Review of Death Row Diner Double Bacon Cheese Burger
What they say:
Double patty cheese burger, bacon, extra bacon, tobacco onions, gherkins & burger sauce.
Price: £9.00.
Down some unassuming steps, just off the historic Hope Street in Liverpool, you will find a place that has apparently been voted as having the best burger in the city.
With other well-known, North Western heavy hitters such as Almost Famous, Red’s True BBQ and Yard & Coop in the near vicinity, that’s a pretty impressive feat.
After our experience this evening at Death Row Diner, I am pleased to report back that this could just be true.
Inside the restaurant, it’s darkly lit, with a red glow running throughout from multiple neon lights.
You’ve got wooden benches and tables with big metal fences “caging” you in and mugshot artwork on the walls – think dive restaurant mixed with a speak easy and this is the sort of establishment you are visiting.
Despite the macabre association with Death Row, there’s a chilled vibe inside from the staff and clientele – a pleasant mixture of couples, families and groups of friends.
The staff at DRD are very, very friendly, welcoming and attentive and get top marks for their service.
Moody tunes blast from the stereo but not enough that it drowns out the cheerful atmosphere. I guess nobody eating here tonight is really on death row…
The menu looks great, with an array of tempting starters – think deep fried lasagne bites, brisket burnt ends and maple bacon onion rings.
In terms of burgers, I was toying with the idea of sampling The Revolution – a double patty cheeseburger topped with a 4oz sirloin steak, peppercorn sauce and rocket salad. Maybe next time… but tonight I was having the Double Bacon Cheese Burger.
As you can see from the menu, there is something for everyone here and to accompany my burger I opted for DRD’s Coconut Curry Fries priced at £3.00.
Due to the dark lighting we didn’t take many pictures so apologies on that front. Take it from us though, if you happen to be in Liverpool you should definitely take the time to get to Death Row Diner.
With the burger, we had brisket burnt ends, agave & lime chicken wings, mac n cheese bites and the coconut curry fries.
All the food arrives in takeaway foil containers – plates are offered and optional but we didn’t feel the need.
This burger looks superb! This is certainly the first time I’ve had a Chupa Chups lolly skewered through the crown bun!
The Double Bacon Cheese Burger isn’t massive, but you definitely won’t walk away from it feeling like you need more!
The beef is an undeniably sound quality with just the right amount of seasoning. You get a slightly caramelised, chargrilled crust on the exterior which houses a slightly pink, soft, buttery interior.
Texturally, this burger ticks all the boxes!
There is the softness of the beef, cheese and sauce but then a really satisfying crunchiness from the bacon and tobacco onions. The bacon is super crispy!
I loved the pickles too! Really tangy and they complement the slightly acidic burger sauce to a tee.
I suppose this is why I opted for the Double Bacon Cheese Burger over some of the more outlandish Burgerville options.
I was looking for classic flavours and pairings to see how they delivered. And in terms of enjoyment, this burger from DRD really administered a non-fatal injection of flavour straight to your pleasure sensors!
Special mention has to go to the brisket burnt ends which are ridiculously moor-ish but extremely rich.
My only minor disappointment were the Coconut Curry Fries.
I was expecting something more akin to a Thai Green Curry (possibly with coriander and fresh chilli), but the sauce used (IMO) was more like the Goldfish brand Chinese curry sauce you can buy, with an additional spice flavouring.
That said, they were still decent and the foil container they came in was empty after I had finished with it… so what does that say about them?
In summary, Death Row Diner is very cool inside, reasonably priced, with an interesting and varied menu.
The staff are exceptional and contributed to making this a top quality evening with some extremely tasty food.
If I was on Death Row and had to choose my last meal, I’d be damn tempted to go with what’s on offer at DRD. Recommended!
Burger Lad®
Website: https://deathrowdiveanddiner.com/