Killer Burger has a variety of burgers available including the Peanut Butter Pickle Bacon burger, top, and the Jose Mendoza burger which has roasted green chiles and Monterey Jack cheese.

For weeks, I anxiously anticipated the local opening of Killer Burger, a Portland-based fast food chain known for “the burgers your momma warned you about.”

A Facebook page told me the grand opening was scheduled from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, July 26. 

But imagine my delicious delight when I opened my work email July 17 and discovered that Killer Burger would host a soft opening from that day through July 24, to train its staff.

My taste buds could not clock out of the office fast enough. I left at 4:45 p.m.

Killer Burger, located inside the space that once housed Chipotle at Northgate Marketplace, 7 Rossanley Drive, has a dark-colored interior much like the burrito chain did. Except instead of drawings of a chipotle pepper, I was greeted with an illustration of a raging, red bomb that seems as though it’s about to go off, warning me I was about to devour a different kind of burger.

On my maiden visit, I ordered the Mötley Qüe, which includes both crispy and grilled onions, bacon and Monterey Jack cheese, as well as barbecue and “Killer Burger House” sauces. I also ordered fries, which came with my choice of sauces (more on that in a moment).

The burger patty and toppings came on a kaiser roll-type bun. The burger was well-done. No problem, unless you’re the kind of person who likes it bleeding red and juicy (not me).

The bacon and crispy onions on top paired well with the barbecue sauce, which was not overly sweet. 

The fact that the house sauce and grilled onions married themselves on the bottom side of the burger provided a unique twist to the typical barbecue burger. There was the sweet spot.

Speaking of sauce, Killer Burger prides itself on six different kinds of dipping sauces to go with their fries. 

I asked my server for Bender sauce — Killer Burger’s version of spicy barbecue. Maybe that was a redundant choice since I had just ordered a barbecue burger, but I was in for a surprise. The immediate taste was smoky, but I was left with a powerful spicy kick that made me feel like I had to dab my forehead of sweat (Mercy Flights, don’t worry about me).

The fries were excellent. While I typically prefer the skinny type, these offered a nice, potatoey thickness and were generously salted — you really can see the salt. If there’s one thing I learned as a burger connoisseur, the fries must match the quality of the burger.

I can’t end this report without saying a word about the service.

The woman who rang me up was cheerful and made sure she got my order down correctly amid the noise of a new establishment. Likely recognizing the employees are still learning how to perfect their jobs, she remarked, “Hopefully, you enjoy it.” 

An employee brought me my meal with a smile when it was ready. Other employees asked whether I needed anything as I was eating (at one point, I failed to respond adequately because my mouth was full of food). I left by saying, “Thank you” and received a fist bump by an employee.  

To the new Killer Burger employees, I say, “You killed it!”

To the rest of the Rogue Valley community I say, don’t wait another minute to try Killer Burger.