I think you are right–it’s closer to six. Often when I go to Golden state, I’ll eat the bacon separately–there’s something brilliantly simple about their plain cheeseburger, and I don’t need bacon on it.
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Interesting… I would’ve guessed 8 ounces (or more) but honestly have no idea.
Yup I prefer it without the bacon so I can really taste the beef!
Thanks @hppzz. I get your point that they may be different burgers, but for myself, if I crave a “burger”, I know very well that an In-N-Out, Five Guys, The Counter, The Habit, Red Robin (LOL, ugh), and Golden State burger are very different.
But it doesn’t matter for me. I guess after having a certain type of food executed so well (Golden State Burger), I really don’t have the urge to go and grab a Tommy’s, In-N-Out, or Shake Shack Burger. Doesn’t matter if it’s on the flat top and smashed or not.
Although, as you mentioned, I think if I was in the mood for a vegetarian burger and a concrete, yah, I’d stop by Shake Shack (if there’s no lines) and get the Portobello Mushroom vegetarian burger and a Rainbow Concrete. 
But that’s about it.
The price point (expensive) and absurd lines only make the choice even easier for me (to skip it).
Thanks for the tip on the Shake Stack - didn’t think about getting the Portobello Mushroom and a Beef Patty. That should be pretty good.
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Thanks @tailbacku. Ooh, Oaks Gourmet. Never tried it before. Is it the Oaks restaurant at:
1915 N. Bronson Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90068
?
Thanks!
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Hi @cookiemonster,
I asked them directly, and their employee said it was a half pounder (but perhaps your feeling is the same as the legal disclaimer we see at all those fast food restaurants “weight before cooking” (as a “Quarter Pounder” is definitely not a quarter pound after cooking at some of these places LOL).
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Consider the Bachi Burger veg burger. I had it recently for the first time, and I thought it was dynamite. Can I remember any details? No, not really. 
My reporting brain isn’t on during lunch. But it was gigantic, tasty, satisfying.
BTW, what’s the taste test for beefiness??? I can’t remember from CH, and I’m too lazy to search. I went to CH this past wk to look up a carrot cake recipe (which is wonderful), and it was really sad to see the state of the LA board – er, LA tagged – areas…
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Thanks @paranoidgarliclover. I remember seeing Bachi Burger on the Food Network once a while ago LOL. I wasn’t sure how good the LA branch was. I will definitely check out their veggie burger.
Oh, I think in a few of those burger threads on our old board, some people mentioned just eating the patty by itself. Can you taste anything? Does it really taste like beef? Or is it flavorless?
It was pretty eye-opening to me when I tried it. Just how many “burgers” in L.A. taste like nothing or not really “beef” when eating the patty alone.
@Haeldaur definitely! I thought the same thing when I saw the Concretes for the first time (and partly why I was hesitant to order one). But the taste is nothing like the messy visuals.
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Had a very good homemade veggie burger the other night, made with Gimme Lean Veggie Beef. With gorgonzola. Really good.
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Thanks @mcmichael. Where do they sell that locally? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it at various Whole Foods I visit.
The smell test.
Smell the burger patty. You should be able to detect a good waft of beefiness.
Caveat: this is not a Chowhound-approved test.
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Correct. But it’s not really a restaurant. More of a specialty store that sells wines, beers, cheeses, and various gourmet food items. They have a kitchen that cranks out some pretty good food but the burger is really the thing to get there.
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It came from Sprouts but I’ve seen it at WF and Von’s.
That’s interesting. I wouldn’t have guessed that Shake Shack and Golden State were the same price if you get the same amount of meat… but TBH, I always get the single at Shake Shack. Even though most ppl get the double double at In N Out (where a single patty gets drowned out by all the lettuce and tomato and sauce), I think Shake Shack is perfect with a single patty and more comparable to a fast food burger. So to answer your question… I think if you’re craving a fast food burger you spend the extra money for the quality of Shake Shack. If you’re craving a medium rare, thick, gourmet burger, you’ll go to Golden State or Umami or Counter or wherever it is you like to go for that kind of burger.)
As for the NYC nostalgia thing… I used to live in New York and didn’t understand the hype of Shake Shack at first. And it definitely wasn’t worth waiting in line for. But the more you eat there, you more you appreciate how much better it is than McDonald’s or Carl’s Jr or Wendy’s or even In N Out… and when I crave that kind of fast food, I’d rather pay a little extra for Shake Shack.
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Fair enough. Although… I find a single cheeseburger to be totally satisfying at Shake Shack. I don’t feel the same way at In N Out, likely because the beef and cheese at Shake Shack are way more flavorful and shine through the bread, lettuce and tomato. But you’re right… Shake Shack is twice as much.
Glad you adjusted the Golden State total to reflect tip… I think that’s fair.
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Hi @Zach_Brooks,
Thanks for your thoughts. Oh, I definitely agree with you: If I was craving a “fast food-style burger” I would definitely eat at Shake Shack over McDonald’s, Carl’s, even places like Five Guys, The Counter, The Habit and In-N-Out.
I just don’t think it’s worth waiting 45 min to 1 hour in line for. And in general, if I wanted a burger I’d just go to Golden State over the mess that is Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood at any given time of the day. 
I would say Ns1’s inclusion of tip at Golden State is debatable. I love Golden State, I’m also not a miser when tipping at sit down restaurants (20%). But Golden State, you stand in line. You order at the counter. You get your own water. You get your own utensils. You get your own napkins and condiments. Heck some fast food franchises have the Ketchup and Mustard already at the table at least. Not so there.
So there’s no reason to leave a 15 - 20% tip IMHO. That’s not a factor.
And even if it was, there’s no comparison: Golden State’s burger is superior to Shake Shack’s. It’s not even close.
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See, I actually do find the In N Out cheeseburger (or burger, for me) totally satisfying vis-a-vis a similar burger (either cheese or not) at Shake Shack. With the leftover $7 from In N Out, I can still go and get me some gelato at Bulgarini.
A trip to Shake Shack leaves me no such option. And in fact if I wanted a frozen treat like one of their concretes, I’d have to pay even more.
Lose, lose.
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Totally agree about the waiting in line! Not worth it at all. But neither is In N Out right? I mean no burger is worth waiting in the lines that are happening in WeHo right now. AGREED.
Are we talking about a single cheeseburger/burger or a single patty? I ask because it just occurred to me I usually get a double double at In N Out but a single Shack Burger at Shake Shack.