REVIEW: ANGIE'S BURGER

FOR THE RECORD

I don’t want anyone to think I’m an actual Roger Ebert of restaurants. When I first started writing The Buzz, someone asked me if I was going to write “bad” reviews too. To which I replied, “No, because there are too many good things to write about.” I am not a restaurant critic, nor do I want to be.

Which is why my purpose here is to merely give a glimpse of restaurant offerings and hopefully be able to encourage you to go. I am passionate about supporting our local businesses.

Also, someone in my family owned restaurants for most of his life, so I have seen first-hand how difficult the restaurant business is and know behind every neon sign is a team of people busting their buns to be successful.

So, to set the record straight - you will never see me write a terrible review about a place here. In fact, I’ve visited several establishments and, for various reasons, I just don’t end up writing about them, even after visiting with the intention of sharing here.

However, I have to be honest in my writings because, well, I’m sharing my experience, and my experience isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. In the case of this particular restaurant, this location has only been open less than a month, so I’m going to hope they are still working the kinks out.

WE WANT LOBSTA!

The months leading up to Angie’s opening caused quite a buzz around town when residents found that the Angie’s Lobster they had been patiently awaiting had been hamburglared into “another burger & chicken joint” (named Angie’s Burger).

Angie’s - heading to the cries and emails of outraged patrons (good on them!) - later announced that they added their famous lobster (in my head, pronounced “lobsta”) rolls to this location’s menu too.

Angie’s Burger is part of a chain of restaurants that also include Angie’s Lobster, Angie’s Prime Grill, and Angie’s Chicken. The concept was inspired by their mother, Angela “Angie” Christofellis, and their mission is to make luxury foods affordable to everyone. In reviewing their website, it seems all locations serve a combination of food from the other menus. Those offerings are clearly delineated on their arizona-locations website.

ROLL WITH IT

I’m starting to write this before even eating there (when inspiration strikes, I gotta roll with it), but investigating the menu is making me so hungry, I’m stopping now (on Monday at 7:30 pm), to go grab dinner and report back.

WEAR YOUR PATIENCE PANTS

I hear there is always a line at the drive-thru and tonight was no exception. So if you go, make sure you put on your best pair of patience pants. I was in line for at least 20-30 minutes, maybe longer, but I didn’t time it because I was anticipating a wait.

Also, this is a cashless establishment. Cards only and the monetary transactions are all done via a terminal (both inside and at the drive-thru), so if you’re tech challenged, be prepared for that too.

ORDERING

The girl working the drive-thru talks so fast, I’m tempted to suggest her next gig be as an auctioneer. I even had to ask her to slow down—after listening to the cars ahead of me struggle to keep with her banter too. Sure, she’s rushing because it’s busy, but the haste is not improving efficiency and is affecting order accuracy. How do I know this?

MY ORDER

Well, I get home and I’m missing some fingers (the chicken kind). This, despite having her repeat my order several times — straining to hear her. I can’t confirm where things went wrong because I wasn’t provided with a receipt—a detail I didn’t realize until was already home. So, either my order was wrong, or I didn’t get everything I paid for.

Lessons Learned: Double-check your order and be sure to ask for your receipt before you leave the building.

Update: I learned on my second visit—when I placed my order inside at the kiosk—that I was then emailed a receipt. So perhaps my not receiving a receipt on my first visit was my fault, but I don’t recall seeing that as an option and I always request a receipt. If receipts are important to you too, be aware of this.

DINNER & “BREAKFAST”

I deserve an award for not taking even one sip of this delicious-looking cold brew on my way home. But at this time of night, even a sip is not worth the risk of not being able to sleep. I’ll tell you what though, this coffee is what’s going to get me out of bed tomorrow morning.

I ordered it with oat milk and no ice and it’s on the top shelf of my fridge waiting for me.

THE FOOD

I ordered chicken fingers and fries for both me and Mr. Buzz.

The chicken fingers were a win—tender, perfectly cooked, all white meat, and clearly good quality. But, unless you order the grilled chicken sandwich or the lobster rolls, it’s a fried food free-for-all here.

The fries? Obviously fried, but cold by the time I got home. I tried re-heating them but meh, I wouldn’t get them again (and I rarely meet any form of potato that I don’t like).

Mr. Buzz gave everything a thumbs-up, even after having to reheat it all by the time he was ready to eat. Neither of us eat fried food often though, so we (he) will probably opt for the lobster roll next time.

THE STAR OF THE SHOW

Holy cow! Their cold brew iced coffee is only $1.29 ($1.79 for vanilla) — and they have oatmilk! For that price, I can already tell you, I’m going to like it no matter what. All about the deal, remember.

As anticipated, the next morning I jump out of bed and head straight to the fridge. I add some ice and am shocked at how good the cold brew tastes! I also like that it comes standard without sweetener, which is how I like it.

VISIT #2 - QUEST FOR COLD BREW

I actually went back again, this time in the morning, to grab another cold brew. I also wanted to see if they are serving breakfast yet (they’re not).

This time I went inside, which is no frills and “serve yourself,” with ordering done on a terminal and a drink station with instructions on how to assemble a cold brew or fruit drink. There was a fella working on the drink machine (that ultimately ended up shooting soda water everywhere) so I had to stick my head over the counter and ask them if they could help (with the shooting soda and also with my drink).

There are a few tables inside but, by the looks of it, I don’t think they are trying to encourage people to sit down and eat. I also found the trash cans, without lids, very unappetizing to look at, taking me back to eating in a school cafeteria. I thought maybe this was temporary but I saw someone else comment about them being there when she visited too.

However, this—the decor or lack thereof and self-service aspect—are just a few of the ways they keep prices low and it’s all explained on their website here, which I suggest you review prior to going since, well, you’ll essentially be working there.

A LITTLE HELP…

My friend, Jeff (aka El Jefe, aka The Boss) - originally from New York - has raved about Angie’s Lobster for as long as I’ve known him. He says it’s as good or better than the lobster rolls you get on the East Coast. He loved them so much, he was willing to drive from Buckeye to Surprise to get their rolls.

Since I’m not a fan of lobster, you’re going to have to take Jeff’s word on that, which I share in detail below. His and Kris’s (his wife, my buddy) love of Angie’s is what prompted me to write this in the first place. They are admittedly food snobs, the kind that read labels, and bring their own healthy salad dressings when they eat out.

Point being, I trust their opinion because they are finicky.

FROM MY FRIENDS

This is what they had to say:

JEFF 

“We’re New Englanders and had been wanting fresh lobster since we moved here almost 7 years ago. We tried Red Lobster and also making it at home but, YUCK! We had lost hope but then heard rumors of a lobster hut restaurant starting in the land-locked valley serving fresh lobster rolls with meat flown in from Maine. Our dreams came true and we have not been disappointed.

They are truly very much like the rolls we enjoyed on vacation along the sea coast years ago. And $9.99 is about 1/3 of the price you’d pay at a sea coast restaurant. They also serve other quality foods. Due to their business model, they are able to keep their prices competitive and affordable.

Angie’s also has whole belly fried clams, too, which is very rare and unusual around here. [**Note: Those are not available at the Buckeye location.]

Please thank them for bringing delicious, affordable food to the valley.”

KRIS

“I give the steak burger a 9/10 and the fruit drink is really good and priced right. When we first started going [to Angie’s Lobster in Surprise], they really stuffed the rolls but now the are putting less and less in the bun. It’s still a great value though. On the East Coast, you’d pay $15 in one of those lobster shops. We don’t get the fries because we don’t really eat fried food that often.”

ROLL THE DICE OR ROLL WITH THE LOBSTER?

This is the type of place you are going to have to try for yourself, and you may want to give it a few weeks before you do. As I said before, they just opened, less than a month ago, so they are probably still not really up and rollin'. [Ha! Get it?]

Otherwise, be prepared that what you experience may be hit or miss. In the days leading up to this, I saw some chatter online with people complaining about receiving their food cold (like out of the fridge cold) and their burgers undercooked (in that same post, however, people were raving about their experience). Or, perhaps stick with the lobster roll (which is only served cold at this location), and try something from their array of cold drinks.

THE TAB

It was $14.62 for the food I ordered for me and Mr. Buzz. I don’t know what that got us though because I don’t have a receipt. 😉 

BUZZ RATING

Food - Overall Average Between Me & Mr. B: 🐝 🐝 🐝 (3/5)

Service: 🐝 (1/5) [**Note, though, bare minimum personal service is part of their business model and how they keep prices low.]

If you go, please tell them The Buzz sent ya! ❤️ 

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