By Jean Totti
The owners of S.O.B Burgers, a husband and wife team, have a long history of culinary education and experience under their belt and are now serving some of the best burgers in Bradenton.
They opened in 2014 as a craft beer and grill concept, but the interest quickly turned to a menu of specialty burgers. The restaurant is located in a strip mall on a very busy section of 14th Street near Bayshore Condominiums. This is a popular place that seems to have a non-stop flow of dine-in customers and alerts from food delivery services.
The space has an eclectic feel with a beer and wine bar along a side wall and tables lining the rest of the room. But we’re not here for the decor, we’re here because we’re looking for some serious eating!
Exploring the Burger Personalities
With the right combination of toppings, a burger may take on a number of personalities—and that is what S.O.B. is all about. If you really want to keep it simple, start with The Lame Burger (as their plain burger is called) and maybe dress it up with some cheese or bacon. But if you're feeling adventurous, this is definitely the place to be.
We tried the Brewmaster and the Chorizo Burger on the first visit:
The Brewmaster Burger: Topped with caramelized onions, bacon, and house-made cheese sauce on a pretzel roll. It’s described as "Beer Cheesy Goodness".
The Chorizo Burger: Served with a homemade chorizo patty, grilled onions, provolone cheese, and chimichurri aioli on ciabatta bread. The Chorizo Burger was my favorite of those two.
For the next visit, I gathered some suggestions online and ended up with what can be considered their ultimate creation: The Holy Grail. We also tried The Lame again, and it was not disappointing. It's a really good burger in its simplest expression.
The Holy Grail Burger, with the appearance of a beast but the character of a flavorful bite, is a double patty sandwich topped with homemade mac & cheese, an American cheese slice, and bacon. The owners of S.O.B. Burgers refer to it as a "Religious Experience". This burger is huge, so you'll need to cut it in half, take it apart, or just make your way bite by delicious bite. I could only cram down half the sandwich, and so far it is my favorite!
There are so many other characters to explore:
The Bitchin’ Burger: Topped with cheddar, smoked bacon, onion rings, and S.O.B. BBQ sauce.
The Voodoo Burger: A blackened patty topped with Cajun cream, cheese spread, caramelized onions, and bacon.
The VegeBurger: A more subtle option made with black beans, carrots, celery, corn, kale, parsley, and onions.
The tastes, characters, and personalities on the menu are seemingly endless.
Beyond the Burgers
S.O.B. Burgers also offers an array of menu items beyond these burger options. I’m a fool for good onion rings, and they have Irish Fainni Rings dipped in Guinness batter and served with a rich and thick ranch dressing. I noticed a table nearby ordering the Pretzel Me Baby—four pretzel sticks served with beer cheese—that looked delicious.
They also feature menu items like Finger Lickin’ Chicken tenders, Just Good Ol’ Balls (tater tots infused with cheese and diced jalapeños), as well as a few sandwiches, chicken wings, and chili. I did try the S.O.B. Chili loaded with cheese and onions. You can have it any number of ways, and I really enjoyed it.
This is a very casual neighborhood joint. The service is friendly and the food is ready quickly. The menu isn't huge, but if you're looking for great burgers, you won't be disappointed. I’m sure we’ll visit and taste some of the other personalities of the burgers at S.O.B. Some seem heated, others earthy, and some, like The Hangover Burger, might even help you get through a rough day.
Location & Contact
South of Bradenton Burgers / S.O.B. Burgers is located at 5866 14th St W., Bradenton, FL 34207.
Hours: Open Monday through Saturday from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
Phone: (941) 755-1998
Delivery: Available via most major delivery services.
When you visit, be sure to tell them you heard about it on Discover Bradenton!
DINING GUIDE
