So many burgers to try in San Francisco with so little time. Currently, my favorite burger is the masterpiece of a smash burger from Niku Butchershop, but I’m always out trying new ones to see if something can outdo them! Will that place be Hidden Spot, Columbus Burger, or Mezcalito?
1. The Hidden from Hidden Spot
Hidden Spot has several locations around the Bay Area, but I went to the one close to my house. They are all located within bars, so there may be some age restrictions when you go. They do half pound wagyu burgers, and I got The Hidden ($17) with cabbage, swiss cheese, teriyaki and a chile-encrusted pineapple ring. I also decided to go all out and try the hottie totties ($8), tots with chile, mayonnaise, sriracha and green onions. It definitely looked appetizing when it was ready, and I couldn’t wait to dig in. The first few bites were really tasty, but the flavor kind of shrank on me as it went, as the beef itself really needed more flavor/seasoning. The tots were nice, but I was hoping they would be a bit spicier I suppose. All in all, a pretty solid burger, but the price was a bit on the high side, although I did leave feeling very full!
2. The Piggy Jack from Columbus Burgers
My next stop was Columbus Burger, a fairly new burger joint on Columbus Avenue. Thankfully, the bus brings me right there, so the trek wasn’t too difficult. Their menu is fairly simple, and I chose the Piggy Jack ($12), a ground chuck burger with fairly standard toppings with cheese and bacon. I also got a side of fries ($3). It definitely a no frills burger, and it’s a decent price for what you get. The burger itself was pretty tasty, with their secret Monkey sauce really amping up the flavor on the burger. This is not your standard Thousand Island secret sauce, it was something else completely, and I though it enhanced it quite a bit. The burger bun wasn’t the most structurally sound, as it did get harder to eat as I went, but I definitely enjoyed it. The fries weren’t that exciting, just some standard crinkle cut fries, but there was a nice blend of seasonings sprinkled on top.
3. Mezcalito Burger from Mezcalito
I know I had a great meal here, even if the atmosphere could be a bit loud, but I did want to sneak back to try out the burger, so early one evening I dropped in alone to give it a try. For $16 you get an angus beef patty, smoked gouda cheese, caramelized onion, lettuce, heirloom tomato, and mustard aoili all on a potato bun with a side of fries! There are a few extra additional toppings, and I opted for the egg for ($2). Or, if you hit up happy hour, the burger it only $10 which made mine a whopping $12 in total. The burger looked appetizing when it came out with a perfectly cooked egg on top. Overall, I’d say the burger was nice, but it seemed to be lacking something somewhere, and it definitely needed a bit of seasoning. The smoked gouda flavor also didn’t really come through that strongly. The fries were amazing though, and they reminded me of the fries from my favorite vegetarian diner in grad school.
Winner: Niku Butcher Shop
That smash burger from Niku is still the burger I’m dreaming about, even if it is pricey! Of the burgers this week, The Piggy Jack was probably my favorite, but for the happy hour price, the Mezcalito Burger really is a tasty steal. Will I ever find a new meaty burger to continue to fantasize about? Let me know if you know of any places I should try in the comments!
I should also note that due to places closing, often because of covid, I’ve removed all the locations from below that sadly are no long around or have closed down locations. Goodbye Grove Design District, Little Creatures Brewery, Gaspar, City Beer Store, Hoopla Burger and The Saratoga, you will be missed!
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:
Nopa
Epic Steak
4505 Burgers and Barbecue
Magnolia Brewing
The Showdown
Spruce
Frankie’s Java House
Unusual toppings/burgers:
Sons Addition
Automat
ABV
Biergarten
Rock Club Burger
Multiple toppings/burgers:
Flipper’s Gourmet Burgers
Papa Mak’s
Brickhouse
Super Duper Burgers
Beep’s Burgers
Sides:
Umami Burger
Wes Burger ‘n’ More
