Great Plains Burger Company: doing one thing, doing it well
Great Plains Burger Company, which opened in October, is unabashedly unapologetic about serving only traditional hamburgers. The restaurant is the first of what owner Mo Farha hopes will be three more in the Ann Arbor area.
As you enter, you pass through a tunnel-like hallway to get to the counter, where you order your meal. It’s a large, open space. Light fixtures hang from rectangular boxes on the walls. Despite the burnt orange and blue paint on the walls, it almost has an antiseptic feel, made more pronounced by the industrial gray tables and chairs.
Great Plains has a menu that easily fits on its carry-out postcard. There are just basic hamburgers, fries and shakes. It’s for carnivores only, as there are no options for vegetarians, unless you want to make French fries your meal.
Farha says his focus is to purchase the highest quality local ingredients. He says the meat is local and all-natural, prepared with no antibiotics or hormones, while shakes are made with antibiotic- and hormone-free Guernsey ice cream.
The standard burger and fries at Great Plains Burger Company.
Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com
Eating here is a true carb-fest. It’s not for calorie watchers. You have your choice of two burgers, a single 1/3 pound or a double 2/3 pound. The burger comes with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and mayo.
You’re also able to add several additional toppings, like grilled onions and sautéed mushrooms, at no extra charge. The toppings, with the exception of the fresh jalapenos, are rather standard and hardly exotic. Cheese costs an additional 50 cents.
I decided to sample the single and added mushrooms and provolone cheese along with the standard items. A big plus was the Zingerman’s bun, which the bakery prepares daily just for the restaurant. The bun was so buttery it almost tasted like a pastry. The single was enormous, and the hamburger was large enough that I could only eat half of it. Mushrooms tasted freshly sautéed, and the entire sandwich was quite good, as was my dining companion’s, who opted for the cheddar cheese on her burger. We also enjoyed the barbeque sauce.
I was surprised that the server didn’t ask how we wanted our burgers cooked. That was OK with me, since mine was cooked medium well, just as I like it. But if you like yours rare, that’s a problem, since they’re all pre-cooked on the griddle to medium well or well done to comply with health code regulations, restaurant staff say.
Great Plains Burger Company cuts its fries fresh on the premises.
Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com
Seeing the piles of potatoes behind the counter, I was curious if the fries would taste fresh — and they were delicious, served hot, nicely seasoned. The basket of fries was far more than two of us could handle. We tried a chocolate shake on the first visit and it was creamy, rich and smooth, topped with whipped cream and a cherry. This also was large enough to serve two.
Service was prompt, as we received all our food within about 10 minutes, and servers were friendly.
Though there isn’t much variety here, Great Plains does a fine job with what it offers. And the quality and quantity of the meat is well worth the $4.50 you pay for a single size. It’s a nice place to stop for a burger for lunch or dinner, that’s quite a step up from McDonald’s, especially if you’re in a hurry.
Great Plains Burger Company 1771 Plymouth Road Ann Arbor, MI 734-769-6950 Great Plains Burger Company web site Hours: 10:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. every day lastic: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Diners Club. Liquor: No. Prices: Inexpensive. Burgers are either $4.50 for a single; $6 for a double. Value: Excellent. Portions are huge. Noise level: Medium. Wheelchair access: Yes. Smoking section: No.
Comments
Brian Bundesen
Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 6:18 p.m.
A great tasting burger, fresh cut, perfectly prepared fries, and a gracious host who treats you not like a customer but like a guest in his home makes this one of the most pleasant experiences in town. A great meal at a great value. I'll be there often.
Jim Pryce
Wed, Mar 3, 2010 : 8:39 p.m.
I had lunch there yesterday. The fries were good, but the burger had nothing. I went to Famous Hamburger today across the parking lot & had a much tastier burger, bigger burger for a cheaper price.
Dexterite
Wed, Feb 10, 2010 : 2:46 p.m.
I tried it for the first time today. The burger was delicious! The service was friendly and prompt. I liked supporting a local business that uses local ingredients -- it's worth skipping the nearby Wendys and paying a few extra dollors.
aawolve
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 4:07 p.m.
Someguy734: Hopefully a vegetarians's decision to not eat meat won't catch Mr. Farha off guard.
Some Guy in 734
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 12:42 p.m.
My wife's a vegetarian, and we left when we saw that they only offered beef. That limitation has cost them this omnivore's business, even when she isn't with me.
phoenixlwh
Sat, Nov 28, 2009 : 9:21 a.m.
After reading all the positive comments my wife and I just had to try the burgers. Everyone sold me on the sizzle, but the reality is the burgers just weren't good; the bun was tasteless and dry, and the meat had no juice whatsoever. The fries were the best part, and yet they fell short as they were under cooked. We left greatly disappointed and felt cheated. There are many restaurants in the area to get Great burgers, but Great Plains is not among them. Save your money and go to Mickey Ds.
Sweet Baby
Sun, Nov 22, 2009 : 4:49 p.m.
Fresh, quick, and fantastic. The local products make you feel even better about eating at Great Plains Buger Company.. The Chipotle of burger joints. We're lucky to have it.
jreed205
Fri, Nov 20, 2009 : 3:32 p.m.
I ate at the Great Plain Burger yesterday with some of my co-workers. We all came to the agreement that it was absolutely delicious. It cost a few dollars more ten McD's and Wendys but you also get what you pay for. Although I like my fries on the well done side the rest of the group loved them. The burger.... whoa!!!! Can't go wrong. The patty itself is thick and juicy, the bun is fresh and hasn't been wrapped it paper and sitting under a red light for hours and all of the toppings(lettuce, tomato, pickle) were crispy and fresh. There were several cheese choices also which took my co-workers by suprise. Try the swiss, you won't be dissapointed. The atmosphere is kind of like a college cafeteria but seemed to be very comfortable. It would be nice to maybe have another T.V rather then just the low one by the counter area. The only thing was the shake was a little to thick, it was more like semi melted ice cream. Overall great experience though and will make it a once a week(maybe twice) lunch stop.
Dave66
Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 5:55 p.m.
What I liked about GPBC is that it delivered EXACTLY what they promised. They didn't over-promise, they didn't under-deliver. There were no surprised. I knew exactly what I wanted when I was still in the parking lot. I got what I wanted quickly, no fuss, and for not much money. I don't care about the lack of variety. I think about variety when I'm still driving around figuring out what I want. When I get to GPBC, variety is a moot point. I've already decided on a burger. I might not go there a lot, but when I want a hamburger, that's the place you will find me. Let me re-iterate the fact that I loved knowing exactly what I was getting, and then seeing that they delivered my expectations perfectly.
voiceofreason
Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 4:44 p.m.
This looks like a very similar concept to the Five Guys chain, which is great. I think Mohammed Farha definitely has a good business concept here. Ill definitely have to check it out sometime in the near future.
Atticus F.
Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 11:44 a.m.
I haven't tried them yet...But I know it will take one fine burger to compete with Crazy Jim!
MjC
Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 11:29 a.m.
The Great Plains Burger Company is now the best place in Ann Arbor to get a perfectly prepared hamburger! I've stopped in three times now (my poor arteries!) ordering a single topped with swiss cheese, mushrooms, mustard and ketchup; along with a side of fries. Incredibly delicious! The restaurant is customer friendly and the service seems relatively fast even when I've come during the noon rush hour. If you want a GREAT hamburger, check this place out. (And, no, I'm not an owner or employee - just a very pleased customer!)
greenstriper
Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 11:22 a.m.
Iceman, it isn't a chain yet. This is the first one. It's Mo Farha's creation.
iceman
Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 11:03 a.m.
My wife and I ate there and the food was woderful! I would like to know where the chain originated and where exactly their meat comes from. Is it fresh ground?