Lucky 13

Address: 135 W 1300 S, SLC, UT 84115. 801. 487.4418.

Review: Lucky 13 is a bar, an unabashed bar. As such, they serve bar food: burgers, fries, fried jalapenos, fried pickles (see the pattern?). The selection of burgers isn't large, about six or seven. Two burgers are of the redonkulous Man-Versus-Food variety (e.g., a massive double burger, loaded with habaneros and whatnot, squished between two grilled cheese sandwiches). We steered clear of these gimmicky behemoths, and ordered what turned out to be some mighty fine grub.

I had the flame thrower. It was a 1/2 pound patty with mixed greens, sauteed onions, blue cheese (it originally came with cheddar, but they gladly switched it up for me), house-smoked bacon, roasted jalapenos, and roasted habaneros. The patty was thick enough that it could be cooked medium (i.e., still pink in the center), which means it retained its juiciness. The next thing I noticed was the blue cheese. It was pronounced, pungent, salty, and slightly sour, just like it should be. The sauteed onions were a sweet balance to the cheese. The house-smoked bacon was thick, with lots of natural smoke flavor. Quality. The roasted jalapenos and habaneros brought nice fruitiness and heat to the party. And this burger is not for the faint of heart. Heat abounds, almost, but not quite, to the point of masking the more subtle flavors in the burger. Also, the bun was hearty enough not to be lost among the mass of other ingredients. Only thing that didn't really work was the greens. They became a bit wilty and soggy after the first bite. All in all, a good, good burger.

My two friends had, respectively, a straight cheeseburger with ketchup, and a celestial burger. Both were highly praised.

Now, on to the fries. These weren't no sissy fries in sissy portions. The fries were plentiful, crispy, hot, and light on the inside. They was good. And the fry sauce was spicy. Nice touch.

I normally don't comment on price, but this was a big meal. Each burger and fries could easily feed two people. At $10 for the flame thrower, and less under $10 for the other non behemoth burgers, Lucky 13 is a pretty good deal.

And many people have commented on the service not being up to par. Maybe, however, we epxerienced no problems at all. Our waitress was attentive and our food arrived promptly. Our glasses were always full. For a bar, it was a rather enjoyable experience.

In all, good stuff. Certainly one of the best burgers and fries combo I've had in the SLC.

Rating: 7/10 (5/10 is average).