Just as with the band MGMT, I am never quite sure whether to pronounce BRGR as “B-R-G-R” or as “Burger.” Such is the conundrum of a word without vowels, but in truth pronunciation matters little in such a situation compared to how good the burgers are. To many people, there is a debate as to the merits of BRGR versus Burgatory. Having truly, madly and deeply enjoyed Burgatory, BRGR certainly had its work cut out for it.
BRGR is not a custom burger shop, though. Instead, it has a number of burger options that seem fit for all sorts of people. Many have their vegetables, but some are fit for an unvegan and none moreso than the Button Buster. This burger was topped with white cheddar, short ribs, onions rings and a bearnaise aioli. And, according to my waitress I was not to expect any stray vegetables. This was true for the burger, but not so much the horse it rode in on. Sitting off to the side in my basket of burger was a long pickle spear. Fortunately, the juices had stayed away from the bun, but it was a close one and obviously something I would have rather done without.
With the pickle avoided, I found the burger to be quite good, especially the toppings, which just seemed to work well together. And if it were all about the composition, BRGR would have compared pretty favorably to Burgatory. Yet, the core of the burger is the beef patty and BRGR’s simply wasn’t as good. Sure, it was cooked to an appropriate medium-rare, but the seasoning and flavor didn’t hit the high notes I would have liked. Meanwhile, I also had a side of fries, which were tossed with parmesan and herbs. They were tasty, to be sure, but didn’t stand out in any way.
The truth of the matter is that while BRGR is a really good spot to get a burger, it can’t beat out its rival. Yet, its rival can’t compete in terms of location, so unless I’m willing to make the long drive for Burgatory, BRGR is certainly a good substitute to have around.
