Visited: 19 Apr 2014
First impressions
I showed up around 1:30 PM to find the place fairly crowded. Customers were spilling out onto the sidewalk outside, their youthful exuberance contrasting with the faded sewing and hardware stores of Mom and Dad (aka Meadowlane) Shopping Center. I think Abe’s is usually about this busy, though. As I walked in, I saw plenty of people staring at the ground with no food in front of them. Not a good sign, but I’m a patient guy. Burgers are good.
Ordering
Fortunately, the line to order was short. I put in an order for a Hammer of Thor burger. Honest Abe’s has 3 or 4 typical burgers and a rotating selection of 3 or 4 other burgers. Their shtick is unique toppings on burgers. Mine had something like grilled brussels sprouts, pepperjack, and chipotle mayo. I dunno, it sounded good.
Fifteen minutes after ordering, I’m more hungry and less patient.
Finally, after half an hour of waiting, it’s burger time!
Pity all the tables were taken up by customers waiting for food. I walked a block or two over to Bethany Park at 66th and Vine and took a seat to savor my meat sandwich.
Not a bad looking burger for takeout! Let’s have a bite.
Food
I haven’t had Honest Abe’s for a while, and I’ll admit, they’ve improved since last time. But the meat still tasted underseasoned to me. The bun was chewy and stuck-to-the-roof-of-your-mouthy, and the bottom bun was soaked in oil. The toppings stand out, as always. You won’t often find this degree of variety. However, the combination of the cheese, mayo, and oil left a weird fatty taste in my mouth that kept the flavors from really popping.
Not an unpleasant burger, but lacking a strong foundation in the meat+bun. I would prefer that toppings serve to enhance the burger rather than cover it up. Grade: B
Experience
The front of house was friendly and chatted up some regulars, but stressed by the pileup of customers, which made for an awkward and disorganized queuing experience. The kitchen seems woefully underequipped to deal with the volume of customers that should by now be expected.
There are so many options here: expand, raise your prices, hire more staff, for example. I realize there’s some hip appeal in a niche, kitschy restaurant, but there are hungry people to feed! Aside from capacity issues, the trendy atmosphere is refreshing for Lincoln, especially the east Lincoln area. Grade: C+
Price
$7.25 for a single, $9.00 for a double. Fries and drinks $2-3 each.