The Counter looks like a 1950s-style burger joint that’s been given a modern makeover. Stylish white pendant lights hang down along the bar, illuminating lots of polished aluminum and splashes of light blue paint. It has a big counter and full bar where you can order old-timey milkshakes—or something less precious and more alcoholic.

Speaking of precious, you can build your own burger here, too, although with the list of ingredients, from bacon to dried cranberries, fried egg to herbed goat cheese, is so long and littered with potential missteps the process could easily become “build your own abomination.” You even get bun choices, including the delightfully impractical English muffin, something rarely seen in Seattle burger joints.

The Counter uses really good beef (antibiotic- and hormone-free) from Meyer Ranch. (Chicken, turkey, and veggie patties are also available, although the provenance of those is less clear.) The Counter understands “medium rare”: burgers ordered that way come appropriately pink and juicy. Chili, which is made with some of that good beef, is also a robust delight.

The drawbacks? A high price tag that only gets higher once you start getting busy with all the “premium” toppings. And the location: the Counter belies its corporate roots by occupying a strip mall spot in an industrial hub shared by a Trader Joe’s and an LA Fitness.