Culver's -- why have I never heard of this chain before? (Phoenix: real estate, live)

[fluffythewondercat]

Driving around in the dark in the vicinity of 19th and Union Hills, I saw a big blue building all lit up and decided to check it out.

Lo and behold, it was Culver's. Not exactly your usual fast food. Clearly I haven't spent enough time in the Midwest, from which Culver's hails. The map shows exactly none on the West Coast.

They've got pork tenderloin sandwiches, beef pot roast sandwiches, North Atlantic Cod and who knows what else -- I missed the Wisconsin cheese curds. Well, next time.

They have the best frozen custard I've ever had. Tonight it was some sort of brownie/vanilla combo. Oh bliss.

Apparently there are a bunch of them here in the Valley. I'm just surprised no one's mentioned them before.

[JasonS]

They are okay but I like the burgers from Freddy's more. But they don't have as many options as Culver's.

[rtloucks]

I have had both freddys and Culvers. Having lived in MN we used to go to Culvers and Having Freddys in CO, VA and AZ I was never impressed. Culvers is a little slower service but it is because they really do cook everything fresh to order. And the Cheese curds... dont get me started! Culvers is worth the $ hands down. I dont care for all of their menu items. I tried the fish and some other items, but if you want a good burger (butter burger) and Cheese curds and the best custard around, it is your place.

[KurtAZ]

Meh...we tried it when the location on ray and the 101 opened up....not impressed and the burgers were disgusting. Must be a Mid-West thing. Of course we have tried White Castle in Vegas as well after some friends from Chicago raved about them. Almost hurled.

[JGMotorsport64]

Culver's is gross IMO. They used to have a good south western chicken sandwich on ciabatta that was an exception, but the rest is greasy and gross.

[wase4711]

Culver shakes are good, and the fish sandwiches arent bad either..but, something about a greasy "butter burger" that I could never get into..
White castle was always a twice a year visit, when ever you needed to "empty" out your system, completely..

[Bondurant]

Culver's is okay. They don't have the consistency of In-N-Out and some locations are better than others. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat at Culver's nor make a trip specifically there but I do go from time to time if hungry and driving by one.

Still awaiting the White Castle that a White Castle employee said was planned for Phoenix. Think she was trolling me.

[Meemur]

The "butter burger" has to be made with fresh, local Iowa beef before you'll appreciate it. I also thought it was garbage until I had one out here. Fresh makes all the difference!

I go to Culver's a lot more now than I did in Ohio.

[BIG CATS]

Culver's is pretty decent. Those that say Culvers must be a "Midwest thing" and isn't good, clearly don't have operating taste buds. That's ok, though. Those statements are coming from natives who have eaten AZ dust and Mexican food for so long, that they don't know whats good for them. Iowa beef, Wisconsin cheese, and Midwest grains are world class. And that's a fact.

[fluffythewondercat]

Maybe it depends on where you came from.

I just moved here from the Bay Area (Silicon Valley), where the casual dining options are pretty limited if you don't like Mexican food -- and I don't. Part of the problem there is that commercial real estate is so expensive.

I saw an Indian restaurant in the same area as that Culver's franchise that advertises Thai ice cream rolls...I think the name of the place is Om?

For this Silicon Valley burnout, anything other than the same-old same-old is welcome.