Lunchbox Laboratory Review

Jason here. We decided to check out Lunchbox Laboratory in downtown Bellevue. I passed this place many times, and always assumed it made little lunchbox’s of random assorted food for people to take out and back to work. While I am still interested in such a place, I was also looking for a nice gluten free burger, that I could get closer to home.

Now if you are imaging a bunch of waiters dressed in lab coats, and serving you in a very medical looking room, that could not be further from the truth. Instead of very straight lined, white look I was expecting, it was instead a very hipster looking place with tons of nick-naks everywhere. The menu itself had clippings of Star Wars, and other pop culture references. To get a feel of the fun atmosphere, just check out their website.

So where do they get their name you might ask. Well every week they create a couple recipes that after the week is up, disappear forever. If you are looking for somewhere that has something new to try each time you go, look no further.

For my meal I ordered the Truffle Love burger, substituting the bun for a gluten free one, and substituting the side with a salad. The burger was absolutely delicious. It was juicy, but not undercooked. The black truffle mayo, onions, Swiss cheese, and bacon all added together to make for a very unique taste. I must say this was a messy burger, and I enjoyed every bite of it. The side was good, but nothing out of the ordinary.

The wait staff is very friendly, and made sure to check everything was gluten free. I was informed that none of the sides are gluten free, as they are made in the same deep fryer as other items which may contain gluten. Hence, my substitution of fries for a side salad.

I would love to go back here every week on a lunch break, but there is one thing holding me back. That would be the price. The burgers themselves are already on the more expensive side, and both the salad substitution, and the gluten free bun substitution cost extra. After tallying everything up, it came to what I would expect to pay at a much more formal sit down restaurant, then a burger place.

Kayleigh here. I ordered the Tear Jerker burger, with the same substitutions as Jason, plus changing out the beef for a veggie patty. I will say, the flavors were lovely, and the spice level was spot-on for what I wanted, but the veggie patty was extremely…dense. Great flavor, but extremely filling, and almost felt like I was eating more bread in-between bread. It probably did not help that I had to remove the toppings and eat them with a fork just to fit the burger in my mouth- man, do they pile it on! The side salad was nice and fresh, with shaved Parmesan and house-made Cesar dressing- better than expected! I also got a milkshake with my meal, and will say that they definitely did that right- thick, creamy, and the perfect amount of sweetness without being too overwhelming.

Overall I would recommend Blue Moon burgers as I felt they were more gluten friendly, the price was much better, and the food was equally good if not better. However, if you are in Bellevue and really craving a good burger check out Lunchbox Laboratory.