Spanky’s Burger Joint

We were really excited to eat here. The restaurant smelled really good but that went out the window fast. The burgers were extremely greasy, bland and overall not good. The onion rings were hard as rocks and flavorless. Not even our dog would eat them. I ended up getting sick from the burger. Way too greasy, no flavor and the wait staff was kinda rude. ⁰⁄₁₀ never trying this place again.

Currently closed. I checked Unilocal for a new Burger joint. Unilocal said they were open. We pull up and it’s wrapped in plastic like an outbreak containment location … and a «we’re moving» sign is posted! !!

As a true burger fan –I wasn’t impressed –I chatted with a total stranger outside before entering, on recommendations of what to order —that’s when it started :
first thing I did was hit the bathroom– (clean)
ordered basic hamburger, waited 26 minutes –looked good (but was a long wait)
no utensils –you eat everything by hand – with no hand sanitizer (-(I carry my own)–
ketchup –mustard are in greasy squeeze bottles – from every other patron! (none used, for that reason alone)
meal came in paper lined metal serving tray – (mine came with shifted paper to have fries 60% resting directly on tray -(fail)
burger: looked great –toasted bun –only one problem –bottom bun was over toasted, dry — and cracked in half at first bite –I called to the attention of guy walking orders out to table —told me he was sorry /​and asked if he could get me a beer to make up for it, instead of a new burger/​or bun (FAIL)
no one was wearing any aprons or hair nets or rubber gloves –I actually saw the cashier (after dealing money) lift a bun and look to see what kind of burger it was – ugh/​fail
Its set for a trendy atmosphere-​but when you lack quality and try and cover up instead of making it right — thats a train wreak ready to happen!
seems like a staff of young 20 something’s – not versed in customer service !
music was loud to cover kitchen exhaust fan noise —
they are new –maybe with time, they will learn –I hope so – , seems like a cool place
and being a burger fan —I hope they stick around
they do have style /​product/​just needs ALOT MORE refinement ! – or it will be gone in a year!

I came here with a good friend of mine because she said they have some of the best burgers in town. We arrived after the lunchtime rush at around 1:30 in the afternoon on Tuesday. Upon walking in I realized that my flip flops were sticking to the floor as if they had not mopped or had not cleaned a spill properly. My shoe even came off a time or two because it was stuck to the floor. Weird. Anyways, not the best 1^st impression but I’m not a snob so I went ahead and ordered my food.
I ordered a cheddar burger, onion rings and a drink. They only have one size drink and it’s pretty small. You can get refills but they really should consider offering a larger size. Our food came out and it looked really good. The cheddar on my burger looked delicious but the way they present the burger with the bread half off the to the side makes it to where the cheddar sticks to the bun only on the side and you have to peel it off to get the burger back into one piece again. I expected the burger to be juicier but they really do make a great burger. It’s kind of crispy on the edge but juicy in the middle. The onion rings really had no flavor in the breading so, meh.
My friend said that this place was much better last time she was there. She also thought the burger size had shrank a little. So maybe this was just a bad day? I’ll go back and give it a 2^nd chance. The burger was really great.
Pro: Excellent burgers! Reasonable prices.
Con: Small drink size, sticky floors, the kitchen seemed a little disheveled.
What I wish the owner knew: Your staff allowed a customer after us stand there and wait for about 5 minutes before even noticing he had come in. He even sat down in a chair after a few minutes to wait for someone to come to the register. I also noticed that his food took a very long time to come out from the back. I think it was a shift change time but still… Just a heads up. I know you wouldn’t want this to be a regular experience for folks.

One of the best burgers I’ve had in San Antonio, I ordered a bacon cheeseburger and their buns were sooo good, meat had a delicious taste. Husband also ordered onion rings, which were also a hit! All around a really good burger, nice clean restaurant, owner was very friendly! will be back soon!

Good burgers. Very surprised how good they were. The toasted bun was very good and onion rings very tasty. Will visit again every time we visit. Good job Spankys keep «Spanking» those burgers.

Better than the average burger, Spanky’s Burger Joint is relatively new. This was my first time eating at Spanky’s and it was great! There were a lot of creative burgers to choose from. The fries were good. You could tell they were homemade and fresh. Everything was cooked to order. I have to say that the best item I had was the fresh baked tortilla chips and fresh queso dip. A great choice of beers too! I would go back again.

I live close by and after reading the local news rave about it, I knew I had to stop in.
My boyfriend and I frequently order from here, and typically pick an order up. The time periods we dined in have all been good experiences, with one exception when there was a rowdy group celebrating a birthday party.
The burgers are good but for me, I’m all about the crispy chicken with ranch. Mmmmm. The chicken is crunchy and juicy and I love that the staff puts my ranch on the side for my pick up orders so my sandwich doesn’t get all soggy. It truly is the little things.
I recommend this local burger joint.

You know it’s a good burger joint when they don’t have to give you many options! I ordered the Cheddar Melt. It was delicious with fresh beef and fresh veggies! I will be coming back to order this again!
My husband ordered the Flaming Cheddar and his exact quote about his burger is «big juicy beef with the most flavorful jalapeños cooked perfectly. It wasn’t a spicy burger but had amazing flavor». We split a large fries and was plenty for the two of us!
We highly recommend Spanky’s and we will be coming back!

Between my partner in crime & I we ordered the classic with American cheese, the El Nacho Libre burger (beans, chips), and fries. Great service but I didn’t find anything really special about the food. I’m willing to try again but I don’t understand what folks enjoy about it.
The acoustics aren’t good either when there are screaming kids around and their parents are just completely ignoring them. Not a dig on the business either — just an observation.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from a burger joint called Spanky’s but, the food didn’t disappoint. I got their featured burger: bbq bomb burger or bomb bbq burger — something like that. Anyway, it was great! I liked that they used mozzarella cheese since it’s a different taste compared to cheddar/​swiss/​american that you find that the usual burger places. I also liked that they took out the seeds from the jalapeño so that you just got the sweet (fruity) flavor of the pepper versus the burn the roof of your mouth off sensation. The fried onions were a nice touch and the patty tasted good as well. I’m not a big fan of natural cut fries so I wish they had something like tater tots to go along with your burger instead. All in all, this place was a successful diet crash — i.e. it was worth it.

In short, it’s the best burger on this side of town. It’s not fast food, but the wait has rarely been more than 10 minutes for me. Every time it’s been worth it. The staff is also friendly and helpful.
I recently tried their grilled cheese sandwich. With raspberry jam, it’s a bit of a freakshow but I was surprised I liked it so much!
The décor is a bit weird (random autographs and music memorabilia), but I really got a kick out of the thank you letter from Brett Michaels regarding treatment he had received from Gonzaba Medical Group at Seaworld — what? Some things you just can’t make up…

WOW! Everything was great about this place! The burgers were amazing. The fries were great! I haven’t been to a burger place that has had such great service. The owner was very nice and welcomed us. The waiter came over and introduced himself and was VERY nice! 10% military discount is always appreciated. All in all, I was very impressed. You should make your way here if you can. Very impressed.

Great service and awesome fresh food. The El Grengo burger has fresh guacamole on it and it was awesome. French fries were cut to order and excellent. We will definitely be back. Military discount was appreciated also. Closed Monday’s though.

Pros: Great fries.
Cons: This could be a pro or con, but be ready to wait. Everything is made fresh at the time of the order. The fries are fresh cut and immediately fried, and the never-​frozen beef patty is hand-​formed and cooked.
Vegetarians/​Vegans: No veggie burger.
I love me a big, fat, juicy burger made with lots of love. That’s exactly what I got at Spanky’s. But, sadly, they weren’t having their best day. Let me explain.
I walked in at about 1230 to a cool little joint with about 4 or 5 groups of guys either waiting for or eating their lunch. I mosied on up to peruse the menu board and then walked up to the cashier to place my order. I wanted to try the Nacho Libre (love the name) with refried beans and tostada chips. The cashier, who happened to be the super-​friendly manager, apologized and said that they did not have refried beans. She kindly recommended the mushroom and swiss burger, but I wasn’t in the mood for ‘shrooms. I then asked for the El Greengo (another cool name) that has guacamole, only to be turned down again. She apologized profusely and said that their refrigerator had malfunctioned and froze many of their regular items.
At this point, I almost asked her exactly what I could order off their menu board. I vacillated between the Spanky’s classic with American cheese and the cheddar melt burger. The manager suggested I try the cheddar melt. So I settled on the cheddar melt with grilled onions, an order of homemade fries, and an iced tea.
I found a place to sit and waited a solid 20 to 25 minutes for my food. I was later told by the manager that, in addition to the fridge malfunction, they were short-​staffed that day.
Upon inspection, the burger looked beautiful. It was nicely crafted on a toasted bun and the fries looked crispy and fresh. I found that the grilled onions were not cooked as much as I usually see them cooked in most burgers, so I removed them and decided to go without. Though I like onions just fine, I do not like them raw or lightly cooked. I like them caramelized, soft, and sweet. I am just particular that way.
I sank my chops into the burger and was not disappointed. The patty was juicy, juicy, juicy and flavorful with the right amount of seasoning. The bun was butter-​toasted and just a teeny, tiny bit sweet. My opinion is that the burger was good, but not epic. The cheese was a bit on the heavy side, so I think I should have stuck with the Spanky’s classic with American cheese. The fries, though… oh boy, oh boy! The fries kicked ass. Crispy, not oily, and light because they were fried in peanut oil. If there is one thing that I cannot stand when I eat a good burger, it is fries that are soft, soggy, or sucky. Spanky’s almost has their fries down to an art, son!

This place is awesome!!! Toasted buttery bun… delicious bacon cheeseburger… Fries and queso… Onion rings… Oh my! Best burger in San Antonio yet. Cute space too. The owners really know the business, and it shows. Love the logo. I’m happy. Coming from LA, this place is meeting my foodie appetite :)

I went to Spanky’s on a coworker’s recommendation because I love me some burgers! I had mixed feelings in general. I’m not a fan of the floor plan because there’s «back room» storage and what not too easily visible from the dining area (pretty much everything beyond the soda fountain). I didn’t appreciate seeing a utility ladder and and dirty broom right next to the soda fountain.
The food was okay. Maybe I should have gotten a different burger or at least modified the one I got more than I did. I got the mushroom melt minus lettuce. I don’t know what mustard has done for all you Texans, but I think mustard is overdone here. Mustard doesn’t belong on a burger that has mushrooms and mozzarella (?) cheese. Those mushrooms may have been sautted, but unfortunately they were also from a can. It was a decent size and the bun and meat were good. I ordered chicken nuggets for my two kiddos and was happy to see they weren’t frozen, processed nuggets that you get at most places, but rather actual chicken cut and battered and fried. Unfortunately, they were greasy like the fries.
I didn’t care for the decoration at all. Pictures of actors and musicians (of mostly classic rock fame seemingly) some autographed. In my opinion, they shouldn’t have these celebrities on the wall unless these celebrities have visited the establishment. Plus, I’d say the genre of the décor clashed with the music played over the PA system — hip hop.
I would probably only give two stars, but the young lady at the register was very friendly and she mentioned how cute my sons are which almost always wins brownie points with me.
I think the next burger place to tackle will be Chunky’s or Texas Hamburger Company.

I love me a good buttery toasted bun and these are buttery and delicious. My husband and I usually get a burger and fries to share and it is plenty. My favorite is the mushroom melt, so cheesy and delicious. The fries are homemade double fried and a little too greasy sometimes but still very good. Check it out you won’t be sorry.

Based on the good Unilocal reviews, the office lunch crowd decided to check out Spanky’s Burger Joint. Everyone was very pleased with the quality of the food. The price isn’t bad either: $ 6.95 for a classic burger & fries combo. They even offer a 15% military discount.
My hamburger was very good, although the patty was a little thinner than I like. The toasted bun was possibly the best I’ve ever had. The fries appeared slightly burned and greasy, but they were in fact crisp and flavorful.
This cool little place is tucked into a strip mall on Culebra. You’d drive past a thousand times and never think to stop there – but I’m glad I did. And I’ll be back!

Well slap my ass and call me Spanky! A Spanky’s fan, that is.
Went to Spanky’s with some coworkers and we all left very happy. Two of us had the fries, and the third person ate the onion rings. I had the lunch special: classic burger, fries, and a drink for $ 5.99. I added cheddar to my burger and got a nice heaping stack placed on top which melted into a orange blanket of gooey goodness.
The patties appear to be hand-​formed, cooked on a flat top, and have a nice flavor to them. The vegetables were all fresh and crisp. They go heavy on the mustard (always minus mustard for me) so beware. The crown jewel of their burgers is the toasted bun. These buns are the pinnacle of toasted burger buns. The buns are crispy, crunchy, and have a ring of char around the rim. In addition, they blast the buns with a generous amount of butter creating an amber bun that compliments the burger extremely well.
The fries are thin cut but not too thin. They appear to be cut in house with the skins on. They are nicely fried to a little past golden brown and seasoned liberally with salt. Some might complain that they are too oily but they were right up my alley. The rings I thought were not as good as the fries but still not bad. They are very thick cut rings with a solid coating that doesn’t fall off after the first bite. The rings are crispy and crunchy but were just a little too thick for my taste.
The restaurant is not the biggest so bringing a large group isn’t the best idea. The soda fountain is adequate but not extensive. The usual suspects are all there to include sweet and unsweet tea.
I am not convinced that Spanky’s is the absolute best burger in San Antonio but it can certainly hold its own in the upper echelon of SA’s highly competitive burger bracket. I am definitely putting Spanky’s on my burger short list.
PS: Spanky’s offers a 15% military/​veterans/​law enforcement discount…