(Chickasha, OK) - How is it that we've never heard of this place before? How has the name never come up during chats with other burger connoisseurs when the topic of best out-of-the-way independent greazy spoons has come up? Seriously -- we need to know.
What you've got here is the classic, small-town diner serving up a simple menu. On the menu is the obligatory Oklahoma onion burger. We don't eat onion burgers -- the depression being over and all it just isn't our thing -- but they got 'em. And there are also full-beef burgers on the menu. No real need to stretch that beef as far as it will go -- even if there's still the onion burger craving which we do NOT begrudge. Have at it!
The fries are fresh-cut -- which we didn't necessarily expect. It was a nice surprise. We were prepared for some flash-frozen shoestrings and those would've been fine. Love fresh cut fries and these were greasy and good. We'd recommend a blanching before opening to make them crispy and less greasy -- but we realize that can be a hassle and it's not like this place some gourmet hipster destination. This is real heartland food for real people.
Which brings us to the burgers. They are served in the smash burger style that will be familiar to patrons of such fast-food joints like Culver's, Steak N Shake, Freddie's and to a lesser extent, SmashBurger. But where the aforementioned are all decent-to-great burgers -- these at J&W are bigger and juicy in the middle and caramelized to crunchy on the edges. Simple. Awesome!
In short, the burgers here are everything we optimistically expected when we stopped on a whim to eat -- and more. Figured they'd be good, old-fashioned diner burgers with good, old-fashioned diner fries. But it was all many steps past that. What a pleasant surprise. If you should find yourself in the charming City of Chickasha -- this place is HIGHLY recommended.
***Update (Thanks to Mr. John Peterson -- and we verified with another burger mongering visit) it's no longer a cash establishment. They take major cards -- mostly. As far as American Express; if you're coming here you can leave home without it.
-- Rufus
