Burgers at the Haufbrau
Rating: ■■■□□ 3.0 / 5 "Bar burger"
Reviewed by Eric Barnes
From the flashy graffiti on the building's wall to the myriad of signs and posters inside (including the debate-provoking sign reading "Free Beer Tomorrow"), the Haufbrau is a bar with a unique style. It's the sort of place you would expect to see crowded, blaring with loud music and billowing with smoke (at least in the days before the anti-smoking laws).
When we went there last Tuesday for lunch, the place was almost completely empty. It was strange to see that type of environment so quiet and—dare I say it—peaceful.
In the tranquility, I ordered the bacon cheese burger. After a respectable preparation period, I was served a tray containing the burger, the standard condiments, a small salad with your choice of dressing, and french fries. The fries were perfect: crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. These weren't something that had been sitting under a warming lamp for hours. They were fresh and hot.
The burger, however, falls short. The meat was well-done, but without too much flavor. The bacon was crispy, but I otherwise barely noticed its presence. The thick slice of cheddar was placed on top of the bacon and was barely melted. Nit-picky stuff aside, it was still a decent burger, just under $7.
Besides, you're at the Haufbrau. It's more likely you're there for the beer anyway. The burger is almost an afterthought.
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Rating: ■■■□□ 3.5 / 5 "Lanny means barbecue sauce"
Reviewed by Craig Dugas
The burger was very average, not bad, not great, although the fresh toppings (lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles) were above average. What stood out were the fries, which were well above average. They used fresh cut potatoes that were cooked nearly perfectly and unsalted. The salad, although fresh, was below average since it was simply small chops of dark green lettuce, and nothing more.
All-in-all, it was a decent meal for a decent price — plus the free water was definitely filtered, which is a huge plus as it's easy to pick out tap water in the city of Bozeman.
