Lunch Report: Luther's on Main...

Luther's is one of those places that has been on my "maybe" list for quite some time. I've mentioned before that when I do work at my downtown office, I enjoy taking a drive through some of the older parts of town on my way home, and as part of my numerous journeys through the area, I have passed by Luther's but never stopped. Part of the reason is, when looking for a new place to try, I very often check out the reviews people leave on Google Maps for the particular place. I don't quite get it, but according to the 30 or so people who have left a review, the consensus seems to be that the waitstaff sucks (feel free to laugh if you get it), the service is bad and the food is sub-par. As is the case with many of you who don't share my views on some of the places we eat and enjoy, or really dislike, I suppose this will be a case where we agree to disagree.
I do believe that timing can be a factor in any restaurant experience. You could get there during a busy time, when the staff is shorthanded or the cook just quit. Today must have been a perfect day for the folks at Luther's because when we walked in, we were seated immediately, our waiter Aaron was outstanding, and the food was top notch.
Luther's has been around for a long time (since 1949) and when they moved to their location at Main and Evergreen, they brought the original counter and five stools. Of course, the place has grown to accommodate more patrons and they have these big garage doors that allow them to open up the inside dining area so it joins the outside patio and stage.

Almost immediately, my wife and I liked the atmosphere, the friendly staff and character of the place. I'm a fan of old and odd signage and and Luther's certainly has that style.
While the menu is far more robust than just burgers (they even offer a Cuban Sandwich) burgers were what we decided upon. I'll tell you now, we will definitely return, I will try the Cuban, and I'm even thinking of trying the signature Red Top which consists of stew topped with chili. Sounds just weird enough to enjoy.
My wife opted for just the original burger which is 1/2 a pound of fresh meat hand made into a patty. The bun is toasted and dressed with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles and she added avocado and cheese. She also added the sweet potato fries. The burgers arrive with a knife stuck through the top to hold it all in place, and it is needed. With all the goodness on board, you just know that it is about to be a messy operation, and it was.
I had to have the Chipotle Ranch Burger which comes with "flash fried" onions, bacon, cheddar cheese and of course, Chipotle Ranch dressing - but not too much of it. Instead of fries, I added the tots - just like you'd get in the 6th grade but crispy, not soggy.

And this is where I wonder if, based upon the really horrible reviews of the place people had written, we just happen to hit on a spectacularly lucky day and time. We hadn't gotten half way through our burgers when just out of the blue, my wife commented on how much she really enjoyed the place, and I was already singing the praises of the burger. It would be a sin to suggest that the burgers were as good as Lord's Kitchen, but seriously, we listed off a handful of places that just can't hold a candle to Luther's including Armadillo's and Chunky's. Nice atmosphere and a menu with a whole lot more than burgers. We got excellent service and awesome burgers and that makes for a well deserved Tasty Treat for Luther's on Main.