In the Central Savannah River Area, billiard parlors and burgers go well together. Downtown Augusta has the raffish Sports Center pool hall with its mighty half-pound patties; across the river in Aiken, City Billiards touts “The Best Cheeseburger You’ll Ever Eat”; and just recently, I learned to love the burgers at the Edgefield Billiard Parlor in the historical town that has been the home of ten South Carolina governors.
It really is a billiard parlor, its walls covered with images of pocket-game practitioners and cues held in racks. Seating is either at a low counter up front, where customers have a view of the open kitchen and carry on conversations among themselves and the staff, or at tables back in the gaming area.
The menu is minimal: burgers, double burgers, cheeseburgers, double cheeseburgers, hot dogs, corn dogs, chili dogs, and chicken tenders. Burgers, which are the kitchen’s pride, are fairly thin, making doubles a good idea; and they are cooked well enough that melted cheese and a full complement of condiments add welcome juiciness. For what they are — pool room burgers, which I would call a subset of lunch counter burgers — they are wonderful: beefy, greasy, crusty-edged, and satisfying in a mischievous way that the finest kobe beef cannot touch. No, they are not in the same league as pillowy gourmet burgers or even the semi-gourmet burgers that have become popular in trendy urban areas; but when the itch for one of these bad-ass boys strikes, Edgefield Billiard Parlor scratches it to a fare thee well.
Hot dogs are less wonderful, although they, too, have a wicked appeal when configured with chili, mustard, and crisp onions in a spongy soft bun. I wouldn’t likely come to this place just to eat hot dogs, but when I do come to eat burgers, I’ll always want a chili dog on the side.
Sunday | CLOSED |
Monday | CLOSED |
Tuesday | 10:30am - 7pm |
Wednesday | 10:30am - 7pm |
Thursday | 10:30am - 9pm |
Friday | 10:30am - 9pm |
Saturday | 10:30am - 9pm |
Other Nearby Restaurants
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Miss Jane’s Restaurant
Warrenton, GeorgiaA small-town Main-Street cafeteria, Miss Jane’s is a treasure-trove of Southern fare including succulent fried chicken and beguiling cakes & pies.
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Deep South Cheese & Grill
Dearing, GeorgiaDeep South Cheese is a hospitable Georgia roadside cafe that makes its own fresh cheese curds for poutine, plain or fancy. Plus fine burgers & smoked sausages.
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La Casa Latina
Augusta, GeorgiaLa Casa Latina is a charming Augusta strip-mall storefront restaurant & grocery that offers a true taste of Puerto Rico and other Latin-American favorites.
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Tequila’s
Aiken, South CarolinaA modest-looking strip-mall restaurant, Tequila’s serves some of the best Mexican food in town. Shrimp are especially wonderful.
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Cafe 209
Augusta, GeorgiaLocals love this downtown Augusta, Georgia, lunch-only meat-and-3 for vivid southern vegetables, fried chicken, pork chops, Wednesday ribs and Friday catfish.
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Sunshine Bakery
Augusta, GeorgiaIn the heart of downtown Augusta, Sunshine Bakery is an old-fashioned sandwich shop and patisserie known for hearty soups, fresh-baked bread & creamy pastries.