The Chew Review: Red Robin in Bel Air

From those two hungry dudes….Jimmy and Guy Stillwell

Today’s visit…Red Robin

Billed as “America’s Gourmet Burgers and Fries” Red Robin is open 7 days a week…11-10 Sunday-Thursday, 11-11 Friday,Saturday.

Rumors of a Checkers coming across Baltimore Pike, from Harford Mall may be cooling down, since Five Guys and Fries, Zack’s and now Red Robin are cornering the hot-dog-hamburger market. Of course Mickey Dee’s across Route 24 will no doubt be unperturbed by the burger explosion.

Big bucks were spent renovating the space after Willy left town. The interior of Red Robin is spacious, fresh, friendly, comfortable and well lit and decorated without going overboard. In a word, it’s ‘neat’.

Our waiter, Jason, informed us there are no steaks, but loads of all the other fare of any 4-star restaurant, and a full service bar, for the non tea-totters visiting.

Starting our with a somewhat overwhelming spinach and artichoke dip with flatbreads on the side, and a tower of the best onion rings we’ve ever tasted.

I had the Santa Fe burger at $9.79 with fresh guacamole. Jimmy had the Whiskey River Bar-B-Que burger, on a bed of crispy onion straws. Both were cooked to perfection, medium rare.

Jimmy did the usual Diet Pepsi and I tried a raspberry tea that was great.

Jason’s service was lightning fast, accurate and non-pestering.

Ever since the days of Reuben’s and Comes’ White Star and The Harvey House…the area in and around Bel Air has been a burger eating’ crowd….With Cheeburger Cheeburger opening several years ago most of us thought that was it for a good burger in all sizes large enough to kill a gorilla.

Today though the burger is reaching gourmet status, but not necessarily in terms of price and taste.

Actually it was the onion rings that topped our tasted buds for the visit to Red Robin…

For Price, our tab came to $42.66 before tip…so two burgers, two appetizers and two beverages (with endless fries) was pricey…$$$

Parking, atmosphere, location, service rated 4 STARS out of 5.

We skipped the ‘free deserts’ because we were filled after our meal.

Jimmy felt the $5 burger at Five Guys is more tasty at half the price.

Dollar for dollar he preferred Five Guys overall for a burger and beverage. He felt the fries at Robin were flaccid at best. I agreed.

It’s a nice place to try, catering to at least four generations from what we could tell…and if you want to take more time for downing a burger, it’s definitely worth a visit. If you’re in a real hurry, well you always have Mickey Dee’s…in between, so far the best burger for the bucks is Five Guys.