Hey there! I’m still looking for the best burger in San Francisco. My current favorite is the Smash Burger from Niku Butcher Shop, but I’m convinced some place out there is doing better! This time, I had burgers from Magic Flute, Son and Garden, and Flippin’ Burger. Will any of them be at the top?
1. M. F. Burger from Magic Flute
I ended up at Magic Flute when I met a friend for a lunch hangout. It’s been so hard to see people with covid, and it’s nice to just get back together. So we dined out on the back patio and I went ahead and tried the M.F. Burger with a side salad ($19). The one interesting thing about it was the crispy prosciutto, otherwise the toppings were fairly standard. And while the prosciutto definitely added something different, the burger itself was a nice burger and not anything extraordinary.
2. My Son Burger from Son and Garden
I’m a fan of killing two birds with one stone, so when I have an appointment in an area of town, I’ll try to find a place to grab a lunch (preferably a burger) before or after. This time, I found Son and Garden. It’s by the same people as Farmhouse Kitchen, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect. There are two burgers on the menu, one expensive and one even more expensive, and since it may be the only time I come, I went for the My Son Burger with a side of fries ($32). Yes, this may be the most expensive burger I’ve tried on this endeavor. It came with a wagyu beef patty, bear belly bacon, caramelized onion
bacon jam, aioli, fried egg, jack cheese and arugula. It looked impressive when it came out, and it ended up being difficult to eat. Honestly, it was not worth the price, as the burger patty itself was a bit underseasoned and the bacon is very thick and hard to bite into. The egg was perfectly cooked though, and the steak fries were some of the best I’ve had. I guess for the price, I definitely was expecting more!
3. Double Flippin’ Cheeseburger at Flippin’ Burger
Finally, I checked out Flippin’ Burger in the Haight. Again, I was nearby doing some of my holiday shopping, and this time, the prices looked super reasonable to swing by and grab a burger for lunch. Their menu is pretty simple, and the burger itself comes with no frills as an extra patty or cheese are extra. (Although they will grill the onions for free!) They do offer even more toppings at an additional cost, such as avocado or egg, but I went for the standard double cheese ($11.25) and a side of onion rings ($6). For a fast casual place, the burger came out looking phenomenal, and the pile of onion rings were enticing. First off the onion rings are pretty much some of the best onion rings I have had. They were crispy, not greasy, and the onion inside was cooked well and slightly sweet. But then I had the burger, and it really did blow me away. The patties had that really meaty flavor and the bun held up through the whole thing. I honestly didn’t care that I didn’t go for any of the extra toppings (even though I love an egg on a burger). And while I’m usually not that excited by something that is a slightly fancier In-N-Out, I didn’t care! I’m glad I don’t live closer, and I’d probably swing through here way too often.
Winner: Niku Butcher Shop
While I think Niku definitely puts out a tastier burger, this was really tough as Flippin’ Burger really hits the sweet spot for fast casual burgers. Forget Super Duper or In-N-Out, this is really the place to be going in the city. If you’re in the Haight, definitely check it out! I almost want to give it top spot for price, but I think It’s going to fall in the middle of my top five. Sadly, both Son and Garden and Magic Flute put out some underwhelming burgers though. For now, my hunt will continue, and I’ll keep my eyes and ears open for other burgers in San Francisco that could come out on top. Or feel free to give me some tips on where I should seek them out in the comments!
My current top five:
1. Niku Butcher Shop
2. Monsieur Benjamin
3. Flippin’ Burger
4. Fort Point Valencia
5. Wayfare Tavern
Honorable mentions:
Classic toppings/burgers:
The Grove Design District
Gaspar
Nopa
Epic Steak
4505 Burgers and Barbecue
Magnolia Brewing
The Showdown
Spruce
Little Creatures Brewery
Frankie’s Java House
Unusual toppings/burgers:
Sons Addition
Automat
City Beer Store
The Saratoga
ABV
Biergarten
Rock Club Burger
Multiple toppings/burgers:
Flipper’s Gourmet Burgers
Papa Mak’s
Brickhouse
Super Duper Burgers
Beep’s Burgers
Hoopla Burger
Sides:
Umami Burger
Wes Burger ‘n’ More
