S & B Burger Joint Rocks On to 9th Street
A Theta slider and Heat slider with veggie patty from the new S&B Burger Joint on 9th Street.
The popularity of S & B Burger Joint is such a force of nature it’s already turned necessitated the takeover of Electro Lounge, next up: 9th Street.
Is that Iron Man getting firing up his heart light in the reflection of the new S&B Burger Joint on 9th Street?
That’s right, the best sliders in the city can now be had at two locations, the newest at 20 NW 9 St., directly across from the Iguana Mexican Grill, and it’s opening Friday Jan. 13. Lunch starts at 11, they’ll be open til 10ish, 11ish if the crowd warrants.
The last time I blogged about S & B, I said it was where the cool kids eat. Well, you have to have ice water in your veins and Mick Jagger’s swagger to open a new venture on Friday the 13th.
But when a concept you started on a lark evolves into a full-scale cultural and culinary monster ready to be unleashed on the masses, confidence comes a little easier. Co-owner Shannon Roper, who once opened Garfield’s Restaurants around the country, started cooking handmade burgers at the Electro Lounge to bump up ticket sales. It’s impossible to say Shannon and partner Bryan Neel weren’t ready for the response because of where they are now. But it’s no stretch to say demand has been beyond their imagination.
Take a good look at the backlit Kinks picture mounted on the left: It won't be there long if I have anything to do with it.
The new S & B looks like the S & B that always should’ve been. While the original is and always will be home, it evolved from one kind of concept into another. The new space looks like it’s all part of Shannon and Bryan’s rock ‘n’ roll fantasy. And their fantasy is mine: great burgers and cold beer surrounded by rock and roll heroes with a soundtrack to match. I’ve visited the new place twice the last couple days and the music I’ve heard during those visits is better than a month’s worth of local broadcast radio. And then there’s the backlit Kinks poster I’m going to have to figure out how to steal, not to mention the Sid Vicious.
“We’ve got more stuff coming in,” Shannon said while were talking about my poster envy. “Just hasn’t gotten here yet.”
Tabletops hearken to days when CDs were tolerated, MP3s a mistaken identity for the MC5, and the Gospel was written on vinyl. Ladies will find their restroom behind a door bearing Joan Jett; men step behind a young Keith Richards. Shannon said plans for live music have been discussed, more information to come. As for the food, you’ll find the same menu, with a few new additions to the slider list. Beer, Bloody Marys and a full bar are available.
The new place, it rounds out an impressive bit of land and culture development by Steve Mason. First it was the Iguana, then Sara Sara Cupcakes, then Pachinko Parlor and The Womb. S & B begins the rebirth of the south side of the little stretch of 9th Street between Broadway and the highway. Add Shop Good to the mix, and it’s easy to see this becoming the center of the local subculture universe. With the global appeal of The Flaming Lips, that universe could some day include a significant tourism niche.
I’ll have much more to write about S & B in the near future, but just wanted to give folks a heads-up that it had opened. If you’ve been, let me know what you thought.
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Anne the Wife and I went for lunch the other day. Split a regular sized Fatty, a slider sized something w/ avocado, fries, beef-jerky’d bloody mary, and an in house beer. There’s something to be said for the different infused vodkas sitting on the counter. Loved the atmosphere and the price wasn’t too bad. Reminded me of a cleaned up version of The Conservatory – pretty sure they could move the tables and put up a small sound system for local bands on Friday and Saturday nights.