The Chuck Box

Every college campus has to have a burger joint. Ideally, this place should be inexpensive, unpretentious, independently owned, and decades old. The Chuck Box, which has served hamburgers for over 35 years in a location just across University Drive from the ASU Main Campus, meets all of these criteria. The Chuck Box building, which is four blocks from the Veterans Way / College Avenue Station, stands nearly alone in a sea of new high-density construction as a throwback to another era when most Tempe restaurants occupied freestanding structures and Western kitsch was fashionable decor.

Customers can enter the building from one of two entrances. Two landmarks will be visible immediately. The first is the condiment bar in the center of the dining room (more about that in a moment), and the second is a landmark of the human variety, Big Juan. Manny "Juan" Sanchez is often the one taking orders at the beginning of the cafeteria-style line, but for many customers, a visit to the Chuck Box is not their first encounter with Big Juan. He's a veteran employee who is often featured in the restaurant's advertising. He promises a smile and a hug in addition to a burger and a cold beer. In actuality, the counter separating Big Juan from customers makes hugs challenging, but the smiles are pretty consistent -- even for customers who defy the Chuck Box orthodoxy by ordering chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, or Gardenburgers.

The Chuck Box acknowledges its location near a college campus by wisely offering burger alternatives, but at least 90% of customers going through the line order a hamburger. The most popular choice is the Big One (center photo below), from which Big Juan presumably derives his nickname. The burger is one-third of a pound of ground beef grilled over an open flame. Hamburger gluttons can ramp up to the Great Big One, which involves a full half pound of beef, while "kids and little old ladies" (the restaurant's wording at one time) can order a Little One, the runt of the Chuck Box litter. All hamburgers and burger alternatives, regardless of size, are grilled to order right in front of the customer. Cheese, guacamole, bacon, and other burger accessories are added as requested.

Most sides dishes are also cooked to order, and virtually all of them are fried. The Chuck Box potatoes, which are really just average French fries by another name, are an obvious choice, but probably not the best one. The crisp beer-battered onion rings are a testament to the greasy goodness of the deep fryer, as are the fried mushrooms and the fried zucchini (right photo below). For those who want the best of both worlds in the fried vegetable department, a mushroom-and-zucchini combination is available.

Once customers have received their food fresh off the grill and added a beverage and maybe a chocolate chip cookie for dessert, the next stop in the cashier. The Chuck Box is cash-only, so the credit and debit cards can stay in the wallet. Thankfully, the restaurant's low prices make this a non-issue in most cases. After payment, the condiment bar should be considered a mandatory detour. This is the place to adorn a burger or sandwich with ketchup, mustard, pickles, chopped onions, sliced jalapenos, and other toppings. Like most of the Chuck Box menu, the condiment bar is a temple to tradition, so hummus and wasabi will not be in evidence.

With a fully dressed burger in possession, customers can finally take a seat -- either at the tables inside or the small two-tops on the patios by both entrances. On nice days, the outdoor seating is a good choice. The chairs are actually tree stumps, and there is ample opportunity for people watching. Customers who have purchased draft beer to enjoy with their food can bring their brew outside as long as they do not leave the patios. There is also wine available, but when the food is burgers and the wine choices are chablis or rose, beer -- either by the glass or pitcher -- seems the obvious choice for those who want something stronger than soda, ice tea, or lemonade.

The Chuck Box is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Opening time is 10:30 every day, and sometimes earlier when the ASU Sun Devils have a home game. The restaurant stays open until 11 PM every day except Sunday, when an earlier closing time of 8 PM is in effect. Although it draws a large student crowd, high chairs are available and families are welcome.

202 E University Dr., Tempe, AZ, 85281
(480) 968-4712

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