Elevation Burger aiming for late July opening on Washtenaw Avenue
Sarah and Mike Tayter plan to open three Elevation Burger restaurants in Michigan. The first, opening in late July, is located on Washtenaw Avenue in Ann Arbor.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
The fast-casual, Virginia-based burger franchise — which is opening its first Michigan location at 3365 Washtenaw Ave. in late July — uses 100 percent organic, grass-fed, free-range beef that is ground at the restaurants, according to its website.
Elevation Burger is located in the Chalmers Place shopping center at 3365 Washtenaw Ave.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
“The whole concept is about getting the best ingredients and doing things the right way,” Mike said.
“For a while, we were looking for an excuse to come back to Ann Arbor, and this is a perfect one. We know the community is educated and into eating good foods, and thinking about the impact food has on the environment.”
The Tayters, who both attended the University of Michigan, purchased the rights to open three Elevation Burger restaurants in Michigan. In January, they signed a lease for a 2,800-square-foot space in the Chalmers Place shopping center on Washtenaw Avenue. They hope to open that restaurant the week of July 22nd.
The renovation is completed at the restaurant, and the Tayters hired 35 employees. Training will begin next week.
Elevation Burger has 70 indoor seats and an outdoor patio that will seat 12 diners. It has a Coca-Cola Freestyle drink machine, which serves more than 100 beverages.
In addition to the organic Elevation Burger, the menu includes a vegan burger, a vegetarian burger, a grilled cheese sandwich, a salad, hand-cut French fries made with olive oil, and hand-dipped milkshakes made with Blue Bunny ice cream.
The fast-casual restaurant has 70 indoor seats and an outdoor patio with 12 seats.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
“A lot of burger places will add a veggie burger as an afterthought, and it’s no good,” Mike said. “For us, that’s not the case.”
Burger toppings include 6-month aged cheddar cheese, organic bacon, mushrooms and caramelized onions, among others. Burgers can also be wrapped in lettuce, and nutrition facts are listed on the menu. The Tayters are working with La Grasso Bros. Produce in Detroit to source in-season produce.
“We try to keep it as simple as possible and as wholesome as possible,” Mike said.
He said a full meal for adults is in the $10 range. A single burger with cheese costs about $4.50, while a double burger with double cheese costs about $6.
Once the Washtenaw Avenue restaurant is open, the Tayters will start searching for a location for the second restaurant, which they would like to open near U-M’s campus.
The Ann Arbor restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.
Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.
Comments
Sidetrack08
Thu, Jul 25, 2013 : 8:08 p.m.
To everyone making comments about the location. Is there really anywhere in A2 that has easy in and out access? If you are complaining about ease of access I would say you're not from here. That's what makes A2, A2. So to the Tayter's, GOOD LUCK with your new venture and my husband and I will be coming to try out your burgers. One question Do you have any Tayter tots in your life yet?
Mike Tayter
Tue, Jul 30, 2013 : 2:24 p.m.
Thank you! And yes, we have 2 Tayter tots: Emma (almost age 4) and Hannah (age 18 months).
15crown00
Sun, Jul 14, 2013 : 3:53 p.m.
another niche restaurant.we'll see how long it lasts.
Ann English
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 2:24 a.m.
Sounds like Elevation Burger will be located where there's a Lady Jane's and a Verizon Wireless. I expect to see an Elevation Burger sign added to those already out front, visible to westbound Washtenaw traffic.
Mike Tayter
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 2:56 a.m.
Yes - that's the place. Our sign is up and visible from both directions on Washtenaw. Come by and check it out.
jns131
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 10:24 p.m.
Burger King sells the same thing but you get 2 for 50 cent more then what you are charging. Big Sky is another great burger place as well. Sadly I am a Wendy burger person and find this is the cheapest in the area. Sorry folks but you are just another Chinese resturant in a sea of fish trying to find another buck.
Nicholas Urfe
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 12:52 a.m.
For many of us, the big three are just a convenient bathroom and never a place to eat.
snark12
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 7:41 p.m.
I wasn't really that interested in this new restaurant (burgers are great but there are a lot of places to get them already), but I'm quite impressed with Mike Tayter's participation in this comment section. Great job on an informative and positive outreach, Mike. You've definitely earned at least one customer trial. :-)
Brad
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 11:17 p.m.
I'm with @snark - you earned a try. Plus I have been navigating Washtenaw and parking lots for some time now and I think I can manage it all OK. Good luck.
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 8:55 p.m.
Then it was time well spent. Thank you for posting this. I really appreciate it. And, one trial is all we need. You'll be hooked! :)
mun
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 7:35 p.m.
As a resident living nearby, I look forward to visiting and trying these burgers.
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 8:53 p.m.
Great to hear! Thank you.
a2miguy
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 6:40 p.m.
I'm curious about the name. Elevation Burger? Just seems odd to me. "Elevation" doesn't exactly scream "come eat here"..... although "Burger" certainly does. I'll definitely give it try... I'm a burger-loving fool. :)
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 7:09 p.m.
We are ELEVATING the burger experience. You'll see once you try it. I look forward to seeing you in the restaurant.
jaxie
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 6:39 p.m.
I too have had miserable experience geeting ito and out of the location of this businesss and would never consider attempting it again. Hower since the owner appears to be following the blog, I wouldbe intrested int trying his produce if: (1) he delivers, or (2) he works with Straight 2 your Door (http://s2yd.com delivery service.
seldon
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 7:15 p.m.
That would be pretty cool.
Dave
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:46 p.m.
I want to know what will make this different than Great Plains Burger Company?
Nicholas Urfe
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 12:50 a.m.
Knights grinds their own beef. Though I don't know if it is on site, or just up the street.
KMHall
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 9:30 p.m.
Zingerman's Roadhouse grinds their own beef also.
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 7:22 p.m.
Ah yes - you're right. Blimpy Burger does grind their own beef as well. Thanks for the correction.
Brad
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 7:02 p.m.
"We grind our beef in the restaurant rather than a central facility. I don't know of any hamburger restaurant in the area that does that. " Krazy Jim's
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 6:36 p.m.
Great question. A few items which set us apart from most any other hamburger restaurant are that: (1) we serve 100% organic beef. Organic is very different from natural. Natural is not a regulated term and natural does not preclude pesticides. (2) Our beef comes from cows that are 100% free range and 100% grass fed. They are not supplemented grain and never confided to feed lots. Again, natural is not the same. (3) We grind our beef in the restaurant rather than a central facility. I don't know of any hamburger restaurant in the area that does that. Aside from the health and environmental benefits, this also translates to a much better taste. Can't wait for you try them to decide for yourself. Not to mention our fresh cut fries cooked in 100% olive oil and our thick hand scooped milk shakes. I hope you will also find our guest service to be superior to that of other quick serve hamburger restaurants in the area.
Hmm
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 6:13 p.m.
Hopefully it doesn't suck like GPBC
RUKiddingMe
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 4:37 p.m.
Depending on the size of these burgers, these prices seem fantastic for organic, green, etc. etc. that everyone charges so much for, especially in Ann Arbor. If these are normal sized burgers, this place should be a homerun. Too bad they aren't closer to downtown, but then they'd probably have to charge more, which is why we're getting all the chains downtown. Thanks, McKinley and whoever else owns huge percentages of downtown. BTW, looks like Chalmers Place tried to address at least some of the parking problem, and Ann Arbor Planning Commission rejected it: http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/chalmers-place-parking-plan-rejected-by-ann-arbor-planning-commission/
RUKiddingMe
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 6:56 p.m.
Looking forward to trying it, Mike. And please, don't you and your wife get into any heated arguments if you happen to overhear people saying "ah loves me some 'taters" in your place. ...sorry, that was lame. I couldn't help it.
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 6:32 p.m.
Thanks! Each burger patty is 3.2 ounces, so the Elevation Burger (2 patties) is 6.4 ounces. That is more than 1.5 times a quarter pound. We'd love to do our second location closer to downtown if possible.
Paige Reader
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 3:45 p.m.
A competitor in Arborland has a similar set-up but I was dismayed to discover that the grilled mushrooms and onions are both pre-cooked and possibly out of a can. Will you be grilling them to order?
Basic Bob
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 3:06 a.m.
The competitor also buys fresh mushrooms and onions and grills them as needed.
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 6:30 p.m.
Our mushrooms and onions come into the restaurant fresh. We cook them every day, but not with each order. We do however cook the burgers and fresh fries to order.
David Schmitke
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 3:30 p.m.
I wish them the best of luck, I'm all for an out to eat burger place with real meat. However, why the Cocoa Cola drink machine? Just go the whole way and offer real-sugar soda and cut all the High Fructose Corn Syrup. Real sugar pop tastes so much better anyway!
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 6:38 p.m.
Hi David, thanks for the comments. We will offer a variety of real sugar bottled beverages in our reach-in cooler for those who prefer to avoid HFCS or artificial sweeteners. We're also always looking for suggestions of additional bottled beverages to carry.
CLX
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:01 p.m.
@ nvragain -- "allow" you to drink?? Yeesh, just don't drink it.
nvragain
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 4:04 p.m.
It is called a hypocrisy. Those who wish to sell the nutritional and enviromnemental value in things such as free range oragnic meat, yet allow you to drink HFCS at their establishment are nothing more than money seeking hypocrites.
cibachrome
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 3:17 p.m.
How's this one: An Elevation Burger comes with special mushrooms...
obviouscomment
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 2:54 p.m.
I wish them the best but I'm seriously getting tired of all the specialty hamburger places...can we get some more variety?
seldon
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:23 p.m.
You need to get out more, or at least browse Yelp. There's no lack of variety here.
miman
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 2:52 p.m.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! That being said, I will love to give you guys a try. Never heard of them before but just the idea of a good burger and the awesome Coca-Coca Freestyle machine is enough for me to stop by after all the dust settles. GO BLUE!
Hmm
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 6:11 p.m.
Firehouse Subs has a freestyle as well.
nvragain
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 3:34 p.m.
IMO, the freestyle machine is garbage.
Sparty
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 3:28 p.m.
Looking forward to Elevation as well. Just a note that Burger King and Moe's also have the awesome Coca-Cola Freestyle machines, which ARE very cool. LoL.
mtlaurel
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 2:38 p.m.
waiting for the arrival of a brined olive sauce burger on a pretzel bun which I only seem to find in nonSE Mich locations....apparently was an East Lansing concoction,as I recall from some sleuthing. If any non burger people had one bite of a great olive burger, you'd be lining up on a regular basis....The trick is the olives are chopped and brined in a unique sauce-I can't replicate it and I can't get one around here.....Mr. Tayter- adventurous type..... are you??
SadieButtons
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 1:14 p.m.
That sounds delicious!
seldon
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:22 p.m.
Ask Wurst Bar, I'm sure they'll try it.
treetowncartel
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 3:55 p.m.
Halo Burger makes a pretty good olive burger
klatte
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 2:48 p.m.
http://www.improbablefarmer.com/2011/01/olive-burger.html
Judy
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 1:58 p.m.
Sounds delish, especially the milkshakes, but it certainly IS an unfortunate location - no real visibility and terrible access. Well, good luck to them!
Ann English
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 1:54 a.m.
jns131 I can see how the Arby's just west of a Chinese restaurant on the south side of Washtenaw, east of Golfside, is in an area LESS congested than Washtenaw at Glenwood. Golfside is wider than either Platt or Glenwood at Washtenaw, and there have been working traffic lights at that intersection for decades.
jns131
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 10:25 p.m.
Agreed. This is why Arby's left. It was just too congested for their patrons to get in and out of. 30 years ago no big deal. Now? With that organic food store? Forget it. Too many headaches.
justcurious
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 1:56 p.m.
This is a burger joint I will try. The fact that they will be serving grass-fed beef is the main reason for me. Despite the nay-sayers, any restaurant that makes an attempt at serving me heather real food and not greasy crap has my vote. Now if they only offered a wheat free bun.....
Basic Bob
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 3:10 a.m.
Too bad they have to slaughter the cattle.
seldon
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:22 p.m.
They do offer a wheat-free bun. It's called lettuce.
Sparty
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 3:23 p.m.
And American Cheese!
Thomas Bare
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 1:52 p.m.
So looking forward to beimg there on openimg day but I hope there is not going to be a difgerence between your grill and the conveyer belt. Either way we are wishing you good luck amd success.
Little Patience
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 1:48 p.m.
Yum, I love a good burger and hope to give them a try soon.
Andrew Kerr
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 1:37 p.m.
Really happy about the decision to put nutrition facts on the menu. Making educated decisions about your food is a trend that I really hope will continue / spread.
Sparty
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 6:54 p.m.
Yep, even McDonald's does it now :)
CLX
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 4:57 p.m.
I love it too. I've definitely made some different decisions once I saw that info.
Bob Loblaw
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 1:34 p.m.
Really excited to read about this! I recently tried Elevation Burger for the first time on the East Coast and hoped that one day they'd come to Ann Arbor. It's not as good as In-n-Out (says this native Californian), but it's darn close!
Mark
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:05 p.m.
Says this native Ann Arborite, In-N-Out is the best burger I've ever had. Good luck to the Tayters here in Ann Arbor!
Ross
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 3:08 p.m.
Excellent user name, dude. That's all.
ItsTheTruth
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 1:03 p.m.
Can't wait!
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 1:11 p.m.
Great! We'll look for you!
Usual Suspect
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 12:43 p.m.
A lot of people avoid that part of town because of the insane traffic. I don't go anywhere near it unless absolutely necessary.
Usual Suspect
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 2:26 p.m.
Right, aggatt, and you've stumbled across one of my favorite quotes: "Nobody goes to that restaurant anymore. It's too crowded." - Yogi Berra.
aggatt
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 2:23 p.m.
apparently a lot of people do go over there though, hence the "insane traffic"
Basic Bob
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 2:01 p.m.
insane is state and liberty. that will make your blood boil. washtenaw is just busy.
DonBee
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 12:36 p.m.
I love that I have a wide range of burger choices in the area and this is one more. I wish them all the best. BUT, it is probably time for someone to open "Not-a-burger" in Ann Arbor. I have no clue what the menu would be, other than it would not include burgers and buns. Ann Arbor seems to be a counter culture place in many cases, burgers are becoming culture - what funky kind of menu would be fast, healthy, fun and different?
RUKiddingMe
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 7:26 p.m.
How about What Crepe? Oh, wait, their crepes are like $10 - $17 each.
kuriooo
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:41 p.m.
Asian Bakery! real Pho house...
seldon
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:21 p.m.
Maybe try one of the Indian places, or one of the taquerias, or check out Mark's Carts... while Ann Arbor is admittedly kind of awash in burger places, we aren't undersupplied with non-burger options either!
CLX
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 4:56 p.m.
I agree. I'm not even a vegetarian but I would love to see a place with about half the menu as vegetarian offers. Seva jumped the shark a long time ago in my opinion.
mr_annarbor
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 12:24 p.m.
Anyone else notice the appropriateness of someone with the last name of Tayter opening a restaurant that serves fries?
treetowncartel
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 6:37 p.m.
They need a burger named after Little Jimmie Dickens, a.k.a. Tater, on the menu
seldon
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:19 p.m.
YES, and I'm amazed it took this far into the comments for someone to point it out.
Billy
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 2:13 p.m.
LOL!! Mind = Blown
Kyle Mattson
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 1:10 p.m.
Hey James, there's a place similar to that in Detroit near Wayne State. I believe it has been open for quite a few years now: http://www.thepotatoplace.com/
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 1:01 p.m.
No one more than me. :) What will really blow your top is that Elevation Franchise Venture's managing partner's name is Michael Berger.
James Toy
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 12:42 p.m.
Years ago in Chicago there was a restaurant that specialized in mashed potatoes with 30 or so toppings to choose from. Maybe something like that would be hit around here--I don't know howl long the Chicago restaurant lasted.
Billy
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 12:18 p.m.
Good luck with the small business and all....but ANOTHER "original" burger joint? Is that like ANOTHER "original" pizza joint? I want to be positive but....this is "another" of a type of restaurant we've got plenty of...and not just around here. Everyone keeps trying to reinvent pizza and burgers.... Also....starting to train your NEW employees only a few days before grand opening isn't good....you should allot more time for all the possible "what-ifs" that could happen. You don't want to announce a grand opening and then delay it...it looks bad.
treetowncartel
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 3 p.m.
@Billy, I forgot to add the brown mustard, I used to do mayo, but I'm trying to be a little more healthy. How about a Bell's pizza with tomatoes
Billy
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 10:14 p.m.
treetown...you scare me...that's awfully close to my usual at blimpys...
treetowncartel
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 3:51 p.m.
Actually, Knights and Blimpy Burger grind their meat fresh for their burgers. Granted, Knights does it at their market and then send it to their restaurant. I'll be checking you out shortly after you open. Hopefully, you have green olives, sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes and bleu cheese to top my burger with.
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 3:11 p.m.
Natural and organic are very different. Natural is not a regulated term, while organic is (with extremely stiff penalties for claiming organic and not actually being organic). Natural also does not preclude the use of pesticides, while organic does. Also, our beef comes from cows that are 100% on pasture and not supplemented grains or confined in feed lots of any kind. And, we grind the beef in the restaurant. This makes us very different from all other burger restaurants in the area, even those marketed as natural, and it really comes through in the flavor. Can't wait for you try it!
Billy
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 2:13 p.m.
I'll most certainly come in and give your food a taste. I always like to try new food....it's just that burgers aren't really "new." Still, I DO like burgers, so I'll automatically have a positive bias when I come in. I hope it's better than five guys...I think they kinda try the same "natural" burger schtick, but it doesn't feel like it at all, and the beef was mediocre. I might have come off a bit negative at first, but I really am looking forward to trying it out.
Dirty Mouth
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 1:14 p.m.
The expresso craze of the 80s now with Burgers and Pizza. I prefer coffee.
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 1:08 p.m.
Thank you for the comments. Hopefully, you will give us a shot and allow us to prove that we are not just another burger joint. I would say we aren't necessarily trying to reinvent burgers, but rather trying to go back to what burgers used to (and arguably should) be: made from beef from family farms where cows live on pasture and aren't fed grains, without the use of hormones, pesticides and antibiotics, grinding the beef fresh in the restaurant without adding any fillers or additives, cutting the potatoes fresh in the restaurant, using fresh wholesome produce, cooking the food when you order it and doing it all with a smile on our face. I can't claim it's an invention, but it definitely is tasty! Our managers have attended extensive training at a corporate location, and we are allocating at least a week to train our staff. I can assure you. We'll be ready!
Lake Trout
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 11:46 a.m.
An unfortunate choice of location. That parking lot is a nightmare and I avoid it at all cost. Parking lots are dangerous at best and this one is treacherous as the parking spaces and traffic lanes are too narrow and flow of traffic is poorly managed and marked. I suspect they are going to find this out quickly and be looking for another location better suited to foot traffic and parking.
snark12
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 6:40 p.m.
Lake Trout, I wonder if you have the wrong place in mind. Chalmers Place is not the mall with the Whole Foods. It's half a mile east on Washtenaw, near Chalmers Drive. The parking lot is usually pretty empty in my experience.
Arieswoman
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 4:55 p.m.
Lake Trout, Could not agree more. I have been to the Vitamin Shoppe but not for a very long time for this very reason!
Lake Trout
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 4:30 p.m.
Mike, I certainly hope you are right and that the landlord will truely make the effort to help with that parking lot, time will tell. After having people park so close on both sides of my vehicle (fortunatley a hatch back) that I had to crawl in through the back to get in, almost being run over by a speeding, pissed off looking driver while trying to cross to Whole Foods and getting backed into while waiting in line with other vehicles for a parking space (the elderly male walked by me, got in his vehicle and back out - into my vehicle - WHAT?) I just do not see how it can be made better. I wish you luck and hope you find someplace for your second storefront that is more condusive to parking and access.
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 12:57 p.m.
Our landlord is working with us very proactively to try to alleviate any parking challenges as best we can. No real estate location is perfect, but we are happy with this choice and quite hopeful it will suit us well. Hopefully it won't deter you from at least giving us a shot, and perhaps our future locations will be more convenient for you. Thank you for the comment.
Billy
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 12:19 p.m.
Surprised they didn't want to wait for space at the new monstrosity that's going up just down the road from there. They would be getting a TON more traffic if they were in there.
racerx1909
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 11:32 a.m.
Great food @ Elevation Burgers that I enjoyed traveling on the east coast and thought it would do well in AA Good luck to you !
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 12:55 p.m.
Yes, we've always felt Elevation Burger would be a perfect fit for Ann Arbor. Thank you for the well wishes.
Bubba43
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 11:09 a.m.
WELCOME & the best to you.
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 12:53 p.m.
Thank you!
Lucas and Kevin
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 11:07 a.m.
Looking forward to it and the place looks great. michiganburgerboys.com
Sparty
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 7:08 p.m.
Love the "snobbish" behavior of those that thumb-down a request for American Cheese. If you don't like it that's fine. I personally couldn't care less or stomach, olive burgers, fresh mushrooms, cheddar cheese, lettuce, real-sugar soda, fresh onions, etc. but I don't give a thumbs-down for those that enjoy them. Typical Ann Arbor behavior. At least Mr Tayter seems open to suggestion and doesn't seem to shut down legitimate requests without review.
Tex Treeder
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 6:07 p.m.
It always surprises me when someone says they prefer processed cheese.
Sparty
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 3:16 p.m.
Wish they had American Cheese as well for those that don't like Cheddar :(
Mike Tayter
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 12:52 p.m.
Thanks! We are looking forward to your review!
hawkhulk
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 10:59 a.m.
The shopping center where Whole Foods, AT & T, Barnes and Noble and Gamestop would have been a better location. They could have used the old Flat Top Restaurant site for that.
Lizzy Alfs
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 11:35 a.m.
The Flat Top space is a little bit bigger, but also Flat Top closed in February after Elevation Burger had already signed their lease. Mike said he looked for a space for the restaurant for a year, and finding real estate in Ann Arbor was a challenge.
Jim Mulchay
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 10:44 a.m.
Is this a new occupant or is Elevation Burger replacing a prior occupant? If so, who left? It seems (to me) to be a tough location to get in and out of during much of the day.
Julius
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 1:36 p.m.
It is kind of difficult to get in and out. I stop by Satchels from time to time -- same concerns. If you don't mind a dirt road, Chalmers offers a little relief from the traffic. It probably takes just as long or longer, but at least you can keep moving and most importantly, you can turn right to enter the plaza instead of trying to make a left from Washtenaw.
Lizzy Alfs
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 11:33 a.m.
American Home Fitness used to occupy this space.