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There may be more fancy and more prestigious restaurants to open in southern New Jersey this year, but there probably won't be a more busy and more fun eatery than Red Robin Gourmet Burgers in Mays Landing.

Since opening its doors at the end of March, Red Robin General Manager Justin Bach and his staff have been feeding the chain's gourmet burgers, sandwiches and casual fare to between 800 and 1,000 people a day. That's a lot of hamburgers.

"Ever since we opened, it's been like this," Bach says. "Right from the opening day, it was a huge, busy day and it hasn't stopped since. We've exceeded expectations. I think people immediately relate to us because we're a lot of fun. Having fun is one of our core values. We try to infuse it into everything we do. It starts with the d�cor and artwork, which is bright and colorful, to having a TV in the floor near the host stand and plasma TVs all over the restaurant, usually with sports on. There's a gaming area for the kids to play."

It also helps that it's relatively affordable. With an average check of around $11 to $12 per person, Red Robin makes sure people receive quality food and don't go away hungry. A basic burger starts at $7.79, but it comes with the restaurant's Bottomless Steak Fries, meaning you can eat as much as your stomach desires.

And the portions are huge. You need a pretty good appetite to share an appetizer and devour an entire Whiskey River BBQ Burger with cheddar cheese, crispy onion straws, all the fixins and fries.

"We call them the smiling burgers, which means the buns are wrapped and never torn and all of the ingredients are fresh and visible 100 percent of the time," Bach says. "They are fresh burgers, not frozen. And you can customize any burger to create it exactly how you want it with everything from onion straws to guacamole … even a fried egg."

But there's more than burgers on the menu. For starters, Red Robin's crispy Towering Onion Rings ($7.99) come stacked as promised, and its Nacho Ordinary Chili Nachos ($8.99) are loaded with homemade chili, onions, two different cheeses, jalapenos, sour cream, guacamole and even chicken, if you like.

There are eight salads - including the popular Cobb ($10.79) - sandwiches and wraps that include the Prime Rib Dip ($12.99) and the Teriyaki Chicken Burger ($9.59), and approximately 10 entrees that include fish and chips ($11.99) and Southwest Chicken Pasta ($11.79).

"We just rolled out a new menu that was one of the most aggressive overhauls we've seen," Bach says. "The Steak Sliders ($10.99) and Burnin' Love Burger ($9.29 with crispy jalapeno rings, tangy salsa and spicy Pepper Jack cheese) are selling well. They probably change the menu at least once a year, but this time they changed a lot of the sauces around and really made some great improvements."

With a full bar - or fresh milkshakes for those just looking for calories instead of alcohol - Red Robin looks primed for long-lasting success in southern New Jersey.

"We are all about making customers happy," says Bach, a Long Island, N.Y., native who formerly served as the assistant general manager at The Palm in Philadelphia. "The other day, a customer wanted a hot dog, which we don't have. So we ran across the street and got hot dogs. We will go the extra mile for people. We decided to open in this area because it's a growing community, and we knew they would relate to the family-friendly concept."

Red Robin

Gourmet Burgers

WHERE: 4259 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays, and to 11 p.m, Fridays and Saturdays.

HOW MUCH: Appetizers range from $4.49 to $9.99; burgers and sandwiches $7.79 to $12.99; salads $4.79 to $10.99; soups $2.99 to $4.99; entrees $9.79 to $12.99; shakes $3.99 to $4.59. Kids' menu $3.99 to $4.79.

SERVICES: Major credit cards accepted. Liquor license. Disabled access through front door. Eat in. Takeout. Kids' menu. No smoking.

MORE INFO: Call 609-485-0050 or go to www.redrobin.com

BETWEEN YOU AND ME: Red Robin may be best known for its burgers, but the Bruschetta Chicken Burger with bruschetta salsa, pesto aioli, provolone cheese, shredded lettuce and balsamic cream on a ciabatta roll may be one of the best chicken sandwiches out there.

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