“That’s the best burger I’ve had in a long time.”

My wife Molly said that after her first few bites of a Pimento Burger (homemade pimento cheese, fried pickles and homemade ranch) at Bang Bang Burgers in Charlotte.

I agreed, with my Double Bang Bang Burger (American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and Bang Bang sauce akin to a saucy relish) serving as evidence.

Guy Fieri has featured Bang Bang Burgers on his popular Food Network series “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives,” and after eating at the restaurant we understand why. Nearly every spot that’s been on “Triple D” has been a hit for us, too.

Bang Bang’s burgers are juicy, ooze grill flavor and offer the appropriate thickness. I’ve found I don’t like a burger that’s too thick or meaty because it just doesn’t carry the juice or flavor, and it throws off the ratio of textures with the bun and cheese. The patties at Bang Bang are the correct size to allow for double cheeseburgers, if that’s your thing. The doubles carry an extra punch of meat without sacrificing the joy of the toppings. It also helps that Bang Bang doubled my cheese along with my beef!

The fries at Bang Bang are also a highlight and not an after-thought. Many places that serve burgers and French fries use a fry no better than what you’d get in the freezer section of a grocery store and make at home. Like a few other places we’ve visited, Bang Bang clearly cuts its fries and cooks them, all from scratch on site. We also like that fries are included with the burgers instead of needing to be purchased for an extra a la carte price.

You will pay a bit more at Bang Bang for your burgers than you will at a cheap diner, but we believe you’ll also think the cost is worth it, especially since the cost includes fries. That’s how we felt. The quantity of a plate here is good, but the quality is what really caught our tastebuds.

We sampled a couple of the more-traditional burgers on our first visit, as we typically do when we check out a restaurant for the first time, but Bang Bang also offers a number of creative options. Those include a black bean burger, a chicken sandwich, a grilled salmon BLT and even a burger in a bowl with customizable toppings. Side options in addition to fries include onion rings, house-made chips, sweet fries with maple dip and even a few veggie options.

We also love that Bang Bang partners with several other local businesses to get its buns (which are phenomenal companions to house the beef) and craft beers.

These really were some of the best burgers we’ve had, not just lately but also in a long, long time. If you’re looking for one of the best burgers in Charlotte, we don’t think you can go wrong by visiting Bang Bang.

Bang Bang offers two locations in the Charlotte area, as of the time of this post. We visited the original one in the Elizabeth neighborhood. A second location opened in South End not that long ago.

Bang Bang Burgers, 2001 E. 7th Street, Suite D, Charlotte, N.C.