Mesquite-grilled burgers smell different from flat-top burgers. There’s smoke in the crust, char in the bite, and a depth of flavor that a griddle simply can’t replicate.
Original Hamburger Works at 2801 North 15th Avenue in Phoenix has been doing it over real mesquite charcoal for more than 40 years. The grill is open and visible from the counter. You can watch your burger char as you place your order.
The restaurant sits near Phoenix College and has become part of the fabric of that neighborhood. Employees have watched generations of the same families come through the door. The regulars who discovered it decades ago still show up, and so do their kids…