Elevation Burger Review (Carlsbad Restaurants)

Pricing:

The burgers themselves are $4-6.  So slightly more than going to McDonald's.  Slightly less than going to a sit down burger joint like The Counter.  The french fries are separate and cost about $3.  A single order of fries is definitely large enough to share.

Distance:

In that same new Carlsbad (La Costa) shopping center as Tommy V's.  It takes about 20 minutes to get to whether you take back roads or the freeway.

Thoughts:

It was kind of strange walking into this place.  It felt like I had just entered a parallel universe and Elevation Burger was what they called their Five Guys.  Because it was Five Guys.  Only it was blue and not red.  And there weren't any peanuts.

The format was exactly the same "build it yourself" high end fast food style.  There are posters everywhere with pictures of cows and farms that boast over how organic their meat is.  Whatever.  If the meat was that organic they wouldn't be charging only $4 for it.

But I digress.  I admit, I liked this place more than Five Guys.  It was less greasy and more flavorful.  The fries were freshly cut and cooked.  I also appreciated the fact that their milkshakes contained actual fruit (it was frozen fruit, but still).

The major drawback to Elevation Burger is the out-of-the-way-deep-La-Costa location.  Yes, I liked it more than Five Guys.  But was it so much better that it warrants a twenty minute drive...?  No.  If I was in the area, however, I would definitely seek it out again.

Five Guys Review (Encinitas Restaurants)

Pricing:

This place is tricky.  On one side of the menu they list the usual "hamburger" or "cheeseburger."  On the other side they list "little hamburger" or "little cheeseburger."  Don't be fooled.  Their "regular" food actually consists of a two patty burger and is a very sneaky way of up-selling you an $8 burger rather than just buying a regular one patty "little" burger for $5.  Fries and a drink are sold separately.  If you buy the whole burger/fry/drink experience, expect to spend about $12.

Distance:
An Encinitas restaurant.  Very close to the Encinitas Blvd./El Camino Real intersection.  5-10 minute drive for most Encinitas folk.

Thoughts:
So after years of Encinitas clamoring for an In-and-Out they finally give us... Five Guys.  It's practically the same thing, right?  Arguable.  It's the same thing in that it's a step up from Burger King.  But with unlimited peanut snacks and a space-age soda machine, Five Guys is definitely its own unique experience.  It seems to specialize in having 5 bajillion toppings you could potentially add to your burger and 10 bajillion employees trying to actually make it.

The food is actually pretty good.  The burger is dripping in a satisfying amount of grease and if you get the cajun style fries, your salt allotment for the month will be taken care of.  Despite being a hair more pricey than In-and-Out, this place is fun to go to on its own merit.  Plus, if you live in Encinitas, it definitely has the advantage of being conveniently close.