Dome Burger (Burgers & Teriyaki)

Location: Near Pioneer Square on Occidental
Cuisine: Burgers, fries & shakes (and like all of the great burger places, teriyaki)

Let's be honest, anywhere we went after Mod was going to have a tough act to follow. But, on the high recommendation of the late RC (he is dead to us) and Darren Jolley who apparently used to go to this place "all the time" with RC, we made our way back to Pioneer square for a visit to Dome Burger. From it's name one can infer that this restaurant used to be the "official" restaurant of the King Dome--the proverbial gem of pioneer square. Unfortunately, the fall of the King Dome likely spelled "doom" for this little hole in the wall. Certainly, a place with such a pedigree would have garnered fives across the board had we visited in its heyday, but apparently, we were a few ownership changes and a few menu tweaks too late to experience cuisine that I'm sure was once Seattle's version of cattle-based culinary perfection.

Ratings:

Food: 3 (barely)
I have to admit my hopes for excellent food were bolstered by the line we saw that extended out the door and down the sidewalk a few yards. That hope was short lived, however. When we got nearer the door, we realized the line we saw was leading into Tat's, our destination of two days before. There is a good reason people line up for that place.

The food at Dome burger was average at best, and I'm afraid this is one case where the more I think about it, the less I enjoyed it. We all ended up ordering burgers and fries, although the bottom line is this place really wants to be selling teriyaki--classic Seattle burger joint identity crisis. Next time I go into a burger place that sells teriyaki, I'll go with the teriyaki--it's where the heart of the chef truly lies. Anyway, the burgers and fries were serviceable but certainly didn't scream for a repeat visit, so if you see us on Occidental around lunch time anytime soon, you'll probably find us waiting in line at Tat's.

Value: 3
I find it hard to give a value rating that exceeds a food rating. This is a classic case of "you get what you pay for." Our meals, with burger's fries and a drink, averaged a little over six bucks. I certainly didn't feel like we overpaid; however, don't go with the onion ring option if you're a value shopper--I did and came away with 5 small rings. The fries servings were somewhat more generous.

Character: 4
Dome Burger is a place where the jarring inconsistencies actually add character. From the aforementioned surprise teriyaki offering to the total lack of decoration around the order counter, to the fifty percent attrition rate of the fountain drinks (3 of 6 functioning) to the hideously uncreative menu board, I got the idea that they were TRYING NOT to define their character--like they just couldn't bring themselves to commit to one idea, so management decided to go with NO idea. Surprisingly, it kind of works. I can see customers falling into a "pity, endure, embrace" cycle where they return because they kind of feel bad for the Dome Burger, they endure the atmosphere, or lack thereof, and then end up loving the place out of habit.

I have to applaud a couple things--one, they kept the name around even though the Dome is gone. Two, all the posters plastered on the entry way walls...totally up to date. I was able to determine that Hempfest 2009 takes place on August 15-16--a question that had been burning in the back of my mind for some time now.

Consensus was that a return visit to the Dome in the near future is unlikely--the highlight of the visit being the lively conversation about the future of the Seattle office. However, if you get extremely tired of going to Mod and you're sick of waiting in line at Tat's, go ahead and give Dome Burger a shot...just remember to order the teriyaki.

MOD Pizza

Tats - Pioneer Square

Went down to Pioneer Square 7/28 to kick off the tour. Have heard good things about Tat's, but were told we had to get the Philly Cheesesteak with Cheese Whiz.

Alees: (Fried) Chicken Bacon Ranch

Nate: Hot Turkey

Matt: "Tatstrami"

So we failed to order the Philly, but we all came away very impressed.

Food: 4+; Fives don't come easy with this group, but this place was knocking on the door. Average fries held us back.

Ambiance: 3; A little grungy. The "Philly" based photos on the wall added character.

Value: 4; It wasn't dirt cheap, but the portions were good. A tasty sandwich is priceless.

We will be back.