Paradise Valley Burger — Restaurant in Phoenix

From all the reviews I read on this place, I was really disappointed with the quality of the food and the condition of the restaurant.

The restaurant was very basic on the inside and quite dirty. There were no clean tables when we walked in and ended up having to wipe our own off as it seemed they were severely understaffed.

The service was set up like a fast food restaurant where you order at the counter and pick up the food yourself- but had the wait of a sit down restaurant (15-20 minutes for your burger), the flow was just not good.

We ordered the Booze Burger- the one raved about in all the reviews and featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I'm not sure if they were having an off day or what but the burger was just gross.

The jalapeno, cream cheese and bacon sauce was extremely bland and had no flavor other than sweet. The bun was tiny and completely smooshed in the basket. I understood the patties were battered and deep fried but I was not ready for the amount of oil that would come off of that burger. When I think of deep fried I think of crisp, not saturated and dripping in grease, completely soggy. I think the biggest turn off though was that the beef tasted very off and did not seem fresh at all.

All in all I would not recommend this place, the price was high, the quality was low and I just could not understand what all the...

This is, by a very long shot, the burger place with the most interesting combination of ingredients, with a new special being featured every week.

Quite often I'd read the list of ingredients for that particular week's special and find that they shouldn't go well together, then try it out of curiosity only to taste that I was completely wrong and the combination of the ingredients worked perfectly.

Because of this, a few coworkers and I used to go at least once a week (twice if that week's special was extraordinarily good) for lunch, and we ended up trying all of the regular menu and have tasted an innumerable amount of specials.

Without hyperbole, Brett, the owner and mastermind behind the menu, is a true genius. Proof of this is numerous articles in local newspapers and restaurant guides, "Best Burger" awards, and at least one visit from famous TV shows.

Sadly, either because of expansion (there is now a Pizza place, also worthy of the same accolades) or increasing costs, the same burgers that were a real challenge to take a bite of, because they were so big, are now tiny in comparison. McDonald's-size tiny. Also, probably because Bret is not always there anymore, the burgers are not prepared with the same care as before the expansion.

They are still good, and the place is usually busy, but I wish you had gotten a chance to try them...

The location is lovely both inside and out. I really miss the Funkey art and toys, as well as the music selection. While I appreciate the upscale changes, I long for the beachy burger and pizza vibe. It’s such a bummer that Matt’s and the pizza guys’ wings are no longer available; they were the best! I traveled quite a distance and noticed that the atmosphere feels different than when I used to visit weekly.

On the plus side, the prices are great, and the media content was impressive. The staff seemed happy, but the day manager didn’t come across as very welcoming. I do like the new digital menu; it made choosing items much easier. The burger I had was excellent, with pickled onions and sauce earning a solid 10. However, I was disappointed that the sweet tots were burnt, which affected my enjoyment. The ranch was good, but I really miss the ranch that accompanied the chicken wings.

I noticed breakfast pictures on display and had some questions, but it felt like the manager was uninterested in engaging. Maybe the evening vibe is different. I’m genuinely glad you’re in this location and can see the potential for growth in your business. Just a suggestion: avoid burnt sweet tots, consider bringing back the chicken wings, and encourage the day crew to be more bubbly. Overall, I’d rate the food an 8, service a 4, and the...