A Burger That's 'Tops' With Me
Several years ago, I stopped at Best Wings of Memphis on Summer Avenue for a cheeseburger. I had low expectations about it, assuming that a hot wings restaurant couldn't make a great burger. My doubts were put to rest after taking the first bite, for it was very delicious. I can't precisely remember why I liked it, but the experience stuck with me like fond memories of a beautiful woman. Although the burger was great, I never got around to having another one until last week. Taking advantage of a day off from work, I made my way back to Best Wings for another wonderful burger. I went there expecting more, and I wasn't disappointed.
Best Wings' cheeseburger isn't anything other than a basic cheeseburger composed of the usual stuff that most expect. Breaking it down, it consists of a ground beef patty, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard and mayo (and onions that I left out). In other words, the cheeseburger doesn't have anything that can't be found elsewhere. However, it's the way that those ingredients are thrown together is what raises Best Wings' cheeseburger above the pack. While the slightly charred and "well done" ground beef provides a good base for the burger, the excessive mayonnaise gives it most of its taste. There is so much of it in the burger that I initially assumed it was another layer of cheese. Even though it is a bit much, the mayo acquits itself well for a decadent cheeseburger that is delicious despite being slightly unhealthy.
SIDE NOTE: Speaking of health, I was glad that the soda fountain had an option for water. Despite having a small amount of Hi-C Punch mixed in, the water was a far better choice than the high sugar sodas that most get in a "combo" order. Not to go all "Memphis Que" about it, but I feel consumers should have a healthier beverage option. Then again, if a person is eating a heavily mayo-laden cheeseburger, he/she might not benefit much from drinking healthy. Anyway, I'm grateful for the water provided by Best Wings.
For those unfamiliar with Best Wings' cheeseburger, it is very comparable to Tops Bar-B-Q. Although the barbecue chain might have a slight edge in meat quality, it could prove difficult for most to distinguish between the two. Given the similarities, it's unfortunate that Best Wings' cheeseburger doesn't get more recognition. To help in that effort, I put Best Wings of Memphis on my best burger list. While it will never substitute for a tasty Uptown Burger from Roxie's Grocery or a Local Burger with gourmet fixings, Best Wings' cheeseburger is what it is. I appreciate it, and I'm confident that others will too.
Given that Best Wings of Memphis is, well, a wings joint, I should have an opinion about its primary product. I don't, so I'll defer to other blogs like Best Memphis Burger (which I believe would give Best Wings' cheeseburger three stars) and Memphis Gastro's Blog that have similar views about the restaurant's Buffalo wings. For the most part, the prevailing opinion of the wings is they are mushy and sweet that's due to its tomato-based sauce. I personally never had wings with a sauce like that, so I'll reserve judgment until I try them myself.
UPDATE (11/30/13): Since my initial review, I went back to Best Wings for a helping of its poultry. Like with other "wing" reviews, I got half my order "regular hot" and the other Honey Gold. The hot wings tasted like my fellow bloggers described. The tomato-sauced wings were moderately hot and slightly sweet. 
While that was expected, the big surprise was the Honey Gold wings. I want to stress the word HONEY, for the "sauce" was mostly honey with a little mustard mixed in. Also, the "sauce" wasn't spicy, obviously the result of it lacking hot sauce. Compared to other places, these Honey Gold wings were the most unique that I've ever had.I want to end this review by commenting on Best Wings' service. For the most part, it is very prompt in getting out orders. It has to be, for none of its locations (Summer Ave., Elvis Presley Blvd., Getwell Rd.) take phone orders (I'm assuming that it got "stiffed" a lot). At the Summer Ave. location, Gospel music plays loudly throughout the restaurant (closed on Sundays). I definitely felt like I was in church while chomping on my burger. Overall, I had a great time at Best Wings, for it was an uplifting experience in terms of both the food and atmosphere. That said, I won't wait another several years for my next visit.
Website: BestWingsOfMemphis.com
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