96th Street Steakburgers

Where my West Coast people at? All you Californians who have relocated to the Midwest and are missing In-N-Out french fries, then I have something that will make you happy: 96th Street Steakburgers' fries taste almost exactly like the ones at In-N-Out! No joke. Apparently the fries at 96th Street are freshly cut, just like In-N-Out, so they taste like real potatoes. And they have a drive-thru, too, so I envision many stops for some tasty fries.

The burgers are probably the best fast-food burgers I've had in Indiana so far, although they don't taste anything like In-N-Out's burgers. (Sorry -- the In-N-Out comparison stops at their fries!) But that's OK because they're great in their own way. The sliders are slightly crispy on the edges and are excellent, too.

The milkshakes, unfortunately, are just OK. They're definitely not the best I've had in Indianapolis, like the signs in the restaurant tout.

There is no kids menu, just FYI.

My born and raised SoCal wife has ASSURED me that this place is not the same as In-N-Out. On multiple occasions. Whenever I mention it I'm rewarded with a dismissive "eh" and that's about it. So take that for what is worth.

My unsophisticated palate however is all about 96th Street Steakburger. Burger Valhalla for an $8 combo.

For those familiar with In-N-Out, this is about the closest approximation of that establishment I have found in the area (I spent almost 3 years in SoCal also so I'm not a total rookie on In-N-Out).

For those unfamiliar with In-N-Out...96th is, IMO, somewhere between a Steak and Shake burger and a Five Guys burger. That is really about the best point of reference I can offer. Toppings equivlent with Five Guys but cooked like an S and S.

Always had fresh and hot from this location and like the different styles (Monster style is my go to).

I also think the airport location is not nearly as good as here.

Not impressed with 96th Street Steakburgers for many reasons:

Their steakburgers: we found them to be dry and overcooked -- NOT a contender for Steak 'n Sheak. These are edible but forgettable. I can almost guarantee you'll wish you went somewhere else. Even with a mustard grilled bun -- flavor was lacking.

Fries: totally awful. I can tolerate a lot of bad fries but these were unsavable. They were bland, not crunchy, and just plain bad. Reminscent of cardboard. These went almost completely uneaten.

The restaurant itself: it's LOUD. I often put up with a loud restaurant if the food can hold my attention...but the only thing to do here was throw away our uneaten portions and get out of here to avoid a head ache.

Not a fan.

While other steakburger places have a huge menu of items, 96th St Steak burgers focuses on the basics. Steakburgers (with a ton of ways to order it), fries, and shakes. They have a few salads as well.

If you just want a good burger without all the fuss of sitting down at a restaurant, this is the place to go.

Decent burger place with a fun, vintage feel. Favorite here is the chocolate shake, but that's not news to anyone reading the other reviews. I'm thinking it's not that different than Steak 'n Shake, though, other than it has way less on the menu.

Not that many veg heads would go to a joint with "Steakburger" in the name, but in case you're one, and you find yourself confused and in their parking lot, just know you'll only be getting a grilled cheese here ... not much else to choose from. Actually...there is nothing else.

Burgers are good, though. I still favor a burger on the grill in my own back yard, but this is a decent option.

Simple menu, but the food is great.

This place gets overlooked, or maybe overshadowed by the nearby restaurants and car dealerships lining 96th St. The burgers are very thin and have a similar taste to In N Out Burger, but can be customized in various ways (or "styles," as the menu calls them). Fries are thin and appear homemade (but deep fried), but are greasier than most other places (though they seemed to have improved on my last visit). Their shakes are a step up from typical fast food machine-made shakes, and not as sweet and artificial-tasting those from Steak N Shake. Unfortunately, they only have shakes, not malts. The restaurant appears clean, and the decor is modern. 96th St. Steak burgers is to McDonald's what Chipotle is to Taco Bell.

Also, they now accept the Flocktag reward card, which I am pretty excited about. Now, if only more businesses would get on board with Flock tag. . .

At the bare minimum, customers should get what they pay for. Ordered a double breakfast style. According to the menu, that means a double cheeseburger with egg and sausage added. Got home and it's one burger patty, one sausage. There was NOBODY ahead of us so the cook literally had one sandwich to focus on and blew it. Either that or it's an a$$hole way to scam you out of a few bucks. Stay away unless you don't mind knowing you will have to dissect your sandwich to verify you've received what you actually paid for. We try to support family owned/local businesses. The empty parking lot should have been a warning. So disappointing! Also, the place was filthy. The floors had food all over them, and several tables had a sticky film or a crumb coating.

I haven't been here in a long time, but I saw they were still in business, so figured they must be doing something right. Decided to give it another try. Ordered a double steakburger with cheese.

Overall, the experience was meh. Not bad, not great. The bun was stale, which ruins about any burger. The flavor of the burger was alright, but it was a bit greasy. The flavor of the toppings was mediocre.

I'm surprised this place had survived with Steak n Shake just down the street, considering they both market steakburgers. 96th is okay in a pinch (such as the airport location), but Five Guys and Culvers are both under a mile away, and I'd rather go to one of them.

96th Street Steakburger is essentially a churched-up Steak -n- Shake and that's not a bad thing.

After one of the most challenging days of my recent memory, I found myself on the north side around 3 p.m. without having eaten all day. As I was in a hurry, I was looking for something fast and comforting (see the part about the bad day). The burger tasted fresh and was thin with crisp edges, which I love. The fries were a bit soggy, but, then again, I didn't follow their suggestion to eat them immediately, opting, instead, to devour my burger first.

While I don't see myself seeking out 96th St. Steakburgers for a meal, I will keep it in mind when I find myself in a hurry for a high-calorie, high flavor meal on the north side.