One of the biggest restaurant trends to emerge out of the Tampa Bay area over the past few years has been the rise of the fast-casual burger joint.  All across the city, gourmet burger purveyors like Square One Burgers, Burger 21, and Stacked Burgers have tapped into Tampa's unyielding hamburger hunger by serving up original and artfully crafted burgers most of us seem to love.

BGR The Burger Joint in North Tampa is one of the newest players in Tampa's gourmet burger game.  Serving up classic and innovative burgers crafted from all-natural, grain-fed beef, BGR has established itself as a viable contender amongst its Tampa burger brethren since its opening last November.

BGR sits in an unassuming strip mall setting off North Dale Mabry touting a casual atmosphere accentuated by an open kitchen, sleek wooden booths and tables and classic record covers on the walls.

In the same, fast-casual tradition of other similar eateries, BGR utilizes a quick, order at the counter system where patrons can pick from over 10 different burger varieties including their traditional, no-frills burger, the Greek, the Cuban,  the Southwestern, and more.

The spice junky in me went right for BGR's Southwestern burger featuring a patty blended with chipotle and poblano peppers on top of a mango bean salsa with pepper jack cheese.  Rounded out with a heaping serving of sweet potato fries, this combo made for a more-than-ample and deliciously creative lunch meal.

The Southwestern is a flavorful work of burger art.  It's equal parts sloppy and delicious oozing with melted cheese and drops of spicy grease that meld deliciously with its pillowy soft bun.  Be prepared to use two hands with an arsenal of napkins on hand as a managerie of spicy beef bits mango bean salsa spills from the edges into a fork-worthy pile on the plate.

The accompanying sweet potato fries come plentiful and lightly fried with a hint of salt to make for a palate-pleasing blend of salty and sweet perfect for dulling the smoky heat of the Southwestern burger.

Overall, BGR The Burger Joint has a solid concept on its hands that hopefully sticks around amidst its tough burger competition in Tampa.

If you've been to BGR The Burger Joint, let us know with your own review and rating on the 813area BGR The Burger Joint business listing.