burgers

Hodad’s Ocean Beach – San Diego, CA

May 14, 2022 by Ole Leave a Comment

I’ve been neglecting this website. I’m going to end that neglect today. My first post back is about a burger spot I’ve wanted to try for years… Hodad’s in Ocean Beach (San Diego).

Back in September 2021, I finally got my chance while I was down at UCSD to watch my sons play in a water polo tournament.

Hodad’s is a famous place and often has a line to get in. I remember driving past this place in the late 90s while in San Diego for meetings, but didn’t have time to wait.

This time, I made sure to arrive before it opened. Even though we got there early, there was still a line. Fortunately, it was a short one.

Guy Fieri visited this place for Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, which I’m sure added to its popularity.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/restaurants/ca/ocean-beach/hodads-restaurant

I was pretty stoked that we were able to get a table inside instead of on the patio.

According to the menu on the website, the prices have gone up since we visited last September. For nostalgia, here were the prices when we visited.

My oldest son got the Guido burger and onion rings. From the website:

Inspired by triple D’s Guy Fieri
Our Burger served with Pastrami, Ketchup, Pickles, Swiss Cheese, Grilled Onions and Spicy Brown Mustard

I got a double bacon cheeseburger with fries. I took this closeup to show that they even put bacon between the patties. That’s one way to make this guy happy.

There is no shortage of stickers at Hodad’s.

I’m really glad I finally got to try this place. My only regret is that I didn’t get a shake. They look awesome. Next time.

https://hodadies.com

The Habit Burger Grill on Tyler in Riverside

November 20, 2016 by Ole Leave a Comment

The Habit Burger Grill on Tyler in the City of Riverside, California has been open for just about a year, but it has recently become one of my family’s favorite places to eat.

If it weren’t for my oldest son, I might not have tried it. A few months ago, after a long day of water polo, my son wanted a Habit burger. Unfortunately, it was closed by the time we arrived. I promised him another trip.

The next time we visited, I ordered something too… I was hooked.

The Habit offers more than just burgers, as you can see from the menu:

The food is prepared to order, and I have never seen it wait under a heating lamp to be served. As soon as the food is ready, the buzzer goes off.

Since becoming a fan, we have eaten at a bunch of different Habit locations, including Riverside Plaza in the City of Riverside, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Chino and Pleasanton.

We have only had good experiences, but The Habit on Tyler in Riverside is my favorite. One of the reasons is because of the people who work here:

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A post shared by Kris (@krisinriverside)

Along with French fries and sweet potato fries, The Habit also has onion rings. They are awesome.

My wife usually alternates between the Chicken Club or the Santa Barbara Cobb salad.

Our kids all get burgers.

I get burgers too, but mine usually arrive in a bowl without a bun. I really like the burgers here even without a bun. The burgers are charbroiled and seasoned, and the bacon always seems to be fresh.

The first time I tried The Habit was a few years ago in Lake Forest, California. I was not a fan. It must have been an off day, because fast forward to today and The Habit is one of my new favorite places.

The Habit Burger Grill
3510 Tyler St, Ste 100
Riverside, California

Burger Boss, Norco

September 19, 2014 by Ole 1 Comment

A few years ago, I wrote about this amazing burger place in Riverside by the name of Burger Boss. It quickly became my family’s favorite burger place.

Since it is near the border of Moreno Valley, Burger Boss is a bit of a drive for us. Fortunately, there is now a Burger Boss in Norco.

** The Norco location is no longer open, but the Riverside location is still there. **

There are a few things you should know about Burger Boss:

The employees are extremely friendly.
The place is exceptionally clean.
The food is natural, fresh and AMAZING.

From the website: “Always Fresh, Never Frozen GRASS FED BEEF raised naturally without antibiotics or growth hormones.”

Step up to the counter and order your burger… beef, chicken, turkey or black bean. Although the kids and I don’t consider it an actual burger, the wife loves the black bean burger.

Here is a double beef burger with cheese, turkey bacon and barbecue sauce. For my fellow bacon lovers, don’t be discouraged by the turkey bacon. It is awesome.

Here is a black bean “burger” with pepper jack cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Those are sweet potato fries on the side.

If you have given up bread like I have, you can also order your burger in a lettuce wrap, lettuce bowl, or all by itself. I love a good salad, but I can do without the lettuce on my burger.

Bun or no bun, Burger Boss makes our favorite burgers.

~~The shakes are awesome too, or so I’m told by my sons.~~ We learned on our most recent trip that shakes are gone for some reason…

…but they added the option to “boss your fries”.

Burger Boss – Norco
490 Hidden Valley Parkway
Norco, CA 92879
www.burgerboss.com

Over Thirty Years of Great Burgers: Fuddruckers

August 19, 2012 by Ole Leave a Comment

I remember going to Fuddruckers in Costa Mesa when I was a kid. It was my favorite burger place back then, and is still in my top three now. It has been many years since the Costa Mesa location closed, but the Ontario location is still around.

Fuddruckers offers four burger sizes: 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 and 1 pound. The all-American beef is fresh, never frozen, and cooked to order. Complementing the burgers, are light, slightly oversized buns that are baked fresh every day in the restaurant. In my opinion, these are the best hamburger buns anywhere. Order a side of onion rings and a shake, and you’ve got a great burger experience.

If you’re not in the mood for a beef burger, you can also get a turkey, veggie or salmon burger. Fuddruckers also offers “exotic burgers”, which are made from free range buffalo, elk and wild boar.

Fuddruckers does not top your burger. Instead, they let you build your own burger by selecting your own fresh produce and toppings.

Fuddruckers in Ontario is a pretty big place, with plenty of seating. This place also has the new style of Coke machines that let you come up with pretty much any combination of flavored soda you can think of.

Although I’m not sure when the Ontario location opened, Fuddruckers has been around since 1980. If you like burgers, give it a try.

Other Fuddruckers’ locations in SoCal: Lake Forest, Buena Park, Lakewood, Burbank, Santa Monica, San Diego Mira Mesa, La Mesa, Chula Vista.

Unfortunately, the Costa Mesa Fuddruckers is gone.

Fuddruckers
4423 East Mills Circle
Ontario, CA
www.fuddruckers.com

The Counter – Irvine, CA

May 31, 2012 by Ole 1 Comment

The Counter at The Shops at Dos Lagos in Corona was one of our favorite places to get a burger. After the owners of this franchise closed it in 2009 and re-opened the location as The Alibi Bar & Grill, we tried it a few times but it just wasn’t the same (The Alibi isn’t around anymore either).

Fortunately, The Counter has another location in Irvine. We don’t go there often, but it sometimes makes a good stop for lunch when we drive in to Orange County.

If you visited The Counter in Corona before it closed, then you know what this place is about. Angus beef burgers (fresh and natural: no hormones, no antibiotics), fresh toppings and many, many choices.

If you have not been to The Counter before, you are missing out on a hot, juicy, well-seasoned and perfectly-cooked burger.

If you aren’t into beef, you can get chicken, turkey or veggie burgers… and if you don’t do bread, you can get your burger in a bowl.

The Counter also has great sides, including fries, sweet potato fries and onion strings.

If you find yourself driving through Irvine craving a burger (who hasn’t?), The Counter is a good choice.

The Counter
Woodbury Town Center
6416 Irvine Boulevard
Irvine CA 92620
www.thecounterburger.com

Burger Boss – Riverside, CA

March 3, 2012 by Ole 2 Comments

This post will be short and sweet. If you want a phenomenal burger, go to Burger Boss in Riverside.

There is not much more that I can say, that this picture does not say for me:

But what if you don’t eat beef?

Get a turkey burger… or a chicken burger… or a meatless black bean burger (my wife’s favorite):

In addition to the great burgers, this place is extremely clean. The owner takes great pride in this, and it shows.

This is our new favorite place to get burgers in Riverside… maybe anywhere.

Judging by some of the crowds we have seen, many other people seem to agree.

Burger Boss
2585 Canyon Springs Parkway
Riverside, CA 92507
burgerbossonline.com

Five Guys – Mira Loma

July 27, 2011 by Ole Leave a Comment

Have you heard of Five Guys Burgers and Fries? If not, then you probably aren’t from the East Coast, haven’t read one of the thousands of blog posts about Five Guys vs. In-N-Out, or haven’t seen one of the many new locations popping up in Southern California.

My sons and I tracked down the Five Guys closest to us, which is just off the 15 freeway at Limonite in Mira Loma. The first thing we noticed when we walked in the first time was the simple menu… burgers, dogs, fries, grilled cheese and drinks.

If you decide to try Five Guys, know that a regular burger has two patties. If you only want one patty, you need to ask for the little burger. Either way, Five Guys makes a good burger. The fries come in two varieties: Five Guys style and Cajun. If you like spice, go for the Cajun fries.

In addition to the normal burger toppings you would expect to find, Five Guys also offers other toppings, including grilled mushrooms, jalapeno peppers and hot sauce. I prefer my salad in a bowl, so I go for the plain cheeseburger. The cheeseburger doesn’t need anything else to taste good.

If you have to buy burgers for a group of people (as I do for a family of five), Five Guys also makes it easy to get the right burger to the right person. Each burger wrapper has a number that corresponds to your receipt, so you don’t have to open each one to find out what is on it.

My opinion on the debate between In-N-Out and Five Guys? Five Guys.

If you would like to try Five Guys, here are the Inland Empire locations listed on the Five Guys website:

Listed as “Coming Soon”
Corona – Crossings at Corona, 2690 Tuscany Street
Hesperia – 12795 Main Street
Moreno Valley – 12515 Frederick Street
San Bernardino – 525 East Hospitality Lane
Victorville – 15655 Roy Rogers Dr.

Existing Locations
Mira Loma – 6285 Pats Ranch Rd. Suite A
Rancho Cucamonga – 7945 Haven Ave., Suite 150
Redlands – 10060 Alabama Street, Suite A
Temecula – 40426 Winchester Rd.

In-N-Out: The Best Burger?

October 21, 2009 by Ole Leave a Comment

In-N-Out is the “cuisine winner” for burgers in Los Angeles according to the press release for Zagat’s 2010 America’s Top Restaurants survey.

The only other California market listed in the press release was San Francisco. SF’s burger choice? In-N-Out.

After reading this, I decided to get a Double-Double today at the In-N-Out in Norco. As usual, my Double-Double and fries were hot and fresh.

In-N-Out consistently makes good burgers. But the best?

The Counter in Dos Lagos – Corona, CA

May 7, 2009 by Ole Leave a Comment

Update: The Counter in Corona is closed, but The Counter in Irvine is still open.
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My youngest son’s favorite meal is a cheeseburger (yes, it’s one of my favorites too). We don’t eat them all the time, so when we do we want something good. One of our favorite places to get a great burger is at The Counter in the Dos Lagos center in Corona.

The Counter has a few locations, but this is the only one we’ve visited. I like the “simple” look of this restaurant with its concrete floors, exposed ceilings and metallic furnishings (The Counter calls it “industrial decor” on its website).

The burgers are awesome, and I have never seen so many choices. When you are seated, you receive a clipboard with a form that lets you “build your own burger”. First, you choose what type of burger you want (beef, turkey, veggie or grilled chicken) and the size (1/3 lb, 2/3 lb or 1lb). I’m a pretty big guy and the 1/3 lb has always been the perfect size for me. Next, you choose from 10 cheeses, 28 toppings and 18 sauces. You finish up by choosing an english muffin or a bun (you can also skip the bun and have the burger served in a bowl). The Counter’s website states that there are “312,120+ different burger combinations”.

I’m pretty plain when it comes to burgers, so I always opt for cheese and bacon. This seems boring considering the number of toppings I can pick, but the meat is so perfectly cooked and seasoned that I don’t like to drown it with a lot of competing flavors. The way they cook it is also great. The outside of the burger is never greasy, but the inside is amazingly juicy. The Counter states right on its menu that the beef is 100% natural freshly ground angus beef that is raised on a vegetarian diet without hormones or antibiotics, which is nice.

My oldest son, wife and daughter are more adventurous, and have tried various toppings including jalapenos, chili, pepper jack cheese, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce and onion strings.

This brings me to the appetizers. The french fries and onion strings are incredible. I hear that the sweet potato fries are also good, but I don’t do sweet potato fries so you can be the judge. The Counter also makes some pretty good shakes, and features a new shake every month.

If you’re looking for a great burger, The Counter is worth a try (actually, it’s worth many, many tries).

The Counter Corona

The Promenade Shops at Dos Lagos

2785 Cabot Drive Suite 110

Corona, CA

www.thecounterburger.com

Update: Goodbye Counter, Hello Alibi