PHOTOS BY SHANNON RICHARDSON
If you want to spice up any conversation, ask someone to identify the best burger in Amarillo. It’s a fun way to gauge personal character and taste, because burgers level the playing field. You can eat them at humble establishments like the Golden Light or at swanky new spots like Cellar 55. You can top them with nothing but pickles and mayo or you can load up with all manner of toppings, from jalapeños to sausage to shrimp. (Keep reading.)
Some of the city’s best burgers come wrapped in paper. Some are served with a cloth napkin.
So we decided to itemize the area’s abundance of burger options into a dozen categories to give some structure to our search for some of the best burgers in the area. You won’t agree with all our choices, and we expect that. Our goal is to broaden your burger horizons, introduce you to unfamiliar restaurants and flavors, and celebrate this foundational classic
of good eating.
Creative
No Manches Burger from Dayvasos JN
A vibrant restaurant chain that started in Chihuahua, Mexico, Amarillo’s Dayvasos franchise is 1 of only 3 in the United States—and the only one that serves burgers. “They’re known for micheladas,” says Leimy Perez, who operates the franchise with her parents, Ismeralda and Juan Esparza. Dayvasos rose to prominence after being featured on Netflix’s La Divina Gula (“Heavenly Bites”), an exploration of Mexican street food and creative drinks like micheladas.
But on Sundays in Texas, bars can only sell alcohol along with food, so the family decided they needed to include something more robust. Enter the burger menu. For our team, the No Manches burger had virtually no other competition when it came to representing creativity. “We wanted to be different, to have something nobody else has,” Leimy says.
They succeeded.
A slang term in Spanish, no manches means something like “no way” or “are you kidding me?” That’s a pretty accurate description of a diner’s perspective on being served this burger. It comes stacked high with three hamburger patties, each topped with cheese and a thin slice of grilled ham. The pile also includes several strips of smoked hardwood bacon, a hot dog frank split lengthwise, lettuce, tomato and a delectable blend of sauces. It’s topped by a bacon-wrapped jalapeño popper.
“It’s like, wow,” Leimy says. She’s not wrong.
And for what it’s worth, the burger comes on a five-inch-diameter homemade bun. The restaurant bakes its buns fresh several days a week.
Dayvasos opened in November and has quickly built a cult following in north Amarillo. And, yes, customers do actually order the No Manches burger. In fact, after opening, the family had to expand its grill. After all, cooking three patties and all that bacon and ham at once—for a single burger order—requires a lot of space.
1104 E. Amarillo Blvd., 806.632.7243, dayvasosjnamarillotx.com
Pro Tip: The specialty Chamo Dayva drink, prepared with pineapple Jarritos and chunks of mango, is a fresh, fruity take on the clamato base.
Don’t Skip :
Furrbies (Butter Burger) 210 SW Sixth Ave., 806.220.0841
Pondaseta Pizza Company (Akaushi Pub Burger) 1001 Second Ave. Depot, Canyon, 806.656.5100, pondaseta.com
Drunken Oyster (Bayou Burger) 7606 SW 45th Ave, Ste 100, 806.418.6668, drunkenoysteramarillo.com
Girasol Cafe & Bakery (Girasol Brunch Burger) 3201 S. Coulter St., 806.322.0023, girasol.cafe
Bang for Your Buck
Classic Burger from Bears Burgers & Dawgs
Barry “Bear” Tredway takes pricing seriously at Bears Burgers & Dawgs, located behind the United Supermarkets in Canyon. “We just don’t want to gouge anybody,” he says. “I’d rather make a little [money] off a lot of people than a lot of money from a few.”
He served us a double meat cheeseburger with add-ons including bacon and hatch green chiles. But a standard burger at Bears is just $8.99, and the restaurant’s chili cheese dawgs and popular Frito pies are even less expensive.
“It’s the best burger in town,” Tredway says. The beef is ground chuck, the buns are from the Bread Box Bakery in Amarillo, and the green chiles are spicy Autumn Roast blends. “We hand-cut our fries, too,” he says.
The multi-story restaurant arrangement is unique, too, and the large windows on the upstairs dining area back up to the local railroad tracks with a front-row seat for trainspotting. (Bears regularly opens the space up for private parties and other events.)
In other words, it’s dive-worthy food in a spacious, clean, homey atmosphere. Which is probably why Canyon residents love it so much.
2001 N. Second Ave., 806.452.8033, facebook.com/BearsBurgersandDawgs
Pro Tip: Try the Cherry Lime. Bear tells us a few regulars drive all the way from Amarillo because they prefer it. Growing up in Odessa, he got to have a cherry lime “if I was good for the week,” and he’s spent his restaurant career perfecting that childhood appreciation for the drink.
Don’t Skip:
YOLOS Restaurant ($8 options) 3221 S. Western St., 806.337.0508, yolosamarillo.com
9th Inning Brews & Bites (BOGO Mondays) 3130 S. Soncy Road, Suite 100, 806.358.2220, 9thinningsportsbar.com
Home Plate Diner (Kids eat free on Saturdays) 5600 Bell St. 806.359.4444
Quattros (As low as $5) 810 N. Buchanan St., 806.420.0028
Upscale
Wagyu Smash Burger from Cellar 55
“People don’t typically come here for a burger,” Cellar 55’s Chris Hazel explains. The restaurant’s elevated menu includes ribeyes, grouper, seafood and other dishes that get attention. “It tends to get overlooked.”
That’s a shame.
Made with 8 ounces of Wagyu beef from Texas, Nueske’s bacon from Wisconsin, Hatch green chiles from New Mexico, and locally baked buns from The Bread Box, every ingredient is intentional, right down to the cheese. “It’s provolone cheese, which is such a nice melting cheese that pairs really well with hearty meats,” Hazel says.
That hearty meat is seasoned with a secret blend of spices, which the Cellar 55 proprietor refuses to divulge. “They’re secret for a reason,” he insists. Add a little spicy mayo to the dish and you end up with what Hazel calls “the best burger I’ve ever had.”
You’ll have to decide that for yourself, but we agree that there’s something indulgent and fulfilling about biting into a well-considered cheeseburger over a spotless white tablecloth. You’ll be using that cloth napkin for sure.
2800 Civic Circle, Suite 500, 806.322.7655, cellar55ama.com
Pro Tip: At Cellar 55, Hazel suggests pairing his burger with any “robust” drink, like a hearty porter or stout beer, a rich malbec or cabernet wine, or a tumbler of good bourbon. (That’s Buffalo Trace in the photo).
Don’t Skip:
OHMS Cafe & Bar (Bar burger) 619 S. Tyler St., 806.373.3233, ohmscafe.com
Crush Wine Bar & Grill (Local 4B meats double smash burger) 627 S. Polk St., 806.418.2011, crushamarillo.com
Public House (Angus Burger) 3333 S. Coulter St., 806.398.7777, publichouseamarillo.com
The Western Horseman Club (Trail Boss) 2501 E. I-40, 806.877.1600, westernhorsemanclub.com
Cheeseburger
Harry the Horse’s Hummer Burger from Hummer’s
There are cheeseburgers, and then there’s this burger from Hummer’s, which has somehow built a passionate game-day crowd of regulars for more than four decades on Olsen Boulevard, and still feels like something of a hidden gem.
Harry the Horse’s Hummer Burger has a different kind of cheese for every H in its name: Colby Jack, cheddar and bleu cheese dressing, along with all the fixings. It has, in the words of owner Jimmie Lou Simmans, “all the good stuff on it.”
Hummer’s feels like a blast from the past because, well, it is. The menu Ted Sanders created when he opened in 1983 has stayed virtually the same. Simmans came around in the late ’90s, spending 10 years as a server and bartender and then another decade in management. Then, in 2018, she became the owner. That changed, but not much else.
“People will still come in and not even know that Ted doesn’t own it anymore,” she says. “I think that’s a compliment.” Why change a winning recipe?
Along with the menu, Hummers’ clientele has also remained steady. “I see my regulars and their kids, their daughters, their friends,” Simmans says. She’s been around long enough that the kids are “getting old enough to drive themselves here and hang out and I just love it.”
Hummers is a major hotspot for game days, especially during football season. “Saturdays, you can’t even get in this place,” she says.
2600 Paramount Blvd., Suite B2, 806.353.0723, hummerssportscafe.com
Pro Tip: If you want to know what to order at a restaurant, ask the owner what she eats. For Simmans, it’s the Steak Bites. The 8 ounces of bite-sized steak cubes are cooked to your temperature with a side of cubed jack and cheddar cheeses, plus sliced avocado and jalapeños. There’s a reason people have been ordering it for 42 years.
Don’t Skip:
Hoffbrau Steak & Grill House (The King) 7203 W. I-40, 806.358.6595, hoffbrausteakandgrill.com
Shelby’s Diner (King Air Burger) 4105 Tradewind St, 806.699.1008, shelbysdineramarillo.com
Buns Over Texas (Large burger with cheese) 6045 SW 34th Ave., 806.358.6808, bunsovertexas.com
Lazy Gator (The All American) 6103 Hillside Road, 806.418.6768, facebook.com/LazyGatorAmarillo
Dive
Single Cheeseburger from Burger Barn
“You can’t cook in a bad mood,” Jami Meacham says at the Burger Barn. ““It’ll make your food taste bad.” Located on Dumas Drive, north of Cherry Ave., this classic, hut-style drive-up serves River Road, Rolling Hills and a steady stream of TXDOT workers.
And if mood is the secret sauce to good food, Meacham must be pretty happy with her job.
Owned by Bennie Johnson, this humble roadside hut once belonged to his aunt and uncle in the 1990s. Johnson took over in 2016. It’s definitely nostalgic. Customers roll up to the red-roofed structure in the middle of a dirt lot, place an order, then eat in the car or at a shaded picnic table.
Their most popular burger is what Meacham describes as “just a juicy, old-fashioned cheeseburger.” She grew up in the neighborhood and has enjoyed the Burger Barn for most of her life. Meacham says they still use the same recipe as when it first opened, with always-fresh patties and very competitive prices.
“It’s just good, home-cooked food,” Johnson says. He recalls when one customer speculated that Burger Barn must sell “more hamburgers per square foot than anybody in the nation.” Who knows? Maybe it’s true.
8528 Dumas Drive, 806.381.9499, facebook.com/people/Burger-Barn
Pro Tip: It’s not named “Burrito Barn,” but the breakfast burritos have a solid reputation among River Road school district teachers and employees. Meacham says the enormous three-meat breakfast burrito—sausage, ham and bacon, plus potato, eggs and cheese—is a neighborhood favorite. “They’re really popular,” she says.
Don’t Skip:
Beef Burger Barrel 3102 Plains Blvd., 806.374.0101
Rockin’ Zebra Soda Shoppe 404 15th St., Canyon, 806.655.3381, facebook.com/rockinzebrasodashoppe
Brunch Truck Cafe 213 SW Seventh Ave., 806.373.4199,
thebrunchtruckamarillo.com
Zombiez Bar & Grill 711 SW 10th Ave., 806.331.7305, facebook.com/ZombieFriendz
Veggie
House Veggie Burger from YCSF
These days, vegetarians enjoy far more burger options than in the past, but not every veggie-lover appreciates more processed meat alternatives like the Impossible Burger or Beyond Meat patties. That’s why local non-meat-eaters love the simplicity of Scott and Rin Buchanan’s veggie burgers.
They’re made from mixed veggies, including bell peppers, along with rotating base ingredients based on what’s available—chickpeas, black beans, quinoa, bulgur or rice—plus a little panko as a binder. The veggie burger’s ingredients may shift, but somehow the taste is always amazing. It also includes nut-free vegan cheese and vegan remoulade sauce, along with caramelized onions and fresh greens on a vegan brioche bun.
In a city that prides itself on its beef, this burger tastes almost like the real thing.
Scott Buchanan adds that YCSF’s burger offerings—including the actual beef ones—have really taken off over the past year. “They’re a big part of our menu,” he says.
Part of the appeal was the restaurant’s shift from a single large patty to two smashed patties. “Over the last few months, we’ve converted all our burgers to smashburgers,” he says. It’s the same amount of meat—Buchanan weighs out 180 grams for each burger—but the thinner 90-gram patties end up with those lacy, crispy edges that patrons love. “They’re just massively popular right now,” he says.
2916 Wolflin Ave., 806.353.9273, yellowcitystreetfood.com
Pro Tip: No other restaurant in Amarillo boasts anything like YCSF’s legendary Animal Fries, which are crispy, battered, covered in bacon and caramelized onions, then drenched in Scott’s kicky remoulade sauce. A half order is the perfect complement to your burger.
Don’t Skip:
Feed Me (The Boris Attack) 3407 W. Amarillo Blvd., 806.600.0986, veganrestaurantamarillo.com
Crush (Not-a-Burger) 627 S. Polk St., 806.418.2011, crushamarillo.com
That Weird Place (Breakfast Patty Melt) 4117 Business Park Drive
Drive-Thru/Drive-In
KN Special from KN Root Beer
We admit that KN is not a drive-thru restaurant, nor is there any literal driving-in. It’s more of a drive-up joint where the servers actually come out to take your order at your vehicle’s window. That’s close enough for our purposes, and KN’s legendary local status earns it a little wiggle room anyway.
Now owned by Jim and Candy Dewitz—who also run Big Jim’s Pizza Co. and the Tascosa Drive-in Movie Theater—this tiny restaurant has been operating on Olsen since 1968, making it one of the city’s oldest, still operational drive-up burger joints.
Big Jim himself put on an apron and cooked us the KN Special. It’s made with two patties of Greater Omaha beef—“always fresh, never frozen, smashed to order,” Dewitz says—with add-ons including bacon, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, grilled jalapeños or green chiles. That burger is KN’s most popular by far.
Dewitz says its secret is not so secret: “A good burger starts with the right combination of fat to meat,” he says. For him, that perfect ratio is 80/20, along with a little butter and a secret combination of spices. (That secret combo is also not especially confidential. “It’s the holy trinity of seasonings,” he divulges. In other words: salt, pepper and garlic powder.)
What he won’t divulge is the 60-year-old recipe behind KN’s homemade root beer. Up to three times a week, the restaurant mixes up a 50-gallon batch of it, served up (upon request) in a frosty mug.
3900 Olsen Blvd., 806.355.4391, knrootbeeramarillo.com
Pro Tip: If you have time to eat in your car, go for that frosty mug of root beer. Or level up with a frosty root beer float using vanilla Blue Bell ice cream. The sides at KN are all worthwhile, but for a truly unique experience, try the “Munchers.” We haven’t found these little fried potato-and-green-chile delights anywhere else in town.
Don’t Skip:
The Corner Grill 14588 FM 2590, 806.806.0007, thecornergrill0586.s4shops.com
Daniel’s Drive In 2911 E. Amarillo Blvd., 806.383.0066
Elmo’s Drive Inn 2618 SW Third Ave., 806.374.3566, facebook.com/ElmosDriveIn
Hud’s 7311 W. Amarillo Blvd., 806.351.1499; 4411 Bell St., 806.331.4837, hudsama.com
Spicy
Hot Ass Burger from Charlie’s Burgers and Brew
First things first: Coyote Bluff’s Burger from Hell is extremely popular and has, at this point, gained an international reputation for being spicy. The internet loves it. We know this and we suspect you know this, too. If you appreciate an unapologetically hot burger and haven’t tried it, then by all means, go for it.
But we keep thinking about the other local burgers sizzling in the long shadow of the Burger from Hell. They’re just as hot, and maybe hotter. Why not give them some love?
That mindset sent us to the family-owned Charlie’s Burgers and Brew. Locals may remember owner Charlie Collins from a previous restaurant, Chubby’s, on Historic Sixth Street. After selling Chubby’s in 2013 and moving to the Metroplex, he and his wife, Becca, returned to Amarillo two years ago and launched this establishment near 45th and Georgia. “It’s American food,” he says. “Everybody loves a good burger.”
He admits, however, that not everyone loves the Hot Ass Burger. It’s … special. When we mentioned we wanted to try it, the entire staff snapped to attention. Don’t let the name fool you: This is a very serious burger. Collins added it to the menu hoping to challenge restaurants like Coyote Bluff. “I thought, ‘We can do one better,’” he says.
Drenched in a notorious Carolina Reaper-based condiment known as “Death Sauce,” the burger is so unimaginably hot that Collins—or, rather, his attorney—requires diners to sign a waiver before eating it. No joke. The burger is served alongside plastic sanitary gloves so you don’t accidentally get the sauce in your eyes. There’s no avoiding it anyway. The sauce is mixed into the 81/19 beef as well. “It’ll choke you up just cooking it,” Collins says.
Don’t worry about the grilled jalapeños or habanero cheese that accompany the beef. The heat they produce might as well not exist because the Death Sauce starts screaming from the moment it hits your tongue. This is the kind of cheeseburger that bites you right back, hard, and at the time of our visit in late May, only 11 people had finished it in the restaurant’s history.
Two members of our team tried very small bites, and we’ll just say this: Holy smokes. The attorney is right to be nervous.
4515 S. Georgia St., 806.678.8647 
Pro Tip: The burgers are Charlie’s contribution, but don’t sleep on Becca Collins’ talent for dessert. She bakes a dessert daily for the restaurant—it changes constantly and always looks beautiful—and banana pudding is a regular on the menu. In fact, Charlie insists the only antivenom for the heat of the Hot Ass Burger is a serving of banana pudding.
Don’t Skip:
Coyote Bluff (Burger From Hell) 2417 S. Grand St., 806.373.4640, coyotebluffcafe.com
Six Car Pub & Brewery (Climate Change) 625 S. Polk St., 806.576.3396, sixcarpub.com
Buff’s (En Fuego) 2201 Fourth Ave., Canyon, 806.655.2833, buffscanyon.com
Dillo’s Craft Burgers (The Rattler) 2806 SW Sixth Ave., 806.356.0024
Classic
Waller Burger from Golden Light Cafe
Can we publish an Amarillo burger feature without mentioning the Golden Light Cafe? Obviously not. If there’s a cheeseburger more closely aligned with Amarillo’s dining tastes and history, we haven’t found one.
The Golden Light dates back to 1946. It is the oldest restaurant in the city and, according to legend, may be the oldest on Route 66 continuously operating in the same location. Now owned by Angela Corpening—a former server and bartender—it remains an iconic stop on Historic Route 66.
Beyond its longevity, Corpening says the secret to a Golden Light burger’s flavor is not owing to ingredients but to hardware: “We still use the original grill,” she says, explaining that nearly 80 years of seasoning contribute something special to the meat sizzling on top of it. Maybe it’s flavor. Maybe it’s vibes. “The atmosphere definitely plays a part,” Corpening says. In a digital world, the Golden Light remains refreshingly analog, relying on hand-written tickets and true, short-order cooking.
For variety, we chose to feature the Waller Burger, which sandwiches jalapeños between two slices of American cheese, on top of 5.5 ounces of old-fashioned, 80/20 beef. Importantly, the Golden Light’s burger is prepared upside-down. The patty sits below the top bun, pressing down on the lettuce, tomato, pickles and onions. “That’s just the way it’s always been done,” Corpening says, with a shrug. That’s it. That’s the reason.
No argument here. You can add bacon to level up an already legendary burger, but some things you’d better not change.
2908 SW Sixth Ave., 806.374.9237, goldenlightcafe.com
Pro Tip: Golden Light’s cheese fries are almost as iconic as the cheeseburger. They are hand-cut daily, topped with bacon, with just the right amount of decadence when you dip them in ranch. If you’re dining with two or three others, just order a large side and divide it out at the table. Trust us: You’ll have plenty.
Don’t Skip:
Youngblood’s Cafe 620 SW 16th Ave., 806.342.9411, youngbloodscafe.com
Red River Steakhouse 4332 SW 45th Ave., 806.316.5082, redriversteakhouse.net
Malcolm’s Eats & Treats 2100 Paramount Blvd., 806.355.3892
Shelby’s Diner 4105 Tradewind St., 806.699.1008, shelbysdineramarillo.com
Bacon
Bacon Green Chile Cheeseburger from Blue Sky
Few meals hit that sensory and savory sweet spot like a bacon cheeseburger. The crunch of a crispy piece of bacon contrasts with the tenderness of the burger patty and the melt of the cheese and it’s just the perfect mix of indulgent, salty goodness.
No one does it better than Blue Sky.
Locally owned, with two locations—one on Coulter and the original on Western alongside Interstate 40—Blue Sky has become an Amarillo institution since it opened in 2003. Robert Cady has managed the Western location for more than 20 years.
The burgers use Nolan Ryan beef, peppered with in-house burger seasoning and topped with Wright Brand bacon. “It has the best flavor,” Cady says. The I-40 location alone prepares an astonishing 500 patties a day, with up to 1,200 on weekend days. That kind of weekly volume makes it hard for them to use locally baked buns, so they rely on fresh-baked buns from Harvest Moon Baking Company out of Denver.
But Cady insists the true secret sauce at Blue Sky isn’t about what goes on the grill, but the people operating it. “A lot of our consistency starts with our employees,” he says.
4201 W. I-40, 806.355.8100 / 5060 S. Coulter St., 806.322.3888, blueskytexas.com
Pro Tip: Patrons love the sides at Blue Sky, including the fried mushrooms and onion rings. But for our dollar, nothing compares to the popular Anaheim chile sticks. It’s a mild pepper, and sometimes Tex-Mex joints even use Anaheim chiles instead of poblano peppers for chile relleno dishes. Other than burgers, the chile sticks “are probably our top-selling food item,” Cady says.
Don’t Skip:
Smokey Joe’s (The Smokey Burger) 2903 SW Sixth Ave., 806.331.6698
Bar 3 (Bison Bacon Burger) 9101 S. Coulter St., 806.353.7003, bar3prestonwest.com
Pan-Handlers Cafe (Justus For All) 410 S. Taylor St., 806.352.2590, thepan-handlers.com
West Texas Sports Grill (West Texas Burger) 1512 Fifth Ave., Canyon, 806.452.7135
Hidden Gem
Cheeseburger, Green Chile Bacon Burger and Spicy BBQ Burger from Shark Beach Burgers
“Hidden” is a relative term here, because it’s hard to miss the surfboards, shrimp netting, bikinied mannequins, and photo-opportunity fake wave alongside the Claude Highway near the entrance to Lake Tanglewood. Also the literal truckloads of sand. Just about everything on this 10-acre “beach” stands out because, well, Amarillo is 600 miles from the nearest beach.
Shark Beach is only hidden because it’s outside the city limits, and if you don’t come here on purpose—for one of its nearly 90 concerts this summer, for instance—you might not ever
see it.
“Parents come here because their kids can have freedom instead of just sitting in a restaurant environment,” says proprietor Brian Bailey, who operates the restaurant and venue with his wife, Brenda. The family came here from South Padre Island after the death of Brenda’s grandmother, Charlotte Schroeter, who operated Gram’s Burger Farm on the property. They rebranded as Shark Beach in 2020 to meet the takeout food demand early in the pandemic.
And despite going all-in on the beachy vibes, they pay close attention to the edible side of the business. “We care a lot about the food,” Bailey says. The green chile burger includes huge slabs of green chiles, for instance, instead of the usual diced topping. The bacon is cooked fresh. The fresh veggies are prepped every day. The sauces are homemade, including the ranch dip. The beef patties are made by hand and weighed by the gram.
“We want consistency in all our food,” he says, citing the dependability of Chick-fil-A and In-N-Out Burger locations as inspiration. “For us, that’s the key to success. Every time you go here, the burger will be the same.”
The food doesn’t change, but the surrounding experience is always being upgraded. Brian is full of energy and has big ideas, including Amarillo’s ocean-free version of Sandcastle Days coming in September.
1505 E. FM 1151, 806.335.5644, sharkbeachamarillo.com
Pro Tip: Don’t miss the sides. Our team loved the cheese curds and tater tots, especially dipped in the housemade Shark Sauce—a delectable combination of mayo and barbecue sauce. Wash it down with a cherry lime. “We use two whole, fresh-squeezed limes in every one,” Bailey reveals. You can tell.
Don’t Skip:
Lone Star Bar & Grill 935 E. FM 1151, 806.622.9827
North Heights Discount & Cafe 1621 NW 18th Ave., 806.418.6751
Pork n Things BBQ 10816 SE Third Ave., 806.699.7675, facebook.com/PorkNThingsBbq
The Falcon 2300 Wells, Bushland, 806.803.0219, thefalconinbushland.com
Food Truck
Tanya’s Burger, from Tanya’s Burgers
“Oh, I love them,” Tanya Torres says. She’s talking about burgers. After years as a stay-at-home mom, she found that what made her happiest was cooking for her family. She considered tacos, but there were plenty of taco trucks on Amarillo Boulevard already, so she decided to focus on something different. “I wanted it to be special,” she adds.
Tanya’s Burgers is the result. Opened in 2022, it serves a variety of big, flavorful, unique burger combinations at locations and events across town, though most days she sets up the trailer at 1010 N. Fillmore St., between downtown Amarillo and the Boulevard.
The most popular burger on her menu is the one bearing her name. Tanya’s Burger is a true fusion of the cheeseburger with Mexican culture, including avocado and beef franks along with the usual fixings. “That’s the way I like to eat it,” she says, with a smile. “And I don’t like to eat small things.”
Every burger on the menu is far from small. These are five-inch-diameter, hand-prepared patties, grilled perfectly inside the trailer. Torres insists, however, that the key to an unforgettable burger isn’t the beef or fixings, but the passion behind it. “It’s just the love,” she says, that brings customers back.
Like the regulars who travel from downtown on weekdays. Torres even has patrons who’ll drive from Dumas or Canyon to get their fix.
2200 E. Amarillo Blvd., facebook.com/TanyasBurgers
Pro Tip: Not in a burger mood? Tanya also prepares amazing bolas de arroz (rice balls), which combine sushi-grade rice with asada or shrimp—plus dipping sauces—for an incredible sampling of Mexican street-food favorites. Tanya’s fries were among the best we sampled on our burger tour.
Don’t Skip:
Tank’s Burgers facebook.com/tanksfoodtruck
Brent’s Burgers 7150 Bell St., facebook.com/brents.burgers
O’Shay’s 806.206.9162, oshaysfoodtruck.com
60 Burgers 3000 W. Farmers Ave., 806.904.9627
An Ode to Whataburger
By Preslie Bentley
This summer, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to intern with Brick & Elm, and tag along on our burger tour of Amarillo. Despite living here my whole life, I was introduced to a dozen restaurants that were mostly unfamiliar to me but all-around delicious. Being able to interview restaurant owners and photograph the same kind of food 12 different times was surprisingly entertaining. I walked away with a lot more knowledge—not just as a local foodie, but also as a journalist.
But we can’t talk about burgers in Amarillo without talking about Whataburger.
For high school and college students, nothing compares to leaving Friday Night Lights or College Gameday and heading straight to sit in line for two hours at the distinct orange-and-white-striped building. The second I could drive, it became a tradition. As a college student now, my traditions and tastes have yet to change.
Even before the football games ended, whispers were already spreading about where everyone would meet after the fourth quarter. If one Whataburger was too busy, then we’d hit the next location—but going to a different restaurant was never an option.
My Whataburger order depends on the time of day. I personally love how thin the patties are, so a cheeseburger is always my go-to during daytime. But considering that I normally eat there late at night after games or house parties, the Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit is the unofficial fan favorite of my generation. The hype behind this sandwich really does live up to its word. The crispness of the salty chicken pairs perfectly with the creamy “liquid gold” that oozes out of the buttery biscuit.
For me, Whataburger is a constant. It is always the place to stop on road trips because of the familiar menu and a building that is a copy-paste of our hometown locations. Once I was driving home from college in the dark, anxious and lost, winding my way through an unfamiliar city. Then I saw the orange “W,” shining bright. Immediately I pulled over, relieved. I felt safe.
But it’s rare that I’m alone at a Whataburger. Friends would pile in my car solely to address a craving. Sometimes we could fill the restaurant at 2 a.m. The loudest laughs I have ever belted out have been in the booths of this fast-food joint. (This is not uncommon with my peers, and thankfully the employees never seem to care.)
From those back seat rides in our parents’ cars to those sneaky late-night outings in high school—and even while nursing hangovers after late-night football games—Whataburger will always be there to satisfy the cravings of my generation.
It may not be locally owned, but there’s no question it’s part of growing up here.
