Caelin Bragg
Advertising & Distribution Manager
El Dorado has got a brand-new flair this year with the opening of Hampton’s, a local fast-food joint at 117 West 2nd Avenue.
Hampton’s serves everything one would expect from a fast-food place/diner; burgers, chicken, sandwiches, hotdogs, salads and a wide variety of sides and homemade pies are all available. It shouldn’t be difficult finding something that everyone can enjoy.
One of the items on Hampton’s menu that makes them a stand-out is their inclusion of “famous El Dorado veal.” While my personal objections would prevent me from ordering such a thing on a regular basis, it’s a unique item that isn’t easily attainable elsewhere and is an interesting and new food that I would recommend newcomers try at least once.
But my go-to food at any place like this is a simple hamburger and french-fries, and Hampton’s provides an always freshly-made version of both. Their hamburgers are somehow both juicy and crisp at the same time and just can’t compare to any chain fast-food places in the area.
They also do something that every food place should do by default: They list “hamburger” and “cheeseburger” separately. As someone who is lactose-intolerant, having a place where I can be assured that my food won’t incorrectly have cheese on it 50 percent of the time makes Hampton’s one of the nicest places I’ve eaten at. I was getting to the point where I wasn’t even ordering burgers at places.
The location is small, but I feel like that adds to its local-charm, and lets customers get a view of the kitchen and see the food being made in real-time. Hampton’s only houses two tables and a small bar-like area facing outside through the large front window. They also provide seating outside, but it might be difficult hosting a family party without planning ahead of time.
While the food is great and made fresh, that comes at the price of speed. Hampton’s isn’t somewhere that’s easy to run in, grab some food and head out. It is possible to call-in ahead of time and have the order ready, but it still doesn’t provide that same convenience as other chains have.
But that still hasn’t stopped Hampton’s from becoming my go-to place to order food after a long day. Hampton’s is a great burger joint, and the extra fact that it’s a home-grown business makes it an easy recommendation from me for anyone living in or visiting El Dorado.