The Vitals:
the spot: Furrbie’s 210 SW 6th Ave Amarillo TX
the eats: Burgers
the bucks: $5-$11, my burger was $7.25
the full nelson: play your cards right and savor a classic Texas roadside burger experience
If I was a writer for the New York Times I probably would start with some interesting history or facts about this little cafe/diner in the quiet city of Amarillo Texas. That would mean a little more research beyond a quick peek at google which revealed that Furrbie’s doesn’t have a website and some YouTuber made a video of Furrbie’s “Gut Grenade”, a triple cheeseburger with two kinds of cheese, ham, bacon and turkey. I didn’t order that.
My son went off brand and got a hot dog. It was a Nathan’s frankfurter, a familiar tubesteak if you have been to the East Coast. The tater tots appeared solid. My wife went seriously off brand with a club sandwich. That could not have been farther from the delis of either coast. Don’t do that.
Furrbie’s does a good job with their burgers. As unpretentious as their haphazardly decorated 1950s diner interior, they do what’s essential to do them well. Beef sourced from a local butcher, freshly ground and cooked to order with care. Furrbie’s isn’t the place that namedrops a bakery on the menu but I wouldn’t be surprised if that wasn’t locally sourced too.
You might want to clarify if you’re asking for a bowl of Texas red or New Mexico green, but the latter is what I got here. New Mexico’s famous hatch green chile is one of my top 3 burger toppings. The sneaky kick of heat and the subtle texture of a tender chile that’s been roasted plays so nicely on a cheeseburger. I got a double patty which totals to a half pound of beef. It was a meal. The produce was fresh as well. Topped with only mustard as my wet condiment, this was a true Texas burger experience: unpretentious but steeped in pride.
Furrbie’s may not scream classic Texas roadside burger experience based on decor. But the burger delivers. As long as you skip the gimmicks and go for what make burgers great in the first place: quality ingredients, cooked with care and when in Texas, a burger driven by mustard.
Furrbie’s might have some misses, like that club sandwich, but they have some absolute go to’s that are worth a stop in Amarillo TX, even if you’re short on time. Get that Green Chile cheeseburger and wash it down with a strawberry limeade. It’s a perfect lunch.
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