Have you just relocated to the area and are looking for a good place to take the family for dinner? Need a new hangout place to meet with friends? Do you like burgers and a fun, unique atmosphere? Tired of the same old fast food burgers?

Here are two of the absolute favorite hamburger joints in the Raleigh/Triangle area - try them once, and you'll have a hard time ever going through a McDonald's drive thru again. 

Fat Daddy's, located on Glenwood Ave in Raleigh, is a one of a kind build-your-own burger joint. When you first walk in, there is a desert counter with fresh baked goodies and ice cream, a self-serve cooler with a wide selection of unique beers and then the counter - which always has plenty of friendly employees ready to handle a line quickly. 

After making choosing between, among other things, a burger, chicken, fish or ribeye sandwich and a side of fries or onion rings, head to a table to wait for to hear your name announced over the intercom - no order numbers here!

When the order is up, pick up the round tray with your sandwich.  It may seem like a big tray, with one sandwich and side on it, but you'll need all that room to start adding your personal combination of "fixin's". 

Make your way to the fresh condiment bar where the choice of toppings for your sandwich is the largest selection I've seen!

Huge slices of fresh, flavorful tomatoes, shredded and whole leaf lettuce, pickles, broccoli, sliced cucumbers, fresh Southern style coleslaw, chopped onions, butter, mayonnaise, ranch dressing and more.   

Seriously, it's possible to make a side salad to go along with the burger.  There's also have a choice of hot cheese sauce and barbeque sauce to dip in, along with nice little cups with lids in case you want it to go.  Cheese sauce and onion rings, yum!

When I bit into my huge hamburger, wow! The bun is not your typical hamburger bun, but a huge fresh baked melt in your mouth delight making the fresh cooked hamburger even better.

And the onion rings are the best I've ever had, not only are they freshly cooked to order, but they are large and crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.  Think about the best onion rings you've ever gotten at a state fair or Scottish festival - these are right up there, and have been known to put diets off "until tomorrow".

I asked one customer what he likes about Fat Daddy's and he said it's "distinct with real hamburgers in a world of fast food restaurants". I got the impression that he is very much the repeat customer.  

This is a great place to take the whole family for a night out.  But if you want to hang out with some "of age" friends, join Fat Daddy's in the basement to play some pool or darts and have a couple of drinks, while listening to the jukebox and live music on the weekends.

Fat Daddy's is totally unique - and part of that means there is only one location, but it's worth the drive from wherever you live, work or play in the Raleigh area. 

My second favorite Raleigh burger joint is Five Guys. If a homemade hamburger fresh off the barbeque, with the toppings added by the cook, is more your style then Five Guys is for you.

Walk in the door and pass boxes of peanuts and bags of potatoes creating a unique décor while waiting to be consumed as you make your way to the counter.

Once you are ready to order you have the choice of Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Bacon Burger or Bacon Cheeseburger that will fill you to the brim as they all come with two patties.

If you are a little less on the hungry side, you can order the "little" version of each for just one patty.

Now, start adding the toppings. Mayo, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, fried onions, sautéed mushrooms, ketchup, and mustard are all standard and you have the choice of adding relish, onions, jalapeno peppers, A-1 sauce, green peppers, bar-b-q sauce and/or hot sauce.

Also, don't forget to order a side of fries, cooked in pure, no cholesterol peanut oil, these fries have a fresh unique flavor that you will only find at Five Guys. 

Best fries I've ever had - and they come with a bonus.  Order the large cup, and you'll get the cup, in a brown paper bag, with an "extra scoop" dumped in. 

One order of fries is plenty for 2-3 hungry diners!   They also offer a choice of 100% kosher hot dogs, and grilled cheese if you have young diners with you.

After ordering, grab that metal bucket off your table, and head back to the big box of peanuts in the shell by the front door. 

Dig in, take it back to the table, and snack on fresh peanuts while you're waiting for your order. 

Or, if you really want to, stand at the counter and watch your burger and sautéed onions and mushrooms cook to perfection - everything is in full view of the customers. 

While you're opening peanuts, look around the walls of the room for a little light reading. 

Plastered around the room are article after article touting numerous awards for "Best Burger", "Best Burger for Families", "Readers Choice #1 Hamburger" for 5 years running and "Best Place for a Hamburger" just to name a few. 

Reporters talk about how "5 Guys" represent the five sons of the founder - who started with one restaurant in Northern Virginia in 1986. Now in 19 states, this hamburger joint makes its name with large portions, freshly cut potatoes for French fries, and the best, juiciest burger you've ever had (except for maybe the burgers at Fat Daddy's!) 

With locations in Cary, Durham, Raleigh and Knightdale as well as all up and down the east coast, it is a little easier to find a Five Guys Restaurant, so grab a friend and head on out for a great lunch!

Fat Daddy's - 6201 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh

5 Guys - 1856 Boulderstone Way,  Cary,  NC 

5 Guys - 712 SE Maynard Rd,  Cary,  NC  27511

5 Guys - The Streets at Southpoint Mall - 6910 Fayetteville Rd.,  Durham,  NC  27713

5 Guys - North Hills Raleigh Six Forks Rd and Lassiter Mill Rd,  Raleigh,  NC  27609

So which is my favorite - 5 Guys or Fat Daddy's?  They're both outstanding in different ways.  I think I'm going to have to pay another visit to each before I can decide!

Raleigh and the Triangle Area

Whether you're looking at relocating to Raleigh to start your career, to find a friendly place to raise a family, or retiring in a terrific climate, Raleigh and the Research Park Triangle has something to offer you. Great schools, Forbes rated #1 in 2007 for Businesses and Careers, lots of lakes and golf courses, top-rated cultural centers, universities, and hospitals - and all only two hours to the ocean and three hours to the mountains - it's no wonder that Raleigh is a "Best Place to Live"!

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