Amigos Burgers and Beer: South Side’s Hidden Burger Bar

Juicy burgers at Amigos Burgers and Beer are a dozen-napkin undertaking for the average diner, making the paper towel roll at each table a necessity.

The five-year-old restaurant and bar is composed of two rooms, each with a distinct personality. The smaller, well-lit room features a family atmosphere and picnic decor, complete with baskets of condiments and plastic flatware at each table. Diners can watch the flat-screen television while eating at one of two picnic tables or a smattering of booths. The server was helpful and friendly, offering suggestions when asked for recommendations.

When you walk into the bar, it will feel like you’ve time traveled hours into the future. You’ll find patrons nursing drinks at barstools or one of the tables. Pool tables, several televisions airing a variety of sports, and its much lower light make it seem like 10 p.m. rather than noon.

Being that the word “burgers” is in the restaurant’s moniker, and 10 varieties are offered, we tried the Amigo Burger and the Steak Burger. The server also recommended Amigos’ wings, where diners have a choice of six sauces. In addition, the menu offers appetizers: three salads, Sonoran dogs, corn dogs, Mexican plates, and sandwiches.

Both half-pound Angus burgers were piled high with toppings and arrived on a soft white bun. The Amigo came out at the requested medium-rare and was topped with sliced avocado, pepper jack cheese, bacon, and smoky chipotle mayo. The menu states that diners get a choice of cheese, but the server never asked for a preference.

The menu also states that burgers are prepared medium unless otherwise requested. However, the Steak Burger arrived medium-well rather than the medium-rare requested — though the meat remained juicy. Sliced mushrooms, sauteed onions, and pepper jack topped the monstrous burger, and the zesty A.1. sauce arrived on the side as requested.

Amigos is a stickler about not allowing substitutions, so hand-cut french fries are the only option as a side. The fries were perfectly prepared with a hint of seasoning that paired well with the spicy ketchup, but after the greasy burgers, it would have been nice to have a lighter alternative. 

Happy hour lasts most of the day from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday through Friday, where guests can take advantage of $2.50 Bud Light bottles. The bar also features karaoke on some nights and drink specials during some games.

The restaurant’s out-of-the-way location doesn’t leave much competition in the way of burger joints — luckily, Amigos offers solid food at a reasonable price to those living in or driving near the southern outskirts of Tucson.

Amigos Burgers and Beer is located at 6372 S. Nogales Hwy. and can be reached at (520) 398-6598. Keep up with Amigos Burgers and Beer on Facebook. For more information, visit restaurantji.com.