As you step into Mary Jane's Burgers & Brew, you're not just a guest—you're family. The warm, inviting atmosphere will make you feel right at home. The place is always hopping, the drinks flow, and a spirit of excitement and fun is in the air.
We met with Devon Coppaway, daughter of serial entrepreneur Carisa Stark, who grew up in the business and has worked at the restaurant since its opening in 2013. In her 11 years of working there, she has filled all of the restaurant's positions and is now the operations manager poised to take over all operations of Mary Jane Burgers and Brew in Perryville. To add to her experience, Devon developed many of the delicious recipes we had the great and yummy pleasure of trying. Devon said she wanted the new Mary Jane's Burgers & Brew menu to offer something for everyone and cater to every taste bud, but with unique combinations you won’t find anywhere else. Let me first say the mission was accomplished! Everything we tasted was mouth-watering, and the desire to come back for more made moving on to the next dish hard. But we suffered through, and without further ado, here’s what we tasted.
Yes, Devon is expecting a new member to the family as well.
They call this the GOAT burger. It's two perfectly cooked smash beef patties topped with goat cheese, served on greens, and a blueberry compote on a soft, warm ciabatta bun. The greens and blueberries add a pop of flavor that works perfectly with the patties.
Fajitas options include steak, shrimp, and chicken, with grilled peppers and onions. They are served with a side of rice with Baja sauce drizzled on top and tortilla shells. This is very tasty and rivals what you would find at any Mexican restaurant. It’s a thoughtful addition to the menu designed to please those who have a hankering for something other than a burger.
Enter the Monk Dip, a play on the popular Monk Burger—cream cheese and beef dip that blend together perfectly as the base topped with house beer cheese, bacon, and scallions. It's served with pretzel coins, house-made, perfectly prepared tomato basil, jalapeno cheddar, and spinach chips. The chips hold the smooth and creamy dip and add a crunchy bite. The variety of chips makes every bite a unique explosion in your mouth. It’s warm and filling and dangerously good.
The smell of this meatloaf takes you back to your momma's kitchen, and you are pleasantly surprised by the first bite, which has a deep, smokey flavor that will make your belly growl whether you are hungry or not. (I know this from personal experience.) This house-made meatloaf is made with “secret ingredients” and gets its smokey flavor because it’s smoked outside on the smoker, and they add in the house Porter BBQ sauce. It’s tender, but you get the favorite crunchy ends in every bite. It is served with traditional mashed potatoes with the peel in and buttered corn, which is just like eating buttered corn on the cob, except you can eat it without the mess.
Most dishes are served with unlimited delicious fries and house-made smoked ketchup.
The Smokey & The Bandit Hoagie is more than a meatball sandwich. The house meatballs are seasoned, hand-patted, baked to perfection, and then fried. They have a nice crunchy bite but are tender on the inside. Add in the unexpected Porter BBQ sauce and provel on a hoagie toasted to perfection, and it was taste-bud bliss.
Devon is a woman of her word! The menu offers something for everyone, including three satisfying salads for those who want something on the lighter side.
The servings are generous, and the food is so delicious that you will want to eat every bite. But if by chance there’s room for dessert or if you want to share, ask your server because they have different featured desserts, so you never know what delightful dessert you might find.
We tasted the Cronut Dessert. It's a combination of sweet, salty, and crunchy—it makes my tongue ache just thinking about it. Think vanilla ice cream on top of a cronut tossed in cinnamon sugar, drizzled with chocolate syrup and topped with bacon strips. So delish!
But wait, what about the brew? Don’t worry. They have 25 rotating draft beers. If you are not a beer or wine drinker, they have you covered with their Signature Cocktails.
Mary Jane’s Burgers & Brew is a destination restaurant, and by that, I mean people travel from near and far, so some of our 573 Family might be happy to know they offer Saturday and Sunday Brunch from 10 am to 2 pm that features a Unique Menu and Bottomless Mimosas and brunch Cocktails.
There you have it. GET OUT THERE! Do something. Get out of that sunken sofa. Take a class. Make some cookies. Restore a historic building. What one person can do, another person can. Do something. Do anything. Do it now. GET OUT THERE!
words by Denelle Smugala
pics & video by Supreme Leader of 573 Magazine.
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