Bar Abilene Southwestern Juicy Lucy Review

I had a chance to check out the Southwestern Juicy Lucy at Bar Abilene over the weekend.

As I mentioned before, Carly discovered this gem while reviewing the menu. It took a few days to get over there, but we made a point of checking it out.

We started the night with some tableside guacamole, which never disappoints at Bar Abilene. The $5 Tecate cans and $6 Pacifico bottles went down well before we realized how much we were paying for what is otherwise normally Mexican beer. No beer prices on the menu should have been a sign.

Here’s a refresher on the lucy description:

southwestern juicy lucy hand pattied with rajas and cheese topped with jack and cheddar cheese

Here’s a shot of the presentation:

My first thought: what’s with all the fixins? I don’t need a tomato on a Jucy Lucy. I’m looking for meat and cheese with possibly some onions on top.

I’m not sure why they think it needs a layer on cheese on top to supplement the internal cheese but I’m never going to turn down cheese, so that’s a non-issue in my book.

Here’s a side shot once I had a chance to dig into it a bit. The burger seemed a bit pinker than I’d like for a lucy, but my bigger concern was the massive amount of non-beef or cheese items between the buns:

Here’s a closer look at all of the onions, lettuce, and tomatoes getting in the way:

While I applaud any restaurant that takes a shot at a Jucy Lucy, I think Bar Abilene’s biggest issue is that they’re trying too hard. They’re trying to make they burger match the restaurant rather than letter the burger be what it’s meant to be. Skip the fixins and stick with a burger with cheese inside with raw or fried options upon request. It’s less work for the restaurant and will deliver exactly what a Jucy Lucy connoisseur has come to expect.

If you’ve never had a Jucy Lucy before, do not make this your first stop. If you’re trying to stamp your passport at every location serving a Lucy, be sure to grab a drink somewhere else before you go.