The origin of the hamburger is not clearly defined in the history books. Many versions have evolved through the years starting with the ground meat eaten by the Egyptians, down through the ages as ground meat has been shaped into patties and eaten all over the world under different names. At least one version of the hamburger is said to have originated in Hamburg, Germany, and was brought to the U.S by immigrants in the 1800s. One of the first documented hamburgers was served in 1904 at the St. Louis World’s Fair.
Ideally, I would have liked weeks, maybe even months, to eat through the research for this list, but alas, time was short and my family’s stomachs are not that big, so I relied on the advice of other gastronomes to recommend the best family burger restaurants in San Diego County. If we missed one of your favorites, please let us know for future tastings!
Boomerangs Gourmet Burger Joint
4577 Clairemont Dr., San Diego
858-483-9500
Boomerangburgers.com
Create your own burger starting with a 1/3, 1/2 or 3/4 lb. beef patty, select a topper or mixer like fresh roasted garlic or sun-dried cranberries, add the cheese of your choice from nearly a dozen types and choose a side like twice-baked mashed potatoes, onion rings, or corn with cotija cheese. Finally, you can add one of two dozen specialty sauces. Catch a game on the plasma TVs, and as they promise, “You’ll always come back for more.”
Burger Lounge
8 locations throughout the county
Burgerlounge.com
This sleek orange, white and steel motif restaurant “does a common thing uncommonly well.” The simple fare features a fast but gourmet burger with toppings, a turkey burger with fresh basil or a quinoa vegetarian burger, along with salads, fries and the usual offerings. The dining area is small, but there’s plenty of more room at the outdoor tables. A second location in Kensington is coming soon.
Corvette Diner
2965 Historic Decatur Road
619-542-1476
Cohnrestaurants.com
Motown and classic rock and roll tunes always fill the air at this fun eatery. With a dozen different burgers, Corvette Diner offers a build-your-own burger and a Baby Burger Trio. The number one seller is the DeeDee Burger, which features cheese and all the trimmings. Round out your meal with a salad, or diner-style malts, ice cream shakes and sundaes. The waitresses keep diners entertained by throwing bubble gum and straws onto the tables and dancing to the nightly D.J. Catch them at this location until next summer, when they will be moving to Liberty Station near the airport.
Fuddruckers
4 locations throughout the county
Fuddruckers.com
Serving 1/3, 1/2, 3/4 and 1 pound burgers, size is everything at Fuddruckers. Besides beef, they offer buffalo, turkey and veggie burgers. When your burger arrives cooked to your specifications, take it to the toppings bar and sauce shop to pile on as much of the fixings as you like, from banana peppers and lettuce to pico de gallo. Fuddruckers offer several chicken sandwiches as well. The nostalgic décor features Elvis, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, famous athletes and many more familiar faces.
Hamburger Factory
14122 Midland Rd. Poway
858-486-4575
Hamburgerfactory.signonsandiego.com
The old west motif, great food and friendly service keep people coming back to the Hamburger Factory in Old Poway Park next to the vintage train. With a dozen burgers to choose from, favorites include the Gringo (avocado, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato), the Cowpoke (bacon strips, BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese and grilled onions) and the bleu cheese burgers. Dinner selections include barbequed chicken and ribs, steak and seafood. They also offer the world’s tiniest and largest ice cream sundaes, depending on how much room you have left for dessert.
Hodad’s
5010 Newport Ave., San Diego
619-224-4623
License plates from around the world line the walls of this laid-back, surfer-themed eatery in Ocean Beach. The VW microbus booth is the most coveted seat in the house. The burgers here are known to be huge and messily delicious. Be prepared for crowds and a noisy atmosphere.
Island’s Restaurants
Islandsrestaurants.com
With 11 assorted burgers on the menu, Island’s Restaurants have 10 locations throughout San Diego county. Sports fans will enjoy watching surfing and other sports on the large televisions. Burgers can be ordered on a white or wheat bun and come in a basket with French fries or onion rings. The best selling burger is The Big Wave with cheese, nothing fancy, just a basic burger with all the fixings.
Red Robin
Redrobin.com
With three locations in the county—Del Mar Town Highlands, Westfield North County Fair and University Town Center—Red Robin offers variety for the whole family. Serving more than a dozen classic gourmet burgers, menu highlights include the pot roast and five alarm burger, and my personal favorite, the A1 peppercorn burger. There’s also also a variety of chicken burgers and several selections for the adventurous, like the salmon burger.
Ruby’s Diner
Rubys.com
Ruby’s Diner, located in Carlsbad, Oceanside and Mission Valley, offers four classic burgers, three varieties of sliders and 10 signature burgers, including the Aloha and Guacamole burgers. With the motto “Only the best for our guest,” Ruby’s offers the ambience of a clean, red and white diner from the 1950s. My favorite location is at the end of the Oceanside Pier where you can watch the waves as you enjoy your burger.
Tioli’s Crazee Burger
4201 30th St., San Diego
619-282-6044
CrazeeBurger.com
Thirty-three different kinds of hamburgers grace the menu at this North Park venue, starting with the usual beef burgers and venturing into unique territory with interesting offerings such as ostrich, buffalo and alligator burgers! Right now, their most popular burger is the Cajun burger. Be sure to try the homemade ketchup. With a friendly staff, Tioli’s chef often comes out to the dining room to ensure that his customers are satisfied.
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Jennifer Fleming-Velez is always up for trying new restaurants.
Published: January 2009