Smell it before you see it. A block away from a certain Tempe burger joint, the scent of mesquite smoke curls through the air and practically drags you toward the door.
Behind that scent sits a little Old West-looking building surrounded by tall city buildings, where cooks have been flame-grilling burgers over hot coals for around 60 years. It’s cash-only, gloriously simple, and beloved by generations of Arizona families who keep coming back for one perfect thing.
A Western Holdout in the Middle of Tempe
Right at 202 E University Dr in Tempe, a squat little building with a weathered, cowboy-cookout look sits stubbornly among glassy high-rises. The contrast is almost funny.
Modern towers climb the skyline while this place stays low, wooden, and proudly old-fashioned…