Five Guys — Restaurant in Spokane

This is a typical Five Guys, which if you know the chain tells you everything you need to know. If you are not familiar with them, prepare to experience delicious, freshly prepared, well grilled burgers with a huge array of ingredients (at no extra charge) and french fries freshly cut and fried in delicious peanut oil.

Portions are ridiculously huge: the Little burger has "only" one (quarter pound) patty which, combined with the abundant ingredients, will satisfy all but the most enthusiastic appetites.

The burgers are juicy without being wet, and slightly messy depending upon which additions you selected. Fans of In-and-Out seen to be fairly evenly divided about which chain serves better burgers but all agree these are great food and ask agree the French fries here are the best anywhere.

Mmmmm, french fries! If you, like me, think that great french fries are nature's most perfect food and there is no such thing as too many fries, stick with the medium (and strongly consider the small). Order the large size for yourself and enjoy the amusement as you open the sack stuffed to the gills with fresh, greasy, potatoey deliciousness and realize that you'll be feeding half of them to the seagulls outside. (Seagulls in Spokane? Really? Go figure!)

Milkshakes here are popular although I find them the only disappointing item on the menu. They look like and taste like typical fast food milk sludge pumped out of a machine. There is a Coldstone creamery next door, I get my shake there.

Fans of peanuts will be delighted, if slightly confused, to find hundreds of cases of Peanuts in the Shell waiting to be consumed gratis while waiting for your burgers to be prepared. People with peanut allergies should avoid stepping within 100 meters of the place: in addition to the case of peanuts, the fries are prepared...

Our first visit to Five Guys left us less than impressed. "Free" peanuts...why? Seems to be an unnecessary food cost, driving up what are already exorbitant menu prices. We had heard Five Guys were insanely expensive so we knew going in what we were in for....but over $9 for JUST a cheeseburger?? ....choke. Our lunch order for two was a cheeseburger, a "little" cheeseburger, and we shared a large fry and a large fountain pop--- which came in at a hefty $30+! Every table that wasn't occupied was dirty. We sat at the cleanest dirty table we could find. The tables had been cleared but not washed and had crumbs, smears and spills from previous diners. Not only were the tables dirty, the chairs were full of crumbs and food remnants as well. I had to lift the stool up and tilt it to get the food to fall off before I could sit down. When will people figure out that clearing tables isn't cleaning tables.....and to wipe down the chairs too!!...?? The burgers were huge...and very good other than having to discard pieces of hard iceberg lettuce core. Unlike most places these days they don't skimp on fries-- we ordered a large to share and it overflowed into the bag. Unfortunately, however, the extra amount of fries were not in our favor as we ended up throwing most of them away anyway. In my opinion fresh cut fries are almost impossible to get right and five guys is no exception. Their fries are heavy and oily instead of crispy and fluffy and they just taste like dirt and oil. They don't have any dipping sauce other than ketchup and the fries have an odd chemical tasting seasoning on them that was very off-putting. I doubt we will be in any kind of hurry to go back. Ridiculously high prices, we couldn't find a clean table and chairs to sit at and their fries just...

I have always enjoyed 5 Guys hamburgers, but what stood out were the fresh roasted Idaho peanuts! I always take a couple boats home after the meal. : )

Tonight was special... A fellow who said he was the Manager, and said his name was Doug - you will know him, he is about 6' 5" and is dressed sloppily, and his exposed ankles are dirty - came to my table and loudly told me in front of other guests that I was NOT taking any peanuts with me. I thought he was joking... I stopped by the counter on my way out and this gigantic fellow loomed over me and shouted at me about some sign that said I might develop a peanut allergy, so I couldn't take the peanuts. I asked about his manager and he denied having one, I told him I didn't believe him, then he said his boss' name is Ray... he kept getting angrier and more worked up even as people stood in line waiting to order - for some reason, he called someone on the phone to punish me! I noticed the person he called was Avery NOT Ray... so I don't believe much of what he said.

Simply put, if you want to be called out by "Doug" for eating too many peanuts go ahead and go to this restaurant, where you will pay $20 for a soggy hamburger delivered 20 minutes later. Bonus! You will get an awesome amount of delicious...