Bobby Flay, the acclaimed American chef, owns restaurants in Las Vegas, the Bahamas and New York City.
But, the list doesn’t end there. Many other cities are home to Flay’s restaurants, and one of those is our very own College Park.
Bobby’s Burger Palace, located on Route 1, has been called “the place” to get a burger, boasting an expansive menu with options from savory, customizable burgers to decadent, spiked milkshakes.
Photo by Jennifer Cao.
“This is pretty much where we go for burgers,” said senior Dan Schultz, who makes a weekly trip down to Bobby’s from his apartment in the University View.
An enthusiastic chorus of “they’re delicious” and “they’re tasty” followed from Schultz’s friends, who were eating with him — further proof that Bobby’s burgers mean business.
According to Lee Marshall, the general manager of the College Park location, UMD students like Schultz make up the majority of the restaurant’s clientele.
“We have a special place in our hearts for the students that go [to UMD],” said Marshall. “I’ve been here for a few years now and it always saddens me a little when the students graduate.” It’s a good thing that Schultz hasn’t left UMD yet.
Though Bobby’s boasts 11 different kinds of burgers, Schultz has his favorite: the Brunch burger, which includes a fried egg, smoked bacon and American cheese.
“In fact, the Brunch burger started off as a special Burger of the Month,” said Marshall. However, it was so popular that it was ultimately added to the regular menu.
Once you take a look at the regular menu, you’d see an obvious pattern. Almost every burger is named after an American locale with toppings to represent it. The options span the whole country with the L.A. and Vegas burgers coming from the west and the Philadelphia and Carolina burgers reppin’ the east.
Photo by Jennifer Cao.
Or, you could kick up your boots and try the Dallas burger, which includes twangy foods like coleslaw, Monterey Jack cheese, barbecue sauce and pickles. According to Marshall, this burger is a customer favorite.
But above all, Bobby’s is home to the Crunchburger—a Flay original.
A concoction Flay ate when he was growing up, the burger is a combination of only two things: double American cheese and potato chips.
Photo by Jennifer Cao.
“It tasted like a gourmet version of a burger I’d eat at a neighborhood barbecue,” said Megane Simoes, a junior marketing and supply chain management major. “I’m forever committed to shamelessly adding chips to my burger now.”
Though the name doesn’t suggest this, Bobby’s offers more than burgers.
Students like Catherine Rogers love the sweet potato fries that come with a special honey mustard horseradish sauce. Bobby’s also runs a “half and half” special where a customer can order two half servings of two different sides.
Photo by Jennifer Cao.
We recommend pairing the sweet potato fries with some onion rings.
Photo by Jennifer Cao.
On the off-chance you aren’t feeling a burger when you step foot into Bobby’s Burger Palace, fear not. You can substitute any beef patty for a chicken one, or you can try one of their Griddled Cheese sandwiches.
“Griddled Cheese” is a fancy way of saying a “grilled cheese sandwich,” and Bobby’s can sure bring the cheese. Customers can choose from American, Swiss, Cheddar or Monterey Jack or they can take their sandwich up a notch and try a spicy Griddled Cheese that has Pimento cheese, bacon and tomato.
Photo by Jennifer Cao.
While Bobby’s is a great place to take your little siblings to in the afternoon, it is also a good candidate for happy hour.
How’s this for happiness? The restaurant offers spiked milkshakes and is the only one to do so along Route 1. The three flavors include Vanilla Caramel Bourbon, Pineapple Coconut Rum and Mocha Kahlua Vodka.
Photo by Jennifer Cao.
But, for those who aren’t looking for a sweet way to turn up, Bobby’s offers non-alcoholic shakes that are rich, creamy and come in a variety of flavors.
No matter what you’re eating, Marshall strives to make sure you’re having a good time eating it.
“The energy and enthusiasm that we are so passionate about is seen and felt by the guests and if we’re having a good time, so are they,” Marshall said. “All of this ties into our goals in food service, which is to have the best food and the best service.”
No matter where it came from, burgers are pretty hard to dislike.
So, imagine how delicious Bobby’s burgers are.
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