Overall Score: 87 (B+)
| Burger | Sides | Service/Exp | Value | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John | 59.5 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 88.5 |
| Russell | 60 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 87 |
| Mark | 56 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 86 |
Russell
This week's stop is one that I have been looking forward to since we decided on our list for the burger tour. Nikki's Drive Inn has been serving great food in Chattanooga since 1941. It has been featured in Fodor's Travel Guide and has been profiled in USA Today and Southern Living. Nikki's started on Seventh Street and later moved to Cherokee Boulevard after Nikki's husband lost the restaurant in a gambling bet. When you walk in Nikki's, you can just picture what it would have been like to eat here during the '40s and '50s. In fact, when my grandparents were dating, they spent many dates dining at Nikki's.
We decided to go early since Nikki's has limited seating and it is always busy. We got there at 11:40 am and it was already packed for lunch. We got the last booth and all of the counter seating was full. We were immediately greeted and asked what we'd like to drink and then Amanda came and took our order. We all ordered the cheese burger and fries. Nikki's is known for great onion rings and as tempting as they were, I have stuck to fries during the entire tour. Next time I WILL get onion rings. Our food came out very quick. They have their service down to an art. The meat was fresh and the veggies were good. I particularly liked the chopped onions and the steamed bun.
I can't wait to go back to Nikki's. There are so many things on the menu that I want to try. Everything looked great. Maybe next time I will take my grandparents so they can reminisce about their early years.
Overall Score: 87 (B+)
This week's stop is one that I have been looking forward to since we decided on our list for the burger tour. Nikki's Drive Inn has been serving great food in Chattanooga since 1941. It has been featured in Fodor's Travel Guide and has been profiled in USA Today and Southern Living. Nikki's started on Seventh Street and later moved to Cherokee Boulevard after Nikki's husband lost the restaurant in a gambling bet. When you walk in Nikki's, you can just picture what it would have been like to eat here during the '40s and '50s. In fact, when my grandparents were dating, they spent many dates dining at Nikki's.We decided to go early since Nikki's has limited seating and it is always busy. We got there at 11:40 am and it was already packed for lunch. We got the last booth and all of the counter seating was full. We were immediately greeted and asked what we'd like to drink and then Amanda came and took our order. We all ordered the cheese burger and fries. Nikki's is known for great onion rings and as tempting as they were, I have stuck to fries during the entire tour. Next time I WILL get onion rings. Our food came out very quick. They have their service down to an art. The meat was fresh and the veggies were good. I particularly liked the chopped onions and the steamed bun.
I can't wait to go back to Nikki's. There are so many things on the menu that I want to try. Everything looked great. Maybe next time I will take my grandparents so they can reminisce about their early years.
Overall Score: 87 (B+)
Mark
What can you say about Nikki's? It's a Chattanooga landmark. I've been here numerous times and having never had a bad experience. I certainly couldn't wait for today's Tour stop.
Unlike the really thick, third-pound burgers you'll find at Armando's and Merv's, Nikki's serves up a thinner patty, served on a fresh bun that's been slightly kissed by a Toastmaster press. Don't worry, you'll still be full; the burger takes up nearly the whole plate.
I have a bit of a dilemma when it comes to scoring this visit. The burger is good, really good. But is it Merv's or Armando's good? It's in the same neighborhood, but it doesn't quite reach the high bar set by the others. The fries are fine, and my tea was super sweet, "hold your spoon up" sweet, which I like. The service was fantastic, lots of smiles and friendly chat; we were even told the be careful in the rain when we left. An excellent overall value as well, coming in at a little over 8 bucks.
So what's the dilemma?
It's the darn atmosphere. I love this place. From the pay telephone in the corner to the jukebox songs you can select right from your booth, this is a perfect hamburger joint. Given the total overall burger experience, I would place this stop in the top three. But, since the weight of the score is anchored by the burger, I'm afraid Nikki's is going to sail down the list below where it might otherwise land. Yes you might be able to find a better burger in Chattanooga, but if you don't have Nikki's in your rotation, you're missing out.Do yourself a favor and grab a friend and a little cash and head up to Nikki's. Order the burger with onion rings and you are sure to smile.
And keep an eye out for Johnny.
Overall Score: 86 (B+)
John
I think we have mentioned before that one of the really great things about the Burger Tour is that it has forced us out of the rut we had been in on our lunch choices and motivated us to patronize new establishments as well as return to old favorites. My first comment when we sat down was why haven't I been to Nikki's in so long. I had no good answer.
Why I love Nikki's:
- Cool building nestled on Stringer's Ridge
- Fantastic atmosphere—our kind of place; right up there with Zarzour's
- Great service
- Steamed buns
- Diced onions
- Yummy fries
- Fabulous shrimp and onion rings (we didn't enjoy them today, but they are as good as they come)
- Super value
The only beef I have is with the beef. The patty is kind of puny and just doesn't compare to Merv's, Armando's, Zarzour's, Urban Stack or Tremont. I would actually rate it lower than I did, except the bun and the diced onions really kick the sandwich up a notch.
Since we give the burgers so much weight, my overall score puts Nikki's in the second tier. This tour is all about the burgers after all. But as far as a general recommendation on a place to dine, Nikk's definitely belongs at the top. Dear Beth—I don't know why you walked out, but you have got to go back.
Lemon bonus = 3. Didn't have to ask Amanda twice.
Overall Score: 88.5 (B+)
Why I love Nikki's:
- Cool building nestled on Stringer's Ridge
- Fantastic atmosphere—our kind of place; right up there with Zarzour's
- Great service
- Steamed buns
- Diced onions
- Yummy fries
- Fabulous shrimp and onion rings (we didn't enjoy them today, but they are as good as they come)
- Super value
The only beef I have is with the beef. The patty is kind of puny and just doesn't compare to Merv's, Armando's, Zarzour's, Urban Stack or Tremont. I would actually rate it lower than I did, except the bun and the diced onions really kick the sandwich up a notch.
Since we give the burgers so much weight, my overall score puts Nikki's in the second tier. This tour is all about the burgers after all. But as far as a general recommendation on a place to dine, Nikk's definitely belongs at the top. Dear Beth—I don't know why you walked out, but you have got to go back.
Lemon bonus = 3. Didn't have to ask Amanda twice.
Overall Score: 88.5 (B+)
Next stop on the tour: Lou's Burger House
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