Cookout is finally on the Coast. Here’s our review of the popular Southeastern chain
It has been 10 years since Cook Out debuted in Mississippi with its Oxford location. That same year the North Carolina chain opened its 250th location at Starkville.
But for years now, the closest the Mississippi Coast has come to a Cook Out are the locations in Hattiesburg and Mobile.
That changed this summer when Cook Out opened its doors on Highway 49 in Gulfport. Since then, the drive-thru lanes have been backed up onto the highway on a near nightly basis during dinnertime hours.
The restaurant has gained traction over the years for its affordability, which has made it a college town staple across the Southeast. Cook Out’s staple products are its dozen of milkshake flavors and hamburger patties that are trucked in fresh on a daily basis and then cooked on an open-flame charcoal grill.
This will be my first review of an establishment I am already well-acquainted with. But for the sake of the review, I’m switching the order.
There are a few thousand ways to parse the menu here, and I have been loyal to one since college: a big double burger tray with onions, bacon, cajun seasoning and mustard with sides of cajun fries and onion rings and a Cheerwine to drink.
This time we broadened the styrofoam plate. The big, double-burger tray remained the base, but it was ordered Cookout Style: homemade chili, slaw, onions and mustard.
The burger patties are the star of the show for a reason. Instead of the usual fast-food flat grill process, these patties come with grill marks and charred edges to give you a smoky backyard grill taste. The chili deepens the smoke flavors, the mustard clashes with a tang and the slaw and onions add the extra crunch.
This may be the new regular. The meal was complimented by cajun fries, onion rings, a cajun ranch wrap and a chili hot dog before a strawberry shake washed it down.
All of this set me back about $17. Not bad.
Cook Out isn’t going to blow you away with flavor, but the trimmings around the menu, the subtleties in preparation and competitive pricing all culminate in a joint that doesn’t necessarily fit the mold of a McDonald’s or Taco Bell despite falling under the fast food category.
Address: 11464 US 49, Gulfport
Hours: Sunday - Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. and Friday - Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 4 a.m.
