10 Classic (and Not-So-Classic) Bay Area Burger Joints

Nothing says summer quite like a char-grilled burger and a chocolate shake, enjoyed on a sunny patio or at an old-fashioned carhop with the A/C blasting. Here in the Bay Area, we’re lucky to have the best of both worlds — nostalgic, old-timey burger joints that have been feeding locals since the ’50s or ’60s and new-school fusion spots that are infusing their burgers with South Asian spices and Mexican al pastor. 

Here, then, are 10 of my favorite classic — and not-so-classic — spots to grab a delicious burger.

1100 23rd St., Richmond

In this age of flashy, Instagram-optimized smash burgers, an old-school joint like Phila Burger Station is a comfort and a joy. The burgers themselves are a bit of a throwback — the beef patties are juicy and decently hefty, with a nice loose grind to them. All of the basic components are great: the crunch of the pickles and the crisp iceberg lettuce, the creamy swipe of mayo, the ooziness of the American cheese — and, if you go for the signature Phila Burger, a luxurious slice of pastrami on top to gild the lily. This is a sloppy burger, a five- or six-napkin burger. Meanwhile, the fries come out blistering hot, and the shop’s Philadelphia namesake isn’t just for show: The cheesesteak is one of the best in the Bay (though purists may want to ask them to hold the lettuce and tomato). And even though the restaurant is just a takeout window, the owner is so friendly and kind that he makes every customer feel like a regular.

201 Tewksbury Ave., Richmond

This lively, Mexican American–owned burger joint in Point Richmond has a big, graffiti-inspired mural of Selena, Tupac and Frida Kahlo in the dining room and a crowd-pleasing menu centered on some of the East Bay’s tastiest smash burgers. Johnny Boi does the basics well (I love the beer-battered onion rings) and adds fun, thoughtful extras like the smoky-sweet bacon jam that tops a few of the burgers. The flashiest item is the Trompo, a smash burger topped with pineapple and pork al pastor, both shaved off a vertical spit. This is homegrown fusion, Bay Area style, at its very finest. The restaurant also serves maybe the single best (and most affordable!) kids’ meal in town: $6 for an adorable, perfectly sized mini smash burger and a side of tater tots or fries.

1051 Ocean Ave., San Francisco

A perennial contender on assorted Bay Area cheap eats lists, this ’60s-era throwback serves some of the city’s tastiest and most reasonably priced (for SF) fast food–style burgers. The burgers have the appealing simplicity I associate with a good backyard cookout: juicy, well-charred patties; fresh toppings; and a squishy, compact bun. Add one of their superlatively slurpable Oreo shakes and an order of garlic fries, and it’s easy to see why Beep’s is the unrivaled favorite of local teens. Night owls, take note: The restaurant stays open until 2 a.m. daily.

3115 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley

A Berkeley institution dating back to 1951, Smokehouse is notable for its emphasis on flame-grilled burgers. In fact, it’s one of just a handful of Bay Area burger joints that still cook their burger patties and hot dogs over an open fire, adding a deep smoky, charred flavor that’s awfully hard to beat. Most everything on the menu is solid to very good: the shakes, the onion rings, the thick-cut fries. The back patio is super family-friendly, with a big grassy lawn where kids and dogs can run around.

898 W. Grand Ave., Oakland

No Bay Area burger joint has louder branding than Hyphy Burger, with its sideshow- and hyphy-themed iconography, splashes of bright color, and menu items with names like the “Burnout Burger” and “You Feel Me” sauce. The important thing, though, is that the food actually lives up to the hype. The thin smashed patties on the double Hyphy Burger are crispy and frilly-edged to the extreme, infused with an extra boost of caramelized char. I love the generous pile of thin-sliced grilled onions, and the way the melty American cheese just kind of oozes into the patty as you eat. Meanwhile, the banana pudding and Oreo milkshake — a truly divine combination — gets my highest recommendation. The restaurant has a second, drive-thru-focused location at 9825 International Blvd. in East Oakland.

2344 Webster St., Oakland

Now located in a shipping container set inside a lovely, string light–bedecked beer garden, this longtime pop-up was an early comer (circa 2018) to the Bay Area’s now-ubiquitous smash burger scene. These days, there are tons of burger joints that traffic in thinner, lacier and more outrageously crunchy exemplars of the form. Where Lovely’s wins over almost everyone, though, is in terms of flavor. The beef patties are so well-seasoned; the rich fattiness of the Cream Co. beef really shines through. Meanwhile, the fries are made with hand-cut Chipperbecs — super-fluffy with a deep, true potato flavor — and even something as simple as caramelized onions gets a bit of extra oomph. (Schmaltz is the not-so-secret ingredient.) Most days, I go for the simple, classic OG (just American cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and griddled onions on a potato bun), but the Drive-Thru makes for a great change of pace when I crave a fresh iceberg lettuce crunch — and those aforementioned schmaltz onions. The restaurant also has a second location in San Francisco’s Cole Valley neighborhood.

547 Tennyson Rd., Hayward

This old-fashioned Hayward burger shack has been dishing out classic fast food–style burgers and shakes since the ’50s, when it first opened as a Foster’s Freeze. These days Cecil’s is using fairly generic pre-frozen burger patties that are mostly notable for their customizability and affordable price: Burger patties come as small as 1/6 of a pound (for just over $6), and all but the most expensive combo meals (with, say, a triple bacon cheeseburger) can be had for less than $15. The standard quarter-pound burger is called a “Bulky.” I ordered mine with crispy pastrami on top, and that extra bit of salty, smoky flavor, combined with a decent char on the patty itself, really hit the spot. Add one of Cecil’s thick chocolate shakes, and you’ll feel like you’re reliving the best part of high school all over again. Note: There are a couple of slightly sketchy-looking metal tables outside, but most customers seem to grab and go.

4342 Thornton Ave., Fremont

This little glass box of a burger shack in a Fremont strip mall specializes in desi burgers — i.e., burgers with South Asian–inspired toppings and spices like cumin and coriander. My favorite is the ChaplYee burger, YSG’s fierce take on Pakistani chapli kebab, which features a super-oniony beef patty loaded with chopped chilies. Pair it with seasoned fries, a tub of the restaurant’s fiendishly addicting SpiceYee sauce and a mango milkshake. How’s that for a Bay Area–style all-American meal? Bonus: YSG Halal is open to satisfy your desi burger cravings until 1 a.m. most nights.

225 Cabrillo Hwy. S., Half Moon Bay

810 E. Main St., Grass Valley

I know, Grass Valley is not exactly the Bay Area, but this old-fashioned carhop burger joint makes for the perfect pitstop for roadtrippers en route to North Tahoe or the South Yuba River Valley. The burgers are excellent — big and juicy, with crunchy, well-charred edges to the meat. Most notably, Big A’s house-brewed root beer, served ice-cold in frosty mugs, is some of the best I’ve had. And if the idea of a root beer float with free root beer refills sounds appealing to you, this is most definitely your spot. Recently revived after a yearlong hiatus, the restaurant has kept almost all of its original menu intact, with one notable addition: homemade boiled dumplings — a nod to the new owner’s family heritage, as well as the deep Chinese history of California’s Gold Country.