The Best Burger in KC?

Westport Flea Market

Westport Flea Market at 817 Westport Road is as much a part of Kansas City culinary culture as Gates and Arthur Bryant's. Voted the best burger in town 25 years running, the Flea Market has played a part in Kansas City life for many years. It was the site of current mayor, Mark "Funky" Funkhauser's election party, it hosts the Kansas City Chess Club's weekly events, and it even has claim to it's very own serial killer, with Bob Berdella having run a booth in the actual flea market prior to his capture.

I've been here before, but I thought it was time to write a review. For the first-time diner, it can be a little difficult to figure out just what is going on here. First of all, when you enter, there is a flea market to your left. Ignore that and make your way to the bar. In the back, there are tables with menus, which you can peruse at your leisure. However, don't expect a waitress to come and take your food order. While the waitresses will bring you a drink (they have lots of beer on tap), you have to go to the bar to place your food order.

After placing your order, and paying with cash (they don't take plastic, though there is an ATM with a surcharge that borders on extortion), you head back to your table to await your food. Aside from the famous burgers, the Flea Market offers the same type of fare you can find at bars around the country, chicken in various incarnations, steaks and lasagna. I've never had the fried pickles, but I've been told they are great. Prices are reasonable, about $8 for the giant 10-oz burger.

When your food is ready, your name is called over a loudspeaker and you go and pick it up at a window. You can then top it yourself a la Fuddruckers from a topping bar. Topping selection is limited and sub-par, with limp tomato slices, yellowish mayo, thousand island dressing, iceberg lettuce (the worst of all lettuces), onions and pickles. Mustard and ketchup are available on your table.

Burgers come with homemade curly fries, which are decent (and I hate curly fries normally), or your choice of coleslaw or some other things, I'm not really sure what, as I only get the fries. You also get to choose from several varieties of cheese to top your burger.

As for the burger, well I'm going to make a very controversial statement here: (clap, clap, clap-clap-clap) Over-Rated! While they get points for using ground beef from McGonigles, one of my favorite stores in KC, they're simply average. Sure, they're juicy and well cooked, but flavor-wise, they're simply nothing special. In fact, I find them to be on the bland side. They're underseasoned, quite frankly. I understand the beef being the star of the show, but at least add some salt and pepper. Spices are meant to enhance flavor. Without them, things tend to be rather tasteless, just like these burgers.

Well, how, you may ask, have they been voted best in KC for the past quarter century? I have a theory about this, it's called groupthink. People fall so in love with the idea of something, and how everyone says it's the best, that they convince themselves it really is that great. Or else they're afraid they'll be mocked if they disagree...

Now don't get me wrong. The burgers from Westport Flea Market are something every Kansas Citian should try at least once, but overall, I can think of two or three places off the top of my head that have better-tasting burgers (Governor Stumpy's for one).

See what KC Lunch Spots had to say about it here.

Scorecard
Food: 2
Atmosphere: 4
Service: 2
Menu: 3
Price: 4
Total: 15
Average: 3

http://www.westportfleamarket.com/index.html