Haunted Hamburger Restaurant Jerome AZ

Where do you go when you’re craving a juicy hamburger on a house baked bun and you’re in the middle of the Arizona desert? Haunted Hamburger Restaurant in Jerome AZ, of course!

While Steve and I were staying at Distant Drum RV Park in Camp Verde AZ, we wanted to explore as much of the area as possible. Neighbors at the park told us that Jerome was a really cool place to explore and that lunch at Haunted Hamburger was a MUST.

So off we drove, in our Jeep Cherokee, to spend a day in Jerome. The ride alone was worth it. Mountains and desert gave us jaw dropping views and we wanted to see it all. But we were quite hungry so we made a beeline for Haunted Hamburger.

The narrow, steeply inclined streets by the restaurant were challenging, as was parking, but we managed to finally find a parking spot. Once inside the restaurant we were amazed that it was both spooky and beautiful all at the same time.

The Haunted Hamburger Restaurant Jerome AZ

So I’m sure you’re curious as to how the restaurant got its name. Is it really haunted? You be the judge.

Is it really haunted?

Years ago Michelle and Eric Jurisin acquired the restaurant. The building was old and abandoned. It was in great need of repair before it could be opened for dining. That is when the funny business began.

As with all old buildings, when inhabitants take initial occupation, from its walls come the spirits to observe, and sometimes greet the newcomers. The Haunted Hamburger spirits were no different. Not only were these spirits curious but possibly frustrated tradesmen from long ago. It’s assumed that it was ghosts of these tradesmen took tools. More specifically, hammers. Yes, hammers. One hammer, then two, then three hammers had disappeared. Was this a case of memory loss? At first it was thought that it was a case of forgetting where the hammers had been left. Then a prior owner asked the Jurisins if they had met the ghosts yet and to beware…they liked hammers! Shortly after this confirmation the hammers began to reappear showing up in the most conspicuous places.

Creepy experiences

“What followed next was literally too ‘in your face’ to ignore”, says Eric. “One day, in the middle of repairs, he remembered he needed to go upstairs to finish a project. Just as he reached the top floor a door that he was standing next to slammed, nearly smashing him in the face. You could argue a cross breeze is strong enough to slam a door, and that would be true. Except, Eric had just sealed up all of the building’s windows with thick plastic and tape to keep the cold winter air out. He knew there was no air current in the house.”

There were other odd occurrences that frightened staff, owners and guests alike in the Haunted Hamburger. Cans flying off shelves, the hot water being turned on in the middle of the night. Distinct smells in the stair well and even photographs guests have taken capturing the vague image of a woman.

Is the Haunted Hamburger truly haunted? Maybe you should hang out for a while and see for yourself. But leave your hammers at home.

Our Burgers

Obviously burgers are the thing to order at the Haunted Hamburger Restaurant Jerome AZ. Plus burgers were what we were craving. Steve ordered the Bacon Cheeseburger with Crispy Fries. I love onions in every form, so I ordered the BBQ Burger with Bacon, BBQ Sauce, Melted Cheddar and Frizzled Onions. And, of course, I also had those yummy crispy fries. Both of our burgers were served nestled in their house baked hamburger buns along with lettuce, tomato and pickles.

Our Haunted Hamburgers were cooked to the exact degree that we requested. They were juicy and beefy with cheese that was melted to perfection, and toppings that were plentiful and enhanced our burger experience.

If you are anywhere within driving distance to Jerome AZ, The Traveling Locavores highly recommend that you enjoy a Haunted Burger experience in the dining room with a bookshelf in the ceiling, on their airy patio, or the amazing back porch with a view of the Verde Valley and the San Francisco Peaks 50 miles in the distance!