Welcome to Burger Beast, where burgers, comfort food, and food history collide.
Founded in 2008 by Miami-based food historian and writer Sef Gonzalez, BurgerBeast.com has become one of South Florida’s longest-running and most respected comfort food websites. What started as a personal obsession with burgers, fritas, diners, ventanitas, and regional fast food grew into a living archive of the restaurants and food traditions that deserve to be remembered.
This site exists for the people who still believe food tells a story.
Whether it’s a roadside burger stand in Mississippi, a legendary Cuban cafeteria in Miami, or a forgotten fast food chain from the 1970s, Burger Beast documents the places, people, and flavors that shaped American comfort food culture.
What’s Inside
Who Is Burger Beast?
Sef Gonzalez, better known as the Burger Beast, has spent nearly two decades documenting burgers, comfort food, diners, drive-ins, mom-and-pop restaurants, and forgotten food history.
Long before “food influencer” became a job title, Sef was driving across Florida hunting for old-school burger joints, regional specialties, ventanitas, and restaurants with stories worth preserving.
Raised in Miami and deeply influenced by Cuban comfort food culture, his work blends honest restaurant coverage with food history, nostalgia, and storytelling.
Since 2008, Burger Beast has evolved from a simple food blog into a trusted resource for comfort food lovers across Florida and beyond.
Marcela (“La Señora Beast”), Sef’s wife, was the person who originally encouraged him to start the blog. Over the years, friends, family members, collaborators, and road trip companions naturally became part of the Burger Beast story and helped shape the personality of the site.
What You’ll Find on BurgerBeast.com
- Honest burger and comfort food reviews
- Regional food guides and road trip eats
- South Florida restaurant coverage
- Classic diner, drive-in, and fast food history
- Coverage of food festivals and pop-ups
- Burger rankings and comfort food roundups
- Interviews, nostalgia, and forgotten restaurant stories
From Miami fritas and Cuban sandwiches to Mississippi hot tamales and Ohio hamburgers, Burger Beast focuses on the foods and restaurants that create lasting memories.
The Burger Museum by Burger Beast
Sef’s love of food history eventually led to the creation of the Burger Museum by Burger Beast, a Miami museum dedicated to burgers, fast food, and American comfort food culture.
The museum featured vintage menus, restaurant signage, toys, advertisements, memorabilia, and artifacts tied to the history of hamburgers and regional fast food culture.
While the museum itself is no longer open, its spirit lives on through Burger Beast’s ongoing food history work and the growing American Comfort Food Archive project.
All About the Burger
In 2019, Mango Publishing released All About the Burger, Sef Gonzalez’s burger history almanac.
The book explores the people, restaurants, innovations, and regional styles that helped shape America’s most iconic sandwich. It includes a foreword by burger historian George Motz and mixes deep-cut food history with classic burger lore.
Food Festivals and Events
Beyond the blog, Burger Beast has become known for organizing and curating food-focused events celebrating comfort food culture.
Events like Croqueta Palooza and Hamburger House Party bring together local restaurants, chefs, and comfort food obsessives from across South Florida. These events aren’t about trends or manufactured hype.
They’re built around community, nostalgia, and genuinely good food.
Burger Beast Burger Club
The Burger Beast Burger Club was created for the people who wanted more than a food blog.
What started as a small private community evolved into exclusive burger meet-ups, early access to events, limited merchandise, behind-the-scenes stories, and members-only experiences centered around comfort food culture. It’s less about influencers and more about community.
Burger Club members are the folks who travel for burgers, support mom-and-pop restaurants, debate regional burger styles, and genuinely care about preserving comfort food history.
Why Trust Burger Beast?
Burger Beast has spent nearly two decades building credibility the old-fashioned way: by showing up, paying for meals, talking to restaurant owners, documenting food history, and consistently supporting independent restaurants.
No chasing trends for clicks.
Just an ongoing obsession with burgers, comfort food, roadside Americana, and the restaurants that deserve to be remembered.
Media, Writing & Appearances
Over the years, Burger Beast has appeared on television, streaming platforms, podcasts, newspapers, magazines, and digital media outlets covering food culture and restaurant history.
- Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race
- Travel Channel’s Burger Land
- Netflix’s Street Food: Miami (Special Thanks)
- You Gotta Eat Here!
- Food Network UK’s Street Feasts USA
- Miami New Times
- edible South Florida
- Mythical Kitchen
Sef Gonzalez has also written extensively about burger history, Cuban comfort food, regional food traditions, and South Florida restaurant culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Burger Beast focuses on honest restaurant coverage, food history, and comfort food culture without chasing trends or hype. Every recommendation is rooted in real visits and long-term experience.
Yes. Burger Beast organizes and curates comfort food events including Croqueta Palooza and Hamburger House Party.
The Burger Beast Burger Club is a private community for hardcore comfort food fans featuring meet-ups, early access to events, exclusive merchandise, and behind-the-scenes content.
Yes. All About the Burger was published in 2019 and explores the history and evolution of America’s favorite sandwich.
Yes. Burger Beast collaborates with restaurants and pop-ups on limited-edition burgers inspired by old-school burger culture.
Contact the BEAST
Questions, collaborations, sponsorship inquiries, media appearances, or just want to talk burgers?
Use the contact form below.