That cheery yellow house beside the Monon Greenway in Carmel holds temptations of several varieties -- each of them tasty, none of them in accordance with the calorie-burning activities diners can watch from Bub's patio. Hallelujah for that.

Since 2003, the restaurant has offered unapologetic decadence in the form of burgers and shakes and then some.

The Food

Bub's has real focus: It's a burger joint, and not messing around with Thai kabobs or falafel means that all energies go into the handful of items on the menu. That's good news for diners, who choose from beef or elk burgers in various sizes (a quarter-, half- or full pound, after cooking) and the sides you'd expect: fries, onion rings, potato salad.

A quarter-pound elk burger ($6.25) with crumbled bacon ($.50) and blue cheese ($1) was moist and sharp-flavored. The half-pound ground beef burger ($6.45) also was plenty juicy, but the elk version trumped it for flavor.

The giant Bub dog ($5.95) is a half-pound Black Angus frank that offends nature but thrilled my 9-year-old brother, who reluctantly shared a bite of the 10-inch frank. I didn't know hot dogs could be that good.

The burger-averse can try Bub's grilled mahi mahi sandwich ($8.95), blackened or plain. Either way, it's a juicy 8-ounce fillet served on focaccia with kicky peach-mango salsa.

From the children's menu, we ordered a corn dog ($4.25) and chicken fingers ($4.25), which come grilled or fried.

Large baskets of waffle fries ($2.10) and onion rings ($3.99) were up to Bub's high standards. Each was dusted with cornmeal and satisfyingly crunchy, thick and sweet.

A chocolate milkshake ($3.95) and an immense slice of apple pie ($4.25) were delectable overkill -- the apple pie with cinnamon crumb cake ice cream, no less.

The Service

We came on the heels of a rush, but a host stepped in to help our overtaxed server, telling us about the new iced tea flavors, distributing bags of snacks to the children and taking our drink orders. Our server showed up soon after and was gleefully attentive throughout the meal.

The Atmosphere

Bub's tends toward crowded and noisy, making it a great place for families. Trivia games sit on each table, and kids get snack bags to keep the wait manageable. Those pictures on the walls? Conquerors of the "Big Ugly Burger." Diners who eat just one show up in snapshots; the 8-by-10s depict stalwarts who've eaten two in one sitting.

The Price

$80.32 for three adults and three kids, including tax, tip and one beer. Bub's offers a slightly more expensive burger, but it's also tastier, and well worth the cost.

Next Time

Our server issued a challenge, but the Big Ugly is not for me. It's the elk burger that brings me back.

-- By Tracy Cumbay / Star Correspondent