Bent Burgers, Seattle

Bent Burger’s namesake burger is not for the faint of heart or stomach: chefs top a freshly ground beef patty with hot links, fried eggs, candied bacon, and cheese. Then, they wedge that already hulking load between two grilled cheese sandwiches. This creativity garnered acclaim from a reporter from Examiner.com, who called the eatery a “local treasure,” and the same creativity extends to the rest of the menu. The Human Torch burger sets tongues aflame with pepper jack cheese and grilled habanero peppers, and The Thing burger showcases the bold flavors of caramelized onions and blue cheese. These inventive mouthfuls buddy up with more than a dozen flavors of shakes and malts, including green tea, chai, and pumpkin.

Bent Burger’s decor matches the playfulness of the cuisine: the tables are shellacked with comic book covers, and life-sized comic book heroes pop against a backdrop of burnt orange walls.