In December, I reviewed Zak's, a burger place on Ballard's Market Street. The service was superb, the surf-themed decor jovial and the milkshakes thick and frosty. Unfortunately, the burger was dry and overcooked, the toppings piled too high and the bacon mushy.

Last month, I got an e-mail from Zak's owner, Larry Johnson. "I thought you might be interested to know that I reacted objectively and sought out honest opinions from my friends and family about our menu items (asking them to spare my feelings and just let it out)," he wrote. "I have since changed the fat content of our meat specs and worked to get my kitchen line more adept at not letting items sit too long on the grill."

American $ Zak's: A Burger Joint

2040 N.W. Market St., Seattle; 206-706-9257

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays.

Beer and wine / credit cards: MC, V / no obstacles to access.

Rating: recommended

So I went back to Zak's for a bacon cheeseburger to go. Sure enough, they now serve a juicy burger with well-proportioned toppings and crisp strips of bacon. And the service is as good as ever. There was a bit of a wait for my burger, but the cashier poured me a glass of water and made regular eye contact to let me know I wasn't forgotten.

Tear up the old Zak's review: This burger joint is now recommended.

Matthew Amster-Burton: matthew.reviews@gmail.com