CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE…A tropical getaway right in your own backyard

A.Samara

Have you ever wanted to get away from it all and go somewhere tropical but just don’t have the time between work, home, and all your responsibilities? Well look no further, I found the perfect spot in Langhorne, Pa just off the Rt 1 & 95 exits. Cheeseburger In Paradise is definitely the place to be! Just the name itself reminds me of the Jimmy Buffet song and already I feel like this is where I need to be. Just as soon as you walk in the door you feel like you are somewhere else and you notice all the cool tiki-like decorations and crafty little fish carved benches, palm trees and a super cool bar with the lyrics of Jimmy Buffet songs imbedded right into it. If you walk a little further and look to your right, you will see a fabulous out door deck with neat doors that open up like a garage. I always thought that was a very unique idea. That’s where I met a very nice man, Manager Partner, Dave Sweeney. He was very friendly and was happy to show me around the restaurant and give me a little history behind the story of this lovely little get away.

The first Cheeseburger In Paradise opened in 2002 in Key West Florida. The idea was to have a Jimmy Buffet like atmosphere with a menu of mostly finger foods & fun dishes that was completely different than most. From their slider burgers to their Cajun dishes and even a mass selection of specialty tropical drinks, you cant go wrong. Since then the Paradise Restaurant Group has opened 36 locations through out the US, and they even have one in Delaware too. Now lets talk about the food. When I checked out their menu I noticed there were so many different items to choose from and they all looked yummy. I even looked at their really cool drink menu which had so many drinks I couldn’t decide, but then I found the perfect martini called “Key Lime Pie” and perfect it was, with a blend of citrus vodka, sweet & sour, Key lime flavoring, whipped cream and a graham cracker rim. That is like an appetizer and dessert all wrapped up in one if you ask me. I highly encourage anyone to flip through the drink menu, especially on those hot summer days. They offer an array of Ice Cold Glacier drinks, Margaritas & Mojitos and serve them in giant colorful martini glasses. They even have Sangrias in single serving pitchers, you cant beat that, When I was ready to order, I had the pleasure of meeting bartender/waitress Selena Gillespie who is a recent graduate of West Chester University and has a bachelors degree in psychology. She was very nice and helpful and a wonderful personality to match. I ordered my martini of course and then moved on to trying a few specialty dishes that were prepared by Chef Erik Lowell of Langhorne, Pa. The first dish was called “Kickin Chicken Nachos” and wow what a huge plateful too! This dish consists of tasty fresh pulled chicken with tomatoes & jalapeno peppers and was delicious. I encourage you to bring a friend if you want to finish this plate of nachos. The second item was called “Kingston Pork with Rice”. They season the pork and have a corn salsa topping and give you a little spicy mango coconut dipping sauce. Lets not forget the zesty potato chips too, very tasty and really good especially if you take them home and reheat them in a toaster oven later. I love the almost burnt flavor so yummy! The food was so good but I didn’t have enough room to finish so I’m definitely going to come back and try different things and of course my favorite martini over the summer. There is also a good amount of entertainment at Cheeseburger In Paradise. Thursdays they have Quizzos, Friday & Saturday nights they have “live bands” like my friends (CJ, Chris & Tommy from the Seven Band) and “Karaoke” on Sundays. Did I mention the new Pool Room in the back they just recently opened? It’s a private back room with video games, pool tables, TV’s and even a jukebox. Perfect for planning a birthday party, business meeting, or any kind of get together in a private setting. Please contact Dave Sweeney: (215) 757-3179 for more information. The hours of operation at Cheeseburgers In Paradise are: 11:30-1am Monday thru Saturday and 11:30-11pm on Sundays. They are easy to find right off I-95 or Rt 1 in Langhorne, Pa and have a huge parking lot with plenty of parking. They are located right in the surrounding Oxford Valley Mall circle, so you can go shopping and then stop by if your hungry. Bring the whole family for some great fun, delicious food and great entertainment!  For all you sports fans they offer $2.00 Budweisers during all the Phillies & Flyers games and many large HD TV’s to enjoy them. Also be sure to check out their website for an online look at their menu, entertainment and upcoming special events: www.cheeseburgerinparadise.com All in all, I really had a nice time and enjoyed the food and beverages, not to mention the friendly staff. I hope you will stop by and experience it for yourself, I promise its definitely worth it.