Twenty Bucks a Day, our favorite low-budget gourmand, details a trip to California and his first visit to In-N-Out Burger: "Many burger fans I know swear by the venerable California mini-chain “In-N-Out Burger,” claiming it to be the ultimate in ground meat sandwiches. Enough, in fact, that I became instantly skeptical -– I guess I just don’t believe that a fast food restaurant could be both extraordinarily popular and very good." Click through to find out if the famed Cali classic did right by Twenty.
I'm highlighting Mr. Bucks's trip because I'll be making a similar pilgrimage next week. The girlfriend's kid sister is all growed up and gradiatin' high school, and we're heading to sunny San Francisco to attend the ceremony.
I'll be making my first visit to In-N-Out, too, having only heard about its deliciousness via Hamburglar Hadley and other burger lovers. Needless to say, I'm stoked.
But what other burgers should I try? A coworker of mine recommends Absinthe and Zuni. And Burger Joint comes up on a lot of folks' Top 10 SF burger lists.
Readers: If you had only one other burger joint to hit in San Francisco besides In-N-Out, what would it be? Leave your suggestions in the comments. Thanks!
If you're in town on a Tuesday, Rosamunde's on Haight (at Fillmore) does burgers on that day only. The wait is about 45 minutes because they're so popular, but you can kick it with a beer at the Toronado next door while your burger cooks.
Don't limit yourself to SF- get thee to Luka's Taproom in Oakland, very Bart convenient. It's not one of your SF-ified burgers on foccacia or some other non-bun. www.lukasoakland.com
I second the rec for Rosamunde. As Dan said, it is Tuesday only and they can run out by 4pm, so best to make it a lunch destination. For $5 it is one of the best you will ever have. I have only been to the original Taylor's refresher, but they are also very, very good. Burger Joint on Valencia in the Mission also gets my approval. In the East Bay you have two chains that make great burgers as well, if you happen to be going out there. Nation's and Barney's.
Having just moved to Virginia from the Bay Area last fall, I can heartily recommend Burgermeister. Three locations: the one I went to on Columbus in North Beach, as well as the Castro and in Cole Valley on Carl St (great neighborhood!). They only use Niman Ranch beef, and they have a great lunch deal--1/4 lb cheeseburger, fries and a drink for about $6. You've gotta love a place that has A-1 steak sauce at the tables. www.burgermeistersf.com
I wrote about a few of my favorite burger places (including In-N-Out and Burger Joint, natch) in Interesting Burger Joints at Interesting Thing of the Day.
Best burger in SF, IMO, is at Bistro Burger. Several locations, mostly in the Financial District, and mostly lunch only. http://www.bistroburger.net/ Next time in SF, we plan to try Bull's Head in West Portal, which gets a lot of votes on Chowhound and ba.food. Great site you've got here!
Val's is the best I've had in the East Bay. George's and Barney's are very good but not even close to touching Val's. I love that the condiments are on the table and the fries are alacarte. You can have them as your starter. Plus what an atmosphere, yes? Neighborhood diner. I think that they only thing that has changed about Val's ever is the prices.
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11 Comments:
Thanks for the link, man!
Hamburger mikey utah at 11:11PM on 05/30/06
Ah, yes... In-N-Out Burger. The only burger place my friends and I will make a 35-mile round trip for... Mmm...
Hamburger EastBayAnt at 11:55PM on 05/30/06
Taylors Automatic Refresher at the Ferry Teminal (Embarcadero) or the original in Napa Valley. www.taylorsrefresher.com
Hamburger deuxcv at 6:47AM on 05/31/06
If you're in town on a Tuesday, Rosamunde's on Haight (at Fillmore) does burgers on that day only. The wait is about 45 minutes because they're so popular, but you can kick it with a beer at the Toronado next door while your burger cooks.
Hamburger Dan at 8:24AM on 05/31/06
Don't limit yourself to SF- get thee to Luka's Taproom in Oakland, very Bart convenient. It's not one of your SF-ified burgers on foccacia or some other non-bun. www.lukasoakland.com
Hamburger Aaron at 6:11PM on 05/31/06
I second the rec for Rosamunde. As Dan said, it is Tuesday only and they can run out by 4pm, so best to make it a lunch destination. For $5 it is one of the best you will ever have. I have only been to the original Taylor's refresher, but they are also very, very good. Burger Joint on Valencia in the Mission also gets my approval. In the East Bay you have two chains that make great burgers as well, if you happen to be going out there. Nation's and Barney's.
Hamburger Brian Spangler at 6:12PM on 05/31/06
Having just moved to Virginia from the Bay Area last fall, I can heartily recommend Burgermeister. Three locations: the one I went to on Columbus in North Beach, as well as the Castro and in Cole Valley on Carl St (great neighborhood!). They only use Niman Ranch beef, and they have a great lunch deal--1/4 lb cheeseburger, fries and a drink for about $6. You've gotta love a place that has A-1 steak sauce at the tables. www.burgermeistersf.com
Hamburger Dan at 6:29PM on 06/02/06
Go to Val's burgers in hayward and have a mama burger or don't talk to me its the best in the ocuntry
Hamburger Jody at 12:50PM on 06/05/06
I wrote about a few of my favorite burger places (including In-N-Out and Burger Joint, natch) in Interesting Burger Joints at Interesting Thing of the Day.
Hamburger Joe Kissell at 1:55AM on 06/06/06
Best burger in SF, IMO, is at Bistro Burger. Several locations, mostly in the Financial District, and mostly lunch only. http://www.bistroburger.net/ Next time in SF, we plan to try Bull's Head in West Portal, which gets a lot of votes on Chowhound and ba.food. Great site you've got here!
Hamburger David Braun at 12:36AM on 04/08/07
Val's is the best I've had in the East Bay. George's and Barney's are very good but not even close to touching Val's. I love that the condiments are on the table and the fries are alacarte. You can have them as your starter. Plus what an atmosphere, yes? Neighborhood diner. I think that they only thing that has changed about Val's ever is the prices.
cabronte at 6:47PM on 11/07/09