D and I hopped in the car and made an impromptu trip to Michigan. Pretty much spontaneous and last-minute. We needed some cabin/non-people time and also we wanted to surprise our friend Chef Greg who opened up a sort of second-shift family restaurant in Iron River, Michigan. Chef Greg is a wizard in the kitchen and we knew his place was going to be top-notch. People think that the Upper Peninsula (UP) or Michigan is super far away, but it's really only about 5 hours to Bump's!
Boy, was he surprised when we walked back to the window that looks into the kitchen!!
Chef Greg took an interesting approach to opening up his place. There were already good pizza places in town, and already good breakfast places in town, and a handful of other good spots for food and drink during normal hours. He saw that Iron River needed a burger place with a little “extra” and also thought the town needed something open different hours than the rest of the establishments. Bump’s Burgers is right downtown and open Thursday through Saturday from 4pm until midnight. Absolutely NAILED IT with the time slot!
I won’t go into ALL the details of the menu at Bump’s Burgers, but it’s really more than just burgers. In fact, there’s only one burger on the menu, but it has a ton of topping options, so you can customize it however you want. But there’s a bunch of other sandwiches that you need to try. We went a little overboard and ordered a cheeseburger, a chopped & cheese beef sandwich, and the BBQ pulled pork sammie. The sides are also super creative and elevated way beyond any food you deserve to eat, but we ordered the firecracker corn, grandma’s casserole, and the corn bread with honey butter. And because we’re insane, we also ordered the oreo pudding dessert supreme and the golden caramel pudding surprise.
[Note: Bump's doesn't have fries. But the number of people that ask about it is really impressive. The staff at Bump's are masters of recommending the right side for you, though, so don't be alarmed. You're going to get a side that's even better than fries. Promise.]
Cheeseburger - I mean you pretty much HAVE to get this when you're here. It's so juicy and delicious. I knew it would be good, but I didn't know it would be this good. And the bacon always helps, too.
BBQ Pulled Pork Sammie – killer flavor and plenty of meat. The bun is nice and moist and stands up to the sauce. We got it with some pickles and extra sauce, as well. Perfection.
The Chopped & Cheese Beef Sandwich – one of the best sandwiches I can remember. I got a little gluttonous on this one and ordered it with a fried egg and some roasted peppers. And some garlic aioli, as well. This thing is loaded with meat and covered in a nice layer of cheese. I was bummed when this one ended.
The cornbread is a super solid showing – and my family is from the south, so we’re crazy picky about it.
The desserts were in the surprisingly-simple-but-perfectly-executed category. Both are pudding based and both are just what the doctor ordered. Sort of a cookie surprise built into a pudding structure with whipped cream. Not crazy sweet, but just what you need to fill in any cracks left in your stomach when you’re done with the mains and sides.
We got leftovers and might have accidentally gotten some Jambalaya to take back to our place if we got hungry in the night. hahaha. No pictures of that, though. But it was equally incredible, if that helps.
I know that we’re a little bit biased, but we love this guy and think he deserves all kinds of gold medals. He helps his community, he helps his friends, he helps his family, and is truly one amazing human. He can cook the pants and shirt off of anyone that’s hungry and makes you feel like family. There aren’t a ton of places I’d drive out of my way to go to for food, but Bump’s Burgers is definitely one of those places. It’s a small town with a ton of heart. And now they’ve got some delicious homemade sandwiches to warm that heart.
Cheers, brother! You continue to make magic wherever you go. We’ll be back!
Bump’s Burgers
119 Genesee St.
Iron River, Michigan. 49935
