In Search of the Burger, Week 3: Flame – Red Room

Flame – Red Room

Hours: 4–6 p.m., Monday through Saturday for burger special; the lounge closes at 1 a.m.

Address: 314 W. Walnut St.

Phone: (417) 862-4444

Décor: Intimate, with black and red accents

Notoriety: Happy-hour hamburgers

Seating: Booths and lounge chairs

Clientele: Urban

We have been longtime regulars of Flame’s Red Room, and even the fact that the $3 special just went up to $3.50 won’t deter us from returning frequently with friends. That is, whenever we can get away from the office that early.

We heard about the Red Room through the downtown grapevine. Word was that this upscale steakhouse was offering a $3 burger and fries to entice people in during Happy Hour. We checked it out to make sure that we nonimbibers would be welcome as long as we ordered sodas and found that the only requirement was to be there between 4 and 6 p.m.

The burgers proved to be huge, with a side of three equally meaty seasoned potato sticks and the option of a similarly-priced plate of some of the best calamari you’ll ever eat. The toasted buns are a nice touch, the meat is fresh and juicy, and you can get cheese for a little extra. Lettuce and onion come on the side.

So how do they do it so inexpensively? We’re told they grind up yesterday’s steaks into fresh burger meat for the downstairs clientele, helping them maintain high quality in the upstairs, much pricier part of the venue. The burger offers the texture of a good homemade patty.

The ambiance is half the fun, with an eclectic mix of music ranging from Zero Seven to Incubus to Colin Hay to Daft Punk. (For the record, we wouldn’t have a clue about any of those bands had it not been that our son joined us). Except for the flat-screen TVs, it could be a flashback to some of our hangouts in the psychedelic 60s, with the modern version of the lava lamp included.

The crowd picks up closer to 6 p.m., and, while cheap burgers are popular among the younger crowd, don’t let that intimidate you if you are no longer a young professional. We noticed one table with children and several with more seasoned pros, who just know a good deal when they see one.

The verdict

While this burger is inexpensive, the word “cheap” is really inappropriate to use in conjunction with such quality and flavor.

The only problem we’ve encountered in the Red Room is that, with the low lighting, you can’t tell if you put too much ketchup on until you’re wearing it. Our server even kept up on our sodas, ensuring a bigger tip than the meal price accords.[[In-content Ad]]