Hamburguesas y Cervezas is one of the latest restaurants to open downtown, and it’s trying to separate itself from the rest with a fusion of Mexican cuisine and American classics.
This isn’t the first restaurant for owners Randy and Terry Bortin, however, as the brother duo have each opened their own restaurants prior to opening this one together. Terry Bortin and his wife, America, own America’s Taco Shop in Scottsdale and Phoenix. Randy Bortin owns My Slice of the Pie Pizzeria in Arcadia, which features New York-style pizza with Mexican and Southwestern influences.
The idea for opening a new hamburger spot with a Mexican twist stemmed from Randy Bortin, who then asked his brother if he wanted to join him.
With almost 30 years now in the restaurant business, Randy Bortin got his start at the age of 16, working at the now-shuttered, but once-notable Biltmore restaurant Oscar Taylor. Throughout his time working in restaurants, he said that he has done just about everything “from busing to owning.”
Randy Bortin said that he ran two locations of America’s Taco Shop, and while he wasn’t well versed in the kitchen prior to working with them, he had to learn fast. He said because of this experience he “learned how to do things [he] never imagined doing.”
One of the owners of America’s Taco Shop and Randy’s sister-in-law, America Corrales-Bortin, inspired his idea for a fusion of cultures for Hamburguesas y Cervezas because she grew up cooking side-by-side with her mom.
“Those are generational recipes that aren’t written down on paper, they’re taught in the kitchen,” he said.
When he talked about opening My Slice of the Pie Pizzeria, Randy Bortin said that he had a local pizza joint he would go to and one day it was closed; he came back the next week and it was still closed. It continued like that for the rest of the month, until he finally called the landlord and asked what he needed to do to start his own business.
“Stars didn’t align, a few months later I get a call from my broker about a space, stars did align,” Randy Bortin said, and that was the first step.
When he decided to open the restaurant, the first thing that came to his mind was al pastor pizza.
“I’m not a chef, I’m not a culinary expert, I’m an ideas guy that tries to figure out how to put it together,” he said. Although it is a unique menu item, it is a cult classic at My Slice of the Pie Pizzeria.
This idea has transcended into Hamburguesas y Cervezas’s menu as they have their own spin on the classic dish with an al pastor burger and al pastor chicken wings.
When drafting ideas for Hamburguesas y Cervezas, Randy Bortin knew he would not be the creator of Mexican fusion cuisine. But he believes their menu is unique by being inspired directly from Hispanic driven ideas and concepts.
21-year-old Nimra Diaz, a patron of Hamburguesas y Cervezas, said she enjoyed the simplicity of the space because it allowed for the menu to shine and that was something that intrigued her.
Randy Bortin said that while he knows they are still new, he hopes being located in a college town will help the business and bring in people.
“Hopefully by next fall we’re not only a fan favorite of ASU students, but we’re in partnership with ASU,” Randy Bortin said. Community is a big deal to him and his partners because “that’s who we are.”
He said that the most important thing to him is making the restaurant a place that everyone can enjoy and feel at home.
“Serving people is one thing, but creating experiences is another,” Randy Bortin said. “We want to be the place where people come and they just feel like ‘thank God I’m here, I get to have great food, I get to have some great beverages, I get to talk to friends.’”
Contact the reporter at anhillia@asu.edu.
