DETROIT – We are on the hunt for the very best hamburger in Metro Detroit.
Like you, we’re sick of these “top 10 burgers” lists put out by every news organization and their mother. That’s why Carmichael Cruz and I, Cassidy Johncox, are putting our arteries at risk as we taste our way through the burgers of Southeast Michigan.
Together, we’re going to try every burger we possibly can to narrow down the best of the best of Metro Detroit. And we’re taking you along for the ride.
We’ve visited spots like Miller’s Bar, Grey Ghost, Redcoat Tavern and more. Now, we’re stopping at Motz’s Burgers in Southwest Detroit.
Next stop: Motz’s Burgers, Detroit
We’re making yet another stop at a historic burger spot in Metro Detroit: Motz’s Burgers. The business has a location in Redford Township and in Detroit. We went to the Motz’s in Southwest Detroit, which is the restaurant’s flagship location.
The restaurant on West Fort Street was one of the “original slider diners back in 1929,” according to the business. And that’s exactly what it was when we arrived for lunch one weekday afternoon.
The restaurant, which boasts it’s “famous 100% beef sliders,” was bustling with a line of customers launching the lunch rush. The staff was well prepared, though, knocking burgers out in no time.
Carmichael and I decided early on that we weren’t going to include sliders in this Burger Breakdown series, since they can be so different from regular burgers. But we did decide to add Motz’s to the mix. So, to compensate for size, we both ordered the double cheeseburger sliders, which are nearly the size of a full burger.
The double cheeseburger sliders run $4.50 a piece. We also got a side of French fries to share, which cost $3.99.
We attached little microphones to our shirts so we could record our reactions while eating (which we did in the car, since it was busy inside). To spare you from the gross chewing sounds, we’ve written out the conversation for you to read, instead.
Here’s how it went.
Chewing the fat
Carmichael: I will preface this by saying I typically don’t like sliders. But these don’t look like sliders! And I kinda like it.
Carmichael: I also like that they didn’t melt the cheese on the grill and just let them melt on the slider.
Cassidy: It smells just like how you want it to smell -- like fast food, but in a good way.
Carmichael: Yes! Smells onion-y and mustard-y.
First bites commence. “Mmmms” ensue.
Carmichael: A little on the soggy side, but it’s OK.
Cassidy: Definitely soggy. My initial thought was “high-end McDonald’s.” But I’m gonna take a few more bites.
More bites.
Carmichael: Yep! The prominent flavor of McDonald’s burgers is mustard, and that’s the exact flavor I’m getting here.
Cassidy: Agreed. Mustard is definitely the dominant flavor.
Cassidy: There’s a lot of cheese in here, too. Melted on top and underneath. It’s nice.
Carmichael: Actually, I can’t get McDonald’s out of my head now that you said that. This is reminding me so much of McDonald’s. Every bite.
Both take more bites.
Carmichael: OH I just had a pickle--
Cassidy: YES I was just about to say the same thing, I just had a pickle in that bite--
Carmichael: And it tasted even more like McDonald’s. But like, better.
Cassidy: Right. It’s an elevated McDonald’s, but it’s still a McDonald’s flavor. This burger tastes just like a McDouble, but obviously, the difference here is the quality of the meat. The meat doesn’t taste that different from McDonald’s meat, though. It’s the texture, thickness and quality that’s different.
Carmichael: It’s not as salty as I want it to be either.
Cassidy: That’s where I’m at, too! The flavor is coming from the mustard.
Carmichael: It’s the mustard and the pickles, so it’s all vinegar-y.
Cassidy: Exactly. It’s really acidic. You can taste the cheese, too. The way they did the toppings are perfect. But I’m still missing a seasoned patty.
We both eye roll at each other. We have had so many decent burgers that just suffer from a lack of seasoning -- not over salting, but general seasoning.
Carmichael: Motz’s uses grilled onions compared to McDonald’s fresh onions. I can’t really taste the grilled onions that much.
Cassidy: Me neither. And because it’s cooked down and soft, the texture gets lost in the mix, too. I do like that the onions are placed between the patties.
Cassidy: If you’re hungry, you definitely have to get a double cheeseburger.
Carmichael: Yeah, and multiple, like me. Laughs.
Cassidy: The whole thing is a little messy, but not as greasy as we thought it would be.
Carmichael: What do you think of the bun?
Cassidy: I really wish they had toasted it.
Carmichael: And that’s why it’s so soggy!
Cassidy: The bun here is fine, and it’s holding together fine for being soggy, but it’s lending itself to McDonald’s. It’s got the same texture on top like McDonald’s does.
Carmichael: You’re right. The meat here is higher quality meat, but it’s not that far off from what you’re really getting at McDonald’s.
Cassidy: This is probably around the same price you’d pay for the same size burger at McDonald’s these days, and this is better, so I’d choose this every time. They’re not the same kind of fast food, but Motz’s is fast food in a way.
Carmichael: At least Motz’s bills it to order. McDonald’s food is kind of just sitting there.
Carmichael: But McDonald’s is a little saltier. Laughs.
Cassidy: Laughs. I know.
Cassidy: I’m thinking these places might be relying on the toppings to add flavor to their burgers, and they’re being light-handed with seasoning their burgers. I don’t just mean salt, but I do think the lack of salt is a big thing.
Carmichael: With the cheese, the sauces, the vegetables -- I don’t know if I can taste the actual burger. It’s very under-salted.
Cassidy: I just took a bite of the burger on its own, and its super bland. Maybe some people just don’t care about that?
Carmichael: Yeah, I don’t know. But it’s a common trend for a lot of places.
Cassidy: I thought the whole experience was good! And it was still tasty altogether, especially if you’re a fan of fast food burgers. I would eat that again.
Carmichael: I would, too. Especially for that price!
Carmichael: I will say, for $4, these fries aren’t salted, either. Laughs.
Cassidy: Has salt gone up in price? Laughs. Are we missing something?!
Overall rating
As we taste more and more burgers, our ratings may change in the future. Until our final results are published, all of our ratings will be considered preliminary. Still, we have established a baseline, and where the burgers fall on our grading scale is becoming clearer and clearer!
For Motz’s Burgers: We thought the burgers were tasty overall. They resembled a McDonald’s McDouble in flavor and characteristics, but Motz’s is clearly better quality. We were, however, still missing proper seasoning of the meat, and wish the meat had a more dominant flavor. It was totally worth it for the price, and we’d eat here again, but we still didn’t find the knockout flavor we’re looking for.
Our ratings are as follows (on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best):
- Carmichael’s rating: 7.2
- Cassidy’s rating: 7
Find all Burger Breakdowns here
Why are we doing this?
After trying countless hamburgers in our lives, we are on the hunt for the very best burger Metro Detroit has to offer. We’re selecting restaurants from viewer submissions, the most common “top burger” lists, and from our own lists, and tasting them all to see which is really the greatest.
When asking viewers where the best Metro Detroit burger is, we received over 600 responses. While we can’t try 600 burgers (I don’t think we’d survive), we’re going to get through as many as we can.
In short, we’re on the hunt for the moment when we can say: “Now, that’s the best burger I’ve ever had,” and we’re reporting on what we find. We’re both huge lovers of food, cooking, and the social scene, and we’re frequently trying new food and places throughout Southeast Michigan.
This journey will take us to many different restaurants that cater to different budgets. While we can’t get to every Metro Detroit restaurant and burger, we aren’t excluding any specific type of establishment from our search -- save for chains that aren’t specifically local.
As we hunt for the very best burger around, we will stop in at some dives, some higher-end spots, and everything in between. Our criteria will be the same for everyone, and we won’t be rating the more expensive burgers higher for any reason -- they’ll be graded for their quality and value just the same.
Have a spot you think we absolutely have to try? Let us know in an email or in the comments below, and we may add it to our list! Again, we’re avoiding chains, unless they’re local.