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Lunchbox Laboratory
Categories: Restaurants Burgers Restaurants Canadian (New) Burgers, Canadian (New) [Edit]
1253 Thomas St(between N Pontius Ave & N Yale Ave)
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 621-1090
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 11 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- Yes
Mention yelp for $1 off any size soup.
336 reviews for Lunchbox Laboratory
Review Highlights
"The tater tots and sweet potato fries were perfect."
(in 52 reviews)
"Had the TRUFFLE LOVE and it was delicious."
(in 24 reviews)
"I love that their mac and cheese changes every week."
(in 28 reviews)
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336 reviews in English
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Review from Rossana Y.
Lynnwood, WA
They serve milkshakes in beakers. How cool is that?? Being a former science student in college, I definitely geeked out when I tried this place for the first time.
I shared the Truffle Love burger and Bleu Marble burger. Truffle Love was good but I felt that the burger tasted a little saltier than what I anticipated, probably due to the amount of bacon they put in...but it's not that bad. The Bleu Marble itself was actually pretty tasty and I really enjoyed the blue cheese that was in it. Add a side of tater tots or sweet potato fries and you got yourself a complete delicious heart attack meal. Oh and get the chocolate milk shake to wash it all down!
A couple other cool features about this place is that they have a bar for serving alcohol as well as happy hour. I'll have to come back to try their happy hour menu which I heard was pretty good. -
Review from Alex S.
Columbia City, Seattle, WA
2/21/2012
I believe I got the Dick's Deluxe burger when I last went there and it was fantastic. I'm a big fan of tater tots so I give them kudos for that. The service was great and I liked the vibe they had going on at the restaurant. Each burger is about $15 each but it comes with a few extra sides like onions and pickles. It also comes with fries of your choice. I guess each day they have a 'special of the day' or something and the day I went they have a $5 mac and cheese, which btw was yummy. The waitress was really helpful and had great tips for new customers. She recommend that new customers order their already made burgers instead of creating your own.
I would definitely come back to this place. -
Review from Renee L.
Alhambra, CA
2/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Ordered:
- Hothead, Truffle Love, Dork burgers... ALL delish! the sauces def made the burgers! Although there was an abundant amount of bacon in the burgers, more is better than too little! The brown sugar kissed marsala onions were also delish! Definitely add them to your burger! Shoe string fries and sweet potato fries were good!
Service: Marissa (sp) was our server at the bar. Felt that she was impatient at times when we had questions or needed something. Attitude couldve been better.
Price: On avg $15-20/pp
Overall experience: The food was good. I would like to visit again to try other items and the shakes! Would definitely love to have one in Los Angeles! -
Review from Danielle C.
Hoboken, NJ
Service here was a bit off when I came to this place with my boyfriend and his flatmate. First, we were seated, but nobody came to serve us for a good 10 minutes. Finally we asked the hostess if someone was going to serve us, and she said that someone would be right over. Then she said she could take our orders, but when we gave her the orders, she hesitated and then asked for us to wait, and she would go fetch an actual waitress. Weird.
When the actual waitress arrived, we gave her our orders. She was like, "Uh huh, uh huh" to us, but then she said "wait I have to go get a pen" ... if you were going to listen to us ordering stuff, why would you pretend that you could memorize it in the first place?! Odd. Not to mention that she was also wearing an "I love Anal" pin ... is this the right place to wear it? Or am I just not used to the Seattle vibe here?
Anyway, the food here is enormous - I guess it better be considering that burgers will cost you around $15-$20 here! They top the burgers that have bacon with a LOT Of bacon (probably like at least 6 strips) - but my friend and I both agreed that the bacon was not that great, and it could have been a lot crispier.
I got the "Smoker" burger - it was a patty with BACON, some onions, smoky mayo, and lettuce/tomato. It was basically a gigantic greaseball with the bacon flavor mostly masking the entire burger's flavor. I'm a bacon fan like any other, but I didn't ask for a bacon sandwich!
The bar has some TVs so you can watch sports on them. A big plus.
Anyway, maybe I should have gotten something else... I did get to wash my food down with red Kool-Aid (I never see Kool-Aid being served at restaurants, so big love from me). -
Review from Chris Y.
Seattle, WA
2/19/2012
I agree with many others here...the new LBL doesn't have the same charm as the old place. But nonetheless, still one of the best burgers in Seattle.
I had the Burger of Gods and pretty close to the old LBL, but for some reason it looked smaller and flatter. Maybe less caramelized onions???
What I miss the most is the small All Clad pots they put the tater tots in...I really hope they reconsider bring them back... -
Review from Patricia Y.
San Francisco, CA
If you like the type of burgers where once you bite in, loads of grease and meat juice start to run down your fingers and hand, then this is the place for you! Lucky for me, I love big, fat juicy burgers. Lunchbox Laboratory is the epitome of glutton.
I made a custom burger, and it was delicious. The beef was tender and flavorful. Bacon was thick and crispy. And the habanero mayo and satan's tears ketchup added a nice punch of spiciness. The side of tater tot's brought me back to elementary school.
The mac n cheese was good -- had a nice punch from the sharp cheddar cheese.
DON'T order the buff pops. It was gross, soggy, and greasy. They came out looking unappetizing, and it ended up being that way. Basically these oddly shaped fried jalapeno and cream cheese with red hot sauce drenched over it. No bueno.
I like how the upstairs has a bunch of arcade games and pool table. I came on a Friday for dinner, and it wasn't packed at all. I believe they have "game nights" and other random events throughout the week.
If you can finish your burger + side + boozie shake, then kudos to you! You're an official fatty :) -
Review from Giuseppe A.
Seattle, WA
2/18/2012
Ok, I once went to the LL when in Ballard. It was somewhat freakish, and the food was obscenly abundant. After they closed, I heard the opened again somewhere in the city, but I didn't really know where. Then I was at a work related event at REI when a co-worker and I decided to go and see if we can get a real drink and a bite to eat. Disapointed that there were no lounges across the street, we venture about another block and was surprised to find the LL on a unsuspecting corner. We went in and we were delighted to see the cool decore reminisent of the old LL in Ballard, but with a new flare and contemporary style. We only stayed for two really quick drinks but also ordered off the hh menu. Can't remember exactly what we had, but I recall it being cleaverly unique, and delicious. Definately beat the food served at the event at REI. I'll be back someday, I'll be back.
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Review from Amy Q.
Seattle, WA
2/21/2012
Love this place! Great service, great atmosphere, great food! I had an Astronaut Mimosa; Tang and Prosecco. Good, not great. For an App, we shared the Buff Pops which are a delicious interpretation of the popper. I had the Smoker burger that was simply incredible! Since this was our first visit, our server took extra time with us to go over the menus/drinks with us. She said she will be working at the new Bellevue location, so we will look for her there! Fun outing.
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Review from Gates B.
Seattle, WA
2/19/2012
Not like it used to be.
This was my first trip (weekday lunch) to the new lunchbox laboratory after two trips to the old hole-in-the-wall north Ballard location.
I'd been to the South Lake Union Grill, so I knew what to expect from the space (very loud, they need some sound deadening material). But I was disappointed it what seemed to be jacked up prices and lower quality. Both my burger (the basic Burger of the Gods) and fries weren't bad, but they weren't good enough to justify the $13.00 price tag. The burger wasn't that juicy, and the toppings seemed to be a bit skimpier than before, and the balsamic dressing was overpoweringly sweet. The sweet potato fries were lackluster and a bit soggy. My friend's side of mashed potatoes was too vinegar-y. They were able to substitute a gluten free bun for my friend, so points for that.
And the nutella shake we split was good, but $6.50 for a shake is too much in Seattle.
And I couldn't help notice the abundance of cocktails that seemed geared toward 21 year old sorority girls. Seemed like an odd pairing.
I probably won't return, but instead seek out new burger frontiers or head back to the tried and true Red Mill. -
Review from Tracy M.
Seattle, WA
2/13/2012
Our burgers were fantastic, and VERY large. Honestly, kind of difficult to get your mouth around the whole thing. The choice of meats and toppings is pretty amazing. I tried the dork (duck and pork) and it was really tasty and different, in a good way. One of my pals calls herself a burger purist (she only wants cheese and ketchup, and that ketchup better be heinz. Ha!). And she friggin LOVED it. Got the super burger/kobe beef. And she was so so excited to get to pick her own cheeses (she ordered both cheddar AND havarti).
The shakes arrive in beakers, which is adorable, with some fun flavor combinations, as well. The peppermint chocolate was delicious, although the 4 hard peppermint candies floating in it weren't very useful. How does one eat a hard candy while drinking a shake? A friend suggested I suck on the candy while drinking, but that seemed awkward in mixed company. If they were crumbled peppermint or candy cane pieces, that would've worked better.
There's a daily macaroni and cheese special. It was SO rich and divine! *drool* Food portions are pretty dang large. -
Review from Jeanny M.
2/1/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Finally. After so many years, we have finally tried LL. Most of it had to do with an expiring coupon, but hey, it got us here. And finally!
We shared the Truffle Love burger and Bleu Marble burger, sides of tots and sweet potato fries, to drink a Tang-o-rita for me. The drink was served in a beaker and kind of watered-down, and therefore unmemorable. But it was brought out fast, which I appreciated.
The burgers/sides were brought out fairly quickly as well. We asked the guy who brought our food to bring us waters too because our initial guy hadn't come by for a while. He was quick to oblige which was great.
The burgers, while not large in the Red Robin sense, were incredibly dense in both flavor, ingredients, and just...heft. We cut our burgers in half (messy) so we could each try (messier). I wish LL's napkins were a bit thicker. I used a couple dozen by the end of the night, but then again, I'm fastidious when it comes to keeping my hands clean and non-sticky.
The Truffle Love, I was a bit disappointed. Not much truffle, but then again, I was working on my bleu burger first, so it probably overshadowed the truffleness. The hub said it was very tasty but because it was just so heavy, he only ate half a burger..and he jogged that day! As for me, with my Bleu burger..I loved it! It was awesome..tart and tangy with sweet chile mayo. I'm glad they didn't overdo it with the bacon. Although the mayo (in both burgers) was everywhere. We generally don't eat mayo, or at least get it on the side, but we felt doing so would interfere with how the burgers should be so we left the orders as is.
It was a stretch to finish my Bleu (and I took back the half that my hub only sampled) and did not attempt to finish the Truffle burger as well. Eating about 1.5 burgers is a line I do not want to cross at LL.
The tots were a touch underdone, I would have preferred more crispy. I didn't get any of the sweet potato fries before my hub demolished them so I assume they were tasty. Like other reviewers have said, there is just ketchup (and mustard) on the table for the fries, which is very limiting considering the sauces they put on their burgers.
And so, I'm glad we finally tried this spot out, used our deal, experienced pretty quick service, and thought the portions were actually large. Our deal gave us $25 credit, and this was about $40, so yes, it's a little spendy even though I believe the quality of the burger justifies it. This was a decent trip compared to what others have reviewed, but I probably can only bring myself to come back maaaaaaaaaaybe once every other year..it's soooooooo rich and heavy! Plus, my heart kind of hurt when we left.
On a previous visit to LL, I was upstairs in their rumpus room for a small private gathering. There is a smaller bar, several arcade games, a couple table-top games (the one like bowling but with a ball on a string?), plus cushy chairs. With one person running the bar, we found ourselves at a bit of a wait (though the line was just 4 ppl deep), plus they ran out of change. A bit inefficient but the gal was nice enough and it was certainly appreciated to have a quieter space to hang out together.
Tip: If you check in on Foursquare or Yelp, you get HH priced drinks. -
Review from Allison T.
Seattle, WA
2/12/2012
I am sitting on the couch virtually immobilized after the amount of deliciousness I just mashed into my facehole.
This is a great place to bring a group...and I see a lot of people talking about having parties in the Rumpus Room, but if you want to enjoy the regular menu.. our single waitress, Mary, handled our 30 top with professionalism and ease. It was honestly the best large-party service I've ever had. Not once did she give us the that "Annoyed Server Stink Eye" as our party grew, as we requested more tables, and basically took over half the restaurant. If you choose to do as we did and dine in the regular restaurant, please note, they don't split checks, so have everyone in your party come with CASH. This was the easiest way to do it.
Now to the food!
I had an Orange Julia to drink. which tasted like a creamsicle. It was delicious, but it was lacking in the liquor department, and it didn't come in a beaker, which made me sad! A lot of people had monster milkshakes that they raved about (and those come in beakers! Science!!!!)
I had a monstrosity of a burger that has left me beyond full...The Burger of the Gods. Bleu cheese, gorgonzola spread, sweet grilled onions...oh, kobe-like (?) beef too...but honestly, the beef was an afterthought. I was a filthy mess but it was delicious! My fries were great, Steak n' Shake style thin and salty.
Girlfriend had the Hot Head, and was left wishing she had gotten the Dork (Duck and Pork patty!) because, while it was good, there was WAY TOO MUCH BACON. Prior to our visit to Lunchbox Laboratory I didn't believe it was possible to have too much bacon. She also said it was not as spicy as she expected. She had the sweet potato fries, which were delicious.
Friendly reminder: don't start eating until you check out their amazing flavored salts; habenaro, rosemary, and hickory bacon salt (MORE BACON?)
We had a really great experience here with our large group, the place handled it well, the food came out in a timely (for 30 burgers) manner, the drinks were always filled, and the attitude was positive and welcoming.
We will definitely go back to try other stuff from the menu. They had a great menu of specials and the HH drinks were well priced (4 bucks).
This would be a really great place to take visiting parents, because of the cool nostalgic decorations; metal lunchboxes and sand art. I can't wait to take my dad here!
I am now going to lay on my couch and slide happily into a beef-coma. -
Review from Sharon B.
Plano, TX
2/18/2012
Great burger...my daughter and I split the Santa Fe. Between the 7 of us, we had chips, fries, tots and sweet potato fries. My fav was the chips. Lunch crowd was thin but service was very slow! Shake served in a beaker was a hit with the kids. We'll certainly come back again.
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Review from Yvonne R.
1/29/2012 2 Check-ins Here
++ GREAT SHAKES
+ funny and sometimes good tasting special drinks
+ great happy hour menu/prices
+ decent burgers (except the DORK...not that great, pretty greasy)
+ tots!
Sign up for their newsletter and receive a -$10 off coupon. The only sucky thing is parking everywhere around here is at least $1.25/hour, but that's not the restaurant's fault. -
Review from Paul K.
Seattle, WA
2/8/2012
Burger was good, got the tear jerker which didn't bring me to tears. Overall good NOT great.
Quite pricey for a burger $13.95?! That's a bit steep for a burger. Tater tots were good but slightly burnt and overdone. The shakes are good but definitely not $7 good.
Service stinks. Our waitress was scattered and I had to wait til the end of meal for a refill and to have our waters refilled. To add to insult it took her 20 min to cash us out at the end of the meal.
Eh, I've been here a few times and can say I think I'm done with this place. -
Review from Joshua J.
1/24/2012
I can't believe how amazing the burgers here are. I hadn't been since the old location, which I reviewed partially due to the presence of the duct taped together tables, a little grungy to say the least. I figured, SLU, fancy huh?
But seriously, this is like a million plus dollar remake. I hope those guys made a killing with this apparent sellout. The place is now ultra-posh, modern, arcane, classic sort of thing, like a really well buffed pinball machine (upstairs).
Expect to drop a bit of cash, this isn't your grandparents' burger place. Burger and shake, you're looking at like $20+, tax and tip, for sure.
Literally, you may stop speaking, your eyes glaze over, and you are overcome by a sense of temporary joy that can only be found on your satiated palate, and perhaps in the juices, running everywhere. Take a moment, attempt mindfulness... good luck. What more can I say. This is like, an experience, man... Don't expect the snappiest service, but hey, you have other things to worry about. Opt for the sweet potato fries!
Thanks for listening! -
Review from James N.
Edmonds, WA
2/17/2012
Our burgers were awesome! I don't know that there is a better one in Seattle. A hidden jem are the pork rinds...they are pretty freakin' good!
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Review from Danielle J.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 1/11/2012
The time has come. I am dropping a star from my glorious LL review. Unfortunately, the new location has very slow service and that impacts the experience. Additionally, the fries are often prepped ahead of time and sitting on the order window for quite some time before being served, which makes them cold and hard when you get them. This makes me very sad.
Also, I have noticed the increasingly small patty size. I am okay with smaller portions since I think the behemoth patties that used to be in place were way too huge, but then the price should match up to what you are getting. I had NO problem paying $15 at the old spot for the huge burger of love, but here, I am becoming more and more underwhelmed by the food and overwhelmed by the price tag for what I am getting.
I do love this spot and hope that management starts listening to the complaints customers are having because I do agree that they are valid. I come in very regularly and have given them the benefit of the doubt several times, but now I am going to start branching out for a new burger spot.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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12/22/2011
I am still a huge fan of LL and whenever I want the best burger (and my fiance is unavailable to… Read more »
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Review from laura s.
Seattle, WA
1/26/2012
I love a burger- but i'm not like THE burger person. Places I like better: Red Mill, 5 guys, and RainCity.
The burger was hella messy from taco seasoning sauce. I cut mine in half. It helped.
Very pricey for a burger. I should have shared. My husband actually said it was TOO much bacon! who says that?! These words are not spoken lightly.
I did love the Tot option for potatoes (like Rain City) and I also loved the tray of mixed flavored shaker seasonings.
I'm a fan of metal lunchboxes (my preschooler has 3) so I like the decor.
That's about it. And good choices for beer. Everyone happy.
But I was so full, like uncomfortable full. That sucked. -
Review from Geoff S.
Woodinville, WA
1/28/2012
Went in expecting the best burger I've ever had and was not disappointed.
We had a party of 7 and were sat in a trainer's section, Aaron, and even though it was only his 4th night working here, he did an amazing job. Kept us well-informed of the expansive menu, he named a few favorite dishes, and even kept us pretty well entertained. A trainer even came just to check how well he was doing.
The food was to die for. Tried everyones' burgers and they were all incredible. But...The Dork. Oh, god, The Dork. Duck/pork burger, garlic mayo...I was literally speechless describing how good it was to my friends, so I made them all take a bite. -
Review from Sam T.
Seattle, WA
2/1/2012
Their set up is pretty cool...the art and the ambiance is spelled out in the name of the place...
Happy hour is solid 3-6 and 9-11/close...they have crazy drinks made for adults and drinks we had when we were little kids like Tang, Kool-Aid, Yahoo, etc...if only they have Jolt Cola (I wonder if they still make that?)...
Anyways I recommend getting the Rinds of Life b/c they are the BEST pork rinds you'll ever have...EVER...
They serve tator tots...so that is automatic approval...
I got the Capt Jack Flyin' Hawaiian or something...lamb patty...the only knock against the burger was that it had so much bacon you couldn't taste the lamb patty...haha...and somewhat messy but I'm okay with that...
My co-hab had the "Dork" duck and pork mix...pretty tasty...and he got a nutella shake...cuz he likes "nut-ella" sorry bad joke...
I tried fruit punch tang w/ sprite...not bad...
I recommend going...enough said... -
Review from Laura B.
Seattle, WA
1/22/2012
I was craving a burger and had heard some good things about this place. Sadly, the burger and the server were the only real good things about it. This place is overpriced. I rarely use cost as a factor in my reviews, but the burger and fries were 15 bucks and the Caesar salad was 10. I assumed for these prices the portions would be huge and the food would be delicious, but it wasn't the case. I don't really know how you screwup a Caesar Salad, but the dressing was watery and bland. The fries that came with the burger were cold. If the prices were cheaper, I'd probably give this place a 4 star review, because I wouldn't have expected as much out of our 10 dollar salad and 15 burger and fries.
That being said, the service was fast and friendly. The milkshakes looked like they would be worth trying in the future and the burger was yummy. -
Review from Karen L.
I've always wanted to try this place, but was always too lazy to actually make the effort. I ended up buying a groupon-type deal from Bloomspot and it was expiring soon, so the boyfriend and I decided to come here on a weekday just a few days before the deal expired. I was hoping there would be no wait but we waited for about an hour! Thankfully, they took my number down and we walked around REI, but still.
They were really nice about it, though, and apologized for the wait. So we ended up ordering the nutella chocolate shake, buff pops (kind of like jalapeno poppers), the Dork, and the Burger of the Gods with tater tots and sweet potato fries. Okay, so let's break it down:
Nutella shake: Delicious, but small! I think 6.50 is way too expensive for such a small shake.
Buff pops: Not exactly what we were expecting (our server presented us with a big plate of 3 small poppers... EH??), but they were yummy and satisfying nonetheless.
Dork: Duck and pork patty. I took my first bite and felt like I got smacked in the face with savory goodness. I think it tasted much better without adding the lettuce, tomato, etc. I ended up picking them out.
Burger of the Gods: Good, but not as flavorful as the Dork.
Tater tots and sweet potato fries: Just what you would expect. I love tater tots and these were perfect--crisp on the outside and flaky and soft on the inside.
In general, the prices aren't too bad in terms of the burgers, so come on down if you're looking for a delicious burger and don't mind shelling out a couple extra bucks. -
Review from Lesley D.
1/10/2012
Funny, the Dork burger got me in the door, but the Truffle Love burger had me at hello! They let me substitute a black bean patty (because I'm insane and I don't eat red meat) and it was really quite good. Typically vegetarian burgers are dry crumbly and/or flavorless...not the case here! The tater tots were instantly kicked up a notch with the various seasoning salts they have to choose from. The habanero salt was the perfect addition! Truffle Love + Tots with a side of Jalapeno Ranch = $15. The decor struck me with a Jetsons meets an elementary school cafeteria vibe, in the best way possible.
Pros:
Creative burger selections, including various forms of animals and vegetables
PBR and Rainier tall boys!
2 large TVs in the bar for sports
Interesting drink concoctions, many of which are only $4
Easy street parking
Cons:
The service was a bit "off" -
Review from Mayor M.
Seattle, WA
1/1/2012
Have you ever wondered what kind of cocktails astronauts drink? Lunchbox Laboratory aims to answer that question by putting Tang in everything. What's that? You haven't liked Tang since you were a kid? Yeah, me either. I could see these drinks maybe working with the college crowd, but that's it.
The service here seemed prompt except when we needed our bill, but we waited forever for our food. The hamburgers made it out first by a long shot. You'd think the salad would be the easiest to prepare, but nope, it's apparently the burger by about 15 minutes. What other delights could take so long? Dry sweet potato fries (why no sauce?), corn dogs, and mac and cheese. Yup. The food was just average (how can you really mess up these simple dishes) and certainly not worth waiting for.
The good news about this place is that there's free wi-fi so you can Yelp while you wait. -
Review from laila t.
Seattle, WA
1/11/2012
I went to the new location last night for the first time. Sooo disappointed. New owners changed things for the worse.
Cons:
1. The quality of the meat. The super-beef can't be the same mix. It is dense and chewy and lacking in flavor. The old patties were full of flavor and had a mouth-feel like silk.
2 Size. The old burgers were huge. HUGE. Mine dindn't even reach the edge of my bun. I don't need to eat a huge amount of food, but for $15, I'd like them to be generous with the meat. We used to share a burger for 2 people and come away full, but I am grateful I ordered my own last night.
Pros:
1. Location and ambiance: much better. Kind of corporate, but they display some of Scott's (the original chef-owner) quirky lunchboxes and keep the retro-futuristic vibe he had wanted to create. (We were not close friends with them or anything, but frequented the old shack enough to hear about plans for "the new place".)
2. The sauces taste pretty similar, although they 86-ed my favorite, the toasted onion mayo.
3. The sweet potato fries are as good, if not better.
4. They bring out a selection of interesting salts for the fries, including maltsalt and rosemary.
5. Service was fine, the staff were all very friendly.
With the meat being the center of attention in a burger, I gotta say, I won't be back. I give it 3 stars because overall, its a fine burger, if overpriced. I'd like to give it 2 in comparison to what it used to be, but thats not really fair. -
Review from Myrissa Y.
Issaquah, WA
1/1/2012
This review is based on service only.
Went there on a Thursday, mid-afternoon.
Entered the restaurant, and waited to be seated. And waited, and waited....
Despite 3 different employees (host/wait staff) passing us - none acknowledged our presence.
After 10 minutes of standing - we decided to leave. -
Review from john j.
Norwalk, CT
1/6/2012
Again, story of my life, I'm a vegetarian boo-hoo why don't they serve something else? I'm sorry black bean and rice patties are disgusting. It's a fact. It looks like a grey cow patty. I wish more places served Boca burgers, but that is my cross to bear. I thus did not try any burgers at this place.
As a vegetarian, you may know that bacon is the Angelina Jolie of foods. It makes you feel a little bit bi, makes you question your whole meaning in life. How can any food smell so good? I did resist, I am a Gold Star Gay, but my co-diner had a burger with about 1/4 pig on it. I understand that if you are going to go whole-hog, then do it.
They have tater tots. That made things right.
The best part about this place is the drink menu. Drinks with Tang, Kool-Aid, and other fun kid-things. Why don't other places do this? I know as a liberal PacNW vegetarian I'm supposed to like things local and organic, but I like things made in factories in New Jersey, too. A Kool-Aid cocktail is so good. If only it were served in a silver pouch like a Capri Sun?!
The staff is super helpful, and cute too. I'm looksist so I like to have someone to eye-fuck while I eat. It's about the experience, you know? -
Review from Kimli W.
1/6/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I love this place. I've been a handful of times, and each time it's been a taste explosion in my mouth. The service has always been good, the food AMAZING, and LL is likely the only place I've ever said "wow, there's just too much bacon on my burger". Was brought here by Seattle friends, and have since brought several Vancouverites down with me to experience it.
Plus, after you've eaten yourself into a coma, you can walk across the street to REI and buy gear to work off all the calories you just consumed.
I'm a fan! -
Review from Lawrence S.
Renton, WA
2/10/2012 1 photo
This has been like my 5th time back to this place. I like how the menu changes, and while service can be slow, it's because this place is the http://bomb.com. You can't get a burger like this at the drop of a hat. So slow your roll, order a shake, try the mini corn dogs, and chillax; because when they bring that sweet stack of beef with bacon, and lay it in front of you. You'll finally know you're in heaven.
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Review from Chris B.
12/28/2011
So I had tried to get to LBL when it was on 15th for so long but everytime I did it was either closed or so backed it wasn't possible. Know with it new location more people can experience are really good, borderline great burger. The place is fun and funky inside and it completely works. I had a bloomspot deal that I had bought a few months before and was looking for the right time to share it with others. It worked out that my girlfriend, her dad and brother came with me to try it out.
The first thing I saw was a special of tomato basil mac n cheese, which was the best of two worlds, tomato soup and and mac n cheese. It was great for a cold winters day. I ordered the Burger of the Gods, which is a super-beef patty, bleu cheese crumbles, candied balsamic onions, & super gorgonzola spread. I also added bacon, not just one or two or three but six pieces. Can you sat bacon over load! Add sweet potato fries with buffalo ketchup and the papas housemade BBQ and you'll not need to eat another thing all day! You also need to get a house special drink, I had the Kool - Tang which is fruit punch and tang!Listed in: Burgers
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Review from Luca T.
West New York, NJ
1/8/2012
I like this place, the atmosphere is relaxed, the service fast and the food pretty good. Nothing sophisticate but whatever I tried I enjoyed.
The only thing that I didn't like was the location... if it matters...
Thebprice is reasonable. -
Review from Stef M.
12/30/2011 5 photos
Surprised by the 3-star average for this place! I would give it a solid 4 after visiting (I had the burger of the gods and sweet potato fries, and split a pumpkin shake with a friend). Juicy burger, good combination of flavors, well-seasoned. The bun was fresh, and the sweet potato fries, though not remarkable, were good. The pumpkin shake was amazing! Definitely try whatever seasonal shake they've got on offer.
Service was good, the new(ish) space near REI is great, and there's some kind of arcade/bar space upstairs which I need to check out.
I have a feeling the majority of bad reviews for this place may be for the old location? We stopped by there once and they had sold out of burgers around 1 in the afternoon, which in my opinion is ... unacceptable. But they've got the supply-chain issues under control in their new spot, so I haven't heard of that happening since. -
Review from Lily S.
12/19/2011
Did. Not. Love.
Was very excited to try their mac n cheese that I've heard so much about, but they were out of it and a burger just wasn't what I needed that nite.
So I ordered the Lunchboxer. Yes, I said "Lunchboxer."
Hmm...there was a giant stack of caramelized onions on my salad, as well as what was allegedly pan fried turkey. It looked and tasted like turkey from a lunchables type of meal. Not a lot of dressing on my wilted greens.
This made me sad b/c I really wanted to love them, but I wound up not liking my meal at all. But I picked thru it...b/c this big bitch of a salad cost $13 and I was not gonna let that go (completely) to waste.
Maybe I'll stop by again and try a sandwich or burger. Maybe. And maybe this time they won't be out of their mac n cheese. -
Review from Wonder W.
Seattle, WA
1/8/2012
I was with Mayor M. when we went to this place. I loved my burger & tots. My drink... YUCK. Pass on the cocktails and aim for a shake. I have a hunch they might be a bit better.
The service was fine. But VERY slow, especially considering it was fairly quiet when we were there. Although it seemed everyone else was getting their food a bit faster than us. So maybe something went wrong with our order??? In which case that would be a good time for the staff to communicate with us there is an issue maybe offer us a complimentary drink or snack?? Just a thought.
At any rate. The food is good if you go into it lighthearted not expecting much. Maybe that is their gimmick give them crappy drinks so they will expect the food to taste gross too, then be pleasantly surprised when it taste ok. I wouldn't of paid more than I did. (it was happy hour so it was under $10) I saw that their regular menu was a lot more expensive. Not sure I'd ever come back during regular business hours.
Overall, if you want a burger & shake at a decent price, go for their happy hour. Also make sure you have a little time on your hands just in case service is slow that night. -
Review from Liz T.
Seattle, WA
12/7/2011
Oookkk...the Thanksgiving holiday weekend is probably the worst time to wrap-up my mac and cheese quest due to the fact that all the areas that are not stuffed of Thanksgiving food are being filled in by cheese sauce to just warmly cradle all my internal organs. Be ready for some serious fitness reviews soon.
Old Lunchbox Laboratory used to have mac-and-cheese du jour which was the most brilliant idea in the world, but I don't believe they do that anymore. They do usually have a mac there however and when I went the other day, it was the standard american cheddar mac - enough said. I was a little hesitant as I don't need a fancy mac, but I also don't one slathered in a cheese sauce concocted by a bunch of kraft singles melted on my ish. Or fake cheese. My mac and cheese steps up it's game so get out of here with that stuff.
This mac was good - almost a 4.5 star-er, but I'd say a solid 4. It was so creamy there was no way I was going to eat the whole thing as it's fatty, gooey goodness was just too much. But it sure was http://bomb.com (yeah, they still say that thank you). They use solid rotini noodles which are the second best kind of noodle to use (see Frontier Room review for best noodles)
And might as well throw a burger view in here - well, the burgers were divine. My friend that was with me (who is a serious burger person) was a bit flabbergasted and when I asked how it was, he said it was actually the best burger he's ever had. He was totally confused, delighted, but moreover speechless that something so tasty had just blindsided him. I don't think he was expecting that.
I give lunchbox 4.5 stars. Everything on the menu is enticing if you're a fatty-at-heart like me. It was seriously menu overload, but knowingly that everything on there was good.
And with that said, fitness reviews best be coming soon 'cause that means I'm getting to the gym to get rid of all this cheese sauce.Listed in: Mac and Cheese Please!
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Review from Brad F.
Kirkland, WA
1/11/2012
We came in hungry around 9:30pm. Prices are outrageous, service is slow.
When going to the restrooms, I have to squeeze sideways down a hallway behind waiters spinning around with plates they just picked up from the kitchen. All this while skating on a greasy floor.
Not so good...
* Sweet Potato fries were lukewarm at best and had been sitting for awhile. Yuk!
* Overpriced! We spent $65.00 for a party of three (before tip). $$$
* Staff with no personality, tired and bored with their jobs.
* I was pretty underwhelmed by the small size of the dork patty for $17.
* The Strawberry Lemonade was a sugary syrup mix, not hand squeezed (no refills)
Good...
* Dork is interesting and tasty.
* Lunchboxer Salad was good.
* A tiny side of tots were crispy. (Served warm and we prefer hot taters).
I longed for a Dick's deluxe and hot fresh fries for a fraction of the price!
Finally as we left around 10:30pm we were pan handled by a very aggressive guy who scared all of us! We made a run for the car...
More competition is on the way: http://www.8ozburgerba... -
Review from ChefRD M.
Issaquah, WA
2/8/2012
Not bad !!! Had a dork burger and a hot-head burger. Dork was just ok, hothead was awesome! Sweet fries and crispy (they were!) tots were great. Paid extra for some dipping sauce ... But didn't get enough to make it worth it. They had a bunch of extra flavored salts... All were greasy and needed to be cleaned. My table just happened to be the table that the staff would squeeze between instead of going around... This was really annoying. And a bit on the expensive side. So the food gets a 4, everything else a 2.5 .... So 3. . I will totally return for that hot head burger! It was a big ,messy, yummy burger! ( maybe just take away next time )
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Review from FoodFight.TV ..
Seattle, WA
Try the habanero salt!!
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Review from Janelle B.
Seattle, WA
11/27/2011
Food was ok, on the greasy side.
Overpriced for burgers.
Service needs improvement. I don't appreciate waiting 10-20 before my order is taken or after I am done eating.
Not impressed, I don't think this place will last long.
