Downtown West Palm Beach’s perennial, go-to, favorite burger joint Grease Burger Bar is closing its doors.
On Saturday, July 11 the restaurant posted a ‘Last Call’ message on their Instagram page saying their final day would be Friday, July 17 and invited everyone to come out, raise a glass and enjoy one last burger. The post made no mention of what is behind the closure and we have reached out to management for more information.
For many West Palm Beach residents, as well as many visitors to the area, this will be a gut punch.
The beloved restaurant in the 200 block of Clematis Street opened in January 2009 and was renowned for their stable of incredible burgers ranging from the classic, to the Brinkman with deep-fried bacon, to the Ron Burgundy with a mushroom burgundy reduction and many more.
Setting themselves apart from the pack even further, Grease’s burgers were a bold example of what a burger should be. They featured Viking-worthy 10-ounce patties that they ground in-house using a blend of dry-aged sirloin, chuck and brisket.
Plus, if a 10-ounce burger wasn’t enough, there was always an option to take to the next level and upgrade to one of their 12-ounce monsters.
It was one of these creations that even earned the restaurant a bit of national recognition.
In July 2014, Grease Burger Bar was featured on the The Travel Channel program “Food Paradise.” The segment highlighted then chef Jordan Stilley’s gargantuan creation “The Grease Beast.” The behemoth featured two grilled cheese sandwiches as buns that bookended a hulking 12-ounce patty that was topped with golden fries, crispy onion rings, cheese sauce and a quick drizzle of ranch.
This is the burger that could guarantee entry into Valhalla and is available until Friday if you dare.
In addition to drool-worthy burgers they featured excellent sandwiches, brats and, yes, a couple of great salads like the classic Cobb and iceberg wedge.
Ready, willing and more than able, Grease would help you wash all that down with a beer selection that featured over 100 varieties at a time.
Going out Irish wake style, Grease will offer all whiskey and bourbons for just $5 until they officially close, according to their announcement.
The restaurant is owned by Big Time Restaurant Group which also operates Bar Capri; Big City Tavern; Louie Bossi’s Ristorante, Bar and Pizzeria; Elisabetta’s; City Oyster & Sushi Bar; and Rocco’s Tacos. At one point this year, the group had announced plans to put a Grease Burger sister restaurant inside the now-renamed Donald J. Trump International Airport, but it is unclear if the closure downtown would have any impact on those plans.
The group also owned City Cellar at CityPlace which closed on May 24 after over 25 years in business.
Grease Burgers, Beer & Whiskey Bar, West Palm Beach
Where: 213 Clematis St., West Palm Beach
Closing: last day Friday, July 17
Information: greasewpb.com
Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at eritz@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Beloved Clematis Street burger joint closing after nearly 20 years
Reporting by Eddie Ritz, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Eddie Ritz, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
