SULLY'S GASTROBURGERS
& FRIES
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★★
District: Food truck
Thick burgers and hand-cut fries
Perfect For: Casual Dining; Takeout
Standout Dishes: The Aksarben; The Blackshirt; The Chipwich
In an age when smash burgers are all the rage, Brian Sullivan decided to go in a different direction. A longtime kitchen veteran, Brian sought the recipe to make the perfect burger, pouring hours and hours of reading and research into his endeavor.
He now serves the result of all that studying on his food truck, Sully’s GastroBurgers & Fries. And while I can’t say whether or not the burger is perfect, I can confidently say it’s extremely good.
Maybe even the best in Omaha.
It didn’t take long for the food truck to start gaining traction when Brian launched it in the summer of 2024. The bright red trailer and slick branding immediately brought customers to his window and, as soon as they got their hands on these burgers, they kept coming back again and again.
To simplify what makes Sully’s burgers so spectacular (if you want the full breakdown, check out this clip from his appearance on the Restaurant Hoppen podcast), Brian employs multiple grinds of grass-fed brisket, short rib, and chuck from Certified Piedmontese to craft a burger roulade. With all the grains facing the same way, the burger loses very little of its fat as it’s grilled. The result is a patty that’s not only very well seasoned, but also is so juicy that it eats more like a steak than a burger. Delicious meat juice practically explodes forth when you bite into it.
The best example of this is The Aksarben, which dresses the patty very simply: lettuce, tomato, pickles, and red onions. The humble toppings allow the burger itself to shine, and an herb cheddar aioli adds just the right amount of fat and creaminess.
Nearly as delicious is The Blackshirt (pictured in the header photo), which accentuates that brilliant patty with bacon so crispy it curls up, adding texture and salt. Melted American cheese dutifully enrobes the patty, which is slathered in spicy aioli. Pickled jalapeños join the party to cut through all the richness and fat.
Sully’s burgers range from basic to wildly unique, as there seems to be no flavor profile he’s scared to try. The Maverick combines burnt ends with a sweet heat BBQ sauce and whipped blackberry brie for a combination of sugar, spicy, and tartness to cut through the fat of the brisket. The Fun-Guy tops the patty with a variety of earthy, cooked-down mushrooms along with smoked gouda and a slather of white truffle balsamic aioli.
Sully’s standing menu has five burgers, though he routinely offers specials. Past examples have included burger versions of a Cubano, Reuben sandwich, BLT, and even a PB&J. Brian isn’t afraid to color outside the traditional lines when it comes to burgers, and that’s part of what makes his offerings special.
Of course, no self-respecting burger business can operate without great fries, and Sully’s delivers in that respect as well. Cooked in beef tallow, they’re crispy on the outside and creamy and fluffy in the middle, giving that brilliant texture contrast one looks for in the ultimate fry. These spuds excellent on their own or when dunked into one of Sully’s signature sauces, all made in house (I recommend the creamy, tangy Omaha sauce).
Speaking of the fries (and yes, this will sound crazy), Brian puts them inside a burger bun with sauce and cheese to form the Chipwich. This carb overload should not work… but it just does. The pillowy bun, crispy fries, and luscious, rich Omaha sauce combine to form something that makes no sense, but it tastes delicious.
And while I feel guilty recommending you have dessert after housing an enormous burger with a side of fries, leaving without a Rice Krispy Treat is a missed opportunity. Pleasantly soft and gooey, they’re reminicesent of the childhood treat. But Sully’s whips the crunchy cereals with brown butter and toasted marshmallows, giving you a nutty, rich, grown-up version of the classic.
Sully’s has two trailers: one that parks in front of Bob & Willie’s Wonderbowl in Blackstone, and another that roves around town. Follow Sully’s on Facebook and Instagram to see where they’re popping up next.
All of Brian’s burger research eventually led him to a recipe by Heston Blumenthal, the award-winning chef of The Fat Duck, a three-Michelin star restaurant in England. Though he tweaked it a bit, Brian credits this chef with helping him unlock the burger code.
There are plenty of great places around town to get a great smash burger, and they certainly have their time and place. But when you want an enormous, tender patty that sends meat running down your arms, Sully’s might just be the best burger in Omaha.