Blind Rabbit Coming to Riverside

[fieldafm]

Everything is now consolidated under Blind Rabbit's concept, name, menu(including both restaurants and the soon to be re-launced food truck) and management changed to reflect this. So essentially, they are doing exactly what you are all saying they should do

I think it will be a really positive development. 

[Roger904]

Been to the Riverside location 3 times now and I'm just not impressed with the food.  Cool space, good service and tasty cocktails but the food just isn't all that.

[funwithteeth]

Why the renovations at the Riverside location? Are they going to make it look like the one at the beach?

[ChriswUfGator]

Overpriced, definitely. They make a decent burger, but not $15 decent.

Anyone know why 5 Guys in Riverside closed?  was it price?  They had one of the best burgers in town for flavor...

IMHO, Five Guys had a marginally better than normal grease-burger that you had to wait 30-35 minutes to get. This was a problem for a lunch place, most people only get 30 minutes. That by itself probably had more to do with their closing than anything. In their defense maybe their local franchisee was just slacking, I've never to been to the ones in other cities. But the one here, I did give it the benefit of the doubt two or three times and each time was disappointed. It took forever and wasn't much better than anywhere else. They were also space-constrained, they didn't have many tables so you wound up standing around. They realized this at the end and did install little flat strips along the windows that you could eat at towards the end. But overall it just wasn't that good.

[AuditoreEnterprise]

Overpriced, definitely. They make a decent burger, but not $15 decent.

Anyone know why 5 Guys in Riverside closed?  was it price?  They had one of the best burgers in town for flavor...

IMHO, Five Guys had a marginally better than normal grease-burger that you had to wait 30-35 minutes to get. This was a problem for a lunch place, most people only get 30 minutes. That by itself probably had more to do with their closing than anything. In their defense maybe their local franchisee was just slacking, I've never to been to the ones in other cities. But the one here, I did give it the benefit of the doubt two or three times and each time was disappointed. It took forever and wasn't much better than anywhere else. They were also space-constrained, they didn't have many tables so you wound up standing around. They realized this at the end and did install little flat strips along the windows that you could eat at towards the end. But overall it just wasn't that good.

+1 I agree definitely not a lunch friendly place, but that is more than likely why they open around exactly lunch and close a lot later than your average place would. I am not even sure what category they would be in... Quick serve? not sure...

[mtraininjax]

5 guys closed in riverside, the owner lived across the street from us here in Avondale, for the public reasons that they never saw the traffic they do at their other locations. So if the labor costs are the same as other locations and production is below the others, it made sense to close it. As for other speculative reasons, who knows. Al's has been there since they built the building, and they do well, and they have stores across Jax too. Who knows the real reason?

[Transatlantic]

Five Guys never took 30 minutes to get an order up -- the Firehouse that replaced them takes just as long if not longer.  I think the larger problem was that they had zero menu diversity in a neighborhood with a fair number of health-conscious people and vegetarians.  Unless everyone in your group wants a big greasy burger, there is no reason to go to lunch there with co-workers.  Their "veggie" burger was just lettuce and tomatoes on a bun.  Charging $3+ for fries was also not a good idea.

M-Shack will have a legit veggie burger, fish sandwich, a kale salad, and a chicken breast sandwich.  I hope that will get better results than the 5 Guys menu.

[edjax]

I think most 5 Guys are hurting perhaps except for SJTC.    The one on San Jose in Mandarin does not do well.  In addition have seen the one in Bartram nearly empty a couple of times near lunchtime. Personally think it is a combo of overpriced for the product and really just unhealthy. 

[ChriswUfGator]

Five Guys never took 30 minutes to get an order up -- the Firehouse that replaced them takes just as long if not longer.  I think the larger problem was that they had zero menu diversity in a neighborhood with a fair number of health-conscious people and vegetarians.  Unless everyone in your group wants a big greasy burger, there is no reason to go to lunch there with co-workers.  Their "veggie" burger was just lettuce and tomatoes on a bun.  Charging $3+ for fries was also not a good idea.

M-Shack will have a legit veggie burger, fish sandwich, a kale salad, and a chicken breast sandwich.  I hope that will get better results than the 5 Guys menu.

Hey what do I know, I just waited a half-hour for a burger on more than one occasion. So am I lying? All due respect, I experienced what I experienced.

[fieldafm]

The Rabbit opened today, for those interested.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

The Rabbit opened today, for those interested.

I went by for lunch and they didn't appear open so I kept riding.

The menu looks good.  I've never made it to the Rabbit at the beach, and went to the Fig on a not-so-regular basis, but I'm looking forward to a solid burger without going to M-Shack. 

Size matters though.

FTR, Lola's has  a great burger, but I think they weigh in at about 7.35 lbs each, so it's a little more than I ever want for lunch or dinner. 

[fieldafm]

I went by for lunch and they didn't appear open so I kept riding.

They were only open for dinner yesterday.

Both myself and the better half are dining Rabbit style tonight. Really stoked for this change (and for fried chicken salad and a southern cuban sandwich).

[tufsu1]

will you be eating rabbit too?

[finehoe]

will you be eating rabbit too?

Only the one that can't see..

[Charles Hunter]

The Rabbit opened today, for those interested.

I went by for lunch and they didn't appear open so I kept riding.

The menu looks good.  I've never made it to the Rabbit at the beach, and went to the Fig on a not-so-regular basis, but I'm looking forward to a solid burger without going to M-Shack. 

Size matters though.

FTR, Lola's has  a great burger, but I think they weigh in at about 7.35 lbs each, so it's a little more than I ever want for lunch or dinner. 

Damn!  That is a BIG burger!