ORLANDO, Fla. — Texas-based franchise Mooyah Burgers, Fries & Shakes won Orlando’s Best by Orlando Weekly voters.

After Angel Flores moved his family from California to open the restaurant on S. Orange Avenue two days before the pandemic, he said the award shows their perseverance and is a testament to the good food and community.

“It’s a testament to how great the food is and how great the community is,” Flores said.

And if you are wondering where the name came from?

“When they started the company, the guys used to run around yelling, ‘Booyah! Booyah!’ he said. “[So there’s] beef and the cow and they came up with ‘moo’ and they combined it with their favorite phrase — and Mooyah was born!”

Flores’ favorite burgers are the Freedom Rings (mushrooms, bacon, American and Pepperjack cheeses, onion rings) and Double Diablo (hot sauce, jalapenos, bacon). He said they use 100% certified Angus beef.

“As my wife tells everyone, only 3 out of 10 cows qualifies for this beef,” he said.

They also make the buns in-house daily.

Here’s a look at the techniques they use to build their burgers:

Measurements and cooking instructions:

  • Quarter-pound patties and fresh ingredients

    • They use certified Angus beef quarter-pound patties. The beef is never frozen for the freshest flavor.

    • Everything is crafted with care, from hand-cut chips and fries to fresh toppings.

  • Sauces and presentation

    • Sauces are in squeeze bottles for precision and consistency.

    • Tip: Swirl sauces onto the burgers to ensure flavor in every bite.

  • Build process

    • Each layer is intentionally placed for optimal flavor in every bite.

    • For example, the bacon is cut and arranged in a crisscross pattern for ideal texture and taste.

  • Cooking technique

    • Burgers are seared to perfection on a grill set at 400°F.

    • They use a smash-burger technique, cooking 70% on one side for rich browning before flipping and adding cheese (if applicable).

    • Once the cheese melts, patties rest briefly (15–30 seconds) on a cooling rack to maintain juiciness and texture, before toppings are added (including bacon, onion rings, jalapeno, hot sauce, American and Pepperjack, among others)