Red Wagon Burgers & Philly Cheese Steak

A strip mall grub go-to

By Dutch Randall, Jackie Fender on August 10, 2017

ANNOUNCER:  Open just short of a year now, Dutch and Jackie tackle the monster-sized burgers at Red Wagon Burgers and Philly Cheese Steak. Specializing in charbroiled burgers, cheesesteaks, fries and shakes, there is something for everyone here.

DUTCH: The advantage of being located in the Westgate Shopping Center is that there is plenty of parking available.  And upon entering, there is plenty of seating as well with a communal table in the middle surrounded by booths as you approach the counter to order.

JACKIE: I dug the funky wall designs, too, featuring a mish-mash of super heroes, vintage cartoons and portraits. Like, I don't know exactly how it fits the theme of Red Wagon, but I like it. As I approached the counter, I was in awe of the plethora of options. There are loads of fun shake flavors like mango, mint, Oreo and butterscotch to boot.

DUTCH:  With so many burgers to choose from, I grabbed the egg / bacon burger.  First, I grabbed half a dozen napkins in preparation for this massive feast.  A one-third-pound grilled patty was combined with melted provolone cheese, special sauce, pickles, red onions, tomato, lettuce, bacon and a fried egg.  In addition to a stack of napkins, you will need both hands as well.

JACKIE: So many napkins. I was looking around for a knife to cut my Crumbled Bleu Cheese Bacon Burger in half to make the job easier, but there was none in sight. The beef patty boasted a smoky flavor that played well with the bleu cheese in this guy. Their fries are a crisp, golden brown. No need to reinvent the wheel here.

DUTCH: Don't forget the Philly cheesesteaks here.  There are several options available from the regular loaded with thin sliced steak grilled with onions and topped with plenty of provolone cheese, to a cheesesteak with pepper jack cheese or mushroom.  There is even an offering with lettuce, tomato and cheese whiz.

JACKIE: Which I had to try, because, cheese wiz. The Works Wiz Cheesesteak was an ooey-gooey delight with Wiz Cheese and provolone cheese paired with sautéed mushrooms, onions and sliced steak. While I thought fresh tomato and lettuce was an odd choice, the roll was toasted to perfection and held up against the juicy sandwich makings. Bottom line, if you're looking for a quick burger fix or hankering for a Philly cheesesteak, skip the drive-thru and hit this strip mall gem.

Red Wagon Burgers & Philly Cheese Steak, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday-Friday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday; closed Sunday, 2315 N. Pearl St. #A16, Tacoma, 253.212.3705, redwagonburgers.com