Seattle burger review: Kidd Valley remains a classic

I’m on a mission to find the best burger in the city of Seattle. I travel to various burger joints within city limits and rate the establishment’s most popular burger on a scale of 1-10. Of all the measures I use, taste is most important.

Throw a rock and you’re bound to hit a Kidd Valley in Seattle.

Four locations exist within in Seattle, but seven if you count the stands inside T-Mobile Park, Century Link Field, and Husky Stadium. Aurora, Greenlake, University, and the pier all host a Kid Valley burger joint. Throw in a classic milkshake, and Kidd Valley is a popular spot for ages alike whose originality is rivaled only by Dick’s Drive-In.

While one could argue mushrooms are signature staples of a Kidd Valley, people go there for the cheeseburger and milkshakes. I ordered the classic cheeseburger, which comes with American cheese, a KV spread, shredded lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes. It’s a thin slab of fresh, never frozen beef that is grilled past medium, charred on the surface and served on a sesame-seed bun. Overall, it’s a smaller burger, but that may be enough to satisfy hunger as long as you order a side.

In traditional fast-food fashion, the meat patty is fairly flavorless, which will hold it back from getting a higher score. The bun is toasted and firm, so don’t expect it to fall apart anytime soon. I believe the KV spread is tarter-sauce based, and it was terrific and meshed well with the patty and vegetables. The tomatoes, lettuce and pickles seemed fresh and were great compliments. Expect the pickles to add some crunch.

Kidd Valley won’t deliver on presentation. It looked like it had been sat upon when I unwrapped it,  but that’s somewhat to be expected of fast food. Where Kidd Valley separates itself from other fast food eateries is the lack of grease. You expect a quick burger to be dripping in slippery, slimy, and fattening grease, but Kidd Valley avoids this. Granted, there’s nothing nutritional about a cheeseburger, but no one on a diet is eating fast food anyway.

No qualms with the price as the cheeseburger has a base listing of $5.49. A side of fries is $2.79, but if you want the true Kid Valley experience, you’ll get the onion rings at $3.69.

Biggest strength(s): KV spread, bun, absent of grease, teamwork among ingredients

Biggest weakness(s): Flavorless patty, size

If you’re on the hunt for fast food, and Shake Shack isn’t an option, go to Kidd Valley. I’ll give the cheeseburger a 7/10.

What do you think of their burger? Where should I go next? Tweet me @TommAmato on Twitter.

Past reviews: 8 Oz. Burger (7.5/10), Little Big Burger (8/10), Uneeda Burger (5/10),Li’l Woody’s (7/10), CaliBurger (6/10), ShakeShack (8/10), Red Robin (7/10), BurgerMaster (4/10), Sam’s Tavern (7.5/10), Great State Burger (6.5/10), Zippy’s Giant Burgers (8/10), Red Mill Burgers (7.5,10), Henry’s Tavern in Bellevue (9/10), Blue Moon Burger’s ‘Impossible Burger’ (1/10), Katsu Burger (7.5/10), Rain City Burgers (6/10), BRGR Bar (7/10)