Spicy San Antonio: Dos Sirenos Spicy Burger

Bottom Line: The Dos Sirenos Spicy Burger is quite hefty and tasty, and this one certainly delivers on the heat.

The craft beer industry is struggling these days, with quite a number of notable breweries closing down across the country. And San Antonio has not been immune to that, with the loss of award-winning breweries like Weathered Souls and Second Pitch. But fortunately, we still have some good brewpubs to choose from, and we should make it a point to get out and support them. One in particular that I frequent is Dos Sirenos, just south of downtown, and they appear to be doing good business. Part of that is certainly tied to their expansive selection of craft beers, but they’re also serving up some excellent food—including several items that deliver a kick.

I’ve written about this brewery in the past, trying out their wings and Loaded Jerk Fries (more on those here) and also their Smokey Boy Pizzetta (read about that one here). On a recent stop, I noticed the Dos Sirenos Spicy Burger on the menu, which must be a relatively recent addition because I don’t remember seeing it before. Though more often, I just stop by for a beer and a snack, so it’s possible I overlooked it because I didn’t want that much to eat. But this time around, I brought my appetite and ordered up that spicy burger, which comes with a half-pound all-beef patty, ghost pepper jack, smashed avocado, onion strings, lettuce, tomato, jalapeños, and siren sauce.

This is certainly a big burger, with a patty that is quite thick and tasty. It was cooked a little more than I prefer—coming close to well-done—but it wasn’t dried out at all and delivered plenty of good, beefy flavor. The onion strings added a nice crunch, and quite a few of those fell out, becoming an impromptu side order. The cheese adds creaminess along with just a touch of sharpness. The jalapeños have a nice, vinegary pop, and that siren sauce delivers some tang and heat. And the avocado offered a nice creaminess to counter the heat of the spicy items. As for the bun, they’re either making those in-house or buying locally, because it was quite fresh and tasty and did a great job of bringing everything together.

Heat-wise, this burger definitely delivers a kick with all the spicy items added to it. I’d put it just a little bit below Hot on my scale, and the average mortal will certainly struggle with this one. But it offers a great combination of ingredients that complement the beef and elevates it into a heck of a spicy burger, hitting that sweet spot I always search for where fire meets flavor.

Dos Sirenos doesn’t share calorie info for their food, but I can assure you this is not diet food! And it’s a good thing I split that order of Loaded Jerk Fries with my two dinner companions because those definitely packed on the calories as well!

As for the beers, I started off with the Trident Tripel, which is rich, full-bodied, and rather potent at 8.2% alcohol content. I then paired their Giuseppi Italian Pilsner (one of their rotating selections) with the burger, and that worked out perfectly. The beer is on the lighter side, though it still has plenty of taste—unlike many mass-produced American pilsners. It added the perfect cooling contrast to counter the spiciness of the burger.

The Dos Sirenos Spicy Burger is the spiciest thing I’ve had at that brewery so far, and I’ll definitely be adding this place to my Spicy San Antonio list. And they have other options that bring the heat if you’re not craving a burger with your beer. Plus, the suds they’re brewing up are worth the trip alone, so be sure to get out and support our local brewers by putting this place on your list of restaurants to visit on a regular basis!

Dos Sirenos Brewing
231 East Cevallos Street
San Antonio, Texas

Website: dossirenosbrewing.com