Open for: Lunch (doors open at 10:30), Dinner
Price range: $$
Chef Brandon Rodgers (former chef de cuisine of the Michelin-starred Benu), brought his Bay Area chops to San Diego when he founded this premium burger brand in 2023. In 2025, his fast-casual restaurant got recognized as one of the local standouts added to the California Michelin Guide. The Oceanside burger and fries outpost slings third- and two-third pound smash burgers with Brandt patties, cowboy beef bacon, lettuce, tomato, caramelized and sweet onions, New School American cheese, and Tanner’s spicy sauce on a brioche. Burgers start at $9.95 and pair well with tallow fries cooked in beef fat.
Know before you go: This place is inclusive for the gluten-sensitive set — gluten-free buns are available or you can order the “burger salad,” which puts all the beefy goodness on a bed of crisp lettuce.

Open for: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Price range: $
Founded three years ago in Encinitas by husband and wife Ramzy and Angela Rahib, this newer burger joint has now expanded to three other locations throughout the city: La Jolla, Convoy, and National City, with plans to open a fifth ___location in Oceanside soon. The popular “OG” crispy smash burger boasts Angus beef patties grilled crispy at a high temperature and served with American cheese, grilled onions, and Thousand Island dressing. Single patty burgers are about $8 and the double costs about $11. For those who want a more classic variation, the All-American comes with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions and American cheese. Those looking to amp up their selection can add avocado, hash browns, bacon, pastrami, egg, yellow peppers, an extra patty, or jalapeños for an additional cost. 
Save room for dessert: Milkshakes in classic flavors and soft serve sundaes are on order.

Open for: Lunch, Dinner
Price range: $$
This Encinitas outpost along Pacific Coast Highway isn’t just a burger joint — it’s a gathering spot for trivia night (every Tuesday), whiskey Wednesdays (for discounted whiskey drinks like the Leucadian Old Fashioned with walnut bitters and cinnamon), and a happy hour hotspot (every day from 2:30 pm to 4:30 p.m.). While the interior dining area is decked out in disco lights, the outdoor patio has a fire pit and live music on Friday and Saturday. Go for the classic smash burger, the Single Hut, made with Brandt beef, bundled with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and Thousand Island dressing in a Hawaiian bun. Chicken and fish burgers are also on the menu, adding to its variety. 
Must-try side: The Jabba fries with two Brandt beef patties, grilled onions, cheese, and Thousand Island dressing.

Open for: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Price range: $$
Don’t sleep on this butcher shop. Visitors who look beyond the meat case know this spot offers more than a wide range of cuts: a smash burger, sandwiches, and other prepared dishes from the kitchen. Although it’s not conventionally recognized as a burger, the house sandwich with marinated grilled Angus steak tips, grilled onions, and American cheese is a best seller. The stellar smash burger consists of a crispy house-ground patty, grilled onions, American cheese and garlic aioli on a brioche bun. At $16, this dish gets served with beef tallow fries and can be customized to your taste (extra cheese, avocado, bacon, and more).
Hot tip: Located in the One Paseo mall in North County, the shop makes it easy to grab a steak for grilling at home on your way out.

Open for: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Price range: $$$
Easily one of San Diego’s most classic burgers, the Drugstore Burger from the Grill at Torrey Pines is a slice of Americana. A nostalgic ode to Midwestern lunch counters of the past, this simple but expertly made burger consists of prime ground beef and homemade mayonnaise on a sesame bun, along with lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles. The burger arrives with diner’s choice of french fries or a side salad doused in shallot vinaigrette. An industry favorite, the burger is also available at the hotel bar and by request at its fine dining restaurant, A.R. Valentien.
Great for: Save this spot for a special occasion since the burger plate on its own will set you back $29.

Open for: Lunch, Dinner
Price range: $$
Very little about this no-frills burger joint has changed since the 1970s, except that it’s become a bit more crowded due to its high-flying reputation. Proving that beauty often lies in simplicity, diners can order a perfectly greasy third- or half-pound burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, and cheese with pickles on the side and pickled banana peppers in a tableside pot. Be sure to swing by during lunch to enjoy the weekly special that runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Monday to Friday — a third-pound cheeseburger with fries, and either a soda or pint of beer for $19.50. No cash? No problem. The former cash-only pub now accepts credit cards.
Know before you go: Diners must be at least 21 years old to visit Rocky’s. 

Open for: Lunch, Dinner
Price range: $$
Specializing in sliders, this burger restaurant with outposts in Mission Beach and Ocean Beach is known for its mini sandwiches with wagyu beef wedged between two warm, toasted bread buns. The Classic comes with onion confit and one patty (or two patties for an additional cost of $5.50), Kewpie mayo dressing, and melted jack cheese. Another variation of the classic, dubbed the Little Sal, is served with bacon whiskey sauce and baby arugula. Choose two or three sliders, along with one of the options for hand-cut pommes frites: blue cheese bacon fries with chopped bacon and cabbage, spicy elote with roasted sweet corn and chipotle aioli, or the classic.
Hot tip: Beer-battered onion rings make a great substitution for fries, if you’re in the mood for them. 

Open for: Lunch, Dinner
Price range: $
In San Diego, most residents know that “smash burger” is synonymous with the Friendly. With four outposts spread out across the county (Convoy, North Park, University Heights, and Pacific Beach), this no-frills dining destination is the perfect place for a quick and affordable smash burger. The Dirty Flat Top cheeseburger, the restaurant’s classic fix, features two patties with crispy edges, butter-braised grilled onions, American cheese, and garlic aioli for $8. The laidback burger destination also offers different burger selections like the $10 Lambo Boiga with lamb and beef smashed patties, Grand Cru Alpine cheese, pickled red onions, pink peppercorn aioli and Madeira sauce on the side for dipping.
Hot tip: Look out for riff-y specials on fast-food favorites like the “McRib Kinda,” with deboned ribs, smoked sweet onions, and pickles for $10.

Open for: Lunch, Dinner
Price range: $
Byron and Virginia Hardin started slinging burgers in Ocean Beach back in 1969. In 1991, the pair landed at the current Ocean Beach ___location on Newport Avenue and, since then, have attracted large crowds due to their hefty burgers. These days, there are two full-fledged restaurant locations — the original in Ocean Beach and downtown — operated by their grandchildren. Hodad’s is probably the most famous name in San Diego burgers, thanks in part to national recognition. Expect behemoth burgers: a double bacon cheeseburger ordered “all the way” is a half-foot tall and more than a meal for two. Lighter fare comes in the form of mini cheeseburgers or hamburgers; one-of-a-kind standouts include the Guy Fieri-inspired Guido with pastrami, Swiss cheese, grilled onions, pickles, and spicy brown mustard. 
Must-try side: Get the best of both worlds and order the “Frings” — a mix of both onion rings and fries with crispy, battered exteriors and interiors almost as tender as mashed potatoes.

Open for: Dinner
Price range: $$$
Starlite has been a San Diego emblem for decades and it’s now even fresher following a mega remodel: Arsalun Tafazoli, owner of Consortium Holdings Projects (The Lafayette Hotel, Born and Raised, Seneca, among many others), took the reigns following the death of Starlite’s founder, Matt Hoyt, in 2021 and completely reimagined its interior. The decor may have changed but the burger, thankfully, remains the same. The restaurant’s namesake burger, a $17 dish, comes with a half-pound pasture-raised beef patty, melted gruyere, caramelized onions, and dijonnaise on a sesame seed bun with a dill pickle and french fries on the side. As you eat, bask in the low lights from the star-studded interior or head to the patio for a futuristic desert-like experience.
Hot tip: Pair the burger with a Starlite Mule, which is mixed with homemade ginger beer.

Open for: Dinner
Price range: $$$
This 11-year-old institution is more than its elevated dishes — it also has a remake of In-N-Out’s Double-Double, but fancier. The Michelin-recognized dining destination features a seasonal menu that is ever-evolving. Regulars know there’s one dish off the secret menu that’s available year-round: the J&I burger made with two quarter-pound patties, two slices of American cheese, bread and butter pickles made in house, a special Juniper and Ivy burger sauce, and mustard-glazed grilled onions tucked between a sesame-sprinkled bun. It’s a crowd-pleasing burger that hits every time.
Hot tip: There are only a handful of the J&I burgers made each night, so be sure to place your order early. 

Open for: Dinner
Price range: $$
A three-in-one destination, Neighborhood in the East Village houses not one but three different bars including Noble Experiment and Youngblood. While the two other speakeasies require reservations, walk-ins are welcome at Neighborhood, where guests can choose from three burgers during a night out: the OG Hood burger with smashed beef patties, bacon onion jam, roasted garlic aioli, arugula, bleu and gruyere cheese; the Young American with smashed patties, bread and butter pickles, lager onions, and American cheese; and the vegan Black Bean Soyrizo burger with shaved iceberg lettuce, grilled poblano pico, avocado crema, and caramelized onions.
Must-try side: Crispy potatoes make the perfect companion dish — loaded with “animal-style” hood sauce, cheese, caramelized and pickled onions.

Open for: Lunch (only on weekends), Dinner
Price range: $$
There’s beauty in simplicity when it comes to the burgers sold at this popular spot. Diners can get their burger fix at either locations found in Normal Heights and Barrio Logan, where all burgers are served with Angus chuck, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, and homemade Thousand Island dressing. The streamlined menu offers a burger, a cheeseburger, and double and triple cheeseburger served in a brioche bun. The Jimi (Hendrix) spicy fries sprinkled with habanero peppers seal the deal. Visit either shop for a sit-down meal or place an order online. 
Hot tip: Ask for the patty to be cooked with mustard and try the homemade habanero ketchup.