We have gone from a new Mexican franchise on every third block to a new burger franchise on every block! No wonder McDonald’s has been losing customers.

Unlike McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s the new burger places, like their prices, are upscale.

The newest in Fort Laauderdale is BURGER21 (though I counted only 20 on their burger list!) and is a much brighter and colorful setting than most. It also has one of the most cheerful, smiling staff I have seen in a long time. Each member of the staff gives you a big hello, makes suggestions, steer you in the right direction, ask how everything is but none to the point of being annoying.

I do think they will have the same problem that Italio, which just closed, had and that is getting in and out of the place as it is right off Federal Highway and comes up without any notice with the narrow two way entrance/exit and the parking is in the rear. Also BURGER21 does not have a rear entrance which can be a little dicey in the rainy season here.

Okay, let’s get to the food! I asked the order taker for a suggestion and she said they were known for their Tex-Mex Haystack ($7.99) which consists of a 1/3 pound burger, lettuce, tomato, apple wood-smoked bacon, Gouda cheese, guacamole, onion strings, chipotle-jalapeno sauce on a toasted brioche bun. It is a very impressive, tall burger that looks almost impossible to eat but once you press down on it that problem is solved. The main problem with it was that it had a very salty taste which at first I thought may have been the sauce but we also ordered a regular order of French Fries ($2.59) more than enough for two, but found them very salty, too. We both had fountain drinks ($2.29 each).

Our check came to $23.16, including tax, which is a bit too much to pay for biting into salt.

Just an aside regarding sitting: there are about 6 booths along the window which really has no view but are always taken, two high top tables, I think, no one sat at and a group of regular tables that were second choice after the booths. People love booths but don’t like the high tables!

Bottom line is that we won’t be going back because, though the crew was upbeat, with too many people sodium conscious as I am, this is not the place to go.

BURGER21 Slideshow  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xGFR0pLoEE