Boston, unlike New York, does not have a wealth of indigenous burger chains that serve mass-produced veggie burgers (see NYC Veggie Burger META Review).  There are a few, such as B. Good and Uburger, but that is it.  This is sad for perhaps the 3% of my readers that are really keen on getting a veggie burger fast (chime up if you think there are more people that want good fast veggie burgers not served as pub-grub).  Uburger is almost universally praised as being one of the best local burger chains in Boston.  A new location just opened on the Common, near where I work, so I went with Kenny to check it out.

While Uburger claims that it was founded on the premise that “high-quality and fresh ingredients make a huge difference”, they obviously do not apply that ethos to their veggie burgers.  It is obviously a frozen patty, very much akin to a Gardenburger patty (though it tastes marginally better than your typical Gardenburger).  What’s more, you have to pay 35 cents more to get a veggie burger!  Their “About Us” section states that they only have freezers to keep their ice cream cold.  Which makes me confused on multiple reasons - Do they not freeze their veggie burgers?  Are the patties just kept at room temperature and then fried?  That can’t be sanitary.  Unless they’re lying… Which would explain why you have to pay 35 cents extra for a veggie burger, it’s freezer overhead costs.

The fries are very tasty, as they taste like freshly made McDonald’s fries.  They are very simple and delicious.  No complaints on this front.

Despite it looking like a vat of sludge, the mint oreo shake was phenomenal.  It is just starting to get a little warm, and I am already looking forward to a summer of frappes (shakes for you in normal non-New England parts of the country).  And this frappe served as a good prelude for the summer to come.

I can understand how the meat eaters can enjoy Uburger, almost everything I had was pretty good and cheap.  I got a regular cheese veggie burger, fries, and a shake all for ~$11.  A pretty good deal for anywhere that is not overtly destroying the world (McDonalds, Burger King).  However, their veggie burger is of appalling quality considering they take such pride in their meat patties.  If they can make fresh meat patties daily, just make a small percentage of veggie patties.  I actually would not even complain if it was frozen (well, maybe a little), but it would still be 100 times better than the Gardenburger patty.  I don’t even understand why every crappy restaurant uses Gardenburger patties.  Is there some sort of sinister conspiracy that Gardenburger is behind trying to make meals disgusting for vegetarians everywhere?  Also, Gardenburger patties are not vegan.  At the very least, this should be considered if you actually care about customers.  Because of this meat-eating snobbery against making a decent veggie burger, I have to give Uburger two cheese sandwiches.  As the place is actually pretty decent, but they don’t nail the one dish that most vegetarians/vegans would eat if they came here.

Uburger
140 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02108