The Tower Grove community doesn’t have to say goodbye to their smash burgers. Good Neighbor will officially open this week at 3169 Morgan Ford Road, former home of SmashEm’s Burger Bar. The new restaurant from the owners of Cuatro Tacos has been hosting soft openings to perfect their process before the official opening on Jan. 22.
The mission of Good Neighbor is all in the name, according to co-owner Ian Nava. When Tower Grove South lost its resident smash burger restaurant, Nava and co-owner Tom Shrout worked quickly, turning around a new opening in about four weeks with the goal of continuing to provide a space that the community loves.
According to Nava, the appeal of the smash burger is all in the flavor. “It comes down to the recipe and the tradition,” he said. Nava loves burgers, and he believes a good smash burger gets more flavor and a better cook than a traditionally flipped burger. While Good Neighbor is a venture entirely separate from SmashEms’ Burger Bar, Nava said he wants customers to continue enjoying old favorites. To that end, Good Neighbor’s currently includes a jalapeno burger, with white American cheese, smoked jalapeno aioli, tomato, bacon and jalapeno relish. The barbecue burger features Korean barbecue sauce, mayo, bacon, white American cheese and an onion ring. Customers can also order a garlic burger, Old School, and the Au Cheval with a sunny-side up egg, plus wings and onion rings. Nava is looking forward to incorporating customer feedback on the menu, which will include adding new specialty burgers, gluten-free buns and an Impossible burger in the near future.
The crew at Good Neighbor has been hard at work making the space one for the community. Nava is proud of how the community has embraced his other venture, Cuatro Tacos, which features a wall with customer signatures. He hopes to bring the same to Good Neighbor. Since taking over the space, he and the rest of the crew have been focused on optimizing the restaurant for efficiency by remodeling the kitchen and getting online ordering set up. QR codes will be coming this summer so customers walking outside with their families or pets can continue to enjoy the sunshine while placing an order.
“The company is very much trying to be a great family member,” Nava said. He has lived in St. Louis for over 30 years and spent about as many years in the restaurant industry. With Good Neighbor, Nava aims to create a family-friendly space that also prioritizes the well-being of its employees. He looks forward to taking extra steps to get to know new customers and hopes that in the next few years, the Cuatro Tacos and Good Neighbor family of businesses continues to grow. “People will always come back if you treat them like a family member or listen to them.”
Starting Jan. 22, Good Neighbor will be open from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. every day except Tuesday.