Reggie's is a new place in the Kinsey's Crossing development, just off the loop east of Old Jacksonville highway. It is located in a strip mall with several other new places promising to pop up next door. Apparently there will be a new brew pub type place and a Pizza place (see this article). It appears that Reggie's is originally based in Texarkana and is looking to branch out into Tyler.
The spread: As you can imagine, they offer burgers, hot dogs and fries. They also offer fried catfish, several other traditional sandwiches and onion rings. The menu appears to be very focused. You step up to the counter, place your order, then they will bring your food out to you. Of note, they appear to be very focused on meeting your individual preferences with multiple different types of buns and a wide selection of "add ons" for extra - cheese, bacon, egg, avocado, etc. The decor is modern 50's diner, with several old/new posters (props on the Aerosmith concert poster) and if anything is clean and spartan. They also advertise that they use only "Angus" beef in their burgers.
The verdict: I tried their hamburger with all the veggies and added cheddar cheese, bacon and a fried egg with a side of their fries. First the good. The patty was seasoned well, had a nice 'char' or crust to it, the bun was solid (white bun), the veggies were fresh and tasty, and the egg was perfectly cooked (with a runny yolk). The fries were above average and fresh cut, but they didn't have that great exterior crispy crust and fluffy middle that you get when expertly "double" fried. The problem I had with the burger is that the meat patty was approximately a quarter inch thick and smashed down and probably started out as a quarter or maybe a third of a pound of beef. There is no way they could cook a patty anything other than well done using their current technique. If you are going to buy expensive "Angus" beef, then perhaps focusing on cooking a juicy patty? Also of note, the place is not cheap. My burger, fries and a drink came out to just under 13 bucks. Overall, the quality of the food was above average (better than Whataburger), but the quality did not match the price. For me, this is a run of the mill corporatized hamburger joint. There is no real personality or uniqueness to the experience (no craft beers, no unique hamburgers, thin meat), but it is a decent burger.
Edible Tyler Roses: 3 out of 5. Above average burger, well above average prices.
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