The Burger Grind is a new comer to the Tyler area and is located off of Old Jacksonville Highway, a little south of Fresh. The location is a strip mall a little ways off the road. Inside, the place has the feel of an old garage. They have a collection of video games in the back, a large multi-person bench and a few tables and booths. The decor feels like an artist type met up with a mechanic and I like it. The Tyler Morning telegraph has a nice story on the owner. According to their website, they grind their meat daily, and it is hand formed, never frozen (hence "Burger Grind")
The spread: Well they offer burgers of many varieties of course. You can get your burgers in quarter pound, half pound and full pound patties. There are various add on items to include avocado, fried egg, bacon, cheese, grilled onions, mushrooms, and jalapenos. They also offer a few 'unique' burger creations to include the bacon cheddar, blue bomber, Xtreme cheese, Texan, Philly, etc. They also have a nice selection of different salads, chicken/veggie/turkey burgers and other sandwiches. There is also a kids menu for those ith munchkins.
The verdict: . The service was friendly and the food came out quick. I tried the Texan burger (onion, jalapenos, cheese, bacon), the Blue bomber (blue cheese and bacon), the kids chicken tenders, the fried pickles and their regular fries. The Texan burger was excellent. Everything played well together with a balance of flavors. I have found a lot of places try to kill you with the heat, but they had a nice balance of good flavor and heat from the jalapenos. The Blue bomber was also very good and they used a gentle hand with the blue cheese. Often places will try to pile on the blue cheese, and for me it is just a palate bomb that is unpleasant. Not so in this case, it was just the right amount. The fried pickles were very good and the fries were above average. The kids chicken tenders were moist and tasty. My only two criticisms of the place are that the price point is high. For a meal that includes a burger, fries and a drink, it will cost you ten bucks. Now, I feel the food is worth it, but it still on the high side for what they are offering. The other mild complaint I have is that they didn't ask you how you wanted your burger cooked (Well done, rare, etc). I prefer a medium rare, but didn't specify and it came out well done.
Edible Tyler Roses: 4.5 out of 5, one of the best burgers in town. Give them a try.
