Smash Burger isn’t the sort of place you’d take your boss to dinner. It’s not the sort of place you’d want to take a first date, either. However, that's no reason not to go to Smash Burger. It is without a doubt the perfect kind of place to go catch some good food with a friend, or just pick up something quick but good. So long as you know what to expect going in, Smash Burger can be just the thing to satisfy that urge for a good burger.
The restaurant is located along West Main, a little ways before the intersection with stadium. It is next to another unique restaurant known as the Hanger. Just keep your eyes out for the sign and big bold letters on the roof of the building; it’s pretty hard to miss. Interestingly enough, Smash Burger is actually a chain, and a decently successful one at that.
Smash Burger is a surprisingly small for how lively a restaurant it can be. Upon entering, the customer is greeted by large block letters on the walls showing off the motto of the place: “Smash Sizzle Savor.” This describes the sort of meal that to be expected from Smash Burger: something simple, but certainly to be savored. The color scheme is red and white, with some rather lovely hanging lights and small, but comfortable and friendly booths. To order just walk up to the register and with the aid of the large menu hanging to the side order your meal.
The food shouldn’t be written off as ordinary junky fast food like what can be found at Burger King. Smash Burger is more in the territory of places like Steak&Shake, serving good burgers. The main dish is a variety of burgers, some of which are quite unlike anything seen before, such as like a green olive burger. For those who are more inclined to have a more mundane burger, that, too, can easily be done, with all the usual toppings such as tomatoes or onions. Further choices for the customer include a make your own burger option, which offers a small variety of buns, and any and all of the toppings from other burgers, leading to some very outlandish combinations such as a cherry BBQ sweet relish ranch burger.
Along with the variety burgers, chicken burgers or one of a variety of salads are also available. Both include some of the more mundane offerings that can be found elsewhere, at places like Steak&Shake, as well as several much more exotic and unique options such as the Cherry BBQ Ranch salad. This variety is one of Smash Burger’s strong points. It should also be noted that thankfully the grease is toned down a lot more than at many other restaurants, though this is definitely not what many would consider a “healthy” meal.
Drinks run the gambit of various pops and milk shakes. Sides (called SmashSides!) offer an expansive variety from the classic French fries and small bowl of chili, to more adventurous treats such as sweet potato fries. One rather odd side you can get with your meal is a small basket of fried pickles. This side comes with a small dipping dish of buttermilk ranch dressing. With the appearance of a circular French fry, they taste exactly like you might think a fried pickle would, more or less a pickle, but with a fried batter coating. It’s a sour and crispy flavor, but definitely worth looking into if you’re feeling like getting something different then the same old French fries.
The burgers themselves come served on what they call egg buns, large, circular white buns served together with whatever Smashside in a metal fry basket. Where many burgers such as those from places like Steak&Shake are intimidating, vertically large, Smash Burgers are more manageable, though quite wide. Not having to stretch your jaw to take a bite is a welcomed relief. All the toppings are very crisp and exploding with flavor, lacking that bland and limp quality that most freeze dried toppings used in other places have. The burger itself is thick, juicy and actually tastes like a burger, which is an unfortunately rare quality. One side note though, while the green olive burger provides a unique blend of flavors, it is like trying to eat a burger on a bed of marbles. Olives will get everywhere except in your mouth and you will make a mess.
Most burgers run from $5-$6, with sides from $2-$4 each. Fountain drinks are $1.79, and milk shakes are $4. If you’re looking for a meal around $10-$15, Smash Burger is a splendid choice.
Perhaps the only real crime that Smash Burger commits is mediocrity. Their burgers are good enough, especially for their price, and will fill you up. But at the end of the day, that’s all that Smash Burger has to offer. The variety of the menu keeps it from getting old, but in the end, Smash Burger really is just another burger joint. There are literally hundreds of burger joints out there, and Smash Burger really just doesn’t do quite enough to stand out from the crowd. It’s a good choice if you have that craving for a burger and want something better or more unique then McDonalds, but just don’t expect anything more than a good burger.
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