It is a little embarrassing that Goodfriend has been open for over a year now, and I just tried it for the first time last week, not that I haven’t tried before.

But editor Emily Toman featured Goodfriend in the July Advocate, and I discovered they have a burger called the “Redneck.” From the menu description: Beef burger with crispy Rudolph’s bologna, Redneck cheddar, red onion, lettuce and Miracle Whip. It’s a burger with fried bologna. Rudolph’s bologna. So I made it my mission to get this bologna burger in my belly.

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When I ordered this, the server asked, “Medium OK?” Normally, I would order my burger bloody, but something about the slight embarrassment of uttering, “I’d like the redneck burger, please,” and the fact that she and I both knew I was there for the fried bologna, prompted me to just say “OK.” So as appealing and secretly shameful/awesome as a bologna burger sounded, the actual meal didn’t do much for me. I would rather just have a fried bologna sandwich, which I knew how to make at home before I learned long division. Next time, I will order the “Loretta,” which comes with blue cheese and onion-bacon jam. Mmmm. Onion-bacon jam.

We also ordered fries, which don’t already come with the burgers. One order is plenty for two people, but we were a threesome, so we should’ve ordered two.

The burger cost $10.50; the Ommegang Rare Vos draft cost $6; and the fries cost $7. Goodfriend is a cool place to hang out in the neighborhood, they have a wide beer selection and the food is tasty.

Owners Matt Tobin and Josh Yingling say they opened Goodfriend because they saw a need for young families in the neighborhood to have a place to hang out. Tobin and Yingling also have plans to open a to-go beer and sandwich shop across Peavy from Goodfriend.