The Short Course

Kid Friendly: yes To Avoid Wait: anytime Noise Level: moderate Bathroom Amenities: no changing station High Chairs: yes Got Milk? no, but there is lemonade Kid's Menu: yes, for kid's 8 and under

Sometimes you need to throw the diet out the window and hunker down with a big, juicy hamburger and a basket of delicious hand cut fries. Maybe I was jammin’ to Jimmy Buffet’s “Cheeseburgers in Paradise” one too many times, but I found myself suddenly craving the All- American beef sensation and convinced the kids they were craving it too! And so began the quest for our cheeseburger in paradise.

Not quite paradise,
but darn good burgers

I had heard there was a burger joint in downtown Perrysburg, but had never given it a try. I did, however, hear they also had a great veggie burger so I persuaded my vegetarian friend and her husband to join us on our quest.

The outside of PerrysBurgers, located in downtown Perrysburg, appeared quaint and inviting with its wrought iron patio furniture for outdoor dining. I had absolutely no preconceived notions of what it would be like, but when I walked through the doors, admittedly, I was a little taken back. There was nothing fancy about the inside; as it even had what I’d call cafeteria style tables and chairs. It was much smaller than I envisioned, and the menu was on a dry erase board behind the counter where we placed our orders.

BUT, never judge a book by its cover, so the saying goes. As I started reading the menu I realized we were probably about to eat some unique and tasty burgers and fries.

Revamped menu takes it up a notch

The burgers are eight ounces of certified Angus beef; never frozen. The delicious hand cut fries are never ending and they also offer sweet potato fries with maple mayo. If you haven’t been in PerrysBurgers within the last five months, you will want to stop back in; Ben Isaacson brought his Chicago fine dining culinary experience to the place and the menu is totally new. “I revamped the entire menu. Everything is completely made from scratch,” said Isaacson. “We even do our own bacon,” he added.

As I glanced at the menu I saw that the least expensive burger and fries were $9, so I made the executive decision that my youngest would be ordering the Krabby Kids Meal for $4 to save a little money. Veggie burgers or marinated chicken breast can be made in place of any burger on the menu. Unfortunately for my friend they were out of the acclaimed veggie burger that night!

They were very accommodating and whipped up a mushroom burger with cheese and other sautéed vegetables. She really enjoyed it. Her husband also bypassed the beef and had the chicken breast. But for the kids and I, only beef would do.

They offer a variety of eight specialty burgers and a monthly burger special. My daughter loved the Sunrise for $10. I was shocked she ordered a burger that had a sunny-side up egg on top. I’m pretty sure the homemade maple mayo, cheddar, and house made bacon added to her liking. Brie-lieve It or Not for $10 with a peppercorn crust, roasted Roma tomato, roasted garlic puree, and melted Brie, was delicious. One bite of that and I quickly got over th

e less than fancy interior. After all, I was there for the food, not the décor. Other burgers on the menu had peanut butter sauce, caramelized onions, bang-bang BBQ, cilantro ranch, homemade cole slaw, roasted portabellas, and many other flavorful ingredients any foodie would love.

The only kids menu offering is $4 and consists of one 2 oz. mini burger with cheese, fries, and drink. My eight year old son can put away the food, and well, the kids meal didn’t quite cut it. However, we asked for another basket of unending fries and he was a happy camper.
Like most kids I know, they were very content with a soda, cheeseburger, and fries. They’re ready to go back soon, though the youngest declared he’s ordering a much bigger burger next time! We’ll see.

Bottom Line: Chances are you’ll be the “world’s greatest parent” if you announce to the kids you’re taking them out for burgers and unending fries. PerrysBurgers offers the basic burger, as well as delicious and unique varieties for the more adventurous. The casual atmosphere allows the kids to be kids, and the parents less uptight while dining with young ones in tow!
Karen Zickes is a mom of three active children and freelance writer who resides in Holland, OH. She can be reached
c/o [email protected].