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Atomic Burger in the heart of Bristol’s bohemian quarter Gloucester Road is blowing up and leading the way for American fare and quirky superhero and movie theming.
Themed dining has been played out and underdone in England but Atomic Burger relishes the challenge and wears its purple heart on its sleeve.
We rolled up to a full house in full flow on Saturday afternoon. This was an impressive feat, there is a wide range of eateries and watering holes along Gloucester Road – and a testament to Atomic Burger’s popularity and return trade.
They even serve soft drinks in the original glass bottles – and curly, bendy straws!
We dined to a cool soundtrack of Violent Femmes Blister in the Sun (Grosse Pointe Blank), Killers and Elton John.
To start we dug into cheese, chili and guacamole over nachos.
My Jedi-in-training munched down on the classic Forest Gump burger and fries, whilst my fellow writer Sarah Defrates wrapped her lips around the Jake N Elwood Burger with blue cheese.
I was happy with the path I’d chosen – the Big Kahuna Burger with pineapple and teriyaki sauce – my nod to Quint (Big Kahuna Burger is a fictional burger chain that appears in Quint’s movies Death Proof, Four Rooms, Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs), with de-lish sci fries (Double fried with a chilli rub) and fresh coleslaw.
There is plenty to keep the party entertained, with Teddy Ruxpin and Dr Who, He-Man, She-Ra and Star Wars action figures hanging from the ceiling among a galaxy of other action hero and comic book stars.
The only suggestions are paper table-cloths for artists to run away with their imagination and play hangman or draw some inspiration a la Bret Easton Ellis’ immaculate New York investment banking executive Patrick Bateman in American Psycho.
The only thing that’s missing is some movie trivia at the table, a Wurlitzer jukebox (V For Vendetta), light-up dance-floor a la Saturday Night Fever and poles for the zombie strippers.
Loyalty cards in the form of a sticker book is a groovy idea and old school, just the way we like.
When we asked Leo the manager if Atomic has a special Christmas menu he politely declined and said the only occasion they celebrate at Atomic is May the 4th. Naturally.
Like staying in a high-class hotel and overdoing the breakfast buffet our party of Jedis left satisfied with smiles from ear to ear and in need of a lie-down.
In the words of the T2000 Terminator: We’ll be back. Bring on the barefoot Jack Rabbit Slim’s twist contest and proper movie quiz for the real geeks.
atomicburger.co.uk/
bristol@atomicburger.co.uk
189 Gloucester Road
Bristol, BS7 8BG
0117 9428600