COYOTE BLUFF - THE DEVIL YOU KNOW
The Coyote Bluff is the perfect Joint. If you want to experience a myriad of the hallmarks of a Joint in one location, visit the Bluff. It has: hard to find parking spots, wooden floors, bathtub full of beer bottles, dirt parking lot, fast moving waitresses, “intimate” seating, chalkboard menus and a patina of years of patronage. When a new restaurant is being built and they want to imitate the “Roadhouse” vibe, this is what they try to imitate. Poorly.
As cool as the Joint is, the food is better. Everything on the menu is high-caliber, but the burgers are the reason of the Bluff’s mythological status. The green chili cheese, the hickory, and the bacon cheese are among the elite Amarillo has to offer, but the Burger From Hell is Coyote Bluff’s unique contribution to Amarillo’s culinary landscape. The name conjures up images ranging from a cow with demon horns to the Devil in a Burger King Crown. I picture a short order cook working over a bubbling stew that looks like the Dagobah swamp. The way that name lurks on the chalkboard menu, hiding between the Chili Cheese Burger and the Hickory Burger belies its potency.
In reality, the BFH is a tolerable journey into spice. I shied away from it for years due to the fear of a painful dining experience followed by an unpleasant evening. But it is like a cozy blanket of spice. Just what you need to get through a cold Amarillo day. The patty has their own Hell Sauce mixed into it along with Tabasco. It is topped with delicious sautéed, fresh jalapeños and onions along with ooey-gooey cheese.
THE JOINT EXPERIENCE
My favorite time to hit the Bluff is Friday for lunch (this doesn’t just go for Coyote Bluff. Friday lunch is the best time to visit almost any Joint). The energy of everyone looking forward to the weekend gives a euphoric aura. There are a few folks getting in their first beer of the weekend along with those that wish they could be doing the same. The conversations change from work to weekend plans and philosophical discussions.
Today's order was the BFH and cheese fries with green chiles. The fries were delivered first. These are Spot On. It is a huge aluminum platter of goodness. The fries are fresh cut and covered in cheese and green chiles and are excellent.
Then the Burger From Hell makes its entrance. DUDE! LISTEN! Stop what you are doing and run to the Coyote Bluff RIGHT NOW! This burger exists on an astral plane that humankind cannot understand. When the burger arrives and you cut it in half, steam rises from within as if an angel is ascending to Heaven. The beef mixed with Hell Sauce and Tabasco has a vinegary, spicy, savory aspect that I have never experienced in a burger. The jalapenos and onions are perfect as is the bubbly cheese. The onion bun is the ideal happiness distribution vessel. The entire thing transports you to an enjoyment level seldom visited. No discussion of the Best Burger In Amarillo can be had without the Burger From Hell being included near the top.
The Bluff is where Amarillo’s Big Little City personality shines through. Everyone runs into someone they know or wish they didn’t know. Alliances are formed and strategies plotted. This Joint is the epitome of what makes Amarillo a great town and a great food town; folks enjoying their gem of a Joint over a spectacular burger and a beer.
Go to the Bluff, make a deal with the Devil, say your prayers and enjoy the ride.
2417 S Grand
Amarillo, TX 79103
806-373-4640
Recommended Dishes
Burger From Hell
Any Other Burger
Chile Cheese Fries
