Bronco's

Thursday, April 11, 2019

Bronco Burger

4540 Leavenworth, Street, Omaha, NE

Where we went:

Things have gotten busy for us, so we hadn’t planned on doing a blog this week. However, we realized that there are actually local fast food chains that would also qualify for this blog. So tonight, before we headed to our respective activities, we got together to try an Omaha classic that neither of us have been to before, Bronco Burger.

Bronco Burger, who markets themselves as Omaha’s only locally owned and operated fast food restaurant opened their doors 60 years ago in 1959 at 30th and Fort. After three years, a second location opened up at 45th and Leavenworth, the location we visited. Two additional locations were added over the years, 72nd and Pacific (now turned into a Runza), and at 120th and Pacific, which is the other location still operating today.

What we Eat:

Kyle got a Number 1 combo meal. This featured a Big Bronco Burger, with two fresh all beef patties on a triple bun, fries and a drink. Eric chose the Number 5, a two hamburger combo with fries. To make this meal particularly unique, Eric added a fried chicken breast and a apple pie to his order!

The Food:

According to their website, Bronco’s cuts fresh potatoes into their homemade french fries daily. This definitely shown through as the fries were fresh and delicious, though were not seasoned in any way. While Eric and Kyle both ordered basic combos, the amount of fries they received differed greatly. Kyle seemed to receive a pretty standard amount; his fry bag was full will some extra spilled out onto the tray. Eric, on the other hand, got the fry motherload. Not only was his fry bag full, but there were so many extra fries poured out onto his tray that he feels they could have counted as two other whole orders of fries! He definitely enjoyed his fry jackpot at this meal!

Kyle’s burger was good but didn’t seem like anything other than a typical fast food burger. It also came with Bronco Sauce (which he wasn’t aware of and would probably have requested to be on the side). Kyle felt the Bronco Sauce was very similar the the KBG sauce at Burger Theory in that it simply seemed like some ketchup mixed with mayonnaise. Overall, Kyle thought his burger was fine, but nothing special.

Eric’s burgers were a tad underwhelming. They were on the smaller side and were heavy enough on the grease that the buns seemed saturated with it. They tasted fine, and overall are probably pretty similar to the basic hamburgers you’d find at other fast food chains. Eric was definitely glad that he decided to purchase some additional items to supplement his meal as the burgers don’t seem like they’d cut it for a full meal by themselves.

Eric was delighted that Bronco’s serves fried chicken alongside burgers. He can’t think of another fast food place that serves that combination, and he has been craving fried chicken lately, so this absolutely hit the spot. The skin was crispy, but not greasy at all (in contrast to the burgers), however, Bronco’s seemed pretty light on the seasoning for the chicken (much like the fries). The meat was tender and juicy and made for a very satisfying way to round out his meal.

Last, and certainly not least, the apple pie Eric got for dessert was another delicious item. It was like a turnover pie similar to what you would get from McDonald’s, but the Bronco’s apple pie was fried and coated with a generous amount of cinnamon and sugar. The inside was piping (but not too) hot with warm delicious baked apples inside. The price seemed somewhat high for the size of the pie, but it’s delicious taste more than compensated.

The Atmosphere:

It is clear from the moment you arrive that Bronco Burger is not only a fast food restaurant, but that it was built in another time (60 years ago to be exact, and even has the original neon sign flashing in front to entice you to drop in). Back in 1959 Bronco Burger opened as a drive in restaurant, where staff would take your order and bring your food to you in your parked car. Although they no longer offer this service, the structure of the building hasn’t changed to accommodate dine in eaters. There are a total of 4 small booths located in the retro building, and about 30+ parking spots around it, way more than the building can hold. So don’t be surprised if you have to take your food to go at this location. There are, however, some picnic tables behind the restaurant so it looks like it’s possible to enjoy your meal outside. Unfortunately with winter continuing to linger in Nebraska, it’ll be a few weeks till this option becomes more attractive.

Inside, the kitchen takes up over 75% of the total restaurants space. Although the inside has been updated, with stainless steel counters, and walk in refrigerators, the architecture of the building still brings you back to a bygone era. The interior feels very sterile; everything is stark white from the tiles to the overhead lighting, and only some red accents on the menus and the booth benches provides the room with any color.

Speaking of the overhead lighting, the interior is incredibly bright due to some intense fluorescent lights, so it will be quite a beacon during evening hours. Kyle found it very distracting. His eyes would start hurting after an hour under those lights, so he’s not sure how the staff can handle them after a full shift. He’s sure that the whiteness of the room enhanced this overwhelming effect. Seriously, how many fluorescent lights does a place need!!??? Eric didn’t seem to mind them much, but he also sat facing an outside window, so he didn’t get the full brunt of the luminescence that Kyle did. The other potential challenge to the location is that you will be out of luck if you need to use the restroom, as there are no restrooms available for customers at this location.

The Service:

As with any fast food restaurant, the service is not anything more than giving your order to a person at the register, and picking up your order at the counter when your name is called, so there isn’t much to say. However, in a world where we are now accustomed to our fast food meals being prepared FAST, Bronco Burger out performs the big name chain restaurants! Kyle had ordered, gotten his drink and was just about to start dispensing catch up when his order was ready. He was so surprised, for a moment he didn’t even believe he had heard his name being called so soon. Even Eric’s larger order came out lightning quick.

The one downside to having such a large open kitchen, however, is the kitchen staff’s conversation can easily be heard throughout the restaurant. This, in turn, means everyone can also hear your conversation. Just something to keep in mind. Although all conversations during our visit remained appropriate, we have no doubt some colorful language may sometimes be heard coming from the grill area.

In the End:

Bronco’s is an Omaha classic. As a fast food joint, it’s not going to win any culinary awards, but the quality is certainly on par with bigger chains, and comes with some unique menu options that help it stand out. Kyle has heard people rave about the Pork Tenderloin sandwich in particular, and is intrigued to return and see if it lives up to the hype. Bronco’s is good for grabbing a quick bite while you’re out and about and prefer to support local eateries with the super quick service and limited seating both emphasizing brief visits, but if you’re looking for a more casual and relaxed meal, we would suggest some of the other places we’ve been to in our food travels.