- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Burger Lounge
Category: Restaurants Burgers Burgers [Edit]
1101 Wall St(between Herschel Ave & Ivanhoe Ave)
La Jolla, CA 92037
Neighborhood: La Jolla
(858) 456-0196
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 10:30 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 10:30 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
486 reviews for Burger Lounge
Review Highlights
-
"A must try if you love burgers, fries, and onion rings." In 171 reviews -
"...chicken in the Fresh Vegetable Salad is so delicious." In 7 reviews -
"I had the red velvet cupcakes, and they are amazing." In 10 reviews
Loading...
- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
486 reviews in English
-
Review from Peijean T.
San Diego, CA
It's not my favorite burger, but it is definitely offers the BEST service and the most relaxing and classy cafe setting over any other burger restaurant in the area.
The servers are happy to fetch sauces (including their homemade bbq sauce which is stellar) for you after they deliver your food, and check in on you as if you were at a formal restaurant, even though the setting is casual. They give you real utensils. The orange awnings on the outdoor patio make you feel like you are dining somewhere special.
Gets super busy around lunch time with all the downtown La Jolla businesses nearby, so it may be hard to find a seat since the joint is pretty small and it's mostly outdoor patio seating.
I went last week and have to point out some great moments:
* If you order a shake they will offer to split it for you into two glasses if there's two of you. Which is great because you probably don't wanna consume all bajillion calories of that deliciousness, and you're really not missing out by going halfsies.
* They gave me a free local-brewery beer because they had "accidentally" poured it
* The coolest veggie burger ever because the patty is made with quinoa and all sorts of healthy deliciousness
* Look up the nutrition facts for these burgers, and you'd be surprised how much lower in calories they are compared to competitors like Smashburger, The Counter and Five Guys. Perhaps grass-fed beef really is healthier. -
Review from Shelly J.
Great burger lounge!
Uh.... so yeah, very fitting name x)
The Lounger Burger -
Very legit. Meat was thick and juicy and medium-rare. Just the way I LOVE it.
*warning: For those of you on a date, forgettabout eating prettily. There's no way you bite a good chunk off the burger without opening w-i-d-e.
Onion rings -
Has GOT to be one of the best I've ever had. AND it doesn't taste too oily at all. Fried perfectly crisp, but not oily--Amazing!
Fries -
Same thing here. But then again, I just kind of love fries. Period.
You can get the onion rings & fries half/half, and it's still enough for two to split.
Order some ale to go down with the beer. Sit out on the patio, soak up the sun, enjoy the ocean breeze--afternoon does not get better than that.Listed in: Burger Fan
-
Review from Eunice K.
Fountain Valley, CA
Their simple menu reminded me of the Chipotle ambiance.
Yes, the burgers here are pretty pricey, but you're in La Jolla, AND their burgers are absolutely delicious, AND the service is great.
I got the regular Burger Lounge burger, and the meat is thick, and juicy, and just oh-so-amazing. I LOVE their buns. I thought it would be hard and crunchier, but when you bite into it, you're just surprised with the softness of the buns. The fries, I must admit, were a lot smaller than I thought, fitted into a small Chinese to-go style box. However, they were scrumptious, so I'm can't complain. The fries were soft and they actually tasted like potatoes instead of processed fries.
The workers are extremely friendly, always asking if they can take your plates or give you more water. I actually forgot that I was in a burger joint because they were always providing great service.
P.S. They had some red velvet cupcakes, and my friend couldn't stop eyeing those cupcakes and ended up taking two home for himself and our friend. Mmh so good. -
Review from Jay S.
San Diego, CA
Burger lounge is bomb, yeshhh it is a little pricey but i think you definitely get a fantastic burger for the price!
This isn't the in'n'out or smashburger thin patty deal where the patty shares the spotlight with all the other burger clutter, you get a thick and juicy grass-fed burger that is the star of the show.
Normally ordering a side salad instead of fries would be blasphemy but at burger lounge both salads they offer are AMAZING. The romaine is a caeser style salad and the vegetable salad comes with a lot of veggies, ricotta and jicama. You won't even miss the fries...ok maybe the half fries and half onion rings are pretty great too.....get both? The salad obviously cancels out the fries/onion rings so you're golden. That's how it works right?
To end with both the red velvet and the homemade hostess cupcake (with mocha frosting filling!) they offer are soo tasty. If you have the self-control for it I would take the hostess cupcake home and refrigerate it because it becomes extra fudgy and absolutely heavenly when cold.
Lastly, the last two times we came here we're super close to their closing time at 9 (ok maybe one time it was five minutes after closing). I know we're horrible people. BUT the staff made us feel super welcome and even encouraged us to eat there instead or taking our food to go. A+ for food and service! -
Review from Carol S.
San Diego, CA
Super pricey for this location that doesn't even have the full menu. The service was okay but it's ALWAYS crazy busy for lunch. It was okay.
-
Review from Kailey S.
This place is good however it can get kinda pricey when you have to order the sides separate. The beef and turkey burger is pretty typical but the veggie burger is amazing. I loved regular burgers but I always get the veggie burger here because it tastes so delicious (I have hated every other veggie burger that I have tried). It is moist and a tab bit cheesy.
The fires and onion rings are good too.
Parking at this location can be difficult depending on when you go. -
Review from Hapa L.
Los Angeles, CA
I am definitely a BL fan and their burgers are high up there in rank; Possibly the best- But this time I wasn't as thrilled about it.
From the 3 locations I've went to BL - Little Italy, BL Los Angeles (Sunset) and BL Wall St- La Jolla. They are ranked in that order so far...--The burger here in this location was lacking flavor this time around and a bit more dry- The Half and Half Fries and Rings was really good and nicely fried!
I ordered a half Salad- but that too was missing some ingredients displayed on the menu- (Maybe they ran out?) but I remember the other 2 locations had more mouth-watering flavors and it was the best salad I have ever tasted..so missing an ingredient can really change the dish. Other than that- It won't stop me from being a Burger Lounge fan, and I plan to visit all locations in Socal. -
Review from Gary Y.
Irvine, CA
Pretty good burgers here! Albeit a little pricey. Big fan of the fries though, and a HUGE fan of the Chocolate Malt Shake. Not really sure how "Premium" it is, but it is probably one of my most favoritist malt shakes.
The biggest negative about this place is that it was REALLY crowded when we got there. The seating layout is a mess and really crammed, but the staff was friendly and had an upbeat attitude. -
Review from Mari A.
San Diego, CA
TURKEY BURGER! One of my tastiest places to go and get a turkey burger! Flavorful and bread so fluffy, this place leaves me full and completely satisfied!
I've been to four locations and my favorite is still La Jolla. Alongside the burger, I always get their half and half fries and onion rings! Very tasty and great to dip in ranch. My burger is always juicy and fries and onion rings always cooked to the perfect crisp.
This place promotes healthiness and "green clean". They use peanut oil to cook their burgers and fries in. All their meat is organic. And its not salt that adds the flavor to the food, it's the herbs and other spices they use to marinate the meat! LOVE!
I'm able to bring my pup as well and sit outside on a nice sunny san diego day. :) -
Review from Donna A.
Burger lounge is my go to burger spot. With multiple locations in San Diego and LA you can't go wrong with this grass fed, Fat, juicy meat burger. I also love the turkey burger- so juicy and filled with goodness. They even have a delicious salad that's pretty filling with aged ricotta cheese. Burger lounge it's the best burger if you're not worried about breaking the bank.
-
Review from Jonathan G.
Playa Vista, CA
My rankings for #1 burger just got a new front runner, and it's Burger Lounge. While on a weekend trip to San Diego & La Jolla, my wife found this place. My wife can spot a great burger joint the way she can spot a coveted handbag at 100 yards; it's like she has crazy vampire blood scent tracking skills...but I digress.
We split a Lounge Burger with white cheddar, cooked well with no onions. I would have liked to follow the waiter's recommendation and gotten the grilled onions, but apparently onions are to my wife what garlic is to a vampire (I'm going to see how many vampire references I can work into this review...feel free to play along at home). We also got the 50/50 order of fries & onion rings.
Grass fed beef really does make for a top notch hamburger. For me, the difference in the meat flavor (versus the now ubiquitous processed cow taste) is noticeable. I could have easily eaten an entire burger by myself. The fries are very good, and lightly seasoned with (I think) parsley. Onion rings were crispy & tasty.
This original location is very cramped, and you'll need some luck to snag a table. The line was out the door when we arrived, and it took about 15 minutes just to get our order taken. The servers were very friendly, were all too happy to bring us various sauces. -
Review from Kim B.
I love Burger Lounge but not this location. I came here hoping to order the mixed vegetable salad with a salmon patty. Imagine my surprise when I was told that this location (one of the originals) doesn't have the same menu options as others. This seemed weird to me because shouldn't the original location have everything? I guess not. There is no salmon patty available and they don't serve the Baby Lounge burger either.
-
Review from Miguel B.
La Jolla, CA
Their burgers are delicious and melt in your mouth good. Something about their 100% grass feed beef that makes them taste so good. People should try the Lounge Burger medium rare with American white cheese and grilled onion and you will smile for days.
They also serve amazing french fries and onion rings that will complete your meal and give you the best burger experience. To top it off they have a good selection of beer and wine or you can stick to a shake (chocolate shake is my favorite).
This is one of the best burger places in SD. They have a short menu but everything on their is worth eating. -
Review from Alexander M.
Santee, CA
Over the years, my diet has been predominantly a pescatarian one. I've switched back from eating fish, to being a complete vegetarian, to eating steak again. But in the midst of all this, I got to try Burger Lounge.
At this point I was a vegetarian, and was recommended that I try their Quinoa burger. And all I can say is WOW. I've tried all kinds of veggie burgers, made with numerous of ingredients, but this Quinoa burger is one of the tastiest.
Sheila was really great in finding my friend and I the perfect meal for our needs, and made sure we were taken care of.
I don't really grasp this burger movement going on, making the burger an upscale food is bizarre to me. While I enjoy the dive-y burger shacks, Burger Lounge is definitely one of my favorite burger places. I don't really need my burger to come on a white gourmet plate and fries in a white chinese take-out looking box. That doesn't really scream upscale to me, but rather poor tastes in shapes and color schemes. Just put my burger and fries in a red basket, and we all good! haha.
I would definitely recommend this place to the burger connoissuer! -
Review from Jaime S.
San Diego, CA
Don't get me wrong, I love the Burger Lounge chain. As most others have written, the taste of these burgers are delicious. Since I have been a patron of all other locations in SD, I have to say that on the day I stopped in with my family, I had mediocre food. My burger was overcooked and just didn't have that "Burger Lounge" taste that I was so spoiled by. We had a waiter who wasn't very friendly. I wish I could recall his name. I overheard him say to a fellow employee that he was "over it" and couldn't wait to get off. Regardless of this poor visit, I will still remain loyal to the other locations in my area (Coronado, Adams Ave and Little Italy). I can't say the same for this location. Perhaps the next time I am in La Jolla, I will give Smashburger a try. Also, parking here is a challenge especially on the weekends but I think this is well known about the Shores area of La Jolla.
-
Review from Mackenzie U.
Dana Point, CA
The veggie burger was awesome! Fries are awesome! Location is Awesome!
This is a quick burger place that will wow you with their quality!
Definitely going back again! -
Review from Brandy C.
I have been waiting to come here for so long. My BFF and I came here got lost on the way home. Anyways, this is not the point.
Food: 3 stars!
They don't have many choices for burger, but I really like their grass-fed burger. Juicy and tasty, however, I think I tried some better grass-fed burger before other than this place. We also ordered large fries, and it's enough for 2 people to share.
Service: 4.5 stars!
I didn't expect burger lounge having great service because I thought they are self-serve restaurant. This part surprised me! The lady gave us a lot of ketchup, and make sure we had great dinning time. But.... she forgot our mayonnaise and mustard! (-.5 star) I still think they have great service!
Overall, I would recommend my friends to come here, but I think this burger place is the place that you visit and try it once since everyone knows the store and most of your friends had their burger before. I probably won't come here any time soon! -
Review from Karen Y.
San Diego, CA
I went back just to try grass-fed meaty lounge burger. I liked it a lot better than the quinoa burger I had the first time I was here. The lounge burger patty wasn't juicier or bigger than any other burger patty I had in my life. Just crispier! I really like feeling the crunch in my mouth when I bit into it.
This was my first time eating a grass-fed cow burger and I thought it tasted like any ordinary burger. I think in my head I was picturing it to be bigger, juicier, and more spiced. However, I did notice that the burger had more substance to its taste and none of that nasty non-meat fillers they add to whoppers and the likes.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/6/2012
Meh. The quinoa burger tasted like a wet hash brown. The veggie patty tasted better alone than… Read more »
-
2/6/2012
-
Review from Christian S.
Palm Springs, CA
My fam and I were visiting La Jolla from Palm Springs....the smell and crowd drew us in...we were super hungry and wanted something good and not too fancy, since the La Jolla prospect street area is full of sit down nice restaurants. So that being said, the staff was amazing and we loved the burgers, fries and onion rings...instant fan...everything was delish...looking forward to going back....my one and only gripe was that they didn't serve sweet potato fries, which kinda shocked me since it was a cool and trendy place....and every burger joint in LA does sweet potatoe fries! But cant have everything I want sometime!
Burger Lounge..you guys are awesome..great concept, great food, great service! Keep it up! -
Review from Edna P.
La Jolla, CA
love the location, the food and the service. Their salads are filling and OMG the vegeterian burger with fries makes you wanna come back for more. It feels very good to take a walk around La Jolla after such a fulfilling meal. Walk off the calories. finding parking is not always easy but if you order ahead of time you can b in and out for take outs. Very casual atmoshpier and friendly staff.
-
Review from John R.
San Diego, CA
I scored another free burger just last week. A simple "free burger for all our Facebook fans" promotion is all that I needed to get in the car. This event was limited to the 5th St location and it was pretty packed.
Props to Eric and the rest of the crew for great service on what was no doubt one of their busiest nights. Since the burger was free, I treated myself to a beer.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
10/26/2009
These cats keep giving away free food - and I keep gladly accepting! I was a regular customer… Read more »
-
10/26/2009
-
Review from Young C.
San Diego, CA
This place was very hyped for me before I actually got to eat here. When I finally tried the burgers, I felt it was VERY mediocre and not quite worth what I had to go through. I got the typical burger there with some onion rings. I also got to try their fries (from my friend's order).
I feel that for what you get, the burger is a bit overpriced. Also, I feel there isn't anything special about the sides. However, this could also just be, because I'm not a fan of peanut oil. The proportions were small for me, leaving me to crave more food. After eating here, I felt that I had wasted money.
Although I did not enjoy the food, the location and the staff is great. Overall, a decent place if I'm desperate or if my friends are really craving a burger here. -
Review from Bryce G.
San Diego, CA
The burgers were ok - definitely not the best I've had. However I did enjoy the fries and onion rings!
-
Review from lizzie b.
I like the menu here, and I think the food is quite fresh and tasty. The turkey burger has fresh basil inside. However, I didn't think it had enough flavor. The bun was one flavor -- no whole wheat option here. There's a great place in Boston, MA called the Yard House that has an amazing turkey burger that is hard to top. Overall, it's a good place to stop in and eat if you're hungry - but not a "must go" for those from out of town. They need to zest it up! Onion rings weren't bad though :)
-
Review from F B.
San Diego, CA
So far this is still the best burger around,better than smash or habit.
Also the chocolate malt shake is out of this world.
It cost a little more than the others but well worth it. -
Review from Helena W.
Fremont, CA
Fun place to go to in downtown La Jolla that has outdoor seating to enjoy the day. It's a fun chain that has a fun and fresh atmosphere with a modern twist.
Between my friend and I, each of us ordered the classic burger and I ordered the turkey burger as well as a side of onion rings. We split each of our burgers in half so we could sample each. I LOVED LOVED LOVED the turkey burger. Burger Lounge's turkey burger has made me a believer of turkey patties! As much as I love beef (in all forms), I could not believe how much I enjoyed the turkey alternative.
Unfortunately I can't rave about their onion rings since they were mediocre at best. They do the light battered version, which is fine, but our order was clumped together in an onion mess.
Despite the underwhelming onion fries, the burgers were delicious. Give turkey patties a chance! -
Review from Sang P.
Pretty good burgers. It's gourmet and obviously you can taste that the meat is definitely higher quality than what you would find elsewhere.
My friends and I all got the standard burger, nothing special. One small complaint I have is that they do not give a lot of fries. It's probably because the fries are made from high quality potatoes and cooked with expensive oil - but seriously?
I don't want to argue too much about price because I know they probably thought about it a lot too and can probably justify their decisions in some sort of way.
Overall, maybe would come here if I really randomly wanted expensive burgers near the Cove but for now I'll just stick the In-N-Out closeby that's cheaper and pretty high quality. -
Review from paul h.
Westwood, CA
Amazing food and service. Veggie burger is amazing!
-
Review from Chris K.
Grass fed organic beef eh?? Well did you know this place cooks their beef with sodium chloride!? NaCl!!! OUTRAGEOUS!! They also put dihydrogen monoxide in their water! What a sham!
Well not really. But with all the hubbub about organic this and fresh that, I'm sure some people who give their regular patronage to this place might actually get bent out of shape about my above statements. (Refer to Penn & Teller episode where they get hippies to sign a petition to ban dihyodrogen monoxide. Effing hippies.)
I personally don't care for the whole "organic" trend. I come from a biochemistry background, so when I hear organic, I think of carbon-based molecules. The building blocks of life! Furthermore, I eat preservatives and McDonalds like it's good for me.
But I must admit, the burgers here are very delicious. One of the better burgers I've put in my mouth. And I've put plenty there, believe you me. As a self-proclaimed burger connoisseur, I give this place my stamp of approval... if that means anything.Listed in: Burgers give me burgers…
-
Review from Steven M.
Now here's the deal...last time I ate at a place offering grass fed organic beef I about burned the place down. But Burger Lounge, they are doing it right. Nothing missing from this burger just because its good for you.
Had never tried this place before but after driving past it for so long, I knew I had to try it. The menu is simple with only a few choices but that's okay, as long as the burger was tasty.
This place is serving the burgers just the way I like them. Not too thick and hand formed. The bun was fresh and had the perfect texture. I had pickles, lettuce and grilled onions on mine with a side of delicious well done onion rings and fries. Everything is made to order and was served to me hot and fresh.
They have inside and outside dining and a fountain for drinks. Its a pretty cut and dry basic place, nothing fancy and nothing more than a sidewalk burger joint but Burger Lounge is doing it and doing it right.
Like Arnold says, "I'll be back". -
Review from Al A.
Pricey for a tasty burger.
I tried not to think about that while sitting amongst the "elite" along the street.
Free refills on drinks!
Another reason to visit La Jolla near the Cove. -
Review from Linda M.
Santa Clara, CA
If IKEA and In-N-Out eloped, then Burger Lounge would be their offspring (and close relative of Taylor's Refresher in Northern California).
Contrary to its name, there is actually quite limited space - indoor seating (7 counter-top chairs) and outdoor seating (8 tables with 2-4 chairs each) - to lounge around.
Nonetheless, the welcoming and helpful attitudes of the wait staff in conjunction with a straight-forward menu featuring fresh and healthy ingredients makes the ordering process a breeze. The grilled lounge burger is exceptionally delicious: a moist, tender grass-fed beef patty sandwiched between lettuce, tomato, onions, and thousand island dressing all held together by freshly-baked, hearty buns.
If the quality of a burger is more important to you vs. the number of burgers you can score with a dollar, then consider adopting this love child - proudly conceived and thriving exclusively in San Diego county.
Note that there is limited street parking available but there are several pay lots around the block. If you find yourself in a parking garage, be sure it's after 4pm (cheaper day rate) OR take advantage of your half-hourly investment and enjoy a casual stroll around the area, especially through one of the gorgeous parks along the ocean. -
Review from Melanie C.
Irvine, CA
Besides Umami, Burger Lounge is probably my favorite burger place ever. EVER. I've never had a juicier turkey burger anywhere else and the regular beef burger is equally as good. I love that the buns are perfectly toasted on the outside and soft on the inside, but watch out... you have to eat your burger fairly quickly if you don't want to end up with a soggy bun. If you don't enjoy delicious meat juices running down your arm as you eat, I would suggest going elsewhere. Fries are crispy and delicious [ignore the grease leaking through the paper container]. Not a lot of seating, but if you can grab a table outside on a sunny San Diego day, it makes for a perfect meal.
-
Review from Pickyeater W.
Los Angeles, CA
Enjoyed the classic burger with fries. Flavorful but not too oily! I liked the bun and presentation.
Definitely drawn in by the grass-fed beef and cute decor. I have had comparable tasting burgers at The Habit and The Counter. -
Review from Brett T.
Fallbrook, CA
Pretty good stuff! In a nutshell. Food is as good as what you would make at home. Kinda small and crowded. The onion rings were cold. Fries were very good. The "grass fed beef" I feel is comercial grass fed. Meaning you can, if you focus, taste it. I have had "real" grass fed free range beef, you know the kind that stinks up your whole house when you cook it?? I liked their cool little bottles of Dr. Pepper. The lady cruising around outside clearing tables and checking on you was really awesome! I would go back, but skip the onion rings.
Update 1/29/12:
Went back and all was good again, but those cold onion rings!!! Ugh! I worked in fast food way back and come on it is not that hard to cook a fresh batch of rings. I mean can four minutes in a deep fryer be all that hard?? -
Review from Andrew B.
Albany, OR
Very small and cramped since most seating is outside and it was raining. Burgers were very good. They advertise the cows that they get their meat from as being "grain fed." Service was pretty good as well. Walls appeared to fold out during good weather which I imagine would make it a much more comfortable experience.
-
Review from Janet C.
San Gabriel, CA
(9/20/2011)
This shit is good. Freaking delicious. I came here tonight with two friends and I ordered the Grilled Lounge Burger, which is made with grass-fed beef and never frozen. I asked for white cheddar and grilled onions. All their ingredients are made fresh (from the sauces to the burger buns baked fresh from Bread and Cie in Hillcrest). It was juicy, it was drippy, it was heavenly. What I love about this burger is that its made with high quality ingredients and the upmost care. It may be a bit pricier than your average burger joint, but this isn't your average burger joint. Totally worth it.
They opened the first Burger lounge back in 2006 and have expanded quite a bit. One of the ladies working there told me that they would be opening a new restaurant in West Hollywood come this October.
Even their fountain machine had water AND soda water, which went nicely with the lemon they provided.
[edit: they're opening the weho location mid-december and a beverly hills location sometime in 2012. yay!] -
Review from merlynda d.
San Diego, CA
Their turkey burgers are melt-in-your-mouth good! Seriously so good that I don't want to try their beef burgers because I'm sure I will get addicted and I'm trying to stick to healthier foods! Seating is limited, and it gets very busy especially during the weekday lunch rush, but if you're patient, or go when the crowds are lighter, I think it's more than worth it!
-
Review from David B.
San Diego, CA
1: Best onion rings I've ever eaten.
2: Fries are awesome.
3: Beer is cold and delicious
4: Burger is cooked perfectly and freaking delicious. Grilled onions? Yes please!
Go eat here. Shutup. No questions. Go eat here right now. It's awesome!Listed in: Mmmm Burgers
-
Review from Sandy M.
Newport Beach, CA
You can tell that they use very fresh, high quality beef in their burgers. The coating on the onion rings are a really light, crispy beer batter, which I like better than a crumb coating. The fries were fine, but I'd stick to onion rings only next time. It's also a little spendy for what is essentially counter service, but you can tell that the money goes into good ingredients.
