I think it is time to update this review!! Â I have been here several times since leaving Columbia. Â I have to say, that the ownership has really started to grind on me. Â There have been a couple of occasions where I've been treated like a stain on the floor, and I'm not sure why. Â The owner has always been a prick, but I think the fact that he operates in a small town with a lot of college kids that leave after a few years prevent him from learning from his mistakes. Â That being said, the burgers are still very delicious. Â I just don't feel compelled to come here like I used to, and that is a shame because it used to be one of my favorite places.
Review Source:Good burgers, but not the best in town. A little pricey for their size, but still delicious. A true tradition of Columbia, considering booches has been around since 1880's. A real landmark. A hole in the wall type place and a great escape from the typical college kids scene.
Try the chili. 5 stars there....
This was a great place to go have beers and wings after a game. It was crowded, loud at times, but cool. Â The food is good and I didn't have an issue with the noice. What do you expect in a college town? Nevertheless, I've been twice (thanks to my sweetie) and I'm sure that when we are back in Columbia, we'll be eating here again. Beers and all...
Review Source:When my friends and I talk about going out to get a burger Booches inevitably comes up. Â Their sliders are great tasting and served on wax paper (which is just kinda cool) but they are a little steep in price and I'm not really a fan of eating a burger in a place that smells like urine. Â Price and smell are the reason for the loss of two stars from me, but they are tasty little burgers.... oh yeah, and it's cash only which is kind of a hassle.
Review Source:Probably the best burger I've ever had, even better than one of my favorite spots, 5 Guys. It's a little bar, not a ton of ambiance. I went there for lunch and it was pretty packed, not a lot of seating. It's cash only, but you won't need a lot of cash since it's so cheap. The burgers are served on a napkin and are closer to slider size than regular, so you may want to get more than one. They do not have a big menu, so don't try to find sides, though they do have small bags of chips. It's not a service oriented business, so don't expect your waitress to be especially attentive, but the burgers are worth it.
Review Source:I spent a great deal of time in Columbia and whenever I find my way back to this great town, I ALWAYS go back to Booche's. It is my number 1 priority for any Columbia trip. Their burgers are some of the best I have ever had and their chili is not to be looked down upon as well.
It has a great "old school" atmosphere that stands out among the college bars and clubs of downtown COMO. The people that work there may not be the friendliest people  alive (I have to laugh sometimes at the lack of people skills) but it does not deter my mission for filling my body with these tiny burgers from heaven.
At least order two burgers when going here, three if you really like to party.
Downtown institution.
Tiny burgers, but actually pink in the middle. Â Gotta' order two. Â CASH only! Â Side of chips. Â About $9 for two cheeseburgers, a cup of soda, and a bag of chips PLUS tip.
Went for lunch today. Â Busy! Â (But, then this place is always busy.)
Sadly, no time to play billiards ( ... okay, and who am I kidding ... also had a shortage of skill).
Sidenote. Â I kid you not. Â I was looking up the address on my GPS (for giggles and to get a rough ETA), and someone somewhere had some fun with the name. Â My Garmin's database has this place listed as Club La Booche. Â Funny stuff.
I live in Boston now. Despite the great seafood here, I've never found a hamburger out here that tasted quite as good as Booches. ~ $3.00 seems like a lot to spend for such a small hamburger, but worth every penny. My husband and I (both mizzou alums) often wish teleporting to CoMo were possible so we could grab a burger from Booches!
Review Source:Great atmosphere and burgers. Â They are a little bigger than the typical slider, and they encourage you to get 2 or 3. Â If you get, say 3 cheesburgers, chips, and drink (no fryer there) we're looking at $15+. Â It can add up. Â But, the atmosphere and the quality of the burgers was worth it. Â Don't miss this if in the Columbia area. Â Make sure you have cash...no cards taken!
Review Source:Booches. Burgers. Billiards. Boom! Seriously awesome burgers served by an amazing staff... you know the place is either really awful, or really good when they've had the same workers for years. Well... this is the latter. They're not fast, they don't take cash, and they don't have a sprawling menu, but they're worth the wait, you can go to an ATM down the street, and you may be surprised at their soups and other sandwiches... But let's be honest. You're there because you've heard about their burgers... and they are well worth the trip. No fries, but the chips are kettle cooked and delicious.
Review Source:Booches is a laid-back place with good, juicy burgers. Don't expect too much when you go in here: it's a dive type place with a limited menu and minimalistic service. Don't expect fries or a plate, for that matter, but believe me you won't miss it. They do what they do well with no frills, and to me these are usually the best places.
When you walk in go ahead and grab an open table, they'll serve you accordingly. The burgers are sliders (a cheeseburger is $2.75) so I can usually eat two and split a pitcher of beer with a friend. The burgers are juicy (and seem like hand-packed patties, am I right?), the buns are fresh, and the overall taste is perfection. Sometimes I get chips, but it's not necessary. The burgers can take some time depending on how full they are because it's basically one guy frying them up behind the bar, so reserve a little time to eat there. Make sure to bring cash and don't expect to grab a Booches burger on Sunday--they're closed, and they'll "see you in church." To me, burgers, beer, and a table by the window at Booches is the start to a great day in Columbia.
The first time I went here I was not prepared.. and therefore my experience suffered. I didn't know it was cash only, so I did not have any cash on me. I also did not realize that they did not have french fries.. which made me sad.
The second time we were more prepared, and had a much better time. The burgers are great. Pork loin wasn't all that good.
Voted as the best burgers in Columbia, Booches is, if nothing more, very consistent. Every time I have gone they have been good. The food is good and the service is alright, everything is fine.
It is a little bit on the expensive side though. Booches' burgers are a tiny bit bigger than sliders but the price is somewhat high for the size of the burger. The food is good but not good enough to be priced this high.
Remember Cash Only...
If you are into cool bars, then you can not get better than Booches!
Great burgers, great prices, incredible atmosphere. This is exactly what a 100+ year old pool hall should be. Definitely worth the ride to Columbia!
If you are looking for a fancy, clean restaurant, with lots of sever attention, go somewhere else, but if you like what I do, top 10 in my book!
You can't call yourself a Columbian or a Mizzou Tiger until you've eaten a Booches burger.
Booches is wonderfully dingy and the burgers are quite greasy, but in my opinion, it all adds to the appeal. The burgers are basically sliders, so I usually eat at least two. They also allow you to order it however you want, so feel free to pile on the cheese, ketchup, mayonnaise, grilled onions, etc., or just have it plain.
What I love most about Booches is that it's just a cool place to hang out. With a great selection of beers and pool table rentals for $8/hour. There's no frills with the decor (it is mainly just old pictures and funny signs) and it just has that small, local, dive-y, burger joint vibe, including a cash only policy.
However, there are two reasons I can't give Booches 5 stars. First, they don't serve fries. This is because they don't have a deep fryer, which I can respect, but it just feels wrong to me to have a burger without fries. And second is that they aren't open on Sundays. Booches is known for their sign on their door that reads "Closed on Sunday, see you in church," but I would appreciate a burger from them 7 days a week!
This is my favorite bar in town. Â I never come to just sit down and eat, usually a couple games of a pool, pitcher of beer, and a couple of burgers. Â I've never really had an issue with the service because I'm never sitting and waiting on someone so I can't judge the same as others on that. Â Originally was annoyed they didn't take cards but it just took some adjusting too.
Review Source:Absolutely amazing food, yet terrible service. Â As other reviewers have said, hunting down a waiter is part of the Booche's experience. Â
The burgers are small, so make sure to order at least two. Â They are greasy, too. Â Almost perfectly greasy. Â Booche's is one of those places where you aren't really sure why you like it, but you do...so much that it's hard to stay away.
Remember...they are closed on Sunday.
Best little greasy burgers in Columbia! Â Not gourmet by any means. Â The trick is cheap meat (greasy is tasty), the bun is your typical enriched bleached flour bun from the economy sack. Â Their flat-top grill is what makes these greasy burgs delicious...
That being said, the burgers are overpriced for their size (a Booches burger is no more than a small snack) and the employees often act like they're doing you a favor. Â I've been around downtown CoMo for a number of years and I've done a lot of service work and I don't act this way and I know it's a habit for their workers because I've gotten the same treatment many times and so have lots of other friends. Â I think you might have to eat here at least 50 times a year before they 'warm up' to you. Â But guess what, that's not how service industry works - a thank you and a smile and maybe I'll drop a couple bucks for you to pick up that used wax paper.
The old decor fits the place well and they also have quality pool and snooker tables.
Really these burgers are worth two bucks and these people just think they are TOO awesome because of one write up in USA Today over ten years ago.. Â Times have changed folks and I've had awesome burgers elsewhere. Â Therefore, you get docked two stars.
I know this place is legendary among the locals, but I'm an outsider, so enjoy this completely unbiased review: Â Good sliders, good prices, good service. Â
The place is kind of dingy, and although that's part of the Booches experience, the restaurant earned these two violations during their last health code inspection on 12/23/09: (1) SODA GUN HOLDER & DRAIN LINE MOLDY, SLIMY, (2) INSIDE ICE MAKING MACHINE HAS MOLD ON SURFACES. Â Although these problems were likely cured immediately, a restaurant should never let its "billiard hall flavor" affect (or infect) the healthy operation of a modern restaurant.
While I was there, one of the male customers got a firm, but unwelcome, grasp on the hindquarters of one of the female servers. Â Although she was visibly and audibly upset, the authority-on-duty declined to take any action against the customer because he is apparently a Booches regular.
In all, while Booches has good food, it does tend to play fast and loose with a variety of rules.
If I could only eat one burger in Columbia, Booches burger would be it. So classic and perfect in its simplicity.
2 burgers no cheese, bag of red hots and a pitcher of Boulevard pretty much optimizes a my perfect meal. Service isn't amazing, but having to track down an employee to take your order is part of Booches' charm.
Tried it at last! To be honest, I had heard a lot of things about this "institution" and how you have not experienced Columbia without going there.
Having gone there, I can safely say, there is no need. Get a better, cleaner, and safer burger somewhere else and rest assured you haven't missed much.
I had a lot of fun the night I went there (mostly due the great company I was with). And the burgers were alright taste-wise. But would I go back? probably not.
Food: 3 stars
Service: 1 star
I wish I had read all of the Yelp reviews before eating here.
I really had high hopes for Booches, but the owner and staff just ruined it for me.
I rolled in at around 3 o'clock on a Saturday afternoon. Â I sat down at the bar and placed my order: two cheeseburgers and a Coke. Â The coke was served in a paper cup like you get at the fairgrounds. Â Cool. So far, so good. Â This being a Yelp-induced review, I reached into my backpack and pulled out my DSLR to shoot some food photos. Â When I aimed it at the soda cup, you would have thought that I'd just pulled out a 9mm handgun and waved it around. Â The staff flipped. Â You can't take photos in here. Â Not even photos of your food. Â Especially not photos of the grill. Â The owner doesn't allow it. Â The staff indicated that the owner was sitting at a table behind me and if he saw my camera, he would go ballistic and attempt to take it from me. Â "We're just trying to save you from the embarrassment, man," said my waiter.
Are you f*@#ng kidding me?
Get over yourself, guy. Â Your restaurant isn't that magical. Â Your food isn't that magical. Â Your burgers are ground beef on Wonder Bread standard hamburger buns, topped with sliced white onions, american cheese slices, foodservice ketchup and mustard. Â They are tasty, but this restaurant isn't the damned recipe for Coke. Â Please stop acting like it is.
It's a shame that what could be a great little dive is ruined by the flaming asshole that runs it.
Two tiny burgers, Backer's Red Hots, and a coke please.
Grilled onions and cheese, ketchup and mustard. Simplistic, and pure bliss.
This place has been the corner stone for my burger cravings whenever I come back in to town. Yes you may have to wait a bit during the lunch rush, and if you have a limited lunch break, don't go. The wood work really sets the tone of the place and the pool hall is great to invite some friends too, but I'm mostly there for the burgers. Its a bit gritty but it's always been a pleasant visit.
Order at least two, and a bag of Red Hots is required. And sit back and enjoy probably one of the juiciest mini burgers you'll ever get you'r hands on.
My boyfriend is a University of Missouri graduate and would probably end the relationship if I didn't give Booches a 5 star review.
Not fancy
Not healthy
Not expensive...
on the contrary
dirty college bar
greasy ass mini burgers
cheap as ever
I had a diet coke and a bite of a burger and loved it. My boyfriend ate 2 burgers and a beer and regreted not having more once we left Columbia.
I have come to the conclusion that we need one of these in Chicago. I have searched high and low for a place that sells mini-burgers as good as these, but no one has made the cut as of yet (though Sidebar Grille is probably the closest that I have tasted). These burgers are juicy, greasy, tender, delicious.
This joint is small and can get pretty crowded around the lunch hour. I've shared a table with a stranger or two during several visits--but that doesn't bother me! I don't go there for the atmosphere (even though going to dive bars is kind of my thing), I go there for the food. There's actually another thing that doesn't bother me about this place and that's the service. The service is slow, due to the size of the grill, which probably fits a max of 10 burgers at a time. And the wait staff is definitely lacking a friendly smile. But who cares? Like I said, I'm here for the burgers.
I NEED A BOOCHES BURGER. I'd pay big bucks for them to pack up there things and move to Chicago...
Booches makes me want to pack my bags and move back to Columbia. Overnight, refuge-style. Almost... Â I swear.
I hadn't been here for almost a decade so allowed myself the guilty pleasure of ordering not the recommended two, but THREE sliders. Greasedribblingdownyourchin good!
Nothing fancy about this spot, just little burgers served on waxed paper and only the most basic of condiments. No fries, no microbrews, no credit cards.
Please meet me at Booches so we can rave about their burgers for the next decade.
If you haven't been here yet, leave now and make sure you order at LEAST two burgers. Â They is really tiny! Â But, oooweeee! they are definitely the best burgers in Columbia, and possibly the best little burgers i've ever had. Â Nothing fancy here...just meat and cheese and onions and mustard and ketchup. Â They don't have mayonnaise there...but fear not, there's a subway across the street you can stop by and snipe some mayo packets from on your way to experiencing a fantastic burger at one of the coolest dive-style restaurants in Columbia.
Review Source:I was told that Booches had the best burgers in Columbia, MO. Â So of course I made it one of my first stops. Â The burgers are slider stye, so you'll want to order more than one. Â Be warned, there are no fries at Booches. Â No room for a fryer! Â They do have a variety of chips available. Â At first I was a little upset, but half way through my bag of Fritos I was like, "hey, I forgot how much I liked Fritos!" Â
The other downside for me was NO MAYO. Â I love a little mayo on my burger. Â
Was it the best burger ever?? No. Â But it was damn good. Â Hit the spot. Â I will definitely go back for more burgers and Fritos before I depart this cute little town.
**Update** I just went back for my second helping. Â I really do love this place. Â Great people. Â Had a really good (giant) margarita tonight. Â And this time, I didn't miss the fries or the mayo. Â I just enjoyed my delicious burger. Â BOOCHES RULES!
Booches is a very well known establishment to the residents of Columbia. If you're eating at Booches, you're ordering one thing... Burgers!
Their delectable little burgers are worth traveling across the country for. While I'm no longer a resident of Columbia, this is THE place I stop to eat for lunch every time I go back for a Tiger football game.
When ordering here, you have to order at least 2 burgers, but maybe 3 or 4 for the very hungry man. They also have great soups, and their chips are a standard precursor while waiting on your sandwiches.
So WHY did I rate only 4 stars with such an awesome review? Simple... the service is pretty bad. The wait staff doesn't exactly spit on your food... but they certainly don't care about the customers. Just don't expect a smile along with your food.
Oh, and these guys LOVE the Cardinals. Don't you dare wear a Chicago Cubs hat in this place.
Also... BRING CASH. No Credit Cards accepted. Although there is an ATM across the street.
And yes, there are pool tables here. Decent tables. But that is not why people come here.
Many bars serve food and many lay claim to fabulous burgers, beers, or whatnot. Â In towns across the US, especially college towns, these places become institutions. Â But Booches, while certainly an institution, is something more...it is a legend.
The burgers are simple but succulent and unrivaled in their taste. Â Add to that the dark wood bar, the antique pool, snooker, and billiard tables, the crowd, the mythical figures who've come and gone, you have the makings of an institution. Â But Booches is more than the sum of it's parts. Â
Ask anyone who has ever--and I mean ever- spent any time inside this bar, and they will rave. Â Ask anyone who has resided in Columbia for any length of time, and they will affirm what I've just written. Â My god, but Booches, many years ago, even had it's own literary review! Â This is a place where grad student TA's have even held office hours!
All this...and they only have Bud Light on tap...and I hate Bud Light (they do have other beer in bottles, though). Â Do yourself a favor, and check this place out. Â Like one of the other reviewers, I left Columbia over ten years ago. Â But whenever I'm in town, I make Booches and their burgers a mission. Â Do yourself another favor and do the same.
i left columbia 10 years ago (has it been that long???).
booches alone could bring me back (if it wasn't for those summers, oh, and those winters).
this is STILL my favorite bar of all time (sorry san francisco). Â and when i show up randomly, 9 years later, rick remembers me. Â i love booches!!
i miss those days of burgers, stag and doing crosswords at the window table. Â someday maybe i'll come home....
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