by Mike Corrigan

BEST BURGER - Red Robin - We at The Inlander editorial department all moan and groan whenever a national chain restaurant takes top honors in a category over a local hero, as if it's some personal affront to our holier-and-hipper-than-thou sensibilities, as if no matter how technically good the food is at such a place, we'd rather starve than actually sit down to a meal there. What we are sometimes loath to admit is that any restaurant at No. 1 must be doing something consistently right. It's pretty obvious that people like Red Robin, and their selection of burgers offers something for everyone. And with its relatively new location across from the AMC Theaters, it's no surprise that more people than ever have sampled their menu. But what's really at the heart of their success? It's the bottomless fries, you fool. And hey, at least it's a chain that started in Seattle.

2nd: The Onion

3rd: Sawtooth Grill