The $777 Burger Gordon Ramsay Tried (And Loved)

If you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, you can always do like Gordon Ramsay and spend it on one of the world's most expensive burgers. That's what the chef-turned-TV-star did on the 2020 "City Slickers" episode of his series "American Road Trip." Ramsay took co-hosts Gino D'Acampo and Fred Sirieix to Burger Brasserie at the Bally's resort in Las Vegas to try its accurately named 777 burger.

Ramsay joined head chef Karl Krebs in his kitchen to help cook and assemble one of the pricey burgers. The rich patty was made from marbled American Wagyu beef, which the chef revealed was formed from a blend of rib-eye cap and chuck. The grilled meat was then topped with aged American goat's cheese, crispy pancetta, sliced lobster, two pieces of foie gras, arugula, and finished with a generous splash of 100-year-old balsamic vinegar. To wash down the lavish meal, (and contribute to its extravagant price), it came served with a bottle of Dom Pérignon Rosé. Ramsay's guests' opinions differed as to the upscale champagne that accompanied the burger. D'Acampo described it as cultured while Sirieix considered it "sacrilege" (via YouTube).

Despite the exorbitant menu items geared towards Sin City's high rollers, Burger Brasserie closed in 2022. Bally's has since rebranded as Horseshoe Las Vegas, and the former home of the burger restaurant is now the location of Guy Fieri's Flavortown Sports Kitchen. The costliest burger at Fieri's spot will set you back by a more moderate $27.99.

As for the road trippers' reactions to the $777 burger, D'Acampo thought the flavor of the foie gras and lobster was unexpectedly noticeable, in a good way, but Sirieix was dismayed that the tall sandwich was hard to eat without a knife and fork. Alluding to his French sophistication, his response aligned with the controversial etiquette rule for eating a burger at a fancy restaurant. While both Ramsay and D'Acampo were delighted with the classy offering, Sirieix just couldn't get past its excessive price. Ramsay summed up the experience by exclaiming that "it's disgustingly expensive, but it's bloody delicious" (per YouTube).

As for the inordinate price tag, the quality of the ingredients likely contributed to how the restaurant justified its cost. Take the meat for example: A5 Wagyu steak is considered the height of luxury. Although this beef originates from Japan, rare Wagyu cattle breeds do exist in America as well, brought over before importing them was banned in 1997. Similarly, the brasserie's burger was made with the world's most expensive balsamic vinegar, genuine Academia Barilla Aceto Balsamico. The D.O.P. certified, 100-year-aged traditional vinegar from Modena costs upwards of $200 per bottle. 

While foie gras and lobster also cost a pretty penny, the most expensive element of the $777 burger is actually the bottle of bubbly that it came with. Depending on the vintage, bottles of the luxury champagne range from $250 to over $5,000. A 2001 rosé variety runs approximately for $400. 

You can't get the 777 burger anymore, but there are still plenty of options for an indulgent hamburger splurge. In England, you can visit Gordon Ramsay Burger inside Harrods and pay £85 (just over $109) for his 1849 burger with truffle-parmesan fries. The specialty comes with a Wagyu patty (Japanese Kobe A5), mushroom ragu, truffle-porcini aioli, pecorino, watercress, and aged balsamic vinegar. 

New York City's Serendipity 3 restaurant opened in 1954 and, in 2012, earned the Guinness World Record for the world's most expensive hamburger. The $295 Le Burger Extravagant includes a Japanese Wagyu patty made with herbed white truffle butter and smoked sea salt. It's topped with cave-aged cheddar, a fried quail egg, and black truffles, within a white truffle-buttered bun. It's finished with a blini, crème fraîche, and Paramount Kaluga caviar. A solid gold, diamond-studded toothpick holds it all together.

Finally, head to De Daltons restaurant in The Netherlands. As of 2021, it holds the Guinness World Record for the most expensive hamburger. Priced at €5,000 ($5430.90), The Golden Boy features a Wagyu A5 patty on a gold-leaf covered, Dom Pérignon infused bun. It's topped with Beluga caviar, King crab cooked in Puligny-Montrachet wine, Joselito Bellota Iberico ham, white truffle, English cheddar, tomato pickled in matcha tea, smoked duck egg mayo, a Dom Pérignon battered onion ring, and barbecue sauce made with Macallan whisky and Kopi Luwak, the world's most expensive "cat poop" coffee.