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Burgermeister
Categories: Restaurants Hot Dogs Restaurants Burgers Hot Dogs, Burgers [Edit]
86 Carl St(between Clayton St & Cole St)
San Francisco, CA 94117
Neighborhood: Cole Valley
(415) 566-1274
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Princess Buttercup C. said: "Firehouse Pizzeria, don't you guys change a damned thing. I love you just the way you are. Finally. Great pizza not only for the neighborhood but for SF in general." read more »
394 reviews for Burgermeister
Review Highlights
"its niman ranch beef, pork and chicken."
(in 14 reviews)
"Consistently a tasty burger with classic curly fries."
(in 37 reviews)
"And the Mitchell's Ice Cream shakes."
(in 6 reviews)
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394 reviews in English
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Review from J H.
San Francisco, CA
1/21/2012
Stopped in with mom and son in tow. Kid got the kid's cheese burger. I had a bite (like a good mom) and it was delicious. Mom had burger that was good too. I had the veggie burger which was good but a little on the cool side. What we loved is the enormous amount of lettuce you get in the side salad. Wish they had coke and not Pepsi.
Pros
Good responsible meat
Huge amount of lettuce in side salad
Cons
Pepsi -
Review from Carl T.
Hayward, CA
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
this places wasn't bad as it was just a spur of the moment place to eat and grub before my friend and i hit the club. my burger wasn't too bad, burgers are burgers to me but its all in the patty and i must say flavor wise.. it was just a burger but definitely juicy so A+ for that but it wasn't an orgasmic experience.
this place was reasonably priced and it did fill me up well in order to soak in the massive amounts of alcohol i was about consume at the club. haha what can i say I'm a party animal... sometimes haha.
as i was eating though i did take a gander at their happy hour specials and i think that i would definitely come back from that. i don't have any complaints about this place it just didn't stand out as much as i thought it would but its still a great place. and i might be back from happy hour! -
Review from Daniel K.
San Francisco, CA
1/12/2012
The ONE thing you gotta do at a burger place is to cook the meat consistently. That's IT. The Cole Valley Burgermeister has never been able to do this. Today I ordered a medium burger, which was delivered with no pink inside at all. The last time I ordered a medium rare burger, it came out raw and mushy on the inside.
The people here just don't care. And they're aggressive about it. From the kitchen to the register to your table, the people who work here act like you're ruining their day by showing up.
If you have to have a burger, take the N two stops to the Church St. location. They at least put in the barest of effort over there. -
Review from Linda N.
2/8/2012
Messed up my order. The buns are too soggy. This was a last minute dinner option because umami was crowded. Nothing stood out. Burgers tasted good for the first couple of bites.
-
Review from Angie Y.
San Francisco, CA
2/3/2012
I have two weaknesses here:
chili cheese fries and the ghiradelli chocolate shake. Both are consistently and deliciously excellent. The chili cheese fries esp are a deal, $5 for like a pound of yumminess, a food choice that you'll prob regret in a few hours, but it's so good! -
Review from Sam P.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was underwhelmed this time. Second time here in the last 5 years and this time the burger was a bit dry. Still a good burger but nothing special and doesn't hold a candle to Pearl's in the Tendernob.
-
Review from Arjun A.
SOMA, San Francisco, CA
12/16/2011
Burgermeister has some nice burgers, and an appealing nostalgic feel. But most importantly, it feels like a part of the community. I live in the neighborhood, and I'm always happy to get off the N Judah outside Burgermeister. The lingering smell of burgers lures me in about once a week, and I'm pretty happy with the place.
What sets it apart as a great place with character is the sense of community it has fostered. About a week ago I ran into some friends from the neighborhood, and got carried away in a conversation with them. When I left, I mistakingly left my backpack there. I didn't even realize it until the next day when I was leaving for work, and realized my mistake. I was seriously panicked; my bag had a number of valuable things in it and I was very concerned.
To make a long story short, Burgermeister had my backpack, but didn't know it. Not knowing who it belonged to, the night staff had put it in the managers office, in the safe, just to be certain nothing happened to it. I was most grateful for their help, and even though it was my fault to leave it, they felt so bad about the mishap that they offered me a burger on the house to put me at ease after the ordeal. It was a very satisfying feeling, and went beyond the burger to talk more about the quality of the place.
What can I say, I'm a big fan, and most appreciative of their kindness.
My favorite combo:
try the French fries with the horseradish cream; it sounds odd, but its really nice. -
Review from Alida G.
San Francisco, CA
Few places in the city, easy to find it in that point that you need a burger time, do you know? Like it!
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Review from Nina Y.
11/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
One night, the boy and I decided we wanted to get a quick meal together. Why we didn't just choose something down the street and chose to go a few more blocks down and get burgermeister.
To be honest, we walked in and there weren't that many people there. We ordered our burgers, and so many people walked in afterwards. I ordered a chicken sandwich and the sandiwhc was pretty big and good, and the boy ordered a burger. It was pretty good, but I will have to admit, it was kind of awkward when we had left.
I understand that there were no more tables, but I dont need a little kid kind of staring at me to see if we're leaving or not.Comment from Isaac M. of Burgermeister 11/16/2011
Hi Nina, Was it awkward because one of our staff members… More » -
Review from Mateo L.
San Francisco, CA
10/30/2011
Look y'all:
This is a burger joint. The word "burger" is in the name. They serve burgers, fries, beers, shakes, dogs and salads. They happen to also have a conscience, and so use good meat raised by farmers who are trying to do the right thing.
The burgers are solid. You want a "holy shit" burger, go to a "holy shit" restaurant and pay $5-10 more. My Burgermeister burgers (usually 1/3# bacon and swiss) are worth $9.50 to me, and I eat them and don't get indigestion or feel gross the next day. Matter of fact I go to my happy place.
So, if you are looking for a good burger, with good meat, cooked relatively fast (10 mins max) in a place that's quite convenient to transit, go here. You want something else ... congrats! You're in San Francisco. Walk a block. -
Review from Justin M.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2012
I ordered a basic cheeseburger with chili-cheese fires. Here is a discription of what I got. The burger was a thin , semi warm patty that did not look freshly cooked, but heated up , like the fast food joints !! The chili was worse, looked and tasted like canned chili, the cheese was diced up slices of cheese in square shapes and totally unmelted, with some red onions on top,awful !
Way to expensive !!! I'll never eat there again !Comment from Isaac M. of Burgermeister 1/9/2012
I invite you to come inspect our kitchen at any time. We… More » -
Review from vinh t.
Santa Clara, CA
10/15/2011
A local franchise chain; that caters to the upper end of the burger-n-beer crowd. This is not a cheap burger place, quality is commensurate with the price.
The various topping gimmick works well along with the beers on tap.
The service can be hit or miss depending on who is currently working.
Parking is tight in this area but Muni is nearby. -
Review from Sara K.
San Francisco, CA
10/20/2011
After moving into the neighborhood a few days earlier, I decided to give Burgermeister a try after a long day. My first experience was very positive. I walked in and it wasn't too busy, which was good since I wanted something quick to bring home.
I looked up at the menu and saw that they did not offer a grilled cheese sandwich. I do not eat red meat or "fake" burgers made out of beans or whatnot. I asked the girl if they could make me a grilled cheese with fries, and she asked her co worker, and they said yes. I got home and it was thoroughly enjoyed.
The next day my friend came over and as we were passing by Burgermeister he said he wanted to try it. Although I ate it the day before, I just went along with what he was in the mood for.
So I put in my order, and that's when the girl behind the counter said they cannot make adult grilled cheeses anymore. They will only offer a kids grilled cheese option on the menu. So I asked if I'd be able to do the kids meal grilled cheese, and she said no because I do not have a child under 12 years old with me!
I understand that she wasn't the manager and she probably needed her job. Yet it's not like I was asking them to make something complicated. Bread and cheese are the main ingredients, both of which they have in the restaurant.
I saw there would be no compromising, so we decided to leave. That experience left a bad taste in my mouth, so I will not be returning anytime soon.Comment from Isaac M. of Burgermeister 11/8/2011
Hi Sara, Welcome to the neighborhood! First of all, thank… More » -
Review from sara w.
San Francisco, CA
9/20/2011
Let me start over...
Though I can appreciate that management responds to negative posts, apparently I cannot leave an honest review without some angry feedback. Clearly there are people who love this place, and others who also give one or two stars like myself, and that's the beauty of Yelp...all different kinds of people with different tastes can voice their opinions.
Despite how good the ingredients may be, I did not taste that quality. And I guess I also didn't get lucky on ordering beer the precise moment the CO2 ran out.
By request I will delete my first 1 star review so as not to give the business two of them (that was unintentional), but regardless of the numerous locations and top reviews, I just can't take away that one star.
Original post said: "Flat beer & unseasoned, sloppy burgers. Yeahhh!"Comment from Isaac M. of Burgermeister 9/20/2011
Hi Sara, We don't serve flat beer. If the beer was flat,… More » -
Review from Paul M.
San Francisco, CA
11/14/2011
I've had mixed experiences here...and when I'm paying the better part of $10 for a burger, fried, and drink...I expect some consistency.
Burgers are hard to mess up, but for me it's ruined when you serve it with cold or limp fries. The service is never very fast either.
Still...you have a chance to end up with a decent meal here. But don't count on it.Comment from Isaac M. of Burgermeister 11/16/2011
Hi Paul, Thank you for your yelp. I'm sorry to hear about… More » -
Review from nathan r.
San Francisco, CA
7/20/2011
When you step off the N an enticing aroma of freshly grilled burgers gets sucked into your nostrils instantly making your mouth water for a juicy burger with blue cheese and mushrooms. You step inside the cute burger place and stare at the menu until one of the employees comes slinking out of the back (5 minutes later).
"Hi" you say "I'd like the San Francisco."
The grumpy middle aged man with tattoos stares at you like you are an idiot and then grunts and burps out your total. I get it, you are pushing 40 and still work at a burger joint, life sucks, but don't get your bitterness all over my burger!
You decide to get your burger to go because the employees are so unpleasant, as you sit down and unpack your $12 burger everything looks delicious. The burger is thick, the mushrooms and blue cheese blending perfectly together into a greasy cocktail that is slowly clogging each and every artery in your body, but 2 hours later something has gone terribly wrong. That delicious burger has turned into a heavy clump of indigestible sludge embedding itself in your stomach lining.
After an extended trip to the bathroom and several glasses of water and tums you sit back and wonder if that moment of hamburger bliss was worth it. If you are willing to put up with rude employees, grease bubbles invading your stomach, and a 20 minute episode on the toilet for that moment when the burger really hits the spot then this is your place.Comment from Isaac M. of Burgermeister 8/24/2011
Hi Nathan, Thank you for your honest, and descriptive… More » -
Review from Jia J.
8/10/2011
Disclaimer: I no longer work here, so this review should be exempt from conflict of interest status.
From February to May of 2007, I moved into a room in my sister's house in Outer Sunset to relax before starting grad school. The guy vacating the room happened to be a favored worker at this mom and pop burger joint. At the time, he was in the original location at Carl & Cole, and he needed someone to take over his shifts as he went to the (then) brand new Daly City location. He had me meet the head manager Isaac, the son of the head owner. Isaac was totally cool and down to Earth, and brought me on board to replace his chill, prized worker despite the fact that I approached the interview like a final assessment for a position in a Fortune 500 firm. He had none of the pretensions of other managers (in any field), and told us like it was.
I worked with a variety of people; Mexican cooks, Isaac, vendors, deliverers,Type-A servers, 19 year old stoners, et cetera. And you know what, it was the best job I'd ever had (well, tied with the job I have now, which is nowhere near food service).
Some days were slow, some days were slammed, but it was always fun. Plus, we had power over the streaming radio system, and played everything from classical to classic rock to new age approximations of indigenous music, but we never played indie hipster shit.
Since we had 50% employee discounts and a featured menu item was 50% to the public every day of the week, I pretty much sampled every single thing that was on the menu that year, right down to the kid sized quarter pound burgers. Unusual favorites included Philly Chicken & Cheese, the three cheese, sprouts, and avocado sandwich, and a tropical burger (with either a slice of sugared mango or pineapple on top). One Monday, I got 24 Buffalo wings for $3.75 or some obscenely cheap price thanks to my double discount. Almost always, I upgraded to garlic fries and had two half-order sides (i.e. half garlic curly fries, half coleslaw...an unusual feature - not sure if they allow halving sides anymore).
The best days were when one of us f'd up an order (and being ethical, we never did this on purpose), or when some asshole would call in an order and then never ever show up. When this happened, we would just take the thing home. On top of this, we somehow made friends with the chefs at Kezar across the street, and got free meals from them, too...
And the shakes (with injections of secret blackberry syrup)! The endless sodas! The beers on tap - Speakeasy and Fat Tire and a few others that are hard to find and cover the entire palette of tastes...
Whenever I'm in the area, I try to go back. I've noticed that the place has evolved, no doubt because of the changing of the management (Isaac is now at Phat Philly; tell him Jia says hi if you check that out). The food's still great, but a few things just make me nostalgic for how it used to be. For example, the prices are higher, and the menu has trite words such as San Diego (shudder), Teriyaki (gag), and Colossal (eyeroll) in it. Non-curly fries are now waffle fries, which no matter what always remind me of the shit that comes en masse in Ore-Ida bags in the frozen foods aisle of the grocery store. Everything's a leetle bit too weighed down in grease. Also, the pre-filled plastic cups of bleu cheese dressing taste closer to ranch than they used to.
If the personable management is less pronounced than it used to be, the quality of the ingredients remains (Nieman Ranch beef and free range chicken). Go, especially to this intimate original branch on Carl + Cole where locals chow.
In parting, here are some ways to elicit good will from even the most lackadaisical server:
*Have your order ready at the register - turn your fucking bluetooth off and don't space out
*SOMEwhat clean up after yourself. This goes double if you have kids - having spawn does not mean you have the right to leave absolute filth behind...no amount of tip makes up for the inconsideration
*If it's slammed, try NOT getting a milkshake because I guarantee it'll be made from a spinner that's been in vanilla, chocolate, AND strawberry ice cream dishwater and wiped down poorly with the same rag we used to clean counters and tables with a mild Clorox solution. Shakes during crunch time were the only situations in which I saw anytning remotely unsanitary going down.
*Realize that bacon IS fat. If you tell us the bacon is too fat (this happened all of once, but still), the disgruntled, diligent line cook will rip it out of the cheese with his bare, sweaty hand, throw on another piece, and hurl it down the chute with contempt.
*Be nice. None of the people working there are "just" burger servers, and even if they were, that would be less of a reason to look down upon them.
*I know you're trying to be nice by consolidating trash into empty cups, but remember that someone has to then pull it all -
Review from Tim R.
San Francisco, CA
1/9/2012
The food is alright but waaaay over priced. $17 for a burger fries and a milkshake? Would feel more satisfied with a double double animal style at In and Out for half that.
Comment from Isaac M. of Burgermeister 1/9/2012
Hi Tim, All of our meat is sustainably and ethically… More » -
Review from Anne A.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 8/19/2011
What happened to the vegetarian burger options?!?!? There used to be a couple of options and now we have just one. I ordered it tonight, and I was disappointed. The black bean taste was overpowering - felt like I was eating a black bean patty. The worst part was that it was so CRUMBLY that I found myself struggling to keep the patty inside the bun. That veggie burger needs more of a binding agent or SOMETHING! Little bits and big bits kept sliding out onto my plate - it was a disaster!
While I'm at it, cash only still??? Come on - it's 2011!
The staff is however very efficient and friendly. Thumbs up to them!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/17/2008
One of my favorite places to get a veggie burger with grilled mango - Mmmmmmmm!!! $10 gets you the… Read more »
Comment from Isaac M. of Burgermeister 8/24/2011
Hi Anne, Thank you for your honest feedback and review!… More » -
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Review from Finnegan M.
San Francisco, CA
5/30/2011
If you know anything about me, Finnegan the Service Dog, it's that I love hamburgers almost as much as shrimp. And if they have an outdoor area so that I can visit with my fellow canines, I am in heaven!
We stopped here on the way to the dog park on the 'n juda' and had the hamburgers and fries and they were very good. Also met the cutest Lhasa Apso, but I digress . . . -
Review from Shanna T.
Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, CA
11/9/2011
I am really into burgers and I was excited to check this place out, but ended up being underwhelmed. The burger was fine but just didn't pack a lot of punch. With so many good burger options in SF I will probably try somewhere else.
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Review from christine c.
San Francisco, CA
6/7/2011
Pretty good burgers, salads, dogs, etc. Love the pineapple/mango salsa salad with wontons. Got a buffalo chicken wrap there once that was decent. Love the place, it's super cute but a little overpriced and the most recent time I was here for a quick bite the staff was pretty rude.
Over all I love it, though. Will be back! -
Review from Sina O.
San Francisco, CA
8/2/2011
Burgermeister is a good burger, it is...but 2 things:
1. Most importantly, lower the prices dude....you get a soda or a beer and somehow it ends up being like a $15-$20 burger
2. Offer some more burger meat options...for example you have kobe beef philly cheesesteak, why not a kobe ground burger? or perhaps some exotic meats like bison or ostrich, ive had them in burgers and they are tasty and not too gamey. Anything really..but they only have regular ground chuck burgers, yea its from niman ranch, but these days thats not too special all its own. itd be nice to make a diff burger thats not jus diff toppings by now.. -
Review from Brandon R.
San Francisco, CA
11/1/2011
Its a decent place for a burger, but it didn't really wow me. I think Urban Burger in the mission has a better burger. I went with my gf and she had the western style burger (onion rings, drenched in BBQ sauce). It was tasty the bun was pretty good (it did a decent job of holding together throughout the meal). I got the San Francisco burger and the onions were a little cold (so it seemed like they were grilled at one point). The patty was really fresh and juicy, but I feel as though the rest of the ingredients surrounding it were sub par.
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Review from Al T.
San Francisco, CA
11/2/2011
I'm not going to bash the food here. They know how to do burgers. My issue is with the mean, snarling tough guy who works behind the counter. This guy is so rough that he would make babies cry just by looking at them. Why is someone like this getting hired at a family style burger joint, in a family packed neighborhood? Thumbs down to the owner. I was commenting to my friend, that the guy behind the counter would be a better fit at a motorcycle repair shop. Be nice to your customers and don't act like you don't give a crap.
Comment from Isaac M. of Burgermeister 11/8/2011
Hi AI T., I am one of the managers/family owners of the… More » -
Review from Mike M.
San Francisco, CA
6/22/2011
After going to a few bike shops with a friend, we looked up places nearby to eat, and realized we were two blocks away from Burger Meister in Cole Valley. I didn't even know they had a location there, but I have been to their other two in the city a few times. The Cole Valley location is the most tucked away of the group, and they have a handful of tables inside and outside.
From my previous few trips, I had the notion that they lean on the expensive side for a typical burger joint. After my last visit I think their prices are fairly standard, though the sides and add-ons are where the cost will creep up on you. They use all Niman Ranch beef, so the quality is definitely there. I ordered the Western Burger, which for a 1/3 pound burger is $10.25 including a side of fries. I believe the 1/3 pound option is relatively new, and does help make the price more reasonable. A standard 1/3lb cheeseburger and fries is $7.75. Sides of sweet potato fries, onion rings and the like are from 4-5.25 dollars.
Somehow on this visit I managed to escape the wrath of my BBQ sauce, but my friend was subsequently drenched from his Meisterburger. I am a staunch believer in that once you pick your burger up, you never set it down again, and I am usually not so lucky. These are all messy burgers, usually at least a 3 napkiner.
The western burger is a solid burger. The bbq sauce is nice and sweet, the onion rings are massive and perfectly crisp, and the bacon and cheese tied it all together. No soggy bacon here. The burger is thin and wide, giving enough surface area for their variety of toppings, which is one of the main reasons Burger Meister is so good.
There are no complaints here, the 1/3 lb burger and curly fries filled me up just fine. Everything tastes real good consistently, making it a great go-to restaurant. Nothing too memorable, but you'd have a very hard time being let down here, as they have something for everyone.
-Burger and Destroy -
Review from Myron J.
San Francisco, CA
1/17/2011
Craving a nice substantial meal, Tim B. and I came to Burgermeister before a night of drunken debauchery. We arrived around 7pm on a Saturday to no seats in the restaurant. We walked up to the counter and ordered, I ordered a 1/2 lb Nimbus Burger (medium well), with cheddar cheese and a side of curly fries.
By the time we ordered we saw a couple get up so we ran for the seats. We waited patiently for our food which didn't take too long to come. The JT look alike if you squint your eyes and shake your head back and forth plopped my burger down. The moment it hit the table, I knew I was not in for the burger I was craving. The beef patty was black and charred. I sucked it up and started to build my burger with lettuce, tomato and pickles. Within the first bite, I knew this was not going to be a good meal but since I paid $12 for it, I didn't want to waste it. The burger got excruciating dry and tasteless, I started to dip my burger in ketchup to make it bearable. The curly fries on the other hand were quite delicious, I killed them joyfully.
This place does get packed and LOUD, there was a screaming child at the next table over. Parking can be hit or miss, there is no lot so it is all residential street parking.
Overall my experience at Burgermeister was less than I had expected after reading all the great reviews on here. -
Review from Bonnie Marie J.
San Francisco, CA
6/12/2011
I LOVED Burgermeister...what happened you may ask? Well, I along with several other vegetarians are having a hard time finding decent veggie burgers...burgermeister..I am sorry to have to break this to you, but your veggie burgers are just not delicious. I kept going because they said they would continue to cook boca burgers until they ran out. I once went to the one furthest from my house just to appease my craving. I am heartbroken!! Not only have you taken away multiple options, you have replaced the boca with the crumbly homemade veggie burger. Please, I want to come back and hope that someday boca will return or another veggie patty attempt is on the menu....
eager to spend $13 for a burger and fries.... -
Review from Nobu K.
San Francisco, CA
11/23/2010
This is really Good Burger here.
I was suspicious only because chain store, fast food looking and the name. I don't know why but the name got me. Burgermeister? I havn't been the place only because the name. it sounds like they'll give you a yo-yo lame burger.
It's like ..... I have a reason why i don't go to particular Sushi place because the name.
The Name like, "Sushi Raw" for example. I know it's not a authentic Japanese but it's a Jiveass-roll place. Let me say, I don't mind go there with my jackass friends to make a fun of it but I don't go there by my self wasting my money.
Because I would rather eat a real thing.
And the name shows it's real or not.
About the Burgermeister.
I had 1/2lb cheese burger.
The burger patty was Hot and Juicy all the way to the last bite.
The Cheese was melting.
The bun was good with 1/2 lb.
The service was good.
There are many certificates of "Best Burger in the city" on the wall.
I am coming back.Listed in: Burger Nazi
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Review from Tim M.
Pleasant Hill, CA
1/10/2011
OK you fucking vegetarians! Fuck off! Stop down voting a BURGER JOINT! Jeez! Voice your concerns about your dirt and tree bark patties to management, but don't turn away potential normal people who would like a juicy slab of COW in their bellies!
That bit aside, this place is awesome. The prices are great, the menu is huge, great prices for 7 days a week happy hour.... Oh, and the burgers! I recommend the teriyaki burger. 3 big rings of pineapple, mango salsa on the side. Staff is very friendly and courteous. I love this place and can't wait to go back. Such a good place to eat! -
Review from Justine L.
San Francisco, CA
1/17/2011 1 photo
Had the vegan burger, it was a little overcooked.
I think it was the fact that they had beer that lured me in.
A little pricey. -
Review from Chris T.
12/13/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Charmingly Bay Area*.
Where else is a generous serving of mixed greens offered as a standard side to assuage one's guilt born of indulging in a 1/3 lb. cheeseburger, curly garlic fries, and chocolate shakes? (All of which are delicious and addictive.)
The burgers and chicken sandwiches are consistently tasty and feature fresh and high-quality ingredients. The roasted curly garlic fries are a recent habit of mine. Unlike Gott's the garlic fries here are never overly greasy; Burgermeister's are also tastier, crunchier, and more garlicky than Gorden Biersch's.
[*adjective.] -
Review from Mark S.
San Francisco, CA
3/3/2011
After the inevitable robbery (seriously people, this is what happens when you run a cash-only business) they've suddenly started taking credit cards.
The burgers, however, haven't really changed. They still use pre-made Niman Ranch patties and have a tendency to overcook them with great frequency. Prices are high, but in this city it can be a tad hard to notice. I mean, yeah, you might spend $15 on a burger, fries, and a drink, but at the same time it's pretty easy to spend very close to that on a burrito and a drink. At least, a lot closer than you think.
They're not great, but they're not terrible. For a decent burger you could probably do better, but in this town it can be hard to find. More people are concerned with offering the latest trendy, overpriced burger that a reasonable and casual one is the rarity. That said there's not a lot to distinguish them from their competition. Acme over on Divisadero is roughly the same but, IMHO, a little worse and a bit pricier while the Bull's Head in West Portal is a bit better (and offers delicious bison!) -
Review from Tom C.
Fairfax, CA
1/23/2011
What a nice find in the neighborhood. It's worth the walk from UCSF. It's often crowded and noisy, but the wait is not long, and folks are friendly. On a nice day, sitting outside, just off the busy corner of Carl & Cole, would be a treat.
The Nieman Ranch burgers are simply superb, perfectly grilled and very tasty. Even the smaller 1/3 lb burger is a very filling meal. Everything else I've tried, fries, shakes, etc. are really good also. I can't say about the salad, but who goes to a burger joint for the salad?
My only unmet longing is for a bun with more texture, like a Kaiser Roll. But the star of the show, the burgers themselves, are worth the journey. -
Review from Ed P.
San Francisco, CA
12/16/2010
Omnivores: I'm sure burgermeister is still great. Vegetarians: beware.
Don't get me wrong, Burgermeister was great. I used to eat there once every week or two, first with turkey burgers, then with garden burgers when I went pseudo-vegetarian. Their food was well prepared, and had plenty of options to put on it. I appreciated how vegetarian friendly a burger place could be.
And then a few months ago everything changed.
They introduced something called the "Veggiemeister", and got rid of the garden and boca burgers. The Veggiemeister is super gross, and is now their only vegetarian patty (the mushroom option remains). I can't tolerate it, and I haven't gone back in months.
Whining, you say? Try one.
I'm still looking for somewhere to get a good veggie burger. I recently noticed that People's Cafe on Haight has boca burgers, and Kezar Bar across the street has garden burgers, however I haven't tried either yet.
Please bring back decent veggie burgers! Burgermeister used to be so great for vegetarians. -
Review from Becky M.
Alameda, CA
10/19/2010 1 Check-in Here
A friend and I dropped in here for a quick bite to eat on Sunday afternoon. I ordered the California Burger, medium well, with avocado and mushrooms. The burger was cooked well, the service was friendly and the fries were obviously french fried delicious.
A quaint little gem of a burger joint tucked into a small building, this little place packs some burger punch. Great for a quite bite to eat on your way to watch the Giant's game or a place to take the kids for a bite to eat.
The burgers will run you $8-$14 depending on 1/3 lb. or 1/2 lb. and the assorted goodies that you choose to decorate your meat with.
You'll walk out full, that's for sure. -
Review from sonya d.
5/31/2011
Yes $14.95 is a lot to pay for a grilled garlic chicken burger w/ cheese, sauteed onions, and roasted garlic fries, but honestly once in awhile it's just worth it. The smell wafting from the restaurant follows you down the street, and eventually convinces you that indulging is ok. This was my first time eating a meat burger from here, because I usually choose the portobello mushroom burger- also amazing. I like how they have wheat buns, bbq sauce as one of their condiments and how you can get a side of their special steak sauce from the back. Yummy! This location is dangerously convenient for me, being that it is right off the N line. I pretty much convinced myself from Church and Duboce that I "deserved" to stop here at the next stop and eat the deliciousness. I'm glad I did! Like I said, it's worth it every once in a while.
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Review from Jeremy G.
5/31/2011
I decided to give Burgermeister another try because my friend Mike told me that he couldn't trust my sense in food if I thought the 'meister was not top dog among burgers. Well, I went with the San Diego burger and while I appreciated the melted cheese, it once again was not juicy even though I asked for medium. I think I nailed down the problem. At 1/3 of a pound, there is just not enough meat there to make it juicy. However, their 1/2 pounders are pretty pricy. Maybe if they made the burgers more rounded instead of flatter? Regardless, the fries were once again on point. So the final verdict is that Burgermeister is essentially A-OK.
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Review from Kelly B.
Modesto, CA
7/1/2011
One of the best non home-made burgers I've ever had! The fries are effing amazing. I would seriously drive the 107 miles to get here and order a tasty tasty burger.
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Review from Olivia K.
San Francisco, CA
9/11/2011
Don't get the veggie burger, it is dry and bland. It was also crumbly which made it difficult to eat. The garlic fries were delicious. Not to mention the servers were friendly which made the experience enjoyable.
Comment from Isaac M. of Burgermeister 9/20/2011
Hi Olivia Thank you for the honest feedback! We're glad… More »
