Bill Miller Bar-B-Q — recently ranked among the worst barbecue chains in the country — surprised hungry San Antonians with the return of a classic menu item, and it has locals talking.
The Alamo City-born chain brought burgers back to the menu on May 18, advertising a cheeseburger combo with fries and tea for $11.50 ($12.45 when tax is applied). A spokesperson for the chain previously told MySA that when Bill Miller Bar-B-Q first opened 73 years ago, burgers and chicken boxes were among the offerings. Today, the burgers are cooked to order and may take up to 10 or 12 minutes, according to a small disclaimer (personally, it took almost exactly 10 minutes from the time I ordered it until it was brought to my table).
So, what do locals think about it?
In a thread on the r/sanantonio subreddit, one user wrote that after trying the burger, they thought it was “fairly bland,” writing, “It was fine. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Given that it was Bill Millers, I wasn’t expecting amazing things, but I was intrigued that they were grilling them fresh. It tasted fresher than a lot of other fast food options, but it was fairly bland. I got the combo with fries and a tea for $11.50. I was left still a bit hungry.”
Another user said their wife’s estimation was that it’s “like a slightly better theme park burger.”
However, one local on the San Antonio Restaurants Facebook group called it the “best burger I’ve had in a long time,” shouting out the “perfectly caramelized” sear that gives it “an amazing pop of flavor with each bite.”
“The buttered and toasted bun was soft and warm on the handheld side but slightly crispy and hot on the inside!” user Patrick Zachary Cortez wrote. “The fresh lettuce, tomato, and onion (they forgot the pickles but the burger did not need them) were all cold and fresh and crisp! No condiments needed AT ALL! Fries were freshly made to order and were crispy and steamy and soft all at the same time! My daughter and I HIGHLY recommend!”
The consensus? It seems there’s actually no consensus. If you want to try it for yourself, the new burger is available on the menu for a limited time while supplies last.