On a rainy Friday at 3 o’clock, I sat down at a four-person table at Burger Boy Diner with Ella (my sister), Jess (my brother and OTR staff member), and John (another OTR staff member). Menus, condiments, and other necessities for enjoying a burger sat in the middle of each table. There were a few other customers when we first sat down. Bumper stickers covered the wall above the grill, which was visible behind the counter, seeming to showcase the restaurant’s political values. Stickers like “Yarmuth for Congress” and Carmichael’s Bookstore highlighted clear support for the Democratic party and local businesses. Old-fashioned diner signs covered one wall and University of Louisville flags and posters framed the windows. There’s no sign outside that would let you know you’re looking at Burger Boy, which almost makes it feel like a hidden hole in the wall you have to know about to find. 

Daniel Borsch has owned Burger Boy since 2008, along with other local restaurants including Toonerville Deli, Burger Girl Diner (Burger Boy’s twin sister), and Old Louisville Tavern.

Right when we sat down, the server took our drink orders (just water for all of us). They were very casual with us since they were also young adults. It took us a while to decide what we wanted to eat because of all of the options on the menu. There was an all-day breakfast, classic burgers, sandwiches, “munchies” (sharable items), milkshakes, and more. After a little consideration, we were ready to order.

Jess ordered the server’s recommendation of the Kickin’ Chicken Sandwich with onion rings ($6.99, $3.49). The sandwich consists of seasoned and breaded chicken filet, fried with pepper jack cheese, special sauce, and bacon on texas toast. My sister and I both ordered a breakfast meal (yes, at 3 p.m.); mine being two eggs, home fries, bacon, and toast ($6.49); and hers was two buttermilk pancakes, two eggs, and bacon ($7.49). John got the popular Bison Burger Combo ($13.99), which came with fries and a drink.

In the time waiting for our food, only a few other people came in and out — it was even just us at one point. This made the service quick; it only took about 15 minutes to get our food. The whole time we could see it being made behind the counter and hear the sizzles of the grill.

Our server walked out from behind the counter with arms full of plates, the smell of bacon and juicy burgers wafting in with him. Because it was right after school, everyone was starving, so we were ready to dive in. I started with the bacon — it was the perfect balance of crispy and juicy. The home fries (breakfast potatoes) were coated in the same spice mixture as the french fries, which was John’s favorite part of the meal. Although the Kickin’ Chicken Sandwich’s bun appeared burnt, it was satisfying and filling, with the “special sauce” being the highlight. It was stacked so high that Jess could barely fit his mouth around it. The onion rings were crisped to perfection, the pancakes were light and fluffy, and my sister and I both cleared the scrambled eggs from our plates.

We were very satisfied with our experience overall. However, we did notice that when we sat down to when we finished eating, there was never a water refill or the typical check-in from servers that you usually get. 

Once we finished our meals, John decided he wanted dessert, so he ordered a cinnamon roll, which wasn’t in stock. Then he tried for a brownie, but got the same response. He saw the carrot cake on the counter and ordered a slice of that since he knew it was in stock ($3.99). He enjoyed it, but he said it wasn’t quite sweet enough for him. We all finished up the last bits of our meals, paid at the counter, and went on our way.

Burger Boy has the classic diner ambiance and is the perfect place to grab some local food after school or work (or really any hour since it’s open 24/7). It is located at 1450 S Brook St. It’s easily accessible from downtown and several school campuses, and there’s a TARC stop at the same intersection if you don’t want to deal with the street parking. The prices are reasonable and the casual vibes are perfect for going with friends.