Cult US burger chain Five Guys has gained a massive following since its UK launch in July last year. So when they opened a restaurant in Cardiff’s Brewery Quarter in March, I had to see what the fuss was all about.
Phil and I visited on a Saturday afternoon so it was pretty hectic with groups of teenagers and families around. It didn’t feel stressful though, more like organised chaos.
We were greeted by Ondrej at the entrance who was super friendly and attentive amongst the hustle and bustle. He showed us to our seats and talked us through the menu.
Choosing your order is a simple affair. Double patty burgers are standard but you can also have a one patty burger (Little Hamburger), or a hot dog. Next, you can opt for bacon, cheese or both. Then you can then add up to 15 fillings and sauces for free.
There are a few vegetarian options including a vegetable or a grilled cheese sandwich. Although I’m not a big meat eater, I decided to go for a burger anyway to get the full experience.
I chose the a Little Hamburger with bacon, cheese, pickles and mushrooms. I have a weird obsession with pickles, which Phil finds both strange and amusing.
Considering I’m not a huge fan of burgers, I liked it. The meat was juicy, tasty, excellent quality and miles ahead of the measly, processed burgers at many fast-food joints. You may think that £6 odd is pricey without fries but you get what you pay for – and that is a bloody good burger.
The bun was great too and didn’t fall apart in my hands when I picked it up, something that annoys me more than it should – SO irritating! Fortunately, the Five Guys bun stayed intact the whole time, which won several burger points in my eyes.
Phil had the double patty hamburger with bacon, cheese, lettuce, jalapeños, mayo and BBQ sauce. He lives for burgers so naturally, he LOVED it and would have eaten three more if he could.
You have the option of regular or Cajun fries which are cooked in pure, no cholesterol peanut oil. Phil and I were both swayed by the Cajun fries, which had a spicy but moreish kick to them. I’d definitely recommend them!
Now onto drinks. We both had a peanut butter milkshake which was out of this world. Seriously. I would gladly queue up again to order another one for dessert. In fact, I wanted to but we had a train to catch.
You can also choose from 120 fizzy drinks at the digital machine, which is the only one in Wales, so I was told. I’m not particularly fussed on fizzy drinks but I chose a cloudy lemonade for the novelty of using the machine and Phil went for a grape soda.
After our visit, I can understand why people do rave on about Five Guys so much. Despite not being that keen on burgers, I enjoyed my meal and would definitely go back again.
* Please note that this meal was complimentary.
Five Guys, The Old Brewery Quarter, Cardiff, CF10 1FG. Tel: 02920 389500
That is such a funny coincidence because I tried a Five Guys place when we were staying in Arizona while on one of our road trips here in USA recently; interesting to note you have them in Wales now too!! I bet I would love that peanut butter shake – yumm! Like you I am not normally a huge fan of burgers, but if they are done really well I can be swayed ;) and I love the fries :)
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Ah, that is a coincidence! Yes, we have just the one Five Guys in Cardiff at the moment but we don’t live too far from there so it’s not too difficult to go! I would urge you to try the PB milkshake, I can’t stop thinking about it almost a week later! I think we might be heading up to Cardiff again this weekend so I might have to get another shake! I love the fries too, they taste much more ‘real’ than fries from other fast-food chains. Hope all is well with you! :)