Nick's Hamburger Shop — Restaurant in Brookings Township

Oh Nick's Burgers, how could I possibly put all my thoughts in one single review? I'll give it a shot.

Taste: Stellar. This is absolutely one of the best burgers you will ever eat. Despite the size, they're surprisingly substantial. I'm not a tiny dude, I like to eat, and I can put back a few burgers. At Nick's, two doubles usually does it for me, but I could see some eating more than that.

The burger: Small but mighty. The burger is packed with flavor and tastes like you're eating real meat. Far too often does the patty feel like has been processed a thousand times over and turns to mush in your mouth. Not these patties. It feels like there's something to chew.

The accompaniments: First, order a burger "with everything." When you order with everything the burger comes with ketchup, pickle, onion and "relish." Their relish consists of mustard and sweet pickle relish mixed together. It's fantastic. Or, order it as just the burger. The praise I gave the patty above? Even better when you eat the burger alone. My burgers have always been perfectly cooked and tremendously flavorful. Either way, you've got a winner. Try a milkshake too, they're delicious.

The price: My one knock. Almost considered dropping a star for this. They're not cheap. $2.50ish for a double burger that's not even that big? A little steep in my eye. Is it worth it though? Absolutely. The price is high for the volume of food you get, but in my opinion is WELL WORTH IT for the quality of food you get. The reason this review stayed at five stars is because the quality of the food is worth the price.

The atmosphere: Could be whatever you like. Sit outside on Main Street in Brookings and enjoy the small town atmosphere, or eat inside at the bar and feel like you're a part of the community. Or buy some and take them home and eat--it's your prerogative. At lunch and dinner time it can get a little busy, and occasionally you may find yourself without a seat if that's the case. So plan ahead if you're thinking about going around noon or 5pm--the...

Nick's is a quaint old timey, no frills, burger joint that is part of the fabric of Brookings. The locals love it. The striking red and white building houses a U-shaped burger counter that can be very busy at peak mealtimes and you might need to wait for a stool. Otherwise, there is take out or outdoor dining during warmer weather.The menu is simple. The burgers are served up on a simple piece of paper.

They sell a slider sized burger plain, or with ketchup, mustard, onion, pickles, mustard relish, and/or with cheese on a homemade bun. The burgers are uniquely cooked as they are kinda grill-fried but are not overly greasy. I get my burgers with everything. I can usually eat two, but a big eater could easily eat 3 or 4. There are no fries here, just bags of chips. Get the Pickle chips they are a tangy and tasty compliment to the burgers. Fountain drinks are served in what is a very small (10 or 12 oz.) glass by today's standards, but refills are free. Be sure to order a slice of their home made pie or an old fashioned malt. They are delicious and worth the calorie splurge. Nick's is now open for breakfast, serving its burger topped with a fried egg and coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

If you pay with cash expect to get change in the form of $2 bills, dollar coins, and fifty cent pieces. It's part of the Nick's experience. Staff is usually high school and college students who are always courteous and friendly, but not the most animated or entertaining. You can buy souvenir T shirts and caps as well.

While Nick's isn't fancy, it doesn't try to be, and maybe you can get a bigger more fancily dressed burger with fries elsewhere, it is certainly worth it to stop at Nick's and try it out...

There are few things that pay homage to the undying ideals of America than the classic burger. While on the surface it's just your typical beef, cheese, lettuce and ketchup, when you really dive into it you can see that burgers are, well, America. They are freedom, they are opportunity, and they're one of the few remaining things that can truly unite the American people under the star spangled banner. I say this because Nick's Hamburger shop represented this American glory better than any other burger joint I have been to in my life. Everything about my experience dining at Nick's was a joy. The meal, the decor around the store, the friendly staff, it was the full package. The burger itself was amazing, of course. It was both amazing and impactful without thinking too much of itself. A burger that felt both courageous and humble at the same time. However, my benefits from eating at Nick's didn't stop with the patty. Above all else, it gave me hope. This country is divided, there's no question about it, yet the burger I had at Nick's lent me the optimism I needed to truly believe that we would persist through the dark times and into the promised land of cooperation and love once again. I walked out of Nick's a different person, with different hopes and dreams. I cannot thank the good folks who made this experience a...