new wife and her mother from Mehran. The burger was so soggy and the bun could not even hold the patty and the salad.
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Just here Dec 11, 2015 03:41pm
God knows how much I love beef, I would eat everything made with beef. I love beef burgers, beef fries,beef salads,beef kabobs, beef curry,beef briyani,beef steak you name it. I cannot live without beef more than a day. Beef is my air.
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Sleepless Dec 11, 2015 03:42pm
Love the article - the humour was 'bun-tastic" (excuse the bad pin)
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Mani Dec 11, 2015 03:59pm
These are the worst burger pics I have EVER seen! Yuck! And you guys eat this stuff??? And you are still alive?
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Kashif Dec 11, 2015 04:09pm
We know it's 2015! Btw, some of the most amazing eateries in NY take cash only! It's the business model so can't take points out for that. I consider myself a burger afficianado and I think burger shack was pretty impressive. I have been there few times and never had any issues placing an order.
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Hasan Dec 11, 2015 04:11pm
Why do burgers look so nasty in photos?
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Honda Dec 11, 2015 04:11pm
Unday wala burger ........trumps all
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Mahmood Dec 11, 2015 04:11pm
The article was helpful but sometimes it seemed that you were trying too hard. I mean whats the problem if a joint didn't accept credit cards or the employees were allowed to perform prayers. Really poor comments on this point.
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Saeed Dec 11, 2015 04:12pm
This is the best thing i have read in a long time... Bookmarking it for future takeouts
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Hamid shafiq Dec 11, 2015 04:21pm
photography so bad and burgers look like monsters for eater kindly see the photography and think some burgers not good for eating
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Saad Dec 11, 2015 04:40pm
Great Article!! I aways enjoy reading Noman's writings, I especially enjoyed his articles during the Cricket World Cup. Also, the pictures of the burgers and the eateries makes it more interesting and insightful. However, Noman there is really no need for you to come up with sarcastic comments in your article. Your writing is good enough, the satire jabs makes it lose touch a little. Also, the reference to "Which bun are we talking about" is not appropriate. Yes we use these all the times with friends, but here you are addressing to a much larger, varied & sophisticated audience and I am sure it must have been offensive to quite a few. Good Luck! and I await your next article.
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Noman Ansari Dec 11, 2015 05:16pm
hahahahahaha... sorry about the pictures guys. This is what most of the burgers looked like. :D
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Umair Dec 11, 2015 05:56pm
This article missed some important and traditional burger available at Burns Road, Pakistan Chowk and old Karachi areas. They obviously have no match in terms of scale of business but as far as TASTE is concern, they are in business
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irfan Dec 11, 2015 06:03pm
Burger inc
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Naxalite Dec 11, 2015 06:23pm
But 90% of the Karachites can't afford it.
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Aneeqa Dec 11, 2015 06:25pm
Burger Inc. is the best fastfood in Pakistan...
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Irfan Hashmi Dec 11, 2015 06:30pm
I remember the best burger in Karachi used to be "Mujibs" near jheel park. I have never had a burger like that anywhere in the world
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Atif Dec 11, 2015 06:58pm
I have tried Baja and Tribeca on Burger INC. They are just awesomeeee. ::)
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Meer Mehran Ali Dec 11, 2015 07:29pm
Burger inc
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MFJ Dec 11, 2015 07:37pm
Burger Inc. ♡
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javed gabol Dec 11, 2015 07:39pm
my favorite burger inc
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Wajid Khan Dec 11, 2015 07:48pm
Best Burgers BURGER INC. They Got Fresh Bun In Town :) . Amazing Taste. + Cooperative staff.
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Rafay Khan Dec 11, 2015 08:10pm
My personal favorite is OMG- Oh My Grill and Burger Inc as these burger joints are very consistent with there quality and quantity and justifying the real taste of American burgers!
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hassnain Dec 11, 2015 08:11pm
nice
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hassnain Dec 11, 2015 08:12pm
best burger in the world..........
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imran altaf Dec 11, 2015 08:22pm
Nice article and write up, worth noting that a burger is never judged by it's looks alone, these pictures are similar to those we see reviews for in the west, my benchmark is the in and out burger from the US, in and out don't venture outside America, but we try our best - Lahore has some interesting places ......can we have an article for Lahore?
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Bilal Dec 11, 2015 08:55pm
oh cmonn there is no competition with Burger Inc. definitely burger Inc. rox...!!!
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NS Dec 11, 2015 09:20pm
Seriously bro? Amigos is amazing! You gotta stick with the beef burgers though. And try the club sandwich - it is so good!
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Miqdad Dec 11, 2015 10:08pm
Uve actually missed out the best Burger in Karachi. Roasters jalapeño beef burger is one of the best burgers I have had in the world. And I have had quite a few burgers around the world. Add this to your list. :P
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majid Dec 11, 2015 10:26pm
i think burger inc is good
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Iqbal Rajput Dec 11, 2015 10:28pm
Currently best burger is (BURGER INC)
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Saraya Dec 11, 2015 10:40pm
Amigos for numero uno man! The beef tastes like actual beef, and is cooked just right. Personal favorite, the Jalapeno Burger, give it a shot. Plus the shakes. Bliss.
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Ali S Dec 11, 2015 11:19pm
I'm not sure if it's because I ordered takeaway but I was really disappointed with Burger Lab (tried both Lab Original and The Boss from the Gulshan branch). Try out BOG (Burgers On Grill) if you're in Gulistan-e-Johar or Gulshan - best, juiciest burgers at really good price.
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Kamran Dec 12, 2015 12:21am
1 important thing you missed. Source of meat.......? You know meat is a main ingredient in burgers.
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Usman Shaikh Dec 12, 2015 12:30am
why are the pictures of Burger Lab ONLY the ones which the author took with so much care? Most of the other joints mentioned, most notably Mr. Burger, Burger Shack & Burger Inc are far far better than Burger Lab....i think the author was biased.
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Bilal Dec 12, 2015 12:44am
@Noman Ansari "The sauce is so heavy, in fact, that the burger usually crumbles half-way through, leaving my face left looking like that of a performer in a Japanese fetish video." Is this sort of imagery really necessary? There are many other (cleaner) ways to describe the same situation.
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Ahmad Dec 12, 2015 01:11am
Dear Noman, a very nice article and great critic, which is more constructive. Just a small addition, there is a new restaurant at DHA Phase II Commercial Area by name of "Happy Pakistan - Snacks Studio" and lot of people are talking about their food quality. I suggest you should try their Blue Cheese Burger or if you are extremely hungry, should try their HP Special Burger. Would wait for your comments on that too.
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Emmad Khan Dec 12, 2015 01:13am
Burger inc the grand California burger is so amazing and
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Naman Shah Dec 12, 2015 01:33am
What a rude looking thing visually. I guess it must be tasty.
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Uzair Dec 12, 2015 01:47am
Burger Lab's smokey fusion is one of the best burger around here! And the management is really nice too.
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gustaakh Dec 12, 2015 01:47am
Lol ! Looks like the owner of Burger Inc got all his friends to post comments in its favour at the end. Naqal ke leay bhi aqal chahiye !!
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hanifsmile Dec 12, 2015 02:36am
I lost my apetite
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Rafay Dec 12, 2015 02:58am
How could you miss The Sauce Burger Cafe?? :o
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LS Dec 12, 2015 04:15am
Ugh.. none of them looked appetizing... esp the one that was covered in dollops of mayo
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AJ Dec 12, 2015 04:30am
I have not been back since the 70's but we used to have a burger place called "Tooso" on Tariq Road in Karachi - the best burgers I've had in 35 years (and I've paid over $50 for expensive gourmet burgers in US). Is that place still around?
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jamal Dec 12, 2015 04:47am
Mr Noman Ansari. Your Choice of Words, and your comparisons, are the most distasteful element of the whole article. Your Grammar is good, and the thought process is crisp and clear, however the theme and flow of the article, is on the 'Far Side", like you say, for the undertaking.
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jamshed Dec 12, 2015 06:38am
What is in the name but"burger lab" does not fit well with a food joint. What are they trying to convey? Experiment on your stomach with their burger if you are tough ? BTW best burger joints are in the mid-west (US), big, juicy, choice meat and all that fries, onion rings..bbq sauce
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Shahid Dec 12, 2015 08:50am
Not a single burger in these pictures, is appetite awakening. Can't say about the taste of these but at least they should make them look good. Go search some burger pictures on google and try comparing. These can't even compete with the lowest grade burgers here in the west.
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kallan Dec 12, 2015 12:57pm
@Goga Nalaik I totally agree with you because one thing that is really poor quality is the bun.
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Aazim Dec 12, 2015 02:05pm
Excellent article! You covered almost all the Burger joints throughout Karachi and pointed out their pros & cons in an amazing manner. If this was written a year or so ago, I would say that OMG would top my list. However, 'The Sauce' is my no. 1 favorite at the moment, which I noticed was not included in your list. Do give 'The Sauce' a try as well! And, I look forward to your review / feedback on it. Cheers!
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Ehsaanullah Dec 12, 2015 02:07pm
I've been religiously eating at Oh My Grill and I'm a very fussy eater. It's one of the places that hasn't disappointed in terms of quality, quantity or even value for money. So the bone and sinew in the patties, maybe you should have gone back and complained and perhaps taken what you had to spit out in a separate bag. I just feel it's a very sweeping negative review and doesn't feel credible. They do have good and bad reviews on their page and they entertain both without bias, but this I've yet to come across. Sorry, find it a little hard to believe and I'm their worst critic when something messes up because I love their Burgers so much.
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Usman Dec 12, 2015 02:22pm
Such an amateur writer..Wasted my time!
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wakas Dec 12, 2015 03:18pm
Mr. Burger is much worthy among all.
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Noman M Zubairi Dec 12, 2015 04:33pm
Big Thick Burger is the best burger in the whole town
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nauman Dec 12, 2015 07:25pm
amazing taste btb have
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nauman Dec 12, 2015 07:26pm
i never had burger like BTB before
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umer Dec 12, 2015 07:30pm
owsum
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umer Dec 12, 2015 07:30pm
Big thick burger is the best burger in town,
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umer Dec 12, 2015 07:33pm
Big Thick Burger is the best burger in the whole town texan style is best burger of BTB
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Ayazali Dec 12, 2015 08:04pm
Burgerinc
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Ayazali Dec 12, 2015 08:06pm
My best burger burgerinc
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Imtiaz Faruqui Dec 12, 2015 08:43pm
There burgers look greasy , one important part of the burger is the bun, if that can be made with a better flour not white flour ,it would enhance the taste , all you need is a beef patty , onions, tomatoes some greens and some sauce . The beef patty can be cooked on flame rather been fried.
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Ekaram Dec 12, 2015 08:50pm
@Mani Get a goat burger. You will be happy.
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Aman Khan Dec 12, 2015 10:37pm
In my opinion Big Thick Burgerz has the best burgers. I love the charcoal grilled smokey flavor. The patties are really tender and juicy and buns are soft and fresh. Fries are great too. I love their Texan Style and Most Wanted the best. Keep it up guys!
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Another fan Dec 12, 2015 11:55pm
Tried burger lab today, on Noman's rec, and was not disappointed with "the Boss"...although it was literally overflowing with the sauces and condiments, which made the squishy buns an tad more squishier. Can't any of these eateries do crisp, toasted buns? Overall, though, really good value.
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Sana Dec 13, 2015 12:20pm
How long is the voting going to last?
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Faizan Dec 13, 2015 01:58pm
I personally found Burger Shack really good. Yes they have payment issues though. And for the Namaz thing I am sure they can come up with a substitute. They can hire non Muslims as well, hello diversity! But I disagree with Noman on the ratings he has given to Burger Shack. Plus their peanut butter shake and mozzarella sticks are a must!
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Graham Goon Dec 14, 2015 07:51pm
Burger lab is way over rated. Have tried all of their burgers thinking maybe there's sth wrong in my order but none... OMG is the best burger in town. Hands down. Consistent Quality, Melt In Your Mouth and filling.
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Osman Dec 15, 2015 10:24pm
The best food review I've ever read. This was hilarious!!
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Jiger Karachi Dec 16, 2015 04:45pm
@kallan .. let it go dude..its been more than 25 years..for the love of God, man!
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