Tipsy'z Tavern & Grill

Located at 805 Westchester Drive in High Point, Tipsy’z Tavern is a bar specializing in burgers. Homemade soups, sides, and sauces are available in bulk, and there is a patio for outdoor seating.

Tipsy’z is small and well-worn, but don’t let the aesthetics fool you. Herein are arguably the best burgers that High Point has to offer. Add to that efficient service, and it’s easy to leave here impressed.

First, a caveat: both inside and out, space is at a premium. Though there are lots on either side of the building, parking is limited. If it isn’t patio weather, you’ll find only a few tables (some regular and some long/group-sized) indoors. There is adequate seating around the bar, but you may have to squeeze by to get to some of it.

That said, the menu is surprisingly deep (even if the establishment isn’t). The expected nachos and wings are joined by gumbo, crispy Brussel sprouts, mahi tacos, and a very commendable selection of burgers. You can build your own or go with one of about a dozen pre-fab options, which include featured specials and cheese-stuffed offerings. For our first time in, my wife and I went with the Stuffed Gouda Burger (topped with bacon, lettuce, tomato, garlic aoli, and even more gouda) and the How About Dem Apples (gouda, bacon spinach, apple chutney, and BBQ sauce on top) prefaced by a cup of gumbo.

The food came to us quickly and was good-to-great across the board. While the gumbo (chicken, smoked sausage, shrimp, crab, tomato, and okra) may cause purists to arch an eyebrow, it was nevertheless smoky and quite satisfying on a cold night. The burgers were as tasty as advertised. They were not overcooked, and sauces and toppings paired well and delivered on flavor. The stuffed burgers are probably best reserved for hardcore cheesophiles, but that’s not a knock on the execution. Sides (tots and chips, respectively) were crisp, and everything had a homemade touch.

While Tipsy’z isn’t cheap (most burgers run north of $10), it is one of the few burger places that doesn’t make me want to play the “I can get better at Hops for less” card. The food here is worth it, and the staff (shout-out to Thomas at the bar) are fleet-footed, hard-working, and amicable.

Tipsy’z is the kind of place that will leave you pondering what to try next time before your first visit is over. A second, taco-centric branch is set to open on North Main Street later this year, and if it’s anything like the original, it should garner some well-deserved plaudits.