Savoring one of Arizona’s best burgers in America’s largest ghost town
MMM The Haunted Hamburger was one of the best hamburgers I’ve ever had! We’re having lots of fun and have had some great food if you can’t tell. What started as a simple meal stop during our Arizona adventure turned into an unforgettable dining experience with both incredible flavors and fascinating history. Perched on the side of Cleopatra Hill in the historic mining town of Jerome, this quirky restaurant delivers not just mouthwatering burgers but also a side of genuine ghost stories.
A Haunted History
The Haunted Hamburger isn’t just named for marketing effect – the restaurant has a genuinely spooky backstory. When owners Michelle and Eric Jurisin purchased the abandoned building years ago, they encountered numerous inexplicable events during renovations. The building, which once served as a mining boarding house and later a private residence, seemed to have tenants that never left.
According to local lore, the ghostly activity began with disappearing hammers. Not one, not two, but three hammers mysteriously vanished during renovations. The owners initially blamed memory lapses until a previous owner asked if they’d “met the ghosts yet” and warned them that the spirits had a peculiar fondness for hammers. Soon after, the missing tools began reappearing in conspicuous places around the building.
The hammer incidents were just the beginning. Other paranormal occurrences reported at the restaurant include flying cans, hot water turning on by itself in the middle of the night, distinctive smells in the stairwell, and even photographs capturing the vague image of a woman. While I can’t personally confirm any supernatural encounters during our visit, the atmosphere certainly has that perfect blend of cozy and creepy that makes for a memorable dining experience.
Jerome: From Billion-Dollar Copper Camp to Ghost Town
To understand why Jerome has so many haunted locations, including our burger joint, you need to know a bit about the town’s wild history. Founded in 1876, Jerome was built on Cleopatra Hill above a massive copper deposit. The town was named after Eugene Jerome, a New York investor who ironically never actually visited the place that bears his name.
Jerome’s fortunes rose with the copper mining industry. By the early 1900s, it had become the fourth largest city in Arizona with a peak population of around 15,000 in the 1920s. The United Verde Mine was so productive that Jerome earned the nickname “The Billion Dollar Copper Camp,” producing an astonishing 3 million pounds of copper monthly during its heyday.
Jerome wasn’t just known for its mineral wealth – it had quite the notorious reputation. The San Francisco Examiner once dubbed it “the wickedest town in America.” At its peak, Jerome boasted 21 saloons, 8 brothels, numerous opium dens, and plenty of gambling establishments operating 24 hours a day to accommodate miners working round-the-clock shifts.
Like many mining towns, Jerome’s prosperity didn’t last forever. The Great Depression hit the mining industry hard, and by 1953, the mines had closed completely. The population dwindled to fewer than 100 residents, and Jerome seemed destined to become just another abandoned ghost town. However, in a remarkable turn of events, artists began to move in during the 1960s and 70s. The Jerome Historical Society marketed it as “the largest ghost town in America,” and today it thrives as a quirky tourist destination with about 450 permanent residents.
Burger Bliss with a View
Now, let’s get to the important stuff – the food! The Haunted Hamburger isn’t just trading on its spooky name and location; they genuinely serve up one of the best burgers I’ve ever sunk my teeth into. Juicy, perfectly cooked, and topped with fresh ingredients, my burger was absolutely incredible. You can see the before-and-after photos above that tell the whole delicious story!
Beyond the excellent food, the restaurant offers some amazing views. Located at 410 Clark Street, the building sits perched on the hillside with a back porch that provides spectacular panoramas of the Verde Valley and even the San Francisco Peaks some 50 miles in the distance. There’s something special about enjoying a perfectly cooked burger while gazing out at the same landscape that once drew miners seeking fortune.
The Haunted Hamburger is part of “The Haunted Group,” a husband-and-wife team (the same Jurisins who encountered the ghosts) who own several popular restaurants in the area. Their commitment to quality is evident in every bite, and they’re also members of Local First Arizona, supporting the state’s economy by sourcing ingredients locally whenever possible.
If you’re wondering whether to make the trip up the winding road to Jerome just for a burger – yes, it’s absolutely worth it. Between the unique atmosphere, the stunning views, and the mouthwatering food, The Haunted Hamburger delivers an experience that goes far beyond just a meal.
More Than Just Burgers: Exploring Jerome
While The Haunted Hamburger is a destination in itself, Jerome offers plenty of other attractions worth checking out if you make the trip:
- Jerome State Historic Park – Housed in the Douglas Mansion, this museum offers insights into the town’s mining history with exhibits featuring photographs, artifacts, and minerals.
- Ghost Tours – Several companies offer guided tours of Jerome’s most haunted locations, sharing tales of the town’s colorful and sometimes tragic past.
- The Sliding Jail – This quirky attraction is exactly what it sounds like: a jail that “slid” down the hillside due to unstable ground, eventually coming to rest 225 feet from its original location.
- Gold King Mine Ghost Town – Just a mile north of Jerome, this former mining camp turned tourist attraction features old buildings, mining equipment, antique vehicles, and even a petting zoo.
- Art Galleries – Jerome has reinvented itself as an artist community, with numerous galleries showcasing local talent in buildings that once housed saloons and brothels.
The town’s precarious position on the mountainside, complete with switchback roads and steep staircases, adds to its charm. Just be prepared for a workout if you decide to explore on foot – and maybe don’t plan too many activities after indulging in one of those massive burgers!
A Haunting Good Meal
The Haunted Hamburger exemplifies what makes travel so rewarding – those unexpected discoveries that combine great food, fascinating history, and stunning scenery into a memorable experience. Whether the ghosts are real or just good marketing doesn’t really matter; the burger is definitely real, and definitely delicious.
So if you find yourself in Arizona and feel like a road trip to one of America’s most interesting ghost towns, make sure The Haunted Hamburger is on your itinerary. Just keep a close eye on your hammers – you never know who might be borrowing them!
Join the Conversation
Have you ever visited Jerome or The Haunted Hamburger? Or do you have another favorite “haunted” restaurant worth sharing? Let us know in the comments below!