Liquid Cheeseburger? Guy Fieri Discovers the Unthinkable at a Presidential Hunting Lodge

“No way. This is no kidding liquid cheeseburger.” That’s Guy Fieri, spoon in hand, eyes wide, trying to process what he’s just tasted at Grover’s in East Amherst, New York — a restaurant that was once the hunting lodge of President Grover Cleveland.

But before we get to the soup that defies logic, let’s talk about the burgers that put this place on the map. Grover’s has been voted best burgers three years running, and after watching owner Georgina Harman work the flat top, it’s easy to see why.

The Bruiser: A 12-Ounce Monster

The signature Bruiser Burger starts with 8020 certified Angus ground beef — no seasoning, nothing added. Georgina grabs a ball of meat and forms a patty that Guy notes is “the size of a brain” at roughly 12 ounces. “We tend to give more than we’re supposed to,” she admits.

The cooking technique is precise: sauté onions in oil with a bit of butter, salt, and pepper until browned. Drop the burger from height onto the flat top — “whack” — and cook about three to four minutes per side for medium rare. A little butter on the bun, a hit of Cajun spice (cayenne, paprika, black pepper, and garlic), caramelized onions on top, and then the crumbly Roquefort blue cheese. “At Grover’s, we overdo everything,” Georgina says before giving the top bun a quick steam.

Guy’s verdict? “Flat tops have a very distinct style about them, especially when you got a good amount of fat — it creates this crunchy texture.” He loves the Roquefort, loves the onions, but confesses there’s no way he could eat the whole thing. The regulars who can? “It’s always the people that are about my size,” Georgina laughs, gesturing small. “That high metabolism.”

Cheeseburger Soup: Georgina’s Wild Creation

Then comes the dish that stops Guy in his tracks. Cheeseburger soup — “it’s just what it says it is: cheese broth with large chunks of burger in it.”

The process: butter first, then onions to sweat down until translucent. Glaze the pan with water, add chicken base, then half and half. A flour and water slurry goes in next, followed by cheese sauce. Guy watches the yellow sauce pour in and admits, “I thought it was mustard.” Then the burger chunks, and here’s where it gets interesting — lettuce and tomato go right into the soup. “Is there lettuce in a cheeseburger? Well, I know there is, but I don’t know about this,” Guy says skeptically.

One taste changes everything. “Super flavor. I mean it’s really awesome. Not too cheesy, right size of tomato, and you know what makes it? The lettuce — that little bit of sweetness to it.” He’s on his 19th spoonful before he can stop himself.

When asked who created this recipe, Georgina simply says, “Actually I did. I just played with it and this is what happened.”

The Wing Game

Since they’re just 20 miles from Buffalo, Grover’s also does wings — but bigger, crispier, and with their own twist. The garlic parmesan buffalo wings cook at 400 degrees for 14-15 minutes until the skin is crunchy and the fat renders down. The sauce combines butter, fresh chopped garlic, grated Parmesan, and buffalo hot sauce. Guy calls them “super crunchlistic” and praises the balance: “the sweetness of the butter and the parmesan cheese, little bite of the garlic, I’d only kind of call it a hint of heat.”

Georgina learned to cook in this kitchen starting at age 15, when her mom Joanie opened the place. Now mother and daughter run it together, cranking out comfort food that keeps customers coming back for 18 years and counting.

For more spots like this where Guy has discovered unexpected gems — like a Brisket Melt or Grilled Beer Brats with Peppers and Onions — check out our restaurant directory.