This restaurant is so popular, it even has a mayor

By Melinda F. Jeudi

Looking for a local spot to chat with neighbors and eat good food? Burger Bob’s is a small restaurant at the Granada Golf Course, 2001 Granada Blvd., that serves up a family feeling 365 days a year from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. at breakfast and lunch.

Once you step into Burger Bob’s, the sense of family is strong. There are loyal patrons who eat there every day. If one misses a day or two, others worry about what might have happened.

Burger Bob’s was established in 1993 by Bob Maguire, who had owned restaurants before and leases the space from the city. Recently improved with new tables, chairs, counter stools and flooring, the restaurant used to be called Granada’s Snack Shop.

The eatery is regularly featured in magazines and newspapers and on television. The most recent recognition was being designated the “Best Deal in Coral Gables” by readers of The Miami New Times newspaper in December 2009, along with a similar award in 2007. During the 2000 Summer Olympics in Australia, a man being interviewed on TV was asked what he missed back home. His reply: “Burger Bob’s. I miss the food and the regulars.”

The close-knit group at Burger Bob’s includes Manager Rita Tennyson, who’s been at the restaurant for 15 years. When Ms. Tennyson’s children were younger, Mr. Maguire set up a mini daycare in the back of the restaurant.

“I was able to work and take care of my kids at the same time,” Ms. Tennyson proudly says.

Many who frequent Burger Bob’s are neighbors and good friends.

Al Smith, a retired doctor known as the “mayor” of Burger Bob’s, has been going there long before it was Bob’s. Dr. Smith says that “85% of us don’t play golf! There are more locals that eat here than golfers, even though the restaurant is located on a golf course.”

“He (Dr. Smith) knows everyone who steps foot into the restaurant,” says Mr. Maguire. “He knows their name, where they are employed and what their kids do. He is full of information that he is willing to share.”

Dr. Smith, who lives within walking distance of Burger Bob’s, wakes up at 5:30 every morning and heads there for a hearty breakfast.

Still, lunch is his favorite: “My favorite dishes are the bean and pasta soup, which is Bob’s creation; the Cuban sandwich; the homemade chili; and the burgers, even though the burgers are not good for me,” Dr. Smith says.

“There are many options to choose from.”

Burger Bob’s selections include eggs, sausage and bacon for breakfast and soups, salads, melts and burgers for lunch. The menu proclaims the homemade chili as the best in town.

So if you’re in the mood for good food and an update on the neighborhood, Burger Bob’s may be just the place.
As one young customer explains, “Burger Bob’s is the physical home page of Coral Gables!”

Melinda F. Jeudi is a senior at the University of Miami majoring in criminology with minors in public relations and military science. She graduates in May 2010 and will commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.