When High Pointe Burger Jointe was recently voted Best New Restaurant in Wayne County by Hour Detroit Magazine, owner Jennifer Bierkle, a fifth-generation Grosse Pointer, was thrilled. It took a lot of time, dedication, and passion to make the business a success.
“I had never been in the restaurant business before,” she says. “I grew up in the car business. [Her family owns a sixth-generation car dealership in Detroit that just celebrated its 100-year anniversary.] “My degree is in automotive marketing management, and I was in sales at the dealership while raising my kids.”
It was actually her family who inspired her to open a restaurant. In 2020, when the world shut down and more people were cooking at home, sliders were often on the Bierkle family menu. “As a stay-at-home mom, I spent the last 20 years cooking for my two kids, Alivia and Benjamin. During Covid, I bought my husband Jason a flat-top grill, and we started making all different kinds of smash burgers.”
After a while, the menu expanded to include hand-battered chicken, grilled cheese, and hot dogs on the grill for family, neighbors, and friends. They were a huge hit.
Later, Jennifer thought that bringing this type of food to Grosse Pointe would be fun for the community. “Jason is an entrepreneur, so I really looked to him for the business side of everything because obviously I'd never opened a business of my own before, let alone a restaurant.”
They found a space on Fisher Road, and as they were creating the menu, their daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease. After doing some research, the couple discovered how difficult it was for celiacs and people who eat gluten-free to dine out. “I looked at my husband and said, ‘I'm not going to open a restaurant where my daughter can't eat.’”
Fortunately, they had already installed two deep fryers, so they designated one as gluten-free. “Because we make everything to order, we can convert almost the entire menu to gluten-free, which is unheard of in the restaurant business,” says Jennifer.
The fried chicken, which is hand-cut and soaked in buttermilk, can be coated with a gluten-free breadcrumb mix. “We've had customers come in who say they haven't had a piece of fried chicken in years.”
High Pointe Burger Jointe also makes gluten-free handmade fried pickles, French fries, and more. Of course, gluten-free buns are available too. “It's just been really great to offer all of this to the celiac and gluten-free community.”
The regular menu features unique offerings, such as the Anna Smasher, a beef patty topped with peanut butter, jelly, and bacon. Anna’s manager Megan Clark's daughter and head bartender, came up with the menu idea.
Its signature classic smash burger is a two-ounce beef patty with melted cheese and grilled onions smashed down so the edges get crispy. Since Jennifer likes to support other local family businesses, the beef comes from Fairway Packing and the buns from Metropolitan Buns.
Although many of the items are called Smashers (or Little Smashers for kids), they aren’t actually smashed down. “We only smash the burgers, but we thought it was cute to name them all Smashers,” she says. “They're small, so you can have a chicken and a beef, and then maybe one for dessert.”
The most popular dessert is the S'mores Smasher. “We use the original marshmallow fluff and a Hershey bar on a toasted bun with graham cracker crumbs. It's delicious.”
There are also monthly specials, some of which have become mainstays on the regular menu. “Megan was the one who brought us our Lobster Smasher. It's fresh Maine lobster on a split-top buttered bun, and it's a fan favorite.”
The rest of the menu, which includes salads and appetizers, is inspired by family, friends, staff, and sometimes customers.
The large variety of sauces also adds a special touch to each Smasher. “Our Chicken Bacon Ranch Smasher with pimento cheese, which is made in-house, has our homemade ranch sauce,” says Jennifer.
There’s also a full bar that includes about 25 craft cocktails. The Sally's Cosmopolitan is named after her mother, who’s known for her cosmos. The Espresso Martini, which is brewed fresh in-house, is one of its top sellers, along with the Fresh Farms Margarita - named after Fresh Farms Market - which supplies some of the produce.
“We also have Party Girl Bubbles, which is made by another Grosse Pointe family,” she says. “We try to stay community-focused because I love this community, and I just want to make sure that it’s all about Grosse Pointe.”
The community support, she says, has been incredible. “People tell me that High Pointe is a lot like Cheers. It's such a nice, warm, friendly atmosphere for adults and kids, and we really work hard to keep it that way.”
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“It was important for me to create a space where everyone was welcome. Dads can get tap beers, moms can get a glass of wine or a good martini, and kids can have Slurpees. We've had 9-year-old birthday parties and 60-year-old birthday parties here.”