Welcome to Groupon, Tucson! For our inaugural deal, $8 gets you $20 worth of gourmet burgers, fries, and more at Monkey Burger in the Williams Centre.

You're probably thinking, "That sounds great, but I've never bought a car or a computer without first reading the Wikipedia definitions for car and computer—I'm not about to buy a Groupon either without a briefing." Well, neither would we, and since this is everyone's first Groupon, allow us to briefly explain how it works.

How Groupon Works

Groupon is a combination of the words group and coupon. Each day, we offer an unbeatable deal on the best of Tucson: restaurants, spas, sporting events, theater, and more. By promising businesses a minimum number of customers, we get discounts you won't find anywhere else. We call it "collective buying power."

If you want to get the deal, just click BUY before the offer ends at midnight. If the minimum number of people (10 for today's deal) sign up by the end of the day, you'll be emailed a gift certificate the next morning. You can print your Groupons, or redeem them with our iPhone app. Use them whenever you want until the deal expires—today's expires in one year. If not enough people join, no one gets the deal (and you won't be charged), so invite your friends to make sure you get the discount!

It's nice to wake up to something new every day. Some people get their daily fix from puppy-themed desk calendars. Groupon is kind of like that, except the puppy is an unbeatable discount, and the funny caption is a profound reflection on the flowers and needles growing from life's cactus. We selflessly share our deep insights, hoping that you will join our mob of consumers, thus strengthening our collective buying power and commanding even better deals. Here are some thoughts about today's deal...

Details

Hungry stomachs are forced to contemplate cooking their own food while our brains are busy plotting ways to make Hollywood starlets fall in love with our ungainly cousins. Quell an insurgent appetite with today’s Groupon: for $8, you get $20 worth of hamburgers, fresh salads, and casual American fare at Monkey Burger, located in the Williams Centre.

Monkey Burger's menu boasts a variety of two-handed nibbles. Burgers crafted from 100% natural Angus-beef patties sleep between soft, fresh rolls from Tucson's own Viro’s Bakery and snuggle with heaps of toppings. Chef Mattie's Monkey ($9.50) comes packed with roasted poblano peppers, sautéed mushrooms and onions, lettuce and tomato, bacon, and a bi-cheese blend of cheddar and swiss, and the Plymouth ($7.50) is made with turkey, smoked mozzarella cheese, sundried tomato, shredded lettuce, and avocado pesto. Vegetarians appreciate the portobello-based patty on the VegHead burger ($6.50). Salad options include baby spinach dressed with honey dijon ($6.50), grilled chicken and granny smith apples ($8.50), and mixed greens with goat-cheese crumbles and heavily buttered croutons ($6.50).

Chef Matthew Stricker's casual cuisine is created from fresh produce and natural ingredients and combined with signature spices and gourmet toppings. Tucson Weekly calls it "meats, buns, [and] bliss." With daily hours, Monkey Burger is an ideal stop to quash midday cravings, stock up on picnic-basket-friendly fare, or carefully preserve dishwasher soap due to lack of utensils.

Reviews

Monkey Burger has great reviews from Tucson Weekly and the Arizona Daily Star. Three Google Maps users give the eatery a perfect five stars, and five Yelpers give it a solid three. Eighty-three percent of Urbanspooners recommend it.

• Those sides are led by the delectable, waffle-cut sweet-potato fries. They're savory, slightly sweet and oh-so-good. The thin-cut, lightly seasoned fries are also tasty, though the salt level can vary… – Jimmy Boegle, Tucson Weekly
• It was a little disappointing to hear the kitchen was out of spinach for the Vegas Baby! burger, which also comes topped with merlot onions and Gruyère cheese. The Chef Mattie's Monkey burger was a delicious substitute. The combination of roasted poblano peppers, sautéed mushrooms and onions, lettuce, tomato, bacon, cheddar and Swiss cheese was sensational. – Tiffany Kimmell, Arizona Daily Star
• It's not often a new restaurant opens and I remain impressed upon returning. Monkey Burger rocks! The food is always fresh, tasty and the setting is fun in a funky urban kind of way. If you haven't tried this burger feast, get yourself there before the end of the week! – Eric Galbreath, Urbanspoon