Bring the antacid, an open mind and your family to discover the best of local burger fare

By Jake Mathias and Matthieu Vollmer

Almost every restaurant around serves a burger of some kind. Some are good, some are great and some are just okay. A good burger depends on many things including meat quality and freshness, toppings, garnishes and the bun it’s served on.

We’ve tried some of the burgers from all over the Stevens Point Area so you have a handy guide for where to get your burger on.

Amber Grill – Holiday Inn: Turn up the heat with a pretzel twist

Burger: Firehouse Burger

Amber Grill’s Firehouse Burger.

Price: $12
Our Taste: This burger at Amber Grill stands out from classic offerings. It is served on thick yet subtle pretzel bun with a more traditional bun flavor than pretzel. Layers include a thick slice of onion, spicy ham, and small slices of jalapeno peppers. The onion was a bit overbearing and overall the burger was less spicy than anticipated. Served with crispy fries and a pickle spear, this burger is sure to please an adventurous diner.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Mr. Brews Taphouse: Forget the bottle, pass the burger
Burger: Kentucky Bourbon Classic
Price: $7.99
Our Taste: This 5.2 ounce mean burger machine is served on a fluffy bun with a subtle hint of bourbon

The Kentucky Bourbon Classic at Mr. Brew’s Taphouse.

flavor. The sweet and savory onion is a nice pairing with Kentucky Bourbon mayo. Hearty strips of bacon pull it all together for an overall sweet and savory taste. Fried onions are piled high on this burger, but the flavor is subtle and well balanced. Planks of fresh sweet potatoes are an optional side.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Emy J’s: Lean patty, “egg-cellent” flavor
Burger: Dylan Burger
Price: $10
Our Taste: This health conscious burger is guilt free. The “soup of the day” is offered as a side option which happened to be mushroom potato and rainbow chord as seen in the photo. The burger is served with greens, mayo, onion, tomato, fried egg, a choice of cheese and a lean bison burger between a wheat bun. The delicious lean patti is tender and moist, not dry like you might expect. The mayo-egg pairing is excellent. The garnishes add flavor without being intrusive.

Emy J’s Dylan Burger.

Rating: 4.75 out 5 Stars

Mikey’s, Plover – Blue cheese, sure to please
Burger: IPA Blue Burger
Price: $10
Our Taste: This ½ pound burger is served with the choice of classic onion rings and a side of apple sauce. The artisan bun is a real highlight. The blue cheese sauce is subtle and well balanced with ham and mushrooms. The patti is cooked to choice. The charred edges play well on the blue cheese. All-in-all a great meal for the price.
Rating: 4.75 out of 5 Stars

SentryWorld: No frills but well-executed
Burger: 1/3 pound cheeseburger

IPA Blue burger at Mikey’s in Plover.

Price: $8
Our Taste: The burger at PJ’s – SentryWorld is not complicated but is executed to perfection. The hand pattied burger is lightly seasoned and chargrilled to your liking. The bun is toasted but not overly crunchy. Your standard burger garnish comes alongside though the onions are a bit thick and overbearing though they’d be great for an onion-lover. Crispy hand cut French fries are served alongside. This simple burger will please everyone.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Hilltop Pub and Grill: Not as good as I expected
Burger: Mushroom Swiss Burger
Price: $8.29

The 1/3 pound cheeseburger at PJ’s-SentryWorld.

Our Taste: The mushroom Swiss burger at Hilltop is okay. The patty is fresh grilled perfectly but a little under seasoned. The bun isn’t toasted so it’s cold and doesn’t hold up well to the challenge of the sloppy toppings. The mushrooms are described as sautéed but take as though they come from a can. It’s not a bad burger by any means but a tiny bit of work could make it great. The Brew City French fries on the side are always a treat though.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Grazies Italian Grill: Nothing Italian about this burger
Burger: Jack Daniel’s Burger
Price: $9.99

Mushroom Swiss Burger at Hilltop.

Our Taste: At first glance, most are drawn to the delicious pasta offerings on Grazies’ menu but their burgers are nothing to sneeze at. Their signature Jack Daniel’s burger has a lot to offer. The fresh beef is well seasoned and char grilled then slathered with Grazies’ delicious Jack Daniel’s barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese. The bun is toasted and holds up to the messy burger. The sweet potato fries on the side are a nice touch as well.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Graffiti’s Sports Pub: A big meal for the big game
Burger: Black and Bleu Burger
Price: $7.99

Jack Daniel’s Burger from Grazies.

Our Taste: Graffiti’s black and bleu burger is a great addition to an afternoon at a sports bar. The fresh burger patty is char-grilled with a Cajun spice blend and topped with a pile tangy bleu cheese. You can get any burger on a toasted pretzel bun which adds an interesting chewy texture to the burger. It’s a good quality burger with good ingredients thought the standard burger garnishes- lettuce, tomato- are not included. The pasta salad on the side is a bit bland as well though their fries and related sides are as good as any.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.