Out to eat: Hamburger Mary's

Hamburger Mary's downtown serves a Barbar-Q Bacon Cheeseburger (Credit: Jeff Swinger | Metromix)

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After hearing Hamburger Mary's had made a comeback to Cincinnati, I had to check it out, as the word on the street and its Facebook group said it's definitely an experience. An experience is right, but a great experience would describe it better.

The atmosphere: The new owners have completely gutted and renovated the old Universal Grill (the old Mary's space) allowing Hamburger Mary's to live up to its reputation: "open-air bar and grilles for open-minded people where guests enjoy a flamboyant dining experience." The loud but tasteful colors on the walls and decoupage table décor definitely add to the fun.

The food: My date, a few friends and I started a Saturday night off with Mary's Handbag ($13) for an appetizer, a tasty sampling of Mary's popular appetizers, which includes Hot Wangs and Thangs, Love Me Tenders, Mac-N-Cheese Fritters, Onion Rings and Cala-Mary.

Since Mary's is known for its burgers, I went for the Barbra-Q Bacon Cheeseburger, a half-pound burger smothered in BBQ sauce, bacon, onion rings, cheese and Mary's special sauce ($9.50). Of course I had to have Mary's seasoned tasty fries.

My date ordered the Buffy (The Burger Slayer), a half-pound burger cooked in red wine, covered with garlic aioli and swiss cheese ($9.50) while one of our friends went for the Hawaii Five-O Kahuna Burger, a half-pound teriyaki patty with sliced grilled pineapple, cheddar cheese and Mary's special sauce ($10). Our other guest opted for a lighter fare, the Mary Contrary Garden Salad ($5.50) and a bowl of Mary's Hearty Chili ($5).

The burgers, made to order, were larger than I expected and came out hot, juicy and delicious. Our friend found the chili to be quite filling and delectable. Her side salad was fresh and full of flavor. My date's side of coleslaw was homemade and the seasoned fries put the meal over the top.

The drinks: Hamburger Mary's had Mimosas on special ($2), perfect for me. My date opted for Red Stripe ($4.50) as they did not have any beer on draft yet.

The dessert: Our server recommended the Deep Fried Twinkies ($5), three of them with raspberry sauce and whipped cream. Again, perfect for me and OMG! I felt like I was at the fair as the scent of deep-fried baked goods wafted from the plate. I couldn't help myself and took a bite right away and found they were so hot they burned the top of my mouth.

My date was eyeing the cheesecake ($5) at the next table and decided that was right up his alley. A large, delectable slice of New York style cheesecake with raspberry sauce was light, fresh and tasty. A fine way to top off the evening.

Why you should go: From the lively atmosphere inside, to the pleasant servers and owners and the creative menu items, Hamburger Mary's does not disappoint. The portions are generous as are the prices. The bar is set to open soon, and I'm sure Hamburger Mary's won't disappoint for happy hour either.

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