When I’d read about Butcher’s Grille in Metro Times in September, I was excited to try something different – a halal Lebanese take on an American classic, grilled simply and with expertise. We’ve seen numerous new Dearborn burger restaurants pop up that go for the crazy toppings route (like Taystee’s, which we haven’t tried yet) or the big marketing route (Brome, the more local version of shake shack), but some places forget that simplicity and skill are really all it can take to get people in the door.
That seems to be the ethos of Butcher’s Grille – take a piece of quality meat, treat it correctly, add fresh vegetables when necessary, and serve it quickly. The frills aren’t always necessary, which is easy to forget in 2017, when we are constantly bombarded by media, advertising, and our phone screens.
Butcher’s Grille is located in a small strip mall on Michigan avenue, looking very unassuming. There is a small bit of parking in the back. When you enter, the setup is simple but modern – a large meat counter – this is a meat market after all, a few tables, and a register to place your order. Everything is sparkling clean and the family clearly takes great pride in their business. Co-owner and chef Samer Saad’s father owns a meat packer and distributor in Eastern Market, which gives the market a great opportunity to show off their choicest cuts, alongside some fantastically fresh salads, hummus, and kibbeh. Besides their impressive food display, there’s not much to say about the atmosphere. It’s fine, it’s clean, but it doesn’t stand out as a special or intimate place.
The menu is not extensive. It is small, carefully curated, and will tell you exactly what this restaurant is about. Burgers, sandwiches, and grilled dinners, including a number of Lebanese choices, adorn one side of the menu, while the other side is soups, salads and sides. The menu sides are bookended by tantalizing pictures of some of their options. It’s clear that they know their burgers and want to showcase their skill with Lebanese food as well, and the menu is mixed together to highlight all of their food, instead of emphasizing one section over the other.
Many of us went with the butcher’s burger, described as “1/2 lb All-Beef patty, turkey/beef bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion rings, mayo, Sriracha sauce, your choice of cheese on Brioche bun”. Butcher’s Grille has the regular brioche burger, which is a simple cheeseburger, and the junior cheeseburger for lighter appetites. We saw some orders being brought out to other tables as we waited, and they have a bit of a fajita effect in the small space. Served steakhouse style with a serrated knife in them, they tower on their cutting boards (which, despite being a little silly, are only an issue when your burger is too juicy). Besides the cutting boards, everything is plastic or paper – adding to the simple cafeteria feel of the market.
We weren’t disappointed by the quick service, and the staff made sure we had everything we needed and that everything tasted good. While the burgers look impressive, they taste impressive too.
The patties are only seasoned with salt – highlighting the beauty of the ground meat they use- and cooked on a wood-burning grill, adding an element of char that is missing from a flat top/smashed burger. If you’re anything like me, that char will give you that nostalgic taste of backyard barbecues, and give you a whiff of summer in the cold of winter. The cooks brought our burgers to their desired doneness without any problems, which, if you follow the burger club, is not the norm by any means. Their buns are brioche, fresh, sturdy and contain the burger juices (for most of us), earning a great score on our rating sheet (and up to the standards of Brome’s buns).
My only complaint was that the sriracha detracted a bit from the flavor of the patty and the other textures and flavors in the burger. Luckily, I ordered it on the side, and I was happy I did. Another potential concern was the beef/turkey bacon, as it can taste overly processed or have a strange texture. However, it’s expected in a halal restaurant, and I think butcher’s nailed the texture and crispiness of the bacon without sacrificing real flavor. Not everyone agreed, but it’s the best I’ve had so far.
Beyond the main event, the sides were great too. The onion rings didn’t have wormy insides, they were crispy and well-seasoned on the outside. The tomato kibbeh I ordered was very interesting. Kibbeh can be many things, but in many forms it is a raw spiced minced beef and wheat dish (and is available on the menu in four of its regular forms as well). With the tomato kibbeh, they take out the meat and replace it with tomatoes, adding a nice acidity and umami flavor that is not entirely unlike a hearty salsa. The texture is a bit more substantial, and the spice from the jalapenos really shines through. It was a great appetizer, although the burger was more than enough food for any of us.
The Takeaway
Butcher’s Grille and Market takes a simple approach to everything, from the seasoning of their high quality meats to the simple decor to the plastic silverware. In some cases, this makes the experience feel a little cheaper than it needs to. However, the simplicity also highlights the cleanliness of the restaurant, and the pride that they take in their market and food. One thing that caught my eye and I’d be willing to go back for is one of their steaks in the display, grilled for $9 plus the cost of the steak. With the simple seasoning, great meats, and the way they cooked my burger perfectly, I can only imagine it would be fantastic.
Butcher’s Grille does a lot of things right and a lot of things exceptionally. You won’t regret stopping here to try something new, or picking up a cut of meat to make yourself later. Butcher’s earned our second top burger score and fourth overall score, and they truly deserved it.
Ratings:
Music Report: almost inaudible, not worth commenting on.
Burger: 4.21 <—- second overall top burger!
Service: 4.64
Atmosphere: 4.19
Value: 3.63
Overall Rating: 4.129 <—- #4 in our ranking!
Alice – 4/5
Alicia – “Love the exposed brick.” 4/5
Carl – “Make my bacon pork or don’t make it at all“ 4/5
Erik – “Very impressed with quality. Steak prices look good too – market price for meat plus $9 to cook. They seem to take pride in what they do. Very clean and busy despite being 3 pm on a Sunday” 3.5/5
Rachel – 3/5
Rusty Shackleford –
Big greasy burger
Baby napkins – not enough!
I’m happy but soiled.
4/5
Butcher’s Grille and Market
22713 Michigan Ave.
Dearborn, MI 48124
(313) 436-0055
Sunday-Thursday: 11am – 9pm
Friday-Saturday: 11am-10pm
Butcher Shoppe: 9am – 6pm Daily
(Photos by Erik and Carl)
Motor City Burger Club 
Yum. I haven’t heard of that place but off to go bookmark it on Yelp. Related-ish, I love Brome.