I avoid the Downtown Mall unless there is a good show playing at the Paramount. It so happened that there was a good show playing – “Christmas with Elvis”, featuring Matt Lewis as a terrific Elvis Impersonator along with Big Ray and the Kool Kats. So, we went to the Downtown Mall with friends and ate at the Citizen Burger Bar.
Junior Samples of Hee Haw fame once said don’t order a steak at a Waffle House. Get the waffles. Since I was at a Burger Bar, I ordered a burger, and I was delighted. It was perfect. For starters, they serve only grass-fed beef, which has a unique, natural flavor. My half-pound burger was cooked medium rare, nice and pink, just like I like it, and it was exploding with juices. The potato bun was baked fresh and local, and I enjoyed the custom combination of ingredients I selected for my burger. They have an almost limitless list of breads, cheeses, and condiments you can order.
The place was busy – it’s always busy, which is a sign somebody is doing something right. Despite a big crowd, our waitress was excellent. I thought the prices were fair ($10 for a half-pound grass fed Angus beef burger) and I especially like that the house bourbon was Wild Turkey, and I believe it was just $6. I skipped the fries and ordered a salad, nothing special, but it was good.
The Citizen Burger Bar does not take reservations, so it can be hit or miss if you have a show to catch. If you go, don’t order waffles, get a burger.