Devine Street eatery serves up traditional American fare with tasty twist on toppings
With '80s pop tunes by the likes of Billy Joel pumping through the speakers, it's clear just from walking through the doors of Burger Tavern 77 that the restaurant has atmosphere.
The casual dining joint, which opened in early February, is located on Devine Street and just a short drive from Five Points. Burger Tavern 77's menu boasts 77 unique burger topping options, as well as 26 draft beer options.
From a laid-back lunch for two to dinner and a round of drinks with a bigger crew, Burger Tavern 77 is a prime location for all types of get-togethers. Restaurant seating ranges from cozy booths and tall four-top tables to stools at the well-stocked bar. The eatery also has outdoor seating at umbrella-shaded tables, perfect for the warm spring weather that has taken over Columbia in the past few weeks.
With the food's name in its title, it's obvious that burgers are this restaurant's speciality. Diners can choose from one of nine "Tavern Traditions," including the Charleston (topped with pimento cheese and pecan-smoked bacon), the Santa Fe (seasoned with a blend of Southwest spices and topped with guacamole, pepper jack cheese and homemade chipotle mayo) and the Pub 77 (topped with a fried egg, pecan-smoked bacon, honey ham, cheddar cheese and pickled Jalapeno peppers), served on a white or whole wheat bun or onion roll. All Tavern Traditions are priced at $9.50 and served with a dill pickle spear and so many seasoned JoJo fries in a tin cup that they spill onto the plate (customers can substitute a side salad for an additional $1 charge).
If those combinations don't impress, the restaurant offers the option to create your own custom burger for $10, including up to four "tantalizing toppers" (additional toppings are $0.50 each, and "premium toppings" like honey ham, fried shrimp, chili and pecan-smoked bacon cost $1 each). Baby spinach, caramelized onions, pineapple salsa, alfalfa sprouts, JoJo fries, carrot strings and roasted red peppers are just a few of Burger Tavern 77's topping options. Diners can choose their meat, too, with the option to order a veggie burger or crab cake sandwich with any of the same burger toppings.
In addition to the seemingly endless burger options, Burger Tavern 77 serves up four different "chicken burgers," which are 6-ounce chicken breast sandwiches like the Devine chicken burger (grilled chicken breast with an apple and dried cherry chutney, goat cheese crumbles and Ice Wine Vinegar–spritzed alfalfa sprouts) and the double pepper chicken (seasoned and grilled chicken breast topped with peppered bacon, melted pepper jack cheese, Haas avocados and Dijon honey mustard). All four chicken burgers are also $9.50 and come with a pickle and JoJo fries.
For Burger Tavern 77's vegetarian diners, the restaurant offers four salad options: the 77 cobb, the spinach, the PGS 77 salad (mixed greens tossed with Ice Wine Vinaigrette, pistachio-crusted goat cheese and marinated strawberries) and the grilled Caesar (not with grilled chicken — the romaine lettuce is lightly grilled). Appetizers like pub pretzels with beer cheese dipping sauce, The coastal fried shrimp and crab cake plate and S.O.B. cheese sticks (made with pepper jack cheese and covered in tricolor tortilla chip breading) are also great menu options for vegetarians.
Burger Tavern 77's portions are generous, and customers may not even won't have room for desserts like apple pie or raspberry cheesecake (some diners may even opt to bring home half of their burgers for a late-night snack or next-day meal).
Parking is limited at the restaurant, and customers must exercise caution when entering and exiting the lot, as there isn't much space for two cars to go in opposite directions. Parking lines come dangerously close to the outdoor tables, so when the place is packed, it's important to be aware of cars coming and going.
Burger Tavern 77 isn't your ordinary casual dining restaurant, and the menu items are far from fast food fare. If you're craving a filling, uniquely crafted burger, this is the place to go.
Burger Tavern 77 is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.