Conquering the Main Street Burger at Kelso Corner Grill

A couple of weeks ago a little "birdie" clued me in and inspired me to take a quick trip south on the interstate to visit the Kelso Corner Grill, located at 151 S. Messmer St. in Kelso, Missouri.

For those who have been around a while, the restaurant is located in the building that formerly housed the beloved "Ray's of Kelso" restaurant. In fact, the name "Ray's" can still be seen on the awning hanging over the door to the dining room entrance of the restaurant. That is where the similarity ends.

Owner David Turner brings decades of experience to the table through his previous ownership of City Limits Grill in Charleston, Missouri. He previously closed City Limits and opened the Kelso Corner Grill in 2017, referring to it as his "retirement restaurant," which appears to serve as a testimony to his dedication and enjoyment of the food service industry.

As with many restaurants, COVID-19 took its toll, and Turner shut down operations for some time due to staffing difficulties. Lucky for us, they are now happily up and running, ready to serve anyone looking for good food at reasonable prices in a casual family-friendly atmosphere.

When I arrived, I accidentally entered the door on the right, which leads to the bar area. A group of customers were enjoying drinks and each other's company while watching college basketball. They looked like a friendly bunch, so I grabbed a seat at the bar where the cheerful bartender promptly appeared and provided me with a menu and recommendations.

Kelso Corner Grill wings-the secret is in the sauce.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

Kelso Corner Grill wings-the secret is in the sauce.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

Consensus was the wings are the go-to menu item. According to Turner, what makes them special is his homemade sauce made with a top-secret concoction of ingredients. One of the patrons praised the pizza as his personal favorite, while others vouched for everything else on the menu.

Fried fish or chicken strip dinners along with sides. Sandwiches. Salads. Appetizers. Nachos. Burgers. After reviewing both sides of the menu, I finally settled on what sounded like the largest single-serve item: The Main Street Burger.

In fact, while the other patrons admitted to enjoying burgers at the Kelso Grill, they had yet to conquer Main Street Burger. I felt like a warrior entering new territory. I was dressed for the gym in stretchy workout gear, but that day the spandex-like material was going to be put to the test serving another purpose.

The Main Street Burger was a worthy adversary.

I would give it a 10/10 on showmanship alone. It was a beautiful monstrosity comprised of a thick-cut fried slice of bologna and a beef patty topped with a fried egg, cheese, bacon, tomato, and shredded lettuce served on a bun.

Kelso's Corner Grill is easily accessible from I-55.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

Kelso's Corner Grill is easily accessible from I-55.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

As I cut my burger in half preparing for the attack, I was served a couple of wings to sample.

Briefly distracted, I grabbed a wing, took a bite, and quickly joined the others in the chorus of praise. The sauce was splendid. Wings typically serve as a tasty vehicle to transport ranch dressing to my mouth. Not this time. In fact, the wings were so good it seemed a tragedy to even consider using the ranch dressing.

I returned my attention to the main attraction, took a bite and spontaneously nodded my satisfaction to no one in particular. In my opinion, the thickness of the bologna made all the difference, allowing the smokey saltiness to shine through and complement the rich flavor of the beef while melding perfectly with the other ingredients. I also want to note, sometimes the flavor of a fried egg atop a burger can get lost in the mix, but not this time. Everything in me wanted to devour every last bite and claim bragging rights before the crowd, but after giving it the good ole college try, I threw in the towel and asked for a to-go container.

I may be alone in this, but sometimes my tastebuds win the battle and, in the interest of full disclosure, the to-go container just does not make it home with me. That was the case on this visit. Somehow, I managed to one-handedly wrangle the remaining half of the burger to my mouth on my way home. I felt like I completed a tremendous feat with no one there to witness it, so I am grateful I get to share my story here and preserve it for all of eternity.

The Kelso Corner Grill successfully serves a big bang for your buck.

If you are looking for a casual atmosphere and good food, Kelso's Corner Grill is your destination.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

If you are looking for a casual atmosphere and good food, Kelso's Corner Grill is your destination.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo