Smashburger

During a list search for carb-​careful dining places on Unilocal,I came across the aptly named «best low carb restaurants». A zoom search to my side of town revealed Smashburger. Named because of the well-​reviewed alternative to french fries they sell here — the Veggie Frites.
Besides the Frites, I also ordered two big sized Smashburgers on a multigrain bun, instead of egg, and with grilled onions instead of the haystack onions. Total carbs for everything: 88 grams. Luckily, the Smashburgers were big enough to divide between meals, saving me 44 grams of carbs for a nicely rounded out healthy diabetic meal.
Sadly, while I liked the first frite, with each successive one I ate, the less enthralled I became with the item. I eventually threw away most of it. Additionally, the Smashburger was nothing to write home about — «meh» best describes it. Do haystack onions and an egg bun make the difference? Unless I hear so, I won’t be returning to Smashburger. Though, I will say I did salivate over the look of their milkshakes while waiting for my food, an item I’ll never be able to eat again in my life.
In summation, if you aren’t diabetic, give the place a try for its scrumptious looking milkshakes. Otherwise, I recommend passing

Everybody knows that free food tastes the best, and that is how I ended up at Smashburger with 2 of my friends last night. I was invited to their «VIP» pre-​reopening event and given 4 meal vouchers with the hopes that I would write a review of their establishment; well folks, here we are. Let me start off by repeating my opening statement to communicate my obvious bias in rating this place; how you feel about your food when it is free is different from how you feel about your food when you are paying for it. I expect someone (maybe even the person organizing the event) has picked up on this phenomenon as well. Since the «VIP» event obviously was not business as usual; I will skip the service part of my review and skip right to atmosphere and food. To place your order you have to go up to a register, and when it is done, food runners bring it out to your table in exchange for the little plastic «9» that they give you at the register. This fast-​food hybrid model works well for the space because there is not much room for the food runners to move around from table to table. The vibe of the place is like a Five Guys without awards hung up all over the walls (read on to find out why!) and is nice and casual without being «fast-​food». The first thing Smashburger excels at is its menu; there are two categories of sandwich choices, smash burgers and smash chicken, along with a very respectable list of side options including fried pickles and fried banana pepper rings. You can get your smash chicken either grilled or fried, I opted for grilled while my friends sampled their burgers. The second thing Smashburger does right is its customizable buns; you can get a choice of 4 or 5 different buns ranging from «egg bun» to gluten free. I went with the «chipotle» option and so did both of my guests. You can choose from one of their house-​tested creations or risk it and build your own. I say risk it because they have a lot of topping and sauce options; some as ambiguous as «smash sauce» which could prove a horrible choice paired with their guacamole and jalapenos. The food came to our table quickly and was served in your typical red plastic baskets with wax paper. Portions are reasonable; you won’t go home hungry but you wont have trouble fitting into your car after you’re done. The chicken sandwich I got was good; so were the fried pepper rings, French fries, and the burgers. Herein lies the problem with Smashburger; everything is «good» but nothing is «awesome». In a food market as crowded as burger joints, successful restaurants either make a version of the burger that no one else makes and brings something new to the table, or focuses all their efforts on perfecting the stereotypical burger and keeping things as simple as possible (like Five Guys). Smashburger’s business model says to hell with that, and tries to create a third category of successful burger restaurants where the draw is being able to customize your burger/​chicken any way you want, and departing from the boring «would you like fries with that» to offer more unusual and exciting side dishes. This works on some level; I enjoyed my meal and so did my friends. Everything was well prepared and tasty, but they won’t be enjoying the word-​of-​mouth marketing that comes from forcing someone to step outside of their comfort zone and try a new spin on the burger or blowing their minds with their take on a simple classic. It’s a good place to eat and 10 bucks is a fair price for a drink, sandwich and side outside of the fast-​food sphere. Yes, I would recommend this to friends; but only friends passing by it on their way to somewhere else. It would make a killing if it reopened on campus or near downtown, but it didn’t; instead it sits in a parking lot in Gahanna where you have to drive to get to. For many, five minutes in the car is a small price to pay to go somewhere with a more exciting or more tried-​and-​true take on the burger; but I can promise you their options will be lesser than Smashburger’s!

Just as delicious as I remembered! We stopped in last night for the Unilocal!event, (soft opening). I got 2 smashburgers, regular fries, and the fried pickles. While we were there we sampled a shake while we waited. The staff was super friendly and even though it was busy, service was fast. The shoestring fries were great, and so were the pickles which came with ranch dipping sauce. I’m pretty picky about my ranch, but it was actually good. The only reason why I didn’t give it 5 stars is because, just like I remembered, the beef seemed a little underseasoned, but that’s a pretty subjective thing and it’s not like they don’t have salt on the table. I’ve had the smashfries before, just not on this visit, and loved them! I love rosemary on roasted potatoes so, to get it on fries is a real treat. This is my husband’s favorite burger stop, so we were thrilled to see them reopening.

Back open!

I tried Smashburger for the first time down in the South, and I’m really happy they’ve come to Columbus. The quality of everything I’ve tried there, from a «Buckeye Burger» to a grilled chicken salad, has been fantastic, and I could eat a bucket of their fries way too easily.
Everything’s done fresh to order, but you don’t usually feel like there’s a big wait for your food unless they’re really slammed, and the staff is usually pretty good about getting the quicker items (milkshakes, salads) out right away.
They’re a nice change up from a lot of the burger places in town, and seem to be fitting right in here in Columbus. I suspect I’ll be visiting here plenty more in the future.

I go here from time to time for lunch on work days, and the food is always decent. Prices are more than what you’d expect to pay at your run of the mill McD’s, Burger King, or Wendy’s but the food quality goes up accordingly.
During the weekdays around lunch, it can get pretty busy when the kids from the nearby high school come for lunch. I love that you can customize everything completely without breaking the bank. I also love the grilled chicken options for a healthier meal.
The sides aren’t anything too spectacular, which is what keeps me from giving them a top notch review.

I am a huge burger fan but also not a big fan of fast food burgers more the gourmet variety.
That being said as far as fast food burgers go this is probaby one of the best you can find. I enjoyed this far more than 5 Guys which I find to be overly greasy. I found this to be a good flavorful burger and I really dug the shoe string potato fries, I like crispy fries (again why I don’t like 5 Guys and their 1 pound of limp soggy grease fries they give) so that was a bonus for me. I’d make a return visit if I was in the mood for a cheap quick burger.

Nothing impressive. Service wasn’t very good. Lady was very slow no emotion and didn’t seem to care that we were there. The burger was nothing special I could have got one better at Wendy’s if that says anything. Fries ehh they were fine

Very much like 5guys. Nothing truly defining about this place IMO

This is a great example of a business when the owner is not around. Good franchise, good product, super bad, rude servace. We call to place an order «we are to busy to take your order, we have a line out the door!
We arrive 10 mins later, slow, a few people sitting, I guess the rush settled lol .
Your then greeted by a young lady that would have been great on Seinfeld ‘Soup Nazi» episode as she thinks she is the owner, can be rude and had the only burgers in town ! Ok its upscle fast food what do you expect lol, well five guys, Steak and Shake and plenty more have nice courteous staff that give you the same respect you show them. There is too many people out of work for some to have a job and hate there work. Please MR Owner, sit down, look at your investment and really managed the mice when the cat is away ! Or soon you will have no cheese at all, and no one will care !

I’ve been wanting to check this place out for a while now and I finally did. It was very clean inside, and the staff was very friendly. Lots of space to eat and the food came out fairly quick. I just got a bacon cheese burger with their seasonsed fried. The burger was really good, but I wasn’t such a fan of the fries. They are too skinny for my liking, and I think may have been over oiled with the seasoning, they just seemed extra extra oily/​greasy. I look forward to coming back, it’s a very good burger place and the prices are really good.

I can’t complain much today about my meal here. I had the Bacon Cheeseburger minus the ketchup and mustard, plus spicy Chipotle and jalapenos, and it was pretty delicious. The burger itself was a bit charred, but it didn’t make the burger dry at all. I also tried the buffalo fries, and they were OK. I don’t think they’re really worth the upcharge, since all they do is put some Frank’s seasoning on them and give you a side of ranch. I feel like the spices they put on their Smashfries probably cost more, yet somehow they’re cheaper, but what do I know?
Only issue I had today was that it was super busy, and the line was moving pretty slow right at around lunch time, because they only had one cashier for some reason. I think the burger took about another 10 minutes to be done after that, but oh well, I can deal with that. Ever since the first time I’ve had it, I think the taste of the food has improved, so that’s really all I care about.

The first time I had Smashburger I was skeptical that it would remain juicy after all that smashing they’re known for. They do a remarkable job of maintaining juiciness while getting an almost crunchy exterior. Lunch today was a Frank’s RedHot & blue cheese burger. Lettuce, tomato, blue cheese, and hot sauce — a combination usually reserved for chicken (which is also an option) worked well as a burger. The egg bun was dense and flavorful, but the patty itself remains the highlight. The fried pickles were decent, but I probably should have stuck with their fries. With a drink my total was around $ 11 which is a fair value. Service was friendly and food came out pretty quickly.

The newly opened Smashburger in Gahanna is great! We eat here maybe once every couple of weeks. However, my wife also won a year’s worth of vouchers for a free Entrée at the Unilocal!Elite event a few months ago… which helps in deciding dinner some nights.
If it is your first time at Smashburger here is what I recommend:
BBQ, Bacon, and Cheddar Burger (or Chicken)
Smash Fries
Salted Caramel Milkshake
Fountain Drink (optional)
This is a standard when we come here and it is a great combination of food. I am salivating over the thought of it!
It is not a very large place to eat, but the crowds have been small when we come during the week for dinner.
Check out this smashing good place!
⁵⁄₅ stars

My first several visits were okay to subpar; every subsequent visit has been fantastic.
Their grilled chicken sangwhiches are grand; the avocado club is a must (though I do recommend adding goat cheese), and the cucumber and goat cheese grilled chicken is amazazing.
As to burgers, very good, though the bacon is just menh; I do recommend adding a fried egg. Fries aren’t worth the money, but maybe it’s just me; the sweet potato fries are good (but keep in mind I heart sweet potatoes in general), but otherwise forgettable.

I think this franchise may be owned by the same people as the Lewis Center location. The staff is always super friendly and attentive, and the eatery is clean. The food, the most important part, is always amazing. I usually opt for a burger, which never fails to be juicy and super tasty. The smash fries are a favorite too. The rosemary & Olive oil mix really gives the fries a nice, unique twist. As the sweet expert, I would do no favors if I didn’t plug the shakes… try one of the shakes made with Hagen-​das ice cream. You’ll thank me someday.

Part of the fast casual trend (like Panera, Chipotle, etc.)
The burger was very good, maybe even excellent. Not a thick, juicy burger. A thinner «smashed» burger. I got the «big» size. Not too big (unless you’re a little girl). Tasted fresh and delicious. Fries are thin cut, seasoned with garlic. Very good. I went all out and also had a chocolate shake. Awesome.
Could be my new favorite burger place in Columbus.

Ok. I’ve been on the hunt for the best burger in Col. So far this place is it. I am pretty picky about my burgers. Don’t get me wrong, this still isn’t the BEST burger I’ve ever eaten, but it is a decent stand-​in.
I got the BIG burger because I felt it would hold in more juice and wouldn’t turn out dry. I love how the meat hangs outside the bun… there’s NO «where’s the beef» here. Flavoring wasn’t bad and the texture was perfect. I loved the multi-​grain bun, very fresh.
My side option was the grilled carrots and green beans. Holy crap these are good! I want to make these at home. Who the hell wants fries when they serve these?
I like this meal SO much I wanted to go back for seconds… the husband just stared at me like I was crazy.

Tried to go to Daft Burger but no luck, so went here. Glad we did– I have no idea why people go to McDonald’s, when there are places like this serving far better burgers for just a little more money.
Sweetie had the truffle burger (truffle mayo, mushrooms, etc.) She had been before and knew she liked that. I had been to one in Dayton years ago, but forgot what it was like. I got the avocado club burger (bacon, avocado, etc.) Both burgers were good, and the toppings were fresh and tasty. I also had the Smash Fries (rosemary, pepper, olive oil) which were thin and crispy, with nice subtle flavor.
All in all, a good quick lunch. Good service, comfortable clean place.

Smash Fries.
Rosemary — Honey, do we use rosemary? I love it! Some seriously delicious and rosemary-​y fries here. Probably the best part of my meal, which is saying something, as they’re shoe-​string type fries which are typically not my favorite.
It was predictably slammin’ for a new business, but the crowds were handled well on this day, almost a week after opening. I had a Bacon Cheddar Burger and the smash fries and was pretty happy. I might skip the bacon next time, it didn’t seem worth the cost for the few crumbles I got on my burger. I prefer meaty strips of delicious ham butt.
Overall the burger was tasty, though, so no big complaints in that area. Self-​serve beverages and a Noodles-​and-​Co style «leave your trash on the table when you’re done» type bussing system make it easy/​lazy on the diner for sure.
Would definitely nom again. A better value for the burger you get than other specialty «flip» burger chains in town.