[Photographs: Erin Jackson]

In San Diego, few neighborhoods are as tight-knit as South Park, so it's only fitting that the community is home to Station Tavern, the epitome of a neighborhood "local" and one of the anchor points of the community that draws residents in for a beer, a burger, or both. The main seating area, a large outdoor patio, features communal picnic tables and a playground, which makes the kid (and pet) friendly tavern feel more like a community center than a bar.

Station Tavern has serious curb appeal. The building, a trolley station in a former life, was re-imagined by local architect Lloyd Russell and Pat Wilkening of Redcraft Design, whose efforts earned the bar a Grand Orchid Award in 2010. The design alone makes the bar a worthwhile spot to sip a beer and take in the scenery.

The menu is heavy on burgers, with five different options, plus a grilled chicken sandwich and a unique vegetarian take on a Sloppy Joe featuring fried tofu and tomato sauce on a wheat bun.

Station Tavern's cheeseburger is good option, if you're craving a straightforward classic cheeseburger. The burger features a 1/3-pound patty made from premium Angus chuck and your choice of cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, or Swiss) plus the standard roughage, served open-face on an egg bun from Sadie Rose Baking Company, a local shop that also supplies the buns for R-Gang Eatery.

Overall, the burger was tasty, but fairly standard. The flavorful, slightly charred patty was juicy, though not overwhelmingly so (most likely because it was cooked to medium) and was covered with a bubbly blanket of melted cheddar. All of the toppings (particularly the pickle) were fresh, and the fluffy, eggy bun was nicely toasted, with just a hint of sweetness. Still, in the end nothing about this burger really stood out. It was satisfying in that it quelled my hunger, but despite the fact that it had all the expected toppings, it tasted like something was missing. Emotionally, I wasn't completely satisfied.

On a whim, I sampled a bite of my meat-phobic friend's spicy black bean burger (one of two veggie burgers available), and immediately felt like a chump. What my cheeseburger lacked in complexity and character, this burger had in spades. The spicy patty was studded with juicy bell pepper and seasoned liberally with garlic before being smeared with a vibrant lime cilantro spread. There was simply no contest: Even from a tiny one-inch bite, it was clear which burger was supreme.

Did I mention I don't even like veggie burgers, much less black beans? And still, somehow, through the miracle of garlic and cilantro, this burger was so good that it is currently stalking me in my dreams...and I'm not the only one. The black bean and veggie patties are so popular that they're now available in Bring-it-on-home"© Patty Packs.

At Station Tavern, burgers and fries are served à la carte, with several options for starch, including regular and garlic fries, tater tots, and sweet potato fries, in "half" or "full" sizes. Being a creature of habit, I went with the sweet potato fries, which were a peculiar shade of orange, but had the ideal texture: light and crisp on the outside, with soft potato fluff on the inside. The only downside was the fries weren't exactly steaming hot when they arrived at the table, and quickly cooled off. Then again, I did munch my way through the whole plate, so there's something to be said for fries that are good even when they're cold, though the main appeal at that point was using them as a vehicle for eating the chipotle mayo, one of several sauces you can order on the side.

Typically, when I'm mowing down on burgers for AHT, I remember the three years of my life I swore off beef, and reflect on how I could never do that again, but even I have to admit that if there is a place to bench your cheeseburger habit, Station Tavern is it. Damn you, black bean!

About the author: Erin Jackson is a freelance food writer and photographer who is obsessed with discovering the best cheap and tasty eats in San Diego, including all things sweet and sugary, for her dessert blog San Diego Sugar.