haystack burgers & barley

haystack is a new burger restaurant in richardson.  they advertise burgers and barlay and carry a few signature burgers and sandwiches. the day we were there they had a special burger with avocado and a chili pepper ranch dressing. we alsoorderedthe pitch fork chili burger from their regular menu and a serving of fries. they said the burgers would be served medium, which was fine by me. i trusted that they would make it perfect medium since they were so particular with it during the order. the burgers came out within 10 minutes, which was quite all right. these days all new burger restaurants serve their burgers on metal trays and haystack was no exception. i guess that’s what’s trending now for burger joints. the bun looked good and both burgers had a wonderful smell of meat and goodness. after the first bite, i knew that this was not working out like i expected. the burger was well done and quite dry. it was also mad

after a movie at alamo drafthouse next door, we decided to grab a bite to eat at haystacks & barley. we had been there a few times before and each time it’s been an excellent food experience.

om: i’ve had some dang good burgers since nom and i started our food journey, and haystacks always sticks out as the best burger experience out of them all! the interior of the restaurant could be described as industrial…i think, i’m not an expert in that stuff. no matter, it’s nice and fits with the food they serve. the service is friendly and helpful – they don’t have a wait staff and just deliver the burger to your table. the burger is simply outstanding. i had the haystacks burger, which had lettuce, tomato, cheese, bbq sauce, and onion strings. the burger is stacked high with toppings, i definitely used a napkin or five by the time i finished. the meat patty is the best tasting that i’ve had, and the combo of that plus the mentioned toppings really makes it an awesome and unique taste. we alsoordereda “half and half”, half fries and half onion strings, which were also very good. 5/5 for me, best burger i’ve had.

nom: we love haystacks burgers. when i think of where we should have a burger they come to mind and i lament how far they are from us! an added bonus is the fact they are right next door to the alamo drafthouse. i really like the interior, it’s kind of industrial but not so much so that it’s uncomfortable. it’s always been clean when we’ve gone and this trip was no exception. they serve a huge burger! i originallyorderedthe haystack but realized that it was far too big a burger for me and there would be no way i could finish it even if i just tried to have half. so i downsized…i had a cheeseburger with bacon, lettuce, pickles and mayo. there are a lot of places where they do not ask how you want your burger cooked but they do because the burger is nice and thick not some thin burger by any stretch! i had mineorderedmedium rare and they nailed it! which was amusing since there was an upscale steakhouse that way overcooked a very expensive steak. it was juicy and tender and the toppings were nice and cold and crisp! i shared the 50/50 but was so full i couldn’t eat much but the haystack onions were cooked perfectly. they make the best burger i’ve personally ever enjoyed!

sorry for the dissenting voice. haystack atmosphere and service are top notch. i really enjoyed the layout. it's relaxing. every employee i ran into smiled and said something polite. my haystack burger was bad. iorderedit medium rare (pink in the middle). it came out with a hard burnt char on the exterior and dry in the middle. all the moist flavor was cooked out of it. there was too much bbq sauce. it was running out of the sandwich before i picked it up. there was so much that all of the bacon was covered, and i could not get any of the bacon flavor through it. i did not finish my burger, which is a really rare thing for me.

i hope my burger was accidentally over cooked and too much bbq added. if a group wanted to visit, i would tag along for one more try. the atmosphere and service earned a chance to try it again; however, there are too many really good options to make this a first choice for me.

haystack burgers & barley opened up in richardson a couple of weeks ago.  when i first read an article about this burger joint, i  was intrigued by this restaurant and one particular item on the menu.  i also thought, “does dfw really need another burger joint”  i was in the area one day following a trip to dallas, so i stopped in and grabbed a bite to eat. the menu item that intrigued me so much was the chicken fried burger with jalapeno-bacon gravy.  for those that regularly follow my blog, you know the fastest way to my heart is to deep-fry something.   the idea of a fried hamburger is enough to send my heart into palpitations, but then this place wants to go over the top and add jalapeno-bacon gravy  as i waited in line to order the burger, i felt like a young man about to go on his first date.  i nervouslyorderedthe burger along with an order of the fresh cut fries and the haystack onions. chicken fried burger with jalapeno-bacon gravy inside the chicken fried burger after a sh

interesting twist on a burger. the menu item that intrigued me so much was the chicken fried burger with jalapeno-bacon gravy. for those that regularly follow my blog, you know the fastest way to my heart is to deep-fry something. the idea of a fried hamburger is enough to send my heart into palpitations, but then this place wants to go over the top and add jalapeno-bacon gravy? as i waited in line to order the burger, i felt like a young man about to go on his first date. i nervouslyorderedthe burger along with an order of the fresh cut fries and the haystack onions.

after a short wait, my burger and sides arrived. the chicken fried burger was very good, but it was a little messy and i had to eat it with a fork. the bun had a sweet flavor to it that was a nice pairing with the gravy. the fries were better than average and i was particularly fond of the house-made chipotle ketchup. as good as the burger was, the real winner here was the side of haystack onions. they were perfectly seasoned and had a delicious crispy batter. i am not sure what ingredients were in the dipping sauce the onions were served with, but it was tasty and had a nice kick to it. all this delicious grub was washed down with pineapple-lemon-orange iced tea. although somewhat unusual tasting, it was very refreshing.

i really liked haystack burgers and barley and i would come back here for the haystack onions alone. the burger i had was great, but i am curious as to how the other burgers taste. i don’t know if i would rate this burger in my top burger joints in dallas, but it is very close to breaking the top five. off-site kitchen, maple and motor, and liberty burger are still my top tier burger joints, but this place is right behind them. if the idea of a fried burger does not appeal to you, they have several other menu options available that looked great as well.