Restaurant Review: Scary Good Burgers at Burgertory 

• Alex Springer

If you've been following my gastronomic jaunts around town for a bit of time now, you've likely caught on to the fact that I'm a huge dork about horror movies. Yes, as far as entertainment goes, there are few things I like more than consuming junk food as I dig myself deeper into whatever unholy portal my Shudder subscription has opened up for me.

That said, you can imagine my excitement when I heard about Burgertory (3197 S. Redwood Road, Ste. 9, Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m, burgertoryslc.com) opening up in West Valley. Ever since I wrote about it in the Back Burner, I have been dying to sink my teeth into one of their self-proclaimed "gore-met" burgers. I finally got the chance to check out this horror-themed burger joint and it absolutely melted my cold, dead heart. Read on—if you dare.

Before we get to the good stuff, let's exorcize some of my own personal demons when it comes to places with a theme/vibe/concept/whatever. I've been around the block enough times to see my fair share of gimmicks that want you to pay for the "experience" instead of the food. I'm not necessarily against such practices, but when I'm footing the bill, I like my food to be the star of the show. The early hype about Burgertory led me to believe this place made a legitimately good burger, but being the stalwart food journalist I am, I had to check it out for myself.

The exterior of the restaurant is plastered with horror-movie posters, which evokes a welcome dose of nostalgia for those of us who liked to haunt video-rental stores of the bygone '80s and '90s. Inside, the lights are appropriately dim, and hang from knotted ropes which work well with the exposed brick walls; it feels vaguely Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but in a welcoming kind of way. The walls themselves continue the movie-poster motif, and all your favorite celluloid nightmares are represented therein. Even if you're not a weirdo like me who feels a strange sense of relaxation when dining in the presence of cinematic monsters, you're going to find the place cozy.

Now, on to the burgers. The menu itself has a solid stable of options—everything from bacon cheeseburgers to veggie burgers are here to play. The kicker is that they've fully embraced the Burgertory vibe, and each of them has a name pulled from horror history. Instead of onion rings, you get Omen Rings ($7); instead of a garlic burger, you get a Van Helsing ($12.99)—you get the picture. As much as I found myself cackling at reading names like Last House Salad on the Left ($7.99), I was dying to see if these burgers were indeed hauntingly delicious.

My wife and I visited for lunch, and it's clear that the Burgertory buzz is working, since there was a decent lunchtime crowd onsite. I ordered the Hellraiser ($13.99), their riff on a spicy jalapeño burger, and my wife got the Exorswiss and Mushrooms ($12.99). For sides, I went with the Dracula's Casserole, and my wife tried the fries, or Stake Frights, if you're sticking with the lingo. The food does take a bit of time to get to the table, which doesn't really bother me all that much.

When the burgers come out, you see where all that time went—these suckers are primo. The patty is enormous, and it's grilled to juicy perfection. It does what all burger patties should do and carries the burger itself. I appreciated this because no matter what variation of burger you get, you're always getting that dynamite foundation.

The Hellraiser was appropriately spicy, with its grilled jalapeños, a habanero aioli and some pepper jack cheese. When I hit the halfway point, I was definitely after a drink refill, but the flavorful burn thankfully abated by the time I turned my attention to the Dracula's Casserole. This side dish is an interpretation of macaroni & cheese, but it's topped with this sweet Sriracha bacon that sends the dish into the stratosphere. After finishing off my Hellraiser, this didn't seem overly spicy, but I'd still recommend it primarily for those who don't mind a bit of heat with their cheesy noodles.

My wife's Exorswiss and Mushroom burger was also excellent: good cheese ratio, but I think that big ol' patty could have shouldered a few more 'shrooms. The Stake Frights are cut thick and come with Burgertory's special take on fry sauce. Both of us agreed that these burgers were definitely worthy of the "gore-met" moniker; all that blood and guts on the walls just makes the place more charming.

Whether you're a lifelong horror fan or more of a romantic-comedy kind of movie buff, Burgertory isn't messing around when it comes to a thick, juicy burger. It's been some time since I've had a restaurant burger that has impressed me as much as those that Burgertory is grilling up, and I'm excited to see this place continue to thrive.