Jimmy’z Hamburgers is a respectable local burger joint that students and faculty should give a shot.

Jimmy’z has been operating in Grand Junction for over 25 years and they decorate their interior with photos of customers over the years and written “post-it” notes from customers about why they like the establishment. A cool feature is that kids under 10 eat free with the purchase of an adult meal. Dining here is not only a treat, but gives back to a positive local business.

Located right across the street from the MavCenter, they have been a staple restaurant of mine for the past couple of years. When I am on campus but want something better than what Flat Top Grill has to offer, Jimmy’z is my go-to.

The best selling point for Jimmy’z  is the quality of food that you receive for the price. You can get a tasty burger, crispy fries and a drink for around $12. Compare that to a McDonald’s quarter pounder meal, which is now running over $10, and the price difference is negligible. Plus, Jimmy’z is not a mega-corporation severely underpaying their employees, hooray!

Their other menu items are also affordable. Although it is a burger joint, Jimmy’z also serves sandwiches, hotdogs, chili and chicken tenders.

Most notable, however, are their shakes and ice cream “twists.” Regular sized malts and other goodies only run customers up $3, which is not only comparative to fast food chains but straight up better pricing and in my opinion, better tasting. Seriously, you have to try their butterscotch malt.

Jimmy’z also serves some beer and other alcoholic beverages. For only $3, they have some macro beers like Dale’s Pale Ale or Coors Light as well as Mike’s Hard Lemonade.

A group of friends and I ordered a Bullard Egg Burger, a Blue Cheese Burger and their Jimmy’z Original Burger. The food is made to order and we could hear the burgers hit the grill.

The egg burger was juicy and messy, just the way it’s supposed to be. The bacon had a good ratio of crispiness to fat and added the right amount of flavor. The blue cheese was a perfect ratio of being pungent but not overwhelming the flavor of the burger. The original was also a solid burger, though the cheese could stand to be meltier.

Jimmy’z fell just short of receiving a    Dane-certified perfect rating. Despite the patty being juicy, the burgers could have benefited with a cheese that melts better. The fries are great–while they are still hot. They come out very crispy but after five to ten minutes, they start to get a little hard. So, make sure you eat your fries first before moving onto the burger. I rate Jimmy’z 4.2 out of 5 stars. They have great burgers, amazing pricing and awesome desserts.