The conversation about Nashville’s best burger is a hotly contested one. For all the talk about Nashville hot chicken, barbecue, and the southern staple that is the meat-and-three, we have a pretty good burger scene in the Music City. I dare say we’re actually a pretty damn good burger town. But, we don’t really talk about that when we talk about this city as a food city. Today, I’m going to be writing about Burger Republic (specifically, the one out in Mount Juliet), but if you have a burger tip – a place I should try – feel free to send it my way.
Burger Republic has several locations around the middle Tennessee area. I visited the one in Mount Juliet to write this review – it’s a location that I’ve admittedly frequented since it opened up in the area. But, I’m just now getting pen to paper. On this visit, I tried the Tennessee burger (Jack Daniel’s honey glaze, American cheese, smoked ketchup, maple-basted Benton’s bacon, and Memphis-dusted crispy onions) with a side of the Nashville hot tots. Phenomenal. The fiancé (and principal photographer) went with the grilled chicken sandwich and sweet potato tots.
Regardless of what your favorite burger in town is, I think it’s fair to say that Burger Republic offers up a burger that belongs in the conversation among the area’s best.
Also worth noting that a burger has never hit harder than when the Burger Republic food truck posted up at Arrington Vineyards back in May and your boy DEMOLISHED one after I had sat out on the hill drinking frosé all day.
For more on Burger Republic, including their menu and locations, check out their website here.
Pics
Ratings
Food: 6.8/10 – Burger for burger, there’s no doubt that Burger Republic belongs in the conversation for Nashville’s best burger. I’ve had three (the Tennessee, the West Texas, and the Burger Republic), and I’ve yet to be disappointed. Every single one of them has been cooked just the way I like it (a perfect medium well), and the toppings have been ELITE. I mean, come on – Benton’s bacon is like a secret weapon. Specifically speaking about the Tennessee, I would’ve been okay had they taken it a bit easier on the crispy onions.
I’m not usually a fan of calling things ‘Nashville hot’ when there’s anything remotely like buffalo sauce involved. But, I have to tip my hat on those tots. Through gritted teeth, I admit that they really tie the meal together. That doesn’t mean I have to call them ‘Nashville hot.’ All in all, it’s a meal that is comparatively above-average.
Booze: 7.4/10 – The spiked milkshakes are a home run, and believe me they are generous with the booze. But, the heart and soul of this strong rating is the beer tap. They have a lot of good local stuff on draft.
Value: 4.8/10 – It’s a good meal, but not good enough to warrant the price tag that comes with it. It’s a shade steep, but not so steep to boot it out of the rotation. It just makes it one of those places that we don’t frequent that often.
Atmosphere: 3.9/10 – I’m only speaking about the Mount Juliet location for this one, because that’s where we go the most. It can get cramped in there. It isn’t exactly the biggest location, and maybe I sound like a whiny nitpicking asshole, but I’d prefer a few more booths than all the tables set out. I’d much rather get curbside to go and gas this burger up for the masterpiece it is than talk about how cramped I feel in the restaurant (granted, I am 6’2″ and 280 pounds, so I’ll let y’all make your own judgments).
Overall: 5.73/10 – It’s a good reliable spot for a great burger and a great beer, but that’s about as far as I’ll go. If the prices were just a little lower, it would jack this rating up big time. As for the low atmosphere score, well….maybe I should just try a different location next time. All in all, hard to find too much to complain about with Burger Republic.
CURRENT NASHVILLE RESTAURANT RANKINGS
- Butcher & Bee (8.5/10)
- Nectar: Urban Cantina (8.44/10)
- Von Elrod’s (8.17/10)
- Catch 22 (Mount Juliet) (7.125/10)
- Red’s 615 Kitchen (7/10)
*Keep in mind, we’re just starting out. This list is only 37 deep at this point. Stay tuned as we continue to build our anthology of Nashville reviews.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
Check out the SoBros Shop. Become a Patron. Give us money for no reason. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @SoBrosNetwork. Watch on YouTube.
