Cheers to Cold Beers (and Cheeseburgers!)

The Place: Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers
The Dishes: All-American Burger, Bacon Bleu Burger, Tater Tots & Fries
The Location: 18529 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 121, Scottsdale
By: Asonta Benetti

Sometimes, all you really want in life are the simple things. A well-made burger. A cold beer. Maybe a game to watch. Thank goodness Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers put those all together in their Arizona and California locations so you don’t have to look too hard.

On a sunny Saturday, we visited the location in North Scottsdale looking for exactly those things; our perch on the extensive patio was a great place to view the dozens of televisions broadcasting every sporting event possible. The menu does branch out from the eponymous burgers to include sandwiches, stadium char dogs, and mac & cheese, along with a healthy dose of bar and grill favorite appetizers. We stuck with the theme and went straight for the half-pound burgers, picking the All-American Burger, a straightforward cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and pickle ($11.50), and the Bacon Bleu Burger, which also included avocado and caramelized onions ($14.50). All of the burgers, sandwiches, and dogs come with chips, but we each subbed ours out for tater tots and fries ($2 per sub).

Both burgers were cooked perfectly, per our ‘doneness’ requests, and for a place that has cheeseburgers in the name, they have it nailed. Although we didn’t divert from the burgers as they were, the restaurant is great about having different customizable options – there’s Artisan, Wheat, Pretzel, and Gluten-Free buns ($1 extra for the last two), build-your-own options for the burgers and mac, and even healthy options, with lettuce wrapped burgers that could be veggie, chicken, or turkey. The friendly waitress didn’t even blink when I asked for a side of garlic aioli spied as part of another burger – it was a wise choice for the fries and tots.

We figured it would be just plain rude to try the cheeseburgers but not the beers (right?) so we picked a local. The mug of Papago Orange Blossom hit the spot, refreshing and fruity, but with 150 choices between drafts, bottles, and cans, there’s something for everyone’s pint. And if beer’s really not your thing, they offer a good-sized list of cocktails and mules. Swing by for Happy Hour Mondays to Fridays from 3-6 p.m. for drinks starting at $3, and food, including that awesome All-American Burge,r for $8.50.

We left full and happy, the best compliment I can give any restaurant. But if you want to leave really full, go all out on the Burger Challenge, which starts at three half-pound patties and goes from there. Finish it in the allotted time and it’s free. Don’t finish and your face is plastered on the website but hey, it’ll be worth it for the burger.

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