With champagne budgets rare these days, it seems perfect timing for a low-brow burger and beer joint to open in South Beach. And what better name for it than The Burger & Beer Joint?

Owners Buzzy Sklar (Automatic Slim's, Ego Trip magazine) and Ron Garcia (SushiSamba, Wolfgang Puck's Acqua at Bellagio) have created an overnight sensation that is drawing crowds like a Guns N' Roses reunion concert.

The Burger & Beer Joint has the feel of an old neighborhood pub, with chalky red salvaged-brick walls, high-backed wooden booths and copper ceilings. The look is so authentic you'd swear you were in Boston or New York, not a South Beach condo-hood.

But it's the fun menu that's drawing raves, and with good reason.

``We don't just consider ourselves a burger place; we consider ourselves a gourmet burger place,'' says Sklar.

And with a chef like Carlos Barilas (Ago, Nobu, Sushi Samba) behind the grill, he is not kidding.

The copper-covered menus offer delicious snacks, including a bucket of outrageously tasty and tender tempuraed ``octane wings'' (braised organic chicken doused with homemade hot sauce) and a ``basket o' bacon'' featuring thick-sliced, hickory-smoked Duroc pork belly with maple syrup for dipping. The fried rounds of pickles with blue cheese sauce are addictive, and the pencil-thin fries are a wonder.

The 10-ounce specialty burgers are named after classic rock hits, from the carb-phobic ``Buck Naked,'' prime Angus beef wrapped in lettuce with tomato, grilled red onion and pickle, to the ``Stairway to Heaven,'' American Kobe-style (Wagyu) beef, Hudson Valley foie gras and black truffle demi-glace on a brioche bun.

The vegetarian ``Dear Prudence'' features a portobello mushroom loaded with arugula, charred red peppers and walnut pesto, while the ``Fly Like an Eagle'' sandwiches moist homemade stuffing with brown gravy and cranberry sauce between two turkey patties.

Seafood fans are satisfied with the ``Turning Japanese,'' a ruby red, nearly raw slab of yellowfin tuna covered in garlicky mayo with cucumber and jalapeņo salsa and pickled ginger on a fine onion bun with outrageously good onion rings on the side.

There are almost too many choices. Cheeses include Swiss, goat, jalapeņo jack, American, mozzarella, Cheddar (plain or horseradish-flecked), Gorgonzola and Maytag blue. Buns are ciabatta, whole wheat, sesame seed, onion roll or brioche.

You can also add pesto, chimichurri or tarragon remoulade as well as bourbon barbecue sauce, chipotle ketchup or spicy garlic mayo as well as bacon, chorizo, prosciutto, shrimp or even lovely nibs of sweet lobster meat.

Desserts are kitschy and cute. Made with the pedestrian Edy's ice cream, our banana split had more air and ice than we would have liked, but a rocking root beer float had the sweet, foamy bubbles we craved.

You kind of figure a rock 'n' roll-themed joint will be loud, and it sure is. Also, service can be as uncertain as a roadie's retirement plan.

It is packed every night of the week, and in the earlier hours attracts lots of families. (Thanks guys, for the $8 kids menu!)

Victoria Pesce Elliott reviews Miami-Dade restaurants. E-mail her at velliott@MiamiHerald.com.