It’s hard to venture out for burgers during lockdown. There’s always takeout, but sometimes it can get a bit cold before getting home, and in my opinion, burgers are always better if you can eat them hotter. But a person’s quest is never done, so I have tried three more San Francisco burgers to see if they an topple the new current best Monsieur Benjamin. Can Beep’s Burgers, Hoopla Burger or Whiz Burger come out on top?
1. Beep’s Burgers
Beep’s has been on my list for awhile, but I never made it down to where it’s located. But I did manage to swing by on my way back home from running errands, so I tried the 1/2 lb Beep’s Cheeseburger ($10.25) with a side of garlic fries ($4.50). I mean I already love the price, so that’s definitely a great selling point! You even get a choice of American, Cheddar or Swiss. (I went with Cheddar.) But it’s all about the taste right? Well the burger was pretty good. It had a nice crispy char, and the toppings felt quite fresh. It’s definitely better than a fast food burger, but not quite up to par to a gourmet burger. I’d say it’s similar to or slightly better than a burger from Super Duper Burger, but the fries are definitely a great side! I’d definitely swing back by if I were in the neighborhood as there is a parking lot to grab something for my easy journey home.
2. Hoopla Burger
I’ve been reading a lot of buzz about Hoopla Burger. It’s a new burger place in San Francisco that is focusing on Thai flavors in a burger. Do I love Thai food? Yes! Do I love burgers? I think you know the answer to that one! It seemed like the perfect burger to try out. I ordered it to try at home, and I went with the Ka Prow burger: A beef burger with garlic, chili, basil, onion, bell pepper, Ka Prow sauce and a fried egg ($13.25). (I also love a good fried egg on a burger.) The burger came with fries or coleslaw, and I went with coleslaw as sometimes fries don’t travel well. (I also ordered a side of tofu tots, fried tofu in a chili sauce, so I suppose that worked okay for a substitute for fries!) The burger was really tasty, and I loved all the Thai flavors that came through. It’s definitely on the spicy side, so be prepared. It’s one messy burger as well! And if you’re gluten free, they make their own rice buns, so you can still enjoy a burger! The coleslaw was nice, but nothing special, however I really enjoyed the extra tofu tots I ordered!
3. Whiz Burger
The last burger I tried was from Whiz Burger. It’s called a drive in, but it’s definitely someplace you park and walk up to the counter. They had plenty of burger options, but I went for the Whiz Burger because it is clearly their namesake. It’s a 1/3 lb burger patty with smoked bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles on a french roll ($10.50). Since I picked it up and knew it wouldn’t take me that long to get home, I went with some waffle fries on the side ($3.50). The burger itself was quite tasty for a roadside/drive-in type burger place. Definitely slightly better than In-N-Out (but not quite as cheap). The burger itself was cooked more on the well side, and I do love avocado on a burger, but it could have just been slightly more seasoned (although the bacon did help somewhat with that). The waffle fries were really fantastic though.
Winner: Monsieur Benjamin
This new top burger still sparks joy for me as it still one of the best ones I ate pre-lockdown. Sadly, none of the others pull into the top five, as while they were pretty good version of quasi-fast food burgers, none of them were enough to really blow me away. I do think that if you’re looking for a Thai burger (which is definitely one of the more unusual options for a burger), Hoopla is definitely a place to try out! Beep’s also puts out a pretty solid burger. Perhaps next time I’ll find a fantastic burger, but until then, I’m going to dream about the burgers from pre-COVID times!
My current top five:
1. Monsieur Benjamin
2. Comstock Saloon
3. Black Sands Brewery
4. Wayfare Tavern
5. Fort Point Brewery
Honorable mentions:
Classic toppings/burgers:
Gaspar
Nopa
Epic Steak
4505 Burgers and Barbecue
Magnolia Brewing
The Showdown
Spruce
Little Creatures Brewery
Unusual toppings/burgers:
City Beer Store
The Saratoga
ABV
Biergarten
Son’s Addition
Multiple toppings/burgers:
Papa Mak’s
Brickhouse
Super Duper Burgers
Beep’s Burgers
Hoopla Burger
Sides:
Umami Burger
Wes Burger ‘n’ More
