On a scorching hot day in Liverpool, it was a pleasure for us Whatever the Weather Girls to enter the bright, airy Honest Burger Liverpool and be instantly welcomed with a jug of ice cold, lemon infused water, that actually tasted of lemon!
The Drinks.
After hugs all-round, and a quick catch-up, our attention turned to the cocktail menu. The charming Adam Quick, our server at Honest Burger Liverpool suggested the Three Graces rose gin, a must have for Anne and I, while Trish opted for a vodka and soda. The gin, at £6, is excellent value!
It was good to hear that the drinks and food are locally sourced, whenever possible, that the cows are outdoors and eat grass, and that all the food on the menu is hand-made.
The chatter.
The conversation flowed as we sipped our drinks. Trish had recently visited an exhibition showcasing women excelling in their respective fields, which led us to conclude that despite many women being feminists, they are still the primary carers in today’s society, especially were children and aging relatives are concerned, and here’s an interesting little fact that came up, did you know that a women couldn’t apply for a mortgage in her own right until 1973?
Honest Burger Liverpool: The Menu
Before taking our order, Adam checked if anyone had any allergies: he was also extremely knowledgeable re the vegan options. 99% of the burgers on offer are meat, but there was a veggie and a vegan burger available.
Trish opted for the Honest burger, Anne the Beef burger and I the Plant/vegan burger. They all come with rosemary salted chips, so for good measure, we threw in a couple of sauces, a bacon and beef gravy for the gals and a vegan curry sauce for me.
Back to the chat.
The conversation was certainly varied, we were almost in tears while discussing how animals grieve the loss of their animal friends and owners.
Unfair reviews online came up, one guy actually complained he had no lake view from his hotel room, the staff had to point out that there was no lake! So many crazies out there!
We also had a rip-roaring discussion about artificial intelligence. It began with Anne telling us how she’d been bombarded by adverts on her laptop that perfectly matched what she’d been discussing on her mobile phone. Struth!
That in turn led to a conversation about how techies recently allowed two social media programmes to talk to each other. After a while they actually created their own language, one that couldn’t be decoded. We eventually concluded that the internet is probably now conscious and that artificial intelligence will inevitably decimate the human race at some point in the not too distant future.
A little about the founders of Honest Burger Liverpool and their ethos.
We asked the charming Adam if he knew the history of Honest, the owner and it’s ethos. Adam was certainly well informed, telling us that the co-owners, Tom Barton and Phil Eles had always wanted to make the best burgers, chips and veg in the UK. The idea formed in Brighton, where they sold street food from a stall, and then they opened their first restaurant in Brixton. The rest is history as they now have 34 restaurants across the UK, with Liverpool being the latest addition.
These guys like to keep their fingers on the pulse, so they often pop into their various establishments, unannounced, serving as waiters, cooking their own burgers, and running the bar. No-one knows when they’re likely to pop in!
The verdict re the food at Honest Burgers Liverpool
As a vegan, it seriously pains me to admit that my burger was the best I’ve ever tasted, and I’ve tasted many! The gals sampled mine and agreed it tasted meaty, although different to theirs. I was so concerned that it was meat I had to check with the chef, Alex Culsea, who reassured me that it was plant based! Given this restaurant predominantly serves meat, this is certainly an accomplishment!
The gals loved their burgers too, moist, tasty and delicious was the general consensus.
Our scores.
The drinks-10/10. Delicious gin presented in lovely, monogrammed glasses.
The food-10/10, although it kills me to admit it!
The service- 10/10. Prompt, and knowable staff, especially Adam Quick who served us. Everyone was friendly and unassuming. The perfect balance.
The vibe-10/10. Pleasant background music, varied demographic re people frequenting the joint, comfortable seating, lovely old, red brick interior.
And Finally….
In the interest of fairness, we looked hard but struggled to find anything to criticize, it was all utterly faultless. Us gals have frequented many swanky establishments and have on occasion, paid a small fortune for awful food and lousy service.
We couldn’t recommend this “burger bar” highly enough! Honest Burger Liverpool is a restaurant for sure, so prices are higher than a bog standard fast food restaurant, but still excellent value given the high standard of the food.
And finally, a challenge! Tom and Phil, how about opening a veggie/vegan burger restaurant, you’d make a fortune with your amazing vegan burger!
Trish, Anne and Dina are ‘Whatever The Weather Girls’; three women in our fifties on a mission to explore the restaurants and vibe of Liverpool each month – whatever the weather, whatever our circumstances.
