By Billy S. Garland

It is 2 a.m. The smell of sizzling grease hangs heavily in the air. A tired and grumpy woman behind the counter flips the burgers ordered by a table of college students. An elderly woman plays solitaire on the small touch-screen video game system at the end of the countertop. The night that seemingly should have been brought to an end hours before is reinvigorated, as the jingling of the doorbell signals the entrance of a tall man in drag. This may sound like a wild night, but it is actually fairly normal at Burger Boy.
The diner, located at the corner of South Brook Street and East Burnett Avenue in Old Louisville, has been on the same street corner for over 30 years. Even with a change of owner back in July, the small greasy-spoon style diner has continued to serve the same kind of food throughout its history. Don’t expect any tofu on the menu, but the small diner does offer everything from bison burgers to T-bone steaks to biscuits and gravy.
“I always get the cheese sticks,” said University of Louisville graduate Alexander Owen. “I mean, I get other stuff too, but I always get the cheese sticks.”
As diverse as the menu might be, the clientele tends to be more so. On any given night, the restaurant may be filled with all kinds of people. Everyone from drunken college students to businessmen can be found frequenting Burger Boy. Adding to the conglomeration, the restaurant sits directly across the street from a local gay bar called Woody’s. Burger Boy is often visited by the bar’s patrons, as it is the only 24-hour restaurant in the area. Perhaps it is in the water, or in the special sauce that adorns the top of the aptly-named Burger Boy burger, but the most significant thing about the plethora of people sharing the same eating space is the fact that no one seems to notice.
“You don’t really think about who you are eating next to,” said Owen. “You’re just here. I have seen all kinds of people come in here. It’s just part of the fun. Where else can you see a tranny and a guy in a suit in the same place?”
Whether it is the food, fun or the interaction, people continue to come from all walks of life to eat at this hole-in-the-wall diner. There is just one thing that Owen says new customers should remember when going to Burger Boy.
“Bring cash,” said Owen. “It’s a cash-only place. You gotta make sure to bring enough, because you’re going to want a lot.”