You like ketchup? You like it on your burger? Tell you what: Go to George’s Bar and Grill on Ramon in Cathedral City, sit at the counter, and order a double cheeseburger. When it arrives, ask for the ketchup. As you lift the top bun to pour some ketchup on, you might find yourself escorted to the door. At best, you will be yelled at by Nick, the cook, or Stacy the waitress.
“We have a ‘No ketchup on the burgers’ policy,” says Stacy. “Because we want you to taste the meat. You can put ketchup on your fries, but don’t get it anywhere near the burger.”
George’s was founded in 1969 by a former boxer named George at a different location. There is a photo of George in a boxing stance at the present location. George looks tough. If he told me not to touch the ketchup, I’d listen.
Actually, the full name of the establishment is George’s Bar & Grill—World Famous Burgers and Insults. By all accounts, George and his son, Ed (who took over the establishment after George passed away in 1999) were professional curmudgeons with hearts of dry gristle. They could dish it out—both superlative burgers and chili and flinty wisecracks. Sadly, Ed passed away in 2022 and it looked like the Cat City institution was going away forever.
Thanks to local contractor Gary Chaney, George’s doors have reopened. Chaney, a tall, affable with seasoned builder written all over him, happened by the grill just as Nick was grilling us up our burger order. “I was at Ed’s funeral and was talking to his stepsons,” he recalled. “They weren’t interested in continuing the business. This has always been a lunch place for working people and I hated the idea of it closing. I thought to myself, ‘Well, why don’t I give it a try?’”
A lot of people are glad he did. Add me to the list. Nick delivered our burger straight from the grill and the size of it was a little intimidating. The meat was well-seasoned and full of flavor. And they’re right about the ketchup. This burger was so juicy that ketchup would disguise the high quality of the beef. The balance of gooey American cheese, juicy burger, and the crisp, coolness of the lettuce, tomato and onion is classic. Burgers like this are the standard by which all others should be judged. It’s deceptively simple and impossible to duplicate at home. This is why you go out for a good burger.
Chaney delivers a small bowl of chili to the table. Back in George and Ed’s days, the chili was as famous as the burgers…but the recipe was secret. Chaney says it took many hours, but they were finally able to approximate the original. It’s meaty and spicey, the perfect chili to ladle over a hot dog or single cheeseburger.
Though the insults are no longer flying fast and furious, George’s burger lives up to its well-earned reputation.
