Aug 16, 2025
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I compared Gordon Ramsay’s and Bobby Flay’s burger restaurants. There’s only one I’d go back to.

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  • Ramsay offers a sit-down meal with British dishes; Flay provides a casual, more affordable option.

  • I thought the burger from Bobby’s Burgers was flavorful and a great value.

Gordon Ramsay and Bobby Flay are known for their bold flavors, lengthy celebrity chef careers, and a bit of beef — both on the grill and with each other.

In Atlantic City, the celebrity chefs’ friendly rivalry is clear for everyone to see, with each chef serving burgers just steps apart.

Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill offers a full-service, sit-down meal with hearty pub favorites like burgers, fish and chips, and British dishes like the chef’s signature beef Wellington, while Bobby’s Burgers delivers a quick, casual option that’s easier on the wallet.

I tried both to find out which burger restaurant comes out on top.

gordon ramsay pub and grill atlantic city

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

But once I stepped inside the restaurant, I definitely got the British pub feel.

gordon ramsay pub and grill atlantic city new jersey

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

In the main dining area, I was surrounded by British iconography, from a sprawling Buckingham Palace mural to silhouettes of royal guards stationed at the edge of the red booths.

Of all the Gordon Ramsay restaurants I dined at during my visit to Atlantic City — which included Gordon Ramsay Steak and Hell’s Kitchen — this restaurant was the most British-themed.

When I arrived at the restaurant at 7 p.m. on a Thursday, the restaurant was relatively quiet. However, throughout the evening, more groups filled the booths and tables in the main dining space.

The restaurant had a large selection of signature cocktails.

gordon ramsay pub and grill atlantic city

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Many of the crafted cocktails were in keeping with the British theme, with names like “Mind the Gap” ($17.99) and “Lost in Great Britain” ($17.99).

I ordered the Lost in Great Britain, a blackberry spritz with tequila and lemon-honey syrup.

gordon ramsay pub and grill atlantic city

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The cocktail was light and refreshing, but with a slight tartness from the blackberry syrup that cut through the sweetness of the syrup.

I ordered the most classic burger on the menu.

gordon ramsay pub and grill atlantic city

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The pub’s dinner menu features three burger options.

There’s the Idiot Burger ($21.99) with white cheddar, gruyere, cremini mushrooms, spicy tomato chutney, and braised short ribs; the Blue Cheese Burger ($21.99) with spicy aioli, Bibb lettuce, frisée, onions, and blue-cheese dressing; and the Pub Burger ($21.99), which was the one I ordered.

The cost of my burger meal, including my entrée and cocktail, came to $39.98, excluding tax and tip.

The Pub Burger came topped with lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, pickles, and bacon.

gordon ramsay pub and grill atlantic city

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

It was the most classic burger on the menu, but it did have some slightly elevated ingredients like a prime-sirloin patty and a red wine glaze.

The toppings were fresh and piled on generously, adding plenty of flavor to each bite.

gordon ramsay pub and grill atlantic city

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

A large piece of lettuce adorned the burger, with two thick slices of fresh, red tomato.

The Farmhouse English cheddar perfectly coated every inch of the sizzling patty, and the bacon was crispy while still retaining some chew.

I was impressed by the burger, but it didn’t blow me away.

gordon ramsay pub and grill atlantic city

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

It was a good, classic burger, with a juicy burger patty and fresh toppings. I wished it had just a little something more, like a savory special sauce or a more flavorful cheese. However, for what it was, this burger hit all the notes.

That said, I couldn’t help thinking it was just as good as other burgers I’ve had at standard chain restaurants like Chili’s or Applebee’s, which tend to be priced slightly lower.

This burger left me feeling like I’d had a jolly decent meal, but not one worth crossing the pond (or the casino floor) for.

The fries were the pub MVP.

gordon ramsay pub and grill atlantic city

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

They were crispy and perfectly seasoned, and came wrapped in a cone of newspaper-printed paper. I liked the presentation, which really gave that classic British chip shop feel.

The fries were a tasty accompaniment to the burger.

gordon ramsay pub and grill atlantic city

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The fries were perfectly salted and the generous portion left me feeling satisfied.

However, I’ve had fries that were just as tasty at other chain restaurants. For a celebrity-chef-run chain, I again expected more.

My next stop was Bobby’s Burgers, a fast-casual concept created by celebrity chef Bobby Flay.

bobbys burgers atlantic city new jersey

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Perhaps even more so than Ramsay, Flay is famous for his dedication to burgers.

The chef has owned and operated two different fast-casual burger concepts: Bobby’s Burger Palace, which opened in 2008 and now only has two remaining locations, and Bobby’s Burgers, which launched in 2021 and has 10 locations nationwide.

I visited the Atlantic City location, which is inside Harrah’s Resort.

The atmosphere at Bobby’s Burgers was much more casual than at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill.

bobbys burgers atlantic city new jersey

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I waited in line and placed my order at the counter, then sat at one of the tables located across from the pick-up window.

Aside from the signage on the front of the stand, nothing made it obvious I was at a Bobby Flay restaurant. It isn’t a traditional brick-and-mortar spot — just a grab-and-go counter inside the casino.

The menu had a variety of burgers, sandwiches, and breakfast options.

bobbys burgers atlantic city new jersey

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The restaurant doesn’t have a full cocktail menu, like Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill did. Instead, it sold canned cocktails and a selection of draft and bottled beers.

I chose a soda to go with my meal.

bobbys burgers atlantic city new jersey

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I ordered a Diet Coke ($5.99), which I could fill up myself at the soda fountain next to the pick-up window.

I thought this was expensive for a fountain drink, but it was pretty on par with prices I’ve paid for fountain drinks at other casinos in Atlantic City and Las Vegas.

I also ordered the Palace Classic Burger and a side of fries.

bobbys burgers atlantic city new jersey

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The Palace Classic Burger ($14.49) came topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and Bobby’s sauce, which is a creamy, tangy burger sauce.

Both were served on a metal tray lined with paper stamped with the Bobby’s Burgers logo, a casual presentation that felt straight out of a fast-food joint.

The question was, would the burger itself rise above drive-thru standards and deliver something a bit more elevated?

The burger was served on a pillowy Brioche bun.

bobbys burgers atlantic city new jersey

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

When I opened the box, I was impressed by the color of the bun and the lettuce peeking out from underneath. Both looked fresh, especially for a fast-casual burger spot.

This burger was very large for the price.

bobbys burgers atlantic city new jersey

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

For less than $15, the standard price of many fast-food burgers, I thought the size of this burger was extremely generous.

Even picking up the burger required two hands because of its size and weight.

The burger patty was thick and juicy, and the sliced tomato added flavor to every bite.

bobbys burgers atlantic city new jersey

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The tangy cheese evenly coated every inch of this burger, while the lettuce added a fresh, crunchy texture. The tomato was also exceptionally thick and juicy.

I was surprised the toppings on this fast-casual burger tasted even fresher than their counterparts at the sit-down Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill. I thought the burger patty itself also packed way more flavor — it was perfectly seasoned, while Ramsay’s admittedly tasted a little bland.

The hand-cut fries were perfectly salted and served in a generous portion.

bobbys burgers atlantic city new jersey

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The side of fries ($6.49) spilled out onto the tray for easy eating and dipping.

I ate the fries with an extra side of Bobby’s sauce.

bobbys burgers atlantic city new jersey

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Similar to a special burger sauce, the dipping sauce was tangy and creamy, with a slight kick of spice. It paired well with the fries. Overall, I was really satisfied with my meal.

What Bobby’s Burgers lacked in atmosphere, it made up for a great burger at an even better price point.

bobby flay and burger from bobbys burgers

Alexander Tamargo/WireImage/Getty Images; Erin McDowell/Business Insider

For $30 in total, the meal was pricier than what I’d pay at a standard fast-food joint — for example, a large Quarter-Pounder with cheese meal at McDonald’s costs $14.89 at my closest location in Brooklyn, New York.

However, I still thought it was a good value based on the sheer portion size and quality of the food.

When it came to which restaurant I would return to, I preferred the fun — albeit a little cheesy — British pub decor and service at the sit-down Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill.

However, I thought the food at Bobby’s Burgers was more flavorful and worth it for the price.

When the final bite was gone, Bobby’s Burgers had taken the crown — no royal guard required.

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