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Search for the Best Burger Joint in Austin: Casino El Camino

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True Austin experience at Casino El Camino

There is no shortage of great burger joints in Austin. If you’ve been looking for the best burgers in Austin you’ve come to the right place. This post is part of a series on The Austinot.

All the posts in the series will start with “Search for the Best Burger Joint in Austin” in the title.

You’ll always get an honest take on the burger joints that I’ve visited. Keep in mind that these are just my opinions. I’m sure you may agree or disagree, and I’m good with that if you are.

Regardless, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Casino El Camino First Impression

Casino El Camino is not hard to find. It is right on the famous 6th Street, just west of Red River.

As you enter the place, your senses are immediately assaulted. Though the place is poorly lit, as soon as your eyes adjust it’s obvious that Casino has a character all its own. There is a leering gargoyle statue that hangs from the bar and seems to be watching the patrons as they file in. In addition, large scale murals line the walls, providing even more for your eyes to feast on as you find a seat.

Casino El Camino’s Gargoyle Guards the Door

The music is loud. Very loud. Way too high in volume to hold a conversation without shouting, but that doesn’t stop people from coming in droves to sample the food. This is a classic bar in Austin. If you’re looking for a dive bar with great food, you’ll be happy you came to Casino El Camino.

My server’s name was Courtney and she was cool, friendly and always attentive to our table. For those wondering, I went with the “Chicago Burger,” basically a classic bacon burger with cheese. Fries are ordered separately, so I got a basket of those too.

Be prepared to wait for your food. They make everything to order, so a 3/4 lb. burger takes about 25 minutes to get to your table.

Austinot Eric’s Burger Review Criteria

If you read my first article in this series, you’ll know that I rate burger joints using a 1-10 scale, with 5 being Average. (Don’t be a hater. If I rate you a 5, that means you were average.)

Roughly speaking, a score of 1 translates to “worst ever,” while 10 translates to “God handcrafted this himself.” Remember, you are free to disagree with me. This is just my honest take.

When reviewing a burger joint, these are my categories:

  1. Burger Patties
  2. Bun
  3. Cheese
  4. Messiness
  5. Garnish
  6. Burger Taste
  7. Fries
  8. Atmosphere
  9. Cleanliness
  10. Other Factors

Casino El Camino Burger Review

Chicago Burger at Casino El Camino

  1. Burger Patties = 9. Massive 3/4 pound patties, juicy and flame kissed. Very hard to get your mouth around and the portion is so huge that the kitchen cuts it in two before serving. What is not to love?
  2. Bun = 5. The bun was nicely oiled and the right size, but crumbled apart through the course of the meal, which lowered this from a 7 to a 5.
  3. Cheese = 6. Real cheese. I feel like the burger could have had another slice to increase marks. In short, there was nothing wrong with the cheese; it was excellent. But for the size of the burger, the flavor got a little lost. If you are going to make a burger that size, the amount of cheese must match up.
  4. Messiness = 9. The burger was nearly perfectly messy.  I like a messy burger. Not too messy where it can’t be eaten, but messy enough so that you know you’ve got something special in your hands.
  5. Garnish = 6. The tomatoes were fresh, thickly cut and ample. The bacon was crisp and flavorful. The lettuce was not as crisp as it should have been and was the only thing that kept this mark at a 6 instead of a 7. I think on any other day, this mark may have been a strong 7.
  6. Taste = 8.  Casino El Camino makes a massive burger that will have you coming back for more. Juicy and rich meat with a hint of black pepper and chargrilled flavor. Like you make on the grill…only better.
  7. Fries = 8. Their fries are really good. Traditional fries that are somewhere between steak fries and fast food fries when it comes to size. Not too crispy or overdone, but not just a pile of sogginess either. A nice balance of soft and crisp. Note: A basket of fries is more than enough for two people.
  8. Atmosphere = 8. Casino El Camino is original. There is no debating that. Well loved by locals and frequented by travelers, this is a do not miss spot. The only thing about when I visited was that the volume of the music was so high that it was hard to hold a conversation. This was a real turn off, but the place is so original that it retains the high mark of 8 in this category. Turn down the music a bit and you get a solid 9 in this mark.
  9. Cleanliness = 6. The place was above average clean for a bar on 6th Street.
  10. Other Factors = 7. The music selection, though loud, varied greatly and had a little bit for everyone. The staff was cool and friendly, and the service was always quick. Don’t think my water glass ever went under half full; I tipped 30%.

Bottom Line on Casino El Camino in Austin: 7.2 out of 10

Overall Score = 7.2. The overall score is the average of the 10 categories.

The burger at Casino El Camino is more than a mouthful. It is so huge that it’s hard to get your mouth around it. It is flavorful and has a small hint of black pepper taste. The bun is sizable, but crumbles throughout the meal. The bacon was crisp and flavorful and the tomatoes were fresh and thick, while the lettuce was just average.

Entrance to Casino El Camino on 6th Street in Austin

If you are looking for a huge burger with a great taste, Casino El Camino will fill that need and more. The price was reasonable for what you get, the server was attentive and hip, and for good reason, Austinites love this place. So give it a shot; it’s definitely worth checking out.

And so my…

Search for the Best Burger Joint in Austin Continues

So far, of burger joints in Austin reviewed on the Austinot, here is the scorecard:

#1 – score 8.1 – The Tavern

#2 – score 8.0 – Your Mom’s Burger Bar (Tied for 2nd so far) CLOSED see below.

#2 – score 8.0 – Opal Divine’s Freehouse (Tied for 2nd so far) 6th Street location CLOSED see below.

#3 – score 7.64 – P. Terry’s

#4 – score 7.6 – Phil’s Icehouse

#5 – score 7.2 – Casino El Camino

#6 – score 7.1 – Crown & Anchor Pub

#7 – score 7.05 – Dirty Martin’s Place

#8 – score 7.0 – Billy’s on Burnet (Tied for 8th so far)

#8 – score 7.0 – Moonie’s Burger House (Tied for 8th so far)

#9 – score 6.9 – Mighty Fine Burgers

#10 – score 6.7 – Wholly Cow Burgers

#11 – score 6.4 – Nau’s Enfield Drug

#12 – score 5.9 – Old School Bar and Grill

#13 – score 4.8 – Cover 3

Burger joints that have shut down since they were reviewed:

1. Opal Divine’s (The 6th street location is closed but they have other locations so give them a try.)

2. Your Mom’s Burger Bar (The owners decided to buy an RV and see the country. But they did write a farewell letter to Austin. We’ll miss you Your Mom’s!)

Other places that have been suggested to review: 

  1. 2nd Bar + Kitchen
  2. 24 Diner
  3. Austin Land and Cattle
  4. Austin Java
  5. Black Sheep Lodge
  6. Blue Star Cafeteria
  7. Burger Tex 2 on Guadalupe
  8. Cain and Abel’s
  9. Counter Cafe
  10. Cow Bells
  11. Dan’s Hamburgers
  12. Dart Bowl
  13. Foreign and Domestic
  14. Fran’s Hamburgers
  15. Hat Creek
  16. Hill’s Cafe
  17. Hideout Pub
  18. Hoover’s Cooking
  19. Hopdoddy
  20. Hula Hut
  21. Hut’s Hamburgers
  22. Jack Allen’s Kitchen
  23. Jackalope
  24. Lambert
  25. Luke’s Inside Out
  26. Parkside
  27. Ski Shores
  28. South Congress Cafe
  29. Sputnik
  30. Top Notch

Got one you’d like added to the list? Comment and let us know! (Only suggestions of burger joints founded in Austin will be added.)

Casino El Camino on Urbanspoon

@EricHighland asks:

I’d love to hear what you have to say. Do you agree or disagree with me?  

Eric Highland
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Filed Under: Food, Food & Drink Tagged With: ,

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Comments

  1. .

    Go to the Tavern. Meat (medium), cheese (extra cheese), bun — nothing else.

    Eat it. Enjoy it.

    This is standard excellent fare. Perfectly consistent.

    It’s been here since UT played football without helmets.

    All those new joints are like whores in a silk dress. Hopdoddy my butt.

    Eat, Austin. Eat.

    You are welcome.

    .

  2. Great post. I agree with you on that as well. This is simply one of my all time fave spots to get a Nuclear Hot Bacon-Blue-Cheese-Buffalo Burger. Also, try the chili-cheese fries, they use REAL chili. Additionally, my time tip to go eat there would be to go there: late after the bar crowd has gone, early in the day before the tourists/college kids get there, or even during a rain event or shortly there after since the street crowds are very minimal. It seems that their success and foodie finds have grown since they were on Food Network and the Travel Channel.
    Those are just my little tips for other readers… enjoy!!

    P.S. Don’t tell my doctor I go there….lolz

  5. casino el camino is grrreat; but my all time #1 burger is the bacon gorgonzola at 24 diner. their buns are a 10, easy, and be sure you get it medium, the way they make it. get the fries, and a side of the jalapeno remoulade for dipping. seriously. best burger in town. the buns. they’re so shiny.

  6. Definitely have to try the Tavern, but don’t miss on Phil’s Ice house. I’ve done the rounds looking for the best bacon cheeseburger in my opinion and Phil’s Ice House is amazing.

  7. This is a great review. Quality description of the place. You forgot to mention the outdoor patio in the back and describe more about how great bar it also is. I was surprised the overall score wasn’t much higher than Mighty Fine. I figured a full point higher. Casino El Camino & Hopdoddy I give a tie for 1st place in the ATX. Just depends on the person. It is certainly the largest at 3/4lbs. Thats why it takes so long to cook. If you want spicy, get the Amarillo Burger! Good video review to watch here: http://youtu.be/t4UL35Q07TY

    • If you like the thick burger.. Casino will not disappoint @facebook-1356121617:disqus let me know what you think once you go by commenting on the post. Would love to know if you agree with my review and what YOUR experience was.

      • Well, it took me a couple of years, but I finally went middle of last year. The burger was good, but not sure it was worth the wait. Communication wasn’t great, but ok. I took a date there and Firehouse for drinks after then to listen to my buddy play at 4 Seasons. Great date, and the burger was the beginning! Thanks for the recommendation!

    • Completely agree. It just crumbled apart, and that was no fun. But hey, you never know. Maybe they’ll see this review and your comment and consider their supplier.

  10. Seconded on the Buffalo Burger. It is also possible to get a side of fries (I’m pretty sure it’s on the opposite side of the menu, so it’s easy to miss), but it’s more fun to share. (Also, I have no idea why I just saw this today when it was posted last summer. I guess it was tweeted again today?)

    • Aw, 0.4 points is pretty insignificant. 😉 I think sometimes people also scan over the fact that we’re not rating only the burgers, but the joints. That Cleanliness factor can make a difference. Some people care about that, and others just want a dive with an awesome burger.

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