You may have seen the new Burgrz sign across from Oakland University on Walton Boulevard. The Rochester Hills restaurant opened just this year and is off to a great start. The interior decor contains nostalgic classic Americana photographs of Ty Cobb and Marylin Monroe as well as a very modern set of flat screen televisions used to display the menu options. Burgrz owner Michael Ansara and I recently discussed his new venture and I wanted to share our conversation with you. “I grew up around restaurants,” Michael recalled. “My grandfather and his brother started our family’s first restaurant about 60 years ago. I have learned every position from mopping floors and washing dishes to managing.” With this extensive background and a little help from his friends and family, it is really no surprise that Michael and his twin brother, Anthony, developed the Burgrz concept from the ground up.
While it is easy to see that Burgrz is a one of a kind restaurant, it is interesting to note the various attributes which make it unique. To begin with, Michael and Anthony sought out the highest quality meat they could find. Michael explains, “We chose a fresh, never frozen, 100% certified Angus beef blend that is custom made exclusively for us by Wolverine Packing Company, a local Detroit, Michigan business. This guarantees the freshness and availability of the product.” Next, the brothers determined to provide the best fries possible. They decided on a special cut waffle fry which, in my opinion, is exceptionally tasty. Finally, not only do they make most of their sauces from scratch, but they also have a secret recipe for making their own onion rings. I am proud to say that my family and I were officially the first customers to purchase the new onion rings when we stopped in for lunch the other day. They were delicious! Michael summarizes, “Offering delicious, high-quality food at a reasonable price is what makes us unique.”
I love to ask restaurant owners to share their two favorite menu items, which is sometimes hard for them to do. Michael would be no exception. He promptly responded, “Recommending only two items is going to be a tough one for me. I’ve always been a bacon cheeseburger kind of guy with swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and freshly sliced jalapenos. Pair that with an order of made-from-scratch onion rings and an Oreo milkshake and you can’t go wrong. I also really love our turkey patties which can be substituted on any of our burgers. They are delicious!” 
Michael states that they chose Rochester Hills for their restaurant because “Rochester in general is a great place to be. The people are nice, the city is beautiful, and we were lucky enough to find a spot across the street from Oakland University. We get a mix of everyone from local residents to business people and even students from the local colleges and high schools. We couldn’t be happier here.” The Ansara brothers also feel it is important to be involved with the community in which they are located. The first week Burgrz opened, they donated a percentage of every burger, salad, and hot dog sold to Band of Angels, a wonderful, locally based charity that provides support for the families of individuals with Down Syndrome, Autism, and other disabilities. The charity’s founder is Cynthia Kidder. Her son, Jordan, works for the Ansara twins and does a wonderful job. Burgrz is now raising money for The Great Michigan Race to benefit the special Olympics. “We hope to raise enough money to enter a team from Burgrz into the race on October 17th,” Michael said.
When asked what his number one goal was for each Burgrz customer, Michael responded, “Above all, I want every guest to feel as though they have received top notch service and a fairly priced, high quality meal in a clean and fun atmosphere.”
Burgrz has an eCLUB available to all. After signing up for the eCLUB at www.Burgrz.com, Burgrz will send out special offers to members every month and offer guests a special treat on their birthdays.
For other specials become a fan of their facebook page – click here
Burgrz is located at 3204 Walton Blvd Rochester Hills, MI 48309 (248) 375-3060
About Tom and Ann Gendich
