Kerry and John Leeds say the beginnings of their Burger House restaurant are a little hazy, but they are good with celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
"The earliest lease record we could find was 1963, and we think Albert Grey was the original owner or one of the original owners," John Leeds said. "Most people would remember Tom and Bonnie Alexander, who had it for about 20 years. We've had it for 12 years.
"We think the building once served as a one-room schoolhouse for the Sand Springs orphanage, but we don't know if there was anything between that and Burger House."
The carryout-only burger stand is located on Edison Street about three blocks west of Central High School, just a little way past where the street goes from four lanes to two.
The stand-alone building sits in a gravel parking lot, which also holds one blue picnic table under a shade tree. The covered order area is filled with old license plates from across the country.
"I started the license plate collection, and many customers have contributed," Leeds said. "I have so many now that I keep some in storage."
I bellied up to the counter next to the window painting of a snowman eating an ice cream cone and ordered a double hamburger ($3.59) with grilled mushrooms, tomato, lettuce and mayo, and for $2.50 made it a combo with fries and a cherry limeade.
I also chose a chicken strip dinner ($5.89), chili cheese fries ($2.59) and a large cherry limeade ($1.99). I would have ordered catfish, an item added by the Leeds, instead of the chicken, but it was gone by the time I arrived.
The hamburger had the old-fashioned flavor one expects in a place like this, and the mushrooms made it extra special. The fries were fine, and the cherry limeades were sweet and terrific on a hot evening.
I knew my wife might shoot me when I showed up at home carrying a bag of chili cheese fries ("Our doctors read this, you know"), but sometimes a guy has to live on the edge.
It had been so long since I had chili cheese fries that I had forgotten how tasty they can be. These thin fries were covered in a meaty, mild chili with melted cheddar. I nibbled on these until guilt, and glares from my wife, got the better of me.
My entree wasn't exactly tofu and kale on the healthful scale, either, but my three sizable pieces of chicken strips covered in a crispy batter and topped with a peppery cream gravy did pretty well on the flavor scale. It came with a piece of buttery Texas toast.
A popular special has been two cheeseburgers, two fries and two medium drinks for $9.99, or four for $19.99.
A children's menu had a burger, grilled cheese or corn dog with fries and a drink for $2.99 each, and popcorn chicken or cheeseburger with fries and a drink for $3.20.
Burger House has shakes, malts, floats and freezes in 12 flavors for $2.99 to $3.29.
For more menu details, check the restaurant's Facebook page at
tulsaworld.com/burgerhouse
Leeds, who grew up near Burger House, said he had grown tired of working in the aerospace industry when he and his wife purchased the restaurant.
The Leeds' daughter Mallory helps out around the restaurant when she is not in school.
Scott Cherry 918-581-8463
scott.cherry@tulsaworld.com
Original Print Headline: 50 Years Of Burgers
Food
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