Atlanta’s Vortex: Delicious burgers in decadent combinations

Larry Olmsted | Special for USA TODAY

The scene: Back in 1992, three siblings fulfilled their dream of owning a bar, a tiny comer joint in Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood. They focused on drinks, but patrons needed something to eat, so they started making burgers. In 1996, the Summer Olympic Games came to town, and their location proved prime, right across from Georgia Tech where several events were held, and for weeks there was a line out the door. The siblings took the windfall and used it to buy a building in the eclectic and colorful Little Five Points neighborhood, sort of the Greenwich Village of Atlanta. The bigger spot had more tables, and that meant more burgers, and the rest is history — the Vortex is now Atlanta’s most famous burger spot, nationally known, and has been featured on TV shows like Man v. Food. There is a second location back in Midtown, near the original spot and conveniently located midway between the bustling downtown business district and touristic Buckhead. Both serve the same menu, but the Midtown one has some outdoor seating, sidewalk café style.

The flagship Little Five Points store is instantly recognizable, thanks to its entrance in the shape of a giant voodoo-like skull, and you literally walk into the mouth. “I was inspired by childhood memories of driving Route 66 and seeing these kitschy icons like giant cowboy hats. Now it’s a true Atlanta landmark and people just say ‘meet me at the skull,’ ” said one of the owners, Michael Benoit. The entrance is plastered with articles and best burger awards, and the interior is jammed full of random antiques and artifacts. There is an old barber pole, motorcycle, tons of vintage movie posters and ads, street signs and model airplanes hanging from the ceiling. There is a flywheel from a 1976 Chevy Nova and a mounted shark head. The original bar had big glass windows and Benoit said that “We figured if there was a lot of interesting stuff people would see it and come in.” When the Vortex moved to its bigger space, they had a “bring us your junk” party, and patrons did just that. Beyond the decorations it is decidedly pub-like with dark wood floors and tables, all well-worn. Waitresses wear tank tops and short shorts one step removed from bikinis.

The other notable element of the Vortex atmosphere is rules, lots and lots of rules, printed on the first two full pages of the menu. Rules declare the place an “idiot free zone,” give advice on how to treat servers, include a lengthy discourse on bar etiquette, urge patrons to read the menu and dish descriptions before ordering, and finally proclaim “No Whining.” While the place is actually quite welcoming, there is the definite undercurrent that they want customers of a certain fun-loving but polite mindset and if you don’t meet the criteria, they won’t miss you. In this vein, both locations utilize an unusual Atlanta legal loophole and allow smoking by only welcoming patrons 21 and over, period, and while it was not smoky at all on my visits, this might be enough to drive some customers elsewhere.

Reason to visit: Burgers, especially Bypass and Signature versions, specialty sandwiches, sweet potato fries, Mac 'n' Cheesy-Changa, cocktails, local craft beers.

The food: Ironically the building they bought was previously a health food spot called Eat Your Veggies. Today it is anything but, and the menu proudly declares, “Everything we offer is bad for you.” This is certainly true of some of the mega-combination burgers, including the signature Double Coronary Bypass, featuring two of the oversized half-pound 100% sirloin patties used in all burgers, topped with eight slices of bacon, two fried eggs and six slices of American cheese. But what really sets the Double (and even bigger Triple) Bypass apart is that it forgoes hamburger buns altogether and the heap of food is served between two grilled cheese sandwiches. “There are lots of places you can go to eat health food,” said Benoit. “That’s not us. We’re the place you go to be bad. We’ve even figured out how to make salad bad for you.”

That’s only the most dramatic example of excess here, yet surprisingly, a standard cheeseburger has always been the best seller. “We started with just the one burger and a list of toppings, but we found people were shy about toppings and creativity, and everyone just ordered a cheeseburger, so we came up with all these crazy burgers.” The Vortex Burger is the standard, plain, with cheese or cheese and bacon. Then there are the Signature burgers, 14 in all, with names like Hell’s Fury (pepper jack cheese, habanero relish, roasted jalapeno and Atomic Death hot sauce); Rebel Outlaw (pulled pork, bacon, cheddar and house teriyaki outlaw sauce); and Fat Elvis (peanut butter, bacon and fried bananas).

Then there are the Bypass burgers (single, double and triple but only the latter two use grilled cheese as buns) and, finally the huge OMFG burgers. These include the Meat Packer Melt, a patty melt on marbled rye with burger, turkey, ham and two kinds of cheese, and the Carnivorgasm, two half-pound patties plus bacon, pulled pork, ham, turkey, cheddar and whiskey pimento cheeses slathered with barbecue sauce. One more non-bun option is the breakfast-style Hangover Helper, twin patties served open-face on thick Texas toast with grilled ham, bacon, fried eggs and American cheese, with both fries and tater tots, all covered in country gravy.

Appetizers are equally unwholesome, from Funnel Cake Fries (fried dough sticks covered in powdered sugar) to Cheesy-Cheese Goo, a cup of melted dipping queso with choice of tortilla chips or tater tots. But the signature appetizer is the Mac 'n' Cheesy-Changa, a decadent twist on the chimichanga, a tortilla stuffed with macaroni and cheese and pulled pork, deep-fried, sliced and topped with the Cheesy-Cheese Goo. Of course it’s good, and somewhat addictive.

The Vortex has taken burger gimmickry to a new level, but the real appeal is that the burgers are very good. The patties use quality beef, are always hand-formed and grilled over live fire. I tried the Double Coronary — had to — and while the grilled cheese as bun is a brilliant concept, it was surprisingly the richness of the oozy fried egg that made it really sing. Sweet potato fries are excellent and uniquely served with house marshmallow sauce to evoke Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole. Lots of things are house-made that don’t have to be, and even the excessive extras are well-chosen for added flavor. While it is a place to go for burgers, the theme is large servings of really satisfying comfort food, and there is also a slate of interesting non-burger sandwiches, with variations on grilled cheese, a monte cristo, a reuben and a traditional Cuban. All burgers and sandwiches are served with ample choice of sides, and in keeping with the comfort food theme, tater tots are very popular, but it’s hard to go wrong as all are good.

The Vortex has never forgotten its bar roots, and the drink menu is as big as the food menu, which is saying something. The house beer, Laughing Skull Amber, is made by Georgia’s oldest microbrewery, Red Brick Brewing, and there are dozens of other local beers, lots of other craft and national brews, and an entire page of “beer cocktails.” Then there are pages of spirits and actual cocktails, with lots of beach-inspired drinks, shooters and of course, the signature Vortex Skull Crusher, served in a 20-ounce keepsake — “buy the cocktail, keep the glass.” Wisely, the drink is limited to two per visit, since it contains “premium tequila, vodka, rum, bourbon, various liqueurs and we top it with sparkling peach wine — to keep it classy!” Atlanta Magazine awarded the restaurant the title of “Best Overall Liquor Selection” in the city.

What regulars say: "It’s the best burger in Atlanta,” said Russel, a native of the city and currently a grad student getting his MBA.

Pilgrimage-worthy?: Yes, for burger fanatics — these are the stuff of legend, and grilled cheese sandwiches as buns is a must-try variant for burger fans.

Rating: Yum! (Scale: Blah, OK, Mmmm, Yum!, OMG!)

Price: $$ ($ cheap, $$ moderate, $$$ expensive)

Details: Original, 438 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta; 404-688-1828; thevortexatl.com

Larry Olmsted has been writing about food and travel for more than 15 years. An avid eater and cook, he has attended cooking classes in Italy, judged a barbecue contest and once dined with Julia Child. Follow him on Twitter, @TravelFoodGuy, and if there's a unique American eatery you think he should visit, send him an email at travel@usatoday.com. Some of the venues reviewed by this column provided complimentary services.