Ellis's review: Burnley burger restaurant is a gastro gem and treat day game-changer

There is no way to eat a towering burger and lashings of nachos with grace. With every mouthful, salsa, burger sauce, or guacamole is everywhere.

But this is the type of food we crave and dream about. That makes your eyes outgrow your belly. And we will happily lose our inhibitions over it and want to devour it the second it’s put in front of us.

Ellis’s in Burnley knows this well. Its website even calls the Manchester Road restaurant “The home of hopes, dreams and everything in between.”

And the menu – made of hand-pressed burgers, loaded fries, cocktails, and milkshakes – truly is dreamy. Just the height of the burgers, topped with tasty treats, is worth an Instagram photo before you take that first delicious bite.

The food might be messy, but the decor is anything but. It’s sleek and trendy, giving off a cool city vibe. And yet, like the menu, it still has a laid-back feel, boasting a sports area with darts, a pool table, and beer pong.

So, let’s return to our top priority: the food.

My partner went for the Real Mothacluckin’ G, a buttermilk fried chicken burger with shredded iceberg, smoked bacon, deep-fried halloumi, diced chorizo, mozzarella, and chilli jam.

His words were “very filling but very tasty”.

I enjoyed the gorgeous Gin + Juice burger, a vegetarian option of double-stacked deep-fried halloumi, shredded iceberg, Ellis’ sweet chilli mayo, house ‘slaw, fresh red onion, and smashed avocado. It was as satisfying as it looked.

We both washed our dishes down with an addictive Biscoff milkshake, with my partner calling it “incredible”.

You certainly get value for money here, as the burgers are stacked high and come with seasoned fries. We spent just over £50, which included sides of nachos and salt and pepper squid, plus a generous portion of children’s nuggets with chips and a drink for our toddler.

Hats off to the chefs, but I cannot exclude the waiting staff, who were friendly and welcoming from the moment we walked through the door. They couldn’t do more for us and made us feel welcome and relaxed, even with an energetic two-year-old who didn’t always want to stay at the table.

Ellis’s is the kind of place you can visit any time of the week and have a great time, whether for a chilled Sunday lunch with family or drinks with mates on a Friday or Saturday night.

That’s why I also have to tell you about the cocktail menu, which boasts all the traditional favourites like a mojito and porn star martini, as well as some of the restaurant’s unique creations, including the Burnley FC-inspired Claret + Blue.

I cannot wait to return to Ellis’s and try the Bottomless Brunch, which offers a burger, fries, and unlimited drinks.

I have to say it’s brilliant to have somewhere like this gastro gem in Burnley, somewhere that wouldn’t be out of place in Leeds or Manchester’s quirky Northern Quarter. The only difference, prices are much lower here.

It’s easy to see why the restaurant quadrupled in size since its inception in 2014 when it was a milkshake bar. Because when it comes to burgers and cocktails on treat day, Ellis’s is a game-changer.