Tournament of Burgers Day 17: Two burgers to battle Monday for the title

By Ron Swarner on April 5, 2014

SATURDAY, APRIL 5: SET UP FOR MONDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME >>>

For more than two weeks, wechallenged 64 of the South Sound's best burger joints to go patty-to-patty in a showdown of culinary combat. Some fell easily by the wayside, either due to a rogue Condiments Guy or simply because they faced a superior opponent. Bun by bun, we ate our way down to yesterday's Final Four: Eastside Big Tom, Maxwell's Restaurant, Westside Tavern and Tatanka Takeout. It was do-or-die, win-or-fly, bring-your-best-or-over-fry.

Game 1: Eastside Big Tom (2023 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia) vs. Maxwell's Restaurant (454 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma)

Our Steno Pool called it the game of the tournament, which is hard to argue with a one and two seed battling it out. When the last burger was flipped, and a lead it never gave up the entire day, Maxwell's Restaurant grabbed 56.57 percent of the vote and moves on to Monday's championship game.

Game 2: Westside Tavern (1815 Harrison Ave. NW, Olympia) vs. Tatanka Takeout (4915 N. Pearl St., Ruston)

Tatanka Takeout came into the Tournament of Burgers as a No. 3 seed and didn't disappoint - at least in the opening 400 minutes. Tatanka led all morning with an average lead of 40 votes, without any help from the Internets. Its tasty bison burger standing tall on North Pearl Street. At 3 p.m., with the help of its late-rising crowd, Westside Tavern poured it on. The Olympia hangout began racking up votes in an eye-popping display of patty perfection, with strong play from their Tavern Burger. When the final buzzer rang, Westside Tavern managed to beat Tatanka by 365 votes, and score a date with Maxwell's Restaurant in the championship game Monday.

The daily burger battles on Walkie Talkie are sponsored by Ricky J's Restaurant and Lounge in Puyallup.

Here we go. Maxwell's Restaurant will face Westside Tavern Monday, April 7 when the polls open around 8:14 a.m. Online voting runs until 5 p.m. At 6 p.m. the voting opens back up live at the Tournament of Burgers Final Party at Meconi's Pub, 709 Pacific Ave. in downtown Tacoma. Ballots will be handed out, which will also serve as raffle tickets. The live vote will close at halftime of the NCAA Men's Tournament final and the South Sound Burger champion will be announced.

So, pack the car and eat at Maxwell's today and Westside Tavern tomorrow. Compare notes with your neighbors. Then come Monday, vote here on Walkie Talkie before joining us at Meconi's Pub later that night.

Thanks again everyone for voting!

LINK: What's up with this burger tournament?

LINK: Hot Damn! Yes, I want the South Sound Happy Hour App!