Burgermeister
2319 Central Ave, Alameda, CA, 94501
Burgermeister Menu
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Diabetics at Whataburger
Diabetics need to be a bit cautious while dining at Whataburger. Almost every burger is rich in sodium content and it is highly recommended to keep your burger cravings in control while dining at Whataburger. However, you can always satisfy your cravings for a burger by choosing Whataburger Jr. or other non-burger items from the menu.
Foods to Avoid at Whataburger for Diabetics:
A diabetic should resist from ordering any extra meat-based burger such as Double Meat Whataburger or Triple Meat Whataburger to limit the sodium intake and calories. Most burgers except the Whataburger Jr. are high in sodium and hence should be avoided.
If you are a diabetic, you should also avoid Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich and Whataburger Patty Melt at Whataburger. Chicken Fajita Taco is also off-limits for diabetics. You must also avoid Breakfast Platter and Pancake Platter from the menu. Pancakes and Cinnamon Roll from the breakfast menu are also off-limits for diabetics.
Food Suggestions for Diabetics at Whataburger
Double Meat Whataburger Jr.®
Nutritional Facts: 420 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 1g & Sat. Fat 6g), 700mg sodium, 37g carbs, 6g sugar, 2g fiber, 23g Protein
Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuit
Nutritional Facts: 350 calories, 22g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 12g), 730mg sodium, 31g carbs, 0g sugar, 2g fiber, 8g Protein
Biscuit with Bacon
Nutritional Facts: 360 calories, 22g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 790mg sodium, 32g carbs, 2g sugar, 1g fiber, 8g Protein
Hash Brown Sticks
Nutritional Facts: 190 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2g), 500mg sodium, 21g carbs, 0g sugar, 2g fiber, 2g Protein
Garden Salad with Grilled Chicken
Nutritional Facts: 290 calories, 12g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 7g), 770mg sodium, 12g carbs, 4g sugar, 6g fiber, 34g Protein
Taquito with Sausage, No Cheese
Nutritional Facts: 380 calories, 23g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 8g), 480mg sodium, 28g carbs, 1g sugar, 1g fiber, 16g Protein
Apple Slices
Nutritional Facts: 30 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 0mg sodium, 7g carbs, 5g sugar, 1g fiber, 0g Protein
Visit below restaurant in Alameda for healthy meals suggestion.
High Blood Pressure at Whataburger
High sodium intake can be lethal for people suffering from high blood pressure. If you're someone with high blood pressure and dining at Whataburger, then you got to be careful. Most burgers and sandwiches at Whataburger contain high sodium which can spike your blood pressure levels.
Foods to Avoid at Whataburger for High Blood Pressure
Skip the Double Meat Whataburger and Triple Meat Whataburger at the restaurant if you don't intend to shoot your blood pressure levels. Avoid all types of Bacon and Cheeseburgers at Whataburger as these items are high in sodium. You must avoid Chicken Fajita Taco at Whataburger as it is too high in sodium as well. Skip the Pancakes Platter and Pancakes from the breakfast menu to control your sodium intake. Cinnamon Roll and Grilled Cheese are also the best to avoid at Whataburger for its high sodium content.
Food Suggestions for High Blood Pressure at Whataburger
Whataburger Jr.®
Nutritional Facts: 310 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4g), 580mg sodium, 37g carbs, 6g sugar, 2g fiber, 14g Protein
Biscuit Sandwich
Nutritional Facts: 400 calories, 24g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 680mg sodium, 32g carbs, 2g sugar, 1g fiber, 12g Protein
Hash Brown Sticks
Nutritional Facts: 190 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2g), 500mg sodium, 21g carbs, 0g sugar, 2g fiber, 2g Protein
French Fries
Nutritional Facts: 420 calories, 21g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 3g), 260mg sodium, 52g carbs, 1g sugar, 4g fiber, 5g Protein
Hot Lemon Pie
Nutritional Facts: 320 calories, 16g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 5g), 230mg sodium, 41g carbs, 12g sugar, 3g fiber, 4g Protein
Apple Slices
Nutritional Facts: 30 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 0mg sodium, 7g carbs, 5g sugar, 1g fiber, 0g Protein
Visit below restaurant in Alameda for healthy meals suggestion.
High Cholesterol at Whataburger
Calorie intake is the main concern for people with high cholesterol while dining at a fast-food restaurant like Whataburger. Well, you can always try the Lighter & Smaller options from the menu to cut down your fat intake. Opting for grilled sandwich or burgers are preferred compared to double meat or triple meat cheesy burgers which contain high cholesterol.
Foods to Avoid at Whataburger for High Cholesterol
Cut down on your meat intake to control your high cholesterol. You must skip Double Meat Whataburger and Triple Meat Whataburger at all costs. You should also avoid Avocado Bacon Burger and Monterey Melt as both these burgers contain a high amount of fat. Sweat & Spicy Bacon Burger will add extra 1080 calories in your diet so skip that as well. Whatacatch Dinner may sound tempting but the famous fish sandwich is also full of calories and unhealthy fat. Lastly, avoid French Fries and Onion Rings at Whataburger if you are already ordering a burger or any other heavy meal.
Food Suggestions to Maintain Cholesterol Level at Whataburger
Whatachick'n® Sandwich
Nutritional Facts: 600 calories, 26g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 890mg sodium, 57g carbs, 11g sugar, 4g fiber, 33g Protein
Breakfast On A Bun®
Nutritional Facts: 350 calories, 15g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 6g), 910mg sodium, 34g carbs, 5g sugar, 1g fiber, 18g Protein
Egg Sandwich
Nutritional Facts: 310 calories, 12g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 5g), 740mg sodium, 34g carbs, 5g sugar, 1g fiber, 15g Protein
Justaburger®
Nutritional Facts: 300 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 3g), 570mg sodium, 34g carbs, 5g sugar, 1g fiber, 14g Protein
Hot Apple Pie
Nutritional Facts: 270 calories, 14g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 5g), 260mg sodium, 34g carbs, 7g sugar, 2g fiber, 33g Protein
Chocolate Chunk Cookie
Nutritional Facts: 230 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 6g), 180mg sodium, 31g carbs, 18g sugar, 1g fiber, 2g Protein
Double Meat Whataburger Jr.®
Nutritional Facts: 420 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 1g & Sat. Fat 6g), 700mg sodium, 37g carbs, 6g sugar, 2g fiber, 23g Protein
Apple Slices
Nutritional Facts: 30 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 0mg sodium, 7g carbs, 5g sugar, 1g fiber, 0g Protein
Visit below restaurant in Alameda for healthy meals suggestion.
Q & A on
Which states have a Whataburger?
There are more than 800 Whataburger restaurants across the USA which are open 24 * 7 serving the tastiest meal. If you want to know the nearest Whataburger, then search the restaurant in our Restaurant Listings Directory.
Is Whataburger closed on Easter and Christmas?
Though Whataburger remains open 24 hours and seven days a week, most of the branches are closed during Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
What are Whataburger opening and closing time?
This is the only restaurant which proudly serves the customer 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Anyone can enjoy good food in the early morning or a late-night meal at Whataburger restaurant branch.
Does Whataburger have a vegan burger?
Yes, Whataburger have Vegan as well as Vegetarian burger option. Whataburger veggie burger and Whataburger sandwiches are popular among vegan crowds.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
About Whataburger
Whataburger, as the name suggests, is an American fast-food restaurant specializing in hamburgers. Unlike other famous US restaurants chains, Whataburger is a regional fast-food chain serving customers at 824 locations in the country. Most of these locations are based in Texas while a few others are spread across Florida, Oklahoma, Arizona, Alabama, New Mexico, Louisiana, etc.
Whataburger was founded by Harmon Dobson and Paul Barton in 1950. The basic idea was to offer a better burger that tastes so good that every bite makes you say, “What A Burger!” In the same year, the Whataburger trademark was granted to Harmon Dobson, one of the co-founders. The restaurant specializes in different varieties and sizes of burgers including fish sandwich.
Healthy Food Options at Whataburger
Being a fast-food restaurant, you won't find many healthy food options at Whataburger. However, citing to the fitness trends and health preferences across the United States, Whataburger has revised its menu and introduced a selection of 550 calories or less menu in 2012. You can also try other items on the menu besides the burger to grab healthy food choices at Whataburger.
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Address :
2319 Central Ave
Alameda, CA, 94501 - Phone (510) 865-3032
- Website https://www.burgermeistersf.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
- Mon : 11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Drive-Thru : No
Caters : No
Categories
Burgers
Burger or Hamburger is savored as the most desired fast food meal in the United States. A hamburger is basically a sandwich prepared by stuffing ground meat patty, generally beef, between two slices of a bun cut in half. Hamburger is also famous for its seasoning. Most popular condiments used in hamburgers in the United States are mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup. Besides ground meat patty, hamburgers are also stuffed with lettuce, onions, tomato slices, pickles, and cheese.
Hamburgers are also categorized into two types in the United States. Fast food hamburger and individual hamburgers served at restaurants are two basic types of burgers served in the United States. The individual hamburgers served at restaurants are prepared using everything including lettuce, onion, tomato, and sliced pickles as well as melted cheese on the patty or crumbled on top. American restaurants also serve veggie burgers for those who don't relish meat. Cheeseburgers are also hot favorite in the United States.
McDonalds is the most popular fast food burger restaurant serving different types of burgers in the United States. On the other hand, there are several restaurants such as Burger King are famous for serving the best hamburgers in the United States. Most burger restaurants in the United States often serve hamburgers with French fries and other condiments. If you have a liking for burgers in the United States, then you won't be disappointed. You can easily find the best burger restaurants in your city on our Restaurants Listings directory. Check the reviews and ratings of the top burger restaurants and savor yourself with the best hamburger in the city.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Kenny C.
Highly disappointed by Burgermeister. I went here today for lunch with my friend who seen the restaurant on the 100 top places to eat in the Bay Area, so I knew it had to be on point. I was wrong! I ordered a bacon cheeseburger and it was nothing to write home to mom about, just a plan burger with bacon that was not cooked all the way. The fries were the bright spot of my lunch, and they were just OK. The service was fairly good, and they have a fully stocked bar. They even had Hennessey XO which most local restaurants don't have. All in all I probably wouldn't come back here unless a group of friends were coming here to eat. This place should be taken off the 100 top eateries in the Bay Area.
(2)Melissa B.
I orderded the Kobe Beef Steak Sandwich...to go, not good and not worth the money. I ate half and threw the other half away. Would not go back
(1)Liz R.
I tried Burgermeister when it first opened and thought never again, but I like to give things a second try before righting them off so I went again recently. I would say 2 1/2 stars. I must say the second time around was a great improvement. There staff is certainly trying to get it right, they were friendlier and seemed to be more aware that someone was at their tables and we did get our food in a acceptable time frame. I am still not a fan of the burgers- there not bad but there not good either. It is true what the reviews say that they do over cook- we played it smart and asked for Medium Rare and got what we wanted Medium to well done, it's sad you have to know to do that to get what you want. I did like the Cajun Chicken it had a lot of flavors and actually surprised me. If it wasn't for convenience this place might really be hurting.
(2)Allison L.
I'm raising my rating to four stars. Jerry, the manager, contacted me after reading my review and asked for more information about what led to my previous (poor) review. He was very helpful and invited us back for another try. This time, the service was stronger, though the food still took a bit of time to come out. It was worth it, though. The atmosphere was nice and the place was buzzing. Jerry, thanks for touching base with your customers and providing followup in a polite and thorough manner. It was much appreciated.
(4)Sara H.
Fav burger place in Alameda! You have the choice between a 1/4 and a 1/2 pound burger which you can have however youwant! Try the Meisterburger if you want the works. They are also super friendly, and have large flat screens in the bar which are PERFECT for watching sports games on. It also gets a nice crowd for important games ( we watched the Lakers kill it this last season '10). I definitely recommend this place for the upcoming seasons of whatever sport you are into watching. Xo sara
(4)Cheesemonger Jeff D.
I'm a little conflicted about Burgermeister. First the positives: *the City of Alameda hit a home run when they leased the space to this dynamic restaurant. Along with the opening of the movie theatre, Burgermeister has done alot to revitalize Central Ave. *they use Niman beef *they use Tucker's ice cream *the milkshake was very very good Now the negatives: *$20 for a burger, fries and shake (with tax and tip)? Please! This is a simple restaurant with minimal service and amenities, not the Wood Tavern or the Bay Wolf, so why the premium prices?? *the beef quality was just okay. the patties are not hand formed or house ground -a suspicion confirmed by the delivery from del Monte of "frozen patties - Niman" while I was eating. And Niman isn't all that great anyways - barely above commodity beef IMHO *my waitress couldn't answer simple questions, like "what's the difference between your garlic fries and your curly fries?" ("Umm, the curly fries have red stuff on them") *loud inappropriate music blasting while I was eating. I don't think I can digest well to Foreigner's "Hot Blooded" *despite the claim to supporting "a greener earth by engaging in environmentally conscious business practices, utilizing 100% natural products, biodegradable packaging and 100% recyclable materials", I couldn't help notice the large PLASTIC Heinz, Moorhouse and Grey Poupon dispensers on every table, the tubs of little packets of sugar, sweet'n'lo, and equal on every table, the sysco dishwashing liquid. Doesn't seem very "natural" to me, but then again "natural" is a word that has absolutely no meaning in food service.
(3)Will M.
I was a little concerned about this place because of the low stars, but I gotta say that it was much better than I was expecting. I had the sweet potato fries, san francisco blue cheese niman ranch burger and the california turkey avocado jackcheese sandwhich. The place feels very chain like with it's generic tables and setup, but I could care less because both burgers came out tasting great. Meat was done just right and packed with flavor. The sides they gave us were also nice and plentiful as well. The turkey was not dry either and blended extremely well with the cheese and avocado. While nothing was "wow!" I left saying, "those were some nicely done burgers." The sweet potato fries were a seperate highlight on its own. Crispy, flavorfull, and not tasting like it was coated with frying oil, it was a delight to pop every single one into my mouth. I probbaly wouldn't eat here again because there's so many options out there to try, but wouldn't mind going with a friend if they wanted to try it out.
(4)Andrew Y.
It was weird, the burger was good, it looked big, but I didn't feel full from the burger. I put the lettuce, tomato and onions on my San Francisco burger and it looked good. When I started to eat the burger, I felt like it was going to all fall apart, but surprisingly, it didn't. I ate it pretty quickly. It was like I was eating clouds. It was a confusing eating experience. I felt like I should have been on the floor with the burger, but that didn't happen. Maybe I need to try the 1/2 lbs. size. I hope it will be worth the added cost. TBD.
(3)Jon B.
On the pricey side. Large portions. Good service. We came here immediately after leaving Angela's Bistro a few doors down. The waiter was extremely friendly and made a lot of suggestions. Since we just had some appetizers at Angela's, we wanted something small, so we ended up splitting a western burger, with sweet potato fries and 2 beers. The burger was freakin $12.25. For a BURGER. But when it came, it was totally worth it. They had split it onto two separate plates already for us, each with a mountain of fries, and each half of the burger was HUGE. And the most important part-- DELICIOUS. A nice, juicy patty with a hearty helping of cheese, bacon, onion ring, and of course tasty bbq sauce. Totally worth the 12 bucks. It was easily enough for two people. Our total bill with burger, fries, beers and tip came out to about $27. I will definitely be back sometime soon. GREAT BURGER!
(4)Rod S.
Burgermeister in Alameda is my favorite burger joint. The staff and service is what makes me keep coming back. The food is fantastic too. I alway know what to expect and my expectations are always exceeded. It is always my sons first choice for eating in alameda. We dined there this past weekend (four of us) and it was relatively busy. Jonathon was working the bar and the bar section tables. He was in constant motion with orders and service. He was on top of everyones needs. There were 4 of us with drinks, burgers and several sides and he didn't even need to write it down and got all the orders right on. Kudos to Jonathon!!! This guy should be a manager.
(5)S H.
My husband and I are always on the look-out for dog-friendly eateries, so when we heard this place allowed dogs in the outdoor dining area, we leashed up our pooches and dropped on by for a weekend lunch. Unfortunately, the host turned us away saying our dogs were too large (they're each about 35-45 pounds). Apparently there had been some previous issues with large, disobedient dogs jumping up on the servers or starting fights with other dogs. When we protested and said our dogs were well-behaved, he said to bring them back when the place wasn't so busy so he could see for himself. After some debating, we brought them back mid-week for lunch, and it was a completely different experience. The hostess and server loved our dogs and even brought them real bacon strips. Once we got our food (enormous burgers), our dogs settled down quietly by our feet and just watched people stroll by. The food itself was alright - In-N-Out and Bip's Broiler on Encinal are equally as satisfying - but the draw for us was to spend some quality time with our dogs. It was annoying to have to go through convincing the staff, but once we were seated our dogs definitely enjoyed the experience.
(3)Brian C.
I'm by no means a burger expert, but I was very happy with my lunch today at Burgermeister. The service was friendly and reasonably quick, and my burger was very good. The bun was nicely toasted and came with fresh lettuce, tomato and a pickle (which I did not eat because I hate them.) Now, many of you will disqualify my review once I reveal that I ordered the burger well done(Sorry, that's just how I roll.), but the patty was still very tasty and juicy despite being cooked for so long. The fries were flavorful and tasted natural to me.(ie. not loaded with preservatives and other junk.) I'm looking forward to visiting again the next time I find myself in Alameda.
(4)Alvin L.
I recommend you NOT to go to this Burgermeister franchise in Alameda. As a local resident, I went there twice, and twice I had the same terrible service. First time, the waitresses were unprofessional and when I asked for a cup of water, they replied "you have to order a drink with that...", the fact that they give you an attitude just shows that this restaurant is poorly managed. The second time I went was at a night, after I watched a movie at the neighboring theater. They called the event "Happy hour", but the tab came out to be more than what I came for. When I complained about the price, they said that "[I] should have came earlier" and this was coming from their manager!. Food is halfway decent, overpriced and service is downright terrible. If you want a good burger at a good restaurant, look elsewhere, because you definitely will not find it here.
(1)Thomas M.
This place by far has the tastiest burger around! No kidding. I like the environment and location of this joint, as it is near my favorite movie theater; it's a one stop drop for me! The staffs are friendly and professional; they really know how to keep you in a good mood. I had a cheeseburger, medium rare cooked and it turns out to be perfect, the way I wanted it. I also had the Philly cheese steak once and it was very good, they know how to keep the customers' stomach satisfied.
(4)Erika N.
The burgers are well made, and cooked to your desire of doneness. Not seeing the burger you want? You can create your own. Seriously, I'd go just for garlic fries and a chocolate shake. The main concern whenever I have garlic fries (over salting) is not an issue here. The question then becomes: curly or regular garlic fries? Really, it depends on your mood, and you really can't go wrong. If you like chocolate shakes, try theirs. Chocolate ice cream enhanced with chocolate sauce. Rich and very satisfying.
(4)LM K.
In search of a really good, local burger I was anxious to give this a try. Had a moment of sticker shock with my first look at the menu but again, what price a great burger? And I did get a really great-tasting burger. That's basically all I remember about the meal, and the fact that service was a bit slow, and that after awhile I wished there had been a tv somewhat closer to where I was sitting. The tables are somewhat small too, and cramped together...I felt like the boy in the family seated next to me could be my own. Since the ambiance--indoor or out--is nothing to write home about, I'd get these again as takeout (but why bother, as Alameda Grill's burgers are almost as good, not to mention Culina's).
(3)Shirley H.
Typical burger joint..... Had the burger with avocados and yea it was a bit too big for one person to finish. Ordered a whole bunch of fries........nothing extra ordinary....but the curly seasoned fries were delicious.
(2)Nnekay F.
ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... They were smart with the placement of this burger joint. It's right next to the wonderful renovated Alameda Theater, so lazy movie goers will just pop over here to get some eats because it's shiny looking- plus "Burgermeister" is a pretty awesome name. Don't be fooled lazy movie goers! This place is bunk. Service is a crap load... took too long and they were waaaay too sassy for a place that hasn't been around that long. The burger was alright, but there are so many better places (just down the block) to get a tasty hunk o patty. My friend got a hot dog- and it looked gross. I know, it's a hot dog... but if you're going to be a fancy pants restaurant next to a fancy pants movie theater at least make a fancy pants hot dog. I rest my case.
(2)Alicia K.
The restaurant is clean, the servers are friendly, and the menu is large. There is also a good amount of outdoor seating which I like. Sometimes my husband and I will just stop in to have a beer and sit down for a bit between Park Street adventures. He really likes the mango burger and I like that there are other options besides french fries as a side.
(4)Savia S.
I've been back to this Burgermeister recently, and they've definitely improved on the service, though it can still be a bit slow even when the place is relatively empty. The food is tasty as one would expect, and although they still seem to get something about my order wrong EVERY TIME I go there, the food ends up being good enough to go back.
(4)Victor G.
there was only one waitress working but things weren't that busy. there's a sign telling you to wait to be seated. but nodody's at that station and bascially no one's in the resaurant. i asked someone at the front: "can i take i seat?" she told me she didn't work there. so i took a seat on my own. settled on 1/2 pound hamburger ala carte (7). the sign didn't say niman's so am not sure what i got. a niman's 1/4 with fries etc. is (7.50) . the egg nog milkshake (5.25) was super creamy and rich. they use mitchell's ice cream., my fav. it's probably by design but i got a blender half full of shake. good marketing ploy! small original shake container so it tooks like a get extras with the overflow. i ordered medium and basically got what they considered a medium. it seem overcooked near the edges and barely red in the middle. maybe med rare is more my style. the red onions slices wasn't crunchy but kind of soggy. likewise, the lettuce was limp and not crunchy. they have different specials 2-6 on wine, draft beer(3), fries (1.99) weekdays. otherwise beer and wine (4.50) wasn't surprised this place is near empty. service is passable, with assistance from the kitchen and cashier. the burger is passable. the shakes are to die for, literally.
(3)kristen m.
Burgermeister is right down the street from my new office, so I've had takeout a few times in the past week or so. The first time, I decided to have a regular burger with cheddar cheese. I'm not a huge fan of ground beef, but theirs is Niman Ranch and I figured having something basic would be a good overall test. Luckily, it was lunch time and I was able to order the lunch size (1/4 lb) burger. Otherwise, their burgers weigh in at a half pound! My burger was seasoned up nicely and grilled to medium, just as I had requested. However, that burger was overshadowed by my next order: grilled chicken breast topped with fresh, sauteed mango. Delicious.
(4)Sarah C.
I was served by a nice fellow that looked like he could be an extra in Gleaming the Cube circa 1989. The service was great . We were in and out of there in time for our movie. The food was terribly boring. I had the fish and chips. The fish was flat and bland. The french fries were obviously from a bag. My wife had a Boca garden burger. They didn't screw up the garden burger, but the onion rings were lame lame lame. Good onions rings should be so delicious that you feel guilty for eating the whole portion. I did not try the burger, which I suppose I should have, but I think if a burger joint can't master a french fry why try the rest. We will never go there again. It's so sad because the service was so great.
(2)Jimmy J.
Their chocolate shakes are so chocolatety that they give me the chocolate shakes.
(3)Andrew M.
Yanno, I really wanted to like this place. Seriously, I did. I went there right after it opened, and had extremely slow service. The food was ok but was insanely overpriced, and the soda was seriously flat (i like it fizzy yo!). After that experience I didn't think I'd be back. Flash to a couple months later, and I think to myself, let's give it another go, maybe they got over their new restaurant hurdles. Yeah... not so much. Waited an extremely long time for just an appetizer platter, prices were still high, but at least the soda had some fizz. Service wasn't all that friendly either, everyone seems to be in robot like mode. Two chances and I'm over it, if the theatre wasn't there I don't think it'd be so packed.
(2)Sandy L.
Food: Pretty good burgers. The fries are not bad and the onion rings are quite good. NEWS FLASH the shakes are GREAT. They use Tucker's Ice Cream and so they are thick and very tasty. If you have a hard choice in picking a flavor just ask for the days special. Eggnog at Christmas! Service: The people there a very friendly and attentive. I've never had bad service even when they were crowded.
(3)Serena L.
I was very disappointed by this place. Burgermeister is a gourmet burger joint, so that means, I paid $12 for my burger. So lets start from the beginning. this place has a nicely sized bar and we were seated right away, that was a plus. The booth seats were dirty, I really dislike having to wipe the grease down from my own seat. especially grease from someone elses hands. second the table was filthy as were the menus. I used as little as my fingers to maneuver the pages as possible. food arrived in a timely manner. But my bottom bun was very soggy. If anyone has seen that episode on foodnetwork about the history of the burger, we learned that the buns are used to keep our hand as clean as possible. I had to ditch the bottom bun and eat my burger with a knife and fork. Sad. So overall, I'm giving this place 2 stars, only because our server was nice, the food is really just mediocre.
(2)Sf S.
No Thanks. If you have alooooot of time to waste waiting for your food, and if you don't mind an error with your item after waiting so long...then go here. While waiting for an hour, i had some time to people watch and i wasn't the only one having order problems. The food: tasty on a good day, but expensive.
(2)Jonas A.
My lady and I stopped in for lunch before catching a movie next door. Shakes were delicious, my burger was juicy and judging by the speed she ate her grilled chicken sandwich, she thought it was pretty awesome. So, why two stars for this trip? Service. Our server, Kyle, was clearly far too occupied doing.. well, something.. to bother with us. He took our order and disappeared. He showed up ten minutes later with two shakes and was gone before I could say thanks. He dropped off our food, asked if we needed anything and said he'd be right back with my side of ranch that never came. Next time we saw him, we'd finished eating, someone else cleared our plates and he asked, "Did you guys even get your food yet?" Yeah, dude, you served us. Way to go. I would have tipped him less, but I didn't want to risk missing our movie (1 hr away) while waiting for our change.
(2)Jocelyn C.
This place is way better than Mel's Diner. This particular Burgermeister is the ORIGINAL. Its a little pricey, but its worth it.
(5)Nathan W.
I popped in because my little boy was craving garlic fries... The staff was very welcoming, and within minutes I had a huge heap of piping hot garlicky goodness to go for $4... I know that this place is pricey, but I felt like I got a deal in this instance...
(3)David D.
Found this place last night. Ate at the bar and had the meister burger 1/2lb which was great and frys that I couldn't finish. They have a very nice liqour selection too, would go back very knowledgeable bartender. I don't see what's up with the low stars.
(5)Mariposa Michelle M.
Great Cabernet choice. I forgot to ask the Bartender what it was. Perfect meal on a Friday evening with a friend, sharing Sistertalk.
(4)Tisha Y.
We had a "buy one get one free" burger coupon from the Alameda phone book, which gave us a great deal! I ordered the San Francisco burger, which came with a 1/2 ground beef patty, bleu cheese, sauteed onions, & mushrooms. My friend ordered the beef patty w/ swiss & mushrooms. We also ordered onion rings & garlic fries, but I think they forgot to charge us for those :) We paid $18 total (w/out coupon, it would've been about $35) The burgers were good, but the bun did get too soggy. The service was also pretty slow and the burgers were a tad pricey. Other than that, it's worth trying.
(3)Herman N.
"Burgermeister of Alameda should be called BurgerMISERABLE" Despite the incredibly busy schedule, lack of sleep, and a bad case of writer's block, I will be digging deep to write about the poor experience I had at the Alameda Burgermeister. After walking around the Alameda Art & Wine festival on a cold Sunday afternoon, my buddies and I decided to grab burgers for dinner at the new Burgermeister on Central Avenue off of Park Street. My intuition should have warned me this was going to be a bad experience when we were first greeted by an un-uniformed host that was sitting down at one of the tables out front and talking to us with his mouth full. We were seated, separately in groups of six and the following unfolded: - "Huh? What? Say Again?" The place is loud and the acoustics are not properly set up. People's conversations echo off the walls and you basically just get a deafening noise throughout the meal. - "Excuse, can you help us?" For a medium sized place, the restaurant has way to many servers. That should normally be a good thing, but the servers don't do anything but chitchat with each other. I can't even count how many times we needed to ask someone to take our order or bring us water. After 20 minutes of waiting at our table, we finally were able to flag down a server, who complained to us that she had 2 tables already (no pity here because most wait staff help 5-8 table tops at normal restaurants). In the middle of taking our order, she actually has the audacity to grab another waitress and make her finish taking our order, which she ultimately got wrong. Completely unprofessional. - "Last in, first served" One of my friends didn't get to the restaurant and place his order until 20 minutes after we placed our order, yet he was the first to get his food. How this makes any sense is beyond me. - "NO OUTSIDE BEER" As that same friend was walking into the restaurant, he was holding a half glass of beer from the festival. Instead of cordially asking my friend to take the beer outside, the Manager YELLS at him to not bring in outside alcohol. When I mean yell, I mean I could hear his shrieking voice in full clarity. Bringing an outside drink is a honest mistake and at the minimum, I would expect common courtesy and some respect when a little unintentional mistake is made. - "What the hell?!" The squeeze bottle top on the ketchup came loose and doused a burger in ketchup. Luckily, he didn't mind, but this just adds another negative to an already bad experience. - "How long is the wait? 30 minutes, okay put my name down" With empty seats in the bar area and the proper section of the restaurant, as well as a ton of servers standing around doing nothing, I don't understand why there was a waitlist 7 reservations deep. That is completely lazy and unacceptable. - "Best Burgers in XXX, Burger Award for XXX, blah blah blah" Only a large sign touting this place to have the best burgers in the area bring this restaurant any business. I agree, the burgers taste good, but not good enough to offset the horrible service. I will not be coming back to this location. I love the spot in North Beach, but the Alameda location is absolutely miserable. Tip: DON'T COME HERE! Stay home, nuke up some White Castle and you'll be much happier.
(1)Cavan W.
I've been to the other Burgermeisters in SF and they were all pretty good. I came to this new location one week after it opened. My brother and I went in without having to wait. First thing I noticed is that they have a full bar, never seen that at the other locations. Like many people have said, they have a lot of waiters, but after 10 minutes of sitting around with our menus, it was the chinese girl who finally takes our order....us being the only other table to chinese guys in the whole damn place. My burger was perfect in terms of what I had wanted, my brother's was another story. He wanted no cheese, but he got it. When he told them, they took the burger into the kitchen and peeled the cheese off. We can still see some cheese on the burger. He didn't want cheese on his chili fries but they missed that too. After taking it back into the kitchen, the cheese was still there. Halfway through his burger, he bites into the little plastic square that's always on bags of bread. We told the waitress and she didn't know what to do. We could have got them into deep shit on their first week, but we didn't. I just told her to take it inside and show it to the cook. I was expecting some kind of discount. Check comes and full price for everything! Well, kiss my ass! But before we left, she told the manager and we were given a free burger coupon. The manager didn't seem to give a shit about the complaint.
(1)Elle M.
recently went again and was not so pleased. Out of the Boca burgers again? I came here over a month ago not long after the opening and they were out then. How about instead of telling people you are out of them, you hall ass over to Safeway and buy some so you can make your small vegetarian crowd happy. I worked at a family owned restaurant in highschool and whenever we were out of something we were sent to the local grocery store to get it so the regulars would not be unhappy and because it is on the menu. So my boyfriend and I sat at the bar because there was no other seating and the waitress brought us our food with no condiments, place settings, napkins, or straws. I had to get up and steal some from the empty table behind us. If I have to get up and get my own shit I will eat at home.
(3)Holly S.
OMG, I can't believe all the times I walked by Burgermeister and found another place to eat. This was my first experience and I have been missing out! My experience was nothing short of amazing. I was impressed by all the options for burgers and fries. I had the California burger which was prepared exactly as I wanted. The garlic fries were crisp, wonderful and better than Gordon Beirch! The sweet potato fries were crisp and favorful, why ever eat regular fries again? Service was top-notch as our lunch time waiter rocked plus they have a full bar with good beers on tap. Oh, there's more than burgers, fries and beer, there were kobe beef salads on the menu too. This has become my new favorite spot for quick, tasty, inexpensive food in Alameda.
(5)Amy M.
You know.... I don't eat burgers very often, but if I ever happened to go on a major beef binge and, if by some strange turn of events, it coincided exactly with the momentary reinstatement of Alameda search and seizure laws, forcing the closure of the New Zealander, Linguini's, Alameda Grill, HobNob and Nation's all at the same time, then I suppose the only logical thing to do would be starve myself... at Burgermeister. I must be the most spoiled charbroiled burger monger on earth, but by golly, this burger was just a pitiful excuse to put meat on a goddamn half-baked bun. I will reluctantly return to use my coupon torn out of the Alameda phone book (since they wouldn't let me use my made-up one today). I will again, but for half the price, eat this sorry excuse for competition with a side of fries. This is harsh. I know. But if you are planning on spending 50 bucks on a meal, why not go across the street to Pappo for a super fly fine dining experience?? Eat well, you know...? I must take this moment to reiterate here that the New Zealander has THE BEST BURGERS ON THE ISLAND. BY FAR. I hope this yelp incites a cook-off where Alamedans from far and wide unite to break burger joint balls.
(3)Jason W.
Parking was easy. That is the best aspect of this dining experience. It seemed like eternity before we got our menus and once received were hopeful with the selection. However, that feeling was short lived. The waiter took his time getting to us and when we ordered our burgers imagining the meat melting in our mouths for the price we were paying, our waiter did not even write our order down. He should have. I ordered a standard cheddar cheeseburger, they forgot the cheese. The meat was forgettable. So was this place.
(1)atiila s.
I waited about a month to visit this much anticipated spot right next to the newly renovated Alameda Theater. Meh says it all. I was not impressed. They did not wow me. The burger was average at best. The condiments were limp. Fries were too greasy. I also ordered a Caesars salad. The lettuce was limp, and had brown spots. I should have returned it. Service was average. I asked for an extra plate. I hade to wave down my waitress to remind her. She had forgotten. The party next to me returned their fish and chips. also, when clearing the table, the waitstaff asked me "how was everything". I told her that my lettuce was old. She gave me this. " Yeah, thats how we get it from our vendor" Huh??? How about inspecting it and not serving it?
(2)Ian R.
Great burgers, great selections. I have had their food a few times and it has been great every time. Service is fast, and friendly. I will definitely go back.
(5)Dragon M.
Decent burgers, horrible service, overpriced menu. It would get bumped to 3 stars if the service were better.
(2)Mike M.
*** Update *** Although we had some issues with our first try at Burgermeister, we decided to try it again and dine at the restaurant. I'm happy to say that the service was better (not perfect though), and they granted us a free meal due to the problems with our last order. The food was great, and the orders were correct. Even though the meals are expensive, I have to say that it's really more like 1.5 meals, so I guess that has to be taken into account. I upgraded them to four stars after this last experience. ---------- I did a take out order tonight, and felt that $30 was a bit too high for two burgers and two fries. I know it's a gourmet burger, but still... the worst part was that they got the order wrong, and we got overcharged. Word to the wise, check your order before you leave. Overall, tasty food, but overpriced and underwhelmed with the poor order taking.
(4)M P.
I ate here with a friend a couple of months ago. We had lunch on a weekday. I was disappointed that the bun was not toasted for my kobe burger. We also had some pushy blonde waitress. I think she just wanted to get rid of us, although we weren't done eating! It was weird, because the place was almost deserted. We both thought that for a burger lunch it was just too pricey... We go to Pearl's at S. Shore instead. While they don't have a bar, that's not why we go out for a burger...
(2)david c.
I have to say that I am a fan. The good news is that the burger was pretty damn good and their onion rings are very good too. I had a waiter who was doing his first day after being promoted from busboy and was great and playful. The only negative is that this is way overpriced for what you get. Other than that, a great find.
(4)Joseph B.
Ubelievable! This is supposed to be a burger place and they can never cook my burger properly! The service here is horrible. I have given this place many tries in hopes that I have caught them on an off night and I have had one experience that was decent but that was as good as it got. I like my burger medium rare and they are always overcooking it to the point of well done. Finally, I was informed by the one competent server in the whole place, Chris, that if I wanted it medium rare I should try telling them rare. If I am paying over $10 for a burger at an all burger establishment, they should damn well get it right. Other times the service was so bad that I wanted to scream. The servers and even the manager were running around like it was busy when there were only 3 tables in the place including us. I will never waste my time with this spot when there are many other spots that are worthwhile in Alameda. They have gotten their last dime from me!
(1)Roxanne P.
My friend and I were going to a movie at the theater next door and we were pretty early, so we decided to stop in here for lunch one day. We sat around forever before being given menus, and then sat there forever before our waiter came back to take our orders. He didn't ask us if we wanted drinks, or even give us a chance to ask for them before he hightailed it back to the kitchen. My friend ordered the turkey burger, and I order a bleu cheese burger, medium. Ten million years later our food came out (and mind you, we were one of two tables in the entire place), he dropped it, didn't ask if we wanted anything else, and left. My friend's burger was practically burned, and my "medium" burger was definitely well done. So annoying. Our server NEVER came back! What the F is that? We could see him chatting with a cook in the back while the hostess dropped our check. I worked in restaurants for about ten years, and if this guy had worked anywhere I ever had, he would have been fired in about two seconds. Luckily for him Burgermeister doesn't seem to care about the quality of their service. There are very few places I would say that I'd never go back to again, but this is certainly one of them. Nuts to this place.
(1)Alena L.
This was my first visit and definitely not the last. LOL! The food was excellent and service was top notch. 1 out of 5 stars... I gave it a 6! xD
(5)Cee L.
I was totally excited to have a new burger place right next door to the new theatre. However, my excitement was very short lived. My group of four was seated promptly outside, since it was a very nice afternoon. The server had warned us that if we were in rush to catch a movie, then this wasn't the place of us since they weren't a fast food place. We told her we were done with the movie and had plenty of time. Maybe that was the mistake, since service was super slow on every aspect of the meal - taking orders, receiving food, and getting the check, which was ridiculous for burgers and fries. The food was quite tasty, but I'd rather get my In-N-Out burger. Now I just have to find a way to convince an In-N-Out to move onto the island.
(2)Mina A.
I have been three or four times and every time the food was great! I mean if what your looking for is: a big greasy bun and some sort of even greasier deliciousness inside then Burgermeister could be the place. Yes there are other places that are much cheaper, and offer the same kind of variety, there are places that are more homeogenic environment wise, but located conveniently off of Park St. I sometimes get the hankering for a good quality burger . The bottom line is: service is almost bad the servers just do enough so you can't really complain. The food is definitely high quality, what I would expect from a gourmet burger joint . I concur one can definitely find better but if youre in the mood and in the area you are in for a treat.
(4)Cat C.
Big portions for the price. My friend and I split a giant burger, french fries, a salad and had two beers for $21.00. Overpriced? Yeah right. Our waiter was wonderful, even going out of his way to separate our shared burger where at other places you have to do it your self. Go Burgermeister!
(4)Jen N.
My husband and I had to run to petco last night and he said he was in the mood for a burger. Knowing this actually meant fast food burger I suggested that we see if we could find a place we could both get a burger (I don't eat beef). I remembered passing a burger place in Alameda but couldn't remember where I was! I asked him if it was ok if we investigated first and if we could not find the burger place I remembered then we would do one of his various favorite fast food joints. Thinking, thinking, thinking. Oh wait I was looking for parking near Starbucks/Peets corner it must be over there. Down one block, nope. Now the other direction... Hey there it is! Burger Meister! Now if they have turkey burgers. We find parking and voila! Turkey burgers. Hmm a little expensive but not horrible. Not really more than Barneys and parking in Piedmont is nearly impossible! So we place our order and we are told 10 minutes (to go). We take a leisurely walk around the block looking in windows. Back to Burger Meister and our food is done, perfect timing. The sweet woman at the take-out counter is checking to make sure our order is right, very cool! Back home to get started on our burgers. My husband got the Western Burger with Chili fries, I got a turkey burger with grilled onions & mushrooms with garlic fries. The garlic fries are roasted garlic fries, totally worth the extra charge and no vampires last night! HA! Great place, friendly staff and excellent food. While it is a little pricey the burgers were HUGE and delicous! We will definitely be back again!
(5)Meghan P.
I got a serious rash of sh*t for taking my friends here yesterday. The food was pretty good (had it not arrived stone cold) great menu but the service was atrocious. They got our order wrong and it took for-evah. I had the Chicago dog which again, if served hot, would have rocked the house. But my friend ordered fish and chips. We couldn't find the fish because they used too-thin filets or something. It was all fry. In the middle of our meal, our server just disappeared. Servers were literally standing around in their empty areas while we tried desperately to flag someone down for water and finally, our bill. I may give it one more shot because it's the only sit-down burger joint in town but word to the manager - train your servers and hire a second cook!
(2)Randy W.
Short and sweet - burger was over-cooked and fries were mediocre. For a $10 burger/fry combo, that's unacceptable. I won't be going back. Burger King is better, faster, and cheaper.
(2)Amelia R.
The prefab interior felt, well, prefab.... Too expensive for what you get. Veggie options are very limited. I don't know if I'd even go back for the garlic fries (and I "hella [heart]" garlic fries...).
(3)MELLY D.
I LOVE the burgers here. They are always juicy and huge (which may also be a description for something else here -- OK get your mind out of the gutter)!!! I usually get the burger with the mango or just the good ol' plain burger & of course garlic curly fries. My hubby has gotten the cheese steak, which often makes me wish I ordered it too (piping hot meat with gooey cheese --what's not to like). The prices are pretty decent since they use Niman Ranch beef. The last time we were here the service was really fast and efficient; we barely blinked an eye before our burgers appeared. No complaints.
(5)Lynda M.
After all the hype, it was a let down. The server was really great - she gave it her all - but, the food was poor. The quality is not there and you just can't cover it up with beer. Which brings me to my next point. Why have a bar if they can't mix drinks correctly? Don't send a server to do a bartender's job. I left my cosmo on the table - sad but true. I am not sure what was in it but it wasn't cranberry juice. We'll go back for a second chance but not for a while.
(2)Winnie C.
i should of read the reviews before trying this place out. it just happen that i was at the movies with a friend of mines and got hungry afterwards! but because the good review my friend heard we gave it a try. other wise we would of been at sushi house! this place wasnt so busy at the hour i went but everyone seem so lazy! expect that one girl with the short hair. she was funny when she smile her eyes are GONE! haha but i am only rating this two star for her because this place is over price for some not go good burgers!! my food took like 30 mintues to come out when i order before the other lady.!
(2)Carol C.
Err.... humm.... burgers... ehhh.... the fries were good, and the thing that was very questionable is the fact they said they use local creamery ice cream, when it was dreyer's. And each topping is .75 EACH!! For the price I paid I could have gone to Mickey D's for a week! The service was not that great, the lady was rude, our order came up messed up, as in I didn't get my grilled onions or mushroom and got the wrong kind of fries! So no I doubt I will ever go back.
(2)Anna R.
BM reached out to me after my 1 star review, so for that I'm giving them another star. And yes, I'll be back.
(2)Bob H.
Simply awful. Of the 3 of us dining, 2 had to have cold food returned to the kitchen. The check came and we were overcharged. After asking to speak to the manager they sent someone else. Again we asked to speak to the manager. We complained and asked not to be charged. He told us to get out and never return. Consider it done.
(1)Mackay G.
I usually don't dwell on bad service. I figure, everybody has a bad day, and get on with it. But the (lack of) service we received at BM was too over the top to let go. It was a rainy Sunday with my 1-yr old and we ducked into BM for a bite and to get out of the rain. We were seated right in the middle of the restaurant in front of the expediting station. After getting the baby into his highchair, I took out his lunch stuff, checked out the menu, and waited for someone to take my order. And waited....and waited....and waited. As I fed the baby his lunch I began to wonder if anyone would even bring us water or check if we'd ordered. 10mins elapsed...then 15. I figured I'd finish giving baby his food and if no one had come up to us by the time he finished lunch we'd get up and leave. Not only did no one ever come to our table (despite the fact that we were seated in a prime traffic area right in front of where the manager was stationed), when we got up to leave the servers/manager still didn't realize that we'd never received any beverages or food. I was and am still at a loss. The waitstaff and manager obviously could care less about their customers. Needless to say, we won't be back.
(1)Lacey C.
My boyfriend and I eat here often, we live down the street and will grab a burger before a movie. The food is ok, that is why I gave it two stars. Fries are crispy, burgers a little bland (boyfriend disagrees), fish and chips are decent. A two or three star place. The service today was horrible. I feel the need to rant so bear with me. If you get the server Kyle: run the other direction. The other servers in this place are sometimes slow but at least they are competent. This is not the first time Kyle has served us. The last time we didn't come back for a long while because of his slowness and creepy creepy vibe. First we were seated for a good 15 minutes before he even acknowledged us. Other people in other sections already had their drinks, and had come in after us. He told us he was busy with a 12 person table. Fine, get someone to say that to us before we have sat too long. 35 minutes had passed before my boyfriend gets his iced tea, and that was because he asked the bartender for the drink. He asked for regular tea, it came out pink. Kyle had messed up the order the first time. This time Kyle insisted it was plain iced tea. Boyfriend tries it, raspberry. Tells our server and he proceeds to argue with him! Then storms off to the kitchen to get another "plain" iced tea and argue some more, with a paying customer. Let's forget about the fact that I tasted the tea as well, and it was not what was ordered. Maybe there was a mixup in the kitchen? Maybe a tea container didn't get cleaned fully? He offered to take the tea off the bill but only after I told him that his service was unacceptable. I told him not to bother. So he leaves it on. I know I told him not to bother; the common sense/courteous approach would have been to do it anyways. Then he drops the bill while we still have food. An obvious sign that he wants us to leave. So I mention this to my boyfriend out loud. You know what? Kyle comes back to say something to me! To talk back to me! We put the card in the holder, and it takes my boyfriend going inside to pay after 15 minutes of waiting for him to come get the check after we were obviously done. (I would like to add that we waited a few minutes and then boyfriend went to Peets across the street to get a plain iced tea and had come back in this time). The time while I was sitting outside waiting for either the server to pick up the card or for my boyfriend to come back, Kyle was inside chatting and laughing with a co-worker while looking at me outside. It should have been clear I was done. The mediocre food is not worth the money if Kyle is your server. Get some mediocre food elsewhere, there are plenty of places around. The burgers at Scolari's blow this place out of the water anyways.
(2)D Y.
the san fran burger is good w/ the salad.
(3)Tom W.
What happened? I have eaten here at least a dozen times since they opened and have been pleased with the service and food. I went to Burgermeister in Alameda on Thursday and the service was terrible. After waiting about 15 minutes to get a drink order, I was ready to leave (and they weren't that busy). When the waitress finally came to take my order, I pointed out to her that the menu she gave me had something sticky spilled on it, she replied "oh, really" and proceeded to put back in the pile with the other clean menus. Then, when my food arrived, the burger was WAY overcooked and the bun was burned. I couldn't get the watresses attention, so went ahead and ate the burger without the bun. When she did return to ask if everything was alright, I had already half finished the burger. I pointed this out to the waitress and her response was "I'll give you a discount on that one". I appreciate her attempt to appease me, as well as the $4.00 off the meal, but the meal wasn't good and service stunk.
(1)K.A. S.
The burgers are great!!! Their sunday brunch with endless mamosas for $10 is a great deal too! The staff has always been extremely nice everytime i've gone in. I think all of you that are picking this place apart are just plain picky! I've never had a bad experiance at this place. It's definitly the best burger in Alameda, and with the coupon in the phone book it's a steal of a deal! Nice, simple, burger joint. No frills, and that's how I like it!
(4)Graham T.
Great garlic fries. My burger was perfect. I would wish for a better beer selection but what they have is pretty good.
(4)notre d.
The burgers and garlic fries are okay, nothing that spectacular. Seems a bit pricey for burgers. I can get a Niman Ranch burger and fries at my work cafeteria for $5. Maybe next time I'll try out the bar for a beer and burger.
(3)Mayana P.
The curly fries were old, cold and fried in old oil. The onion rings were good. The burger had no taste and was meaningless. Service was not even adequate - waited 5-10 mins to be seated, server didn't come after 10 mins so finally hailed one down. I'd never go back.
(1)Daniel E.
This place is another installment of a small Bay Area burger chain. They food is just a bit on the expensive side than what I'd like to pay for a burger, so that's minus a star. 4 stars because all of the burgers I've had are amazingly delicious. This is an every once in a while stop for me. The location is great, every time I've been the staff has been very good and I've never had a long wait for anything. They have a few other options than burgers too. The Philly cheese steak is pretty good too. I recommend this place for lunch and dinner, or if you are on the late night prowl, I'd come here for a burger over the McD's dollar burger.
(4)Glenn G.
LAME. Really lame. Not even a little good...
(1)Sean P.
Growing pains? Perhaps, but I'll take a pass until at least 2009. OMG! I'll spare the gory details for those of you looking for the Readers Digest version and just let you know it was one of the worst dining/bar experiences I've had in many years. For those who seek the vicarious thrill of watching a car accident, here are the lowlights: Act 1: Hello? We're dying of thirst over here. OK, we have a party of 8, 5 adults and 3 kids, but is it so hard to get a drink here? The kids got their milks as ordered, in an acceptable amount of time, but 3 of us adults were left shaking our heads. One got a completely wrong drink, while my brother and I didn't get our cocktails at all. So we reminded the waitress the next time we could get her attention (about 10 minutes later) and she said "Okay, sorry, it'll be right out". 5 minutes later, our friend got her correct drink and we asked about our drinks. Waitress checks her notepad, and has no recollection or notes about what we ordered, (a Mai Tai and a gin and tonic for those of you curious). Waitress takes our food orders, and we remind her of our cocktail-less status, she assures us she's got it all down and off she goes. 10 more minutes pass, still no first drink, or even water for that part. Meanwhile the few in our party that got their cocktails delivered correctly the first time are just about finishing their first drinks and noticing that my bro and I are getting ticked about the service. One interceded directly to the bartender unbeknownst to the thirsty twosome at our end of the table and reported back in about 5 minutes that the bartender never got the order for our MaiTai and G & T from the waitress. The manager must have got word that there was about to be a riot from the party of eight outside because soon he's at our table making excuses for the service, saying such things as they're "still working out the kinks" and other such platitudes that fall on deaf ears since we still don't have our GD drinks, 30 minutes after placing them 3 separate times! The manner of the manager was far from conciliatory or apologetic, but more like , "Hey, we've been open less than a month. Give us a break, and we'll get to you when we can." My bro, who has served 20+ years in the food and beverage business in numerous positions, knows when smoke is being blown up his backside and lets the manager know the service is far from acceptable, even considering the short amount of time being open. Manager leaves, muttering under his breath. Then, get this, the second drinks that our friend ordered at the bar for himself and his wife while inquiring about the status of our first drinks come. I ask the server very directly if there's another pair of drinks coming. Brother realizes life is too short to put up with bad service and cancels both his food and drink order in order to get some to-go mexican from a nearby establishment. I hang around, curious to see if our waitress can deliver my drink without me having to go to the bar. A couple minutes later, it finally did, without apology. It also appeared or the check, by the way. Act 2: Medium rare should not taste like shoe leather. Suffice to say, at least one of us in our dwindling group thought the food was so bad it had to be sent back to the kitchen. I am hardly the pickiest eater in the world, so I'd have to say the burger I got was ok, but not even close to being worth the $10 they charged. I'd love to be privy to a blind taste test between BM, Nations, In n Out and any other other random fast food joint, including the likes of Jacks or McD's. The table consensus was mostly palatable, but overpriced fast food, served slowly. Due to their prime location next to the newly refurbished theater, I'm sure they'll do just fine, no matter how poor the service or lackluster the food. I was hoping they'd be a reasonable option for dinner and a movie nights, but given the horrible experience I had, it will be quite some time before I'm willing to dip my toe back in that water.
(1)M S.
The First time we went to the resturant the food came out cold, we didn't complain until after we finished..because we were on lunch break and it would have taken another 20 minutes. The second time we went in for the lunch special, I tried to subsitute the Garden burger or Portabello mushroom for the Neiman burger, the waitress informed us they cannot subsitute...WHAT? Isn't a mushroom about 1/4 the cost of Neiman? Asked for the manager and he informed me that was true and there was nothing he could do about it...he just said you can order off the regular burger menu if you want huh??? the reason we went in was for the lunch special...okay I order a grilled cheese and fries. It came on a soft french roll with a slice of american cheese, just put on the grilled so it was melted...nothing special, it didn't have a distinct....Oh that was pretty good I think I'll go back again. Tried it twice....I don't think I'll go back, there are too many other places around Park St. to eat at.
(1)Sarita G.
Awesome food. Loooove the sweet potato fries. The girl who was cleaning a table next to us was awesome and got a few of our refills. I think her name was Peliala. She was very friendly and so helpful!
(5)amy l.
I think I have now eaten at this place 4 times. Each time was disappointing and tonight was the last time for me to eat there. I asked if the chocolate shakes were made with chocolate ice cream and she said yes, so I ordered one. First, the shake came in the metal tumbler and a tall soda glass wtih whip cream and cherry. I used the soda spoon to eat the whip cream and CUT my mouth on the sharp edge of the spoon! I told the server the spoon needed to be tossed since I just cut my mouth on it, she mumbled something and gave me a new spoon. The shake in the tumbler was cold, but very thin - like drinking milk. I didn't pay $5+ for a chocolate milk. I used the straw to sip the shake in the soda glass and it was actually warm liquid! I'm not sure if I sipped mostly the chocolate syrup in the bottom and maybe it's heated. I suspect the glass was hot when they poured the shake in... The shake in the glass was very thin too and some sips were warm and some were cold. I didn't drink and the server didn't ask. The burger taste was ok, but the bottom of the burger is very greasy. I assumed these were grilled but given the grease they must be fried. In the past I've ordered fries with my burger and they tasted heavy of garlic - and I just wanted the plain fries. Another time my husband and I shared an order of onion rings- they were very greasy, cold and kinda limp. There also seemed to be a lot of people hanging out. Employees that weren't working that night and or friends of people that work there. Service wasn't great and if they didn't spend so much time chatting with each other... There was a man there that seemed to be the manager - or maybe he was waiting for his take-out order. He kept asking people how they liked it. He didn't ask me. I'm done with you Burger Meister - go cut up someone else.
(1)C P M.
Two visits to the Alameda location, one bit of advice for the fry cook: DROP THE ONION RINGS IN THE GREASE ONE AT A TIME! The first time we sent back the ice-cold first batch of 'rings, only to get an equally cold and soggy second batch; the second time there the 'rings came out in a big ball - crispy on the outside, cold slimy raw batter on the inside. Similar problem with curly fries and fish & chips coming out cold or undercooked. Burgers so good but soggy, making them hard to eat. They gave us a "free burger meal" coupon after our first bad experience, used it to pay for the second one. And the food doesn't look pretty - you want a plate with an appealing meal on it; instead the dishes come out looking flat and bland. Other Burgermeister restaurants are so great; hopefully this Alameda location can come around and catch up with its fellow 'meisters!
(2)Stephanie D.
We were hunting down some late night eats after the Giants got their butts handed to them by Arizona Saturday night and on our way to La Pinata we saw Burgermeister was finally opened. How exciting. It was err ummm around 10:30ish so we took a shot found parking and asked the friendly host if they were still taking in some hungry folks. She asked the kitchen crew and they took us in (Thanks!!). We sat in the bar area, it was nice, clean, and upbeat. Our sever came right up to us he was a real nice down to earth guy and suggested a mojito for me and the hubz had a Rolling Rock from the tap (YUM). We made our menu selections...(they didn't have the clam chowder or chili in a bread bowl, shucks). I went ahead with the 2 sliders and buffalo wings, hubz built his own niman ranch burger. Didn't wait long for the food which wasn't bad at all. Just wish we didn't feel like a burden and rushed to let the staff clean up and leave. Little did I know we were the very last table to be served up and still in the establishment. Since we were in the bar area we were blocked by a tall wall that separates the front dining area from seeing us. The eager staff was amp'd about closing up shop and loudly verbal about it until we were spotted. From that point on we caught a couple of gawkers peeping around the bend to see our progress more than once. I ate one slider and said screw it, asked our nice guy waiter for a "BOX PLEASE" and proceeded to apologize to the guy about being there. I know I shouldn't have as a customer but he did not steer us wrong once during our visit. Wish I knew his name. Maybe next time....if there is a next time. Too bad because the food isn't bad.
(3)Sarah J.
Veggie burger with salad. OK, I was disappointed with this burger. How great would it be to have a place in Alameda that's open late where you can get a world class veggie burger? Unfortunately I'd rather get a grilled cheese at La Pinata than another veggie burger here. It was dry and bland and the salad was just some greens out of a bag. They must also use MSG because my face was so itchy after eating here.
(2)Karen Y.
I always tell people I've never had a burger that "wow'd" me... so naturally I wouldn't be a fan of a burger that costs more than $5. However, Burgermeister caught me by surprise! I live down the block so we walked here on a whim. My last $5+ burger experience was w/Barney's where I always feel like I'll keel over from a heart attack, so I was stoked to leave Burgermeister feeling full w/o dying. It probably helps that I live within walking distance so I work up an appetite and walk off whatever I shouldn't have eaten. I'm glad that their patties (niman ranch!) taste great w/o needing a whole bunch of extra stuff - The first time I had their cheeseburger w/bacon, the 2nd I had a plain burger... and both times I was licking my fingers after I finished thinkin "wow! where did it go?". Their fries are thick, crisp on the outside, and soft/moist on the inside, and their milkshakes were ethereally smooth! I almost finished my choco shake before my burger came out ^_^ Service is great, there's a bar w/2 tvs, and an outdoor patio area if you'd like. Definitely a solid joint I'm glad to add to my "go to" list!
(4)Traviz C.
it was actually pretty good. i got the 1/3 cheeseburger & it was pretty good, no problems and good customer serivce =)
(3)Soren K.
After reading a takeout menu, my boyfriend and I went in for a pre-movie meal one night with high expectations. Alas, we left extremely disappointed. This place does not live up to all the hype. I agree with other reviewers. The service is absolutely terrible. Our waitress was extremely slow and unorganized. She spent a lot of time chatting with co-workers. Our food took FOREVER to arrive and the order was wrong after I had repeated my order to the waitress several times. The burger was nothing special. The meat was dry. In addition, for the quality of the food, the bill was steep, $35. We felt totally ripped off and felt we would have been happier going through the Jack in the Box drive-thru. We eat out several times a week and LOVE burgers, so we were pretty excited when this placed opened. However, I am sure we'll never go back here again. I hope the owners of this place read some of these postings and make some changes. In the meantime, I definitely recommend going to some other place and getting your money's worth.
(2)Tien H.
This place looks like a great place with tables out in the front where you can enjoy a meal in the sun and it's rigth next to the theater.... My friend and I decided to try it after school on a minimum day and we were seated right awayand the waitress was very friendly and helpful...she told us which burger we should order according to our first reference....the place is pretty full most of the time so we order a medium rare burger with fries and some water.......it took about 8-10 minutes for them to cook the burger and bring it out to us.....The burger looks great and it was in fact medium rare and juicy.....we were satisfy with the burger, it was delious....but the next time i bought my family there we ordered the $13 meister burger and it was not as good as the $9 half pounder my friend and i had, it was dry and big, things were falling out of it and it was messy.....i don't want to have to eat my burger with a fork, but this was ridiculous......i could only take about half the burger and it was very dissapointed. Maybe they had a bad day, but i was not satisfy with the $50 check for 3 not so tasty burger.
(3)Chris L.
This place was ok. The burgers seemed about what you would expect for a burger specialty place. You can select from a number of items to put on your burger. For vegetarians there are three options to choose from: boca, garden burger, and portabella. The fries were good. A regular cheese burger we ordered medium rare was served really rare. Tried to order 3 beers on the menu (Sierra Nevada, Anchor Steam, and Pilsner Urquel) and they were out of all of them. The service was ok, other than that-- about a 15 minute wait for our food after ordering. Went there on a Tuesday around 6:30pm, and the small dining room was filled, but some tall table seats left in the bar area-- I don't know why a burger place has about half of its space dedicated to the bar. There are also tables on the sidewalk. All in all, not bad-- If you really like burgers, this place is definitely a place to try if you are in Alameda, or need a bite before seeing a movie at the Alameda Theater.
(3)Jerry L.
Just returned from my first experience at ANY Burgermeister. Having heard a lot about it and not having a good burger in Pleasanton, my husband and I ventured out to Alameda....tastebuds more than ready for what was seen on TV recently. We went inside, looked around not sure what to do. Someone told us to seat ourselves....and wondered off. We found the drink, appetizer menu on the table with one food menu. No one came by for several minutes. No greeting, no second menu (ok I can read it from across the table upside down). A couple came up behind us and got seated immediately and handed a menu each. A few more minutes went by and still no one to serve us and the other couples order was taken and their drink dropped off. FINALLY someone came and took our drink order....water and strawberry milkshake. After dropping that off and taking our order time seemed to stand still. Two tables who were sitted well after us got their orders and still no food. Amazing how long it took to have our order taken, get our food and then even longer to get our bill. VERY EXPENSIVE, VERY SLOW SERVICE. Not sure I would go there again, especially since I felt like we were crashing someones party.
(2)Nancy F.
I have been to Burgermeister two times. The first I had a turkey burger and I was impressed. The second I had a beef burger and that was also good. As for the sides, I had onion rings with my turkey burger and they were just ok. I had the regular fries with my beef burger and they were also just ok. Over all not a bad place for a burger although they are somewhat expensive for just a burger and fries.
(3)Tim R.
You can get a decent beer before you go to watch a movie next door. Apart from that if you want a really expensive burger then by all means go ahead and order. Far too expensive for the type of food they server.
(1)Susie S.
I'm giving it three stars for the food only. We had the regular Meister burger and the turkey burger, both are so good. Service was bad. Our waitress (I think she's new at this) didn't know her menu selection, she forgot my hubby's salad and she also gave us someone else's check. But besides the service, great burger place in Alameda
(3)Cindy R.
Not sure what everyone's deal is but I came here with my boyfriend and dogs (yes dogs are allowed on the patio). Everything we ordered was amazing -- 1/2 lb farm burgers medium rare with everything washed down with draft beers. They serve all grass-fed beef patties and that makes a remarkable difference. We cleaned out plates. We got sweet potato fries and garlic curly fries for sides. No complaints. Everything was great. The servers were all speedy, polite and nice to our dogs. I would definitely come back.
(5)Erin S.
We loved MOST of our meal. Mom had a cheeseburger and crunchy sweet potato fries. This 93 yr old woman really enjoyed it AND 1/2 a malt:) Hubby and i split a chicken/philly ( with a choice of many sides...i took a salad...upgraded to a bigger one for only a dollar). Terrific choice. The other dish was just so so...Fish and Chips. We had a cole slaw with it i liked it ...ed not so much. The fish really brings the overall dining experience down.......they don't it. They have plenty of 'burger' options for non red meat eaters: chicken, turkey, veggie, portobello.....we would just drop it from the menu. Our service was super. Our waitress came almost immediately for our drink order. Gave us time to peruse the menu. Then took our order. When she was delivering another meal...another server brought our meal to the table....so, no wait! She checked in twice. And brought the check At the perfect time. We will be sure to return again soon.
(4)Antwanette A.
Great food, nice staff I will definitely come back! My daughter ordered a chicken burgers and end up with a hamburger problem was fixed fast, but my husband on the other hand burger was uncooked he didn't complain because the burger was still awesome! Me and my family will be back soon!
(5)Melissa T.
So about 6 of us go here after a dance recital down the street. When we get there we realise the place is a litle small and ask if we have to put in a reservation or just a grab a table. She said they can take us down but if we see some thing available just grab ir and let u know. So not to long after that a table that can fit us became open. We took it . And it took longer than expected to order our food but that maybe because it was busy and we were really hungry so it seemed longer than it was. Food was great and the Caramel shake was BEAUTIFUL!! My neice ordered it first and i tried it. I immediately ordered my own. It ws so good!! There was two big groups that came in about th same time and the first group was of 6 and they put there name on the list for the next open table and the group after tht was either 6 or 7 did the same. But they stayed inside the restaurant to check out the dynamics of it. And realized everything ws up for grabs. and saw some tables open put them together and sat down. But realized the group before them ws waiting outside. But the second group nicely got up even theought the frist group complained to the stff of the restaurant about it. They still nicely all got up and gave the first group the table. I thought tht was so nice of them but it made me think what if they didnt wnt to get up would they have lost customers because of the disorganization?
(4)Ccep D.
Food is always pretty good. It's a decent place to watch The Warriors games, grab a burger, and drink a hard cider. Never super busy when we come to watch games, so that's lovely. Waitress/bartender Ana is pretty awesome. I usually get a cheeseburger or teriyaki burger, but today I got a turkey burger with bleu cheese. Yummy! The sweet potatoe fries are hit or miss, but the other fries have always been good. LOVE their milkshakes, although I got the coffee milkshake last week and didn't love it. Nothing on them. I expected a mocha and got... well, coffee. They have a pear cider on the bar that they don't have available, which made me super-excited, then super-disappointed a few visits ago. The music can be greatest hits or a strange assortment of tunes. All in all, love this spot.
(4)Troy H.
Fish and chips (curly fries) were outstanding!! Went for lunch and will definitely be back. Service was great and was in and out with in a half hour.
(4)Meghan B.
Fact: Located next to movie theater. Very convenient to pop in after a movie for a beer right?!? Wrong! They close at 10pm. Movie got out at 9:50. Plenty of time to pop in for a quick beer or two before the walk home and spend some money locally. Every chair up and no bartender or waitress available. Open sign on, but they obviously didn't want any more business. Excuse me if I am incorrect, but closing at 10 means stop serving and clean up at 10? Obviously the staff wanted to go home, which I get..but it definitely dampened our night!
(2)Sukari H.
Horrible customer service, my waitress was Andrea and she barely paid us attention. She asked what we wanted and then if we wanted the check. We had to ask someone else for to go cups. I had a bacon burger, there was far to much cheese on it but the bacon was good.
(3)Chival N.
This is the BEST burger in Alameda! There, I said it! Anyone who disagrees must not be eating from the same place. With a large banner reading "Voted Top 10 Burger Restaurants in the USA," my expectations were increased tenfold and I still left very impressed. For starters, we were torn between the Fried Green Beans and Sweet Potato Fries so our server offered to split it half-half. One of each! The sweet potato fries were delicious, especially because we dipped it in a sweet house-made, chili-mango sauce that the server brought out; the fried beans were okay. BACK TO THE SAUCE -- omg, it is so good, it is what I imagine crack to be like! Seriously! We even asked for extra containers to take home and you should too! I love the burger choices on their menu, I was really torn between the Teriyaki (grilled pineapple topped with house-made teriyaki sauce) and San Francisco (sauteed onions, sauteed mushrooms, bleu cheese on top of a bistro bun) for a while, but decided to go with my sweet tooth and get the Teriyaki. Our server was really nice and even brought out some grilled mango to make my burger even sweeter. After trying it with mango, it was a little too sweet so I took it out. Still, it was a very good burger! I've had many bad Teriyaki burgers in my life and was glad to not have to add this one to the list. They also have a great selection of local beers on tap, including Chau Tien IPA (very rare), which is bottled in California. I'm not sure if they have only domestic beers on tap, but they seemed to focus on beers only from local breweries. Very nice touch! Their drink selection is huge (from beers to shakes to soft drinks) and the establishment gives off an old diner kind of vibe. I simply adore this place and will be back to try more burgers and sides! Make sure to come on an empty stomach because the portions are large! P.S. Parking sucks.
(4)Eugenia B.
Burgermeister is close to home so it was a convenient choice for me. However, the first time I ordered over the phone I asked for an additional coleslaw and paid for it. When I got home the item was not included in the bag although I paid for it. The second time I asked for Cheddar cheese. there was no cheddar cheese on my burger. The third and last time (yesterday September 2) I ordered a Burgermeister burger that includes bacon, mushrooms and avocado. I asked for two patties (which in the recent past was - I am assuming - the half pound choice. Now this choice does not exist so you have to go with the two patty choice. To be clear, my order was the Burgermeister burger with two patties. The person on the phone went on a different route telling me that this was the "colossal". I assumed that - since I had ordered the BURGERMEISTER burger, I was getting exactly that only the colossal option. When I got home I found two patties with nothing else on them but cheddar cheese. Being the third time my order was messed, I called and spoke with a young lady who promised me that the manager would call me today (September 3) first thing to respond to my complaint. THE MANAGER NEVER CALLED which explains how consistently orders fail to be what the customer ordered. never again. I am sure there are plenty of Burgermeisters in other neighboring areas!
(1)Julz M.
While i was visiting my uncle who stays out in Alameda went for a drive and found out about this spot The burgers are delicious, love the atmosphere the staff is very friendly. great spot for dates or just watch the game and drink a beer.
(4)Heidi A.
I want so much more for them. Was there twice this week. Wing Wednesday offers 69 cent wings. This makes me think I can order them by the each. I ask for four lemon and eight spicy. She says she had to ask the kitchen. They refuse to do it. I have to get 6 and 6. (Really? Come on you guys!) Celery on hot wings is at least three days old, brown and should never have been served. The server that day was very nice, but a little challenged over the wing division thing. I order the Buffalo chicken salad next time and it's simply dressed lettuce with the fried tenders on top. It is not hard to take that mediocre salad and make it awesome. Add some sliced green onion, half a tomato, thin sliced celery and carrot curls on top. You have all of these items in your kitchen already. (Come on, guys! ) that server was cranky, slow and likely hungover. There never seems to be a boss on site and I think that's why they struggle with these details. I just know they can do better!
(3)Sammy A.
Our waiter is the bomb.
(3)Melissa H.
I will never come back here. I ordered their Avocado bacon cheese burger togo and they forgot my bacon and avocado and on top of that there was a FLY on my burger. I was already disappointed and the fly just disgusted me.
(1)Tina F.
We regularly stop by for food or drinks either before or after a movie... The food is consistent and I'm never disappointed with my food... I love the garlic fries even though you have to ask for the Parmesan cheese, my burgers are always cooked to order, and the milkshakes are on point...
(4)Bryan V.
Pretty consistent. Food is above average. Service is prompt. I frequent once every few months. For a good burger, this place is pretty solid.
(4)Jeremy S.
This place has its location as its key selling point. The food comes out slowly, they NEVER get my wife's order right, and the service is 2nd tier at best. It's a shame.
(3)Jo M.
I'm writing this review because my kids (teenagers) went to this place to grab lunch before heading over to watch a movie, but received HORRIBLE service. They sat down and it took a while before the server came by to take the order. After they order the food cam out but their drinks didn't come out till they finish their meal. Server did come by to check on them and not friendly. They would understand if it was busy, but it was NOT busy at all. I understand that they are kids, but they do not deserve that kind of service. Even when I had lunch/ dinner the service isn't like it used to be when they first open up. I used to go their a lot. The server' were friendly and kept coming by to make sure everything is ok. I like a good burger but if the service is bad I will not go back. I might as well go to The Habit, Five Guys or In and Out. I don't have to deal with bad service.
(2)Al L.
Review for their Brunch Omelet Special only! Haven't been here in years, but recently noted a brunch special posted at the restaurant's window: Buy one omelet, get one free on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 -11am. Got there at 10:45am to check it out and give it a try. There were only about ten patrons in the restaurant, so we had no problem choosing a table and get seated. On the brunch menu , their three-egg omelet choices are ham & cheese, Denver, ABC, veggie, cheesesteak and the option to build your own with your choice of three items from their toppings list. All at $8 each. The server was friendly, explained the choices for the omelet special and efficiently took our order. Opted to build my own and chose a smoked honey ham, mushroom and cheddar omelet. The omelet was well made and it was filled with sliced ham and mushrooms. The omelet came with home fries, salsa, and choice of toast. Overall, the omelets were well made and with a Buy one Get one free offer, it is a deal! Will definitely be back for the BOGO omelet deal.
(4)Michael P.
Horrible service, I had to keep getting up for everything I needed...drinks, ordering the bill.... A waitress just stood there talking to people she knew. Not one asked "can I help you", not worth returning for, plenty of other spots who appreciate you walking in.
(1)Courtney K.
Started the meal with a really good pear cider and some buffalo wings, they were pretty good, sauced well, but could have been cooked longer or just crispier I guess. I got the fish and chips, nice and fresh, served with tarter sauce and malt vinegar. My friend had a bacon cheeseburger, looked prett good. I like that you can "build your own burger" by choosing all your toppings and sides. My friend and I got a different type of side each and then split it. We got the garlic curly fries and onion rings. The garlic curly fries were good, seemed have really garlic on them, only thing is they were kinda dry. Onion rings were really good though, really tasty batter. A very chill spot to hang out, maybe watch whatever game is on. The restaurant is split up into two sections, the bar part, which still has tables to eat at; and a regular restaurant part with nice view of the kitchen.
(4)Teresa N.
Long wait for food. Chairs and tables are uneven & rocky. Their fountain ran out of my drink & waiter didn't even notify me so I can order another drink. I sat there for a while without a drink. The salad I ordered was not good, and my boyfriend's burger was dry.
(2)Felicia B.
Came in today for the first time with a friend of mine. Anyplace that will put a fried egg and bacon on a burger with Tillamook cheddar is a place I need to frequent! Absolutely LOVED the Farm Burger. Added some grilled onions and it was GO TIME!! I got the 1/3lb (small) burger and couldn't finish it all. Might have been the yummy vanilla shake and fries that didn't allow it. But I'll be back to make another attempt! COUNT ON IT!
(5)Holly N.
Two stars because the food was ok, but a big minus because the service was not the greatest. Waitresses rushed me and my family, we had to ask several times for an extra minute. Several different waitresses did this. The service honestly killed the place for me. Btw my sweet potato fries were burnt as well. Not really planning on coming here anytime soon.
(2)Jen U.
Oh, Burgermeister. Every visit since they opened has been less and less satisfying. The last visit was just all-around a disappointing experience. Food from the kid menu is expensive and so much more food than any "kid" should be eating in 1 sitting. Food from the adult menu has become so mediocre. The staff, while trying their best, seem overworked, under-appreciated and stretched too thin. And after eating such lousy food, the bill will give you sticker shock. The food was enjoyable long ago, I hope they find some way to revive their business model but until that happens, we won't be going back. :(
(2)Patrick L.
The place has gone down hill. I would have given this place a 4 or 5 stars in the past, but the wait staff are under trained, short handed and the place looks dirty now. The food quality has gone down too. I don't know if there is new management or what. Half our food came out at a time. The waitress forgot everything, nor offered condiments. My fries were warm at best, the burger was greasy. My kid didn't finish the grilled cheese "because it teased old." I tested it and it didn't tease fresh. My last time there. It was good sorry to see it couldn't stand the test of time. They need to hit that place with a fresh coat of paint too. Clean the bathroom more often would help too.
(2)Connie C.
Looking for a good burger spot in Alameda? Check out Burgermeister. Bonus Info - The farms used for ingredients are all free range! YAY! They fully disclose this on the menu. You can also build your own burger - a cheaper and great way to eat what YOU want! Ordered - Meisterburger and Seasoned Curly fries Meisterburger - tasty. The burgers are pricy ($15 for the 1/2 lb. Comes with bacon, mushrooms, avocado and choice of cheese. It was a bit overcooked for my taste, but still delicious nonetheless. Roasted Garlic Curly Fries - I am a fan. It was crispy and addictive. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't taste garlic too much. Still, they landed a spot in my top 10 favorite fries. Bottomless Mimosas - $10. Service - Very good. We were seated in a corner booth next to the bar. Our booth was 'hidden' - it would be hard for a waiter/anyone to notice we were there. (BUT, this is an ideal spot to watch a sport events on TV!) Although we were not easily seen, the waiter always checked on us. He was prompt and attentive when we asked for ranch or drink refills. They have outdoor seating - only 8 2-person tables. Kid friendly - Yes w/exceptions. The outdoor seating area is enclosed by a decorated fence and they have high chairs. They have a kids menu, but $7 for typical fare - chicken nuggets, burger, hot dogs. You are better off just ordering/sharing regular food. I did not see a changing table in the restrooms. Misc - Street parking. There is a free parking lot across the street, but fills up quickly. Two bathrooms - one for men & one for women. The line was pretty long at times. Would I come back? Yes. Next on my list - chili burger. No one on Yelp mentioned anything about the chili..
(4)Leslie Y.
I finally headed here for a late lunch one day... Ordered the bacon mushroom burger with garlic fries... Nothing out of the ordinary....fries were pretty good...place was very crowded...
(3)Brandon J.
Nice place, overall. Service is usually good, but don't go during a sports game or at prime dinner time unless you want to be served in 2030. I've never had a problem with the food. The garlic fries are delicious and so are the burgers. The only downside is the price.....it gets expensive there.
(4)Tanikks H.
Hands down best burger in town! In fact, one of the best burgers I've had! I haven't stopped talking about the burgers here since my first one! Be sure to try the garlic curly fries and add cheese for a real mouthwatering experience!
(5)Tim K.
Good quality beef burgers and potato-chippy fries with local brews. Would not suggest the portobello burger.
(4)Austin H.
Their burgers are on hit, fries are also good too. Kinda expensive, but a good place to grab a bite to eat.
(4)W E.
Saturday afternoon (4/4/15) visit, had the San Francisco Burger and Garlic Fries. Service was good but the food brought the rating down for me. Blue cheese on the burger was all piled on one end so you got a mouthful of blue cheese in one bite and none in the rest of the burger. Same with the Garlic Fries. All the garlic was piled on one end and not spread throughout the fries.
(2)Stephanie S.
I think the burgers here are excellent, albeit pricey. Fries are good, too, as is the cole slaw. I've had a few of the salads and they are pretty decent, not amazing. But although I work in the neighborhood, I rarely go here. Why? It is slow slow slow!! Servers avoid eye contact. The kitchen puts out food at a snails pace. No way you can just grab a burger, you need to plan a freakin' "event" here. Servers don't know that ice tea needs sugar or sweetener, either. I wish they would just make condiments available so you can get them yourself. You probably won't get checked on until you are almost finished with your lunch. Noon time is always crowded, but the kitchen and staff seems to be perpetually surprised at the rush. Seems they should be able to work this out.... But they never do.
(3)Stephanie F.
I want to give this place a five stars so badly! But I won't! I ordered the sweet potato fries and the Meisterburger! Here is the run down. The reason I want to give this place a 5 is because that burger! It was cooked to perfection, the apple smoked bacon was crisp, and the sautéed mushrooms and onions were so flavorful and went perfectly with the fresh avocado and pepper jack cheese (I chose my cheese). Here is why I'm giving this place a 3 unfortunately my sweet potato fries were frozen and it was obvious when I was eating them and ate a few fries that were slightly cold. Also the blended cow shake was also yummy! Thick, sweet, chocolaty goodness! If I were you I would give their burgers a try just avoid the sweet potato fries at least until they are fresh ;)
(3)Tony G.
I read the reviews on 5/29/14 & it looked good, so we went. My Girlfriend & I both ordered the San Fransisco Burger. When the burgers arrived, my girlfriend cut hers in half & saw that it was undercooked. I made a cut in mine & it looked ok. We flagged down our server & informed her of the issue. The server took the burger to the kitchen & told the cook. The cook replied that it was cooked properly. We insisted that it needed to be cooked more. After her burger made it back to the table we began to eat... I took several bites of my burger, i found that the center of my burger was very undercooked. I flagged down our server again & pointed out the problem & asked to see the manager/owner. She stated that there was no management on duty at the time. She did comp our meals & took my contact information, but I doubt that i will be contacted. The burgers had the potential to be great but the fell way short!! Now to be fair, our server was great & she did her best to try to make things right & the garlic fries were good. I did make it a point to let her know that!
(1)Robert Q.
We split a meisterburger and chopped asian chicken salad. Both were pretty amazing. The burger had mushrooms and bacon and avocado- all the things I love on a burger. The salad was wonderful and had lots of chicken in it. Will definitely will be back.
(4)Chris F.
Wow, very similar the my last review a while back. Good burger and service level. Unfortunately distracted by the fruit flies both passing over our table and the many on the wall above the restroom. Speaking of the restroom, the men's door lock does not work well which was obvious when I entered and yes, as I was washing my hands another guest walked in even though I had locked the door.
(1)Jilly A.
This had been my second time ordering from Burgermeister in Alameda and I'm pretty sure its my last. Yesterday, my other half and I had arrived after a long day, very hungry. We wandered around the dining area looking for an employee to seat us for a few minutes before a very obviously stressed/busy male employee approached us and asked if we needed to be seated. Of course we did and he directed us to choose anywhere we wanted as the place wasn't even half full. He handed us two menus for our journey to our seating area. We are pretty easy going people and really didn't mind untraditional greeting or seating ourselves. We took some time to figure out what we wanted and when the waiter walked by on his way to another table he informed us that it would just be a minute more to wait. Finally when he approached, obviously tired, he apologize for the long wait and mention that they were understaffed. That was already obvious when we arrived and couldn't locate an employee . Anyway we had a laugh and excused the inconvenience because we wanted to sit and relax anyways. When our food arrived it looks pretty delicious. I built my own burger: a 1/3 pound well done patty on potato bread with pineapple and red peppers, I added sweet potato fries. The boyfriend had a patty melt with garlic fries. Immediately we started telling each other about how each of our burgers weren't staying together due tk soggy buns. The bread was so saturated with liquids that I felt that should have given us a spare bun to let the first one of these or whatever liquids it was dispelling! I wrote it off as maybe the pineapple made it really soggy. The patty melt had only about 7 onion squares chopped into the cheese and the French fries looked decent. The lettuce looked super fresh and the tomatoes were crispy. My fries I paid $4 for, we're absolutely frozen fries which I know is standard for most burger places but because of this, they tasted like styrofoam. They didn't have a sweet or fresh flavor to them. I ended up eating about 5 or 6 of them and packing the rest to eventually give to one of the homeless kids we drove past in Oakland. I'm not sure how this place is when it is staffed, but the food is so mediocre that I rather eat at Barneys or make food myself. I have to say that the burger was delicious, but I'm pretty sure it's hard to mess up the combo of items I asked for that made it up. I'm really disappointed that the fries were so expensive and so gross. Maybe it was just an off night...
(3)Brittany C.
I work right near here. Often I order their over priced wilted salads because my options for a quick lunch are limited. I would say about 50% of the time my order is either wrong or not the way I asked for it but it's my own fault for continuing to come so I usually don't complain. Today I pre-ordered a salad, the woman on the phone told me 10 minutes. I came over 10 minutes later only to find my ceaser salad was a Cobb and not tossed as I originally asked. The girl working was super apologetic and promised they would quickly make me a new one. I waited for another 15 mins seeing more and more orders come up before I asked where mine was. Another girl said it was coming right up. Another few minutes later I asked again. Apparently the second order had never been placed. Hungry and out of time to even have a lunch I asked for money back only to return to work hangry. I really hope this place figures there stuff out. It sucks to limit my options more due to terrible customer service.
(1)Jay G.
Burgermeister is a great place to go for an unpretentious fine dining experience, especially when you're in the mood for a high quality burger served with crispy fries and/or a shake. It's in a very convenient location, next to the Alameda Movie Theater on Central Avenue. The atmosphere is informal, though it can get noisy and crowded in the restaurant. It's kid friendly, and management knows how to keep them occupied by supplying them with plenty of crayons and coloring paper. All of the meats, including the burgers, hot dogs and ribs are high quality, and supplied by Niman Ranch. Portion sizes are moderate to large, although I still believe the prices are on the high side. Their chicken salad is surprisingly good, with large strips of chicken included. Watch out for the dressing as some of it is high in fat and/or calories. I usually select the low-fat sesame vinaigrette dressing, and have them put it on the side. The service is variable, and can be slow, but the servers are always pleasant. The garlic fries are crisp and flavorful; and Burgermeister doesn't skimp on the garlic. I like the beef burgers and hot dogs. However, the turkey burger can be dry, and the last time I ordered the Portobello Mushroom burger, the bun was soggy. The shakes are spectacular, and a whopping 16 oz. I give Burgermeister a solid thumbs up, and recommend that you try it out.
(4)Erich D.
Can't go wrong with the food at Burgermeister. I've eaten at a few locations throughout the bay. The food is usually a little pricier but made with better quality ingredients. Last night went for the hot dog for the first time. Even though they had a cook in training I have no complaints about the taste or quality of the meet used. Like the last poster I would also like to give a shout out to our waitress Andrea. She went above and beyond to make sure we got our food in a timely fashion on a busy Friday night with a cook in training. And being right next to the theater they did fill up fast.
(5)Erin A.
This place was good, I'd definitely go back. I built my own 1/3 lb burger (love that they have the smaller size option, 1/2 lb gets kind of big) with bleu (blue? what is it, really?) cheese and roasted red peppers. Yummy! And really the perfect size. I got a side salad with the sesame vinaigrette, which was also yummy. I ate everything except the pickle. :) My husband got some stuff which he seemed to like as well...oh yeah, the classic burger. And coleslaw. I didn't try any of his, but he ate everything as well. And our bill was only like $18! Crazy. Of course, we didn't get any drinks. Anyway, love that it's right next to the Alameda theater, I've been wanting to do the whole burger-and-a-movie thing for a long time there and we finally did and now I want to go back. :)
(4)Michelle K.
Who can say no to a bacon cheeseburger? Their fries aren't bad either. The food is a-ok, but since dogs are allowed outside... Burgermeister--you get 4 stars from me!
(4)Joe R.
Arrived for a brunch, and sat at a greasy table with torn chairs, dirty floor and trash on the welcome mat. We were the only ones there and there was about 5 employees standing around. I ordered a bloody mary and was told that they didn't have Tabasco so they wouldn't make one. again there were 5 people there a store around the corner and we were the only people there for brunch. when we received our food it was cold, the english muffin was not toasted and the server said that they were washing the knives and would bring one out as soon as the dishes were done. No knife ever arrived to spread the butter and jam on the untoasted muffin or cut the cold eggs and potato. The staff had dance music on load and were behind us joking it up and having a great time doing what ever it was that was in the back. This was the last time I visit.
(1)Steve T.
Sunny day and good food! Hard to not like a nice hamburger and watch TV in the bar with nice people serving you here. Asked for a slightly rare hamburger and it was perfect. Juicy but not greasy and the bun was just the right thickness (not too thick). Worth coming back over and over when I am in the area. Liked the cole slaw but want to try the fries next time.
(4)Samuel B.
Good, satisfying pub grub, and the fact that they use Niman Ranch beef ranks high with me. I like the fact that I can drink some nice IPAs with my meal, and the food is tasty and reasonable. Nothing outstanding, but if you are craving a burger and fries or onion rings, this is pretty good for a chain.
(3)Thomas G.
Great food! But watch out for the 18% tip added to your receipt with out you knowing. Don't double tip like we almost did...
(4)Michael L.
Nice place but EXPENSIVE!!!!! over $40 for two burgers, fries, and beers. Located right next to the movie theater so it makes it easy for dinner and a movie, (guess thats why they're so expensive and can get away with it). Just average food and service (definitely not worth the money), if I'm going to pay over $10 for a burger in Alameda, I would rather go to Scolari's on Park Street, all their food is made from scratch. Fries made from hand peeled hand cut potatoes, and hamburger's made from fresh ground beef, not pre made patties from a food service company. Or I'll go to The Red Onion just down the street from Scolari's, their portions are so big, you are getting two meals for the price of one. When I want a true old fashion burger experience, I'll go to Val's in Hayward.
(2)Eric S.
I saw this place after getting a haircut nearby and literally the only reason it even caught my eye is because Burgermeister rhymes with Jagermeister. I had never heard of the restaurant, which apparently is a chain, before, but solely based on it's name and the fact that you can't really mess up burger too bad, I decided to give it a try. I ordered some type of burger, probably a California, I don't remember exactly, the menu was just really long and filled with all these special names. I just wanted something with guac - my standard is usually double bacon cheeseburger with guac. Anyways, I ordered it, waited for it for a good 10 minutes, brought it home, and ate it. It was a pretty average burger for an above average price by $2-3 dollars in my opinion, and hence Burgermeister gets a 3 star rating.
(3)Amy L.
After my initial review of this restaurant where I pointed out that I was told by employees that the disabled-accessible part of the restaurant was closed for the night, and that the only area open was the bar, but it was up a few stairs, owner Lina S. replied publicly to my review, claiming her entire restaurant is wheelchair-accessible. Since Yelp doesn't have a way to respond to her directly in the same public fashion in which she responded to me, here goes with an update to my original review: Dear Lina S., If in fact what you are telling me is correct, that the ENTIRE restaurant is disabled-accessible, then you have an entirely different problem from the one I listed: In fact, it seems that you will need to re-train your staff to be AWARE of wheelchair-accessibility needs and direct them to help potential customers find any ramps, etc., that are necessary in order to access seating, etc. As it stands, the two employees who I dealt with made it clear to me that a) the section that was accessible was closed, and b) the section that was open for seating was up several stairs, so I was out of luck. All the ADA compliance in the world doesn't help if your employees are either unaware of it, or purposely ignore it in order to not have to deal with a new customer later in the evening. I was not alone when I came to your restaurant, so I have other witnesses who are aware of my experience and can vouch for it. And as a result, your restaurant lost their business, too. Some food for thought. Sincerely, Amy L.
(1)Andy W.
Went here to catch a World Cup game during lunch. Ordered the Farm Burger because I missed breakfast and was craving an egg and bacon on it. Food came out in a relatively short time, and it went by faster with a pint of Lagunitas. Upon inspecting my burger I noticed there was no egg. I called the waitress back and asked her didn't the burger include and egg? She stated that it did, but they were out of eggs. Normal service would have been to notify me at the time of placing my order, or at least communicate that back from the kitchen after taking my order (maybe have a process where you don't run out of a certain food, or if you do, at least notify your severs). However, to send out the food without the specific item which is the reason it was ordered, without notifying the customer, is ridiculous. On top of that, the bottom burger bun was absolutely soaked through soggy in grease and I had to eat it with a fork and knife. They took the beer off my order, which was nice, but still charged me for the Farm Burger and for the egg I never received. Either way, they don't seem to understand service very well there, and there food is well below par.
(1)Edward M.
I have been here quite a few times and I have to say the good is really good. I like it all. What I can't get over is how awful the service is. It won't even be busy and they take forever to bring you a refill, bring your check and even take the check. I have asked for refills on water and they'll forget. It seems that on a busy night they're more on top of their game than on a slow night. I went there today, it was busy and they were on everything, even the good came out faster than usual. But as soon as it got slow it was just like all the other times. I probably waited 30- 45 mins for my check, our waiter was off talking to a couple for the longest time. If it wasn't for me getting up to go pay I don't know how long we would've had to wait. I hope they really step up their service but it'll be a while before I go back there.
(2)Thomas H.
When I am visiting friends or have business in the area and THE urge to have a hamburger strikes, this is where I go. One visit and this was my go-to place for a hamburger in Alameda. I've never seen the restaurant when it hasn't been packed, and judging by the noise coming from the kitchen, it always sounds like they are very busy trying to keep up with the orders. The staff is always on the move and yet, I've never felt that they've been inattentive. One of the drawbacks of a small restaurant is that when the restaurant is packed and there's a line of people waiting to pay for their take-out orders, service is going to suffer somewhat as excellence takes a few minutes more! That said, I've never had a burger or other hot food arrive in any other state than piping hot -- so I know that the staff is doing something right! I think that most reasonable people understand that, too. The Burgermeister is no exception. Their burgers are the stuff that Red Robin and Applebee's should aspire to. The side dishes, salads and appetizers are excellent to exceptional. They have a great variety of beer. Kudos go to the staff, especially the cooks, servers and managers for excellent food, and for maintaining high standards! Well done! Why is it that a company like this can produce such exceptional food, while Red Robin and Applebee's slide into oblivion?
(5)Tee W.
It was farm raised, veggie feed beef choices. I gotta go back and try their mushroom Burger.... Or the waygu.
(4)Monica W.
This place is wonderful. the service is excellent, and the food is good. My waitress, I don't remember her name, was courteous and attentive. she was on the ball. she didn't ask us if we were okay every five minutes either, and let us enjoy our food. I ordered the grilled chicken salad with sesame vinagraitte dressing, and it was delicious. we had just come from watching a movie at the theater next door, so I wasn't really hungry from eating popcorn, candy, and soda, but the food was so good there(the Burgermeister) that I ate much of the salad anyway. I recommend this eatery. I didn't give it five stars bc the table had to wiped down before we sat down, and the menus could have used wiping a bit. otherwise it was a very good experience.
(4)Tierney H.
This place has some serious staffing issues. The night I was here, the bar side was packed and the only person bussing, serving and taking orders was the bartender. He was great but obviously overwhelmed, as when we walked in there were 4 tables that had not been bussed and the poor guy was dashing back and forth from table to table with a speed and efficiency the likes of which I've never seen. Recently, I've also encountered a lot of inconsistency with the food. On this particular visit, my sweet potato fries came out so undercooked that they were still crunchy on the inside and mealy on the outside. I would have sent them back but our server was just too swamped so I didn't bother. On the plus side, I'm still grateful that Burgermeister's bar is so well-stocked. I love that they carry different varieties of Crispin's cider as well as a wide selection from St. George. Ultimately, I will probably be back, but I really hope they get their s**t together.
(2)Kris W.
Yummy Yummy Yummy, I love the western burger. This place is great, I bring everyone who visits me here. Its really that good!
(5)Lai V.
Came here to try the burgers. Had the pineapple bunless burger with med rare beef. Was pretty good, but won't be back for seconds. The service was slow,went on a Sunday afternoon. Self seating, waiting a while before I got served, table was dirty. Didn't receive any silverware or straws until I had to ask a waitress for some. Waited an additional 30 mins or so until our food arrived. Got a little impatient after a while. Overall, burgers were average nothing really special. The chile cheese fries were a bit salty for my taste. Also a bit over pricey for a burger, don't think it was worth it. The only upside about this place is a good place to come for their happy hour wings & beer. Also a walking distance from Tapioca express so had to make a stop for some boba!
(3)Nick S.
I feel like the cumulative Yelp score really undervalues this place. I went in expecting an okay burger that would satisfy my craving, but instead I was treated to a damn delicious meat sandwich! The beef is Niman Ranch, as all good burgers in the Bay Area should be, and my request of medium rare was pretty spot on. The fries were plain but tasty, and hell, I was able to wash it all down with a pint of Blue Moon!
(4)Amber S.
Came back for another try this time for lunch on a Saturday. Not busy around 2PM it is a good time to come. I ordered the Jalapeno chicken burger which came with a slice of cheese, tons of grilled jalapenos, lettuce, tomato and red onions on the bistro bun. This sandwich was much better than the one I tried before. It is all about the bistro bun (cost $0.50 extra well worth it if you like carbs like me) It was huge, soft and toasted. It is similar to ciabatta. Service was wonderful. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. She refilled our beverages when they were half full and checked on us a few times to see if we needed anything. I'm glad the experience was better this time. I would come back when in the neighborhood with a sandwich craving.
(3)John T.
Not bad sometimes a bit disorganized. Usually do take out. Friendly staff and the food is good. They have a good vegan burger.
(3)Sandyann G.
Came here for lunch today and I am beginning to think you just can't go wrong for lunch in Alameda. I found myself committing a cardinal sin as I gazed lustfully after the Niman Ranch Beef burger on my lunch mates plate. That sammich was positively calling my name as it rested next to the hearty slices of onion and kosher dill. Ahhh...but it wasn't meant to be as my friend could see my furtive glances and within just a few bites hadn't left even the smallest morsel. I was left with my Asian Chicken Salad cooling on my plate. But what a salad! Thankfully I ordered half or I may have eaten too much and then along would come gluttony. The portion was perfect and the veggies so fresh. The dressing was low fat so I felt justified in scooping up the last piece of wonton on the plate. I am somewhat reminded of a diner where you can see the short order cook behind the counter here. Real Malted Milkshakes are served along with your burger or you can sidle up to the bar area and order a cold brew or cocktail to go with your food from the full bar. That could be dangerous on a lunch time visit. Overall wonderful, clean, great service, and delicious food. Sammiches should make the person eating them very happy and a it's a bonus if the non burger eater is happy just being in it's presence.
(4)Dennis K.
Went here once, and I wasn't impressed The food was OK, that I confess However, coming here a second time, I ate the food, and had a change in mind Real quick rhyme: They're sauce Is boss! I don't know what they use, how they mix it, but their sauces are awesome! Their burgers are good (kinda pricey but good), but mix it with their dipping sauces, and man, their burgers match their premium price. Their slider came with this peppercorn steak dip, and it was amazing. They had some other sauces that the waitress brought out and they were great! What we ordered: - California Burger - Side of Chili Cheese fries - Malt chocolate shake......simply amazing - Sliders with bacon and some other tasty stuff But yeah, that was a king's meal.
(4)Dan W.
When we know we want to go out, but don't know where... we come here. When we want to go someplace where we can bring our pups... we come here. The outdoor patio is a big plus, and the burgers are always good, the food always tasty, and the beer always cold. (I mean, that last one is assumed, but I'm a big believer in the rule of three) The staff has always been very good to us as well, often bringing out a little bowl of water for the pups.
(5)Ander C.
Well this place is called BURGERmeister so I came here expecting an awesome burger and that's what I got. Burgers come in 1/2 and 1/3 pound so you choose. Personally I like the Avocado and cheese burger, it's got an entire half of an avocado with it. Plus the burgers here are cooked to your liking (rare, med, med rare). For the sides, best to go with the onion rings or garlic fries just add some more taste to your meals. Overall the burgers here are pretty excellent and I really enjoy eating them. Havent tried the sandwiches yet but one of these days I will. Oh the shakes here are really good too, get one if you are feeling like the big meal. Dont recommend the fish and chips, the fish fillets are like the ones you can buy from the grocery store and were not that tasty. Yea, I'm a fan of this place, just wish it wasnt so pricey.
(4)Bernadette M.
My latest obsession: their double pepper chipotle sauce. Thank goodness a friend recommended it. It's great to dip your fries into and smother all over your burger. Their sweet potato fries are awesome. You can't go wrong with the blue cheese and bacon burger, or the ABC, avocado, bacon and cheese. I enjoy the Crispin Apple Cider and Jonny is super friendly and can handle post-trivia at Angela's and wined up patrons. There is outdoor seating, is right next to the movie theater, one bathroom for each gender and two televisions, which is perfect to watch baseball and the NCAA tournament at the same time.
(5).Alan Y.
As I get older, I discover more things that are no longer possible for my age. For example, drinking on a Thursday night. No can do. Being on MTV's "The Real World", done-zo. Joining the Army, can't. Apparently burgers are now also out of the question. I ordered the pastrami burger. Niman Ranch pastrami on Niman Ranch ground beef. Sounds great, doesn't it? It came. I ate it. It was okay. The burger was sopping wet when it arrived and the bottom bun couldn't hold up to the juices. The pastrami was mostly flavorless, disappointing considering it came from a reputable meat purveyor. I was nonplussed. As soon as I left, I got a slight stomach cramp. No worries I thought. Well, I won't go into the graphic details, but twelve hours later, and all is not well. I'm not talking Novovirus, samonella or e. coli or anything, but my gut just cannot digest ground up meats anymore. It's just another thing to cross off the list: alcohol, staying up late, reckless irresponsibility, fried foods, and now...burgers. /sadface. The three stars is not for my gut experience. It's for the burger being only "okay".
(3)Matt V.
I'm definitely what you would call a "regular" at this place. The food is consistently good -- I don't eat beef, but the chicken sandwiches/other entrees as well as the veggie burgers and salads have all been tasty. I also like that they have several different side options -- salad, sweet potato fries, garlic fries, curly fries, etc. They have a big menu, and there's lots of opportunity for customizing your order. What really keeps me coming back here is the staff -- they have a really great group of wait staff and bartenders -- they're all friendly and provide consistently excellent service. It's a great place to catch a game or to grab a quick bite before heading to the theater next door.
(4)Cynthia C.
I spent $150 on groceries for the weekend and what does the bf want to do? Roam around Park St. vicinity for take out. AHHHH!!! Yeah, I know, nothing is like getting your grease on with products slapped together by another set of hands. Of course, at 10:30pm on a Saturday night in Alameda, it's SLIM pickings. A banner proclaiming Best Burger in Alameda in 2010 caught our eye. I was skeptical however, hello, Alameda, we're on a freakin' island, there is no competition, so I'm sure it's not TOO hard to be the 'best'. Thanks BM for surprising me: -Service excelled. -Lively w/patrons and sports on multiple screens. -Yummy Chicken Cordon Bleu and Kobe sandwich. Bursting w/flavor & stacks of meat. ONE gripe: takeout MUST have CONDIMENTS!!! NO, I didn't have ketchup, mayo or mustard on my lengthy grocery list.
(4)Liz D.
I usually enjoy the vegetarian meister burger. This was my first time at the Alameda location. The service was good, but I wasn't impressed with the veggie burger. My gut was telling me to get the portobello sandwich and now I wished I did. The fries were good and I ate the burger, since I needed some food in my tummy. I suppose I expected more flavor from the veggie burger since I've had it at the Cole Valley location in SF as well as the Daly City location and was satisfied.
(3)Donna G.
I've tried this place and the Berkeley location a few times and I think I am done. If burgers are your #1 product, then prepare and cook them properly. I don't think that is too much to ask. I have ordered the Teriaki Burger and it comes with sauce and a grilled canned pineapple on top. In this day and age, you can't use a fresh pineapple? Also not toasting the bun lends to a soggy mess with sauce and pineapple from a can. I always say Medium and it comes out Well Done. The fries and onions rings are industrial frozen food from Smart & Final. Sticky tables, dirty floor (clean is big with me) and overpriced drinks from the bar that are meh at best. I do not get the big whoop over this chain. But I will pass on it from now on.
(1)Christian G.
5 stars for this place! Cobb salad was great! Been here in alameda for over 3 years and finally had a quick bite here with a friend. Place was busy on a Friday night Memorial weekend. 5 stars for Andrea. What a great server! My friend and I enjoyed her genuine desire to look after us and get our orders to us in good time. Not easy to do when busy and also made good suggestions and made our visit fun. Super personality! Not often to come across a great server as dedicated as her. Andrea and my satisfaction with my salad will defiantly make my return to burgermeister and try some of there other dishes. Thanks Andrea!
(5)Zulu Q.
Folks things are different for me now. Back when I was first Elite, in my 20's, I was quite the socialite. Urban Socialite, actually. I went out ALL THE TIME. I went to fancy dinners ALL THE TIME. What I considered a high rated meal was quite different that what I would now. The Urban Socialite's become the....well...Urban Nester. I cook at home more. I rarely go out. Why? Well, I now have no credit card debt, for one. But, mainly, something about turning 30 changed what my digestive or immune system could handle. So, the tiny wrist purse that barely held my ID, credit card, flip phone, and keys has been replaced with a giant mom purse (no kids!) with a wallet, iPhone, antihistamines, anti-bloat pills, inhalers, and epi pens. I"M SO SEXY, NO?! So, now a restaurant is highly rated if a) I can find something to eat and b) it doesn't suck. If I can find something to eat at a BURGER JOINT, it's a fine day in my world. Let me tell you, when you cannot eat soybeans, tree nuts, or (believe it or not) sesame seeds, some burger joint has a rough road ahead of them. Or I do, because I get anemic and crabby if I don't have red meat on a somewhat regular basis. Folks, Burgermeister has those ratings for a reason. I'm one of the most difficult possible clients and even I come out of there full and happy. Do they use non-soybean frying oil? Sure do. They use canola. I just settled for regular fries, but they only had, like, 7 types or something ridiculous to choose from. They also have fried pickles and mushrooms. Do they have options for buns without sesame seeds? Sure do. They have whole wheat, a few other options and even, ding ding ding, gluten free! Other dietary choices they've met: Ethical and or locally sourced animal products? Sure do! Petaluma chickens, Tillamook Cheese, Niman Ranch....and on and on and on. In very Portlandia style, they have bios for all their food sources in the menu and on the walls. Non Animal Products? Sure do! I probably can't eat them because they might have soybeans in them, but, I'm clearly here for a burger anyway. Booze? Sure do! Full bar and mostly local beer taps. (Though we went at lunch and I had to speak at group meeting--bad idea for that one!) White American Cheese? Sure do. Wait, what?! OMG, I never saw white American cheese until I moved to Boston and a messed up part of me misses it so much. It was, like, happy bonus time for that one. Not charging extra for BBQ sauce? Sure do! That's a random one, but little randoms really make a difference sometimes. So, folks, this is no Alice Waters establishment or anything. However I'm sure even she would treat herself to a place like this. If even I can find something to eat here, you can too. And it won't suck or be too expensive (especially considering their careful source choices). My epi pen stayed in my purse.
(4)Kyle G.
It's a great place to have a appetizers, burger, beer and or cocktail. Food is great, staff is awesome, and its nice too relax with a buddy.
(4)Lech N.
This used to be a place to get tasty burgers with fresh ingredients and now it is truly overpriced and stale. I recently ordered a portabello sandwich in peak tomato season and I got some crap green tomato with limp lettuce. Fries were okay but are also feeling rewarmed. Not a recommended place anymore. Beer selection is decent.
(2)Marc B.
Food is good when it comes out on time and has what we ordered :(. Service is bad (at least lately). Sunday morning before the rush. Only 3 other tables occupied. After we order, 2 more tables fill. We later see their food come out first. After asking mine comes out but wife's was given to other table! ( and we can see waiters arguing who's fault it is)now my food is cold! When hers comes they STILL get it wrong. Was good long ago. I guess they have taken a few steps back. Still waiting for bill guess we need to ask for it.
(2)Illyanna M.
There are fat people that eat because they gain pleasure from food. There are people who are fat and just eat because they have an oral fixation or are filling some void in their life. Neither of those types of fat people would enjoy this branch of Burgermeister. The food here fails. The service here fails. The place was packed on a Wednesday night and almost everyone walked straight up to the counter. Well, guess what? It's not like any of the other branches I've been to in SF...you're supposed to seat yourself and then a decade later, you're served. It's also not like any of the branches I've been to in SF in these regards: How can a burger be greasy and dry? I don't know, but they definitely managed to accomplish that. The meat was also bland and I didn't taste not one trace of charbroil/smoky flavor! The waitress asked, "Do you want mustard?" Yes, I did...but it never came. The busser/waiter asked, "Do you want mayonnaise?" Yes, we did...but it never came? "Can I get you anything?" Yes, a refill...but that didn't come until we were on our last bite of food. Do yourself a favor Alameda Burgermeister, go back to basics and stick to the "self-service" motto. It'd be much more enjoyable.
(1)Michael C.
Yum Yum give me some! I love coming here about once a month. You can choose any style of burger and make it chicken, veggie or regular red meat (yuck) however I love the CALIFORNIA Avocado and Tillamook® Monterey jack on a whole wheat bun, or TERIYAKI Grilled pineapple topped with teriyaki sauce. While I am at it, if I am going to clock up my heart, I love to switch to onion rings, baby it's all or nothing with me. The only set back is the bar, they seem to run out of stuff and the selection of beers could be better. It's a bit pricy but worth the bite!
(4)Janet P.
Not the classiest place with a fancy menu but after the crap from the Hob Nob nutcase manager at least the staff is friendly and food is not iffy.
(5)Li-Wen F.
The burger is pretty good but on the expensive side. It might be worth it if the servers were more friendly and the food served more quickly, however, it is not likely to happen here. It is conveniently located next to the theater so if you need a bite to eat after a show and do not want to move your car, you can grab a good burger, along with nice curly fries here.
(3)Leah S.
Had the chicken club that was delicious. The staff and service was great. Lilly and sara made us feel at home! Thanks for a great experience
(5)Shannon L.
We went to Burgermeister after seeing a movie. It's right next door to a really cool movie theater! I ordered the 1/2 pound Chicago style hot dog (minus the tomato). That was my 1st Chicago dog ever. It was really good! It was very tasty and did not leave me hungry. Next time, I'll get a chili cheese dog. Ahhh yea!! (Overall grade: A-)
(5)Kate B.
I don't know what happened to this place but the quality and service have seriously gone downhill. They seem to be constantly understaffed and they seem to frequently run out of basics at the bar. When they bring food or drinks to the table they don't necessarily also bring silverware, sugar, condiments, etc. They used to have some really fantastic staff but all my favorite servers are gone. The food used to be really good and even the new menu was really exciting with all the vegan and vegetarian options. I don't know what happened, but the food quality is just... ick. I can microwave a boca burger at home by myself.
(2)Diana H.
I love that they allow dogs in the outside eating area. They even brought my dog a bowl of water. The burgers are really good and the bar is great! This place is great to have an afternoon lunch in the sunshine.
(4)Marisa H.
I went here last night the food was amazing loved it. But the reason I gave 3 stars is because service wasn't all that great. I went with my boyfriend and there were guy servers and one girl and they didn't really get to us that quick or great us. So we just sat down and waited and the servers were just passive hurried up with our order and not really friendly. But the next group that came in were a group of girls and they greated them and seated them very quickly and got and 2 servers at that helped them so that was kind of a bummer. But the food I would definitely recommend!
(3)Sabrina S.
I love this place! My boyfriend and I always go here to watch the Warriors games. The food is great whether you are in the mood for burgers, wings, or salads. The waiters are awesome, in particular Edgar and Chris (I think that is his name). They usually work in the bar area and are very nice, attentive, and always get our orders right. Thank for all you do guys and keep up the great work! :) Go WARRIORS
(5)Jose D.
BY far the best burger in Alameda!
(4)Michelle D.
well, when you've got scolari's and baron's eats not but a few blocks (max) away, it kinda makes it hard to give this place a super good review. it was ok burgers but in the context of park street, you could do much better
(3)Ricky S.
Nothing special. Barney's is so much better!
(3)ACE H.
I go here from time to time on my lunch break. They have good quality burgers. I've had the jalapeño burger and the regular cheeseburger and have been very satisfied with both. Not to mention the garlic fries are delicious with fresh garlic, not the powdered stuff. They also have great service.
(4)Kim D.
I have a *cough*cough* friend that I went to uh, High School with, and this is what happened to that unfortunate gal pal when we got back together to reminisce about the good ol' daze. She's a bit peculiar, but being the good friends all these years, I tolerate her. Mostly. In the 6th grade, during a science project, she spilled some Mercury, and I think since then, she's been a bit, well... you know - Mad as a Hatter. On the day the 33rd Olympiad began, we met here at her suggestion for a snack and to watch the Opening Ceremonies. "I LIKE BIG MALTS AND I CANNOT LIE!" was her greeting as she did a weird dance. In Union Jack booties, no less. Ah, well, at least she seemed... Happy. Me: It's great to see you agai- AC: Salutation...!!! Me: It's been too long! *Hug* AC: Relocation... Me: Uh, how are you feeling - a little jet-lagged? AC: *Hesitation* Me: What's first on the list? AC: Ingestion... Me: Perfect. I'm hungry. AC: Not an imposition...? Me: No! AC: Love spontaneous consumption... Me: Welcome to Alameda. AC: The Island Nation! Me: You like it? AC: Unique destination... Me: There are some good places I'd like to show you. AC: No obligation...? Me: Don't be ridiculist. AC: Appreciation... Me: Shall we order some malts? AC: Libation....! Me: The Server just asked you three times if you'd like a maraschino cherry on top. AC: Distraction... Me: "The Asian Cajun will have-" AC: Interruption....!!! Me: "Sorry - she likes to order and modify." *wince* AC: MALT REVOLUTION!!! Me: "What she means is- AC: ONE STIPULATION....!!! Me: "So, the malt has to crunch, or she will send it back." AC: Exaltation....!!! Me: Please don't do this in public. I'm begging you. AC: *Repetition!!!* Me: Seriously. Don't make me push the red button and freeze you. AC: *Mortification* !!! Me: Yeah. I will go Aliens on you. I will. AC: *Contemplation* Me: That's what I thought. Oh! Here come our malts. AC: Anticipation...!!! Me: How is it? AC: Alternate suggestion... Me: Agreed. Sookie gets it. This is almost the EFF WORD. AC: Confession.... Me: Yes? AC: Now cannot watch Olympion... Me: I know - AC: Time zone bifurcation... Me: It's totally ridiculist. AC: CBS Domination...!!! Me: We'll just watch it later. AC: Damnation... Me: Our Server was kind enough to remake the malts, but still. AC: "Sincere elocution..." Me: Wow. That was cool of him to only charge us once. Want to catch a flick? AC: After Milk Tea Libation. Me: You really are quite daft. AC: *shrug* It's an addiction... Me: Fine. Let's just do this Quickly. AC: Satisfaction...!
(2)Liv A.
I'm not much of a red meat eater, but when I do go out and order beef, it better be damn good. When you hear the name Burgermeister, you think that these guys must have mastered the art of burgerism. After all, it's their specialty. Negatory! I order the 1/3 lb California burger with side salad. The beef patty itself was over cooked, dry and flavorless. My friend ordered the turkey burger and said the same thing. I think the chef forgot to season the meat that day. I haven't tried any of the other locations. I sure hope they are better than the Alameda one.
(1)Heather P.
Waste of money. .idk if it was jus a bad day for them. . but the food wasn't good. . It look like they jus throw my food on the plate. .we ordered curly fries an they looked like pieces at the bottom of the bag.. not one of them were curly..
(1)Susan S.
Upping them up another star and here's why: Although way back when I wrote my first review, the then current manager subsequently offered us a free repeat visit. I never took that generous offer because I don't roll that way. Ironically, these days, it would really help out our meager budget! Oh well. However, I've been back a few times since then because I know one employee in particular who also works at another local restaurant and he has always given us amazing service at both places. That being said, the WC (aka The Wild Child) and I finally made it over to Burgermeister because we were going to finally see the movie "Brave" next door. It was also the first day of "Ice Age 12" (j/k, but that's what Denis Leary called it recently). In any case, we somehow managed to avoid the "Ice Age" mobs and luckily went to Burgermeister during a quiet time. We were probably the last family in Alameda to see "Brave" right before it was leaving. Like the unusually uncrowded Burgermeister the other day, it was also great to be in a sparsely packed theater next door. There's nothing I can complain about over our past few experiences at Burgermeister. The food and overall service has really improved. My "San Francisco" burger was cooked perfectly medium rare with sauteed mushrooms, bleu cheese and grilled onions. My onion rings were delicious and crisp. Beverages were amazing including a chocolate milkshake the WC inhaled. Our waitress was gracious enough to remember that I specifically requested that the milkshake come after we tucked into our meal or WC would fill up on that really quickly, He scarfed down his grilled cheese sandwich and then inhaled the milkshake. I did commit one horrible sin the other day at B-Meister. It was National French Fry Day and I subbed my fries for onion rings. *gasps* Wish they did "frings," which is a combo of both fries and onion rings there. That would solve many domestic disputes when dining out IMHO. However, the WC finally let me have a couple of his fries so I didn't feel so unpatriotic to French fries. Of course, all of my French friends and relatives will keep reminding you obsessively, as if you hadn't heard them the first time decades ago, that "French" fries were in fact, created in Belgium. Sacré Bleu! À la Bastille!
(4)Gee Y.
This place is awesome. The food tastes great, the portions are good, the staff is friendly and the vibe is really nice. Dont know why they're rated 3 stars!
(5)Soo Jin K.
One word: DADDY! I got POWNED by Burgermeister. Wasn't expecting to eat a burger that good. I ordered the Bacon Western hamburger with onion rings and as you probably know, I devoured that thing. Upside down, right side up, licked my fingers, mumbled some incoherent phrases like, "gawdit'sgood," and "don'tleaveme." Smitten and hooked, after the first bite.
(5)Shawna P.
Best. Hot. Wings. Ever!!!! I really liked this place.. The food was good and the place wasnt overly crowded and loud.. I liked that the menu had a little bit of everything.. I ordered a burger and picked the patty, toppings, sauce etc.. It was hella good.. They forgot my bbq sauce tho, apparently the sauces dont come on the burger, its brought in little containers with a lid on the side.. I also ordered garlic fries, they were good, but cold ! We will be back for the wings for sure!
(5)scott h.
Burgermeister Alameda used to be my favorite burger restaurant. Food WAS always fresh and tasty. Well, something's happened. Over the last few months this place has dropped 75% in quality and service. Turkey burgers used to be moist and flame-grilled tasting. Now they are dry and flavorless. Service is as good as it can be with so few servers. A year ago service was amazing. Tonight might be my last visit to Burgermeister, Alameda, CA.
(2)Gerri A.
Let's just say I've had better. I had the turkey burger which was totally grilled, waaaay too long. It was ok... I was hungry... or maybe a bit buzzed from the yummy top shelf margarita. My hubby enjoyed his Philly steak. The fries were yummy. My friend ordered the turkey burger too, sent it back and ordered the mini sliders... loved them. We got the bill, there was an extra beer charged... they were apologetic. All in all it was a nice time, food was ok but totally pricey... over $60 for our meal. Yup for burgers, fries and a couple of drinks.
(3)Ken D.
Waaaahhhh. They were out of Blue Moon on tap. Ah well I had the Pilsner and everything was OK. Full bar also. Nice 1/2 lb. burger anyway you want (even mooing!) except no teriyaki. For fries you can upgrade from plain boring to the roasted garlic fries and was I happily burping garlic all night. Service was fine. The waitress was there when you needed her but then let you eat and gab only stopping by to check on us occasionally. The food took awhile but weren't in a hurry. This is not fast food. This is kick back with your friends, have a beer and have a really GOOD burger. It's not a prefab, frozen burger. 4 burgers, fries upgrades and 3 beers and a cocktail = $100.00. Go at reverse Happy Hour and save some cash!
(4)Chris M.
Best Burgers & Hot Dogs in Alameda. The location next to the Movie Theaters is great.
(4)cynthia g.
Dinner and a movie is totally an option when heading to Alameda theater and Burgermesiter is conveniently located right next door. The burgers are huge and tasteful. You can create your own burger which is awesome. Prices are pretty high overall but the price to substitute for curly fries or sweet potatoe fries instead of the natural cut fries is pretty outrageous! They do allow you to order from the kids menu if you're not a kid which I appreciated because I could not finish the huge burgers... The service is ok, my experience with various servers has been that they are more interested in conversing with their co-workers than taking time to take a customers orders. None of them have been rude just not as attentive as they could be. Other pros: fast service, full bar and outside patio!!!
(3)Clairissa J.
A burger is good in my book when you bite into it and it drips down your hands. The California Burger took good and wiped the floor with it. Outstanding!
(4)Christophe P.
I really, really wanted to like this restaurant. I went in fully prepared to show all of those yelpers who gave it 1-3 stars that they were silly and overcritical. Silly me. I used to live in Cole Valley, and loved the local Burgermeister; it was just the right kind of nice burger joint. The Alameda branch clearly has aspirations; table service, menus, waiters, etc. OK, aspirations are good, sure. OK, the good part: The burger itself was a four-star burger. The milk shake was acceptable, and it's not really their fault that there is Tuckers around the corner with a super milk shake. The not-so-good: Although it's the most recent addition to a chain, there was a consistent feeling that they had never run a restaurant before. The waiter came over to take drink orders, and seemed actually a bit upset that we weren't going to order anything until we were ready to order food. Then, the waiter vanished, and all of my waiter-summoning tricks were in vain. Finally, someone who appeared to be a manager noticed us craning our necks and almost sending up signal flares, and sent over... a bus boy, to take our drink orders. When we said we were ready to order, you know, food, like you get in a restaurant, he nearly panicked and said that he couldn't take a food order. Um, OK, then why... um... When the waiter did return, he seemed completely ill at ease, and didn't know the menu (both of us had to point at the menu to tell him what we wanted, as the burger names seemed alien to him). When the burgers themselves arrived, they were fine, although my BBQ burger was soaked in so much sauce the bun was disintegrating. Oh, well, better too much than too little. So, yes, they have great potential, and perhaps in a month or two they'll have the kinks worked out. It would be great to have a fully-functioning Burgermeister in Alameda.
(3)Kai M.
Burgermeister was ok. Burgers were decent but a little underseasoned. Nothing to complain about really except this: our party of 9 was split into 3 tabs and we were charged automatic 18% gratuity. Two problems with this practice: 1. I tip 20% unless an establishment forces me to pay 18%; there loss. 2. That said establishment should let you know that they are tacking on gratuity. Being that we only had three in our party I think that was inappropriate. I didn't realize I had paid 18% gratuity PLUS 20% that i always tip until I looked at my receipt much later. So really I paid 38% gratuity, which means I won't be returning since they have gotten more than their share from me!
(3)Tommy N.
OK, so I came back here as I said I would and surprisingly, the outcome was great. I came back here 3 times within the past week and ordered the Cheeseburger with garlic fries...all 3 times were awesome. It was definitely the top 3 best tasting burgers I've had. The garlic fries were the best yet. Most burger joints will toss the fries in minced garlic pieces along with saltine but at Burgermeister, the garlic is fresh and crispy. I'm amazed how the garlic can be crisp while keeping the french fries crunchy. Secondly, the best chocolate shakes I've had. I've done all the fast food joints, nations, TGIF, and many others...this place has the best chocolate shakes thus far. I give this place 5 stars. The only con is that this place is really expensive for what you get. It is safe to say: GO TO BURGERMEISTER!
(5)ana lisa a.
My husband loves this spot but I'm not a fan! Still can't beat Bud's Burger in Vallejo!
(3)David L.
Just ate there for dinner tonight with 3 of my friends. Yes, the food is expensive there, but I can tolerate that as long as the food and service are good. All of us ordered burgers and requested them to be cooked 'medium rare'. The food took quite a while to come out and when we received our burgers, 2 were indeed medium rare and tasted great, but the other 2 were cooked "barely medium" (patches of pink but mainly brown) and medium-well (no pink whatsoever). the friend who got the medium-well burger told the waitress of the problem, so she passed along the info to the manager. when he came out, he responded by first excusing himself by mentioning that they had only been open for a week. then he looked at the burger and proceeded to tell us that it was "pretty close to being cooked medium rare", which it was NOT. he offered to give my friend a free drink and my friend asked if they could give free drinks all around for the inconvenience. He said that would be fine but then offered to give a shake instead. so we ordered strawberry shakes until the waiter brought out only one because the manager had expected the 4 of us to share it. the manager came back out to explain that he understood we were ok with sharing the one shake. he was clearly visibly frustrated and gave my friend a coupon for a free burger. right before he came out however, my other friend told us that he saw the manager on his cell phone probably talking with the owner since he was pointing at us to explain the incident, and then came out to give the coupon. to top it off, the check came out and there was no pen. i guess it just wasn't our night. not going back. the burger place next to the bike shop on park street is equally tasty for a fraction of the cost.
(2)Amy H.
I came here after my graduation with my brother and his girlfriend and I have always wanted to try it but never got the chance to. We were greeted as soon as we got to the front of the restaurant by a man. We didn't even walk through the doors yet. We were seated and I ordered the California burger with a side of fries. The food was yummy! I especially loved the sweet potato fries that my brother ordered. The friendly greeter was also our waiter and he made sure that everything was fine. To top it all off, my meal was half off because I graduated! Extra points :D
(4)Greg R.
bad, bad, bad... My chicken burger was burned and dryer than the Saraha. Service was spotty and only improved when she handed us our bill - presumably so she could milk me for 15%. I gave her 5% and a comment to do a better job next time - though I won't go back because the food is crap. Too bad.
(2)Larry P.
When you're in the mood for a burger, this is the place to go. They have an excellent variety of gourmet burgers. The burgers are not as greasy as your typical hamburger because they use better grades of meat. Right next to the Alameda theater - so a great place to go before or after a show. Also a nice selection of draft beers.
(5)Manny V.
Although the prices are a bit high for a hamburger joint I can honestly say that I had a better experience than the majority of these reviews. I can't really rate the service because I sat at the bar and Jerry the bar manager was awesome!!! He admitted that the pickings were slim when it came time to hire but they did just open the doors a few weeks ago so there are going to be some kinks before the service starts rolling smoothly. I hope all of the negative nelly's give this spot another chance. Personally I am super psyched to have a quality burger and a cold beer before hitting the movie theater next door. Jerry gave us a tip...the best time to swing by is early in the week after 7pm when the crowds die down. Cheers.
(4)Jessica P.
Meh. I don't know why they asked me how I wanted my burger cooked because it came out well done. Good service, but I've had much better burgers elsewhere.
(3)Mike B.
Maybe I got lucky... but I enjoyed my burger... as did my friend. We didn't wait long at all. Sat in the patio area.... and enjoyed the people-watching. Specifics: The burger with chedar was very good, although the bottom of the bun was a little too moist from the juices... but it held together. The fries were just OK No pickle on my plate whereas my friend had one. The busboy was very attentive The waitress was good and quick I'll definitely go back. I might not have gone had I read the reviews first, so I would just suggest to people to try it for themselves... and hopefully you might have an experience like mine.
(4)kevan h.
Got the 1/2 pound Cheeseburger, medium rare. Good! Garlic fries are light on taste, but delicious. Service was crisp and nothing to complain about there. Fish and chips were alright, and my friend's Chicago-style half pound dog looked like it could sprout legs and start walking around the restaurant. Place is expensive (for burgers), but fun to take friends looking for finger food. I think for future visits, I'll stay away from the full on meals and content myself with conversation and different appetizers. Full meals together with the side orders made me feel like I had been dipped in the oil fryer. My experience walking out of the restaurant and onto the street: I could see the breeze but couldn't feel it because of the newly formed epidural layer.
(3)Ed H.
I love that this place closes late compared to the other places in Alameda. Their mushroom burger was great and love their garlic fries. I will definitely return.
(4)Kimberly P.
Greasy goodness! Service is great, they give you personal attention. They have a bar inside and beer's on tap! Curly fries are good.
(4)Daniel A.
The teriyaki burger with chicken is so good! And I love that they have a full bar!
(5)Ouroboros B.
Best burger I've had in a long while. Not over-cooked, grease factors perfect (not too greasy, not too dry), good bun, great fries. $7.75 for a filling and tasty Niman Ranch ("happy cow") cheeseburger with fries is fine by me. And although there were two TVs on, the volumes were low enough to tune out. Perfect! He got the vegetarian California Burger, which he enjoyed, and a nearly undrinkable White Russian.
(4)Ron Z.
Great burgers! I ordered mine extra rare and it came to the table perfect! The fries arrived hot and crispy good. My chocolate malted was huge! Everything tasted great.
(3)Christian C.
2 1/2 stars rounded up. its ok. its not great and it is totally overpriced. my burger was kind of meh in flavor. the real disappointment was the bun. its like when you get one of those "6 dollar burgers" from carls jr, and they give you the bigger, tastier burger but still put it on the same small, crappy bun. aside from that, i felt the whole thing was underseasoned. i dont remember the fries being very remarkable...actually i dont remember them at all, so that should say something. i expected waaaaaaay more from spending 12 bucks on a burger, fries and a soda. i suppose i will give it another shot someday but i am really not in a rush to do so.
(3)Rick F.
I really, really wanted Burgermeister to be good. That is why after 4 or 5 tries since it opened I kept thinking they would get it together eventually. They aren't too much effort away from being good-but they are just disappointing (and very expensive-think $10 burgers) now. And it isn't getting any better. What seems to be missing is some management discipline. Location is great, concept is perfect, even the ingredients are good quality. The problem is a lazy sloppiness. The food comes improperly prepared (consistently overdone) and looking like it was thrown together in a huge hurry and the service is sub-one star. I don't even have descriptors for how truly terrible the service is. The problem here is that they are able to skate by on location and concept and not get too hurt. In sum, if you want a similar food experience at a lower price, go to the diner around the corner. The service will be better too.
(2)Kay O.
The tables were dirty and the service sucked.Apparently I went in the wrong door and was rudely informed the section was closed. Well then lock the door! The burger itself wasn't half bad but for the price I would expect a little more. To build your own burger and then get this a typical burger wasn't what I expected. The bar is a def. plus! Actually it's the only thing that saved the meal. My fancy adult beverage had a good amount of whiskey in it and made up for the food. I would recommend as a place to hang out or if you just want a burger not a BURGER. Go here.
(2)Dlolee W.
Erroneous!! Do not eat here. The experience started pleasant we ordered a burger and a chicken Philly with a coke then it took a turn for the worst. Our original severs shift ended and we were introduced to Ana who would be our sever for the rest of our time. We received our food and resided right away there was a mistake the chicken Philly was steak my friend whom ordered the chicken is unable to eat beef politely let the gentleman know that it was supposed to be chicken he apologized and took it back. Not even 5 minutes later he returned with the plate containing the same fries now cold and a messy Philly. Our sever Ana still had not come to our table since in tro instead stood in the kitchen directly in front of us where we could see her and she could see us eating food and chatting with a friend that had come in. Half way they the first half my friend bit into multiple pieces of beef. Now we realized why it took 3 minutes to prepare his second Philly and why it was so messy. We examined the half that he had not touched and sure enough more beef it looked to us that had scraped the beef off the bread and served the chicken Philly on the same roll. We were disgusted my friend whom can't eat meat due to digestive problems lost his apatite immediately. I was so mad I called over the man who had served us this 2nd sandwich since Ana was still eating and chatting told him that there was seem beef mixed in with the chicken he said oh really picked up the plate and took it away. I continued eating my burger which wasn't bad while my friend finished his coke 10 minutes or so had gone by and still my friend sat there no food no drink Ana still visible to us chatting Nn filling sauces the young man just standing around. About 15 minutes later the young man approached and asked if we needed a refill no was the answer he walked away. We had been obviously done with the meal for quit sometime before finally approached by the young man asking if we wanted dessert no we don't I answered Nn he dropped the bill. We opened it and WTF we were still being charged for the Philly tht was returned to times and on 1/4 had been eatin I had to say something. I approached the check out opended it up and said this is not ok we returned this twice for the same issue he barley touched his meal we are not paying for this bye told me he would run it by the guy in charge. I returned to my table. We watched as they discussed the issue and a second guy approached us he said idk what went on I just got here. So I told him my friend had ordered a chicken Philly and we had returned it when he was served a steak Philly and then returned it a second time when he was served a chicken Philly containing beef in it looking as if they used the same roll as the original sent back Philly I told him how he the meal was taken away and never replaced my friend had sat there watching me eat as he sat there with nothing . He apologized and said let me take off the sandwich and coke for you and walked away. Next Ana returned approaching our table for the first time since she introduced herself as our sever for the day. She started with idk what happened I just got here. I almost lost it. In said you know what it seems as if you all just got here we ordered a steak Philly and was served a steak which was replaced with a a chicken Philly containing steak you along with everyone else stood around eating and talking while my friend sat there nothing to eat watching we eat. She said sorry I transferred it to that guy pointing i had to eat I replied yes we saw u eating the entire time Nn I asked for A manager there is not one only way to contact is email I was given 2different names and told thy are too busy to come in .. Never eat here
(1)J M.
this place sucks..Went there Sunday to try their breakfast before seeing a movie and here we go!!...... Wanted to sit in the booth at the bar, but the bartender who seems to have smoked a pack of cigarettes b/f her shift said "don't sit there....we just sprayed pesticide" WTF? AND there were people eating that had to hear her comments. Seriously, this place should have the Department of Health really inspect it! So, like an idiot we decide to sit in the restaurant, which historically has BAD service compared to the bar area....wouldn't you know. We were seated with menus and 5 minutes rolls by with no one even talking to us, no water, nothing! And the waitress checking her phone! WTF! We left, went to Hob Nob and were treated like royalty there. My advice: Go to Pearls or Hob Nob. WAY BETTER FOOD AND SERVICE! The manager should be fired at BM ! No wonder they have to offer a buy one get one free omelet
(1)Bryan P.
I am a fan of the city of Alameda and can say that I have ALOT of family members there right at the moment. My GF and I were at the beach last night and wanted to get a quick bite to eat. Having driven by this place many times I had decided it was time to dive in. When we entered the joint we were attended and seated right away. I want to say that I think the service is AWESOME and our waitress was very at tentative to our needs. The menu looked like it had many things I would like but I guess I will have to wait another time to order those items. GF and I both enjoyed our burgers and fries that we had ordered and were both VERY happy with the serving size. I just want to say that I will DEFINITELY be back and would recommend this place to anyone!
(5)Esra P.
Awesome atmosphere, great place to eat after a movie or just for an in-door or out-door dining. Burgers are great and good serving too.
(5)Miguel G.
It's a fantastic place to eat! If you're on a budget and feel like treating yourself for lunch, their $7.50 lunch special is a great way to go (It comes out to $8.16 with tax.)! I've eaten there three times last month! Fantastic! Best burgers I've ever had! HIGHLY Reccomend.
(4)Keith L.
I'm bumping this up to 4 stars from previous review. The service is smoothed out and the always-solid food is served promptly and without error. My wife ordered a Coney Dog with onion rings, while I went with my go-to Western Boiger and--wait for it--roasted garlic curly fries on the side. C'mon, Herr Burgermeister, are you kidding me? You take a perfect food like spicy curly fries and add not only garlic, but ROASTED garlic? That's crazy talk but, thankfully, you're not just talk. I'm kneeling before the chef that came up with that combo!! Or maybe it was just one of those Reese's PB moments where some clumsy sous chef bumps into someone carrying a hot batch of curly fries and dumps roasted garlic all over. They look at each other, shrug, and the accidental concoction gets served anyway. The rest, as they say, is history.
(4)alamedabrian m.
My wife loved the turkey burger ["super good"], the garlic fries, and a well made cosmo. I like the cheeseburger, but can't say I found anything to distinguish it from similar chains. Service has been pretty good in the past but the last time was slow and confused; our server constantly forgot stuff, and I still think I got the wrong size burger [server disagreed, and I wasn't hungry enough to argue]. She also could have pointed out that what I ordered matched the weekday special; I saved a couple of bucks when my wife noticed that and we pointed it out. Other than this one time, the service has been pretty good. I like the outdoor patio where the dogs can join me.
(4)Sidney L.
Went there for lunch today with my 2 kids, 11 and 14. When we got there around 12:30, it was kind of busy and we were seated within 5 minutes. After we sat down and looked at our menus, nobody came by to help us for over 6-8 minutes. The manager saw us just sitting there and told one of the waitress's to take our order. My 11 year old son ordered the clam chowder in a bread bowl $5.50. My daughter ordered the chicken strips with fries $9.00. I ordered the San Francisco burger w/ fries $11. I ordered my burger medium rare and it came out more like medium to medium well. It tasted ok but nothing really special. The fries were just ok to me. My daughter said the chicken strips were pretty good but she has definitely had better. She didn't care for the fries. My son didn't like the clam chowder as it was really salty and full of potatoes that weren't quite soft enough. The bread bowl was soft and we liked that but the rest of it was not that good. My son did like the fries. I don't mind spending money for good food and good service but this place lacks both so I don't think I will ever go back. I had to ask for my water to be refilled. Nobody came by to ask how our food was. In and Out Burger is so much better and at a fraction of the price. I also like Red Robin and Fuddruckers much better than this place. Besides the upscale atmosphere, this place gets only a 1.5 star from me. For the 3 of us for lunch, I spent a little over $30 including tips. For that much money, I could have had some really good food at some of the other local restaurants like Burmese Superstar or Havana. Hopefully others will have a better experience than me but I would not recommend this place to anyone.
(2)Tammy E.
The burgers are wonderful. My favorite is the California Burger with avocado. Hubby loves the Burgermeister. The garlic fries are good but have occasionally been overpowering. They make their own sesame dressing for the spring mix salad and I wish they would bottle and sell it!
(5)Michelle M.
When Burgermeister first opened, we enjoyed their burgers and fries. However, the quality has severely deteriorated since then. The last time we ate there, my daughter got food poisoning. She has recovered after one night of being sick. I did not expect the kid's meal to make her so sick, especially after I requested that her burger be cooked well done.
(1)Lea R.
The location and atmosphere were nice. I am still in shock (3 days later) that we paid over 40 bucks for 2 burgers and 2 beers!!! The food was good but still!!! The service was not great.. our waitress seemed a bit distracted. If i went back it would be because of the location next to the movie theater.. and I would split a burger or search for a special priced item.
(2)Jim Y.
Outstanding burgers. Central locations. Outdoor seating. Decent service. Well worth the price. Always look forward to going back!
(4)Lefty R.
Good burger with lots of options. Nothing is over the top good, but always ok. Honestly this probably rates 2.5*, but I'll round up. The Alameda location is right by Alameda High School and a movie complex, though kids never seem to overrun the place. Street parking and a lot make it convenient.
(3)Bettie M.
I understand the place is still new, but here's how my experience went anyway. 1. Bad service. The 3 staff people I interacted with were all very unprofessional and seemed to not know what they were doing. Under-trained perhaps, or simply too young? I don't expect much from waiters, so to fall short of THAT something's gotta be very off. One server took our drink orders then disappeared for some time, when another server (who forgot to bring a pen & had to hunt for one) finally came to take our order, then directly afterwards our original server came back and tried to take our order...duh. Then, barely halfway through our meal, the 2nd server asked if everything was ok, and when we said yes, gave us our check, trying to shove it onto the very small table crowded by all of our FOOD that we had barely started eating! There was clearly no room, and please just wait until later so we don't feel rushed, that's all I ask. 2. Overpriced. The portions are large, but I still can't see paying $12 for a burger and fries. The milkshake was overpriced too, especially because of #3 below 3. So-so food. My milkshake tasted weird, not at all like any chocolate milkshake I've had (and that's a lot, I order it everywhere because it's my favorite treat!). Maybe they gave me a malt instead of a shake? It tasted weird for a malt too though, like it was made from cheap powder or something. The burger was good but the fries were nothing special... you can find the same fries at burger king. My boyfriend got a philly cheesesteak that he said was alright. 4. Bland atmosphere. I'm not particular when it comes to how a place looks or the atmosphere or whatever, but I'll just point out that this place has the most half-assed attempt at a classic "Diner" look. The sign and the clock try to create this theme, but that's where it stops, and the flow of the place it totally strange with a big random wall separating the tables in the area you enter to from...more tables? I guess is what's behind it. And the seats near the window on the inside are strange. 5. No waiting! At least there's no wait, even on a Friday night and a location next to a movie theater.... though that's usually a very bad sign, which I should have headed! It gets 2 stars because the burger was good and we were seated quickly, but please just go to Nation's or even Carl's Jr. if you want a good burger! You'll be glad you skipped Burgermeister!
(2)Rachel F.
I've been to this place three times now. The only reason I returned after the first bad experience was the thought, "Well, maybe today was just a fluke and next time will be better." Well, two more visits later and it turns out to be not a fluke but a habit that needs to be broken by management. A couple friends and I went the Monday afternoon right after July 4th and the place was very understaffed. I give our waiter credit--he did his best and was always on the run somewhere. But management should have staffed the place better to accommodate an afternoon where many people had a day off. One of my friends received his burger and his fries dead cold. Another friend asked for her burger to be well done and it was still very pink in the middle. I ordered the chicken cordon bleu and the chicken patty was charred black on the outside. Not very appetizing at all. The only reason I gave this place two stars was because our waiter really made an effort and tried his best, and the onion rings are awesome. Otherwise, this place is hardly what it's cracked up to be. If you want a good meal, continue a little further down the street to Angela's or Tomatina.
(2)Camron A.
Definitely meh at best. You'd think that a new place in a great location with a great SF namesake would be a sure thing. But not when we were last there. Though the restaurant was not busy, it took a really long time to get our order. And it wasn't just us - the four at the table next to us got up and left before their meal arrived after waiting 50 minutes! Ours took easily half an hour to arrive. When it did, the food was OK but the burger was kinda greasy for my taste. This place has all the makings of a destination spot, especially so since it's next to the theater. Hopefully they get a new manager or whatever it takes to get it up to par. Until then, we'll probably head somewhere else when we're in the Central/Park St area.
(2)Janet D.
super delicious. I had the san francisco and it was amazing. we also ordered chilli cheese fries, and the seasoned curly fries. It was great. our waiter was super funny and kept the water coming. I love their spring salad and their caesar salad at a neighboring table looked scrumptious. Joe also had their brownie sundae. i'd' skip it. the vanilla ice cream tasted like breyer's and the brownie looked super dry.
(5)Bren L.
Your typical burger joint but i liked my experience here. My waitress was extremely friendly and attentive and it helped she always had a geniune looking smile on the whole time we were there. We ordered garlic curly fries and it was deeelicious. The garlic was plenty and even had a slight spice to the taste. We ordered a grilled chicken salad -- nothing special but it was a nice size for $10 bucks. I would go back there just for the fries. yumm
(4)Teresa G.
I was here on a bad date, this place saved my day!! The food was incredibly good!!I had the BLT with garlic fries, if my stomach could take this much food I would have finished the whole meal. But I took it home as a doggy bag just like my bad date. The employee's are super friendly and it seems like they really sympathized with me and wanted my day to be better. What more could you ask for. I loved it!!
(5)JacQue S.
Great service. Sweet potato fries with dip was awesome. Kobe beef chili was delicious. The burgers was good as well as the Philly cheesesteak sandwich.
(4)Josh L.
Finally had the chance to try this location in Alameda. The food was okay. I ordered the 1/2 lb burger Medium and it was small and well done. Also, we ordered garlic curly fries and I had to remind them to add the garlic. I just had this weird feeling that the fries were frozen and some of the other food was not made fresh. The service was so-so. I ordered a pink lemonade with some sprite. I got a glass of sprite. Burger was okay, I think Taylors is still the best tasting, then Barney's
(2)Caitlin M.
After a good long bike ride getting some errands done, the boyf and I were freakin' STARVING. Then Burgermeister appeared like a beacon of greasy light shining down from heaven. Considering that we were STARVING, the food should have tasted a lot better. We got the MeisterBurger to split, and an order of onion rings. The burger sounded great on paper but wasn't particularly exciting, and my "medium" burger was a whole lot closer to well-done. At least it wasn't quite to hockey puck stage yet. The ranch dressing was fantastic, which saved the onion rings. Now, I don't think I've ever met an onion ring I don't like (I mean, they're so friendly and cheerful). But these were undercooked, and a little soggy, which was quite disappointing. Our server was friendly and efficient, everyone working there seemed to be working hard, but there seemed to be too many people working too hard to do a job that half the amount of people could manage. It was weird. Anyway, we probably won't be back, because one burger with onion rings and one soda cost almost $18 without tip. YIKES.
(3)Juliana T.
Not bad... but I've had better. Came here with my coworkers one day and enjoyed a burger. Compared to the choices available in the office park where I work, having a place like this to dig into some meat was nice. That said, there are NO food choices in the office park. If you go for lunch... get the lunch special. Only way its worth it.
(3)Elizabeth M.
The burgers here are pretty darn good. A little pricey though. My husband ordered a bacon cheesebuger and I had a bacon burger w/ avacado. Took awile to get our orders but worth the wait. The burgers were thick and juicy and definatley not lacking in flavor. The milkshake my husband had was great. French fries were great too. The only reason I cant give it 5 stars is because of price. A little high in price. For the two fo us to eat it was almost $40!!! Cheaper to go to Val's but like to explore.
(4)Michelle W.
Last night, I almost died of a massive coronary and I have nobody to blame but myself. ::Sad face!:: I was like a glutton who had died and gone to heaven but not really because I didn't actually die. I just thought I was going to. Food coma of the chest-tightening variety. I ordered the portobello mushroom burger since I'm a pescatarian and they had run out of the fish for their very cleverly named "Fish Sandwich," and a side of garlic curly fries. I also tried my sister's beer-battered onion rings. Everything was delicious, which explains why I ate it all. The portions here will not disappoint, but the prices were STEEP. My portobello burger with Swiss ran up an appalling $9.50. And that's a VEGGIE burger! The service was interesting, to say the least, primarily because the manager of this joint (middle-aged guy with ponytail) and another middle-aged waitress were very blatantly talking down to the hostess and that made everyone standing in line uncomfortable. And this is a great casual pre- or post-movie dining option. Now for the PROS: --You can actually get a seat here within a 10 minute wait...provided you dine here on a Sunday night --The chocolate malt was tasty --The food is actually pretty good --The beer selection was impressive for a burger joint
(3)Paul L.
Decent burgers -- really liking the tropical burger with pineapple slices and pepper jack with mango salsa. Lack of Coca-Cola products annoying. Wait staff friendly and fast. Good beer on tap including Pilsner Urquell.
(4)Gregory S.
I walked in and was ready to give it a try, however I needed to be able to access the internet too. No WIFI here so I went somewhere else to eat.
(3)Rachel H.
I'm a HUGE turkey burger fanatic and am always on the prowl for a tasty replacement for beef. Burgermesiter's burgers have a super-addictive charbroiled taste...and for a turkey burger that makes all the difference in the world. While I'm not 100% sold on their fries, my boyfriend is...and he swears they're near perfect. HOWEVER, we both agree that the service needs to improve. It's not uncommon to be ignored when walking in, or even when already seated. Buuuuuut, the burger is so fantastic and the daily specials are so good that I have to give it 4 stars.
(4)Matt P.
Really dissatisfied with my experience here. Yeah, they have Neiman Ranch beef and yes they actually season the meat before or during cooking. So as far as flavor goes- it tasted pretty good. However, when you go to a place that is known for their burgers and is consistently voted "best burger" you would expect that they know what "medium" means. My burger was cooked well done. The fries were slightly warmer than room temperature and the service was slow.
(1)Leily P.
I'm not sure why some Burgermeisters are take out and others are restaurants like this one.
(2)Gaelic F.
Note: This review is for the Burgermeister in Alameda only. With out a doubt this is the best "burger" in Alameda. I have been there three times and each time my food was just delicious. I really like how you can still get a "rare" burger here. All the sides I have ordered have also been particularly good. The garlic fries are worth the trip alone. So why give this place only two stars you ask? There are two issues here that serious hurt the experience. First is the way the place is designed. The inside seating is cramped, poorly spaced and you feel like you are under a microscope. The outside seating is even more cramped. If you sit at the outside seating during the day you simply get fried by the sun. There is no shade and no way to cool off. Just a terrible design. The service is the second issue. Most of the people working there are too concerned with flirting with their friends or other employees. It's really embarrassing actually. All three times that I have been there, there has been an obvious lack of leadership. This is one of those places that could be "iconic" if they could get their act together. If you want a great burger and have a lot of patience give it a shot, otherwise pass on it.
(2)Mamma B.
I have to agree with the service issues- very slow! They need a new general manager- hard to tell who is in charge! They had also ran out of Co2 the Saturday evening rush time that I was there. C'mon now...no excuse for that. The food was tasty though. If I was craving a good burger, which doesn't happen very often, I might make the trip. Maybe. Not sure it's good enough to make up for bad service really. Food just doesn't taste as good when you are irritated!
(3)Tony L.
Stumbled in here with a friend while in the area late at night after a benefit concert. As I have sworn off american burgers while in the states due to some nasty yucky experiences in North Beach (SF) when I first arrived, it's short of a miracle to even see me inside a burger place let alone eating one. Yea right... We self-seated inside as it was chilly and was approached by the waiter quickly. We opted for a Grilled Garlic Chicken Breast ($9) with a side of sweet potato fries ($3). I had a Fat Tire Ale which was okay and cold, but the sweet potato fries when served 10mins later with the chicken breast was cold. Crunchy but cold. The taste of the chicken was grilled but NO taste of garlic. That would've probably added some taste to it, but I don't think so. The place wasn't filled but it wasn't empty either. I didn't see anyone overly happy with their meal(s) and our bill came out to just under $20 (the chicken breast was shared). Quite expensive for just three items (chicken, fries and beer) but I keep forgetting I am in the states. The decor was nice and also matched the color and decor of the next-door gorgeous Alameda Theater, but that was it. Judge for yourself ....... go to the beautiful theater next door and when you leave the cine, keep on walking past. If this is a place serving food "you can trust" then we are screwed. Read the other reviews of other area Burgermeisters; not good reviews for a reason. The table we sat at was tiny; the napkin holder and bottles, etc took up so much room and wasn't even used. The floor around us was dirty and with the spare time, they could've cleaned up (they did just before we left). The help looked tired except for the guy who waved at us (pix). Incidentally, my sister who lives for burgers and has paid much more recently went solo to North Beach Burgermeister and was disgusted. Of course she ate it all though...
(2)Erin V.
Unlike other reviewers, the service was really the highlight of our experience (and the reason they get 3 stars instead of 2). Even though it was busy, they were attentive, good at communicating wait time for a table as well as food (much appreciated when dining with a toddler), and very pleasant. Now for the food. Not so good. My husband got a hot dog, which was much better than the burger, although really too expensive ($7.75, comes with choice of fries, coleslaw, or green salad). I got the avocado pepper jack burger. First of all, when paying upwards of $10, I expect a heftier patty than one typically found at McDonalds. There was lots of avocado, but it was awkwardly cut and not ripe enough. I thought that they forgot the cheese, but closer inspection showed a paltry sliver of very mild "pepper" jack. Most egregiously, MEDIUM RARE does not mean burnt to a crisp. Normally I would have sent it back, but the kiddo was impatient and we had to be somewhere, and quite frankly, I thought that even if cooked as ordered I probably wouldn't love it. Fries were average. Coleslaw was pretty good. Big whoop.
(3)Christine L.
Burgermeister gets 4 stars because they have good quality meat which is important to me, however the service is gamble. The first time I ordered the kobe beef salad I ate every bite but this time the meat was too fatty, perhaps a different cut. Well I brought it back to my server & explained the situation. He told me that the salads have always been this way and I was confusing this place for a different restaurant. No! Im sure it was here thank you. Then he told me I had probably ordered it with chicken last time. Hah! He was okay with switching my order only after arguing with me. So I left a $10 under my half drank beer and just walked out, I was done. He can enjoy that tip because the next day I called & talked to Chris the manager who is great & now I get to go back and get a free meal and the servers gonna get told. Even if I was wrong & my server was right there's just a way to talk to people where no one has to be wrong.
(4)BSC L.
Wife and I are giving this a 4 star rating because the burger and curley fries were pretty good. Wife doesnt usually go out for hamburgers but this one she gives it a thumbs up.
(4)Rosie C.
We ended up here after attempting to visit another restaurant, only to find it was closed. Needless to say, we were hungry and grouchy going in with a cranky two year old an hour overdue for lunch. The husband ordered the Philly Cheesesteak with a Mixed Green Salad, cranky toddler had the Chicken Strip Kids Meal and I ordered the Chicken Breast Burger with Sweet Potato Fries. The husband liked his Cheesesteak Sandwich, especially the amount of meat and the roll but felt there were a bit too many onions. My Chicken Breast Burger was quite possibly the most flavorful delicious Chicken Breast Burger I have ever tasted. I asked for it without mayo and didn't request my usual cheese....instinct prompted me to taste the chicken before loading my wheat bun with ketchup and mustard like I usually do. Thank goodness I did because the breast was so tasty the mustard and ketchup would have obscured the deliciousness. The Sweet Potato Fries were a bit soggy, but not bad. The Kids Meal was HUUUUGE and could easily feed two toddlers. The Chicken Strips were crispy and nicely seasoned, made of white breast meat and the Fries were crispy with just enough salt. Our server was kind, helpful and very accommodating. The atmosphere was lovely, right next to the old Alameda Movie Theatre with plenty of outdoor and indoor seating perfect for people watching. I am not a burger n'fries type a lady but I am married to a burger n'fries type a guy so I find myself in these sorts of establishments more frequently than I would like. I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised with my food, service and experience here and I can see myself returning with ease.
(4)Hanna D.
4th time I've been there and there seems to be a theme: food is decent, but service stinks. I keep going back because it's in a good locale and there is usually room in the bar area. That was the case today, but again, the service was terrible. I had at least 4 different people involved in my meal, but none of them were consistent (e.g. no one checked back if I needed more to drink) and when I tried to pay, well - most other patrons noticed, but none of the waitstaff did. I left a tip because these are hard times, but will I be rushing back? Not really.
(2)Tom G.
My wife and I went here before her auxiliary meeting. We thought the food was good but the restaurant needs more servers. The waitress we had was all alone and serving the restaurant side of the establishment. She was good and personable but like I said she needed more help. If the service were a little better I would have given it 5 stars.
(4)Adam O.
favorite burger place in alameda. service is A+ and I have been there six times in the past 3 months. that's a pretty good sample size. burgers are always made exactly how I order them (medium rare)
(5)Miss Kae O.
*I originally wrote this review when they first opened. Somehow I saved it instead of posting it. So it may be a little out of date. ** one of those I went with went back and said that it has improved. I have yet to see it with my own eyes I was immediately taken aback by the fact that there are hostesses at this location. I have never been to a Burgermeister with hostess or table service. It was humorously put down to the poshness of Alameda by one of my dinner companions. We were sat promptly in a seat that accommodated all four of us well. A good start to what was going to become a terribly frustrating experience. Ordering drinks first off was an exercise of patience. They were completely out of iced tea, which is bad news for me, the girl who loves caffeine, but avoids sugar and corn syrups. But, that's okay. When my friends ordered beers, one of them ordering the beer with tomato juice concoction on their drink meny, things got farcical. Our waitress just couldn't comprehend what they were ordering. Finally, after much pointing to drink menu and explanation, she went away, seeming to understand. Alas, a bit later, a boy from the bar came out and had to take the beer orders again. Then, he had to come back, as they were out of the beers my friends had ordered. This is where it got silly once again. It seemed to be very difficult to understand that two of the friends both wanted to replace their order with Fat Tire. "So, one Fat Tire". No, they each, EACH, want a Fat Tire. Rinse. Repeat The beers took awhile to come out. And the tomato juice/beer concoction, much longer. We were about to send in scouts after it. Ordering food wasn't any simpler. My non-beef eating cohort performed a complete Abbott and Costello bit as she tried to order hers as a turkey burger. The waitress, at first, seemed to think the specialty burgers came to the restaurant pre-fab, and patty substitutions were not physically possible. Finally, all was sorted out and she took our order to the kitchen. And all we had to do was wait for our food. And wait. And wait. And wait. All drinks now empty, no sign of our food or waitress, we flagged down a different waitress. She assured us our food was on the way now. 15 minutes later, we flagged her down again. She immediately started to assure us our food was on the way. We cut her off and asked "Can we at least order more drinks?" She said she would get our waitress. There we are for over 30 minutes, no food and no waitress checking on us at all. People come, eat, and go, then we finally get our food. There was nothing wrong with it. It was okay. I had the hotdog, which was just a hotdog cut in half and served sandwich style. Nothing on it, nothing on the side, not even a garnish on the plate. It was fine. Not particularly worth waiting 40 minutes for. The burgers were good. Again, not worth waiting 40 minutes. As we asked for our check, we made bets on how long the whole getting the check, running the card, getting it back to sign would take. About 20 minutes, was the winning bet. As we were waiting for our check, a slightly older gentleman left in a loud, angry huff, declaring he would never come back to the place again. We obviously were not the only ones having a bad experience. I know this place is new and will have it's growing pains. Running out of things and things being rough is par for the course, when they do not spend the time or money to train and rehearse the staff for a new venue, but this was off the charts. We did not even get an apology, let alone anyone trying to make up for the fact we had so many issues. No discount, no coupon, not even an acknowledgement of their errors. In the future, I will be giving this place wide berth.
(2)Carmel A.
Hands down. My favorite burgers. Ever. They're big, they're juicy, they will cook them RARE for me, unlike a lot of places. Yes, many of them are overpriced, which is why I knocked off a star. But for me it doesn't matter much, since all I ever order is the most simple, plain, classic burger. I don't even get cheese. The meat is top-notch and that's all I care about. Whenever I eat a burger anywhere else I always end up thinking, "Meh, it's not as good as Burgermeister." Now that I am trying to eat better, burgers are a once-in-awhile treat and I reserve them for Burgermeister. I've been to the Alameda and Cole Valley (SF) locations, and the food quality is the same, but the experience is very different. Cole Valley is take-out style, seating if you can find it, and sometimes that's quite difficult as it's right by the N-Judah stop. Alameda is a sit-down place with servers. I've only been to the that location twice, but so far I've had no problem with the service. Admittedly though, I've never been there when it's busy. EDIT: I see a lot of people are comparing this place to Barney's in Oakland. I like Barney's, it's nice. Really. Solid burger and all, and their curly fries are an excellent indulgence. But their meat is just NOT of the same high quality, and "rare" means something very different to them than it does to me. But maybe I'm just weird that way.
(4)Tracy A.
I went to the counter and ordered for take out today. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because I ordered my burger cooked Medium and it was Medium-Well at best (I shouldn't be eating any undercooked hamburger anyway while pregnant so it was just as well!). Otherwise - YUM!
(4)Jared S.
Went to this location last night usually go to Berkeley. The hamburger was good fries not so bad however the Alameda location is much cleaner than the Berkeley location. Our server Kimberly was Johnny on the spot with the drinks from the bar and not bad on the eye either so big cheers for that. All in all good visit!
(4)Vera D.
We like the dinner specials here ($7.50 for a 1/4 lb burger with fries and large drink). The servers are congenial and we're allowed to sit in the corner on the outside patio with our dog. The bathroom is tidy too. There's lots of people watching since it's right next to the renovated Alameda movie theater and Park Street.
(3)Alex F.
finally decided to give them another try. ordered the meister burger cooked medium and it came out promptly. luckily this time the infamous soggy mushy bottom bun problem wasn't an issue but maybe this was due to my patty being cooked closer to well done. but yet it wasn't too dry and still somewhat enjoyable. however on a good note the service here has picked up a lot since my last experience and i'm glad to see that change. ill be back to give their weekly daily specials a try. but so far i'm still waiting to experience an award winning burger from them.
(3)Marko R.
What can I say it's a good place to eat. I usually come here when flying in to visit friends and family. After eating some burgers, I try to catch a flick at the Alameda Theatre before driving down to Hayward/Fremont.
(4)B B.
I visited this restaurant for the second time this past weekend and the food is pretty delicious. The first time i went it was super busy and service was mediocre but i blame that on maybe it being a busy day. The up keep and service are something else.. I came in with friends to watch the football game and ordered the turkey burger which was juicy and and asked for a side of their famous aioli sauce (yum.) Like I said no complaints on the food, but service sucked. The bartender was extremely rude. He continued to attempt to joke with my friends and I, but his humor was dry and pretty non existent. He was even a little offensive with a joke about "white girls." I guess he thought it was okay since we arent...? I have no idea. He even was as rude to go over to a serve and gossip about restaurant drama about other coworkers. It was extremely uncomfortable and really just looked bad on their part. They talked about the night before, drinking games, throwing up, and some girl on girl action between coworkers. Seeing that we're all adults, I probably wouldn't have minded if we were in a raunchy dive bar, but this is burgermeister! On top of that a family sitting behind us at a table seemed uncomfortable. To top it off, I went to wash my hands and use the bathroom before leaving and it was gross. No toilet paper on the roll, and there were stains on the back of the toilet. I opted out and waited til I got home to go. I told one of the servers before leaving and she laughed about it and said "eww again?" which I thought was an odd response. Needless to say, next time I want a burger, or a delicious shake.. I'll order my food to go.
(1)Mary K.
I visitedt his place upon it's opening, three years ago, and I'm sorry to say that it is not hte same and I would not recommend this restaurant since you can go to the Mall and eat a better meal at Pearl's. I had the fish and chips and the fish was a small portion and mostly breading. I was hungry for some sweet potato fries and orderd them wih the fish. When they arrived it was obvious that they were the crinkly kind that you get out of a bag. When I asked the server, who by the way was great, if her regular fries were also from a bag she said, "yes." I remember when the opened that the fries were real and very good. So sad that places cheap out once they get a reputation and a following. The beers are good and $5 at happy hour so the beer and the server, Leah, were the best parts of my recent visit there. As I said, go to Pearl's at the Mall for a good burger and some real fries. I gave it two starts because it is next door to the movie theater and if you are in a hurry it's better than nothing.
(2)andrez g.
Totally overpriced...Waited fifteen minutes before receiving a menu, ordered cheeseburger & fries with soda ended up with $15 tab, food was nothing special...I could've bought two double double combos at in-n-out burger. Not going back ever.
(2)MonkeyPants S.
I was super excited to learn that the Burgermeister chain was coming to Alameda, and even more excited to get an invite to the soft opening of the Alameda Burgermeister. After the experience ... not so much. Keep in mind this is Day One of business, so there are bound to be some bugs to work out, but the lack of professionalism and mediocre food makes me think I won't be returning. After we were seated, it took nearly 10 minutes for our server to greet us and take our drink orders, then another 10 minutes for our drinks to be delivered and for the server to take our food orders. Our food was promptly delivered 40 minutes later (WTF?) and ALL of our orders (4 people total) were wrong!! Not one of us at the table got what we ordered - all of burgers were missing some of the toppings we had ordered, all of them had the wrong kinds of cheese, and all of them arrived with extra toppings that we hadn't ordered (again, WTF?). Plus, the burgers were very dry and overcooked. We had some cold and forgettable chicken wings as well. Yuck. When we told our server all of our burgers were incorrect, he said, "What do you want me to do?" So, rather than tell the server how to do his job and wait another 40 minutes, we just decided to go ahead and eat what was delivered to us. Way to go, guy. Not to be entirely negative, this Burgermeister location has a lot going for it. The interior is very nicely styled, plus they have a full bar (bonus!!) which is unique to this location. We had some devilishly delicious onion rings smothered in chili, cheese, onions and bacon (who doesn't love bacon?) and I had a divine vanilla milkshake (I drink your milkshake!! I drink it down!!). Based on my experience at Burgermeister Alameda today, I cannot reccommend it at all, however that's not to say things won't improve after a few months. We shall see.
(1)Scott V.
Just a few words here.....only average burgers, slow service and way overpriced!
(2)L W.
Got right in tonight -- and on a Saturday night. Service was quick & friendly, the food was FABULOUS, and overall a satisfying experience. I think they've worked the kinks out... Give 'em a try.
(4)Rachael J.
So I actually didn't EAT a meal at Burgermeister, but it was entirely their fault. There were 6 of us and a dog, so we requested a patio seat, we were told it was about a 30 minute wait. We left to walk around Park Street for 20 minutes, headed back and the hostess gave away our tables! I wanted to throw something at her head, but my bf kindly took our dog to our friend's house so we could eat inside. After being seated, our waiter came over and took our drink orders. I clearly asked for Diet, when I got my drink, it obviously wasn't. So I asked him to get me a new one, hoping he didn't spit in my soda. We ordered some fries and onion rings while waiting on the rest of our party. They came out really fast, which was great! The onion rings were too greasy for me, the curly fries were okay, a bit over-fried. While we were waiting for the rest of our party to arrive, our waiter checked on us I'd say about 10 times, which was sort of annoying. However, once everyone was seated, he magically disappeared. He showed up 10 minutes later, and we placed our order. We had been there for over 30 minutes by now, so we were getting hungry. Finally, after another 30 minutes passed, we all decided we weren't even that hungry and were tired of waiting for our food. We had to get up and tell the manager that we had waited over 30 minutes for our food and didn't even want it anymore because of the long wait. The restaurant wasn't even that busy! The people who were seated after us received their drinks, food, milkshakes all within 20 minutes. Must be nice! So the 1 star is only for the manager that comped our drinks and fries, but I really don't plan on going back, EVER!
(1)Jana H.
Much better than I thought it would be. Did take longer to than expected to get food so be sure to add extra time if you are going to catch a movie next door. Decent selection of wines. Service was okay, nothing special.
(3)Deanna A.
Mid-meal, I was singing a song while eating. Our AMAZING server, Jeff saw me and stopped by the table to tell me, "If you're singing to your food, it must be good!" OHHH YEAAAHHH! He was right. Here it is ladies & gents - Here's what I had. Salivate now. *MEISTER BURGER: 1/4 pound medium rare, mushrooms, thick bacon, sauteed onions, fresh slices of avocado, and substitute the "double cheese" for melted blue cheese. Moist and juicy. Onions are sweet, crispy, yet soft. Mushrooms were well cooked. The bacon-- oh my! I could have eaten that alone. The avocado - they were not sparing. There were 4-5 pieces. The combination & proportion of it all - BELLISIMO! *Switched out the fries for garlic fries. *And to top it all off - Laguintas on tap. Be still my heart. My brother got the weekend special, half rack of ribs. (PS. "Get the other half for $5 more." Shooot! Mama didn't raise no fool - that's a deal. Add on that $5!) There was a choice of: teriyaki, buffalo, and bar-b-que sauces. He chose bbq. I had a bite. YUM!!! It literally fell off the bone. To top it all off- service is friendly, prompt, and cool. Jeff was our server. Funny, personal, and just chill - honestly, we would have had him pull up a chair and hang with with us if he could. This is now my go-to burger spot in the east bay. Foodies, please don't hate that this is a chain establishment. Honestly, I'm comforted to know that I can get this same burger at more than one location. Note to those coming from out of town: There's a free parking lot around the corner. BM is next to the Alameda Theatre and a wine bar. It is steps away from Park Street shops. Peets & Starbucks are caddy corner. It is a hop, skip and a jump away is Tucker's Ice Cream parlor, which smells like 30 years of sweet waffle cones.
(5)Peter H.
Folks, the prices here are simply too steep. Burgermeister, I don't know who you think you are, but you don't get to charge mid-grade sit down restaurant prices, when you're simply a mediocre restaurant. When I'm at a fancy sit down with $18-$24 entrees and I see a $13 or $14 burger, I'm ok with it. When I see a $13 burger at a burger joint, my expectations go through the roof. At the end of the day, this place simply doesn't measure up against the regional standard, Barney's. The service was mediocre despite the fact there seemed to be an even number of patron and staff. The burger -- what can I say, plain and simply it was a disappointment. Not BAD, but certainly not as tasty as Barney's but a bit more expensive. As I walked out, I realized I had just paid $13 for a $8 burger.
(2)Camille K.
The steak salad is excellent at Burgermeister. Imagine tender steak pieces amidst leafy greens, peppers, red onions, tomatoes and bleu cheese. The steak salad and a martini is heaven. The steak salad and a glass of red wine is nice too. I could just eat the steak salad every day of every week. Sometimes I even order it with a generous portion of fries. The bartenders and servers who run Burgermeister are very colorful and charming. Many exciting cocktails and food choices can be found on their menu. I ordered something called the "Shaken Grandma" last time. Unfortunately, Bartender Andy didn't have the Grand Marnier for this or the fancy margarita on the menu. I wound up drinking a Manhattan and two "Water Moccasins." I had a chocolate cake shot once I discovered Burgermeister still doesn't serve dessert.
(4)Andy L.
It's pretty good. I'm tempted to give it a 3-star, but my wife never eats a burger at fast food places. However, she loves this place. So since it's wifey, I gotta bump it up to 4 stars. It is pricey. For a Classic burger (no nothing), Philly cheesesteak, and optional curly fries for the classic, and a cup of coffee cost us $26.89. Yikes! But that's the price you pay for Niman Ranch beef. Where else can you get it in town? Nowhere that I know. Right next to the Alameda Theater so nice for a quick meal if you gotta go see a movie. Service was okay. A little scattered and had to wave them down 3 times for: Where's our drinks (5 minutes after taking our order), where's the sugar for the coffee (brought only with cream), Where's our refill for the coffee. Other than that very pleasant staff. Got in at 6:40pm and got out at 7:12pm just in time for our 7:15pm movie! Woosh!
(4)Cindy C.
I came here recently because my friend recommended me here..bragging to me about how wonderful and deeeelicious their burgers are. Well...in my opinion..it aint the best burger ever. I think in & out is the best! My burger was dried, the bun was soggy..and so were my fries! i think the burgers here are too pricey..which this place is was a total disappointment..but i must give props to their staff especially the girl with the short little bob hair cut. She was assisting me and my boyfriend because the other girl who took our order disappeared. She never came back to help us. But anyways the girl with bob hair cut was fast and super friend so therefore, thanks to her, i rated an extra star for her wonderful help..otherwise, i woulda gave this place 1 star!
(2)Wesley W.
Great burgers and dogs. Awesome ciders. We eat here often.
(4)Donna D.
Ate here today for the first time. We ordered a classic burger & a Meister Platter which is basically a sampler of stuff. It came with 2 pieces of Chicken strips, 3 pieces of chicken wings, some fries, curly fries, 4 onion rings with BBQ sauce & ranch dressing. Good service. Friendly People. & food was A-OK
(3)Victor H.
I'm not sure if this place has the best burger but I think it's provides a serious fix for all burger lovers. I ordered the Meisterburger and it came out exactly medium rare, with a nice sear, and a beautiful sheen of grease. I know some people complain about grease but I'm not sure what you're expecting when you order a burger. Their garlic fries was also legit and will definitely keep the vampires away. Worth a visit if you're in the area and craving a good burger joint.
(4)Christopher K.
One of my least favorite restaurents. I come here only rarely and under pressure because my daughter and son like their burgers and hot dogs. I've had their veggie burger which is not very good, and their fish and chips, and fish sandwich, which are awful greasy things that should be avoided at all costs. The fries are mediocre. Cole slaw is OK. Where Burgermeister really stands out is service, which as others have said, ranges from OK to horrible, so I try to avoid eating in-restaurant. Even then, they rarely get a to-go order correct. Today I picked up a burger: "Cheese or no cheese?" "No cheese. With lettuce and tomato only." While I was waiting (they said about seven minutes to pick it up, but it was more like 20), I thought that perhaps I would get it home and find a hot dog, or more typically a burger with toppings that we didn't want, or the frequent bloody "well-done." Being in a hurry after the long wait, I foolishly failed to check the order until I got home. (A burger with no lettuce or tomato.) My fondest memory remains the Bunuelion lemonade episode. They once served my daugher a lemonade that was only water with the faintest lemon flavor. When we finally flagged down the scatter-brained waitress, she said that the dispenser must have run out, and she would have it re-filled. Ten minutes later, "they're re-filling it now, your lemonade will be right out." Another ten minutes, "he just started re-filling it, it will be right out." I think there was one more like that too.... Finally as we finished our food, we asked again: "I'm sorry, we're out of lemonade today." I started laughing and told her it was exactly like the movie, which for a moment I couldn't remember the name of (Bunuel's "Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie"), where women try to order coffee at a cafe, to learn the cafe's out of coffee, but they can have tea--but then they are out of tea, but perhaps some milk?--but then, so sorry, we just ran out of milk, how about a glass of water? This waitress was not familiar with Bunuel, despite seemingly having walked out of one of his films. I hate going here, because their food is too expensive, what I've eaten is not good, and they can't seem to get an order right to save their lives. (It's a hamburger with lettuce and tomato--how hard can that be?) Oh yes, it is obnoxiously noisy. Another reason not to walk in the door.
(1)Nobbi L.
Been there, done that. We saw Mamma Mia the other night. Our housemate wanted to eat here again. The atmosphere was great. We had a sweet server who appeared a little overwhelmed. He had to keep coming back to double check our order. When Jack wanted a drink, I actually went to the bar 'cause I don't think he would have understood. I'm just not a gourmet burger guy. I have trouble opening my mouth so wide and all the stuff usually either falls or runs out from between the bun. The food was ok. But we ended up with a pretty substantial bill at the end. Next time I'll go to Wendy's!
(2)John O.
Alameda's New Burger Joint see other posts: cocktailcocktailscocktai… The much anticipated opening of Burgermeister in Alameda cam to fruition this past Tuesday and give the crowds over the past couple of days it looks to be a hit with locals. If you go for dinner and want to sit down be prepared to wait, I went on Wednesday Night and it was a 20 minute wait for table for two. With any new place there are hiccups, and Burgermeister had a few this evening. We started with cocktails, the Strawberry Margarita was not good, it was the first time I have sent back a drink in a real long time, and the staff did create the drink but not a good start. The lemon drop was solid, but not great. The bartending needs to be improved. The real bummer was not wait for table but the long wait for food. Our server forgot to put our order in, and after 20 minutes she noticed. She did apologize and put a rush on the new order, which came very promptly. In the meantime I had twice ordered a beer and never received it, I guess the good part was I did not get billed. I have to say they failed on the execution of service. The positive was the food. The burger was perfect and the chili cheese curly fries were AWE-Some. So the food was good and I was glad to see all the people dining out in the Park Street District. Of course we ran into several people we know, typical in Alameda. The evening was not a total loss. I would go back because of the quality of food and give them another shot at improving their service. 2358 Central Avenue (between Oak St & Park St) Alameda, CA 94501 burgermeistersf.com
(4)Stan B.
Sit in the bar unless it's a nice afternoon. Then, sit outside. Good solid pours by the bartenders, and they stock ALL of the gins from Alameda's own St. George Spirits. Heck, that's a Yelp star right there! I've seen whining about the size of the burgers. I didn't bring a postal scale, but the rare (and it was cooked rare) 1/3 burger was plenty 'nuff. Fries are acceptable; vinaigrette on the mixed greens is a good choice too. Bottom line: it's a decent neighborhood bar with way better-than-average pub grub. Or, it's a good burger joint where you can get something stronger than PBR.
(4)Martin W.
Big, expensive burgers. Overpriced burgers. Made according to some "burger philosophy" which finds its roots in "Medieval Times," or "The Flintstones," the burgers are almost laughably thick. Not that the total mass of the things is any bigger than that of your average 1/2 pound burger, it's just that these thing are made like curling stones, round and fat. They're also incredibly greasy--I literally stood the things on their ends and let them drain for a minute; it was a gory scene, blood and fat pooling in wax paper, soaking into the bun and causing it to melt into mush. Mushy. That's what the burgers were. No charring on the outside, really thick and overly juicy, thin spongy buns that are sopping wet with grease and disentegrating by the time they reach the table... My favorite way to eat a burger is not with a spoon. The fries were pretty good, nice and crispy (greasy, tho). No Tobasco or vinegar at the table, that's a fail. Overall... it was a middle-of-the-road experience. Staff was nice and attentive, but at $9 for a basic burger unaccompanied by fries... well, the food could be a lot better. It'd be pretty good for, say, $5. Fuddrucker's has Burgermeister beat by a mile--cheaper, better, and the condiment bar rules the wasteland with an iron fist.
(3)Meia M.
The food and service here has always been really good. I have ordered a cobb salad, a burger with swiss cheese, and the cordon blue sandwich. My favorite has been the yam fries. YUM. The best thing about this place in my mind is that it is very dog friendly. I can eat my meal in the outdoor area with my dog there. I can order an extra pattie for $2 for the dog and on hot days they always offer a bowl of water without me even asking. There is plenty of outdoor seating as well so I imagine that anyone not so crazy about being near me and my pooch could have room as well.
(5)Nicole T.
Yum yum yum!!!! I had the 1/3 lb meister burger it has double cheese onions half an avocado and a some other stuff I forget but it was really good I had been craving a burger and it totally satisfied my hunger!!! I wouldnt say its the best burger of all time but it definitely scored very high in my book. I will be back to try more and to check out their separate bar area for sure!!!
(4)Gail N.
I am very surprised about the slew of negative reviews about Burgermeister, and am glad that we decided to give it a try despite yelp reviews. Everything was excellent and my friend and I could not decipher for the life of us what people are complaining about on Yelp! ==FOOD== We ordered the following: 1) California Burger -- 1/3 lb. turkey patty with avocado and jack cheese. 2) San Francisco Burger -- 1/2 lb. Niman Ranch beef patty with crumbled blue cheese, sauteed onions and mushrooms. Both were pretty huge and tasted pretty darn great to us! The meats were very tender, juicy, and savory! I was particularly impressed with the turkey meat which typically is flavorless -- but this one was full of flavor! I think I read some complaints about soggy buns...but, they were perfectly fine to us. Additionally, all burgers are served with a generous portion of your choice of side: fries, salad, or cole slaw. You can also upgrade your side to other options they have. We opted for the sweet potato fries, which in addition to giving you an extra boost of vitamin A, tastes really flippin good! My friend also loved the sweet honey-mustardish tasting dipping sauce that came with it. ==VALUE== $11.25 for a gourmet burger + heaping sides + nice venue = satiation. Works for me! ==SERVICE== Fast, efficient, friendly! ==AMBIANCE== Has a chain-like feel to it, but I attribute this to their desire to look professional. Very clean and modern. Also has a full-bar and beers on tap (yes. Blue Moon!). Can't complain about that, right? The nice thing we noticed was that they separate this section off from the general seating area, so you can have families on one side and boozers on the other =D. Take your pick. ==FINALLY== All in all. I would definitely come back here for a nice sit-down-place for a burger!
(4)Shannon B.
They must give out free booze to reviewers, for good Yelps... which this won't be. Who voted on this place? I drive by here everyday and so want to believe the sign "Voted Best Burger" ... I guess I need to meet the two guys they asked to vote. I drove here from the Oakland Airport just for lunch, I should have eaten the damn bag of crackers from Southwest. Clue to BAD SERVICE #1 - When you walk in the place and the staff looks very busy...talking on their cell phones, and hitting up a very "perky" girl in a very thin shirt. So busy, they ignore your arrival. Me: (looking for an open seat) "Excuse me...." I get the "wait-a-minute finger", and "the look". Then I get "just sit anywhere". INTERPRETATION: Don't sit where I may have to do any work. Sure enough as I continue to look around she tells another server to take care of me...I feel so special. I seat myself and have to ask for a menu. Another patron is actually greeted and seated at the table next to me....I check my pits for any offensive odor (Nope all good), check my shoes for a TP trail or Doggie Doo (All Clear), check my ass for a McCain / Palin bumper sticker (No problem there). What this guy has is beyond me. Maybe they recognize him as one of "The Voters" I press on. I order the bowl of Chili and the Mushroom /Blue Sliders - simple and easy lunch. No just a dream...a wish...a simpleton and his tummy looking for food. Chili arrives - not too bad, little shy on the meat for a place that flaps it's organic - super grass-fed gums about the beef here. [Patron next door orders his lunch - important time line note] Chili is consumed - sliders have not arrived [Patron B gets his food however] I see my food in the window but it cannot make this journey on it's own. I have to snag another worker drone and ask for my food, he tells another server. I feel so special. I again check for social faux pas; none are apparent. Sliders arrive! .....BUT WAIT .....There are NO mushrooms and there is NO Bleu cheese anywhere to be found. [Patron B is chowing down like a wild boar and I want him to choke on the next bite] AGAIN I have get a server and play the "Wait 5 minutes and Watch My Food in the Window " party game, mushrooms are served cold and chill my burgers down wonderfully. Must be grass fed beef doesn't like warm mushrooms, bleu cheese or fast service. These are served with a Peppercorn Dipping Sauce which comes in a little plastic cup, mine came with some very appealing congealed greasy substance on top because it was served COLD. You know I am sooo looking forward to ANOTHER round of Wait to Eat your Grass Fed Hormone Free Beef. [Now I am planning on slipping some poison to Patron B since he has almost finished his whole meal] My Super Server AGAIN makes me watch my cup of sauce (probably with spit in it) sit in the window, obviously this to allow my food to drop to a safe and sane room temperature. Who wants to eat food hot anyway? I notice now that my plate has made three trips back the the kitchen that the garnish of two ripple sliced planks of dill pickle on a leaf of wilted lettuce are arranged in an " X"...must be a sign. For this Grass Fed Hormone Free Recycle Friendly experience I am charged $15.00 !?! I feel so special. Next time I'm wearing a thinner t-shirt. If I could have brought up some grass fed cud as a tip..... I would have YELP please show me how to give a half a star!!
(1)Dina L.
Totally average burger. I was seduced by all the 'best' signage. I dunno. It was a burger, nothing fancy. The cocktail, their premium house margarita, was strong and tart- [insert joke here]
(3)Andrea C.
My entire intent for going to Burgermeister, through the tunnel, into Alameda, is to find out if this is truly the master of burgers. In an answer: it's not, but it's a fair contender. Walking in, it's cute. Nice atmosphere and features veggie burgers, which is a nice touch. What catches my eye, no fail, is the full bar. But I'm grabbing lunch with Papa, so I settled on a pink lemonade. The menu seems to center around a build your own burger, which is nice. It's a little high-end for burgers (burgers start at $9, pre-determined burgers range up to $13, probably more if you have a lot of add-ons). I got a bleu cheese and bacon (YUMM) with fries. The bun was soft and fluffy, which is always a good sign for quality ingredients, but seemed to get soggy with the patty. The fries were perfectly cooked and decently seasoned. The sign boasts the best burgers in all of Alameda, which is very impressive, and I can see how they got that claim to fame. However, I feel that the true master of burgers does not lie here. Also, they only feature about four or five flavors of milkshakes, which is a little bit of an insult to myself and my fat brothern. (I am not fat, I just have made love for my chunky ones). Overall it was a good burger that could stand alone, but master? Maybe not. Barney's is far more solid, but Burgermeister trails along in a second, or close third.
(4)Jose O.
Burgermeister looks so f*** cool it sucks that my experience was sucky (YES! That's a word). I show up and the place was virtually empty, it's a weekday and the lunch rush has returned to the rat race. All the tables are clean and there is a sign saying, "Please take a seat", sooo I take a seat. "You can't sit there, sit over here", I'm directed to the other side of the restaurant and the chupacabras/person wanders away. Uggh! The hostess/waitress rubbed me the wrong way. Her cold bark and demanding approach pissed me off. A second waitress took my order and tried to smooth out the first speed bump. I order the only vegetarian option on the menu, Black bean veggie burger, yeah it sucked booty. I attempted to drown the burger in ketchup to hide the yucky taste but it didn't help much. Maybe I'm being a little b**** but the rude host/waitress and sucky food are big no-no's. I wish my experience had gone better. The large LCD's (10+) and selection of fine beer give it a really awesome appeal. Stupid Burgermeister you ruined a good thing...we...we could've had something special. Oh well, more money in my pocket. Yey!
(2)Kimberlie M.
I love the western burger with garlic curly fries! And one worker looks like Bruce Willis Lol I go here with my Fiancé and the food and service is great! =)
(4)Sarah S.
The moment you walk into Burgermeister, you can see the awards for best burger cluttered on the boarder along the back wall, but I am thinking that the awards were stolen from the SF location... Got the San Fransisco burger and while eating it, I thought why not call it the Alameda burger since we are in Alameda and in fact there was no Alameda burger on the menu( where's your local pride Burgermeister!?). The burger was good, not outstanding or great but good. The entire establishment along with food is along the lines of Barney's which is not particularly a bad thing. Over all just a blah experience and would rather walk 2 blocks up to Alameda Grill.
(3)Renee N.
Have been wanting to come back and give this place another try now that they've had a while to get all the bugs out of their system, and I'm happy to say that it looks like Burgermeister's got things running much more smoothly. I got a half pound cheeseburger, which I realized later (once my tummy had time to settle) was enormous, and curly fries. The burger was yummy as anything you'll find at Barney's, and the fries were tasty. Service was good--I think we were there in the midst of a shift change because by the end of our meal our waitress was nowhere to be found, but another lovely lady stepped in to help us and made many apologies about our having to wait (though we didn't feel it was an unfair wait at all). It's more expensive than a burger would be at Jim's, but it's better quality. It's not as tasty as Nation's, but it's fancier inside. The only place that I'd say could hold candle to the taste while offering a better price is the Alameda Grill, but I don't think they're open as late. Don't be afraid, Alameda: Burgermeister is actually good now.
(4)Ashley D.
I like this Place. Its good, not to crowed, fun for sports fans, and right by the movies. I came here because right after i saw Valentines day i needed a good nice burger and this place looked convincing. Its kinda small inside but me and my girlies still found a spot. The burger was cooked just how i like it pink inside. the burger was also pretty big for its price. Then french fries were good too. I also loved how the waitress was right on cue and was super ncie gave her a nice tip. Great place and its funn inside great addition to park st,
(4)Tania L.
I am the perpetual giver of chances, but when you maintain like a 4/5 average of messing up orders, that's enough for me, I'm done. I go to school across the street, I get a 15 minute break which was recently upped to 30. I'm not aloud to use my phone in class so I can't call my order in in advance. The one time I did, I asked for for sautéed mushrooms and onions on my salad, and a side of fries. They put the sauteed mushrooms/onions on the fries and the salad was regular, and then when I said "this isn't right" they just scraped the mushrooms and onions onto the raw mushrooms and onions on the salad. What? I was offered a free drink while I waited for them to fix it, no thanks, I don't drink sugar. And this is consistently how they roll. Last night, I had a 30 minute break, I came across the street, ordered a veggie burger no bun with sauteed mushrooms (I'm gluten intolerant) and the chick pulled the tag because half of the order was voided, and it didn't go back up. So I stood there, in an almost empty restaurant for 15 minutes till the guy working in the kitchen asked me if I was waiting for something, I said yes, and told him what. He says he hadn't gotten the tag. He hadn't started making it yet.... So the manager is standing there, and I tell him what's up, and he calls the girl over, she offers me a free drink. I decline. He (the manager) comments "wow you guys have really long breaks over there" after I tell him how long I've been waiting. 10 minutes later I am left with 5 minutes to eat before I have to get back to class. The worst part? Is I tip in advance, when I pay. For pickups. They still can't get it together, they perpetually fuck up every order I make, and I can't ask for that back. "no, keep your soda, but can I scratch out the tip authorization on my receipt?" because I've still paid the full amount every time. I'm done. They're a massive waste of time, and the quality of food or location isn't worth the totally inept counter and management staff. Go somewhere else.
(1)Ellis A.
Delicious semi-specialty burgers in a diner-like setting. My brother and my experience here was mainly to satisfy our hungers. When we arrive approximately at 7p on a Saturday, the place was brimming, but there was nobody else waiting for tables in front of us. I look around for a server or hostess, but for the first few minutes, NOBODY would make eye contact with me. No "hello," no "we'll be with you in a moment," etc. Being that I come from a retail background, I don't think any sort of acknowledgement within 30 seconds of arriving is unreasonable. It just made me feel like I entered through the wrong entrance or something. I wasn't expecting to be seated, just greeted. Eventually, a kind young woman told us that she'll be with us shortly, and soon handed us some menus to look over while we waited briefly for a table. A gentleman by the name of Andy seated us and promptly took our orders. My brother had the Meister Burger, and I had the Pastrami Burger (yes, that's a burger patty with pastrami, swiss cheese, and onions...MMM). We also ask for the optional horseradish cream and peppercorn sauces dip. Oops, we forgot to ask for a whole wheat bun (extra fiber, ya know?), so I walk over to Andy as he's punching the order in and ask if it was possible, he gladly obliges. Our food arrives promptly, however, the burgers are on the standard sesame buns. Frankly, my brother and I are so hungry that we don't care too much. The dipping sauces were noticeably absent, but Andy promptly rectified that. The Pastrami Burger I had was pretty effing good. The juiciness of the meat and the gooey melting cheese just melded all the flavors together. The bun was a bit soaked from contents, but it was still hand-holdable to eat. I also got some sweet potato fries. Krinkle cut, and fried with a nice crisp and proper lightly firm and fluffy inside. My brother's garlic curly fries were good, but seemed quite a bit greasier. Maybe it was the garlic oils? I dunno. When we got our bill, it was noted that we ordered the whole wheat buns. So, the error was from the kitchen. We probably could've asked Andy to correct it, but it wasn't a big enough deal for us to care for our meal. Save for the odd feeling when we walked in, my experience here was fine. I'd come back. Andy was very friendly, and though our needs were simple, he made the experience pleasant. SCALE! First Impressions: 3 (It works...) Walking in and feeling like a stranger was definitely a bit odd. Otherwise, the restaurant has outdoor seating (though it was too cold tonight), a dining room, and a full bar area with additional seating and two screens. Value: 3 (You get what you pay for...) My burger as a 1/3lber started at $10 with regular fries, add $2.75 for the option of sweet potato fries. Not the cheapest burger around, but the quality of ingredients and unique offerings make up for it (IT WAS PASTRAMI ON TOP OF THE PATTY!). They use Niman Ranch beef here. Execution: 4 (That was good...) For some unique and quality burgers, look no further. The kitchen did mess up on the buns. But at the same time, I didn't give them the chance to correct it, so it wouldn't be complete fair for me to count it against them. Our server was friendly and helpful. No complaints there. Overall: 3.33 (rounded to 3, as Yelp says, "A-OK") Things here simply work. The experience is clean and average. The food is good, and the service is just fine. The food is on the pricier side for something as "basic" as a burger. Though again, ingredients and unique offerings made up for it, to a degree.
(3)David H.
Burgers are the cornerstone to American Food in my humble opinion, so a joint called the Burgermeister definitely caught my attention. I was very pleased with the San Francisco burger upon my first visit, but I wanted to come back a few more times and try their other options before writing a review. Since, I've ordered the San Diego, The Po' Boy, Cheesesteak, chicken strips, & the chili. All were very good and I recommend the food at this joint. I usually go at lunchtime to dine here, but the one time we went for dinner, it was very tough to get good service. So if you're in a real laid-back and chill mood, this would be a great dinner spot.
(4)Kevin H.
Overpriced decent quality burgers. For the price I was paying, I would expect better, but hey, when you're a chain and have won top 10 burger joints I guess you can raise your prices. Rather have in n out. The sweet potatoe fries were good, but were like an extra $2.50 on top as an upgrade.
(3)Zack O.
I come here very often. I'll admit, it's not cheap for what it is and once in a while we get some sort of bad service. That is quite atypical however. In fact, I would even go as far as to say i've had some of the best more personal, attentive, caring service i've ever had at a restaurant EVER here on occasion. I feel the occasional lapses in service they have are a staffing issue, where they don't have enough people at the right times. Also the daily drink specials and beer specials are a good value considering how good they have been. Their chicken sandwiches and strips are amazing. The burgers are great but they have so much more worth trying. If their service was perfect all the time and the prices a little lower this would be an easy 5 star from me. One last little gripe is that their ketchup is not that great. I can't explain it. might be too old, might be a generic brand, but either way i can tell. Luckily their stellar BBQ sauce substitutes quite nicely.
(4)JD W.
The Western burger should be put in a national museum as an honor to great American burgers. That's how good it is.
(5)Matt W.
Was in there earlier today, and I should have known to leave by the greeting we got from the staff, NONE! We waited 5 minutes to be greeted, while the 3 waitresses were chatting behind the bar and ignoring the customers. So when our waitress came over and we ordered our drinks, she talked my friend into a bloody mary. When my drink comes over the waitress (who tells us she is covering for the bartender) that she is gonna make fresh bloody mary mix for his drink. 15 minutes later (after she has had 3 conversations with other customers and coworkers), his drink hasn't arrived and we waved her over, and she gives us attitude and says that she still needs to make fresh mix. So we mentioned that we are trying to see a movie and time is closing in, and don't you know that she had the nerve to put the bill on our table before our food arrived. And then when we laid the bill folder down, the food still hadn't arrived she came over and if we were ready to pay the bill. WTF? Pay for food that hasn't arrived yet, is this a new custom that I am unaware of? Today's visit reminds me why I haven't eaten in this place for over a year.
(1)Desiree L.
The service here was pretty slow, but our waitress was so nice! All of my impatience surprisingly disappeared. We also had a large group and she made sure to bring out the food all at once--that probably affected the service pace. The environment was nice and they had TVs on playing the game. The bathroom was also very clean. I had the San Francisco burger and it was really good. I appreciate that they toasted the bun. I think for the price ($11.00 for 1/4lb burger) I'd rather go to Barney's or The Counter.
(4)Sandra S.
I swear I must have come past this place a million times and never noticed it. In fact, I asked did it just arrive and someone told me it was pretty new...about 5 years now. WOW!!!! A friend and I was shopping in Alameda and decided we really really wanted Thai food but the place we wanted to try was closed...weird huh! We passed this place and I was like in this day in age they have to sell veggie burgers so lets give it a shot :) Yes...I was in luck!!!! They do have veggie burgers! Mmm mmm good! My veggie burger was on point. Came on a whole wheat bum and I ordered some onion rings to the side. They also have good milk shakes. I had a sip of my friends chocolate one and it was very decadent :) A little on the pricey side for a burger joint but I'll definitely go back :)
(3)Ahmed S.
Tried this place with a co worker after hearing all the hype and was disappointed. The burgers, not that great. Service, not stellar either. The place is pricey too for what you get. I was expecting a mouth watering juicy burger with a large side of big crispy fries. Instead, we got a mediocre dry burger, with a tiny side of fries, for which they charge quite a bit for. It's just bland food to be honest. Over $10 for a lunch in Alameda and not even satisfied afterwards is pretty bad. Will not return here and will not recommend either.
(2)Charlene S.
Great burgers. Shared a 1/4 lb medium Meister Burger which was more than enough for two small girls and very well put together. AMAZING kobe beef cheesesteak. Roasted garlic CURLY fries? what a way to combine two of my favorites.. garlic fries+curly fries. INGENIOUS! lol. Service was great. Food was good. Stomach and tastebuds were satisfied. Solid 4 stars in my book.
(4)Sun E.
The handsome man and I had a date to adventure around lovely CA. It's a blast to just get in the car with no true destination in mind... and just go. We wound up at this place for lunch while CA adventuring. From the street it looked like our type of place; a causal burger joint. We were greeted the moment we walked onto the patio area and seated indoors by choice. Our server rocked with all aspects of the service. Stars are mostly for her...a true gem of a young lady. My husband had the Western Burger with coleslaw and I had a simple burger without cheese and garlic fries. We shared an order of onion rings. The wait for our foods was long;about 25 minutes. Lowdown on the foods... My husband liked his burger. My burger was good, yet not spectacular. The coleslaw looked delicious, yet where was the flavor?! Seriously, it was the most bland dressing we've ever had. The portion was huge and my handsome man shared it, yet a couple bites was enough for me. He didn't eat much of it himself. Garlic fries...ugh. A few of them were edible, yet the majority of them were absolutely over-drenched in oil. I have no grease-fear, yet they were unappetizing. Onion rings were 'da bomb...Mmm Mmm good. Cost was about $6 for the rings. Hate to be nit-picky, yet the cooks truly could cut down on the partying-like chaos in the kitchen. The kitchen is open to the dining area. Several times during our visit, the cooks were hamming it up very loudly and banging on pots and pans. All of the noise was not related to the cooking process. It's cool they were happy, yet they were very loud and the noise was very annoying and invasive. Our visit was very unique, how's that?! As far as value...pretty spendy for a burger joint. Two burgers, onion rings and no drinks, just water was over $30. Must close this on a Sun-E note... our server rocked!
(2)Kirk G.
My review is not to compliment the food although it is great but to say the waiter named J.J. is the best. Always in a good mood he just makes my night. We eat there once a week. My wife and I have been eating their since they opened about 2 years ago. Thanks again J.J. you sure love your job, man. Kirk and Jacqui
(5)Julie B.
Ok - these poor servers who don't know a thing about relating to a human - they are lost without their IPhones!! "Did I forget to bring you something? What kind of an idiot server would walk up to a table and say this? The service was spotty at best - poor things!!! Then you order a malt - they bring a cherry malt - where did they get that? Must have been the voices talking in their heads. The food - mediocre at best!! Fries - could be better - fresh cut they are not!! Don't be fooled. I asked for a burger on a french roll - that would be a hot dog bun. Yes. A hot dog bun disguised as a french roll - who are you kidding!?! I could go on - what a joke!!! They tried - they really did but they were lost without their IPhones.
(2)Christine C.
My dh had a hankering for a burger so we decided to give Burgermeister a try. Let's just say later that night while we were debriefing our lunch that we decided that next time he needed a burger fix that we were going to Burger King since their Whopper is way tastier than the charred burgers we got. I ordered a Tropical Turkey Burger, and although the mango salsa was refreshing I couldn't understand why my burger was so burnt. I had to scrape it off pretty much all over the patty. My dh ordered the Classic done medium and he said it was so dry. He also didn't appreciate that he had to pay extra for fries since they should just go together. Our kids shared a brunch plate of eggs and potatoes, which was fine although the kids didn't like the cheese that was cooked onto the fries. Service was just okay. Plus, we were out $35. That's right - an order of two burgers and a brunch plate with a side of fries comes out to $35 (tax & tip included). Way too much to spend on a mediocre hamburger lunch.
(2)Eric H.
Good solid burgers and salad. Nothing more, nothing less.
(3)shane o.
Fried meat and beer may not really be love, but the artery-occluding effects give me a similar feeling - warm, sleepy, and sated. Consistently good burgers, fries. The philly cheesesteak has a hard time holding it together, in a good way. Always good, non-patronizing people working the place.
(4)Anne M.
I want to like this place so much, but something is always off! WHY I WANT TO LOVE THIS PLACE: - When they get my burger right, it's so yummy... (Meister Burger is my fave) - $2 weekend brunches until December... can't beat it and my veggie omelette was good --- even better knowing it cost me $2. (Last time we were there, the restaurant was only about 1/4 full. Something is wrong if you can't pull in customers for $2 full-size good breakfast plates.) - Love the idea of a burger and a movie at the terrific Cineplex right next door. - Alameda needs good restaurants. WHY I CAN'T LOVE THIS PLACE: - Twice we've found things that shouldn't be in my burger: hair and and bristle from a brush - Service is inconsistent --- 1) One time, asked the waitress for a fork, and the mentally challenged guest at the table next to ours handed us his own fork (we know he didn't know better and was appreciative for him just trying to help); the waitress just says, "oh, you got one" and walked away. totally inappropriate. 2) Another time, they served us our shake in the banged up metal container used to make the shake (the container where they serve you the "other half" of the shake) --- stuck a straw in it and handed it to us; we asked why it wasn't served in a regular glass and he said that's how they serve it. I don't think so. This place has a lot of potential... Burgermeister managers, please wake up.
(3)Gabriella T.
2 stars because the burgers are decent tasting. However they are in no way possible, worth the money. I mean $10 for a hamburger? Not including fries. The last time I was there I went ahead and splurged the extra money for cheese. When my burger was brought to the table, what do you know, no cheese. So I reminded my server about my cheese and he goes in the kitchen and brings out a kraft slice of cheese on a paper plate. If I had known I was paying $1.50 for that, I would have gone to the grocery store and bought myself a pack and brought it with me. Slightly ridiculous. However the servers are pleasant and helpful. Nothing wrong with the service or atmosphere, just not enough bang for the buck in the food category!
(2)Lisa C.
LOVE ME A JUICY, MESSY BURGER!! Stumbled upon this great joint while shopping downtown Alameda for the first time. I'm ashamed to say that I'd never heard of this franchise and now I happy to say that I won't forget it! This was clearly the best burger I've had, and I'm always in search for the best burger...alas I think I found it! This place is clean, modern and everyone was very friendly - I would be remiss if I failed to mention FULL BAR!! What other burger joints have a full bar? I can understand why they receive the accolades they do, from Michelin (s/p?) to Zagat surveys, to being voted best burger several times! Service was great, and fast, we got our order within 10 minutes. The burger was juicy, delicious and actually not as messy as I thought it would be (messy burgers are usually the best - a pain, yes, but the still the best!) The prices are a tad high, but for a good burger I think it's worth it! Can't wait to go back and try other varieties! DEEE-LISH!! :P
(5)Virginia L.
A long time ago someone gave me a voucher for a free burger and soft drink at Burgermeister. I never made it to the one in SF and ended up stumbling upon the Alameda outpost completely by accident. Wasn't sure if they'd honor it since it was kind of old but the girl not only took the coupon, she was totally friendly, patient and helpful. It was midday Saturday, so the restaurant was packed with brunchers and lunchers. I was surprised the cashier was so eager to give me a free meal. I got the Meister Burger - pretty much the burger with everything (grilled onions, mushrooms, bacon, double cheese and avocado). But what is a burger without something greasy and fried on the side? So I ordered some onions rings. The girl behind the counter insisted I try it with tartar sauce and holy moly, it was surprisingly good. The rings were perfect - thick but not too thick, not over breaded, very crispy and hearty. All in all, not too bad. HOWEVER, the real star of the show was the PHENOMENAL milkshake. I got vanilla with a drizzle of chocolate syrup.. oooowheee! So good that my boyfriend said he could make out with it.. no... he could marry it... hell, he'd freaking impregnate that shake.
(4)Mel L.
My boyfriend and I stopped in for a late-lunch before our movie started. We were immediately seated as the place was not very busy, since it was well before dinner time. I ordered the San Francisco Niman Ranch burger, medium rare (yeah, I know ~ I'm not supposed to order rare ground meat!) But I was in the mood for some red meat, mushrooms, bleu cheese (added avocado, too) resting in its own puddle o' blood. Boyfriend ordered the 2 sliders and fries with Ranch dressing. We had nice conversation, were pretty relaxed and not pressed for time. We thought that it was a little peculiar that the food was taking a very long time when the place was almost empty. There was plenty of staff on shift. If there were more tables with people dining at them, we wouldn't have minded the wait. My eyes were drawn to all of the rave reviews and media coverage all over the walls....Bon Apetit, The Guardian, Best of the Bay, (and Sunset?), etc...... Anyway, we receive our food after waiting a little over 30 minutes. Here is what we got: - Meat not medium rare, as ordered. Instead it was dry/ well done. (Why give the customer options, if they don't have the basic culinary skills to properly cook meat?) - Avocado was brown. Had to chuck it. - Skimped on the mushrooms. Also over cooked. - Onion was cut WAY too thick. And I happen to like raw onion, just not at this place. (Don't they know that onion cut like that is just going to end up in the GARBAGE?) For an eff-ing $12 burger, it should have been of much better quality. The sliders were *eh* nothing special, but a little better than the burger. The fries were bland and their ranch dressing is nothing to write home about. Bottom line is that this place is NASTY. I've given this place 3 chances and the quality of the food has been consistent with this review. I will never return. Burger Meister is over-rated CRAP. Want a decent burger? Go to Mc Gee's on Park St., or even Nations, for that matter.
(1)Liz P.
Came in yest. I was in a bit of a rush and ordered to go. Great tasting food, friendly staff, quick service. Your staff is awesome!
(5)Miranda E.
Oh I really liked the fish and chips because the fish was NOT GREASY OH MY GOD. Kind of a Johnny place to go, but sometimes you need that.
(4)D O.
A-OK for now*** According to their take out menu, this place serves only all-natural beef with no added hormones or antibiotics "EVER" (that's really good to know). I actually didn't dine there today, but my parents were there and I requested a cheeseburger To-GO with a side of curly fries. When the food arrived, my burger was slightly cold and my parents requested that my burger was well done. MAN, was it DRY! They were also cheap with the cheese too. LOL. I like my cheesburger cheesy, not with one damn thin piece of cheese! shhesh! The fries were good esp. with the side of special sauce they gave me (it looked like chipotle sauce but it wasnt, it was so good!) lol. Overall, I was not impressed with my "TO-GO" order. I gave this joint an A-OK rating because my burger was just ok, but again, it probably would have been better if I had the burger right away. They seem to offer a lot of varieties at this joint, and the price seems decent for a restaurant that has quality all-natural beef. I will give this place another try for sure and will be back to edit my review once I build my own burger, try the sweet potatoe/garlic fries and their dessert (Grilled Pineapple Ice Cream Sundae)! See ya back soon!
(3)Paul C.
It's not THE best burger joint in the Bay Area. But it is a great place to have a bite to eat with some friends. Burgermeister is located off Park Street (which is lined with an endless places to eat) and the Alameda Theater. The burgers were pretty good. I had the western burger with a side of garlic fries. The burger was adequate in size - not too big, not too small. The garlic fries were just amazing - like the kind you'll find at a ball game or concert. They don't have a desert menu (they do have a lot of shakes), but the servers are nice enough to make me a fudge sundae. The service was good and the atmosphere was pretty nice - it does get loud when it's crowded. I also tried the San Francisco dog, which is pretty delicious.
(4)Stephie S.
The food is decent, and so is the service, but not spectacular. On the pricey side for what it is.
(3)Dennis J.
I don't eat meat. But when I do, I like a good burger. Lately, I've witnessed a profusion of burger joints advertising hyperbolic accolades from sundry authorities (e.g., "Best Burger," "Top Ten in the Country," "Seventh Best Burger in the World"). I can't say I know what the political slant on this is, or why various magazines and authorities (such as Michelin, for God's sake) are supporting restaurants like Burgermeister with such reckless abandon. It might have something to do with the whole grass-fed thing. Seriously, I'm all for cutting back on the corn subsidies and feeding cattle a more natural diet, but I haven't noticed an uptick in taste. I hate to say it, but this meat just tastes blander. Maybe the best thing I can say about it is, if the meat is better or even comparable to corn-fed, restaurants like Burgermeister shouldn't go out of their way to drown the taste with extras such as bleu cheese and jalapenos. The meat should always be the star, period. Although I love me some tasty cheese and some fiery jalapenos, if it doesn't complement the meat, but instead becomes the MVP of the burger, the burger is a failure. What if Phil Jackson would have allowed Pippen to take more shots per game than Jordan? Would that have resulted in the same number of championships? No. And just like anything that has a clear superstar, everything must start and end with that superstar. And what happens when they cut back on role players with their Classic and Cheeseburger? The star at BurgerMeister can't carry the team. But I will give BurgerMeister three stars for offering vegan and vegetarian options, and for providing great role players.
(3)Madeleine F.
Today was a gorgeous day out and we searched for a nice spot to eat outdoors. We stumbled upon Burgermeister and read the overall reviews on Yelp before we sat down. I had the 1/4 Burgermeister with fries. It was ok. A decent size burger with a fresh fixings for it. No wilted lettuce, but the tomatoes were kinda mushy and the pickles looked like road kill. Service was ok. Our waitress was on the ball but the girl who dropped off the ranch dressing we asked for acted like she could care less. Nothing stood out about the service just overall OK.
(3)Semon J.
We went here for lunch. This was my first time trying burger miester, and I was satisfied. There slogan is,"A taste you can trust" My stomach agrees. I had the classic cheeseburger with everything, no onions. The burger was cooked well, and it was fresh and delicious. I LOVE the fries. Thin crust, my favorite with a great taste to it. I also had a Oreo cookie shake, it was good, but I've had better. The service here is good. They are nice people, but it's tough to catch there eye, you know how annoying that can be. But it didn't take long. The price is actually Pretty good. I'll be back, definitely.
(4)Ian O.
The quintessential 3-star. Nothing here will blow you away but the burgers are hot, the beer is cold, and the service is A-OK. For the burgers themselves in this area I prefer 5 Guys in South Shore Center. But Burgermeister's more expansive menu makes this a good spot when I want a burger but the wife and kids don't!
(3)Steve G.
I stopped in for a quick cocktail before seeing a movie next door at the theater. It happened to be "thirsty Thursday", so draft beers were $3 a pint. Sold. I got a Blue Moon, served with the proper garnish, a slice of orange. I also wanted a vodka, over, with a twist. WHAT? No Belvedere .... OK, I understand. NO GREY GOOSE? OK... then I spotted Chopin. Now we're talking. Yummy potato vodka from Poland. Make it a double please! Friendly service from the staff, and timely with the bill after I mentioned I was going to a movie.
(3)Diane V.
Really good burgers. Thick milkshakes, yummm Tasty Chili Fries. A well enough stocked bar to get something to go with your meal. Place is clean. Have had good service each time there... smiling, friendly, efficient waitresses that are not over bearing or intrusive. Have seating outdoors also. Located next door to the Alameda theater which makes it handy to get a bite before, or after, a movie.
(4)Michael M.
Good burger(SF) & fish sandwich. Bar service could be a little quicker and cleanliness was a bit rough. It was OK, but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here.
(3)Tony B.
garlic fries, curly fries, great burgers and cold beer. This place is a nice little joint, nothing too fancy. Caught them on a happy hour and beers were 3 bucks, not bad! Again the food was delicious and the manager was very friendly and courteous. Would definitely recommend it
(5)Kaori M.
Stereotypic American burger place. I had buffalo chicken sandwich with salad. It was good because I was there after 20-mile hike. The service was good, but food was not very special.
(3)Meghan F.
Garlic fries are pretty good and my husband likes there wings. Other than that it's just normal food. Nothing special.
(3)Ken P.
So I stop in after a movie on a Sunday. Thinking about a burger and maybe even some wings. Sit down and see the sign: $5 bloody Mary's on Sunday. Perfect. Bartender tells me she is out of mix and do I "really" want her to mix a whole new batch. Gee, no I guess not. Next on the sign- $3 drafts all day. Cool, how about an IPA? "Oh, that sign is wrong". Now getting annoyed. Just give me a bottle of Deschutes please. ...."Um, we are out". Ok. I'm over it. Just give me a Coors Light. Wow, with that kind of commitment to customer service and attention to detail, how could I not order dinner? Forget the food. I'll go somewhere else. Guess where I'm not going again any time soon. How about until then you get your shit together?
(2)Cara L.
While the food is still A-OK, the service is what brought Burgermeister down a star for me. Granted, it was a holiday (President's Day) so the streets of historic downtown Alameda were booming with more people than usual. And yes, Burgermeister was a bit busy, but even so--not enough to warrant the severe lack of service we experienced. It started as soon as we walked in the door. We saw signs taped up that said "Cash Only" and we just assumed their registers were down or something. This was the case, hence all the employees were running around like chicken with their heads cut off... but without the big crowd or chaos to warrant that kind of reaction. There were empty tables everywhere, but they were covered in trash and half-eaten food. The waitress at the door barked at us to seat ourselves, so we picked one of the open, dirty tables and waited. And waited. And waited. Nothing. No one stopped to clean up the table. We decided to snag a table outside on the patio, since we were getting ignored anyways. We found another dirty table outside and waited some more. Finally a waitress came out and said, with attitude, "I was actually cleaning that table." Ummm... as you should be. We're not stopping you. Do you want us to leave while you clean it? Check your teenage angst at the door, honey. Life isn't that hard... yet. Our food was okay, but they forgot a milk shake for our table. It wasn't until my boyfriend went inside to ask that they gave him attitude AGAIN and finally made it. They told him, "they were working on it," yet came out 2 minutes later with a shake. If you forgot, it's OK. Just admit it. Don't try to tell me you were waiting over 30 minutes to make a milkshake. He also had to get up to get us salt and pepper, which should have been on our table in the first place. It's too bad... but service can really make or break a customer experience. And this one broke it.
(2)Marce M.
Had the bacon cheeseburger. I was satisfied. I ordered the curly fries instead of regular fries. Pretty good, I'd go back.
(4)Angela H.
Downgraded to a 4... See the photo of my last review, with 4 large strips and two smaller ones? The only bad thing about Burgermeister is the inconsistency. Went today for a late lunch, and only received 3 medium strips. Still tasty, of course. But I'd rather get a plate with 6 strips than 3.
(4)Terry S.
Been looking for a Wings Place near me. I was happy these wings. They were crispy and fell off the bone. They didn't have too many flavors. Only mild, hot, and barbeque. Overall very good. I will be going back.
(4)Paul L.
Legend has become mere legend... Burgermeister, What happened? Back in 2011 when I first tried you, the burger I had literally blew my mind and my stomach into blissful ecstasy. The second and third time was just as good. Then we parted for a good 3 years. Just never had the occasion to see you. Perhaps some of that is my fault... but then I came back. I always passed you by and figured I must revisit the legend that you are for old time sake. Call me sentimental, but I ordered the same exact burger from that amazing moment several years ago.. but then what happened? What kind of hardship have you faced that you have changed so much? I had an inkling something was wrong when I asked the nice lady for some of your delicious aioli. I remember so vividly the immense variety of aioli flavors and dipping sauces that always made me so happy. I love sauces. But then the lady looked at me confused and said what aioli? I put some ketchup in your bag. Ketchup? I tried to explain about the aioli but it was clear to me she had no idea what I was talking about. Has it been that long? Have you changed that much? What happen to the variety? The vibrancy? The love? Then I looked at my chicken sandwich. What happen to that large, too big to fit in my bun chicken? What happen to the warm juicy chicken I bit into that made me write that ridiculous yelp review talking about Legends and referencing Kung Fu Panda? No. it was dry, small, and not juicy at all. What happened to you? It's like I don't even know you. Was it because I was young and love struck that I just didn't see clearly? Or have you changed? I.. just can't believe this... perhaps, i'll come by again... i can't finish this review... good bye
(3)Tristan J.
I would've given another star but for the enormous glass of water served to me without question. In light of our current drought, I would think they would ask first and serve in a small glass. I did observe a waitress watering the succulents out front with the unconsumed water from another table, but how much water do they need? That being said, the food and service were great. But please, rethink your water service.
(3)Jenna T.
Reviews definitely underrate this place. Granted it's not the best, but it hits the mark. The rave about the garlic fries stand true. It's crispy and made with real garlic! I ordered a "create your own burger" and I was satisfied. The fried egg, of course, was over cooked but didn't change the taste of the burger. The bacon was thick and crispy. The service was really accommodating. We had to catch a movie so we were in a hurry, but they gave us a box and our check when we asked for it the same time the food came out. Then the server gave us tips about how strict the theater is about bringing outside food, that was nice of him. Overall, our experience was fine. I don't see why this place only has 3 stars. I would say that the place seems too big for the flow of foot traffic they have. You'll have to find street parking. The location is unbeatable.
(4)Clare W.
The burgers we got were very tasty. The shakes however, a little less satisfying. The strawberry shake tasted more like syrup than anything, and the vanilla tasted too much like ice cream. We ordered the chilli cheese fries...bad idea. They were awful. The fries seemed microwaved, and the chili tasted like it came out of a package. The cheese was not melted, and it was obviously from a bag and was dry. The atmosphere was nice, but a little too warm inside. We had a different waitress come see if we needed anything else about 3 or 4 different times, which was a little odd. Ended up spending $40 for 2 on food that wasn't worth $40.
(2)Alexandria C.
First of all, I've been here half a dozen times now and have never had bad service. I've had issues with patrons letting their toddler wander all over and pull things off people's plates. Yeah. I've only had their handmade veggie patty/burger and let me say this: yes. Delicious. It's amazing and not microwaved or processed. It's what every vegetarian strives to find. The only other one I'd rec is from Buffalo Bill's in Hayward. Anyway, you can build your own burger around it OR sub it into other burger combos, like the San Francisco. My boyfriend has had a couple different meat-patties, incl. the San Francisco, and loves them all. If I feel like burgers and he's on the fence about food, all I have to do is namedrop this place and he's pulling me out the door. Fries? awesome. A little thin (I prefer steak fries) but perfectly seasoned. Want garlic? Go for it! The garlic fries here are on par with ballgame garlic fries; absolutely amazing and you'll horrify Dracula. Also in the fall they have a real pumpkin shake. REAL PUMPKIN. You know you want to try it. They allow dogs on the patio and the staff will even bring you containers of water for them. It's really awesome.
(5)Mathew P.
Walking into BurgerMeister, I was left with the impression that I would be greeted with the same warm hospitalities that I received a year or two prior to my recent visit. I wanted to introduce my two younger siblings to an establishment with great food and a great atmosphere, but I guess things must have changed. Not only was I left confused onto whether we would be self seated, or were to get the menus myself, the stares of the two employees who dawdled left a disdainful taste in my mouth. Ordering their swiss burger and toasted garlic fries, I was extremely disappointed by their generic, barely medium-rare burger and their sorry excuse for "garlic fries" which seemed like the frozen, faux store kind. It didn't feel authentic nor did I feel as if it was worth spending $13 for such a mediocre meal. Nevertheless, I give BurgerMeister a grand two stars.
(2)David L.
Was surprised. Solid bar food. We had wings which were well cooked and nicely sauced with Frank's hot sauce from Buffalo. Burgers were also tasty. It's nothing fancy, but it's a great place to get solid good bar food which sometimes just makes you happy. It's a step above other typical bars/restaurants.
(4)Olamide N.
The food was pretty good, I ordered the teriyaki burger, 1/3 lb, it comes with grilled pineapple, it was good the only thing holding me back from giving a 4 star is the price for the portion.
(3)Jim D.
Burgermeister offers two for one omelettes on Sunday mornings. I think I could possibly order two for myself but I think that would make me a total glutton. I ordered a three egg omelette ($8.95) with three toppings (canadian bacon, bell peppers & avocados), country fries plus a choice of toast, muffin or fruit. Also available is an all egg white omelette for those watching their cholesterol levels. The omelette was very flavorful and the added ingredients gave it added zest. In taste comparison I think this omelette is highly rated compared to other breakfast establishments I have visited and I highly recommend it. You will probably catch me in one of the booths reading the Sunday sporting page stuffing my face with one of the tasty omelettes. Very good service.
(4)Sheila D.
Came here for lunch one rainy day. It was pretty empty, but I did notice that they have a bunch of flat screen tv's in the bar area, which has quite a few tables. Note to self for future lunch - time sports games viewing! I had a couple of pints of Blue Moon ($5 apiece) and a very tasty salad with grilled onions and mushrooms. I asked them to add avocado. It was perfect and hit the spot. Next time I'll try the sliders or a veggie burger when I am more hungry.
(3)Lillibeth G.
Service is slow but the cheese burgers are yummy. So if you're not in a hurry when you're visiting Alameda. It's okay to visit this place
(3)MAX-ADAM A.
So after my bad experience detalied below, I went back to Burgermeister because I received a message from the Coroporate office to come back, eat on their behalf and to re-write the review. So i took my friend/god sis with last night to catch up on things and to get down on some serious eats, if it was to be "serious". We were kindly greeted by Jeff, who may be the manager and he immediately saw the cards we had and asked what happened and how we got those. So I told him what had happened and he ensured that it will be better this time around. Because of the comped meal we were getting, we both ordered a 1/2 Pound Western Burger which consisted of a half pound burger patty, onion rings, cheese, bacon and bbq sauce. We both had a side of fries as well. The burgers came out nice and hot, fries were crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Fresh looking produce (Thanks Lindsey for dropping yours on the floor LOL jk). Every bite the burger was wonderful. The burger patty was juicy, the burger buns were toasted well and this time it held up nicely and the fries were on hit. What I did like was Jeff's attentiveness to us. It was just right, he didn't over do his service, he asked us how were doing and how the food was twice and that was perfect enough. I dislike it when we get asked the same thing over and over again. He was nice, considerate, and ensured that everything would be better this time and it was. Thanks Jeff! At the end of the night, we were told that the entire meal was comped including our drinks. Yet we asked to be charged for the Iced Tea so we could at least leave a tip since the both of us only had plastic payments on us. Overall, I'll come back now...enjoyed the food and service last night, so why not?
(4)Mary C.
My bff and I stumbled in here after watching a movie at the alameda theater. What a convenient location! I really wish I ordered a malt at the bar instead of what I really ordered: a strawberry moonshine martini. Now now, the bartender was incredibly nice. He was sweet, talkative and really knew what he was doing. He made me a deliciously poison concoction. See, moonshine is a brand; a whiskey that is 50% alcohol. He mixed it with some hazelnut liqueur and I daringly agreed on the raw eggwhite. He even tossed in a moonshine soak strawberry to garnish. Now note that I also ate a bunch of crap and had a beer before this cocktail. But after going on with my evening as usual: tutoring a kid, having a nice family dinner, chatted with the boyfriend. I felt an incredible migraine that got me yacking in the middle of the night. It's dangerous stuff children. Careful for that moonshine. Maybe I should get it again without the egg and strawberry? Probably not. Shoulda got a shake, Mary. Shoulda gotten a shake.
(3)Kathleen W.
Grabbed dinner here before catching Harry Potter at the theater next door. They were pretty busy and it took a while to get our order taken as the staff zoomed around. The most memorable part of my meal was our waiter recommending a new beer brewed in Chinatown. We asked him if he was only suggesting it to us b/c we're Chinese. Turned out the beer was pretty tasty. Burger itself was prepared to expectations.
(3)Seth E.
This is a typical American food/bar and grill-type place. I had a 1/2 lb burger with fries. It was very good and I think it cost around $9.50. That's not pricey in my book. The service was friendly, though I could see them being less attentive when it gets crowded. The restaurant is next to the Alameda movie theater, so it's super-convenient.
(4)Derek N.
The food that we had was good, but the service we had was not. It was mid-day on a sunday afternoon, restaurant was not full and we didn't have a big order. There was only 3 of us and the waiter forgot about 3-4 different things we asked for. Pros: Full Bar Location (next to Alameda Theatre, Wine Bar, and Park St) Food was decent, if you have kids they will enjoy it Cons: Fire the waiter we had (just kidding) Pricy
(3)Luke B.
It was alright
(3)Mina K.
Funny the price difference of a burger when it is in a paper bag (In-N-Out: $3) versus when it is on a plate (Burgermeister: $10). I came here with a friend for lunch, and I have to say it was decent. I had the Teriyaki burger, which was HUGE, accompanied with a salad with MANGO dressing. I loved it, though my inner fat girl craved fries after the first bite. Service was satisfactory, nothing exceptional. My friend ordered a chicken caeser salad and two beers. The second beer did not come until near the end of our meal. Nonetheless, I left happy and full. But if you are craving a regular burger, I would suggest Alameda Grill up a bit Park St. :)
(3)Michael L.
The burger was delicious but I want to write about the service. I really appreciate it when people go over and above to give good service. I ordered a bacon burger and I like my bacon really crisp. When the burger came, the bacon was cold and soggy. I asked them to crisp it up for me. Now in most places when you ask them to cook the food a little more, they yank away the entire plate, including everything that was fine, and leave you with growling stomach staring at your companions happily chowing down. Not here. They didn't even take the old bacon away. Instead, they called out to the cook: "Need some fresh bacon, extra crispy." A few minutes later Lilly, our waitress, brought the fresh bacon. She took the time to ask if it was crispy enough or would I like them to cook it crispier. I like my bacon REALLY crispy and no place ever gets it right the first time. Lilly gave me the space to ask for just what I wanted and she had them cook the bacon a little more. When she brought it back the second time it was just right. So: great burger, great curly fries with chili, and extra great service.
(5)Greg G.
Its been over a year since I've eaten at Burgermeister. Last time I was here, burgers were approximately $100 each(sarcastic, lol), the service was poor, and the only reason I was giving it 3 stars was because they had a great Alameda Phonebook coupon deal going on. I finally made it back to Burgermeister last week and loved it so much, I went back again the very next day! Things have changed drastically! The prices of the burger have gone way WAY down, and the qulity of the burgers appear to have gone way WAY up! My favorite burger hands down is the 'San Francisco Burger'. Picture: yelp.com/biz_photos/8emC… A 1/4 LB of Neiman Ranch beef, grilled onions, mushrooms and bleu cheese- plus French Fries is now only around $9! That's at least at $5-6 dollar drop from where they used to have it priced. Totally worth it and such a great deal! Plus, it's totally delicious. I like the 'San Francisco burger' from Burgermeister much more than the similar 'Hubert Keller Burger' from Burger Bar in SF(which is priced at $22!) I was once had a so-so opinion about Burgermeister- but now I can safely say I'm a fan. I definitely going back soon.
(4)Mark Q.
When a customer accidentally spills a near full drink, you should offer them a new one. Mediocre food, bad service. The only good thing is the local beer. Goto Barneys instead.
(1)Nene R.
Bad SLOW service, greasy fries and burgers...not the best experience I have had in my burger eating cravings over the years. Friend was not impressed...but did like the beer selctions (what guy wouldn't!?) The bun is cheap and tasteless...can not believe I spent so much for such a poor treating and eating! Ah.... but lesson learned~ Save yourself for Barney's...at least they are consistant and not as pricey.
(2)Kim V.
This burger joint definitely deserves the 5 star review because they deserve it. After an unpleasant experience here, a Burgermeister associate contacted us with the hopes of redeeming themselves. By educating us on the quality of their meats and why their service took so long, it did help me gain a better understanding on their service and products. Came here a few days ago to re-live the experience, and it was MUCH better. We didn't get a chance to dine-in since my boyfriend just finished an MMA tournament at Coast Guard Island (he was smelly and bruised on his calf and chest), so we ordered to-go. Called in when we were down the street, and they said the order would be done in 10 minutes. Arrived there about 5 minutes later, and told the order wasn't ready yet. So I waited in the car parked outside, and sure enough, 5 minutes later, the order was ready. Told them I had two coupons for an on-the-house meal, and the cashier rang it up and handed me the meal with sauces. I literally walked outside to my boyfriend and said, "10 minutes?! That's even faster than a restaurant." Like last time, it was crowded, with one or two tables open, and I did notice the two cooks in the back running back and forth like crazy. When we arrived home, the burgers and fries were a little soggy (mainly due to my boyfriends need to stop by two stores on the way home). I was able to toss them in the oven, and ta-da! A crispy hot burger with crispy hot fries. I never noticed that the avocado was just half of an avocado spooned out of it's shell and smacked dab on the burger. Weird. Guess that's what sets them apart!
(5)Doctor G.
Went here with a big group on a busy Sunday night. Given the size of the crowd, Burgermeister must be doing well. They seated us pretty efficiently and our service was pretty good too. Prices are still north of what you might expect, but you do get quality burgers here. Outdoor seating too. I had the fish and chips this time. No uniformly shaped rectangular logs here - irregularly shaped pieces of fish deep fried and tasty.
(3)Steph H.
We stopped here after a watching a movie at the Alameda Theater. I got the California burger (avocado and pepper jack cheese) and fries and my boyfriend got a bacon cheeseburger with salad (well it was just lettuce, so that was a little bit of a letdown for him). The burger was cooked well and the service was friendly and fast. We would come here again.
(4)Nick S.
The burgers are good but the place is loud when crowded. The service is quick if you see a movie next door. The service is ok with some workers does not ask or take your glass to refill you drink until your food is serve.
(4)Aivy C.
I came on a not-very-busy Thursday, which was probably a good thing, as service was prompt and we had no issues with the noise and atmosphere. We ordered two San Francisco burgers (blue cheese, grilled onions), buffalo wings, and sliders. Burgers came out juicy and perfect, buffalo wings were still crispy and fresh under the sauce. My only complaint was that the bun had a tendency to get soggy at the edge from all the juice generated from the meat. Fries were good but I preferred my roasted garlic fries to the plain ones everyone else got. Kyle was our server and he was on point the whole night. No complaints about service there! I'd come back, but definitely towards closing and not at peak hours.
(4)Esther Y.
Impressive menu, you customize-your-own burger or choose from one of their many pre-set burgers. I happened to be sitting near the window and saw an ad for their Baby Back Ribs special. When I saw that, I HAD to get it. I also upgraded the fries to CURLY GARLIC FRIES (not just garlic fries, folks...but CURLY ones!). What an amazing meal. The meat was super tender and falling off the bone, and the Hawaiian pineapple teriyaki sauce I picked was delicious (though my friend thought it was a little weird, so it's probably for everyone's taste). The curly garlic fries were amazing, so I'm really glad I shelled out the extra $2.25 to upgrade to it. I didn't really like the regular fries, and the sweet potato fries were good but not worth how much they cost. And I didn't really like the coleslaw, but I'm not a big coleslaw fan anyways, so take that with a grain of salt. It'd have to be pretty amazing coleslaw for me to like it. The service is really friendly and accommodating here, that's definitely a plus! And they're totally cool with splitting bills, which was much appreciated for our party of...20?
(4)Caroline V.
Oh, burgermeister. If you got some heat lamps and/or your hostessing together, you might get 4 stars. Your burgers are pretty delish, especially the San Diego and the San Francisco. Now, nobody really needs half an avocado on their burger, but I appreciate the gesture. I like that you use Niman Ranch beef, and that I can get a whole wheat bun and even mixed greens as a side instead of fries (though the sweet potato ones ARE nice and almost worth the extra $1). But. Seriously. You have a nice outdoor seating area, so why not put some heaters out there so that you can use it for seating, since you are the most popular kid on the block and all. Or maybe tell your hostess to keep visual track of who's who and where they are on her very professional waitlist, which is scribbled down on the back of an order pad. Maybe then people wouldn't have to wait for freakin' ever to be seated and lock eyes with the hostess every five minutes as a reminder. Or just have someone else deal with the waitlist. That'd probably work too.
(3)Christine J.
Great service and great selection. I was happily surprised with this little place. Fun environment, good for kids, and very accommodating. They even whipped me up a tasty Ginger Beer alcoholic drink that wasn't on the menu. Now that is service!!
(5)Ron H.
This is place is my favorite burger in alameda! I am going there every week, the service is good , the place is clean , and the food is yummy . They have a good selection and for those of you that like good burgers you defiantly should try it . I love it there.
(5)James G.
I'm liking this place less and less. The food's OK but the service is a real wild card. We went in yesterday on our way to a movie and arrived at noon. It was fairly empty. Our food didn't arrive until 12:35 -- after 3 other tables that arrived after us had been served. I would have had to burst into flames to catch the waiter's eye.
(2)Jeffrey S.
After finding ourselves in Alameda after 9 PM one Saturday night and needing food badly, a friend and I wandered around downtown until stumbling upon Burgermeister. With a marquee that says "Voted Best Burger," we were lured in. Even though it was later in the evening (at least, for Alameda), the place was packed, and we took one of the two open tables. After checking out the menu, I ordered a bacon burger with regular fries and a cherry pepsi, while my dining companion selected the Teriyaki burger with fries and a beer. My burger was very tasty. The Niman Ranch beef has a lot of flavor, and the bacon was very crispy. The fries were pretty good, and went well with the side of mango chili dipping sauce. The meat was very juice (cooked medium rare), but the bun was too soft to hold up to it. Overall, I enjoyed my meal here. Next time, I'll get an ice cream sundae or at least a shake.
(4)Crockett H.
The mushroom Swiss burger and vanilla malt were terrific. Also tried the garlic curly fries. Very yummy.
(5)Brett D.
We didn't try a burger , but the appetizers were good. Outside dining was nice. Prices are fair too. Will be back to try burger.
(3)Kiki C.
Fine, you wanna charge me $14 for a Reuben? No problem, just make sure there is half a pound of pastrami on there and don't forget the kraut! Also, we're my French fries previously frozen? I could tell. Thank you for being responsible meat procurers, and thank you for your almost attentive service, but no thank you for round 2.
(2)Allen S.
UPGRADE: Temporary upgrade until I go back and eat there again. I've upgraded my review as I was sent a message by the Manager, and trying to follow up and inform me of improvements and how their customer service should be improved. The fact that she followed up is an immediate improvement, but let me go back and re-rate service and food. Will keep you posted. Thank you to the manager, Lena.
(3)Joel V.
I came to Burgermeister tonight with high expectations because of a suggestion from my bro (who has been spot on in the past). "Todd B" loves 'Meister, and he specifically recommended the Western burger to me. Positives: Downtown Alameda is a cool spot. The 'Meister was clean and more upscale than I had envisioned. Lots of choices, you can build your own or go with their creations. They have fries, garlic fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, etc. The burgs are big, Niman Ranch 1/2 pounders. Produce was very fresh. Negatives: Very limited parking because of popular area and it's right next to the movie theater. My fries were not hot (barely warm), and $2 increase for garlic or $3 for rings is a bit excessive. Bun was too wimpy for such a big patty, the bottom bun especially. Shaky service, asked thrice for the bill. Got to see third tier celebrity, Fred Ingles (couldn't even be Mark Ibanez or Joe Fonzi). Expensive, $17 for burger, fries, coke and a tip. Overall, definitely solid - but didn't meet the hype. Good meat patty, cheese and veggies. Subpar fries, bun, bacon and service. 3.75 stars.
(4)Kai S.
Apparently this place won Best Burger in Alameda 2009... That's cool, good job to them on making a good burger.... That said, I'm don't eat land animals so I've never had their "meat burger," only a veggie one, and it was quite good I must say. . . . . . However. The service stinks, the manager that was there when I ate there looked sleazy and on the fake side for sure (actually come to think of it, the place just FEELS sleazy in general!), and the prices are way too high for what you get (expensive burgers? Whats the world coming too?!) ... I mean, maybe the meat ones really are to die for, I wouldn't know, but judging from veggie one I had and the fries, the food is "upper-level good" but all-in-all I'd rather see a much cooler restaurant in its place being next to Alameda Theater / in the heart of Alameda! Then when you factor in the environment (which isn't great) , the service, and the sleazy vibe you become saturated in when eating there, you get 2 stars. :) So sad. But true.
(2)Harvey K.
Best Burgers in Alameda? I think so! My first time ever at Burgermeister was a great experience. The atmosphere was good and my waitress was very kind and helpful when deciding on what to order. I like my patty cooked medium rare and most places can't seem to get it close to that but here at Burgermeister my patty was cooked to perfection. It only took me one bite before I knew how great this burger was. It was so juicy and rich in flavors; a well put burger! This place is somewhat pricey but it is worth it for what you get. The service was very snappy and the staff were very friendly which makes this place even better. I will definitely be coming here more often for my new found love! ;)
(4)Sara M.
I've tried this place more than a few times. Once was just for a beer and a game on tv. That is what I'd recommend if you must go there. I have to agree with the other low scores on this place. If you are looking for a burger done right, don't count on finding it here. I order my burgers mid-well and they always come out mid-rare. Also the bun is always soggy, even if it's a regular cheeseburger with no condiments. I went in for a to-go (a burger and salad). This exchange was over $10.00 and when I got home the plain cheeseburger bun was soggy and the salad was just mixed greens. There was nothing else on the salad greens, no veggies or dressing. I opted to not ask for salad dressing because I was taking it home anyways and the entire time I waited for my burger the dressings were out on the register counter because I guess the cashier was supposed to be prepping servings of it. The open dressing bins sat on the counter unattended which grossed me out. Another annoying, but not the worst part was that I had to repeat my entire order because the cashier was not paying attention to me while he took my order. The worst part is that I ate the burger and as a result got sick.
(1)Elana L.
5/14/13 Went here because I had been craving a Turkey Burger, the food made me painfully sick for 2 whole days. Food coming from everywhere. I have never experienced food poisoning only heard about it. Would never eat a turkey burger even if thats what it was in public again................
(1)Eric B.
My son and I came here early last evening for a quick bite before school open house. Although street parking looked impossible, there was lots of room in the parking lot behind the theatre. I really like what they've done with the theatre complex. It's deco handsome, as is the Burgermeister space and adjacent businesses like the wine bar. My son and I were also half-tempted to skip the open house and go see Star Trek again. We were seated immediately in the bar area. However, the rest of the evening was slow and not quite calibrated service-wise. We came in the restaurant thinking that we had plenty of time to get to the school, but ended up having to rush out at the end. One other interesting observation was another waiter who changed the TV channel away from a soccer game to the NBA. When the folks who were actually watching the match complained, he simply shrugged and told them curtly that if they knew how to do it, they could change the channel back themselves! The cheeseburger that we split was excellent and my son devoured his root beer float. Everything looked and tasted great. However, I just didn't think it was a good value for the money, especially considering the marginal service. The Fig Cafe in Glen Ellen, Sidebar in Oakland, Main Street Burgers in Los Gatos, and of course Mazo's in Milwaukee seem to be a bit better with that combination.
(3)Patrick S.
Good service, food, and atmosphere. The concept is simple and well executed. Burgers were great, but a few things could be improved. I tried the buger with jalepenos and pepper jack, adding bacon. It was great, but when I asked if the peppers were pickled, I was told no. Of course they were in fact pickled when it arrived. I was fine with fresh or pickled so didn't really care, but maybe a bit more training for the staff would be good. The fries are all pretty good, with hand cut, curly, garlic variants of each, and sweet potatoe all available. The later option was very good, the hand cut also good, but the curly seemed to drip with oil. I'd skip them next time. Beer and wine options were pretty good, outdoor seating also seemed like a fun option. Parking was ok on a Saturday afternoon, but a trifle congested. Best to use the parking garage adjacent to the theater complex. Cost for two adults, one child, two beers was about $84. Seems a bit high to me, but we enjoyed it overall.
(3)Tina T.
Delicious & Fresh! BF & I were looking for a quick grub on NYE, came here for dinner. Place was pretty packed, mainly bar area, but we chose to sit in the 'dine in.' Pretty small restuarant overall. At first, upon walking in, it seems as if you are supposed to go UP to the COUNTER and order, but your not supposed to. They have a full staff waitress / waiter, who will take your oder. Order: Cheeseburger w/ Fries (9?) -Medium well, turned out, medium well. Can definitely taste the "char." Didn't need to add any condiments, ate it as it came! San Diego? Burger w/ Caesar Salad (12?) - Didn't get to try it but the BF was super satisfied. Salad was definitely fresh & crisp! Trumer Pils Beer $5 ** Most of their beers are local - which is awesome! Decently priced as well. I'm guessing local beers cut the transportation cost?? Service - Decent. Though, when I asked for water, he only gave me 1 cup. I assume most restaurants by now SHOULD bring u water for your whole table, i mean, it would have just been 1 more cup of water for us both? Idk.. Overall, for a in between, fast food / "fancy" burger joint, i'd come here again. Not to mention, they had tons of ads and awards for "best burger / best taste..."
(4)Amy M.
We ate here last Sunday when we were in Alameda since we had our dog with us and they allow dogs on the patio. The service was super friendly but not attentive to the table in a consistent manner. While the food was great, we found several tiny black hairs or fibers in our water and shake glasses - one is happenstance but three out of four glasses having several each is an issue. Neither of us finished our shakes after spotting the hairs/fibers. We were refunded the price of the shakes when this was brought to the attention of the waitstaff.
(3)Sarah F.
We had dinner at Burgermeister Friday night with the family and were treated like royalty. Our server was fun and made our dining out experience very special. The kids had shakes and burgers, we had burgers and an asian salad that was fabulous. Beer and wine selection was great too. We'll be back!
(5)Stephen Y.
Eh. The feeling here is bitter sweet. Paying over $10 for a burger seems to be a trend. But if you have the audacity to charge in the teens you better bring the goods! Burgermeister does offer a good assortment of options, including choices of fried companions. On par with Barney's in Oakland, both food quality and price! Try them both and you be the judge!
(3)Ralph C.
Great place to take a one year old. Easy seating and decent reliable service and food. The tap beer venue needs work. Avoid the fried chicken wings and tenders-way below average.
(3)Richard R.
Next to the Alameda theater, for people who want to grab a bite after being blown away by the wonderful experience next door. Burgers are pretty good, too much garlic in garlic fries, maybe it's just me... Tables are way too close together, could use some privacy. Ehm, overall decent food and prices.
(3)Miss H K.
Was excited to try but didn't really enjoy my meal or dining experience here. Service was okay but our server seemed absent most of the time, guess he was also working at the bar? There seemed to be plenty of other people around to help though but he only came to our table twice though throughout the whole time. Food was just okay. Tried the hamburger with cheese and chili and the curley fries. The meat was not very tasty, the curley fries were okay, and the chili didn't really add much flavor to it. Prices here are about $8 and up per person but to add cheese and any other additions can get expensive.
(2)Jax U.
I view eating burgers as the following: Picture crazed frat boys who get ready for a 10 p.m. party by pre-partying at 10 a.m. A typical Thursday morning begins with a wake and bake session, downing several cans of watered down Natural Light--the tried and true alcoholic beverage for frat boys, playing the ever so sophisticated beer pong, gathering all the skanky girls they can find, finishing the deed, and then doing it all over again. This type of partying is how I view eating burgers. My wild meal at Burgermeister, minus the wheat bun: A California Burger--1/3 Niman Ranch lb. patty, sub cheddar cheese instead of jack, avocado, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, criss-cut sweet potato fries, and a glass of pinot grigio. This to me, is comparable to a day of crazy frat boy adventures because I feel like a rebel. My boyfriend who was even more rebellious ordered the Western Burger. It included onion rings, a 1/2 lb. Niman Ranch patty, bacon, cheddar cheese, and house made bbq sauce, with a side of criss-cut potato fries. We're crazy party animals, I'm telling you. I didn't get to try the Western, but seeing that he was licking his fingers meant he loved it. Our meal was excellent and the server was friendly, but not too overbearing. There was even classic rock playing in the background (The Doors). Tried and true ingredients for a perfect burger night on the town. I'm not only satisfied with the burgers, but this joint even has a delicious and wallet friendly breakfast option. Buy 1 omelet get the 2nd freeeee. Insert your best Larry Miller impression from the Sit and Sleep commercials. Why would anyone pass this up? Is it because the restaurant is called Burgermeister? Try to overlook that fact. The omelet I ordered: cheddar, avocado, applewood smoked bacon with seasoned potatoes and wheat bread on the side. All winners in my book. And again, classic rock (Pink Floyd) serenaded me in the background. Needless to say, I'll be back in the a.m. and p.m. without a "nati" light buzz and std.
(5)Michaela N.
If you are looking for a great Burger, this is the place to go!
(4)Christopher S.
Nice beer selection and good burgers. A burger and fries can get up to $16 (with add ons ) in a hurry not including drinks. That tends to keep me away me often than not as I don't feel like paying $50 for burgers and beer.
(3)Julie P.
The San Francisco burger with blue cheese and sauteed mushrooms was deliciously juicy. The fried mushrooms were hot, crispy and addictive. If I had to note a downside it would be noise level--it is a pretty noisy joint but the burger makes up for it. Can't wait to go back.
(4)she q.
Ive really grown to like Burgermeister. Jeff aka Bruce W. is such an attentive server and always peppy! The shakes and floats are really good. On a nice sunny day with a table outside I will have to try the brunch menu with the bottomless mimosa. Ive tried: Philly Cheese Steak Niman Ranch's Bottom Round Meat w/ Sauteed Mushrooms & Onions, Red Peppers & Cheese San Francisco grilled onions, sautéed mushrooms and bleu cheese. California avocado, jack cheese served on a whole wheat bun Teriyaki grilled pineapple with the meister's own teriyaki sauce Meister Burger bacon, double cheese, avocado, grilled onions and mushrooms Kobe Beef Steakhouse Salad american kobe beef, roasted red peppers, sautéed onions, bleu cheese, mixed baby greens, tossed with balsamic vinaigrette Chopped Cobb Salad romaine, mixed baby greens, avocado, grilled chicken, tomatoes, bacon, bleu cheese, tossed with ranch dressing Meister Platter chicken strips, chicken wings, regular fries, curly fries, onion rings, served with housemade bbq sauce and bleu cheese dressing Meister Minis sliders Choice Of Cheddar And Tomato Or Mushroom And Bleu Cheese Served With Peppercorn Steak Dip.
(4)Sean T.
Pretty damn good burger! Service is good and food comes out hot and fresh. I have been there a few times over the last few months and I can say CONSISTENT! Burgers are juicy, fries are crisp. Service here is so-so they're not goign to kiss your butt, and they're not going to go out of their way for you either.
(4)Earl G.
Guy's night out in Alameda along Encinal ave means either Mexican, Chinese, Hawaiian or Burgers. With all the guys either having Mexican, Chinese, and Hawaiian earlier for lunch, burgers it was. First impression of the Burgermeister's was that it was a cross between a Mel's diner with it's 1950's kinda flair, The Counter since you can custom your own burger, and a Red Robin since they had a pretty happenin' bar. Ordered up a 1/2 pound Niman beef burger with pepperjack cheese and a side of chili cheese fries. I know Niman Ranch recently merged with another company and changed it's business model (cut corners in quality) to become profitable, but man, this burger was juicy, beefy, and tasty. I honestly couldn't taste the difference from pre-merger Niman beef and now. But hey, I also like the Jack in the Box Ultimate Cheeseburger and that's like just add water meat.
(3)Jennifer L.
A great place to duck out of the rain on a Sunday walking tour of Alameda, especially after you've already covered 4 miles or so. Our bartender is my new favorite bartender, I wanted to ask his name before we left, but he was too busy you know, doing his job. He was seriously friendly and welcoming and helpful. Buy one get one free omelettes for weekend brunch, reverse happy hour (8-10? I can actually make that!) and good pricing on rib dinners, plus a proximity to the theater? You can be sure I'll be back here again.
(4)Kyu L.
burgers a bit pricey. service is hit or miss. the guy whose always in there (either the manager or owner) is always accommodating and nice. the other staff...like i said....hit or miss. ingredients and options to upgrade your buger. awesome! great selection and variety here. other menu options....very good as well. id say that this is probably the best burger joint in alameda. outside of McDonalds original double cheese burger of course.... (note: i usually ask for them to fry my fries a bit longer so they are crispier...nothing worse than soft french fries)
(4)Megan M K.
We gave it another shot, thanks to a complimentary dinner. :) I do have to say the second try was fantastic. Everything was correct, the service was nice and everything tasted fantastic. Thank you Lina! I'm glad i went back :)
(3)Kristin T.
Got to the movie theater a bit early, so we came in for a bite. Food was solid, no problems, but a bit pricey perhaps. The fried green beans are grrrreaattttt. Decent beer selection, the burger was good. The medium wings were insanely hot. Solid, but nothing AMAZING.
(4)Yun V.
Over-breaded fried green beans. Can't taste the green beans. Ran out of the gluten free buns. They were nice enough to already have split the burger on two plates since we were sharing it. Old school mid 90s music, TLC, green day, and sir mixalot
(3)John S.
Food was delicious. The service was another story. Out of the group of four, half of the orders were wrong. My visit before that our order was completely forgotten about; the waiter left work and didn't put our order in. Although the meal was comped, there have been other bad experiences before. Good is great. Service sucks.
(2)Julia C.
Great burger!! I ordered a cheeseburger and it was really flavorful. My only con was the bun, it was of the cheap supermarket variety and got mushy in the burger juices, which I know some people like but I don't. I tried some of my husband's chili fries, and they were amazing! Typically chili fries are a mushy mess of cheese, ground meat and soggy fries. Not here. Chili is the star but the fries hold up well to it, and cheese is not overwhelming. I also tried some of his strawberry shake and it was very good. Huge plus - we could bring our dog on the patio, and the waiter brought him some water. It was awesome!!
(4)Mike K.
Breaking news; San Diego burger is not gone; it's now called the Jalapeno burger on the revamped menu. Go eat one. Yum.
(5)Dalton M.
It was pretty good, didn't blow my mind as I had anticipated it would. But still a cool spot, pleasant service, and comfort food that is loaded with garlic. With the name... I had been hopeful of a seriously mind blowing burger.. It was seriously average.. Don't let the two stars stop you from going here, it is good, just not a "go out of your way" spot.. If you are drinking, the more drunk you are the better this place will taste.
(2)Brandi G.
After doing some major Christmas shopping, I worked up quite an appetite and immediately starting craving a big juicy burger. Normally, I am a turkey burger gal, but this night I wanted to go balls to the wall. I wanted top grade meat with all the works. Despite having to wait almost forty minutes to get my burger the last time I was here, I decided to give this location another chance. I was tired of walking and driving and just wanted to post up with a drink in my hand and, hopefully, a slab of cow in my mouth. Upon entering, I was seated promptly by the warm and inviting hostess at a high table near the bar. The big fancy TVs in the bar were playing the pitiful bout between the Chargers and the 49ers. Luckily, it was only a matter of minutes that I had a drink in my hand. Burgermeister: First down. I quickly ordered the California 1/3 lb Niman Ranch burger with the salad and a side of the sesame vinaigrette. While waiting, I sadly watched the Chargers manhandle the poor old Red n' Gold. As I threw my hands wildly and shouted at the TVs, the server came over and refilled my drink. Burgermeister: Second down. After about 15 minutes, I received my wonderful aromatic food. The burger was thick and juicy, the avocado was ripe and fresh, and the onions were strong and pungent as ever. Though the salad was just mixed greens, the vinaigrette was superb. What was even better was the dressing was low fat! Burgermeister: Third down. Lastly, I received and paid the bill in a timely matter. My experience was significantly better than the first time I was here. Despite the 49ers losing horribly, I am happy the Burgermeister scored a touchdown with me!
(4)Steve B.
California burger and the San Francisco burger are great
(4)Christie C.
The cashier was rude as hell! I don't care about mistakes when there is good customer service. Btw, plain=meat,bread and cheese. *** the manager called me back. He was awesome and very helpful. I'm glad that there are businesses that appreciate and respond to customer needs. We will probably try again.
(3)Maggie L.
The burgers here are pretty awesome. My friends and I actually came to Alameda to try a different place, but their stove was broken so we roamed around until we all finally agreed to eat here. When we got inside, we noticed that the restaurant wasn't very big, which would have been bad for us because we had a pretty large party, however, our server was excellent and immediately started rearranging tables for us in order to fit us into the room. He was very gracious and attentive towards us for the whole time we were there, which is a gigantic plus because normally, servers ignore large parties since gratuity is already included. Yay for our server! As for our food, everyone was super satisfied with their meals. The burgers didn't take too long to come out, and everyone got their meals at the same time, which is another plus. I had the teriyaki burger with garlic fries and it was just BOMB. Soooo good. Every bite was full of juicy tender meat and pineapple. MMM. I loved it. And the garlic fries? DELISH. Overall, we all enjoyed our meals here, and our experience was heightened by our energetic server. Nice environment, good food, awesome company, can it get better than this?
(4)Jeff P.
I had a late lunch here a few weeks ago and absolutely loved it. I sat outside in the sunshine and enjoyed that burger but good. Gotta love their sidewalk seating. I had the Western sans cheese. It was cooked perfectly. Maybe a tiche below medium and the fries were excellent. Diet Pepsi not Diet Coke. I dealt but my sister would disapprove.
(4)Betty H.
Even better than the last time We enjoyed the patio service on a nice sunny day. There is just one thing I must warn you about THE LEMON DROP. They call it a "Italian Lemon Drop" The culprit- *Limoncello It will kick your ass. You will not be able to drive home. Once you have been driven home by, what was once your passenger, you will not be able to function for a good 2 hours. (But you will have fun) Be warned. *The flavor of Limoncello is a perfect balance of tart and sweet. The liqueur is made from the zest of Sorrento oval lemons, which are revered worldwide for their remarkable aroma, rich essential oils, exceptional juice and acid content. The lemon zest is mixed with sugar, water, and alcohol to create the finished product- a luscious, lemony, 60-proof liqueur best served very cold or over ice.
(4)Internet S.
Was not impressed. With a name like burgermeister I was expecting fresh thick juicy burgers too bad I got a frozen patty. As a matter of fact while sitting there eating the meat delivery guy showed up with about 18 cases of frozen patties. I had the cheeseburger with pepper jack cheese. Meat was too firm(I ordered 1/2lb burger medium cooked). The BBQ sauce lacked flavor and the fries seemed like they were cooked then sat waiting for someone to order them so they were cold. Looked like only one waitress was working. The price was too high ($12) for poor quality. Will be a while, if even, before I go back.
(2)Michael J.
I'm a huge fan of Rocky's in San Diego, and I usually rave about how they make the best burger in town. My friend, who happens to still live in San Diego, was here visiting...we ran the SF Marathon together, and I was taking him back to the airport and decided to dine in Alameda. We both agreed that this joint could give Rocky's some competition! I'm very impressed!
(4)