On their website, Milt's Stop & Eat proudly declares that they partner with local food producers, and that their burgers are fresh ground and grass fed. We certainly weren't expecting a classic burger joint like this in a small tourist town!
Bacon Cheeseburger ($7) - Very messy burger here. A ton of ketchup and mustard spread on the bottom bun, followed by lettuce and onion, and a small mountain of what seem to be homemade pickles. The pickles are not sliced consistently, so some pieces are paper thin, while others are over a quarter inch. They are crunchy and have an especially strong tang, which, when combined with the acidic condiments, makes each bite have a sourness that overpowers all the other flavors in the burger. I'd almost suggest to eat the burger upside down to allow the cheese and meat to hit the tongue before all the acid. With the meat - the patty is pretty generously sized but doesn't seem to be charred all that much, making the patty a bit anemic. I didn't get a lot of beefy flavor, but this may be due to the grass-fed nature of the beef. There's a slice of American cheese on top, which is only melted in the center, leaving the edges and corners still in original form. I honestly couldn't say how much bacon there is included - these are very thinly sliced and reminded me of the fully cooked microwavable bacon. They completely get lost in the burger and I actually regret getting the bacon cheeseburger over the normal cheeseburger. Everything is on a soft and pliable bun, toasted on the griddle. If I get a burger at Milt's again, I would probably ask to either omit the pickles or ask for them on the side. They are way too powerful for the sandwich. (3/5)
Fries ($3) - Served piping hot directly from the fryer. They pump these out continuously and don't drain them all that well, resulting in a layer of oil on the bottom of the paper serving boat that soaks into the bottom most fries. Otherwise, the fries on top aren't soggy at all and have a light crisp on the outside combined with a fluffy inside. They are interestingly shaped into potato dippers, which isn't seen too often. They are lightly salted and generally delicious. They look homemade given the size differences between the dippers, but could also be Lamb-Weston given how nicely crisp they are. (4/5)
Pesto Cheese Fries ($5) - These are the same fries as above but layered with cheese and pesto. The cheese is generously applied, but is melted together into a tight matrix that hardens up almost like glue. The pesto works well with the fries and cheese. Unlike the regular order of fries, the pesto fries aren't crisp at all and instead fully fluffy like they've been steamed. The cheese is a little suspicious with how well it's melted without any browning - a peek behind the counter shows some microwave action. Regardless of cook method, it's still tasty. (4/5)
Milkshake, Large, Malt Powder + Oreo ($6) - This shake starts super thick when it first comes out and can't really be sucked up through the straw. After letting it sit for 5 or 10 minutes, it started getting soft enough to drink. It's a pretty classic milkshake, pretty solid overall. The oreo is well distributed, but I couldn't really detect any malt for the first half of the shake. The malt starts getting more and more concentrated as the liquid level goes down. That's because the powder actually isn't dispersed well in the milkshake at all - instead it all settles on the bottom into a large glob and isn't blended in at all into the ice cream. I probably wouldn't get the malt again, but I would the oreo for sure! (4/5)
Bathrooms - Single unisex room in the back behind the building
I visited again a couple of days later for more:
Cheeseburger ($6) - Milt's is very inconsistent with their burgers. I guess it depends on who is the grill master at the time. Unlike the burger the other day, this one only includes a couple of pickle slices and has a distinct lack of mustard and ketchup on the bottom, making the burger overall a little dry. This one is completely on the opposite spectrum as the previous burger in terms of moisture. Still, due to the lack of overpowering acidity, it's a bit more pleasing to eat. (4/5)
Fries ($3) - This time, the fries are drained well with no oil puddle soaking on the bottom of the tray. (5/5)
Bowl of Chili ($5) - I believe this chili is made in house with the leftover burgers and brisket, both of which are mixed into the chili in pretty generous amounts. In addition to the meat, there are tender pinto beans, tomatoes, and green bell peppers. They give the option to add diced onion and cheese on top. This chili tastes like a classic chili and is delicious, not overly salted. It's chock full of ingredients, probably more solid than liquid. (4/5)
Milt's is a very solid burger joint, although a bit inconsistent. The prices are pretty reasonable, and I'd visit again in a heartbeat whenever I'm in Moab.