Review: Stacked Burger Co. doesn't mess around

The smash trend is fully upon us, but if it keeps inspiring delicious burgers like those at Stacked Burger Co, we certainly won't be mad.

The vibe: Situated in the unassuming Worthington Woods shopping center, Stacked calls itself a "modern burger diner" and aims for a throwback soda fountain atmosphere with a slightly retro sensibility.

• Brothers Dan and Jordan Lamatrice opened the eatery in November as an evolution of Alphabetical Comfort Kitchen, a food truck and Budd Dairy Food Hall stall.

🍔 On the bun: The smash trend is an influence, but these aren't entirely the steamrolled smash burgers you may know.

• They're juicier inside and pressed mostly around the outside for the lattice edge fans love, without tasting dried out.

The menu: Stacked offers traditional burger toppings and fries, along with brisket and chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, onion rings, fried Brussels sprouts and floats.

What we ate: We built our own burgers (starting at $13), with toppings ranging from cheese and (extra) pickles to garlic aioli and onion straws.

• The very crunchy battered and seasoned fries ($4, or free with burgers) are winners, and every dipping sauce was fantastic.
• We also tried onion rings ($6) and fried Brussels sprouts ($8), which come topped with either garlic aioli and bacon or citrus honey sriracha and feta.

Best bites: The burgers were great, but the stars of the show were the … Brussels sprouts?!

• The bacon and aioli version stunned us. Really.

💭 Alissa's thought bubble: I've never had a smash burger, and while it wasn't my thing — I like my food barely cooked, not crispy — I think they did it really well.

The bottom line: These no-frills burgers and sides would be welcome in just about any neighborhood, and left us eager to return for things like the brisket, a float … and more sprouts.

Stop by: 11am-9pm Monday-Saturday. Closed Sunday. 1089 Worthington Woods Blvd.