The “Terrible Garbage Burger”:

A while back I visited a good friend and former college roommate, who (for reasons unbeknownst to me) had decided, upon returning from a year in Sydney, Australia, to take up residence in Destin, Florida. A somewhat sleepy touristy town in the panhandle of Florida. There were two food highlights of this trip for me. First, I FINALLY got to eat at a Sonic after 29 years of an extended cat-and-mouse game between us. Below is photographic evidence that I finally conquered my Sonic demons:

Second, I got to taste a “Garbage Burger” from McGuire’s Irish Pub.  After an afternoon of drinking beers and reminiscing about college, we realized about 10 pm that we were hammered. Funny how that happens when you drink for 6 hours straight without eating dinner. So we hailed a cab to McGuire’s for some much needed grub.  First, we saddled up to the bar to order a famous “Irish Wake.”


McGuire’s burger menu features a 5X5 grid of boxes displaying 25 different options for how to order your burger. These options ranged from variations you may have seen before, like a pizza burger, to the addition of various cheeses, assorted veggies and chili, to the more unusual (peanut butter on your burger anyone?) However, being the adventurous eater that I am, my eyes immediately darted to a listing underneath the grid:

The moment I read “Some of Everything” and “It’s Absolutely Disgusting” I knew the challenge was on. Bring it McGuire’s, I’ll take on the best/worst you can throw at me.  Sure enough, the burger arrived and it was piled high with sloppiness. Mushrooms, peppers, chili, cheese, I can’t even begin to name all the ingredients, if they had it in their kitchen, it was on the burger.  I immediately started devouring the burger. Much to my surprise, the most enjoyable part for me was the peanut butter. I was so surprised by how much I liked this that upon returning home I grilled up some burgers at home and slathered the buns with peanut butter. Yum.

Now I’m by no means the first one to try or write about the Garbage Burger.  It’s been profiled on Food Network’s Outrageous Foods. Check out the video below.

Not sure when this was filmed or if the components of the Garbage Burger changed at any point, but mine most definitely did NOT feature the ice cream sundae component. Odd. Maybe that’s a recent addition? Or maybe that topping isn’t used at the Destin location, but just in Pensacola?

4 Responses

  1. Spam

    Considering how well it works, I’m surprised that peanut butter on a burger isn’t a lot more popular than it is. One of the signature burgers at Abbey Burger Bistro (Baltimore’s best burger joint), is proudly crowned with peanut butter and crispy strips of bacon, and it works perfectly: The flavors of the PB, bacon, and hamburger don’t mix into a weird experience, but rather, give you individual but simultaneous joy.

    Also, glad you finally got your fix of Sonic. The first one in the DC/Baltimore area opened just outside the Baltimore beltway last month, and it’s been swamped ever since. Rest assured that dozens more (literally) are going to be popping up in our area by the end of next year; I know of about a dozen of them in the works in the Baltimore area alone.

    Reply
  2. Paxton Holley

    That is interesting that you did not get the ice cream sundae. My brother in law is a bartender at the Destin McGuire’s and I eat there as often as possible. I’ve never ordered the Garbage Burger but a friend has and it definitely had ice cream on it as I was sitting right next to him when he did it.

    I think they had asked him if he wanted ice cream on it also.

    Paxton Holley

    Reply
  3. Shirtless_Joe

    For what it’s worth…This is the only bugger I have (will) order ! Yes, I have more then a few. They are GREAT! You do have to add (order it with) the ice cream and chocolate sauce. I have not

    Reply

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