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American Burger
Categories: Restaurants Burgers Restaurants American (New) Burgers, American (New)
738 Lighthouse AveMonterey, CA 93940
(831) 373-7573
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 9 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
26 reviews for American Burger
Review Highlights
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"Also super delicious sweet potato fries." In 4 reviews -
"...by the lightest, most delicious onion rings I have run into..." In 4 reviews -
"The decor is cute with a bunch of cool posters." In 4 reviews
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26 reviews in English
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Review from Matt S.
San Jose, CA
3/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
Good burgers, free shake on check-in.
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Review from Ralph R.
Watsonville, CA
10/28/2011 6 Check-ins Here
I have eaten here a few times and it always has that nice family-owned feel to it. The burgers are delicious and served very hot. There is a wide variety of burgers and sandwiches here so almost anyone can find something to eat.
I ordered a veggie burger. The bun was toasted (always a nice touch) and the burger came with 1000 island "special sauce", and lightly seasoned fries (seasoned salt). The veggie patty was not the best I've had, but the roasted red bellpeppers, grilled onions, mushrooms, and avocado more than made up for it.
Checkers on the table made from beer bottle caps provide something to do while you wait for your food. The TV is usually on a sports game, but I have seen them change it to kids shows when there is a kids birthday party. There is a stage for live bands, and happy hour is from 3-7, Monday-Friday. Pictures of happy customers all around the restaurant help to give a nice family-vibe. They are very appreciative of anyone who dines here.
Food was slowish getting to the table, but it was very hot and fresh. The servers are always very polite, but soft spoken and sometimes hard to hear. It took a little long for my check to arrive, even with a mostly-empty dining room, but I was in no rush.
The price is affordable and competitive with other burger restaurants, such as islands. $8.25 for the "ultimate veggie burger" and about $2 for an iced tea.
Food: 4
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 4
Price: 3 -
Review from Harry K.
Monterey, CA
9/10/2011
2.5 stars, rounded up.
I wandered in on a weekday, about 11:45. No customers in the restaurant, and none arrived while I was there.
Upon entering, I was greeted with a hearty "buenas dias!" from someone I took to be the proprietor. (This, I think, is a strange greeting to receive at someplace that calls itself *American* Burger. As it so happens, the owner (Jose) used to run a Mexican restaurant in this very space before changing format. But I digress.)
I wanly said hi, and asked for a menu.
After a brief perusal of options, I went for the classic burger, with fries, to go. It was an awful lot of money (eight bucks) for a burger and fries. Fortunately, they were both tasty. Not eight bucks tasty, but good. The fries did not need ketchup, and were nicely seasoned.
The decor is forced Americana. Each table has its own theme; one of them seems to be "the owner's family." My favorite was "Old Timey Post Cards." The decor is not as forced as it is at, say, Applebee's or T.G.I. Friday's, but it still lacks that certain certain... je ne sais quoi.
If I'm going to pay this much for a burger, I'll probably go to RG Burger instead. If you're in the neighborhood, though, you could do much worse than here. -
Review from Cami S.
Monterey, CA
7/14/2011
Don't be fooled by the pretentious Monterey locals that give the anal-retentive reviews and expect every place they walk into to be 5-star restaurant...
This place is a Classic Burger joint... a variety of delicious burgers, nothing fancy, but honestly, it's a burger joint. What part of burger should be fancy? Also super delicious sweet potato fries!! A great deal Monday-Friday 4-7!
If you want someone to polish your toes and perm your hair while you eat maybe you should try a hoity-toity restaurant down in Carmel... otherwise, just enjoy a typical American ambiance and a good burger and beer like a normal American. Hence the name, American Burger. -
Review from Raul N.
8/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was bored with the usual lunchtime offerings around my office, so my friend and I decided to go for a stroll down Lighthouse and see what grabbed us for lunch. Completely out of the blue, we walked past American Burger and for some reason, nearly in unison, we said "What about American Burger?" So we decided to hell with it, let's try it.
I've always been a little skeptical of American Burger--the review from fellow Yelpers have been mixed--and had been putting off trying it. But I figured what the hell, I'd try it for myself.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that they've updated their menu and now offered turkey burgers. Score! It's so rare to find turkey burgers in town, and those that do offer them (ahem, RG Burgers) have been underwhelming as of late. I was ready to try a new turkey burger.
We started out with an order of calamari. The calamari was rings only, heavily breaded. It was crispy, and while it wasn't too greasy, the calamari was a little rubbery inside the breading. And I was a little surprised the calamari was served with ranch sauce, not the usual tartar sauce. Odd choice, but it didn't taste that bad.
I ordered the turkey burger with Jack cheese, and added bacon and avocado. It arrived with sautéed onions, lettuce, pickle and tomato on the side, with a house sauce spread on the bun. The patty wasn't bad--a little salty, sure, but much better than I'd expected based on other reviews. The sautéed onions were a nice addition, and made up for the underwhelming bacon and avocado. (The bacon was a tad too crispy and the avocado a little bland.)
The accompanying fries were cut a little thick for my tastes, but they tasted fine.
My friend was likewise satisfied with her burger, even if it arrived more medium than medium-rare.
Service was kind of lazy, honestly, maybe because we were the only table in the restaurant? (Sometimes an empty restaurant leaves servers with too much time on their hands.) For instance, the calamari arrived without any plates or silverware. When I asked for both, our server seemed a little surprised. I know burgers--and to some extent, calamari--are foods to eat with your hands, but I'd still like some semblance of civility with plates, napkins and cutlery before I dig into my burger.
It's by no means a classy establishment--American Burger is deliberately going for a dive-y feel. The walls and tables are plastered with an eclectic blend of photos and posters. I do have to appreciate that our table included photos of Shakespeare alongside Lisbeth Salander. And let's face it, hearing Salt-N-Pepa's Push It made my day. (I'm a sucker for trashy 90's music.)
It's a little rough around the edges, sure, but American Burger actually wasn't half bad. It's not gourmet by any means, but there's something charming about an old-fashioned hole-in-the-wall burger joint. -
Review from Tiffany H.
Monterey, CA
6/20/2011 1 photo
Would give this place a solid 3.5 if I could but wouldn't say the food is good enough for 4.
My husband and I are grain, dairy and legume free and often need to modify menu items to fit our needs. In a "fast food" joint or casual sit-down place, it can get a little more difficult to customize our orders. But the one guy working the counter and serving the restaurant was great - very friendly and accommodating.
I got the garlicky burger, no bun, no cheese, lettuce wrapped and subbed sweet potato fries. The burger was good - the patty was juicy and well cooked. The grilled onions were yummy but the ton of garlic was just slightly over cooked; not burnt to the point of becoming bitter but just a tad darker than I like.
The sweet potato fries looked like they were probably frozen fare, not fresh cut. They were also battered so I'd say they weren't grain/gluten-free.
For those who enjoy conventional burgers with cheese and the bun, I'm sure this place will fit the bill when you want an uncomplicated, decent meal.
For what it is, at the price point, the place (decore, cleanliness, service) and the food were good but not fantastic = 3.5 stars.
Note: if you're there for the m-f 4-7pm $6 special, custom orders don't apply. -
Review from Abby R.
Fremont, CA
1/2/2012
Super yummy food and extremely nice, down to earth employees. I love that the restaurant is family-run! I will definitely be back next time I'm in the area and I urge you to go check them out!
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Review from Sheldon C.
Campbell, CA
10/20/2011
Burgers don't get much better than this. The Swiss mushroom burger that I had at American Burger was right on par with Barney's hamburgers, the small local chain of gourmet hamburger restaurants up in the Berkeley area.
You can tell that a burger joint has it right when the bun isn't just an afterthought used for holding the meat. The bun was soft, with a touch of sweetness and slightly chewy. It was perfect with the crispy smoky flavor of the beef patty.
As an extra plus, the decor is a lot of fun in this place. I went there with my wife and we felt like two teenagers our on a date in some uniquely retro out of the way dining hall. I wish I lived closer to Monterey so I could go here more often.
Great value for the quality of the food too. Oh, and the fries were really awesome too. They were done just right so that every fry was light and crunchy without being over fried. -
Review from B F.
Monterey, CA
9/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Looking for a place to pick up dinner, I checked Yelp. American Burger was offering a check in special milkshake. It was an excellent milkshake that would have been worthy of 5 stars on its own. It was matched by the lightest, most delicious onion rings I have run into in a long time. The burger was good-a solid burger. But boy o boy- that milkshake and those onion rings were something else. Decor is sort of neighborhood funky. Go for the food, not the decor.
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Review from Lyndsay B.
Aptos, CA
9/15/2011
I love this place! The burgers are hand pressed and delicious! I was surprised to see the place was empty considering the food was so good! The owner is very friendly. He spent some time with us talking about the work he's put into the place, And how he really enjoys his loyal customers. it's clear to me that he isn't trying to impress you with the decor or a fancy pants attitude, but with his food! And for me, that's the most important part. Great burgers, friendly, and if you're into music, this is the place to be.
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Review from Local consumer C.
Salinas, CA
10/26/2010
I love eating here when I am in town....they have great burgers and I love the sweet potato fries!
I like that they try to bring entertainment to the area with music and dancing...
It's also a great place for a group gathering or party. -
Review from Jennifer W.
Stockton, CA
7/18/2011
So YUM! delicious food at amazing prices. Perfect for a real meal, away from the over priced, touristy restaurants. Will definitely be back!
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Review from Jessamyn W.
Monterey, CA
1/15/2011
I went in here with some friends for an early dinner yesterday. There was nobody in here. It also smelled disgusting when we came in here.
This place has a very "American" personality. The walls are covered with posters of classic musicians and movies and the tables are covered with collages of pictures of their customers.
There was a pretty good selection of burgers, although not many vegetarian options. The portion sizes were decent. We all got milkshakes, which were smaller than i would have expected them to be. But that was okay since my meal was very filling. I got the Uncle Sam burger, which was okay. The fries were also pretty good.
It was pretty moderately priced--about $13 for a burger and a shake.Listed in: Monterey
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Review from Melissa H.
Aromas, CA
9/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was just an awesome night. Veggie burger was great, staff were friendly and organized. Hawaiian night is the last Friday of the month and the music was awesome. Overall-- a great experience and I look forward to returning.
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Review from Rob W.
Marina, CA
1/9/2010
After reading a review in the paper and being in that part of town, me and the gf tried to eat at American Burger on a Saturday right at lunch time. There were two other couples eating at the table with one person trying to pay. We stood in the center of the restaurant waiting to be attended. And we waited. And waited. A child of about 10 (literally) was walking back and forth from the kitchen to attend to the customer trying to pay. I started counting and after already being in there for several minutes with no acknowledgment, we left.
I wish I could say something about the food. With the absence of customer service, it's not likely they will remain in business very long.Comment from Jose M. of American Burger 1/13/2010
Rob, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us… More » -
Review from Allison M.
Pacific Grove, CA
1/30/2011
This poor restaurant. What could be the go-to place for a burger and beer is unfortunately pushing the line of just plain horrible. The only reason they get two stars is the food is actually pretty good. I had the Teriyaki Pineapple burger with Sweet Potato fries. I really enjoyed my meal. What I didn't enjoy was 1) The interior is just bad. Really bad. It is dirty, with old movie posters. 2) A huge TV in the corner only playing old black and white musical movies. My husband wanted to rip his eyes out. 3) sloooooowwwww service. You could tell the waitress just didn't want to be there
A recommendation: If this place cleaned up the interior, got some waitresses that cared, and got some cable, this could be a football haven! Every weekend during football season we look for a place to watch the games that our cable doesn't get, and there just aren't any good options. If American Burger made this place a Sports heaven, I guarantee that it would succeed. I would get food to-go from here if I was really craving a burger, but I will never, ever, sit down to eat at this restaurant again. -
Review from Nicole L.
Long Beach, CA
12/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
great burgers! .. the place could be a little cleaner . family run. cool stuf inside
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Review from Zhila E.
Mountain View, CA
4/11/2010
So the food was good- the burgers seemed fresh and the fries and onion rings were very good. I know this place is new, so they don't quite have a following yet. There was one other couple having lunch and an old guy playing new-agey music on a keyboard.
I don't mind new agey music, but it was really out of place for a burger restaurant, and definitely out of place for lunch.
The place needs to work on getting it's ambience right. The food is ok (cheaper than r.g. burgers) but we didn't really care for the semi-annoying music playing in the background. -
Review from Edward M.
Urbana, IL
3/27/2011 4 Check-ins Here
A little known gem. Everything here is delicious, but especially the spicy burger. The atmosphere is a little eclectic but nothing that gets in the way of enjoyment. Every table has a mat for checkers, with bottle caps for pieces, which provides a good activity while you wait on your food. The wait for food though is never long, and the wait staff is always friendly. This is, hands down, my favorite burger joint ever. Being a Chicago native, that is saying something.
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Review from Alexander B.
Pacific Grove, CA
3/9/2010
Good onion rings
Nice and lightly crispy sweet potato fires
Lovely seasoned curly fires
The BarBeque sauce was nice and refreshing, a perfect dipping sauce for the rings. I uually hate to dip onion rings into anything, but I love this combo. Now onto the burger. Expertly seasoned patties and cooked to my requested medium rare.
Very strange the owner switched from a taqueria to this, but it's still pretty good. Now if he'd just narrow the menu down and really focus on burgers.... -
Review from Theresa H.
Monterey, CA
9/12/2009
What a JOKE!
My husband and I are locals and have lived here 50 years!
First we tried LA FAMILIA and tonight 9/12/09 we tried American Burger. Same Owners and same crappy food! The best burgers in town at this time are R.G. Burgers and the best mexican is Zocallo!
If you want to waste your time and money,"YOU WERE WARNED!"
Good Luck! -
Review from matthew O.
Monterey, CA
9/9/2009
I saw this place walking home from work. I love a good burger, so I called my friend to join me to check this place out. The decor is cute with a bunch of cool posters. We got here and it was pretty empty, which seems like a bad sign, but I was pleasantly surprised that food was actually quite good. The waiter was really nice was making my friend and I laugh the whole time with his jokes. I don't think too many people know about this place so i recommend that you check it out!
Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Janelle B.
Monterey, CA
3/1/2010
I have yet to actually go into this location as my boyfriend always gets items to go and brings them home. The first time we had the calamari it was wonderful! There was so much and the pieces were so large! The next couple times we ordered the calamari we didn't get nearly as much and they were very small. One time we received onion rings- not sure how calamari and onion rings can sound the same, but apparently they do. I hate onions and can't stand them at all but I always try at least one onion ring if it gets ordered at the table. These were actually pretty darn good! I certainly wouldn't mind eating three or four of them. My boyfriend always says the service is more on the slow side but the food is worth the wait- especially if you don't want to cook/all your dishes are dirty and sitting in the kitchen sink.
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Review from Jason B.
9/25/2010
This place has good fresh burgers. The decor is basic but all I am interested in is the food and service, and both are great. The avocado bacon burger is really good. I have tried several other burgers and have never been disappointed.
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Review from Gabriel t.
Berkeley, CA
9/21/2009
yeah we're tourists in Monterey who wanted some good old burgers. Drove by this place around lunchtime and it's empty. We ordered four burgers and they took forever to come.....something like 20 minutes? I couldn't taste any mushroom in the mushroom burger, bleh. The patty is nice and thick, but they're grilled too hard and had some strong charcoal taste. Yuck.
Comment from Jose M. of American Burger 1/13/2010
We are so sorry! Here is what we have done, and are doing,… More » -
Review from Dave S.
Pacific Grove, CA
2/17/2010
This place would probably get a better following with good advertisement. I thought the food was pretty good. The restaurant is in a area with not a very good visual for it. The parking lot is nice enough to have considering the parking situation with the town. People should try this place and give them more of a chance. They need more foot traffic in there. I would go there again. I would like for my family to go there with me next time.
