Hellrayzor’s–Harveyville, Kansas

Harveyville, Kansas, is located in Wabaunsee County, a small, rural county with a population of around 8,000. Harveyville itself has less than 200 residents, although it was somewhat larger until February 2012, when an unusual late-February tornado tore through the heart of town, destroying an apartment complex and several houses. 

But as good country folk are known to do, many residents picked themselves back up and started over. Two such individuals were Bobbi and Kevin Rayzor. Bobbi had considerable experience in the restaurant and food service industry and had always wanted her own place, so her husband, Kevin, added on to their existing shop and converted it into a restaurant and bar called Hellrayzor’s. Clever. 

First Impressions

My wife and I have heard that they have one of the best burgers in Kansas and have been meaning to try it out since our kids played ball against Harveyville back in 2018 or 2019. Trying out Hellrayzor’s was long overdue, so a few weeks back we took the plunge and checked it out. 

So, the restaurant is a Mortan-style building with one half serving as an auto repair shop (I think; I’m still not entirely sure on this one), and the other half is the bar and restaurant. The building is on their property right next to their house, and just to the west of the restaurant is a lovely field with a thick wooded area. It is very picturesque. 

Walking into the bar is like walking into any country town or rural bar; lots of old photos on the wall, memorabilia from car races, car shows, license plates, a vintage classic gas pump, and who knows what else. The bar divides the main area with one half tables and chairs, while the other has the standard bar games. Beyond the main area is a dedicated game room, and then a second dining area is through a narrow hallway. 

Unless it is blazing hot or frigid, we sit outside. Neither of us are indoors folks, so sitting outside is second nature. The deck is very cool, with homemade tables and interesting chairs, and a good collection of house plants for those who care. 

The Menu

Hellrayzor’s has the simplest menu on the planet. Okay, I can’t prove that, but it has to be one of the simplest. You first pick what kind of sandwich you want, which is either a burger or a fried chicken sandwich. There are two sizes of burger patties, and I went with the 1 lb burger, of course. 

Then you choose the doneness, and move on to toppings, condiments, and cheese. And that’s it. All burgers come with a gigantic serving of hand-cut fries, and let me tell you, these were not only the best hand-cut fries I’ve ever had, they are probably the best fries I’ve ever had, and they brought out at least a pound of fries. It was ridiculous, frankly.

I ordered my burger medium, and it was perfectly cooked. The beef is sourced locally, as are all toppings, which Kevin sources and procures locally and hand-picks. 

The Environment

I won’t get too far into it, but Hellrayzor’s is most definitely more biker bar than family eatery, which I mostly expected. It has a reputation as a biker bar and mostly a bar, even though they advertise it as a family-friendly establishment. 

The owners were the only staff there, and I’ll just say this: they are definitely colorful. Bobbi dropped the F-bomb within about 30 seconds of seating us, and we ended up hearing a lot of her life story. 

But I could tell they liked us, and overall it was a good experience. 

The Verdict

Hellrayzor’s is definitely worth trying once. I don’t know if it is the best burger in Kansas, but it’s certainly one of the top two or three I’ve ever had. The fries were definitely some of the very best. 

The environment…it depends on your limits, I suppose. If you don’t want someone lighting up a Newport and proceeding to touch your baby without asking, you’ll be fine. If those things bother you, it might not be the place for you.

But again, it really is a top-tier burger, and the drive out to Harveyville is beautiful, especially this time of the year.