With a never-ending parade of beers to drink and people's problems to solve, Evan "Beer Guy" Benn and yours truly, the Life Sherpa, have not brought you a new Go! magazine Taste Test since July.

But we're back, and we're taking another look at burgers — this time, from the glut of upscale, national chains that have seemed to become as prevalent as Starbucks.

A number of these fast-casual restaurants have opened St. Louis locations in the past year or so. Usually, we don't include national chains in our tastings, but we wanted to see whether these spots, with their litany of toppings choices, lived up to the buzz they've been getting. For this quest, we stuck to chains that specialize in burgers (adios, Applebee's) and do not have drive-thrus (we're sorry, Wendy's). As a bonus, we also rated each place's french fries.

So, with no more filler, here are our findings.

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Best fries: Cheeburger, Cheeburger

Where 13311 Manchester Road, Des Peres; other locations • How much $5.29 for 5.5-ounce burger (includes cheese and toppings); $2.39 for a basket of fries • More info cheeburger.com

Beer Guy: This "cheeburger" was far and away the least impressive burger we encountered. Our server tried admirably to help us navigate the too-many-options menu. I stumbled by asking for minced garlic — one of almost 40 free toppings — on my burger. It did nothing to save the dry, overcooked Angus beef patty. (One option they don't give you is for a medium-rare burger.) The fries: Loved 'em. Fresh and hot, crispy and peppery. Next time: double order of fries, skip the burger.

Life Sherpa: The burger was perfectly average. It was fresh and juicy, but it lacked that beefy, carnivorous taste of a really good burger. The bun was good, toasty and warm, also soft and fresh. The fries: This was the highlight of the meal. Cooked in peanut oil, they were crisp on the outside, soft and hot inside. The dipping sauces (99 cents each; we went with zesty horseradish) are a nice touch.

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Christy's Hamburgers

Where 14560 Manchester Road, Ballwin; other locations • How much $3.99 for 5.5-ounce burger ($4.39 with cheese); $6.39 includes cheeseburger, fries and drink • More info christyburger.com

Beer Guy: A scoop of spreadable English pub-style cheddar was the saving grace of this otherwise run-of-the-mill burger. The cheese's sharp, salty tang pleasantly enhanced the bland meat and a crumbly sesame-seed bun. Thick-cut tomatoes and onions were highlights of the anemic fixings bar. The fries: Our piping-hot fries were made to order, but their interiors had the telltale mealiness of being frozen.

Life Sherpa: I was disappointed. The burger reminded me of a line my friend uses to describe hothouse tomatoes: "They're as pretty as a picture, and they taste just like one." There was no juice and little flavor in this meat patty. Concerns of sneezing aside, I do like the "works" bar (shades of old Burger Chef), but that was the only bright spot. The fries: They were crinkle-cut, which I like. They were frozen and tasted that way, which I don't like.

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Best burger runner-up: Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Where 1415 Galleria Mall; other locations • How much $5.29 for a "regular" burger, which is two 3.3-ounce patties ($5.89 with cheese); $2.99 for fries • More info fiveguys.com

Beer Guy: This was my first trip to Five Guys, even though the place has been on my should-try list since it topped Consumer Reports' best-burger survey last year. Turns out, Five Guys lives up to the hype. The double-patty burger was the juiciest on our trail, despite being cooked to a chain-mandated well-done. I also liked the soft sesame-seed bun, which sopped up those burger juices while maintaining its structure. The fries: In case the stacks of peanut oil in the dining area and the peanut shells on the floor weren't reminder enough, the menu will tell you that the fries are cooked in cholesterol-free peanut oil. Our overflowing batch was a tad greasy, but the flavor and seasoning were top-cut.

Life Sherpa: My cheeseburger was hot, juicy and delicious, and served with a nice amount of toppings. I don't like that onions are diced instead of sliced; it's harder to keep them on the burger. The fries: They're fresh and hand-cut, with a flavor that is far superior to frozen spuds. They could have been a tad crispier.

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Fuddruckers

Where 10752 Sunset Plaza; other locations • How much $5.19 for 5.5-ounce burger ($5.95 with cheese); $9.44 for cheeseburger, fries and drink • More info fuddruckers.com

Beer Guy: I had high hopes for my medium-rare beef burger (if you're feeling adventurous and have a few extra bucks to spend, you can order burgers made of bison, elk, boar or ostrich here), and being in a Fuddruckers brought back nostalgic childhood memories. Unfortunately, I soon realized why I hadn't eaten here in years. The burger was quite blah — too dry and chewy for medium-rare doneness — and the house-baked bun was ruined by a coating of artificial-tasting butter. The fries: Fry fans, look elsewhere; these steak-cut Fudd fries were dud fries.

Life Sherpa: I was pleasantly surprised with the burger here, the first national designer-burger chain to come to St. Louis. I especially like the fact that you can order a burger cooked to medium-rare. The meat was fresh and hot, with the works bar allowing you to pile on the toppings. The fries: Double dose of "not good." They were frozen (blech) and of the steak-fry variety, big and clumpy.

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Best burger: Smashburger

Where 1671 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield; other locations • How much $4.29 for 5.5-ounce burger ($5.04 with cheese); $1.79 for fries, $1.99 for Smashfries tossed with olive oil, rosemary and garlic • More info smashburger.com

Beer Guy: Take one of two paths at Smashburger — order a "signature" burger with predetermined ingredients, or create your own, choosing from various buns, cheeses and toppings — and you're unlikely to go astray. The toppings are ones you'd actually want to have on a burger (read: no minced garlic), and adding a fried egg to my patty was the best $1 decision I made all week. This was a fresh, flavorful burger that I'd gladly eat again and again. The fries: Smashburger's regular shoestring fries were addictive enough; tossing them in olive oil, rosemary and garlic took these fast-food spuds to a new level.

Life Sherpa: Now this is the kind of burger I love: slightly blackened and crunchy on the outside, hot and juicy on the inside, with a hearty beef flavor. Although no pink was visible, the burger was not tough or dry and had (in a very good way) that classic diner aroma. The toppings were plentiful, and the standard egg bun was perfectly toasted and fresh. The fries: Although frozen, they were the thin Steak 'n Shake kind; I like those.