Hangover Helper: Five Guys Burgers & Fries

Is there a ‘cure’ for the common hangover? The answer is a little hazy . . .

Aside from moderate imbibing, most science suggests that food may play a role in making us feel better or worse after over-indulging. "Hair of the dog," a popular quick-fix solution, actually makes you feel lousier once the temporary buzz is gone. And while many of us gravitate toward greasy food as a hangover solution, it is scientifically one of the best preventative cures.

Note — I am not advising excessive drinking, or magic pills. This is a little science and folklore, mixed with a fabulous tale of tasty local burgers.

Preventative cure: Fatty foods stick to your stomach lining longer and help to slow the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream. Ingesting food also increases your metabolism, which helps speed the processing of alcohol in your system.

Debatable after-cure: The amino acids in proteins may help detoxify your liver.

Debuting in Arlington, Virginia in 1986, Five Guys Burgers and Fries was a family biz whose hand-ground-burger-concept and entrepreneurial spirit steered four brothers away from the traditional college route. Popularity ensued, leading to 900 locations nation-wide, and while I've been adverse to reviewing chains, Five Guys in Renton has enough local pride to merit a write-up.

Take the signs posted as you approach the order counter, reading: "TODAY'S POTATOES ARE FROM: Warden, WA 3 G Farming." Completely unexpected. This is about as PC as a fast-food burger joint gets. Bags of local potato sacks 'cordon-off' the order line from the dining room.

And you can get an order of Five Guys Style, hand-cut with a strip of potato skin still showing its natural origins, or Cajun Style ($3.19 Regular, $4.89 Large). Even the regular contains a cup worth of fries, and then they top off your brown paper bag with even more fries. The Cajun Style are plenty messy, spicy and garlic/celery salty. Both are cooked in pure peanut oil. There's no mustard on the condiment counter, just ketchup and malt vinegar bottles should you crave a tangy touch.

We hadn't been in before, so the glittery gal who took our order walked us through the Five Guys order process. All toppings are free, and if you choose to go "All the Way," your hand-formed beef patties will look like Carmen Miranda in all her glory — stacked with tasty edible adornments. The "Everything or All the Way" is topped with Mayo, Lettuce, Pickles, Tomatoes, Grilled Onions, Grilled Mushrooms, Ketchup, and Mustard.

Five Guys is designed to make you feel less guilty about your hamburger consumption. Unless you order a Little Hamburger ($3.99), you'll get a Hamburger ($5.19) with two patties of preservative-free beef on a sesame seed bun constructed your way — fifteen toppings at your disposal. Beyond the "Everything" adornments listed above, other free toppings include: Relish, Onions, Jalapeno Peppers, Green Peppers, A.1. Steak Sauce, Bar-B-Q Sauce and Hot Sauce.

Cheeseburgers ($5.89) are slightly more, and while topping choices are abundant, don't look for gorgonzola sauce, spicy feta, or patties stuffed with mozzarella, Guido-style.

All-'merican, thick and creamy melted slices are your one and only cheese choice. Sodas come with free-refills.  Perhaps it's a health service that they don't offer hand-blended milk shakes.

You can also get a Grilled Cheese ($3.49) or Bacon Cheese Dog ($5.09) to which you can have your way with the free toppings: jalapenos take this dog south of the border. The Veggie Sandwich ($3.19; Cheese Veggie $3.79) is not a veggie burger, but your choice of toppings on a sesame seed bun.

An order of two burgers and fries took approximately ten minutes. You can take out, or sit in the lively dining area, if there's a table. The howling kid and rock soundtrack may not work wonders for your headache, but you'll soon lose yourself in that double-stacked burger.

Five Guys Burgers & Fries at

910 N. 10th Place, Suite A
Renton, WA 98057

Phone: 425-228-2286
Fax: 425-228-2256

Hours: 11am - 10pm Every Day