Brother Don's Bar & Grill (Bremerton WA)

Date: February 17, 2025

Location: 4200 Kitsap Way, Bremerton WA

Website: brotherdons.net

Brother Don’s is a full-service restaurant and bar, family owned and operated in Bremerton since 1978. Don’t be put off by the modest facade! This is a clean, comfortable, all ages establishment, with a friendly waitstaff, great live music, beautiful views of Oyster Bay, and a fantastic menu offering a wide selection of steaks, sandwiches, soup, salads, pizza, seafood, and burgers.

I ordered the deluxe Jalapeño Burger, a 1/3 LB grilled beef patty with melted pepper jack cheese, sliced jalapeño peppers, whole leaf lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, and house sauce, on a toasted bun.

1 Aesthetics — Very appetizing and inviting! 7

2 Flavor — Zesty and savory! The burger was seared on the outside, and juicy on the inside, just the way I like it, and they definitely did not skimp on the jalapeños!  7.5

3 Mouthfeel — Great! This burger had the correct ratio of lean to fat in the ground beef and was cooked until firm but still juicy. The rough charred texture of the meat, together with the satisfying crunch of the green leaf lettuce, made for a very pleasant mouthfeel that enveloped my taste buds. 8.5

4 Quality/Freshness — Surprisingly high-quality, better than the usual pub fare. The lettuce and tomato, in particular, were ripe and full of color, and the ground beef tasted very fresh. 8

5 Integrity — A solidly well-constructed burger. 7

6 Atmosphere — Like a cross between a diner and roadhouse, with table seating and a full bar adorned with neon signs. On this busy and boisterous night, all the patrons were in high spirits listening to saxophonist Chris Bickley perform. 6

7 Service — Outstanding! The two women sharing bar and table service duties were very friendly and efficient. My burger arrived surprisingly quickly, too. 9

8 Satisfaction — A very satisfying meal! The spiciness of my big 1/3 LB burger paired beautifully with their creamy and crunchy house-made coleslaw. 7

9 Creativity/Uniqueness — I’ve had jalapeño burgers in the past, but this one was different. This time, they included enough sliced peppers to cover the entire surface of the burger, so that I enjoyed the kick of pepper jack and jalapeño in every bite. All the other veggies, too, were sliced, not chopped, and arranged to cover the entire surface of the bun. This made for a uniquely zesty flavor profile. 7

10 Value — Not bad! $14.95 gets you this deluxe burger with your choice of hand cut fries, tater tots, and coleslaw. 7

What can I say? I’m definitely a fan, and I’ll definitely be back. Recommended.

Total Score: 74