Best Burger in Birmingham?

For as long as I can remember I have enjoyed food.  And it doesn't have to be fancy or expensive to be good in my book.  At the top of my list...a great hamburger.  While I've never considered myself to be an expert at much of anything, when it comes to burgers, I do consider myself pretty savvy.

Over the years I've had the privilege of living in Texas, Florida, Colorado and Alabama.  At every stop, I've made it a point to seek out the best burger in town.  Many make the claim, few truly deliver.  (note:  in the future, I'll write on what I consider to be the best burger I've ever had).  Now that I'm living in Birmingham, Alabama, I'm on a mission.

Recommendations that have come my way include but are not limited to:  Mughsots, Five Guys, Lloyd's, VJ's on the Runway, Johnny Rockets, Becky's, Velma's and Green Valley Drugs.  I've tried some, but not all.  Most recently, I met a friend at Green Valley Drugs in Hoover (located off Hwy 31), a place he had mentioned as one of his favorites for a good burger.  It's an old-fashioned drug store equipped with counter, stools and a few booths.  The grill was in view right behind the counter and that gave me an opportunity to look in on the process. 

I went with the bacon cheeseburger ($4.60) - done up with mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and a nice slice of onion.  By the way, here's an important burger principle for me - ketchup belongs on fries, not a burger.  The fact that ketchup was standard and I had to substitute was a bit disappointing, but not a deal breaker.  The meat was fresh and the patties appeared to be hand-formed. Size was pretty average, with thickness was somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 of an inch.  As for the bun, it was basic, but at least it was toasted (which is crucial).  I do like my bacon crispy (which it was)...but it was  broken up into small pieces...not sure what that was all about.  Let it hang off the edge a little!  The tomato was outstanding...red, ripe and juicy.  Overall, a pretty straight forward burger and I finished every bit of it. 

So here's the summary on Green Valley Drugs.  The burger...good.  The chocolate shake...even better.  I'm pretty certain it's not the BEST burger in town, but suffice it to say, I'll make a return visit without hesitation.