At 12:30 on any given day, the made-to-order burger joint - Bunz - has a line nearing the front door. It’s lunch time. Menus are passed down the growing line and the sound of sizzling burgers fills the air. Brian Taylor, Bunz manager since the beginning, is cooking orders behind the single countertop. He’s flipping patties and talking to hungry customers like he’s been feeding them for years. A pair of regulars asks him how he’s been and why he wasn’t working the last time they were in. Bunz has “tons of regulars,” according to Brandon Detenber, the owner. Detenber is behind the same countertop. He’s next to a plastic hamburger tip jar taking orders on an iPad swivel while simultaneously helping Taylor fill them. It’s just the two of them today and most days, really. They have a close-knit staff of about five or six.
There are 10 different burgers on the menu, crafted by Detenber with the exception of the beer cheese recipe - that’s all Taylor. “He is Bunz Burgerz. He’s the man,” Detenber laughs. They have signature burgers that vary in style from, the spicy “Red State” (Detenber’s favorite) made with grilled jalapeños and hot sauce, to the neighborhood favorites like "The Highland" with feta, olive blend and fried capers. Despite having mouth-watering signature creations, at Bunz, there are no limitations. You can order a signature burger and change things up or start from scratch and build your own. “You can do whatever you want here,” says Detenber.
If it’s 11 at night and you’ve had a couple beers down the road and are in dire need of a juicy patty with bacon, egg, avocado, blue cheese and hot sauce, they’ve got you covered. If you’re visiting for lunch or need a quick bite to eat, ordering the local favorites might be your go to. Taylor swears by the The Beer Cheese burger, a double burger topped with homemade beer cheese, habagardil picklez, grilled onionz, bacon and Bunz sauce. Other favorites include "The Baxter Avenue" and "The Lexington Roadhouse."
Next time you’re in the Highlands starving for lunch or in need of a hangover cure, Bunz might just be the place. Plus, they deliver and take online orders!
Fri 11 a.m. - Midnight
Sat Noon - Midnight
Sun Noon - 8 p.m.
bunzburgerz.com