posted 12/04/08 11:03 AM | updated 12/04/08 12:44 PM
Views: 1495 | Comments : 29 | Food & Drink

Burger Battle: Quinns vs. Lunchbox Laboratory

By jeanineanderson
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Who has the better 13-buck burger? In one corner: Quinn's on Capitol Hill, @ 11th and Pike.  In the opposite corner: Lunchbox Laboratory, in Ballard on 15th Ave NW. Both get raves.  I haven't tried either one and I'm open to influence.

Quinn's vs. Lunchbox Laboratory.  Discuss.

photo of Quinn's burger and fries by Erik98122 from the CHS Flickr Pool.

Update by jseattle
We need an in-depth report on this. We fund Jeanine's burgers. She reports back. Deal?

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here's a photo of a lunchbox lab burger.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ascheele100/2636754737/

I think they're both great, but both places are a little intimidating when all you want is a burger. I think it can't get better than Two Bells in Belltown.
Comment by Andrea
December 04, 2008
I think we need a full report
Please support this worthy cause today!
Comment by jseattle
December 04, 2008
Haven't had either, but...
isn't Quinn's at 11th?
Comment by Christopher
December 04, 2008
RE: Haven't had either, but...
yeah, not 15th. That's Zaw. No burgers there.
Comment by jseattle
December 04, 2008
RE: Haven't had either, but...
11th and Pike it is. I can't seem to make the corrective edit "stick." Help, Jseattle?
15th and Pine is my home intersection. I'm not serving burgers there either.
Comment by jeanineanderson
December 04, 2008
Lab!
Quinn's and Two Bells are both delicious but I gotta go with Laboratory Lunchbox. Why? Two words: Dork meat!
Comment by Easton
December 04, 2008
No, Quinn's is on 10th...
...across the street from Neumo's & kitty-corner from The Comet.

As for the burger debate, well the Wagyu burger at Quinn is pretty delish, but the accompanying fries are just average.

Lunchbox Lab, on the other hand, has way more choices in both burgers and sides - and the mac & cheese alone is worth the price of the full-meal.

On the other hand, Quinn's is withing walking/waddling distance of where I live.

Still, I'm going to go with LL on this one, the sheer enormity of cholesterol-creating options being the deciding factor.
Comment by COMTE
December 04, 2008
RE: No, Quinn's is on 10th...
Also, they have a section on their menu just for different kinds of salt.
Comment by pete
December 04, 2008
Also...
...in case I haven't mentioned it before, Lunchbox Laboratory has the worst website in the world, unironically speaking. http://www.LunchboxLaboratory.com)
Comment by Uncle Vinny
December 04, 2008
Quinn's is bad
Quinn is a bad bad man. Please don't support Quinn's.

http://www.nofoiegras.org
Comment by jrrrl
December 04, 2008
RE: Quinn's is bad
That's not fair: how can you blame the restaurant? You're saying if I go but I don't order the pâté I'm still in the wrong? I can't accept that reasoning.

Blame the diners; hell, blame geese for having such delicious livers. But it just doesn't seem fair to blame the chef.
Comment by yancy
December 04, 2008
RE: Quinn's is bad
As a former vegetarian I'm probably harsher on this stuff than avg, but, really, unless no animals suffered in the making of jrrrl and all of jrrl's magnificent things, jrrrl is being a hypocrite. But I'm happy to see Yancy's fancy pate formatting.
Comment by jseattle
December 04, 2008
RE: Quinn's is bad
Isn't Quinn the owner's little kid's name? Yeah, blame him awwwright. Bring on the Foie.
Comment by dawggy
December 04, 2008
RE: Quinn's is bad
There's a difference between using animals for food and clothing and excessively torturing animals just so your fatty liver dinner is a little more tender. That's not hypocritical. I'm a vegetarian, but you can eat chicken without thinking cockfights or kicking dogs for fun is okay. Foie gras flagrantly tortures animals more than any other food. California and most of the EU have banned foie gras.

I didn't know Quinn was the owner's kid's name. Sorry Quinn! I meant, Quinn's mom or dad is a bad man.
Comment by jrrrl
December 05, 2008
RE: Quinn's is bad
You again.
We had this argument on the SLOG, there is nothing wrong with eating foie gras and please quit telling people it is evil.
In fact because of your post, it makes me think "oh yeah, maybe I should go get some right now"
Comment by JD
December 05, 2008
Why stop at $13...
If we aren't limited to Capitol Hill, why limit the amount you can spend on the burger. I've heard good things about the $17.00 burger at West Seattle's new restaurant Spring Hill. The meat is ground twice by the chef who explains: "Loose meat is the secret to a perfect burger."
Comment by EmilyHD
December 04, 2008
RE: Why stop at $13...
We're far from our pledge goal for the 13 buck burger and you're talking 17! We're going to need a bigger pledge drive!
Comment by jseattle
December 04, 2008
why $13 at all?
I hadn't eaten a burger for 15 years and I was at the Attic in Madison Park a year or so ago and ordered one of their burgers with a vege patty; they accidentally brought a *real* one; I ate it. Now I eat burgers. Always get their onion rings but their fries are good too.
Comment by Anastasia
December 04, 2008
I want to try the Attic's
burgers, but whenever I'm in that area, I'm put off by the frat party atmosphere in there. Is it worth it for the delicious burgers?
Comment by Andrea
December 04, 2008
Lunchbox Laboratory is better!
And don't forget...
- Tator Tots with bacon salt
- Great milkshakes
Comment by M
December 04, 2008
lunchbox lab for the win
quinn's makes a fine enough burger, but here's another vote for lunchbox lab. the burgers are almost too much, but you'll strain to finish, and that uncomfortable feeling will be totally worth it. not so with quinn's. either way, if you need a partner in crime jeanine, you've got my number.
Comment by donte
December 05, 2008
Goal met
Chip In appears to lag but donors have met the goal. Jeanine, get your burger description ideas gathered. We want lots of metaphors.
Comment by jseattle
December 05, 2008
RE: Goal met
heh, I'll have to bring a partner or three and a knife to the taste offs.
I had already budgeted for one burger, so I would take great delight if half the total were donated to a real charity, instead. Food-related one would be particularly poetic, yes?
Comment by jeanineanderson
December 05, 2008
Quinn's better burger
I enjoy both, but Quinn's burger is better because they cook to requested doneness. Lunchbox overcooks. A burger is about the meat, not the sauce.
Comment by eight
December 05, 2008
$13 may not be enough!
I recently had my first Lunchbox Laboratory burger (which was beyond excellent, BTW) and it was way more than $13! That was a damn fine burger. I could make love to that burger.

I've eaten at Quinn's a couple of times, but I haven't tried the burger yet. I think that's what I'll order when I have dinner there Saturday night. I don't know how anything could surpass Lunchbox Labs, though. I believe in miracles, you sexy burger...
Comment by avitania
December 05, 2008
Big problem with Lunchbox
Not on Hill. Case closed :)
Comment by jseattle
December 05, 2008
As much as I love lunchbox...
I think my vote is going to have to go for Quinn's Burger, nothing fancy, but the meat, as well as the rest of the components, is incredible.
Even better if you can get some foie gras with it...
Comment by jdestes
December 05, 2008
A bigger is about the meat? Huh?
If it is about the meat, you should just eat meat...plain. No bun or anything else. A burger is about the entire package otherwise it wouldn't be a burger.
Comment by M
December 05, 2008
Quinn's gave me the runs
If you like acting like a pretentious prick, Quinn's is for you. I prefer Lunchbox Lab, I like the options they offer! Their shakes are the BEST!
Comment by PrincessDi
December 08, 2008