The Counter in WPB - CLOSED!!

Well, we are all mourning the loss of the area's best burger. Just last week, The Counter in WPB Closed. You all probably heard about it from Ellen and I after we went there together. I'm not really sure why they closed but I can tell you that a TON or restaurants are closing left-n-right down here in south Florida. Total BUMMER!!

Why do you think they are closing.

quote:

Originally posted by jaylhorner

Why do you think they are closing.

It's the prevailing attitude create by the media and government that the sky is falling. Additionally, people's disposable income is going into their gas tanks and shopping carts. This period reminds me of the Jimmy Carter '70's. Gas Rationing, ( I waited in line at 2AM to get 5 gallons of gas at 6 AM to get to work) 14% Home Mortgages, (I had one). It's called Inflation and we ain't seen nothing yet!

I agree.... The worst is yet to come.

In fond memory of the West Palm Beach The Counter:



(Photo courtesy of ellen4641)

Maybe it's an East Coast thing.

The Counter will soon be opening in Marina del Rey, CA.


I can't wait!

That IS tragic news, Bluemaxx !! I'm in mourning, as you and I shared the most delicious burgers I've ever had right there at The Counter in Royal Palm Beach!

(thanks for reposting that pic, Miami Don.... it's certainly great FOOD PORN, huh?!?)

Hey, guess what ?!? I just had a burger that ties for "the best burger I've ever had".
I had the Brickyard Burger in Daytona Beach!! (wait till you see the pic!) . Baah Ben and John A told me that YOU love the Brickyard Burger too, Bluemaxx. So you would've fit right in with us.

Well, at least I take solace that there's still other Counter Burgers open around the country. (and I wonder if they still have a lot of them "coming soon", as their website indicated) (or are they not "coming so soon" now?)
I always wonder what causes a place to suddenly close. I am putting YOU in charge of this "Counter closing" investigation. Next time you are in that shopping center, perhaps you can converse with some of the other shop owners/workers and see if anyone "saw it coming". The one thing I can think of is that even though it was in a nice, new strip mall shopping center, it appeared to be a little off the beaten path. (I did'nt notice that much in the way of industry/office buildings around to support it.)

Plus, it could be the economy, like a few of the other posters have suggested. Maybe those $9.00 burgers are'nt going over so well in that Royal Palm Beach area.

Well, it just proves that even though a place has a delicious burger, it often is'nt enough.
Too many overriding factors. Plus I noticed that Counter Burger was the only location thus far in Florida, so maybe it they had franchise issues?

--ellen--

p.s. I guess this is taking on extra meaning to you now, Don....
regarding you not being able to make it to the Counter with
Bluemaxx and I that day.
(of course, you were doing the right thing, as you had a
business meeting to go to) (you had no idea it would get
cancelled)

Hey gang..............Exactly where is/was that Counter burger
in WPB?
I lived there for 10 years and never heard of it............

John Gs, Prontis, Blue Front BBQ, Proctors yes~~~~
YUMMY!

It was at:

11071 Southern Blvd
Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411

Here is the corporate web site:

http://www.thecounterburger.com/

Hey Ellen4641/Bluemaxx, was the burger in that photo the 2/3-lb or the 1-lb size?

I HEARD THAT THEIR RENT WAS 15,800 A MONTH PLUS ALL THE OTHER OVERHEADS, THATS A LOT OF BURGERS JUST TO BREAK EVEN

The Jimmy Carter era---oh no !!!!
No one could afford the mortgages, the building business was in the dumper.
And that jerk is still running around visiting the arabs and making nice !!!!
He must have been hit in the head by a hammer on one of those houses he
brags about.

While they do make a very good burger and you can't beat all the topping they have are they worth what they charge? We are lucky to have 5 GUYS all around us in Charlotte and they have one of the best burger anywhere. And as stated above, with the cost of everything is it worth $10 to $15 for just a berger? I can't afford them.

quote:

Originally posted by mmarkovitz

While they do make a very good burger and you can't beat all the topping they have are they worth what they charge? We are lucky to have 5 GUYS all around us in Charlotte and they have one of the best burger anywhere. And as stated above, with the cost of everything is it worth $10 to $15 for just a berger? I can't afford them.

Hi mmarkovitz,
While I respect your feelings about 5 Guys burgers, I find them too boring. (although I must say the service and attitude of the workers is wonderful. It makes it worth it to go there occasionally just for the "feel good" vibes.) There are 2 of them near me now, one in Somers Point, NJ, and one in Absecon. (AC area)

I believe my burger was about $9.00 (a la carte)
That was for the 2/3 pound size that I had. (that was the one in the pic, Miami Don)

However, there is a cheaper and smaller one available, a 1/3 pound.
It's all worth it for me, but I totally understand what you saying about not being able to afford it. (espescially if you are taking your whole family there, etc)

quote:

Originally posted by phatphil

I HEARD THAT THEIR RENT WAS 15,800 A MONTH PLUS ALL THE OTHER OVERHEADS, THATS A LOT OF BURGERS JUST TO BREAK EVEN

Thanks for the inside scoop, phatphil....
VERY interesting..
unfortunately, this supports the fact that a restaurant can have delicious food, and still not be able to make it. (very sad reality)

The shopping center is one of those new, pretty ones.
(with a Steinmart, Shanes Rib Shack, Costco, etc)
And apparently the lease prices cost a pretty penny!

I think that comparing 5 Guys to The Counter is like comparing apples to oranges.

• 5 guys: 3.3 oz. "Burger", available single/double, only well done.
  


• Counter: 5.3 or 10.7 or 16 oz. Angus Beef done how you like it.
  


• 5 Guys: Sliced American Cheese, 9 toppings, 3 bottled sauces (other than mayo/ketchup/mustard).
  


• Counter: Ten different cheeses, 28 toppings, 18 gourmet sauces (other than mayo/ketchup/mustard).
  


• 5 Guys: Burger wrapped in paper, placed in brown paper bag, fries dumped in on top.
  


• Counter: Real plates and containers and cutlery.
  

In Midtown Miami, the regular 6.6 oz. 5 Guys burger was $5, so the 10.7 oz. gourmet burger at a real restaurant for $9 doesn't seem expensive to me. You're really buying something completely different from the fast-food experience at 5 Guys.

Funny - I ran into a guy I hadn't seen for a while, and he told me he was going to be managing a new burger restaraunt down the road from where I work. I just read this thread, and remembered his business card: it is for the new Counter on Mansell Road in Roswell, Georgia. I will have to check this out.

quote:

Originally posted by Atleye

Funny - I ran into a guy I hadn't seen for a while, and he told me he was going to be managing a new burger restaraunt down the road from where I work. I just read this thread, and remembered his business card: it is for the new Counter on Mansell Road in Roswell, Georgia. I will have to check this out.

Hey, Welcome to Roadfood.com, Atleye!
Yeah, definitely check it out! We'll be excited to hear what you think!

I went on www.thecounterburger.com website today, and noticed there are only about a dozen or so locations that are already HERE.
But tons of locations that are still "coming soon". Well,I wish they would come already! (espescially the one listed in Philadelphia, PA)
However, I'm just cautiously optimistic, as this could be overly ambitious intentions on the part of "The Counter"??

Hey,MIAMI DON .... great comparison : 5 Guys vs. The Counter.
You really know your stuff. (can't wait to meet you in the near future!) And I love the charbroiled taste of the Counter Burger, compared to the flat grill taste of 5 Guys.

Miami you are correct. No comparison on quality. I would compare them this way. Outback VS Mortons Not even close on quality but for the cost I'll take 5 GUYs and for that special occasion it's The Counter. Even if I've never had a special occasion for a burger yet.

Thanks Ellen! I'll check it out as soon as I can (not sure if it is open yet). If the Counter is as good as your picture shows, I'll be loving it as I'll have The Counter, 5 Guys, and a branch of The Varsity (Yankee dogs, Frosted Oranges, and Peach pies) all within a couple miles of my office.

IF FIVE GUYS WOULD JUST ADD GOOD ONION RINGS YOU WOULD NEVER NEED ANOTHER HAMBURGER JOINT, I LIKE THE DAILY SIGN THAT SAYS WHAT KIND OF POTATO AND WHAT CITY THEY GREW IN ALWAYS UPDATED

OH!!!!!!!!!!
Is a chain store place !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyhoo..............I have been gone from WPB for several
years now and when i was there RPB was just a flyspec on
the way to Loxahatcee (spl) or Lake Okie !!!!!!!!

Sure has grown tho!

HECK!...........If its a fresh squeezed hamburger you want
why not hit Hamburg Haven in Palm Beach and rub elbows with
the "rich" folks?
There are tooo many little places where you can get a fresh
squeezed burger and a cold beer to bother with a chain store
special!

quote:

Originally posted by sonjaab

OH!!!!!!!!!!
Is a chain store place !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HECK!...........If its a fresh squeezed hamburger you want
why not hit Hamburg Haven in Palm Beach and rub elbows with
the "rich" folks?
There are tooo many little places where you can get a fresh
squeezed burger and a cold beer to bother with a chain store
special!

I definitely hear what you're saying , sonjaab... HOWEVER, for whatever reasons, the beef quality is real good (thus far!) at the Counter Burger. Of course, unfortunately often changes when a places expands too rapidly! We all know how things tend to get lost in translation.

I will have to looks that Hamburg Heaven place up. Do they charbroil it, or is it just a flat grill! (like 5 Guys Burgers uses)
I am partial to charbroiled burgers, as I just love the extra flavor.
However, a good homestyle one can hit the spot, sometimes!

Anyone remember THe Hut which was a 50's diner that was resurected in WPB but fizzled out? They had great burgers and onion rings. I like Lindburgers for a consistent well cooked and dressed burger. BKK

quote:

Originally posted by Atleye

Thanks Ellen! I'll check it out as soon as I can (not sure if it is open yet). If the Counter is as good as your picture shows, I'll be loving it as I'll have The Counter, 5 Guys, and a branch of The Varsity (Yankee dogs, Frosted Oranges, and Peach pies) all within a couple miles of my office.

Let us know how the Counter is. BTW - also try Rhea's in Roswell. They make a mean burger, one of the best I've had in a while. There's three Rhea's now.

So has anyone else out there tried a Counter Burger recently? They've opened some more locations, including Hartford, CT.

Please come down to the Atlantic City area, Counter Burger!!!!
(5 Guys needs some healthy competition)

Hey, Big Kahuna Kooks: I've had Lindburgers down in Delray Beach, and it's definitely a decent burger.
It just did'nt WOW me over, though...

I tried the Counter in Alpharetta/Roswell, GA last week (sorry, no pics). Here is what I ordered:

2/3 lb burger (med rare) on texas toast with:

- roasted red peppers
- scallions
- tomato
- roasted garlic aioli
- mixed baby greens
- horseradish cheddar
- and...a fried egg for fun.

I was there with friends and split:

- fried pickles (with an apricot sweet/sour sauce): pretty good.
- onion strings (horseradish sauce): average strings, good sauce
- shoestring fries (bbq sauce): okay, but I am no fan of shoestring fries.

The burger was cooked as ordered, with a decent beefy taste that needed a little salt and pepper. The toppings were quite good as I really enjoyed the aioli and red peppers. I should've gotten the grilled onions instead of scallions. It was neat to try a fried egg on a burger at a restaurant (had done this at home before), but wouldn't recommend it at the Counter. The egg wasn't bad, but instead dominated the other flavors. The texas toast was a nice alternative to a bun and was buttered and garlicy.

Overall: The experience was pretty good and I'm looking forward to going back. This is a different experience than 5 Guys (and a welcome option). Both the Counter and 5 Guys are close to me, so it is nice to have a choice.

Appreciate your Counter Burger report, Atleye!
You certainly had an array of colorful toppings!
I love putting tons of toppings on sub sandwiches (banana peppers, pickles, onions, etc, )
....for burgers, I tend to go with just pickles, onions, and extra mayo and/or "special sauce"..
although I love looking at the descriptions of all those concoctions!

I was not overwhelmed by the fried pickles, onion straws and shoestring fries, either.
I thought they were all just "okay";

Wish I had more burger choices (like Counter Burger) around here! (AC, NJ area)
We do have 3 Five Guys now within 10 miles of me, though....
they can hit the spot , but I wish they had more menu items like homemade onion rings and milkshakes!

Ellen,

First, I'm sorry for the late reply. I usually agree with your choice of toppings(except adding mustard, cheese, and keeping the mayo on the bottom bun - juice protection), but couldn't resist all of the crazy options. I went in again the other day, and had the 1/3 lb (med rare) with the above toppings (mustard, onion, pickle, cheese, mayo) and it was pretty darn good. I'll definitely keep this place on my list.