TooDooPolaris.com Polaris Mall

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., located on Gemini Place in the Polaris Lifestyle Communities, just looks like a good place for the All American Hamburger. But why call it “Red Robin”? Guess what we learned. Red Robin started as “Sam’s Tavern” near the University of Washington in the 1940’s. Sam sang in a barber shop quartet and loved to sing the song “When the red robin goes bob bob bobbin along…” Sam enjoyed the song so much he eventually changed the name of his tavern to Sam’s Red Robin.

Since that little tavern, the menu and locations grew into a nearly four hundred chain covering most of the US. The original Red Robin business was founded on four solid core values: Integrity, Honor, Having Fun, and Continually Seeking Knowledge. These are the foundation for every Red Robin decision from making its delicious gourmet burgers to hiring lively staff members.

Red Robin also has an exceptional and unique approach to Guest service known as Unbridled Acts. Red Robin’s astonishing culture takes care of each and every customer to the highest level of quality. It is listed as one of ten of the Best Family Restaurants in Parents Magazine.
Red Robin is the place where you can get a burger stuffed with chili, grilled pineapple rings, guacamole, fried egg, and onion straws. Or one of their popular Gourmet Burgers. With more than twenty four Gourmet Burgers in an amazing selection of recipes served with “eat all you can” Bottomless Steak Fries. All are served as their famous “Smiling Burgers”. Their menu includes soups, salads, entrees, desserts, appetizers and their signature Mad Mixology specialty beverages.

Our first sample of a Red Robin Gourmet Burger was in memory of Elvis. The “Burnin Love Burger”. One cayenne seasoned beef gourmet burger to which they add crispy-fried jalapeno rings (honest) tangy salsa, spicy pepper jack cheese, shredded lettuce, and tomato; all served on a jalapeno-cornmeal kaiser roll with chipotle mayo. Wow! I mean “Thank you very much”.

We will need several more visits. Have to try a Whiskey River BBQ Burger, and a Banzai Burger, Sauteed Shroom Burger, Blackened Bayou Burger, Gaucamole Bacon Burger, Bonzai Burger, A1 Peppercorn Burger, and a monster Burger. Once those are tasted, we will move on to Chili Chili Cheeseburger or a Bruschetta Chicken Burger. Of course a Grilled Salmon Burger really sounds delicious.

With all the awards won by Red Robin, we add one more. Best selection of delicious gourmet burgers.

Max & Erma’s was founded in German Village, a unique section of Columbus, Ohio, by a German couple named Max and Erma.  It quickly became a German Village favorite. Their reputation for their special hamburger quickly spread. In 1972, Todd Barnum and Barry Zacks walked into the restaurant. Thinking it had potential to very successful, with an opportunity to introduce the gourmet hamburger to everyone, they offered to purchase the business and sealed it with a handshake. They continued to serve their gourmet hamburger and began opening additional locations.

Every one, from the political Capital City  types, Ohio State University alums, the fast growing suburbs and dating twenty-somethings made Max & Erma’s a favored watering hole. Max & Erma’s now have fifteen locations, including Polaris  Mall on Polaris Parkway, in Columbus and have expanded into several states including Florida.
Faithful consumers continue to return to Max & Erma’s knowing what to order because of their cravings for particular signature items, such as  the Chicken Sandwich, Tomato Mozzarella, Cajun Shrimp, Shrimp Stack Salad, Pasta, Laredo Steak, Ribs, Seafood, Santa Fe Salad, hand-battered Onion rings and always the mouth watering gourmet hamburgers, such as the “Garbage Burger”. Add a desert favorite of an  “all you can eat” ice cream Sunday and, with a full service bar, Max & Erma’s continues to be a favorite.

Max & Erma’s Gourmet burgers are always fresh, never frozen. Their determination to always serve the best gourmet burger keep the quality and flavor the best available. The Garbage Burger, with hickory-smoked bacon, cheddar, swiss, american, mozzarella, grilled onions, sauteed mushrooms, guacamole and marinara, are always bursting at the bun with fantastic flavor!
The desert menu deserves special mention. Their Fresh-Baked Cookies can be ordered with the meal.

A  half-dozen fresh-baked cookies are delivered to your table for desert. Cookie choices are Chocolate Chip and White Chocolate Macadamia Nut.  Additional deserts include Carrot Cake, a sweet spice cake served with warm cream cheese icing, all you can eat Sunday Bar, an antique bathtub filled with toppings you build yourself, made-from-scratch Banana Cream Pie, with Vanilla pudding in a fresh-baked vanilla wafer crust and Triple Chocolate Cake, an decadent eight layer cake drizzled with chocolate sauce.

With a passion for the customer dining experience, Max & Erma’s has managed to expand and still maintain the quality, taste and enjoyment of the original Max and Erma’s.