Counter Culture.

We Take Back Everything We've Ever Said. Off-Site Kitchen Actually Has The Best Burger in Town.

Off-Site Kitchen
2226 Irving Blvd.
Design District

Ambiance: 2 out of 4 meatsweats.
Food: 4 out of 4 meatsweats.
Service: 3 out of 4 cows.

Over the course of this site's history, we've published two articles claiming that Maple and Motor serves the best burger in Dallas.

Both of those articles are wrong, turns out.

Off-Site Kitchen's burgers are better and, with all due deference to my esteemed colleagues and the good folks who put together the lists compiled for our massive burger list, it's not even particularly close.

M&M's burgers are certainly flavorful, but they are also dense, greasy messes that never fail to leave you feeling queasy about halfway through.

OSK's flagships have no such issue. The joint's patties are quarter-pounders — not so big as to be a gut-bomb — and made from loosely packed beef that is ground on site. Once formed, the burgers are cooked, along with a layer of minced onions, on a hellaciously hot flat top that gives the burgers a perfect crust while leaving a nice, hot pink, medium-rare center.

Frankly, with that base, the burgers would be awesome no matter the accoutrements. Luckily for diners, though, this dive doesn't shy from potent, delicious add-ons. You can get everything from the Straight Up, which comes with just lettuce, tomato and mayo, to the Green Chile and Bacon, which, in addition to the named ingredients, includes caramelized onions and muenster cheese.

Without a doubt, however, the best of all the burger offerings is the Murph-Style burger, which is topped with roasted-jalapeno and bacon relish, American cheese and a secret sauce. With the addition of an optional over-easy fried egg, it is life-changing. You will question any opinions about local burgers you have ever had after the first bite. The confluence of the sweet and spicy relish, runny egg yolk and an ideal patty is nothing short of extraordinary.

Although the burgers are all more than capable of standing on their own, OSK offers some really good sides, too. The thin-cut russet fries are topped with just the right amount of garlic salt and the Heinz 57 cole slaw is a tangy standout. We'd be remiss, too, if we didn't mention the unfortunately named Sloppy Taco as well. The crispy taco is filled with sloppy Joe meat and topped with pico de gallo and homemade ranch dressing. It doesn't sound particularly appetizing, but it's a winning combination of childhood favorites, with the creaminess of the ranch there to off-set the slightly spicy bite of the sloppy Joe filling.

Honestly, you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. On multiple visits, we've had almost everything — and we've never left disappointed.

But we never go too many visits without a burger.

Sure, there are places with more seating options — OSK only has a few indoor bar seats and some picnic tables outside — and some better ambiance and definitely quicker service (even among OSK's fellow Design District inhabitants). But there aren't many with more consistently outstanding food.

Off-Site Kitchen is worth the trip — and the inevitable subsequent second and third trips.