Local Burger

They shut the doors and closed on Sunday night at 8pm. Might reopen with additional funding.

I wanted to like this place. The variety of «proteins» choices were fun. The concept of supporting local farmers is great. We took our parents for dinner and something different.
The food was so close to being goo but was really just shy of ok. I had the grilled veggies on Elk. The fixings were tasty. The sauce was good. The meat was tasty– BUT it was a very small and thin patty for that size of bun and it was overcooked and dry. (There are ways to cook elk and buffalo and keept it juicy.) The beef was dry too.
This was just not a great burger. I left 30% of the bun on my plate because 1) it was way to big for the patty and veggies, 2) It was dry and hard.
The service was friendly but slow. Most of all, I was really disappointed in the cleanliness. We came in at early evening. It was dead in there, not busy at all, yet every single table had a ketchup or mustard stain on the cloth cover. We found one place to sit and still had to wipe off some crumbs. I simply don’t understand why a restaurant would insist on using cloth covers but not change them out between sittings? Really? Am I supposed to eat on someone else’s used napkin too?
Maybe we caught the place on an off night but I was slightly embarrassed we brought our family there in from out of town. I hope this place gets it’s act together because it does have a great purpose. In a town full of burger joints, you gotta make your extraordinary and fro the price and the atmosphere, these just were not all that.

I love the elk burger salad. The pickles and mixed veggies in the salad are tasty, the vinegarette has a bite and the meat is succulent and unique (~$ 10). The bison is always good too, but the last time we went they were sadly out. The prices are a bit steep but when you consider everything is local, fresh and grass-​fed, it is a pretty great deal. Their organic cookies are really moist too and I’m always tempted by them near the register. They used to serve beer, but the last time I was in, they didn’t have any so their license may have changed. It’s always empty when I go, so I don’t know how they stay in business, but it you are looking for a solid, albeit not gourmet burger and unique sides like cider vinegar brown rice, I’d recommend Local Burger. Most of the burger run ~8 without a side.

I will be kind and give Local Burger two stars although that is like giving a kid a D on his test when he earned an F.
Lets start, way way way way over priced for the amount, well, lack of food that you get. It is very easy to drop close to $ 20 on one «meal» that will leave you hungry.
Years ago, before Dempsey’s and Burger Stand, maybe LB had a leg up in this town when it came to burgers (even before 5 guys… yuck) but with fresh locally gown and raised ingredients and better tasting food (and worlds cheaper) right across the street, Dempsey’s is the place you want to go.
Happy that the owner has her hands in the frozen veggie burger business because she has no business being in the burger biz

Finally, a place everyone — literally everyone — can agree on. Local Burger is an unprepossessing little burger joint in downtown Lawrence. The tables and chairs were obviously jacked from a school closure yard sale, and you queue up at the register to order your food, which is then brought out to your (little school kid) table.
As you can see, there’s a shit-​load of meat on the menu. Obviously this is a problem in terms of animal suffering. However, all the ingredients come from within a 160 mile radius, give or take, so that’s a big carbon footprint reducer. Also, the corpses are free of antibiotics, fillers, and hormones, so that means they had a nicer life, right up until the moment of their senseless, violent deaths, and the end consumer should suffer only the health problems now widely established as being correlative with animal protein consumption (cancer and heart disease, mainly) rather than the devastating peripheral damage associated with horse-​strength pharmaceuticals, preservatives, fecal bacteria, and straight-​up ammonia in every bite.
Local Burger sources from ranchers whose business practices place them head and shoulders above the average: for instance, pigs raised in accordance with Animal Welfare Institute policy (a «non-​profit charitable organization founded in 1951 to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans»), pasture-​raised cows whose diets also include flax seed, kelp meal, and sea salt (mmm!), elk with «no after taste» — okay? — grass fed bison, birds raised in the outdoors (concept) on vegetarian feed (concept), etc. So, that’s for the carnies, and I don’t mean the guys who run the ferris wheel.
Meanwhile, there’s one veggie burger comprised of grains and vegetables, and another with adzuki beans and green chilies added. All of the burgers can be ordered as a burger or as a salad. There’s a bunch of hot dog variations, too, but I don’t think they have a vegan hot dog. The salad dressings are all vegan and house-​made, and the sides are incredible: we had smoked tofu fries with love sauce, but there’s also house-​made sauerkraut, house-​made applesauce, vegan smoothies of all varieties, curried rice, french fries, quinoa-​millet pilaf, vegan daily soups, creamy potato salad, homemade vegan chocolate chip cookies, etc etc. The (locally grown) salad greens are really unbelievable; so good. Everything that’s not actually an animal product is vegan — that’s the takeaway point here.
Basically, people of all dietary preferences can congregate at Local Burger and feast together, as peaceably as lions and lambs, sharing a watering hole in the desert. (Just in case there’s any confusion, vegans are the lions in this analogy; as vegans, we must stalk and hunt and lope through hundreds of miles of terrain just to nail down one vegan-​friendly restaurant, whereas the fluffy, gamboling lamb carnivores of the world simply graze, in idyllic contentment, from one field of meat to the next.)
Would I go there again? Hell yeah. I just came from there and I already want to go back. The place gets two smart, sexy, vegan thumbs up from me. Nice work, Local Burger!

An elk burger with sauerkraut and remoulade and grilled onions? Why yes!
Fresh cut fries? Uh… yes again!
The burgers are tender, juicy and tasty… but they do beg for a tough more seasoning.
The fries are not twice fried… and therefor, being fresh, not crisp at all.
So this place gets 5-​stars on ingredients and 3-​stars on execution. It is a really neat place that, with just a little change here and there in the kitchen, would just be raving-​mad-​good.

Another stop on our road trip to Vermont, carefully planned out with much anticipation by my gluten-​free companion. The gluten-​free options do not disappoint. The hamburger buns do not have that grainy, gluten-​free-​ness that many alternative grain products often suffer from, though it is a little on the greasy side, which we loved but is a warning if you’re not in the mood. I had the vegan black bean burger and loved it. I thought Mark was going to cry about the chicken nuggets. Everything is from close by, and you can taste it in the food. You can buy their products frozen and take them home, but it wasn’t an option for us considering the circumstances.
Anyway, it’s worth it to make a stop in this great little college town if you’re on the road and make a half day of it. If I was going to make any beef at all (no pun intended) I would say the place seemed a little understaffed and the food took some time– but the woman was sweet and cordial about it, and we weren’t exactly in a hurry to go.

This is one of the ONLY places where I can walk in & order right off the menu, & NOT have to request any special exceptions, removals of ingredients, or worry about if what I have ordered may or may not be safe for me to eat.
I cannot believe I just started eating here within the past year. The first time I went to Local Burger, I liked it so much, that I went back three more times that week (and I do not even live in Lawrence).
I suppose the timing of me starting to eat at Local Burger could have a lot to do with the fact that I only started eating meat again just over a year ago. But even if I still did not eat meat — I would love this place.
You have the choice of burgers (with different combinations of toppings) or Burger salads. There are also hot dogs, sides, desserts, etc. However I have mostly focused on the burgers & burger salads. In fact, there is one that I like so much, that I keep ordering it repeatedly. The BUCKAROO. I get the Buckaroo Burger Salad. This thing has ONION RINGS on it. ANd not just any onion ring. But GLUTEN-​FREE onion rings. I had not enjoyed an onion ring in forever when I stumbled upon this delight.
And speaking of gluten-​free — they also have gluten free chicken nuggets. Which again — I had not had anything like that in YEARS. They are amazing.
You get your choice of meat (which all comes from local, organic farmers). I have had the elk, bison, & beef (ALL delicious). For vegetarian options they have a veggie burger, AND a spicy adzuki bean burger. (oh & gluten-​free buns are available, too).
There are different options for entrees, soups, even «To go» items in the freezer, as well as vegan treats and smoothies.
I still have so many things I want to try on the menu. If I can just stop craving that buckaroo salad.
I highly recommend Local Burger for anyone who wants to feel good about the food they are putting in their body. I am thrilled to have a place in Lawrence where I can eat fresh, organic, sustainable food AND feel 100% confident that whatever they are serving already meets my special dietary needs.

I like Local Burger for the fact that everything they serve originates a very short distance from Lawrence. I love how hard they try to encourage people to eat locally when most people don’t really care at all where their food originates.
I just haven’t been majorly impressed with the food I’ve gotten when I’ve eaten there. Maybe I haven’t found the right thing that tickles my tastebuds yet, but I would likely go again if someone could be my Local Burger sherpa and guide me towards the tastier items on the menu.

The thing that attracted me to this place was how everything they serve is home grown in Kansas. Yes everything, from the cheese, buns, fries, meat, you name it they made it near by,
They are known for their veggie burgers but I’m a meat eater and cant pass up a nice piece of meat. They have Buffalo, Beef and Elk, when I got there though they only had Beef and Elk. So I wanted to try something new and got the Elk, along with a side salad. It was a very lean meat, not gammy at all, along with fresh salad that just mixed so well together.
Although the burgers were great the only thing I wouldn’t recommended is the smoothies, it was like water and coco powder it truly wasn’t the best. It was also a little pricey but it is definitely worth a trip if your just passing by the area.

I feel like a bad former Lawrencian giving this a 3 star rating when it really deserves a 3.5. Let me clarify: I adore Local Burger’s mission, their food, and even the service (most of the time). But I think that there are some things that could take this place to the next level and make it even more appealing to the Lawrence population that still scoffs at the idea of local-​only and healthy eating.
First, the burgers are so good here and they are definitely consistent. The problem is that the menu is sort of confusing and it is on a big sign behind the cash register. At almost all times, there’s a big line of annoyed looking hippies behind you (no shot at hippies, I’m a serial recycler too!), so you want to move as fast as you can… but you look past all of the cool customizations you can do to your burger. Unfortunately if you DO notice them and really go nuts, you could end up with a burger WELL over 10 bucks, and that doesn’t include any sides. You’ve gotta REALLY want to eat local to justify that (and i’d still say its worth it).
The only thing I really don’t like about the food are the fries. I love the idea of progressive potatoes but something just doesn’t have the same appeal as the really crappy fries at most places that hit the spot. Considering there is no such thing as a healthy fry, I almost wish Local Burger would just make their fries as awful and fattening as everywhere else and let that be the guilty pleasure item on the menu.
But nit picky complaints aside, we used to eat here all the time when we lived in Lawrence, and we always go back when we visit. Disappointing fries aside, it will always have a special place in my heart.

I can only really speak of the veggie burgers, fries, and salads, since that’s all I’ve ever had (I had a beef burger once and I’m pretty sure it was real good, but that was a while ago), and all of them are great. The veggie burgers are super super super good. I am not a vegetarian, but the veggie burgers are so tasty that I get one every time, and I recommend them to everyone, vegetarian or not. The fries are pretty good and the side salads simple, light, and healthy. With everything, the ingredients always look and taste fresh.
Usually when I go for a burger, I leave feeling weighed down by the greasyness – not here though. Don’t get me wrong, I love a greasy burger and fries every once in a while, but the fact that I can eat a full meal at Local Burger and then enjoy an active and productive rest of my day makes it that much more appealing. Every time I’m back in Lawrence I’ll be coming back to Local Burger.

We ate here for the first time last night. Got an elk burger with cheese, buffalo burger with cheese, fries, and applesauce. All local and homemade stuff.
AND ALL DELICIOUS.
If you are going for a good burger… come here!
If you’re going for a fancy burger… go somewhere else.
If you aren’t prepared to pay for quality local ingrediants… go somewhere else.
The place isn’t expensive, but it isn’t cheap. And should be enjoyed by all!
Also on a personal note, I was looking over their website before going and noticed that they use palm oil in their frying and I know that palm oil plantations can be detrimental to orangutan habitat. upon my discovery of that I sent an email asking them to look into that. Not 30 minutes later I got a response saying that they have looked into it and the oil provider is ecologically safe, and they only use that oil in the cookies, and fry their fries in a local oil, even adding to their decreasing the journey the food takes.
This place has a good burger that keeps every bit of its morals intact and still produces a good product… no wait a great product.
oh yeah and the portion of fries is huge!

I love local burger, I think that this eating establishment is a stop that everyone should take while in Lawrence.
Usually I get the World’s Best Veggie Burger, and it’s pretty tasty, I’ve found it recently at HyVee as well still good at home, but at Local Burger the bun, lettuce, tomato, and onion top it off nicely. It’s great that it is gluten free and the quinoa adds a nice texture.
On my last visit my partner ordered the chili dog. It’s funny watching someone eat a quasi healthy junk food, it just feels right there.
The location is excellent too right across the street from the library, and parking in the library lot is a bit cheaper than street parking.

I don’t understand why some people are complaining because Local Burger isn’t the cheapest or «celebrity chef gourmet best» burger in Lawrence — that is like complaining that a Prius doesn’t have the acceleration of a Corvette!
Local Burger is about local, sustainable, healthy organic ingredients. You eat here because all the food is organic, they accommodate all types of diets (gluten free, allergies, vegan, vegetarian, etc.).
The food here meets all those qualifications, and yeah, it’s going to be a bit more expensive then a lot of other places. Paying a local farmer costs a bit more then buying from a food service.
That being said, the food here is quite yummy. I especially like the salads and the fried tofu fries. The various dogs and meats are all quite good, and although I can’t vouch for the veggie burger (I am all carnivore, baby!) several of my more herbivorous friends swear by it and say it is one of the best ones around.
I recommend this place to anyone who cares about where their food comes from and is willing to put their mouth where their ideals are — while still enjoying some good grub in a pleasant, friendly surrounding.

I’ve always liked Local Burger, but I”ve not been on Unilocal to give it a good review. Every time I eat there, I feel so organic, like I’m doing something good.
I usually order the «World’s Best Veggie Burger.» It may not be the World’s Best, but it’s pretty damn good. The whole wheat bun with the organic cheese, grilled onions and veggie burger that is cooked with a crunchy outside, and yummy inside. Perfectly coked, every time. It’s flavored with I don’t know what, and wow, it’s good.
The progressive potatoes are seasoned fries, cooked crisp. I finish it of with a strawberry smoothy, that I always wish I ordered a larger size. The organic ketchup, I can never get enough of. It’s sweet and tangy and organic.
Local Burger offers elk burgers, regular burger, hotdog burgers, buffalo burgers, and tofu patties. It costs me about $ 13.00 to eat there, and I accept that. I accept the price cause I realize I’m not going to eat any more in the day, and the food I’m eating is fresh. I try to compare it to Eden Alley’s 7.95 veggie burger. in Kansas City, really that’s one of the few comparisons.
Today, parking sucked, and I had to park a bit away, but I enjoy filling the parking meter with 3 hours of coins, for the next guy to park there as well. Lawrence, I give back the joy you give to me.

Seriously, if only words could describe how entirely unimpressed and disappointed I was with Local Burger… Eating local, sustainable, organic food is my preferred way to eat.
I was starving, and ordered the «Worlds Best Veggie Burger» and a vegan caesar side salad.
The food arrived quite fast, but when I saw my burger my face made a «wtf» impression, as I tried to figure out what kind of veggies made up the burger. I recognized some quinoa, but quinoa isn’t a veggie??? It was DEEP FRIED and greasy. The wheaty bun and organic store bought ketchup were the best part of the burger.
As for the caesar salad, it tasted nothing like the traditional caesar salad of my youth. The dressing was a vinaigrette and not the traditional creamyness I’m used to. The homemade whole grain croûtons were quite good, however.
Most everything (to my knowledge) here is local, organic, and ethically grown/​raised. This is a huge plus to me, but I was quite disappointed with the execution of everything. Next time I’m in Lawrence I’ll try something else…

First off let me say, if you are looking for an upscale burger joint, Local Burger is not the place. The interior is clean but has simple seating that almost resembles a cafeteria. You pay at the counter, your food is brought out to you, but you put the dishes away yourself. There is nothing fancy with the presentation of the food — service is not really a priority here.
That being said, sometimes I’m just in the mood for a casual dining experience where I can eat wholesome, down-​to-​earth food, and Local Burger absolutely fulfills that need. Everything is organic and locally grown, so the food feels clean and untainted by overprocessing. It is true that the portions tend to be on the small side (especially for the vegetarian options — sides are necessary to complete the meal) but really, the point of coming to this place isn’t to stuff yourself silly. The tofu filet is surprisingly flavorful, and I highly recommend the buffalo (like a very lean beef) and elk (gamier and a little fattier in taste) burgers to anyone who’s willing to go a little outside their comfort zone.
Overall, I’m happy accepting Local Burger for what it is. A lot of people seem unhappy with this place because it doesn’t really seem «restaurant-​y» enough but you need to go in with the right set of expectations. It’s not foie gras or a all-​you-​can-​eat buffet, but it’s definitely worth a try.

This place definitely caters to those looking for a burger, but want to eat a «healthy» burger. Aside from beef, they also have meats such as buffalo and elk to choose from, which are definitely leaner and have more protein than beef. All meats from local farmers, too. Vegetarian? Have no fear, they serve tofu filets and a veggie burger to suit your taste.
The buns are also wheat buns. I’ve tried the Progressive Potatoes, which are essentially french fries, but are organic potatoes fried in trans-​fat free palm kernel oil. Local Burger has organic ketchup as well for your enjoyment. The employees will bring you your food, you just go up to the counter to order.
They have different discounts every day of the week depending on when you go, and of course a 10% student discount as well. Free Wi-​Fi is a plus!

I really want to root for LB. The true test for the place is if I would bring someone from out of town here and, sadly, no I wouldn’t. The concept is great, but the product itself and prices are unremarkable.
The best deal is getting the combo meals. You receive a nicely prepared burger or hot dog along with fries that are average to above average. I agree that the veggie burgers are probably one of the better choices. My main problem with the price is spending $ 10+ on a meal that truly tastes like something you could easily prepare at home. I get that MOST of the ingredients are locally produced, but those same ingredients are available at the Merc or Hyvee for a fraction of the price. There is nothing done to the meal to make it extraordinary or even memorable. Sadly, it’s just a burger and fries that you can feel good about. If that’s enough then I’d recommend the place to anyone understanding this place isn’t anything great.
BTW, the chili is actually one of the better things on the menu. They use buffalo and it has a nice flavor.