Everything about BRGR, the new restaurant in Corinth Square, makes a statement. From the words “Eat. Drink. Socialize,” that are scrawled across the wall in black paint, to the huge fans that hang from the ceiling, to the unique listing and taste of menu items, all aspects of the restaurant stand out as different and flavorful.

When I went to BRGR, which is pronounced B-R-G-R, it was a Sunday night. Corinth Square is no Plaza or Power and Light District, and I was surprised that the restaurant was so crowded, especially for a traditionally slow time. The restaurant definitely had a neighborhood feel; I saw several families I knew and people were chatting comfortably between tables.

As soon as I stepped into the restaurant, I was met with the hum of energy. A crowd of young men and women sat at the bar area watching a NCAA game or stood chatting with friends. In the sit-down area of a restaurant, the ages of customers ranged from young families with toddlers, to adults on dates, to a couple of grandparents.

The décor of the restaurant was very modern and urban, yet still comfortable. The tables were made of wood and were matched with metal chairs. The duct work and beams were showing on the ceiling with lights hanging down. Special accents were every where to be found whether it was a huge clock hanging by the kitchen or several large fans hanging from the ceiling. A mural illustrating an old time diner covered one wall, which perfectly contrasted with the more modern feel of the restaurant.

The service was great from the moment I walked in the door. Waiters were happy to suggest popular menu items or their personal favorite dishes. As they stopped by to make sure the food was okay, the workers offered fun conversation, talking about the history of the restaurant or offering commentary on the NCAA games playing by the bar. Sometimes the service was a little slow, but the quality of the service made the sometimes leisurely pace forgettable.

The burgers were big, juicy, and each had a different flavor. There was only one traditional burger on the menu and all of the others had a unique twist or taste. At first I was wary to try some of the different dishes, but each took an unconventional approach to a burger that made ordering and eating the food exciting.

When I went, we ordered the Juicy Lucy, a burger filled with American cheese and topped with Worcestershire sauce, lettuce, and mayo, and the BRGR, which is topped with caramelized onions, American cheese, pickles, and mustard. To be honest, I am usually the person who just gets a boring burger with ketchup and maybe lettuce and tomato, so trying these new flavors made me a little nervous. Even though I generally don’t usually like pickles and mustard, the sour taste of pickles and the tangy taste of mustard combined with the onion and cheese surprised me and I really liked the uniqueness of the dishes.

A downside of the restaurant is that the sandwiches and burgers did not come with fries or onion rings, which you had to order on the side. Each side of fries or ring cost from $2.50 to $4, which combined with a $8 sandwich made for somewhat of an expensive meal for the average high school student.

However, the taste of the fries and rings greatly overshadowed the cost. Instead of tasting like a grease-filled plate of fries that were frozen and then simply dumped into oil 5 minutes before being served, the actual taste of potato was apparent and dominant. We ordered the combo, which allowed you to chose a combination of three of the sides. The fries and rings lacked the oily, greasy feel of McDonald’s fries and were a nice change from normal restaurant fries. Like the burgers, they offered a refreshing, more home-style taste.

BRGR seems to have twists that make going to the restaurant a more exciting experience then going to a regular burger joint and bar. The water is delivered in a champagne-style glass bottle with the label “pure tap water,” the fries and rings are served with BRGR’s original “special sauce,” and the bathrooms consists of a single room with two stalls for boys and two stalls for girls.

Once you get over the initial weirdness of the bathrooms, you can see that BRGR is just trying to make your restaurant experience as unique as possible. With its easy access location, scrumptious food, and inviting personality, BRGR has the makings of a great neighborhood restaurant.

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