Papa's Burgers is a home away from home for Robert Walker. Evolved from a catering business, the place has quickly become a west San Antonio favorite.
"We're just an old fashioned burger joint," Walker said. " We don't do none of that fancy stuff. We just do good old fashioned burgers."
Walker said he started the restaurant for his father after his mother died of cancer two years ago. His father's grandchildren call grandpa 'papa', So, Papa's Burgers was a natural fit. The red, white and blue building was a creation for papa that was supposed to have limited hours. That soon changed once word about the food started to spread.
"You may able to see down the street but God can see around the corner," said Walker.
What you'll see in the burger joint at 709 West Old Highway 90 are touches of days gone by. In fact, there's quite a bit of Robert in the place like the toy cars former blue laws prevented him from buying as a child.
There's a tailgate from a 1948 Ford F-1 hanging on the front of the counter to give families an interactive touch of the past. He even has a black and white television hooked up to a VCR (yes, one of those old things) that plays episodes of Abbott and Costello. The vintage devices sit atop of an old Coca-Cola machine where soft drinks were once a dime.
Inside, the eating place has more non-metropolitan touches like a table made of rims. In addition, there are tables with old movies pictures meant to stir up a guessing game or two. Outside, tables are made of wooden spools. One table is made of big rig tires. Out front is a lime green truck called Minnie.
The menu boasts more than 20 burger variety options served on bread from Nevada. Prepare your choppers for El Caliente: 1/3 lbs. of beef, grilled jalapenos and grilled onions. They also serve up a bit of humor with the El Machete "shicken" sandwich. No that's not a typo. They call it a "shicken" sandwich.
Of course, you can double your burger with the 'Double trouble' or order up Papa's cloud-like onion rings. But by far, the most interesting dish on the menu is the WTH chicken sandwich: grilled chicken, bologna, guacamole, mozzarella cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomatoes. Try it before forming any opinions.
There are a two rules in Papa's Burger: Put away the cell phones so you can talk to each other and control the kids or they will. Walker says it's because this place is like his home. So, house rules apply.
"If it ain't different it ain't us," he says is their mantra.
But Walker says behind the food they serve he feels his mother, grandmother, and family he's lost.
"So, I feel home," Walker said.
If you have a suggestion for Neighborhood Eats please post it on the KENS 5 Facebook page or tweet me: @MarvinHurst.
