San Diego is known for its California burritos. But every once in a while you’re looking for a good burger. Whether you’re in a mood for a class burger, a smash burger or you just want to wait through a drive-through for some In-n-Out, San Diego has the burger spot for you.
On our SanDiegoHumor Instagram stories, we asked our followers where their favorite burger was in San Diego. We were blown away by the number of responses we received. We had a total of 1,970 vote submissions. After spending hours manually typing out all of the entries into an excel document (no joke, we pulled out the spreadsheets for this one), we have the results for the top restaurants for burgers in San Diego.
And the results are in!
Table of Contents
Rocky’s Crown Pub (343 votes)
📍 3786 Ingraham St, San Diego, CA 92109
Rocky’s burger is a strong contender for best burger in San Diego. Maybe even in California. There’s nothing exotic or unusual about it, but Rocky’s knows how to do the burger fundamentals right. It’s cooked to perfection, and Rocky’s uses a higher quality, lower fat beef than most burger places do. It’s freshly ground, too. You can taste the difference. We highly recommend the half pound cheeseburger. We also have to mention the fries. They’re cut and cooked just right, so there’s a satisfying amount of crunch. Remember: this is one of those cash-only places, so bring cash.
The Friendly (329 votes)
📍 1344 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109
📍 4592 30th St, San Diego, CA 92116
📍 42632 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92104
Votes with the 2nd most votes, the Friendly has 3 locations with the most recent location opening in Pacific Beach.
The Friendly is famous for its pizza, but you really need to order the dirty flat-top cheeseburger. Grilled, buttered buns. Garlic mayo. Nicely crisp yet still juicy patty. Plenty of cheese. This is a taste you’re not going to find anywhere else. It goes really well with the beer they sell on-site, too.\
Hodad’s (225 votes)
📍 5010 Newport Ave, San Diego, CA 92107
Well, obviously Hodad’s was going to be on the list. Hodad’s is the OG burger spot in spot in San Diego. The location in Ocean Beach has been open since 1991 but Byron and Virginia Hardin started Hodad’s in 1969 with the first location at the end of Santa Monica Drive in OB.
They make large burgers that are famously tasty. They have mini, single, and double burgers, with and without cheese and bacon. The mini burgers are as big as most chains’ regular burgers. The bacon burgers come with a lot of bacon. The fries are potato wedges and, while they’re good, we strongly recommend ordering the onion rings instead. They are perhaps the best onion rings ever.
If you want the most satisfying meal you have ever eaten, order the double bacon cheeseburger, onion rings, and a milkshake (which is made with a pint of premium ice cream). But be warned, you may need to be carried out to your car afterward (or beach cruiser).
The Balboa (95 votes)
📍 1863 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
The Balboa is a bar and grill that serves an unforgettable burger. More than one, actually. The Original Balboa Burger is your classic cheeseburger, but one that’s stacked high, tastes great, and is really juicy. We especially recommend the BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger, though. It’s really something special. The garlic fries are the perfect tasty, crispy side. The whole place has a laid-back dive bar kind of a vibe.
In-n-Out (78 votes)
📍 Various locations in San Diego
There’s no complete burger list in San Diego without In-n-out. In-n-out is a California staple for burgers and we would agree. If you’re looking for a quality burger at an affordable price – you can’t go wrong with a double-double. If you want to eat like a local – Google the In-n-out secret menu for items you won’t find on the regular menu.
In-N-Out uses high quality, fresh ingredients and it really shows through in the taste. And the special sauce takes that taste to the next level. We recommend the Animal-Style Double-Double Burger, with twice the patties and twice the cheese. There are some unusual options, too, such as Protein Style, where you get the burger wrapped in lettuce without a bun. The milkshakes are also noteworthy.
Hayes Burgers (53 votes)
📍 2060 Logan Ave Ste. A, San Diego, CA 92113
The patties here are a little thicker than usual, and nicely juicy as a result. The outside of the patty is crisply seared. The patties are also well seasoned, which is a real treat. Especially with the spicy ketchup. The buns are really fresh and tasty. The toppings are, too. The fries come with some nice options like cheese and onions. The whole place has an artsy, hole-in-the-wall vibe, with the menu painted right on the wall. The old TV playing VHS movies is an awesome touch.
Swagyu (50 votes)
📍 14149 Twin Peaks Rd Suite 12, Poway, CA 92064
Swagyu is our personal favorite burger. Specializing in wagyu beef, Swagyu has their Signature Swagyu smash burger. If you can handle, the 3×3 has 3 4oz Wagyu Smash Patties on a brioche bun and their secret sauce. It’s our go-to burger spot so make sure you check it out.
The Wagyu burger can be a bit pricey but we think it’s total worth the price – you won’t get a burger like that anywhere else The nitro fries are phenomenal, so make sure you don’t forget to order them on the side.
Burger Lounge (40 votes)
Burger Lounge is known their grass-fed beef burgers. Headquarters in San Diego, Burger Lounge has about 2 dozen locations across California. With locations all across the city, this casual burger joint is perfect for a quick bite or a relaxing meal out with friends.
They also have some interesting beef-alternative burgers, including fish patties and vegetarian patties. The lamb burger is super tasty. Too bad it’s a seasonal thing. There are some interesting drink options, too, such as the lavender-mint lemonade and the date shake. In fact, all of the shakes are really good without being overly sweet.With a wide variety of burgers, salads, and sides to choose from, there’s something for everyone at Burger Lounge.
Crazee Burger (33 votes)
📍 3993 30th St, San Diego, CA 92104
This place does a good traditional burger cooked right. It also has a wide range of exotic burgers made out of strange, dare we say… crazee… ingredients. Venison, wild boar, ostrich, even alligator burgers are all on the menu. If you’re looking to try something different, done well, this is the place to come. And don’t worry, even meats like venison, which are prone to dryness, are nice and juicy. Crazee Burger offers gluten free buns as an option.
Raglan Burger (26 votes)
📍 1851 Bacon St, San Diego, CA 92107
The burgers here are made with high-quality, organic beef, organic buns, and locally sourced vegetable toppings. The sauces are homemade. There are a lot of good burger options, including the traditional classic burger. If you want something truly unique and incredible, though, try the lamb burger. It comes with sliced beet and mint dressing for a really special flavor. Raglan Public House also does a burger of the month, and it’s always an interesting choice, so it’s worth checking up on what their current burger of the month is.
Anny’s Fine Burger (25 votes)
5375 Kearny Villa Rd, San Diego, CA 92123
📍 9862 Mission Gorge Rd #D, Santee, CA 92071
Anny’s Fine Burger has a really nice burger menu with a lot of options that are worth trying out. We recommend the Sand Dune Burger, made with a 1/2 pound grass-fed Angus beef patty stacked high with onion rings and smothered in smoky teriyaki sauce. We also recommend the California Burger, with cheese, bacon, avocado, lettuce, and onion. And we would recommend the Spicy Anny Burger, with jalapenos. Of course, the Classic Burger is great, too. As is the Bacon Cheeseburger. We’re going to have to stop now, because we could just keep naming and describing the great burgers here all night.
