Arctic Road Runner - Anchorage

My husband and I have been going to Arctic Roadrunner for years. It's our go-to place for burgers and I live their salmon burger. Their onion pieces are made fresh and so yummy! The onion rings are frozen so prefer the pieces. We highly recommend this place for your burger appetite!

Anyone who has read my reviews in the past knows I'm not a fan of hamburgers in general. But yesterday we needed something quick and cheap, so I bopped over to grab a burger. And let me tell you, I tore that burger UP!!! GONE and quickly! One of the tastiest burgers I've ever consumed. The buns are amazing. The burgers are simple and delicious, no gimmicks. No flame broiling, no fancy toppings. Just a good damn burger. Fries were horrible though and the milkshakes are a ripoff. Restaurant interior is kinda smelly and outdated inside, so grab and go. Parking lot and drive through are small and awkward. Cash only. Arctic Roadrunner has a lot going against it. But those badass burgers are what has made this place an institution in Anchorage. Quickie burger around the corner makes a much better burger overall, but I'm not opposed to Arctic Roadrunner as a substitute. The burgers are handmade and irregular just like at home. Nice and big and juicy. Add those spicy pickles and I'm good to go.

I had heard about this place from some locals and gave it a try. Very good!! I ordered the halibut sandwich and son had the beef brisket sandwich. Both were very good but the halibut sandwich was better!! You order at the counter and take a table until they call your number. Lots of condiments to go with your food on a bar off to the side. Self serve on the drinks too. A fun place with excellent food and fast service There shakes are awesome !!! The place is run down and old, but clean. It gives an old dinner feel.

I tentatively decided to return here for a quick dinner on the way home the other day. Arctic Roadrunner is a longtime establishment that has been in operation for many years and this is the original location on where it all started. I wanted to give this place a second chance after my disappointing meal with the Kodiak Islander Burger. With an abundant of toppings that had all the standard burger ingredients in addition to mild chile peppers, salami, bologna, ham, mozzarella, and an onion ring, I would've expected to have a culinary treat for my tastebuds. The burger lacked flavor and it took me a year and a half before I could come here again to hopefully get a burger cooked the right way. Alas, my most recent visit here was a stark reminder that this place isn't what it used to be when it came to atmosphere and customer service. When I stepped in, the entire dining area was deserted, save for a solo diner eating at a booth in one corner of the restaurant. There was an employee at the cash register who was conversing with a customer who had already been helped and she was slow to acknowledge me even though I was standing right in front of her ready to place an order. (I hate it when employees do this when entering any dining establishment. It initially ruins a positive expectation on spending your hard-earned money just for the simple pleasure of eating out . She finally finished up her conversation and slowly looked at my direction without so much as a smile and a hello. Making a concerted effort to stay positive and the fact that I had a tiny lunch earlier in the day, I brushed it off. I went with an old reliable, the Bacon Burger with mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, bacon, and American cheese. It is hard not to go wrong on a classic favorite like this. I also ordered a side of their frozen onion rings rather than the homemade version. I was never a fan of the homemade style since it was a mushy, cluttered mess with breading that did not hold together and all the onions slipping out as you try to pick it up with a fork. I decided to take a seat at a corner booth next to the soda machines while waiting for my order. Here is where the experience ultimately becomes awkward and uncomfortable. The solo diner at the opposite end of the restaurant kept eyeballing me as he was eating his burger. He looked like he just came in off the street, but I wasn't certain. At that point, I quickly got up and decided to take my meal home. I asked the cashier if she could change my order to go. She sighed and yelled at the cook to put it in a bag. The wait was relatively short, but each minute was agonizing as the stranger kept looking over as he was eating and I had to deal with the cashier's attitude at the same time. (What a miserable experience... I got my food and got the hell out of there. Once I arrived home, I was hoping and praying that the burger would be better this time around. It was cooked properly, but the burger tasted flat and flavorless which also included the bacon! How in the world does someone fry up bacon that ends up with no flavor at all??? The frozen onion rings were a small consolation as they were crispy and juicy with a good amount of ketchup. For a meal that was over ten dollars, I have had a better meal from a standard fast food place at half that price without the attitude and the sociopath. It bothers me to give a one-star review especially to a business that is considered an institution here in town. However, I won't completely write off Arctic Roadrunner as I've had a better experience at their Old Seward location a few months back. The sad reality is that the days of walking into an old-fashioned burger joint for a great meal and cheerful employees who greet you like an old friend at this location are long gone.

If you ask folks in Anchorage where the best place to get a burger is, it's very likely this is one of the places that will be named. This place is very local and very established. It's got great ambiance with lots of Alaska memorabilia. The burgers, in my opinion, are just OK. You order at the counter and then your number is called, it's a fast foody setup. For this style of burger, I'm more of a Wee B's guy.