I have to say it. I love a gimmick.
As much as I relish a truly great, delicious meal, there’s something about novelty that always draws me in. And when you’re looking for places to eat in Las Vegas, you don’t get much more novelty than the famous Heart Attack Grill.
I know. It’s crass, gaudy and definitely not great for your health. But at the same time – is a ‘normal’ burger here worth trying?
The headline-maker for Heart Attack Grill is undoubtedly that it’s all about going BIG. The largest burger offered up is the Octuple Bypass Burger, with a whopping (you guessed it) eight half-pound patties. I was half tempted to order one, just to see the size for myself…
The restaurant has a hospital theme; with staff dressed as nurses and doctors and diners (aka ‘patients’) required to don a hospital gown on entry. At least it catches the inevitable mess down your front, eh?
Inside, the hospital theming is interspersed with special Heart Attack Grill adapted film posters. But the weirdest thing by far were the videos shown on screen – weird lipsync versions of pop tunes. As my food arrived to the sounds of I’m Too Sexy mimed by an intense eyed doctor on the screen, I wasn’t sure what to feel…
The Heart Attack Grill has been on the end of some controversy and scrutiny from a health perspective. Particularly around superfan and restaurant regular John Alleman’s death from an actual heart attack in 2013. And I do find it a little unsettling that if you weigh over 350lbs, the food is free.
But in argument, many people who visit Vegas don’t eat to excessive levels on a daily or even weekly basis, so for them (myself included), a one-off burger at the Heart Attack Grill isn’t necessarily a major health threat. As well as their mega, Man vs Food-esque dishes, they also do a pretty normal-sized Single Bypass Burger ($9.70), which I ordered. And finished it! I definitely wouldn’t order anything bigger though…
We did order a portion of Flatliner Fries ($1.85) to share; unfortunately these never arrived. But they were taken off the bill quickly, and I’m pretty happy we didn’t get them in the end. The Single Bypass Burger was filling enough, and non-finishers are called up for…er…a good spanking. Yep. You heard right. Think I dodged a bullet there…
Considering the contrived theming of the restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised at the fact the burger actually tasted pretty good. The meat was juicy, and the patty well-constructed. Just-melted cheese and crunchy red onion came aboard; and the bun stayed solid even when it soaked up some of those delicious juices.
Heart Attack Grill is, without a doubt, gimmicky as fuck. Alongside the murmurs of health controversy, anywhere else in the world, it probably wouldn’t fly.
But in the land of excess, the city of sin, it kinda works. While I don’t quite agree with all of their practises, we had a pretty entertaining (if a little peculiar) time. The food is better than I expected, and it’s a dining experience to tell the folks back home about, at least…
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