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Burger Bar
Categories: Restaurants Burgers Restaurants American (Traditional) Burgers, American (Traditional) [Edit]
Macy's251 Geary St
6th Fl
San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhood: Union Square
(415) 296-4272
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Touristy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
1314 reviews for Burger Bar
Review Highlights
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"i loved the perfectly seasoned sweet potato fries." In 213 reviews -
"Hubert Keller came by our table to meet and greet." In 272 reviews -
"My Kobe beef burger was definitely delicious." In 158 reviews
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1313 reviews in English
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Review from Connie C.
I'm a bit surprised at such a low rating Burger Bar is getting! I came here last Saturday around dinner time. I think it deserves a better location than being at the opposite elevator as Cheesecake factory. I made a reservation for 2 people at 7:30p. We were seated at a table with bar stools looking right at Union Square. Great view, but not that great for someone afraid of heights. Looking down 6 floors while eating your burger? Thrilling.
I wanted to try foie gras on my burger but I wasn't ready to pay $60 yet. You can build your own burger for less expensive and possibly less flavorful. So it's your call. I built mine with kobe beef cooked medium rare, add-on foie gras, sprouts, swiss cheese on a sesame bun. FORGOT to add in sauce. I knew it was missing something when I took my first bite. My burger was definitely juicy enough, the taste of foie gras and burger blend in quite well. I must say, foie gras had an acquired taste. My piece wasn't as wide as my burger, so sometimes I couldn't have a bite full of everything I ordered in the burger. Very fresh ingredients, I must say. I should have chosen a better cheese, like monterey jack or pepperjack. I was afraid of the flavors of the cheese being too overwhelming and covered the tastes of the kobe beef and/or foie gras. It wasn't the best burger I've had, but one of the few good ones I've had in SF. Definitely coming back again and perhaps build a better burger to serve Burger Bar some justice.
They have a decent beer selection, tried the Union Jack IPA, went pretty well with my burger. the restaurant had two rooms, one with the bar tables and large TVs and the other room more romantic and quiet. Service was great, I liked my server a lot, very friendly and didn't forget about us just because we were at a corner seat. -
Review from Jin P.
Berkeley, CA
5/26/2012
Mediocre for the price (service in particular is atrocious).
Skinny fries are crispy and flavorful, but the rest of the meal was average. I had bison sliders, and while the meat was lean and fresh, the rest of the mini-burgers were flavorless and stale. Each burger came with the smallest pieces of lettuce and tomato, with a quarter of a dill pickle on the side. My mom and friend tried the Kobe beef and Country Natural burgers, and both complained that the patties were unevenly seasoned, with random clumps of salt throughout the burger. Waitress was impatient and rude throughout the evening. -
Review from Joel E.
5/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
There's a really great view of Union Square from this 6th floor Burger Bar inside of the Macy's building on the south side of the square. However, you'll pay more than a bit extra for the view and location. Sometimes I think pricing at places like this Macy's are really just a representation of the touristy nature of the Union Square vicinity . . . as $17.50 is pretty darned expensive for a cheeseburger and fries.
In the case of my order, the French Fries were freakin' HOT and literally burned the roof of my mouth to the point of a blister from the very 1st fry. This kinda ruined the meal for me . . . and with the high cost of the meal . . . even with the view, the best I can justify here is a 3.
I will say that the service provided by my waiter was prompt, personable, and attentive. The service was worthy of a nice tip, but the meal itself was overpriced. I probably will not be hurrying back anytime soon. There are better and more reasonably priced places for a burger and fries in this area of the City. -
Review from Tammy C.
(See pics) Updated review. More of 3.5 stars. Good thing when you can see from the electronic board downstairs with "No waiting." Certainly helped especially when it was 30 minutes before closing and they're still serving.
The country natural burger was decent for its price of $10.50 comparing with other styles and the extra such as chopped jalapeno, aioli were quite a bit for each order so you really only need 1 order for 2 people. The fried egg, on the other hand, was kinda small and flat that I almost forgot there was one.
Irish coffee was pretty good to warm up a windy evening. They also serve Irish Coffee milkshake, something to check out on the next visit.
On the evening we visited, they had the whole Macy's sign draping outside so no clear view to the Union Square.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/5/2011
(See pics)
Had the buffalo burger (Chef Keller) with skinny fries. Fries were good but the burger was… Read more »
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Review from Michael N.
Manhattan, NY
5/25/2012
I stopped at burger bar while i was in las vegas over the weekend. I ordered a kobe burger topped with cheddar cheese , foie gras, lettuce , tomato and onion on a sesame bun and some fat fries. the meal came up to around $37 dollars. The combination of the beef and foie gras blended well together. so well that I couldnt tell the difference. Overall it was a good experience. I would go back again. Oh yea.. the long island ice tea was Amazing.
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Review from Michelle M.
Lake Forest, CA
My boyfriend had been here on a prior trip to the city, but hadn't tried the burgers (it was in his vegetarian days), but he remembered the view was decent so he suggested Burger Bar for dinner. I love burgers so I agreed to go. I went in with high hopes, but the overall experience let me down....
We came in around 9pm on Saturday night and were seated right away. We had a good seat with a decent view of Union Square. The view was great and I loved the vibe of the restaurant -- very casual and fun. This is what saves the restaurant in my opinion.
The food idea is a cool idea. You get to build your own burger in a way by picking your own bun type and fillings. I like this a lot. But, my liking of the burgers ended there. When my food came out, the burger was just mediocre. For the $16+ price tag and by being able to pick what I wanted on the burger, I was expecting excellence and it just wasn't met. Boo to the burgers! My boyfriend also said that his burger didn't meet expectations either and he didn't finish his. As for drinks, the boy got a build your own milkshake (which he loved) and I ordered a beer. The beer I originally wanted, they were out of (which was a bummer), but the waiter suggested another kind, which was really good. Beer = good times!
Service here was lacking. The server never checked up on us once during the 45 minutes we were there and he was just slow in general. No good in my book.
Overall, this is a cool place to hit up for the view and vibe, but that's about it. If you want a great burger, I'd go elsewhere in the city.
Cheers! -
Review from Matt G.
Woo-hoo...I just received my tax return.
And what did I decide to spend my money on? I'm going to get a burger... from Burger Bar to be exact!
There are only a few Burger Bar restaurants in the world (Las Vegas, St Louis, MO and Beijing). I have been wanted to come to the Union Square location for a long time. But I did made an attempt to go to the Las Vegas location at the MGM. But the wait in the "Sin City" location was too long.
My anticipated debut, I ordered the "Chef Hubert Keller's burger". For a whopping $22.00, I get a medium rare 1/3 of a beef patty with melted blue cheese, caramelized onions, chopped spinach in a toasted ciabatta roll. I'm used to eating my burgers at fast food joints and diners, but this gourmet burger is indeed very pricey and indeed one of a kind. A side of skinny (BK-like) fries is also included with my burger. Yeah the fries better be included with the gourmet burger. My burger: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I also ordered one of the restaurant's gourmet milkshakes...yeah, damn right gourmet. My $8.75 Black & White milkshake has Vanilla ice cream liquid concoction with hot chocolate sauce and crumbled cookie topping. Pricey, thick and creamy beverage, but divine and pleasant to look at. My milkshake: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Dominic, bartender and the dude that took my order was very nice. As I was enjoying my pricey burger, Dominic was making ten Mint Mojitos when I was there. The drink must be very popular here. He also gave me a sample of the blended cocktail. That cocktail is $13.00. But with fresh Lime juice, mint and other ingredients to make the drink, I may come back and try that cocktail.
I came here to dine after receiving my tax return. But after my pricey meal here, I may need to beg for money to get some of my money back.Listed in: Hamburger Hill, Mission "Finally"…, Dance with Kelis and do the…
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Review from Nancy N.
4/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place was such a let down. It was our date night, so my bf and I drove an hour to get into the city to get a good burger with foie gras since we've heard so much about this place.
Pros: many different meat options, bun options, and in general very customizable.
Cons: pricey, dry burgers, overcooked/dry foie gras, tiny portions, slow service.
I think I'll save my money for Umami instead. -
Review from Kim-van T.
San Pablo, CA
4/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
How I ended up at Burger Bar on a Friday during lent - I really have no idea.
I couldn't actually eat a BURGER so this review is mostly for the non-burger ordering folk. I ended up ordering the grilled shrimp salad and a side of steak cut fries. I'm a firm believer that everything on the menu should be tasty. Obviously burgers are the star here but if it's on the menu - it should still taste good! The shrimp were bland and the dressing was extremely bland. I ended up adding tons of salt and pepper so that it could taste like something. I'm also not a big fan of having to cut my own lettuce, really? - why are you making me work for my salad??? Chef Hubert, please fix this.
On top of all that, I had to ask about the whereabouts of my fries twice.
Alcoholic milkshakes were tasty.
Overall, disappointed. Sad face. -
Review from Belinda C.
San Francisco, CA
5/13/2012
The first time i had Burger bar was a few years back in Vegas. I was super glad that they have a location in SF. I came here several times before and the food has always been average. Their drinks were always go. I finally got to try their Foie Gras burger. They sometimes right out. However, i was a little disappointed. The foie gras was ok, it was only lacking a good sauce to accompany it. Overall you are just eating a regular piece of foie gras with your hamburger. I wonder can i just order the foie gras without the meat? I'll still come back there and get my dranks and dessert. i love the view from this place. This place can get packed during weekends, so it's best to come on a weekday after lunch hours.
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Review from Jessica H.
San Francisco, CA
4/17/2012
I was here last weekend with my girlfriends before shopping. I had already ate, but decided I'd get drinks with them while they ate.
The service here is some of the most atrocious I've ever experienced. We had to wait 20 min just to get our drinks. This was very confusing to me because we were sat right away without a wait. We would only see our server once every 15/20 minutes. When they finally brought the food out they had forgotten half the order-
Bottle off beer with no way to open it. My friends finally went to the bar herself.
Friend pickles/onion rings no dip, even though it said it came with it. Asked for it again, never came. Three burgers came, but they somehow forgot the three orders of fries. It wasn't a pretty sight. We complained and they gave us 20% off the bill.
Maybe the place was suffering from bad management. They seemed to have been staffed pretty well and the cooks knew what they were doing(decent food). I hope this place gets it together soon. -
Review from Mark B.
Daly City, CA
4/18/2012
Love Hubert Keller's food at Fleur de Lys (who doesn't)?
Burger Bar is a fairly disappointing tourist trap. The $22 Keller burger (buffalo, blue cheese and blanched spinach) was tasty -- but the commercial bun, crappy pickle and mediocre frites were disappointing.
Service was dead slow -- with food being dropped off with no follow-up until we asked for the bill.
About $70 for two burgers and two beers with gratuity. Definitely not a meal HK would want to have associated with his name (hopefully). Smells of selling out. -
Review from Marcus M.
Seattle, WA
4/25/2012
Great idea here, however, during our visit things didn't meet the expectations I had for chef Keller. I asked the hostess when she seated us if the chef was working and she told me he was out of town. Bummer.
The good:
- great concept, views, milkshakes
- lots of build your own burger options
- friendly server
The mediocre:
- burgers ordered medium rare, delivered a shade less than well. This is such a basic expectation especially from a celebrated chef.
- luke warm fries and onion rings.
It's better than Red Robin but not by a whole lot. I would give chef Keller another try though. Hopefully it'll be better next time. -
Review from Amien P.
San Francisco, CA
4/15/2012
Was seated promptly, and there was ample seating. we got a booth/bar table against the window overlooking Union Square, except that one of those Macy's banners was covering it.
The server came several times, to see if we were ready, i kinda felt rushed or that was no need to come so often.
i had higher expections, but it was more casual and not as hectic as the cheesecake.
ordered the Country Natural with cheddar and avocado, and thought it was delish.
the portions were right, and i didnt have that beef flavor in my mouth after you eat beef lol.
thought it was pricey esp w/ all those add-ons.
and most places the hamburger comes with a side such as fries, but not here. -
Review from Mike B.
New York, NY
Updated - 5/10/2012
I stand corrected. Different day; nothing is the same. Why? This type of place should be able to deliver with great consistency. Burger not cooked as ordered. Not as flavorful. Onion rings by-and-large are still excellent except for two of them which were greasy, tough, and inedible, like they were from a batch from yesterday and were just thrown in. I know I sound insane but it's true! Again, why?
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/27/2012
Honestly, I can't think of anything bad to say about this place (except that their iced tea isn't… Read more »
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Review from Harry T.
3/30/2012
A remarkable place to enjoy a fantastic hamburger. Not only good food but a great view of Union Square and some top of the line service. This would be a must revisit place on a return trip to San Francisco. And they make a very good Bloody Mary. Did not have to add too much Tabasco to the drink as presented.
Besides the food and drinks, the view of Union Square is worth the visit just about from any seat in the place. -
Review from Michael W.
Walnut Creek, CA
4/14/2012
Went into the city for lunch and saw at Macy's that they had another restaurant besides Cheesecake Factory. We were seated right away which was very nice considering it was a Saturday afternoon, I thought we would have to wait.
Immediately noticed the overpriced menu and then realized it was mostly a la cart. OK, I can get over that if the food and service are good.
Ordered a diet soda and the turkey burger. Something was wrong with their fountain as the soda tasted like the machine needed cleaning. Took one sip and then had to push it aside. The server either didn't notice or didn't care, probably didn't care. The turkey burger was very dry, which is very surprising since this is a Hubert Keller restaurant. I only ate half of the burger, again the server didn't notice or didn't care, probably didn't care.
My husband had knocked some of his fries on the floor (he picked them up), when the server came by he mentioned it and the response was "that happens a lot around here". Really? If it does happen a lot then maybe the serving vessel should be changed so you don't knock over the long handle. I thought a more proper response would have been "would you like me to get you some more?" at the high prices, that would have been appropriate. Although, again, our server didn't care.
Later, she did ask my husband if he was done and cleared his plate, didn't ask me and never cleared my plate.
Overall, poor to mediocre food, poor service and overpriced. Close to 40 dollars for 2 burgers and non-alcoholic drinks should get you a better experience. Will not return. -
Review from Barb B.
4/22/2012
After a marathon shopping experience at Macy's with my 86 year old Auntie, I needed sustenance, STAT. It was interesting to watch this elderly shopping pro have no less than three sales clerks hopping in Fine Jewelry. It made me exhausted just watching. We started at 12:30 and she was done with her transaction by 3. We didn't have lunch before getting there either because she made a beeline to shop with her coupons in hand. She was fine. I was starving.
She says there are two restaurants in house at Macy's: The Cheesecake Factory and the Burger Bar. At that point, I felt I was too weak to go through the phonebook sized menu at CF so we chose the Burger Bar. At 3pm, there was no wait and we got a great window seat view overlooking Union Square on a sunny, beautiful SF day. While this menu wasn't as big as the Tolstoy's War & Peace Cheesecake menu, there were a fair number of pages. One whole page was devoted to shakes. Good thing this was the first day back on my diet!! FML. Anyway, I ordered the lo-cal ass reaming priced burger (no bun) and she got her usual burger with cheese and mushrooms and a side of fries. As others have said in their reviews, the prices here for a hamburger are pretty steep so I was expecting a pretty effing fine tasting burger. What can I say.... I was unimpressed. While the burgers are hefty sized, the taste was okay. Nothing spectacular. My Auntie got a side of spindly fries with no taste (McDonalds and In n Out Burgers have better tasting fries) and an undercooked burger when she asked for medium. My lo-cal meal was okay. The cole slaw was pretty tasteless. The food was mediocre but not for prices they are charging. Good thing she paid for the meal and I was starving or else I would have given them one star. Lol...really, I am bumping it up one star for the view and service. The food was overpriced and just okay.
I guess we paid for the view. -
Review from Lev E.
San Francisco, CA
4/13/2012
Tried this place for first time last weekend. Had great seating next to the window overlooking union square. It was fun to people watch from that height :)
Didn't realize this was an Hubert Keller (of Fleur De Lys fame) joint. Enjoyed everything about it. Server was very friendly and helpful. Grilled shrimp salad was yummy and it was fun to get the sliders and get to try out 3 different style burgers.
Will definitely be returning to try some of the other yummy looking burgers. -
Review from Suz L.
San Francisco, CA
5/3/2012
I think I was more impressed by the Twinkie Milkshake than the burgers.
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Review from Brian P.
San Francisco, CA
5/12/2012
Good burger just should of upgraded the meat, I just got the american burger and it was just ok. My Wife got the pepper Jack with country feed meat a it was much better. Great view in this place.
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Review from Spoon T.
Vestal, NY
5/22/2012
Well, let's face it. A hamburger is a hamburger. It doesn't matter if it has lobster or foie gras on it. The burger was tastey, but, come on $32 ?!? I go again if I won the lottery. I loved the bartender and his drinks were amazing !!!
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Review from Stephanie T.
Sacramento, CA
3/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Honestly, I've never heard of Burger Bar... and never knew that there was even a hype about it.
I'm pretty picky when it comes to burgers and this place was alright. I had the sliders so I could try out their different patties. I think it came with a buffalo, angus, and something else. Overall, it was slightly juicy but nothing to be amazed about. Maybe if you order their actual burgers... it might be better. Although the people I went with who did agreed that it was nothing special. And a bit pricey for a burger, if you ask me.
You order the burger and pay additional for whichever add-ins you want. They do give you a good selection.
The only great thing I enjoyed, aside from the view of Union Square, were their fries. Especially their sweet potato fries. Yum! Definitely recommend those if you do go. -
Review from Sarah F.
Walnut Creek, CA
5/9/2012
My first visit was amazing! I could not wait to go back. Best salmon burger I had ever had. It was a perfect center cut and delicious.
I went back on 5/7/12 for lunch. Our server was pretty much absent, couldn't get our orders right, and didn't seem to care when we pointed out that our orders were wrong. She literally shrugged her shoulders and mumbled something that we didn't understand.
The salmon burger was terrible. It was some odd, pieced together scraps of the blood line parts of the salmon. Because it wasn't actually one cut of salmon, but about three pieced together, all of the salmon fell out on my first bite. Which is how I noticed all of the dark meat/blood lines, so I guess it was to my advantage that it fell apart. I then had the luxury of separating the edible parts of the salmon from the inedible parts at the dining table.
My sister had the beef burger and said it was nothing special. The fries were great.
The craziest part of the experience is that we actually saw Hubert Keller as we were leaving! The day the owner is there and the service and kitchen were seriously lacking. I probably won't go back. -
Review from Courtney J.
Walnut Creek, CA
4/4/2012
I went to Burger Bar at the recommendation of a family friend who goes into the city all the time. I had never even heard of it despite there being a ton of hype. It's located IN Macy's so keep that in mind if you're going there for the first time.
Upon walking in, we were snapped at by the 2 gals up front when we asked about reservations. Did not appreciate the attitude. Our server made up for the girls rude behavior however. He was really nice and tried his best to always pay attention to our needs. He gave us updates on how long our food would be, which made me like him even more.
The menu offers thick or thin fries which I really appreciated considering I like thick fries and my dining companion likes thin fries. I got the Kobe beef burger with pesto and carmelized onions. It was cooked medium well like I had asked and was pretty good. I couldn't eat the whole thing it was so big. My friend got a buffalo burger per our servers suggestion. He said it was just okay, not as great as it was made out to be. It was pretty crowded when we went, even for being lunchtime.
The reason I'm giving this place 3 stars instead of 4 is because while I enjoyed the food, it was not the best burger I've ever had in my entire life. I've had much better burgers at WAY cheaper prices. I know it came with customized toppings but that doesn't matter much to me. I don't want to drop 40 bucks on an average burger. -
Review from Abby M.
Atlanta, GA
5/11/2012 3 photos
As a culinarian I enjoy seeing playfulness and creativity in classic creations that can oftentimes become trite and predictable. However, as a Georgia girl raised on a cattle farm, I can really appreciate a well-crafted burger and I do not find comfort in (for example) the ground shrimp concoctions that are taking the place of an all-beef patty on certain trendy menus. This being said, I was excited to visit Chef Hubert Keller's Burger Bar while I was staying in San Francisco this past month; it certainly did not hurt that my hotel was in eye-sight of the Macy's in which Burger Bar is located. My classmate, who works as a Chef in her own state, is just as much of a burger freak as I am and was thrilled at the idea of stopping in on our way back to the hotel from our romp around the Ferry Building. Upon checking-in with the hostess we were told to expect a 15 minute wait and were satisfied that we only had to stall for about 7 or 8 minutes. Even better, we were seated next to a window overlooking Union Square so that we could enjoy the beautiful day outside from our comfortable perch 6 stories up.
Walking the hills again had re-whetted my appetite and thirst so I started my order with a Pyramid Breweries Hefeweizen while Robin went for a flight of sampler pours including the Pyramid Hefe, Deschutes Black Butte Porter, Pyramid Outburst Imperial IPA and the privately-labeled Burger Bar Brew. Robin seemed to enjoy getting to taste so many options and I thoroughly enjoyed my wheat beer; it was the perfect weather for this light, slightly yeasty wheat beer. Before we could make up our minds on burgers (there are SO many options to either pick a composed burger or to create your own from endless choices) we picked out an appetizer to split. The Beer-Battered Jalapeno Pickles were something to behold and provided the perfect combination of slightly pickled, flavorful heat and substantial batter to absorb the spicy juices and create a rich, yet slightly crisp, exterior. The chipotle aioli that accompanied the jalapeno fries provided just enough creaminess to balance the heat; I cannot see ordering these gems with any other sauce offered on the menu. Finally, as if the fun flavors were not enough, the battered peppers were served in a cute miniature fry-basket; this was a first in presentation for me!
Mulling over the menu while I munched on jalapenos helped to inspire my customized burger and Robin and I agreed that we were ready to place our next order just as our waitress approached. I was allowed to order first and chose a toasted onion bun as my base, the sustainable Country Natural burger (cooked mid-rare), caramelized onion and pan-seared foie gras for my add-ons and the rich red wine and shallot reduction as my sauce. After placing my order I guess Robin decided to simplify things and just asked for one of the same, right down to the skinny fries with a classic aioli. Despite my longing for the $60 Rossini Burger (a Kobe creation oozing black truffles and foie gras) I was thrilled with my own composition and I am comfortable to say that this ranked in my top five favorite burgers and is kept company by the Black Tie Burger of Minetta Tavern in Manhattan and the 10 O'clock Burger of Holeman & Finch in Atlanta (In-N-Out holds a spot near the top as well, but for totally different reasons). The burger was perfectly cooked and rich without being fatty and the foie gras added a beautiful element of creamy caramelization and decadence (gotta get your fix of California foie gras before July 1st!). The shallot reduction was the perfect finish to the structure and the fries were an excellent accompaniment without being too starchy, yet still satisfying.
I will go back to Burger Bar again next time that I am on the west coast and would definitely check out Chef Keller's Las Vegas Burger Bar location next time I am in Sin City. And for the icing on cake, I got to meet Chef Keller a few nights after my Burger Bar visit and was able to get an autographed cookbook from the Chef while I had dinner in his top-notch San Francisco restaurant, Fleur de Lys. -
Review from Sophie B.
Alamo, CA
5/10/2012
A really YUMMY burger. This place let's you choose the buns, choose the meat, and choose the kind of fries.
Service:A
Cleanliness:A+
Food:A+
Atmosphere:A -
Review from Ying F.
4/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Top of the macy's union square building. Walk into a huge bar on the left and on the right an amazing view of Union Square. Too bad the burgers was not memorable. The burger was very average... Wish I could say more about this place but I really stop by for a quick bite. Maybe I'll try this place again for a better experience.
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Review from Luke T.
San Francisco, CA
5/6/2012
A friend and I came here for a late weekday lunch. The staff were friendly and the service was quick. I had a shrimp salad. I would have been happier if the salad, which was the large size, had more than 5 shrimp(they weren't very big either).
My friend had a burger and I took a bite. The meat was very good. The next time I go, I will try one of their burgers. Their menu was extensive with various types of meats and toppings.
Also, there is a great view of Union square if you get a table by the windows. If not, the booths on the other side of the restaurant each have their own TV. -
Review from Julia G.
2/10/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This was the second time I had been to Burger Bar and while the first experience was probably 3-star worthy, the second was a definite downgrade to 2-stars.
After a few hours of shopping with a friend from out of town, we decided we both had earned a delicious dinner. I (regretfully) suggested Burger Bar which at the time I felt was one of the better options in the area. My biggest mistake was not ordering a real, beefy burger. I thought I'd go all health-y-fied and order the veggie option. I even asked the server if he recommended it and he said that he ate it all the time. BLECH. It tasted like mealy paste. I had a few bites and left the rest.
The service was lacking as well. My friend asked for mayo and never received it. I had clearly barely touched my burger and our server didn't ask if there was an issue when he cleared our plates.
To add insult to injury, my veggie burger came out to be close to $20. I'd much rather spend my hard earned cash on Umami Burger. -
Review from Colleen C.
San Francisco, CA
2/26/2012
4 stars for the milkshakes only. Milkshakes are delicious! Had the Black and White Milkshake. So sweet, satisfying, yet doesn't taste heavy.. how do they do it?
Tried their nutella burger which is a dessert with donut, fruit, and nutella..... Clever idea and looks super cute when it comes to the table, but I would probably pass on this next time. I was expecting a really delicious donut (like Krispie Kreme) but that was not the case... -
Review from Kathleen L.
San Francisco, CA
2/13/2012
Monday night & I'm feeling alright.....until I decide to come here with a friend for dinner.
Heard a lot of hype from ex-coworkers and pals that this place is great. It completely fell below my LOWEST expectations.
She had: Veggie burger w/ steak fries.
Moi: Sweet Potato Fries (per your reviews).
Needless to say, our fries were pretty good but hot diggity dog if there was a burger that I ever came across that I didn't like it'd be THIS one. I had a bite and it was COMPLETELY dry! There was nothing special about it all. Maybe it was just the wrong kind of burger to order from here? New chef? It was tiny and bland.
Sweet potato fries were great but not amazing and felt like an old batch that has been waiting under a heated lamp for the next sucker to get played.
SERVICE:
Horrendous. I haven't experienced this horrible of service in SO long. Our waiter was completely displeased with serving us. My friend wanted to order steak fries with her order after he left and ignored us while we politely called for him--I went a little ridiculous and waved my hands in the air and he, like, just didn't care (five points if you caught that one). He despised waiting us so much that he stuck to the bar and only refilled our water literally 10 minutes before we left. He seemed completely agitated and asked my friend if he could take away her full plate. After waiting for the longest time, we had to bring our check to him ourselves because he was completely avoiding waiting any of his seated customers. I'm sorry you had a bad day, sir. I hope everything that seems to be troubling with you works out.
I am definitely not coming back here unless someone else pays for my meal because it was so unpleasant. -
Review from Nicha K.
Alameda, CA
1/16/2012
I've come here on multiple occasions because it's right in my bldg.
Portions are generous and quality is very good. They've got a list of Chef's Burgers and you also have limitless options with the Build A Burger (pick your patty--ranges from regular ol' angus to kobe beef to buffalo to salmon to turkey to veggie... and more) and everything else under the sun. They have the normal fixings that every reputable burger place should have (ie. avocado, bacon, etc) but also way special things like prosciutto, peppered bacon, truffles, foie gras and like... 7 different cheeses.
Milk shakes are YUM. I usually end up splitting my milkshake with a friend because they're sizable (and they make them in TWO separate glasses with the trimmings and garnishes also--not just slop-poured into a second cup). I've had their beer float milkshake for a birthday lunch (delicious!) and I never make it to dessert because my belly gets full.
Also try: Sweet Potato Fries!!! -
Review from Cassandra J.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 2/2/2012 1 photo
Updating this review based on service that my coworkers and I went through today.
Seven of us came in for a work lunch together. I'm finding that after several lunches here, I'm not overly impressed with their food anymore. There's still some awesome things there (I still love the deep fried pickle spears) but the burgers are kinda not hitting the mark for me anymore. They're not terrible by any means, but the veggie patty really isn't all that I find. It's difficult to eat and most of the time it doesn't fit on the bun properly, making a huge mess and not really being a "burger".
Today though, the service we received was poor, borderlining on outright rude.
My coworker had ordered a salad and requested an ingredient be left out. The salad came out unaltered. She sent it back and they were pretty quick in getting a replacement out. Except her replacement had bits of the ingredient she'd requested removed (I don't know if they just picked it off or if they made a whole new one and random bits wandered in). The problem came when she tried to flag down a waiter about the second salad also being unacceptable and it took nearly 10 minutes of waiting for someone to finally come over. She requested a soup replacement and even that took another 10 minutes to come out.
It wasn't that crazily busy for the service to be that poor on this visit. There were a good number of waitstaff out and around the floor. We felt like we were getting ignored as we were trying to get someone's attention. We had very little service overall once our food was out (dare I say it was nonexistent?) and it was somewhat frustrating by the end of the meal.
I'm on the fence with this place. There's definitely some things I like about it, the potential is there for a lot more. The prices still make me cringe (I ordered a pop today because I just couldn't handle the $8 price on the milkshakes) and the veggie burger is still kinda on the "meh" side, but the pickles are amazing and more than make up for it in a way.
There's other places I'll likely go to when given the option in the area but this will be kind of on the list of "maybe, if the other places are too full or closed or I really feel like deep fried pickles".1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/3/2011
This is not for the faint of heart! The prices are definitely up there, you pay a base price for… Read more »
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Review from Ali S.
New York, NY
4/23/2012
Okay place if you want to grab a quick bite but definitely nothing special. Best thing about it was the view overlooking Union Square.
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Review from Meghan W.
Daly City, CA
3/2/2012
Yes, yes, and YES!!
The service was great, but who really stood out above the rest was the front of house staff Zack - on a busy Friday night with a packed house, the wait was well worth it! He checked on us multiple times and is one of the most professional and pleasant individuals I've had the pleasure of encountering in a long while. What a fabulous start to an even better dining experience!
By far the best burger I've had - Kobe beef!!!!!!! Mr. Keller's adaptation of an American classic should make every other diner in the continental US take some notes on how it should be always be done!! Bravo! Will be back and waiting with bells on. -
Review from Jessica C.
Fremont, CA
1/20/2012
Disappointing! I've heard great things about this restaurant but left completely disappointed.
I came here for a business lunch. The location is perfect looking down at Union Square.
Upon arrival the staff was friendly and greeted me. The place was nearly empty with only 2 other tables at 11:30am. My greeting was where it all the glitz ended. After being seated, the entire experience went downhill with service and food.
To start, our server took our drink orders. I had to remind the server to bring my drink. He had left it sitting on the counter and by the time it was served to me my ice was melted and received a watered down drink. I was also surprised that drinks were served in plastic cups. Not a great look for what I thought would be a high end burger joint.
We ordered two entrees and a side of fries to share. The entrees were good just not spectacular. I could have had a similar order at Red Robin or TGIFridays. Again we had to remind the server to bring out our fries. We were half way done with our entrees by the time he remembered to bring them out. When they arrived they were barely warm.
For the price on the menus and the name backing the restaurant, I would have expected more in regards to service. A great server is attentive and anticipates your needs. Our server lacked both of these qualities.
I'd rather go to Super Duper or the Counter for a good burger. -
Review from Pia M.
3/28/2012 1 photo
This may be strange, but I haven't actually tried the burgers at Burger Bar...
However, I am giving it 5 stars due to my love for Hubert Keller. He happened to be at the restaurant on the day my sis and I visited. We had just eaten brunch with our parents and as they left to return to the east coast, the two of us decided to grab beers at Burger Bar because of it's location and sweet view of Union Square. As a longtime Top Chef fan, I had recently fallen in love with Hubert following the last season of Top Chef Masters during which I was convinced that I was his biggest cheerleader. So you can imagine how starstruck I was when I saw him pacing on his cell phone behind a set of closed doors - though you can barely see through the doors, I'd know that white ponytail anywhere. I kept turning around and staring like a fool, and finally decided to get a hold of myself. After sometime, he decided to come out as my sister grabbed me across the table and exclaimed "Pia, he's gonna walk by us!" Not knowing what else to do, as I saw a flash of white go by, I screamed out "Hubert!" (to this day I scold myself for not calling him "chef"). Anyways, despite my lack of eloquence, he was so polite and sweet and was truly flattered that I was such an adoring fan. He asked us if we had tried the burgers and we apologized that we had not as we came here on full stomachs. He then asked if we liked milkshakes, and we both nodded eagerly. Chef Keller himself then had 2 complimentary milkshakes (which were delicious!) sent out for me and my sis. Truly one of the most memorable moments of my life.
After this experience, I will forever be a Keller groupie. -
Review from Mildred R.
San Mateo, CA
3/4/2012
I love to take out of town visitors to this place. The view is amazing and the environment is great. Their burgers and shakes are delicious.
Order a burger and you won't be disappointed, the fries are delicious! -
Review from Megan L.
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Burger Bar has been consistently good in the 3 or 4 times I have been here. They have an extensive beer list and I like that you can customize your burger as minimally or as extravagantly as you want. Maybe one of these days I'll try putting some foie gras on my burger...
My typical order:
Black Angus or Country National on Ciabatta w/ sweet potato fries
Add: Swiss, Coleslaw, Avocado
Great that they have veggie options too (veggie patty). My friend who had a veggie burger was satisfied and happy with his meal.
Can't say I have any complaints about it other than the prices being a bit high. Other than that, it's in a nice convenient location - I'm a big fan of BART accessibility. Go here for your quick burger fix when you're shopping at Union Square.
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