Roxor BRGR & BEER: Burgers in Bratislava, Slovakia

Roxor BRGR & BEER in Bratislava, Slovakia

When it comes to eating in Bratislava, burgers might not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, after a week of eating meat, potatoes, and dumplings, I was in the mood for something a little different. This is how I stumbled upon Roxor BRGR & BEER, a popular burger restaurant known for their fresh ground organic beef, house made sauces, high-quality ingredients, and extensive drink menu.

From the outside, the restaurant may not look like much with its non-descript exterior and small parking lot. But, don’t let the looks fool you, as you will find the best burger in Bratislava here.

Roxor BRGR & BEER Interior

As I walked from the cold and dark winter night into the restaurant, I was surprised by how busy it was for a Tuesday. The interior was open and bright with tables scattered throughout the dining room. On the left side, there was a small bar with counter seating. There was additional counter seating on the right. Located in the back of the dining room was the kitchen, busy with chefs who were preparing plates of food.

The décor of the restaurant was modern and industrial with exposed pipes, concrete floors, and white walls. I found the clean and minimalist look to be both stylish and functional while remaining casual and inviting.

There was music lightly playing in the background. As it was busy, I could hear the voices of diners and sounds from the kitchen, but it was never too loud.

Roxor BRGR & BEER Menu

The menu at Roxor BRGR & BEER, Slovakia, Bratislava — The menu at Roxor BRGR & BEER

The one page food menu at Roxor BRGR & BEER was straightforward with a variety of burgers, sides, and sauces. While not extensive, the menu had several unique burgers all made with organic, house-ground beef. They also had a vegetarian friendly burger option. Whatever you order, know that the chefs at Roxor take pride in using only high-quality, fresh ingredients.

While fries will cost you extra, they are well worth it. The fries here are made from fresh potatoes that are cut daily and then double fried to achieve the perfect crispy texture. Sauces are also extra.

Other than fries, you had interesting choices including Strong Beef Broth, Duck Rillettes, Kimchi, and Tiramisu. I also thought it was great how you could buy a round of beers for the chefs.

Drinks menu, Roxor BRGR & BEER, Bratislava, Slovakia — Drinks menu

On the drinks menu you had beer, soft drinks, cocktails, spirits, coffee, and tea. As with the food menu, there was something for everyone. Some unique options included the Peanut Butter Liquor (3,00€ or about $3.25), a cocktail with peanut butter and caramel liqour, and the Apple Most (1,50€ or about $1.63), a soft drink using ancient apple varieties. As for craft beers, be sure to check the board in the bar for any beer specials.

Cheesy Fries

In my opinion, you can’t have a burger without fries. As mentioned before, the burgers served at Roxor did not come with fries. So, I had to order some on the side. I went for the Cheesy Fries (5,00€ or about $5.42). If cheese sauce isn’t your thing, you can opt for the Rosemary Fries (3,50€ or about $3.80).

At Roxor, they cut their potatoes daily. This attention to detail ensured the fries were fresh and flavorful, something you can’t replicate with frozen potatoes from a bag. I enjoyed how the potatoes were the perfect thickness, not too thick or thin. The best part about these fries was how they were double fried. This resulted in each potato being crispy and golden brown on the outside while tender on the inside.

The house made cheese sauce was the perfect companion to the fries. The sauce was rich, salty, and gooey and I could tell it was not from a can but made fresh in house. As the sauce cooled, it did start to solidify, but the flavor remained the same. Sprinkled over the top of the fries and sauce were chives which added both color and a crunchy, sharp flavor.

If you want a sauce to dip your fries in, you had the choice of three sauces (3,10€ or about $3.36). Sauce choices included basic (mayo with house made ketchup), tartar (mayo with pickles and onion), and brasil (curry-pineapple sweet sauce). I went for the tartar sauce. The thick blend of mayo and onions, which was rich and delicious, complemented the fries perfectly. While tasty, I felt the sauce was expensive and I am not sure I would order it again.

Premium Burger

The most popular item on the menu, the Premium Burger (11,40€ or about $12.36), came with organic beef, crispy bacon, aged Cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, tomato, house-made pickles, and Roxor sauce.

This burger, and all the burgers served at Roxor, contained 168 grams (5.9 ounces) of organic, house-ground beef. I was surprised by how fresh and delicious the beef was when I took my first bite. The thick patty had been seared on the outside while the inside was a perfect medium rare, as ordered. Seasoned lightly with salt and pepper, I could taste all the flavors of the meat in each bite. This flavor and level of quality of the beef was not something I expected to find in Bratislava.

Covering the entire patty on both sides, and falling onto the plate below, was the tangy, salty, rich Roxor sauce. In this house-made burger sauce I tasted mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. I was worried the amount of burger sauce would cause the fresh sesame seed bun to become soggy. But, with the bun toasted on both sides, this did not happen. At the same time, the bun remained soft and airy on the inside.

On top of the beef patty were strips of salty, rich crispy bacon. While less crispy than anticipated, the bacon was tender and chewy which complemented the beef patty. When I ate the bacon, it was almost as if it was melting in my mouth. I just wanted more of it.

Finishing off this burger was a slice of fresh tomato, caramelized onions, and house-made pickles. The pickles were both crunchy and tender, with a flavor that was both vinegary and sweet. I enjoyed the contrast of flavors between the acidic pickles and smoky, sweet tender onions.

El Gringo Burger

Next up was the El Gringo Burger (11,40€ or about $12.36), one of the more unique items on the menu. This burger was made with organic beef, crispy bacon, tortilla chips, pickled jalapeños, chipotle mayo, and cheddar cheese. I ordered my burger with a side of the Rosemary Fries (3,50€ or about $3.80).

As with the Premium Burger, the patty was fresh, juicy, and cooked to perfection with the perfect sear on each side. It also had the same soft, airy bun that held up to the last bite, even when covered in a generous amount of rich and salty Roxor sauce. And it had the same gooey, melted cheddar cheese.

The main difference between this burger and the Premium Burger was the addition of tortilla chips, pickled jalapenos, and chipotle mayo. Tortilla chips might sound strange on a burger, but they added an extra layer of texture and flavor. I enjoyed the contrast of textures between the firm, chewy patty and crunchy tortilla chips.

Finishing off this burger was creamy, spicy mayo and pickled jalapenos. Both added a salty, tangy, and spicy bite. The combination of crunchy, spicy, and salty flavors and textures made this a unique and flavorful burger.

Service

On my visit, the restaurant was packed and the only space available was at the bar. But, this was not an issue for me. Despite the busy atmosphere, the servers behind the bar, and those running food, were both friendly and attentive. Even in a busy setting, the staff were working hard to ensure each customer had a positive dining experience.

Conclusion

Burgers are not something that most people come to Slovakia to try. But after eating meat, potatoes, and dumplings for a week, I wanted to try something different. And this is how I stumbled upon Roxor BRGR & BEER.

While there are many burger restaurants in Bratislava, none that I know of use fresh, organic ground beef, make their sauces from scratch, and use high-quality ingredients. This attention to detail and quality of ingredients is what set the restaurant apart from the others. And, this is why the burger I had was so delicious. The burgers weren’t the only thing that stood out at Roxor. The cheesy fries, though simple, were fresh and tender on the inside while crispy on the outside. And while the scratch made sauces were expensive, they were delicious.

Overall, I was pleased with the food, beer, and service I received at Roxor. I can’t believe I am saying this, but the burgers here were some of the best I have ever had. If I was ever in Bratislava again and in the mood for a burger and beer, I would not hesitate to return to Roxor BRGR & BEER.