Best Burger in Aiken Part 5 - City Billiards

Location - City Billiards, 208 Richland Ave W, Aiken, SC 29801
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I know what you're probably thinking. "Two posts this week?! What is going on?!" And also probably, "What is up with the beginning of this post?"

Well, to answer the latter part first, I had someone comment on one of my previous posts asking for the address and website for the places I go. Now, let me just say that I was actually really excited about having a comment on my blog. It makes me feel like someone is actually out there reading what I say and is apparently taking it to heart (or stomach) because he mentioned that he wants to visit these places as well for himself. So, I have changed it up a bit with the address and their Facebook page at the very top so you can find them. I really encourage you all to try it yourself and also "Like" them on Facebook because all of these locations really do deserve recognition for being great, locally-owned places to eat in our local community.

As for the first part of the question, well, I just felt like treating myself a bit this week for whatever reason. I mean, you only live once. And I've been reading about how the "dad bod" is "in" now, and even though I'm not a dad, I think I might have developed this physique and if it's "in" and I "got it" then I guess I better flaunt  it, right?

Yeah, we'll go with that.

Anyways, so today I continued the "quest," again taking a friend along. Ms. Billie and I go back a few years to when I worked in the USC Aiken athletic department and I love getting to hang out with her when we get the chance. She is an absolute hoot, but it sadly makes the time go by entirely too quickly. I mean, I felt like one minute we were walking in the door and the next instant we are having to walk out so I can get back to work. Where did the time go? Where did my burger go? Ms. Billie, did you eat my burger?

We decided that neither of us had been to City Bs in a while, so that is where we went today. City Billiards in downtown Aiken. Just across bustling Richland Avenue from Monday's contestant, Playoffs. Without further ado, here is what they offered up to me today.

As I have stated a few times, I love it when a place sets themselves apart with slight variations to a normal burger. Now, I have been going to City Bs for years and don't recall the burger every coming like this, but their menu has been changed recently and I didn't see just a plain burger on there. They have several specialty burgers (which I will be going back to try) but I never really saw just a "City Bs Classic Burger" and this was the closest I could come to it. Then again, it might be one of those things where you just have to ask for a normal cheese burger and they will happily oblige.

Anyways, it was served up on a ciabatta roll and I absolutely love that. Now, I have mentioned before my affinity to toasted buns, but when you serve bread like ciabatta, it can be warm, just not hard. And this bread was perfect. And it wasn't smushed either. The bread alone made me pretty happy with this burger. Along with the conversation and camaraderie.

The burger is delivered in a basket with fries (or whatever your side you choose) and it is already cut in half and has toothpicks holding it all together. The presentation alone is helping this bad boy out. On there are your normal patty, lettuce, tomato, onion, and condiments. Things to note that were obviously different from the other places: 1) instead of whole lettuce leaves, this is shredded, 2) like the lettuce, the onions are not whole but diced, 3) there is a distinct lack of ketchup, only mustard and mayo on this guy.

Previous burgers have had a bit too much onion for my taste, but this one was near perfect in that respect; however, in this case the lettuce was a bit much. I felt like the toothpicks were more to keep it from tumbling over because of the lettuce.

The burger was very well cooked and, as you can see, has almost 0 pink in it. The lack of pink in the middle did not mean that this burger was overly dry or overly juicy, it just was very well cooked.

Something I have always liked about City Bs is the way you can see the kitchen and watch them prepare your food on a grill as old as Aiken is, I'm sure, with a lot of flavor cooked into it from the years and years of cooking. But for some reason, today, I wasn't overly impressed with the taste of the burger (and not in that it was disgusting, it wasn't). It was lacking that meaty taste and may have been slightly masked by the lettuce and other things on it. There was a lot going on with this burger, as is the case with most it seems. I mean, this burger has been voted the "People's Choice Best Burger in Aiken" according to the Aiken Standard many, many times. And I have had great burgers from there before... just not today.

The cheese looks perfectly melted, there's nice, crisp fries to go along with it, and it looks really good. Just I didn't taste the burger, really. I'm honestly kind of at a loss for what happened, but I have to go off of what I experienced on this trip. I loved the bread. I love the feel the place has and the history of being around for some time. I love the locals that are in there working or eating and/or talking away. I really do love City Bs, but today, the burger just wasn't doing it for me. It needs more of that flavor you expect from a burger. That meaty goodness.

Price - $12.00 and some change (burger, fries and unlimited sweet tea - FYI, this is some of my favorite tea. It and the fries were awesome)

Ambience - I've really already described this place. City Bs is an old pool hall with a bar and a kitchen. It's been around for some time and is another of those "hole-in-the-wall" locations that locals love to take their out-of-town friends to. I've spent plenty of nights in there shooting pool with friends as well as lunches as well just chowing down on a burger or hotdog. The walls are covered in local memorabilia and the staff is always very welcoming. 

If I had to rate this with the others, I think this one is sadly towards the middle. Playoffs remains the top of the list with probably Red Shed or City Bs and then Blue Top (I know, I'm going to take crap for that, but it's just how I feel about it right now). The thing that really makes me like this burger more is that ciabatta bread for a bun. Hopefully they'll still invite me back because I really like going there.