Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger — Restaurant in Ann Arbor

Though I am but a humble outsider from Jackson, I have eaten at Blimpy's twice thanks to my best friend from Ann Arbor. Blimpy's is a local tradition, and I know there was great fervor when it returned to the area. However, does the restaurant truly stand out amongst the many other great places to eat around Michigan?

I am going to pull most of my review from my last visit because my first was at the old location. The first thing I noted upon my return was the snappy attitudes of the cooks behind the counter. Now, I personally did not mind the biting personalities as I'm sure others might not either. It adds a little bit of authentic flare to the place. However, I must warn people who are sensitive or easily offended because it could otherwise be very off-putting. As for the food itself, the star is and has always been the burgers, and I must say that I was... a bit underwhelmed this time around. I got the double, but I found the flavor of the patty to be a bit bland compared to other burger joints. The quality of the rest of the ingredients was delicious if not standard. We also tried the fried vegetables and the french fries. Okay, I know they call them "potatoes", but we all know that they are home-style fries. I digress. The fries themselves were quite good. Nothing mind-blowing, but then I don't think I've ever had french fries anywhere that redefine what a good french fry is. The fried vegetables, at least on my last visit, didn't seem to have much batter over them, at least not as much as I remember from the first. I will give the benefit of the doubt and say that there is likely a bit of variation, not unlike trying to deep fry something in your own kitchen.

So, final thoughts on Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger? Eh... It's decent. The pricing is appropriate for what it serves and I don't think you'll be disappointed with the food. I'm especially happy to give my business to small restaurants over big chains. However, aside from the reputation, I didn't find anything else spectacular about Blimpy Burger. If you live in Ann Arbor, you owe it to yourself to at least try it once. Just don't be surprised if that first visit is enough to satisfy your curiosity.

(A note on how I rate restaurants because it is so nebulous:

5-Stars: There is something highly special about it, and I consider it one of my favorites. 4-Stars: Great restaurant that I would happily go to again. 3-Stars: I'm happy to have tried it, but I wouldn't be heartbroken to never go there again. 2-Stars: Didn't really enjoy it, but would be willing to go back if somebody dragged me along. 1-Star: I highly disliked it and refuse to go...

One of those assembly line joints with an assembly line mentality. High-stress production resulting in a low quality product (if "quality" is a word worth using here).

I get that for some people this place is appealing because of its take-no-nonsense customer service or the fact that its been around since the 1950s or some vague remark about its being "local" or "quirky." I wish those things were points of redemption, but none of that is apparent or even memorable when you leave the assembly line.

The ordering process is clunky, unintuitive, prone to confusion, and even if you try to make it easy for the workers, it's a losing battle. It's designed for maximum humiliation when you inevitably fail to adhere to their not-so-specialized order sequence. Either they're playing to the crabby worker shtick or are just crabby - and you really don't care, because it wears on your patience pretty quick. The assembly line system turns what could and should be a simple burger order into an uncomfortable ordeal that just makes you feel like you were cranked out of a machine that can't wait to get rid of you.

When I did receive my burger, it wasted no time disintegrating in my hands, becoming something between taco filling and a rotting salad. The bun was as dry and as tasteless as the fries, and the patties were so thin they couldn't (or refused to) hold their shape, flaking off into burnt chunks of flavorless meat. It was then that I realized the food was exactly like the customer service attitude: "why the hell should we make this enjoyable for you?" There seemed to me to be better places where I wouldn't be treated like a piece of garbage, like McDonald's. The only thing krazy about Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger is that it's still in business.

Leaving this place, the only feelings I had were disappointment, a mild stomachache, and a lasting regret that I had helped to perpetuate the assembly line, when what I should have done was leave as soon as I entered. My first time was the last time, and I would never recommend this place to anyone. And unlike some other reviews, I couldn't bring myself to excuse the terrible service or conditions by being "local" or "historical." Not all history needs to...

Stopped by with family while visiting from out of town. We saw the place on Food Network which is why we decided to try it out. First off, their food is genuinely not bad. Their veggie burger is a frozen, deep fried patty that doesn’t have much taste except for the grease. But the meat eaters with me enjoyed their burgers. They have steak fries which are really good, too. However, The set up is ridiculous. One long line with a tiny board explaining how to order and your different options. Thankfully the guys working the grill help you out by asking you guided questions. But be prepared if there’s the woman working the fries area. She was SO rude!! We walked in and they were so busy that one of us sat down with the kid to save our seat. When we get up to the counter after waiting 20 minutes, the person watching the kid ran up to me to ask that I get her a drink. Then the woman working the fries nastily says to us that we ALL have to be in line. I said “well there’s only 4 of us, one is only getting soup and one is a kid...also, 2 of us are here. 1 is sitting with the kid..” and she sneers and says “you ALL have to be in line.” The guy on the grill saw me getting annoyed with her attitude and he eased us over and said they love kids and told us he’d give her a lollipop if she finished her burger. Whatever. So then we are waiting for them to make our food and it’s time to pick a cheese. I choose American and catch myself halfway through and say “cheddar, I mean cheddar.” The same woman again throws me a nasty sneer and shouts loudly “Make up your mind! American or cheddar?!” I said “ma’am I just said cheddar twice.” And she scoffs and throws the cheddar cheese haphazardly on my burger. I’m not sure what her problem was and why she was having such a negative attitude directed solely toward me as when I got to the counter I even smiled and said hello to her. Maybe she was having an off day or maybe she needs more customer service training. But I wasn’t ready to let her ruin my experience, so I continued with my life and enjoyed my food. Otherwise, the two guys working the grill and...