I always love driving along in the middle of no where finding a little hidden gem. Case in point after visiting Wimberly for the first time and google had me on all these backroads only to see BIG ROB'S on my home. My enthusiasm was stoked and as soon as I got home, I looked them up and decided to try a lot of menu items.
Located in a safe place that's easy to access and park, Big Rob's is a simple restaurant with a large dining room adorned by large TVs and rustic tables while their menu has limited adult beverages and a basic menu featuring quality burgers. When I walked in the waitstaff was extremely friendly and quick to grab my order. Around 1pm on a Thursday there were roughly 4 tables of customers so there's enough open spots if you want to dine in.
I got in my SUV and couldn't open the bag quick enough to get a fried mushroom in my mouth. BIG MISTAKE as they were HOT. Besides my own stupidity, they were perfectly fried, great flavor with the perfect amount of breading. They come with ranch too, but unfortunately when I got home, my flame-tip Himalayan cat played hockey, spilling it everywhere. Honestly, they didn't need it. The onion rings were much the same, good breading and great flavor without being greasy, still it seemed like pre-bought bar food not scratch made items. Oh their milkshakes... just get one as they're very good made with real ice cream!
Now the part I hate, pointing out areas of needed improvement. I got the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and corn. First off, the corn tasted like dirt, literally. It had no seasoning and tasted it was pulled out of a can and thrown on my plate without even S&P or butter. The mashed spuds also had little flavor displaying no love. I was hoping I could taste some butter, cream, something to elevate it above mediocre, alas it wasn't meant to be. Now the steak was fried well, not being greasy or tough but crunchy and breaks apart in the mouth. This was the soul winner of the dish. Finally, the gravy wasn't much to speak on, continuing on the tradition of being as basic without soul as the dish could be. At least it had the right consistency and was hot.
Now, lets spark some enthusiasm and hope, shall we? I got a custom burger ordering a burger with bacon, onion, avocado, mushroom, Swiss, egg, lettuce tomato and mayo. The only issue I had was the nicely toasted bun needed mayo on BOTH buns. The reason is by the time I was done, the choice of bread was soggy, leaving me holding the meat almost in my hand alone. Eat fast kiddos! That said, the slightly under-seasoned burger was huge and juicy, not overcooked at all! The addons were plentiful and cooked well. My first bite broke the egg yolk oozing all down the sandwich, making me anticipate the first bite. Opening my jaw to snake like proportions and the first flavors and texture hit my tongue. The sharp Swiss followed by the sweet onion, earthy mushrooms, crunchy lettuce, juicy tomato, crispy bacon, and luxurious yolk all playing second fiddle to the wonderful meat. It was a symphony and I loved the whole experience.
Overall, I found Big Rob's Burgers does burgers very well with a bar mentality. Items that tried to be outside of their selling point, ie diner like items were painfully average. My suggestion is if you're hankering for a great burger with well executed sides, stop on by. read more