Elite Event At Smashburger

Yes, this was awesome! What a cool little party. Within minutes of sitting down our table was filled with every app off the menu. Really?! French fries, sweet potato fries, fried peppers, fried pickles, flash fried veggies… I really didn’t even need a burger after that! I loved the fried pickles, I think that was my fave & a hit at our table. My burger was amazing. I am not a huge burger fan, but I think I found my spot for one when I get the craving again.
I’ve had Smashburger before, but this seemed better this time. I was surprised to find out that the Smashburger on CO Blvd was the flag ship and now there are over 70 nation wide! Now, that’s sayin somethin right there.
It was fun to take a tour and meet the owner. I enjoyed watching the whole process that goes on behind the scenes.
Oh dear, now I’m hungry! Wish there was a Smashburger out here in the sticks where I work… maybe someone should tell them to build store 75 right here and quick!

OK, so eating dinner with Laura and a bunch of my other Unilocalers of the elite kind, was my first Smashburger. Wow. What a tasty burger. The experience was outstanding.
We were all able to sit down with Tom Ryan, the owner and learn all about this great little burger joint. The crew at Smashburger took great care of us and we were treated to the full Smashburger assortment of goodies.
There’s not much I can say that hasn’t already been said. The burgers were delicious and juicy and the sides were exceptional. I really liked the fried pickles and the Smash fries were great as well.
Out of all the burgers sampled, I must say that the Colorado burger was far superior. I really liked being able to get inside the kitchen and see the inner workings of the place. I was very happy to hear and see that they use only fresh ingredients. I will most certainly be back for a Smashburger fix.
Thanks to Laura, the Smashburger crew, and the very nice PR peeps. This was yet again another outstanding event.

IT’S SO FLUFFY!!!
Oh, no, wait, that was the movie «Despicable Me.»
But the Elite Event at Smashburger was a blast, as always. I love seeing familiar faces and chatting it up, but also love finding and meeting the new faces! This was such a small event that it was easy to jabber on with new people.
The burgers, smashed in real butter on the sizzling flattop, are amazing, and the sides… Mmm… Sweet Potato Fries with Rosemary Salt. Nom, Nom, Freaking NOM! I even braved a fried Jalapeño, and it didn’t make me cry.
What goes better with Burgers and Good Company other than Beer? More Beer! The Blue Moon Beers I had were perfect. Although that Sparkling Pommegranete thingy looked awesome as well.
Thanks to Miss Laura for organizing yet another successful event, the staff and Founder of Smashburger for making us feel special and sharing your food, drinks, and stories with us, and a shout out to Hans for his Photographic Skillz.
We *Must* do this again sometime!

Elite events are almost always a hit — namely because the staff and management really roll out the red carpet for us. The event at Smashburger was particularly good!
Hosted by the founder /​managing partner, we got treated to the works, including a full tour with a great presentation on the makings of Smashburger.
My special thanks goes out to Tom Ryan and the staff at the Englewood location for their hospitality and generosity!

Now how silly is it to review a burger joint, when you don’t eat a burger you ask? Well you’re about to find out! I trust the burgers are every bit worth the bite. Doesn’t hurt when you get a tour of the kitchen from the founder and story behind the smashing success of the joint. Too many subtle tricks for the burger to not be excellent. Fresh ground beef, smashed and grilled upon order. Seasoned to perfection with juices encapsulated in the patty, stuff I didn’t even consider but always wanted in my burger.
The sides of which I did partake of were all tasty. I’m a big fan of pickles especially when fried, coupled with fried chili peppers and olive oil rosemary fries… Mmm Good! 73 stores in about 4 years should also speak volumes in vouching for Taste. So if you don’t know, now you know that Burger Joints can be and will be appreciated by even those who don’t try the burgers!

Did you know that the these burgers get their name because they are actually «smashed»? I just figured it meant they were greasy goodness for when you are smashed, or suffering the after-​effects the next day. But no, they actually smash the burgers thin once plopping them onto the flat top. Cool, huh?
I was fortunate enough to eat here for an Elite Event, so I was offered every side dish to try… although I passed on the fried pickles and onion rings, because I’m not a fan of either one. The fries are pretty fantastic, both the smashfries and sweet potato fries. They both have the same seasonings: rosemary, olive oil, garlic, and other herbs. I also really liked the fried green chiles and chipotle dipping sauce. I think my favorite side was the sweet potato fries, dipped in ranch… yum!
I had such a hard time deciding on a burger, so I decided to build my own. I went with a chipotle bun, ¹⁄₃ lb burger, topped with pepper jack cheese, chipotle mayo, and a fried egg. Pretty sure I had the winning combination. It was a little spicy, and the beef patty extremely juicy. The burger was a little messy, and the meat kind of fell apart a bit… but it still was a pretty damn tasty burger. I would’ve liked my egg cooked a little less then it was… party of the deliciouness of a fried egg on a burger is a little runny yolk!
Service was stellar, but could’ve been because it was a Unilocal event, and they were definitely trying to wine and dine us (not that I’m complaining about that!). Being my first Smashburger visit ever, I was thoroughly impressed, and will definitely return!

Smashburger really went all out to show us a smashing good time. The only other person in my life other than Alexis (Smashburger PR) to insist I eat and try everything was my dearly departed grandmother. Now that’s some good olé fashion MidwesternTLC.
It’s going to be hard to not get addicted to this place seeing as how everything on the menu is top of the line; the most uniquely spiced and adorned burgers, fries, pickles, and peppers I’ve ever ran across at a burger joint.

I’ve got to admit, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this event. I was excited to try Smashburger based on positive comments I’d heard from friends. (all except from my vegetarian friend who decided to make Smashburger the first place he went to end his vegetarian-​ism)
First of all, the reserved a portion of the restaurant for the Unilocalers and Tom and the Smashburger PR staffers. They had a number of delicious sides on the table including sweet potato fries, rosemary fries, plain fries. We also wound up with some fried pickles and fried peppers later on. I think my favorites were the sweet potato fries, rosemary fries, and fried peppers although nothing was anything I wouldn’t gladly order again.
Tom Ryan, the owner and starter of the 70+ restaurant franchise sat down and talked with us, and you really got to see the excitement and passion he has for his restaurants. Each of their restaurants throughout the nation has a «localized» burger with flavors that are local to the place. The Colorado burger has some green peppers and pepperjack cheese among other toppings.
I had the baja burger which was very good, but the Coloardo burger brought out to us to try by Alexis was beyond delicious. The sides, as mentioned were fantastic as well, and the sauces for the fried chiles was very tasty.
The kitchen tour was interesting as well where Tom gave us the lowdown of how our now digesting burgers were made. Peter M, our saviour braved the grill and did so perfectly. The «smashing» of the burger shapes the meat and produces a nice sear and crunch on the burger. Peter M also rocked out with his spatula out and flipped the burger to perfection.
Overall another fantastic event. Big thanks to Laura, Tom, the PR crew, and the Smashburger gang!

Laura-​you never cease to amaze me. Let’s run away to Vermont and get married. Okay, maybe that was a little over the top, but seriously thanks again for another amazing event!
And an amazing event it was! I felt like I was at one of my Jewish family get togethers where it was insisted that I «Eat! Eat!» Well, with the exception that there was NOTHING kosher about this food. Mmmm, bacon! Oh and the beef tallow is why those fries are so dang tasty?! Mmmm, beef tallow! And it was great that Tom Ryan took the time to sit down with us all to chit chat and tell us the Smashburger story. He and his crew were absolutely wonderful!
And now it’s back to being healthy until the next event…

When I was a little girl, my Daddy made the best hamburgers.
I never knew how he did it, or what was so different about them, why no one else seemed to be able to make them, but they were the best! As I grew up I decided that they were extraordinary for one of two reasons.. . 1) his family owned a meat-​packing house in southern Colorado, or 2) maybe it was just because I loved my Daddy.. .. . Or maybe it was a little of both?
I used to hear him say things like «you have to sear the meat so you don’t lose all the juices» and «a little butter helps» and «you have to start with good meat.» But I never understood why I couldn’t get a good burger after I left home. .. until last night!
At SMASHBURGER!
Standing in the Smashburger kitchen, watching the process, all the things my Daddy said to me came to life. .. I watched the juices being seared into the burger, I watched them put a little butter on the grill (rather than some obscure grease) and then we were told they use only the best Angus beef! Well, no wonder they were scrumptious! Just like my Daddy made!
Thanks Laura for introducing me to good old-​fashioned juicy burgers again. I will NEVER go back to the dried-​out, machine stamped-​out burgers that everyone else makes.
I am a SMASHBURGER FAN from now on out. My Daddy would be proud of me. I finally understand what he tried to explain to me all those years. Start with good ingredients, cook it right, and use a little butter.
Excellent event Laura & Tom! I shall be telling everyone I know. «Go to Smashburger! You won’t be disappointed.»

Wow! What a cool experience! Yes, that may seem a bit strange to say about a burger joint, but I was really blown away. The staff and the owner, Tom, really made a concerted effort to welcome us Unilocalers and engage us in personal way. And that way was through our stomaches!
We were greeted at each table with sides galore: fried pickles, fried green chilies, fried onions, and a few fried veggies. Next up, we could sample anything, and everything, off of the menu. I tried the chicken smashburger: quite good! Tom, the owner, brought our table his «quality control» burger as well: a ¹⁄₃ lb beef patty with cheese and a fried egg. It was so YUM-​O! I’d actually order that again.
After stuffing our faces and slurping up some excellent shakes, Tom took us into the kitchen to see how smashburgers come to life. Well, maybe not life since they’re smashed to death on the grill. In any case, it was a cool experience to see the cooks do their thing.
I’m not a huge burger fan, but I can tell you this, I’ll be back to sample more of Smashburger’s tasty eats!
Thanks Laura and Unilocal for rockin’ it out yet again! Very cool event!

Some nights, you just have to forget that you’re on a diet. This was one of those nights.
This was an amazing event; small, yet personable and with big attention to all the Unilocalers present. The staff at Smashburger couldn’t have been more pleasant and nearly bent over backwards to bring us samples of food and milkshakes. This may or may not have also been due to the presence of Tom, the owner of the Smashburger chain! He was incredibly personable and friendly, and really tried to get his ideas and inspirations across to us, while explaining his reasons and logic behind what makes Smashburger Smashburger.
The food… ohmigosh, I think I’m still full. I think I’m going to wake up full. Much like that Food Network show, those were THE BEST DARN SWEET POTATO FRIES I EVER ATE. The fried pickles, jalapenos, and onion rings weren’t bad either. At Tom’s personal suggestion, I ordered a Colorado Burger with bacon, and wow was it amazing, bursting with huge flavor with every bite. The shakes were rich, creamy, and delicious — I have a hard time deciding which was my favorite.
Even better, we got to see exactly how Smashburgers (the food, that is) are made, and got to try out their special method. Definitely awesome. Lastly, I coldn’t help but notice their bathroom was impeccably clean — a minor thing, but one that is important and shows attention to small details. A wonderful Unilocal event — awesome job putting it together, Laura L! I’d never been to a Smashburger before tonight, but now I can’t wait to go back. First, I have to finish my boxed-​up leftovers…

This was a small big event; agree with Kat that we were treated like royalty in here… Tom Ryan and his crew were super polite and very informative about their restaurant, «Smash Burger.» I’d the «Spicy Baja» burger and it was good and spicy, had a bunch of sides to try, smashfries, haystack onions, and green chili fries.
Thank you Laura and Smash Burger crew!

Laura & Unilocal,you done it again!
What a «smashing» success tonight was (excuse the lame pun). We were treated like straight up royalty in this joint. As soon as I sat down, I got all kinds of fried food (including fried green chiles, mmmm) delivered to me. You want it, they bring it out! We got to choose whatever burger we wanted off the menu. I had to go with the Colorado Smashburger-​a burger with green chiles, cheese and served on a chipotle bun. Coulda gone with the ¹⁄₃ lb tho… I can’t eat that much!
The owner, Tom Ryan, came and sat down and chatted with us for awhile. He gave a history of the restaurant, and explained the menu thoroughly. Did you know they customize the menu to each region of the country? He made sure to sit with each table, and took us on a tour too! I was the lucky one chosen to make my very own smashburger on the grill and got most of the technique down except when it came to flipping. Oh well, maybe next time…
Laura, THANK YOU! Amazing event tonight. They just keep getting better and better!