The trio of cheeseburger sliders, which costs $4.49, comes in the kind of long, rectangular box you’d associate with a fancy watch or bracelet. Pop it open, however, and you’ll find three tiny square cheeseburgers on Trader Joe’s own Sweet Pull-Apart Aloha Rolls. In addition to cheddar cheese, the sliders feature a burger sauce that appears from the list of ingredients to be made with ketchup and relish. Unlike White Castle’s sliders, there are no grilled onions on this version.

While I haven’t been to White Castle in years — the closest is in Las Vegas — I recall the bun being on the bland, wimpy side. I knew the more fluffy, sweet Trader Joe’s Hawaii-style roll would get my vote. I opened the long red box and popped a single slider in the microwave for 50 seconds. You can also heat all three sliders in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes — I tried both methods — but the damp paper towel method in the microwave yielded a moister patty for me and other fans.

My first bite yielded meaty flavors from the ample patty, while the cheese had a more American cheese consistency and taste compared to traditional cheddar. But it was the sauce — tangy and sweet — that made me think of running around family barbecues as a kid. As for the inconsistent reviews, my guess is that it has to do with how you heat the sliders. If you let your microwave go for the full 60 seconds instead of stopping at 50, the cheese will get scorched and dried out. Put one in the oven and you’ll have to wing it because the box doesn’t provide times for a single slider. I went with 19 minutes and the bun became hard and a little burned. 

My conclusion? These sliders are more White Castle than 7-Eleven — and nowhere near as good as In-N-Out.