Tuesday is International Burger Day, and many local spots will be offering dining specials beginning this weekend.
Eager to try a new burger spot? We’ve put together a list of 33 of our favorites. Burger prices are up this year, with higher ingredient and labor costs. The burgers listed below, which range from sliders and smash versions to gourmet Wagyu sandwiches, start as low as $4 apiece and range up to $22 for the sit-down restaurant varieties, which usually come with fries.
Anny’s Fine Burgers, Santee and Kearny Mesa: Choose from 32 half-pound Angus-beef burgers, like the Monster Burger topped with baked pastrami, turkey, bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle, mayo and honey mustard. 9862 Mission Gorge Road, Santee; 5375 Kearny Villa Road, San Diego; annysburger.com, annysfineburger.com
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Art Burgers, Barrio Logan: This gourmet burger spot opened just a few weeks ago, serving half-pound burgers that are house-ground from four different cuts of beef. The burgers are named after famous artists like Da Vinci, Picasso and Monet. The Van Gogh is topped with Philly cheesesteak and the Dali has goat cheese, egg and bacon. 2707 Boston Ave., #K17, San Diego. (858) 798-6327, artburgers.com
Balboa Bar & Grill, Bankers Hill: Founded in 2015 with just one location and one burger, The Balboa has grown its burger menu to four. All feature 1/3-pound patty and jumbo toasted brioche bun. The Classic is $11.85. 1863 Fifth Ave., San Diego; Balboa South location at 290 Third Ave., Chula Vista. thebalboabarandgrill.com
Bare Back Grill, Pacific Beach: This is one of five NZ Eats Group restaurants in San Diego (the others are Dunedin, Queenstown Public House, Queenstown Bistro and Raglan Public House) that all serve organic grass-fed beef burgers. Sign up for the Burger of the Month club, for updates on each month’s new sammy. May’s special? The Mushroom Truffle Burger. 4640 Mission Blvd., San Diego. barebackgrill.com
Boomerangs Gourmet Burger Joint, Clairemont: Diners can choose from more than 20 1/3- or 1/2-pound Angus burger, or build their own “stuffed” burger with dozens of choices of fillings, toppings, cheese, sauces and sides. 4577 Clairemont Drive, Clairemont. (858) 483-9500, boomerangburgers.com
The Smoke Show burger at Bun & Patti restaurant in Little Italy.
(Courtesy of James Tran)
Bun & Patti, Little Italy: Open since March 2023, this family-run burger and beer spot serves tender Angus burgers with house-ground beef from two California distributors. There are seven different burger, for fun, try the Smoke Show, where a 14-day-aged burger is served under a glass dome piped filled with smoke. 2171 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. (619) 367-6284, bunandpatti.com
Bunz, Mission Valley: serves seven varieties of 1/3-pound burgers. Try the Singin’ ‘d Blues, with blue cheese and smoked bacon. 475 Hotel Circle South, San Diego. (619) 298-6515 or bunzsd.com
Burger Bench, Escondido: Seven different Angus beef burgers are offered on fresh-baked brioche buns. Diners can also upgrade their patty for grass-fed, Halal and vegan options. The house Bench Burger has smoked bacon, blue cheese, Monterey jack cheese, grilled mushrooms and onions, BBQ sauce and more. 237 E. Grand Ave. (760) 294-2001, burgerbench.com
Cali “O” Burgers, Hillcrest: Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, Cali “O” has 15 burger options, including grass-fed and Wagyu, beef, lamb, elk and bison patties. 1290 University Ave., San Diego. (619) 692-9999, calioburgers.com
Canada Steak Burger, multiple locations: Founded in City Heights in 1981, this family-run quick-service restaurant chain serves house-made charbroiled burgers with 4- to 8-ounce patties and topping options of bacon, gyro meat and pastrami. Four locations. (619) 420-1300, canadasteakburger.com
Charley’s Famous Hamburgers, Lemon Grove: Founded in 1973, this drive-through spot offers 10 varieites of low-priced burgers, including the Peanut Butter Bacon Cheeseburger. 8213 Broadway, Lemon Grove. (619) 460-2690, charlesyhamburgers.com
Chief’s Burgers & Brew, Solana Beach: Chief’s serves nine half-pound burgers made with Gold Canyon Gourmet Angus beef. If you’re hungry, try the Super Chief with a full pound of meat. 124 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, #108. (858) 755-2599, chiefsburgers.com
A tasting portion of a burger sreved at Crazee Burger in North Park.
(Ben Brown)
Crazee Burger, North Park: This classic diner serves an international selection of burgers and a new A5 Wagyu option, but its specialty is exotic meat grinds like wild boar, water buffalo, gator, elk, antelope and even camel. 3993 30th St., North Park. (619) 282-6044, crazeeburger.com.
Eastbound Bar and Grill, Lakeside: Open since 2010, Eastbound serves five varieties of half-pound burgers, as well as the LakeSliders (four mini-burgers with grilled onions and chipotle sauce on Hawaiian rolls.10053 Maine Ave., Lakeside. (619) 334-2566, eastboundbarandgrill.com
Encinitas Ale House, Encinitas: There are six half-pound Angus burgers on the menu, including the signature New Zealand 100 percent Grass Fed Kobe Wagyu 10-ounce burger with gruyere cheese, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and crispy onion straws. 1044 S. Coast Highway. 760 943-7180, encinitasalehouse.com
The O.G. Dirty Flat Top Cheeseburger at The Friendly Tavern in North Park.
(Pam Kragen/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The Friendly Tavern, multiple locations: This North Park diner’s O.G. Dirty Flat Top Cheeseburger ($8) won’t win any beauty contest but it’s among the best burgers in San Diego ($8). Two crispy beef patties are smashed-fried flat as a crepe, layered with onions and American cheese and served with a mayo sauce on a basic bun. It’s a bit on the greasy side but a savory flavor bomb. No substitutions and no Diet co*ke. Locations in North Park, Convoy District and Pacific Beach. instagram.com/thefriendlysd
Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen, Oceanside: Try the Pig Burger, with one pork and one Brandt Beef patty, bourbon bacon onion jam and white cheddar on a sesame seed milk bun. 509 Mission Ave., Oceanside. (760) 453-2940, flyingpig.pub
A hamburger at Hayes Burger in Barrio Logan.
(Pam Kragen/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Hayes Burger, Barrio Logan and Normal Heights: Launched in 2020, this casual and funky spot sells tasty and very filling smash burgers topped with grilled onions, house Thousand Island dressing, lettuce and fresh tomatoes. 2060 Logan Ave., S.D.; 3460 Adams Ave., S.D.. instagram.com/hayes_burger
The Famous Smoked Burger at Heritage Brewing and Barbecue in Oceanside.
(Pam Kragen/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Heritage Brewing & Barbecue, Oceanside: The Michelin Guide-recognized barbecue spot in San Juan Capistrano opened an Oceanside location early last year. While its specialty is smoked brisket, pork and ribs, there’s a delicious smoked burner on the menu (with a 1/2-pound smoked brisket patty, American cheese, shaved onions, pickles and barbecue sauce) that’s to die for. 2002 S. Coast Highway, Oceanside. heritageoceanside.com
A Hodad’s cheeseburger with seasoned wedge fries at the East Village location.
(Pam Kragen/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Hodad’s, Ocean Beach and East Village: Hodad’s is always in the running for San Diego’s best burger. Founded in Ocean Beach in 1973 by the late Byron Hardin, Hodad’s has burgers ranging in price from $6.75 to $22. It’s famous for the Guido burger, named for Hodad’s fan Guy Fieri of Food Network fame, topped with pastrami, grilled onions, Swiss cheese and spicy brown mustard. 5010 Newport Ave., S.D.; 945 Broadway, S.D.; Petco Park, S.D.; (619) 224-4623, hodadsdowntown
A Double Double from In-N-Out Burger with fries and an extra side of spread.
(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)
In-N-Out Burger, multiple locations: No Southern California burger list would be complete without this king of Southern California fast-food burger chains. Founded in Baldwin Park in 1948, In-N-Out is famous for its minimalist four-item food menu — a burger, a cheeseburger, a double cheeseburger (Double-Double) and fries. Why are they so good? The custom-ground chuck patties are never frozen and cooked to order and the baked-fresh-daily pillowy buns are custom-made. Order your burger Animal Style for a mustard-grilled patty, grilled onions and extra spread. in-n-out.com
Madi, Normal Heights: This popular brunch spot just introduced a new burger it calls the Oklahoma Onion Smash Burger. Chef and co-owner Matt Sieve says the new burger, griddle-fried with onions on top, is a Midwest classic but relatively new to San Diego. 3737 Adams Ave., San Diego. brunchlikemadi.com
The Oklahoma Onion Smash Burger at Madi, a brunch and lunch spot in San Diego’s Normal Heights.
Neighborhood: Consortium Holdings’ hipster hangout is known for its signature Hood Burger, a double-patty smash burger made with Gruyere and blue cheese, bacon, onion jam, roasted garlic aioli and arugula. 777 G St., downtown. (619) 446-0002, neighborhoodsd.com
Nessy Burgers, Fallbrook: Owned by the Webster family since 1989, this quick-service eatery just off Interstate 15 serves cooked-to-order, backyard-style burgers made with a half-pound of never-frozen beef. The Original Nessy, priced at $10.95, is one of the bigger burgers in town for the price. It’s served on a toasted bun with American cheese, sliced onion, lettuce, tomato and house-made Nessy sauce (which tastes like Thousand Island dressing). Come hungry. 3235 Old Highway 395. (760) 731-1379, nessyburgers.com
Nicky Rottens Bar & Burger Joint, Coronado: There are 14 Angus burgers on Nicky’s menu, including the Bruschetta, Chorizo and Stinky (so named for its blue cheese topping) options. 100 Orange Ave., Coronado. (619) 675-0094, nickyrottens.com
Notorious Handcrafted Burgers & Beer, Carlsbad: There are 12 burgers on the menu (several named for notorious gangsters), but the Notorious Burger is the star. Made with a proprietary beef blend, it’s topped with honey-cured bacon, Tillamook cheddar, grilled onions, lettuce, tomatoes and a house spicy sauce. 6955 El Camino Real. (760) 431-2929, notoriousburgers.com
The Public House, La Jolla: There are 14 burgers on the menu, including ribeye, bison, lamb, pork belly and elk options. The La Jolla Cove burger has pepper jack cheese, bacon, crispy onion straws and barbecue sauce. 830 Kline St., La Jolla. (858) 551-9210, the-publichouse.com
Rocky’s Crown Pub, Crown Point: This neighborhood bar near Mission Beach is famous for its classic, no-frills 1/3-pound burgers, which are cooked to order and served on a on a toasted bun with onions, lettuce and tomato. Fries are extra. Be warned, Rocky’s is a cash-only bar and children aren’t allowed inside (but there’s seating outside). 3786 Ingraham St., San Diego. (858) 273-9140, rockyburgers.com
The RosieMac burger and a side of fries at Rosemarie’s Burgers in Mission Beach.
(Pam Kragen/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Rosemarie’s Burgers, Mission Beach. Rosemarie’s, which started out at farmers markets in 2018 and transitioned to a brick-and-mortar space last June, serves sliders only. But they’re not tiny. The quarter-pound, Wagyu sliders are served on small brioche buns with kewpie mayo and American cheese. They’re $8.50 apiece or two for $14. 3852 Mission Blvd., Mission Beach. rosemariesburgers.com
Slater’s 50/50, Liberty Station: This 15-year-old West Coast chain is named for founder Scott Slater’s 1/3-pound, half-beef/half-ground-bacon burger, topped with fried egg, mashed avocado, pepper jack cheese and chipotle mayo on a brioche bun. Not a bacon fan? There are 14 other burger options to choose from. 2750 Dewey Road, No. 193. (619) 398-2600, slaters5050.com
The Spot, La Jolla: This 46-year-old neighborhood pub is known for its Garbage Burger, with a half-pound beef patty, cheddar, sautéed mushrooms, grilled onions, bacon, lettuce, tomato and onion rings on top. 1005 Prospect St. (858) 459-080, thespotonline.com
Ty’s Burger House, Oceanside: There are 19 burgers on the menu, including 14 made with premium Angus beef, as well as open-range grass-fed beef, buffalo, elk, venison and lamb burgers. 515 Mission Ave. (760) 757-5890, tysburgherhouse.com
The Wise Ox, North Park and La Costa: Chef Brad Wise makes a great burger at most of his Trust Restaurant Group eateries, but this gourmet butcher shop makes a great house dry-aged burger with bacon, Havarti cheese, may, mustard and house pickles. 2855 El Cajon Blvd., Unit 1, North Park; 7750 El Camino Real, Suite P, Carlsbad. thewiseoxsd.com
What did we miss?
Readers: Do you know a great burger that we missed? Please email me at the address below with your suggestions and the reasons why. If we get enough suggestions, I’ll do a follow-up story of reader picks.
pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
