Since we’re foodies, of course Jerry and I had to have not one, but two Valentine’s Day meals…lol! We’ve been eating healthy, so we cheated and decided to try a new place, Grub Burger Bar, for lunch. Holy moly, Smashburger, our long-time fave, has a new rival!
After experiencing both Twisted Root and Five Guys, and being completely unimpressed with both, we were a bit worried about Grub. Twisted Root was okay, but not great. The meat was kind of bland, and it just wasn’t a memorable burger. They also had a “pickle bar” that seemed promising, but it was just jarred pickles with Kool-Aid powder dumped in. Bleccch…
Five Guys fries are good, but again, the meat was bland, bland, bland, bland! We found out why when we decided to give them another shot since we wanted the fries- we asked them to put extra seasoning on the meat. We were told they do not season the meat, at all! When we asked why not, the girl told us they weren’t allowed to because some people might have food allergies. WTF…?!?!?!
So, you can see why we were worried about trying another boutique-type burger joint. However, since a family member, Hannah G., said it was awesome, and we trust her, we went for it. So glad we decided to put our reservations aside. OMG. So. Good. (Thanks, Hannah!!!)
There were so many things on the menu that made us salivate, but whenever we go to a new place, we tend to gravitate toward their most popular, signature item. If we like it, then we go again and try other items on the menu. In addition to burgers, there are other sandwiches, salads, chicken tenders, and even Ahi tuna. They also have handspun shakes, and a bar- with alcohol and beer, so you can get a spiked shake! (I need to try one next time…)
Anywho, we both ordered their signature, most popular burger, the Bacon Love #9 with Fries for $8.95. This burger comes with applewood smoked bacon, American cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and secret sauce #9 on a homemade white bun. We thought it was a bit strange that there was no onion, so we both added it, and they happily obliged.
Our meal was very reasonably priced!
Everything about the burger was fantastic. The meat, a mixture of brisket and chuck, is ground daily; and the buns are baked fresh hourly. The meat is actually seasoned, and has a good sear, kind of like Smashburger. And OMG, the pickles are delicious- I swear they taste homemade, like the new ones at Chili’s, very fresh, crisp, and garlicky.
The fries were fresh and cooked perfectly- not soggy, not too crispy, but just right, and with the perfect amount of seasoning. Unfortunately, with such a big burger, I couldn’t eat many fries…lol! The service was impressive; greeters opened the door for us and welcomed us, handed us menus and showed us where to order. The food was brought out within ten minutes or so, even though they were busy, and we were regularly checked on to ensure we were happy.
The atmosphere was clean, casual, and aesthetically pleasing. It was kind of industrial with Edison light bulbs, and various quotes on the walls. We even looked over at the bar, and there was a little jar with bacon in it, so I’m curious as to what drink is made with it- I want to try it!
Bacon in a jar at the bar
Overall, we were impressed! I tend to like a thinner burger patty, like at Smashburger, because they often have more area with seasoning. But, the hourly-baked buns make up for that tiny difference, so for me, it’s a tie between Grub and Smashburger. Jerry likes a thicker meat patty, so although Smashburger comes close, Grub is the winner for him. Needless to say, we will be returning!
If you’re in the Shreveport area, you can check out Grub Burger Bar at 1370 E. 70th Street, Suite 100. They also have locations in Texas, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Florida; you can find them by visiting grubburgerbar.com.
See also:
Our Return Visit to Shreveport’s Grub Burger Bar
