500 Degrees in Philadelphia

500 Degrees Storefront in Philadelphia

After the clearly misguided Five Guys review (sorry LydonWrites, the public has spoken), I thought I’d offer my thoughts on one of Philly’s newer Burger Joints: the Rogue-affiliated 500 Degrees.  Since Rob Wasserman opened the restaurant in March, the food has been very hit or miss. However, as time has progressed, 500 degrees seems to have found it’s footing and is becoming a worthwhile place to in stop in for a bite.

As it should be, the menu is pretty simple: burgers, fries, and drinks with slight variations for each.  The “Classic” burger comes with bibb lettuce and a tomato, and variations include cheese (five varieties) and toppings (jalapenos, grilled onions, avocado, etc).  A good thing about the burgers is that you can specify how you want it cooked, and the burgers are thick enough that they can pull this off effectively (be warned, they err a little on the side of caution, so you may want to order below your cooking preference).  Patties are balled up fresh throughout the day, and as long as the right people are behind the counter, seasoned and cooked very well.  As height has replaced width, the burgers look small at first glance, but don’t be fooled, they’re actually very filling.  They’re served on an eggy bun (baked fresh twice daily), that’s a cross between brioche and unsweetened challah.  The taste of the bread and butterhead lettuce pair well, while contrasting nicely with the salty tender beef.  Overall, a good burger.

Classic Burger with a side of fries

Fries are a cross between ribbon and shoestring cut and come in plain, spicy, or truffle.  Whether you’ll like the fries depends on your own personal taste.  I’m more inclined towards softer thicker fries, while here they aim for a crispier variety (although they sometimes miss the mark…thankfully).  The thinner cut does little to hold in much flavor; however, if you’re looking for a little more kick, opt for the truffle version.  I’m thankful for the large portion size, allowing you to easily split them with a friend; however, I’m not that big a fan of their  overall taste (or lack thereof).

Made with local Bassetts ice cream, the shakes here are delicious.  If you were a fan of the deep rich flavor of the late Goodburger’s chocolate shakes, you’ll enjoy what 500 degrees has to offer.  A little too rich for me, so I recommend opting for the black and white.  Additionally, with small chunks of fruit, the strawberry shake is quite tasty, although I can’t comment on the vanilla.

Current Menu for 500 Degrees

The price is pretty much right on par with every other “gourmet” Burger Joint.  I won’t bias you with my opinion of value, you can assess that for yourself.  Overall, it’s a worthwhile experience, but still has room for improvement: the burgers are very tender, but not juicy, and the fries were seasoned well, but lacking substance.  If you’re not a fan of Five Guys, and you miss stopping in at Goodburger, 500 Degrees could be your new favorite place.

500 degrees is located at 1504 Sansom Street near the corner of Sansom and 15th in Philadelphia, Pa.  (215) 568-5000.