I want to love this place. I want to love it so hard that it never leaves Ladera. I'll start with the good: my lamb burger was insane. Best burger I've had since a trip up north, like 2 years ago. Seriously...lamb burger at BLK...where have you been all my life? The food has been consistently good at this place...but the Lamb is my new fav. Ok, here's the issue. We had crap service tonight. Someone else ended up essentially "stepping in" for our server, because she was too busy chatting up a table of businessmen to deign to ask us for our orders, see how our food was, or refill our drinks. Here's the deal...I used to wait tables. If we have excellent service, I try to grab the check before the hubs. He's never had to work for tips (fancy bastard), so he's a crappy tipper. I'll grab the check, pay the bill, and leave an excellent tip. Tonight, I was so furious about our lack of service, that I asked someone in the restaurant where, exactly, our tip would go. If it went to the woman who essentially covered our server's ass all night, then I was happy to leave a tip. If it went to our negligent waitress, then no tip at all. I was assured that the tip would go to the correct person (it would not have, otherwise...it would have gone to our lousy waitress), and was happy to leave a tip, albeit I did let the hubs leave a tip...not as much as I would have, had I been wowed. It's a Wednesday night, not a busy Friday or Saturday (when I tend to be a little more forgiving). I watched our waitress play with her other table's iPad, while ignoring us entirely, and leaving all the work to her co-workers...knowing that she would collect the tip in the end. That's such BS. I would never employ someone with a work ethic like that. I hope BLK Burgrz steps up their game with the waitstaff, because one more service experience like this and I'm not going back. Not even for takeout. I don't care how good the lamb burger was.
(2)
Christin C.
Doggy discriminatory. Fact: I have only had pitbull and pitbull mixes as pets for the last twenty years and have never been threatened or injured by one. Fact: I have been in animal rescue for 4 years and have been around hundreds and hundred of dogs and pitbulls are still "hands down" my favorite breed. Fact: I have only been bitten once and it was a small fluffy dog like the kind you welcome at your establishment. I still have the scars to prove it. Do what you want, but I won't be back.
(1)
J F.
The food was really good. Huge portions....we should have ordered less. The warm kettle chips before the meal were amazing. Interesting combinations of burgers....variety of meats, stuffings and buns. Wish the burger stuffed with Mac & Cheese had been cheesier. Great service and good atmosphere. We would go again!
(4)
Elaine G.
While sitting waiting for our lunch we we reading the reviews on yelp. Common complaint was dirty flatware. Sure enough when we unrolled the napkin our forks had dried food on it! Be prepared to wait at least 25 minutes for lunch when not busy. Ordered the lamb beef burger. Very good and worth the wait. Little things they can do like remove the plastic plant decor and check the flatware to command their prices. This is not a cheap restaurant. The grade of beef is not what you would find in a typical burger place. A steak will cost you $75. Seasoned potato chips were a nice touch while waiting for our meal. Some guy wearing a dirty black apron who greeted us has to lose the apron. Disgusting.
(3)
Courtney B.
Sooo I'm really confused why this place only has 3 stars. Let me tell you why... AMBIANCE: warm, cozy and very earthy. The patio is one of the largest and most inviting I've ever seen at a restaurant. You could easily show up with a group of friends hang out all day (for lunch and cocktails) or night for dinner under the stars. (By the way they have heat lamps so you won't get too cold) STAFF: Super quick attentive service. My friend and I were helped my 4 different people. We were checked on often but not too much that it was annoying. More important, do you know why the staff was great? Because they were happy! Who likes being served by a miserable POS that hates his life. No one. I'm sure that the staffs mood is a reflection of their management and that says a lot to me. People taking care of people, taking care of people... You get it. FOOD: to put it mildly, I'm a foodie and this place meets my foodie needs. They bring you out a basket of delectable potato chips that are seasoned to perfection as your "welcome here's a snack while you struggle to pick something off our elaborate menu" and then you're suckered in... Just by the chips. You don't even have a prayer. Your going to chow down on something you weren't anticipating eating because the delicious chips made you curious and now you want more. Obviously I choose a burger, hence the name, and this was not a disappointment. I got the Kobe beef stuffed jalapeño burger. It was juicy and flavorful and not smothered in sauce. Do your self a favor and try it. Now on to real business... DRINKS: in the past few years I have become a little obsessed with ginger beer (not ginger ale...) which led to my love affair with Moscow Mules. Now, being a Moscow Mule lover, I've had my fair share and this one my friends is AMAZEBALLS. They use great ginger beer and freaking Titos Vodka (which is the most amazing American made vodka from Texas) in a copper Titos cup with lots of fresh lime! Just how I like it! How did they know?! Ahhhh so good! And that is why this place deserves all 5 fabulous stars. Till we meet again BLK Burgrz.
(5)
Maia C.
Went there for lunch with my mom and sister and there was a lot of room on the patio. The atmosphere is pretty cool out there and they have heaters so if its a little chilly its still comfortable. The service was good and the food was yummy its just a little over priced for what you get.
(3)
Anthony B.
Not a good place service poor burgers overrated. And expensive a tip skip this dump I ordered the classic burger got a better one at carls sorry but I won't come back
(2)
Tina S.
Well... I decided to go back to BLK after my earlier (horrible) review right after they opened. I can't speak to sitting down and having dinner there, and I've heard through the grape vine that the owners still supplant customers with private parties, BUT I can say that happy hour on Friday nights is a blast. Jordan and Ty are great bartenders (love the Martinis), very attentive, and generate a really nice cozy vibe. Plus, the food we've ordered has been great (no burgers though!), albeit expensive.
(4)
Eric C.
I was hopeful the first time was an anomaly...but nope. The service was terrible and I will never go back again. I was on the wait List, gave my cell phone number for when the table was ready and waited over 45 minutes while they gave my table away. We ordered an appetizer which never came and the server was not apologetic as all. I wanted to leave in the worst way. No manger ever came by even when the server knew we were un-happy. This was a terrible experience AGAIN and very un professional approach to handle the situation. I live 3 minutes from the location and will NEVER go back again. I will eat McDonald's off the ground before I step foot in there again, even if it was free. There is no WAY! If it wasn't the 2nd time in a row, I would have more patience. Go spend good money elsewhere, seriously. Almost forget, it was that busy...worst restaurant experience in 10 years. Eric
(1)
Kerry D.
Service was good. Chips they served amazing. Veggie sliders ok cheese so thick had to cut in half. Will go back and try other items. Ladera needs a place like this
(4)
Kassandra P.
The burgers here are delicious. I tried the bacon stuffed cheddar burger with sweet potato fries and it was all very good. I took off one star because of the pricing.. It's very expensive. Not somewhere I can afford to eat at regularly. But for a special occasion, I'll be back.
(4)
Wayne S.
Four of us for a birthday dinner...how disappointing!! Overly priced, but expected that. But, the service was horrible...didn't expect that!! Our order was 'lost', so we waited for nearly an hour. We kept inquiring, but the response was they were looking into it. Food good. We complained afterwards about the service, but no one cared, so we left, never to be caught dead back there again. Looks like we are not the only ones to have poor service there.
(1)
Cynde V.
I had a hard time even giving one star. I am a Dog Trainer with a very well behaved Bully Breed. We have never had a problem with him being accepted at other outdoor restaurants but while waiting and it was a looooong wait for a table we were very rudely asked to leave. Our better behaved dog than most children dining there was NOT welcomed. Won't be back and will spread the word!
(1)
Richard K.
Absolutely a waste of time and money. Tonight, there were open tables BUT the Manager was too busy taking a personal call to manager the Resturant. Just a poor, poor Resturant. This space has had 4 different restaurants in 4 years. You'd think the owners would care enough to hire the right people for a $25 hamburger. Eat somewhere else.
(1)
ron w.
BLK Burgrz is not just a burger joint. It is the place to get a giant joint of house ground, and blended, responsibly sourced Wagyu beef cooked as you wish. It is a build your own burger that requires a construction permit from the City. Think The Counter on steroids. BLK Burgrz whups Slater's 50/50 handily unless you crave their Bacon Tartar burger or enjoy dining with a flash mob of caterwauling infants and competing with the deafening boombox drilled into the ceiling. At BLK, we are talking substantial but civilized burger that comes with a steak knife to make it manageable. It holds together unlike the 8 inch monster at G-Burger which is like the pretty one in Accounts Payable...that quickly turns into a sloppy mess once you get involved. No, this is an adult burger destination and easily the best burger in the City. A 1/2 pound of juicy, crusty, meaty burger nestled on a Brioche, Honey Wheat, Pretzel, Japapeno, Squaw, Potato bun of choice. There is a laundry list of sauces and toppings to add to your creation to please every taste whether exotic or mundane at no extra cost. There are more pairings than Paris Hilton's date book. Can't decide? There is a menu of stock combinations which all can be tweaked to please you. They also have non-burger options. Scallops? Really? Why would you? Okay, your Bro brought his new squeeze who happens to be a Glatt Kosher, Halal, Gluten Free, Lactose Intolerant, Vegan, recovering alcoholic with peanut allergies. There will be something she can find besides the ladies room. If for no other reason you should go for the basket of house made potato chips dusted with parmesan cheese which is perfect to enjoy with the large selection of draft beers on tap. The burger comes out for the kitchen as requested every time. The burger juices will run down your arm. Be prepared. And if you want some other sauce you forgot, it appears magically merely for the asking. And if that weren't enough they throw in an ample side of your choice. Excellent fries, sweet of regular, onion rings that are cavity cracking crunchy, beans, chili, slaw, or another basket or two or three of those potato chips. After all, this is not a cheap date option for a burger. It is eclipsed by the Morten's Burger available only in the bar at $19 per. The sour Yelper (see below) couldn't figure out how much the burger cost. Try reading the large print notice that the burger is $17. But then, that dude probably can't find brown socks that match either. I would also like to point out that some of my fellow Yelpers were unfair to this place recently. I grant you that the kid at the host podium was less than enthusiastic at greeting new guests and would have probably been happier sitting at home plugged into an MP3 player and "sexting" someone they met in a Chat Room. However, once you clear of the vapid, blank expressionless face in the front and seated, you are handed off to the servers who are all attentive, bar and burger knowledgeable and eager to please. My fellow Yelper walked out before enjoying the uber burger because no one fawned over him at his arrival, and the busboy forgot his slice of Meyer Lemon in his Perrier water. You need that? Go to Studio at the Montage Hotel where the Somm will swoon with feigned appreciation at your expertise in ordering chocolate milk to pair with your Porterhouse. Giving one star to BLK Burgrz for some perceived slights was unfair and irresponsible. This dude probably drinks his Chablis with pinky extended and looks askance at you if you don't. The other recent Yelper that went off the rails with a three star rating because the bar tender couldn't find "the game" demonstrates a sad use of Yelp space. That dude needed to go where he eventually went, a Sports Bar for bottled beer, and stale popcorn but crammed with sports related homogeneous conviviality. Or, just stay home in his boxers with the remote, pickin' his nose and a defrosting a Hungry Man Dinner. BLK Burgrz is for burger connoisseurs who want the best in town. So, if you don't want to fly with the Eagles you gotta get out of the sky. Go to Wendy's and leave room for me. After reading this review I reminded myself at how good this burger place is. So good, in fact, I'll be going to BLK Burgrz again tomorrow.
(5)
Larisa B.
This place is a joke. The service is slow...the only thing they did fast was pick up the bill. The prices are totally out of line...the food is ok (like burger King type of ok) they took about 30 min to get a drink (that was wrong) we ate about 2 bites of there $20 burgers and we're so mad we paid the bill and went to jack in the box...do yourself a favor. ..don't come to this place...In short...about an hour and a half... $70.00 and left pissed and hungry. ..
(1)
John R.
To bad there is no negative stars. Wow...understanding the fact that Ladera Ranch is over priced and not worrth anywhere near the hype we stopped in here anyways. $18+ for a so so burger!? $75.00 FOR A 4oz steak?! Absolutely Ridiculous. Super slow service. Super high prices. Nothing good to say here...Save your hard earned money. ..go someplace where the food and service is worth it. I can't stress how disappointed we were...
(1)
Jeff D.
Skipped the brunch thing and did an OpenTable reservation for Mother's Day. The reviews were great and the options in this area are limited. We were looking at houses and were excited to eat somewhere locally. Unfortunately, our service and food was less than what we expected. It took an hour to get a burger and a salad and our Ahi Appetizer looked like it was hacked off the fish. My stuffed burger wasn't stuffed with anything other than what you'd expect in a burger but for $18 I was disappointed to not see anything but the meat. For an $75 lunch I would expect quicker service and a higher quality meal. Let alone what they describe on the menu. 2 stars for the reservation and NBA playoffs on the big screen.
(2)
Patrick T.
45 min for a to-go order is excessive. Even more disappointing was being ignored by the bartenders while I stood waiting to order for 10 min. I've been coming to this place for quite a while note but was thoroughly let down.
(2)
Kc P.
Third time I tried to give them a shot all around horrible. Bad service actually no service at all coming in burdens them. The owner sits there an allows the workers to treat the customers like crap. The food if it makes it to the table and warm for that matter has potential. Worst service horrible owner all around just very unpleasant. Has so much potential too sad.
(1)
Joyce J.
I'm feeling like a restaurant critic today. My husband and I tried Burgrz yesterday. First, we like the location and the ambience - we sat on the patio - it looks great although the chairs we had were not as comfortable as we would like. Joey, our waiter, was awesome. The house fries - awesome and addicting!! Good extensive wine list. I had the kale salad. It was very good with the mango, etc. however, for my taste, I think kale should be chopped finer. My husband had the classic burger. It was done perfectly, however, the brioch bun falls apart, the accompanying salad was just blah. All in all, it's fine, but we expected better for the price.
(3)
Kyle S.
Pretty disappointing experience. A good majority of our food came out cold, and the custom order model seemed to have caused some confusion with one person getting a lamb burger instead of a turkey burger. In the end, they ended up charging us the wrong bill (more confusion), causing us to wait even longer. Food here isn't cheap, but it definitely has potential to match the price, so long as their line of service steps it up.
(2)
Anthony A.
The only thing that brought me here was a number of reviews I'd read stating this was a pretentious new burger joint that was grossly overpriced and it didn't live up to the hype. So, naturally, I had to try it. I met a buddy here for lunch and we grabbed a spot out on the patio. I'll say this, the decor here is phenomenal. Outdoor seating on a sunny day can't be beat, with high tables, comfy couches, and a couple of huge crystal fire burner things that added good form and function. Our bubbly young waitress explained the menu to us. It's like The Counter, more or less. I quizzed her on the name - since BLK Burger is an odd choice - and she said it's actually pronounced "Black Burger", which refers to the color of the Japanese cows that produce Kobe beef. When I asked if their Kobe beef burger come from Japan - which is the ONLY way beef can be qualified as Kobe beef - she said they weren't... but there's a steak on the menu that supposedly is. I just think it's lame how many places sell "Kobe beef burgers" when it isn't actually Kobe beef. Call it "Kobe style beef", but then that's less attractive, isn't it? I really don't recall the exact burger I got because I customized the entire thing, but it more than likely contained bleu cheese and bacon. What I do recall is that, as nearly every other review has pointed out, this is far from being worth the cost. Hell, Gordon Ramsay's BURGR at Planet Hollywood costs less and, trust me, that is a better burger. My line of thought here is you can only take a burger so far. Go ahead and use the best ground beef you can find, but it's still ground beef. That's what makes a burger. Some spots have gimmicky burgers topped with foie gras or gold shavings or truffles, something expensive to justify a ridiculous price tag. This place just serves burgers. There's nothing to distinguish this burger from any other "gourmet" burger that comes in at a few bucks less the cost. Once you start getting above $10 for a burger the quality needs to exponentially increase. This was a $13 burger all day, not the $18 it cost. As a side I went with the vegetables in brown rice. Great concept, and it's a definite preference over fries, but it's cooked with such a thick, heavy sauce that it's virtually impossible to finish after eating a huge burger. Lighten this side up and it'll complement the meal well.
The service here is consistently terrible. I have been here a few times and the food is pretty good (which is why I was hoping things would get better). After today I will never go again. The place was about 30% full and it took 15 minutes to get a glass of water and our food took an hour. I was disappointed with my burger, it was cold and had been sitting out a while. My entire group was disappointed with the food this time. It's hard to find a decent restaurant in the Ladera Ranch area and so I thought I would give this place another chance. Not any more, it's just a matter of time before this place closes down.
(2)
Paul N.
We liked it... Food is good service a little slow... the garlic potato chips are a great idea for a starter...
(4)
Sanjeev S.
The make your own burger place in a laid back setting. The best thing about this place is the space. There's more outdoor seating than indoors, and the comfortable couches and fireplaces and TVs make it seem like you're at home. Great for kids, and it's better than being home because you can come here for brunch in your pyjamas, the cooking and cleaning up after is taken care of. The open space is great, even during dinners on chilly SoCal nights, the fireplace and patio heaters keep you warm. Now about the food, they can do better. Way better. My daughter usually gets nibbling on a fruit bowl and one time the blackberries had fungus on them. The chips are okay, kind of home like, and drinks are great. They have soccer on large screens, if they had cricket, I'd probably be here more often in shorts and flip flops during weekends. The burgers are okay, you can pile on as many healthy ingredients as you like in making your own burger, we've left less than happy with the flavour on several occasions. Nonetheless, the service is great. There is a larger table in the corner by the wine rack which is our favourite nook to meet friends and chat the afternoon away, while kids go through crayons and colouring books.
(3)
Noumaan S.
I've driven past this place multiple times and today decided to give it a try. After reading yelp reviews here's the update: They didn't offer any chips while we waited , so I ended up ordering them as a side to my burger to see what people are raving about - they were probably the best thing we ate that night. We also ordered calamari. Service was quick - food was out in under 10 mins. They forgot to provide us napkins or silverware. When we alerted the bus boy, he came back with just the spoons... Maybe he eats calamari with spoons? Our food was slightly cold. The calamari was rubbery cold (I would rate it 1/5) and the burger was lukewarm not piping hot (I would rate it 3/5). Ambiance was good. The quartet playing took requests. They have music on Saturdays from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. I really wanted this place to be a winner - but the food was a big let down.
(2)
Chris M.
I"m so happy this restaurant opened up in Ladera Ranch. Their burgers are amazing and their homemade chips are great as well. The outdoor patio has a nice ambiance and I love the fact that they regularly have live music. The only reason for not rating 5 stars is that their service can tend to get a little slow when they are busy.
(4)
PJ W.
This place is great. If you think your going to get a better burger for the price at another joint your crazy. This place has a great atmosphere, great food, and wonderful service. Would definitely recommend and go back. It is on the pricier side but in my opinion worth it.
(5)
C M.
The customer service is horrible. I have been to this restaurant on multiple occasions, each time hoping the service would be better. Sigh. The last visit was the worst. My husband, son, and I paid a visit hoping to grab a quick lunch. That didn't happen. It took over an hour for us to receive a total of 6 regular sliders. (There were only 2 other tables there.) During our wait, two gentlemen came in and took a seat. They were seated for at least 10 minutes and no one came to assist them. Why? All of the staff was in the back area or the kitchen. The men finally got up and left. When the manager (Nicole) finally came out, I pulled her to the side and mentioned how long we had been waiting for our food. I also stated how she lost customers as no one was around to assist. She didn't apologize and all she stated was that they were short on staff. By the way, our food was not comped. I asked for the general manager's business card and guess what, she didn't have any! She stated she 'believed' the GM would be at the restaurant that Friday night. Did I already mention how HORRIBLE the manager is? On another occasion, I came by to pick-up a $50 gift certificate. The same manager (Nicole) was there again and it took at least 30 minutes to PRINT out a piece of paper. The manager stated they were out of $50 gift certificates, so she had to give me two $25 gift certificates instead. Really??? The "gift certificate" was printed unevenly on a piece of RESUME PAPER with the restaurant's name and amount. No certificate number was located on it. The manager wrote her initials on it but it was only two letters. I'm still baffled as to why the amount could not have been changed since it was printed from Microsoft Word! Oh yeah, anyone can EASILY replicate this! I have also experienced: - Staff not knowledgeable of the menu - Cold food (twice on the same occasion with the same dish!) - Slow service with minimal people dining Hopefully, the owners see this review because some serious changes need to be made at this restaurant.
(1)
David H.
Sat at the bar and loved it. Burger was fantastic, drinks were on time and generous, desert was absolutely amazing. We have been back multiple times and will continue the trend. Patio is great and wait staff is very professional.
(5)
John C.
Great place to relax and have a fantastic meal. If you are in a hurry, it may not be the best place for a meal. We had burgers and sodas for lunch, and had a blast. Comfortable seating, friendly service, and over-the-top burgers. Had a coupon for usd 15 from restaurants.com , so took the edge off when the bill came. We will be back again soon!
(5)
Brett A.
Patio restaurant with a small indoor section, ambiance was dialed in with outdoor couches, fireplaces, greenery. Our service was remarkably slow, took about 2.5 hours to dine. Maybe need another server for weekday nights... I had the Diablo burger and it was awesome, loved the habenero stuffed kobe. The rest of the burger was solid as well. Solid beer selection from an IPA standpoint. Someone from my table got their $6 beer sampler, and that was a complete joke. MAYBE 3oz of beer in total. That's like paying $32 for a pint. Potential to be 5 stars, but the slow service and the bottom line...one burger and two beers = $40
(3)
Joe M.
Second time is even less charming. Our first experience was a busy Friday night with a party of six. The waitress was great and tried very hard, but the order was totally screwed up, getting it fixed took forever and they never did get it right. As recompense the manager, who never once came by our table, offered us a round of shots. Might have been good if we were twenty-something's looking to get ripped, but we weren't. This time the restaurant did not seem particularly busy for 1:00 on a Sunday, but the hostess said they were backed up and even though they had tables, the wait staff would not be able to help us for 10 minutes are so. It was 30 before we were even acknowledged or offered a beverage. Food was good, but two burgers, a glass of wine and an iced tea was $70.00 with tip. It seems like they have a good concept but very weak or inexperienced managers. We tried to give them a second chance - there won't be a third.
(1)
Nicole F.
Always enjoy the food and the attentive staff. We have consistently had a good experience and the food is delicious!
(5)
Dorris T.
First of all, don't believe the 3 stars that yelp gives this place. We saw the commercial on TV today and decided to give it a try even though some of the reviews weren't that great. Well, the place has such great ambiance and decor. After we sat down they dropped off a basket of homemade potato chips and they were so good. We started off with the orangecicle martini! Tastes like a 50/50 Ice cream bar. Yum! And then split the kale salad. Very good with light lemon vinegrette. My husband ordered the salmon sliderz and I ordered the veggie sliderz. Both were amazing. Then this string quartet started playing upbeat pop songs like Cold Play, Freddy mercury, and others and they take requests. The servers were great and the manager came over to us to see how we were doing. It was such a wonderful experience we just didn't want to leave. The lounge areas are so relaxing and there are TV's all over the place to watch the games. Totally recommend this place. We had a wonderful time.
(5)
Keren A.
The service people were friendly, however waited over 40 min for a couple burgers and it wasn't that busy. Ordered the Lamb/Kobe Burger it was very dry and over cooked, they say they cook it that way so people don't get sick. Ironically I was up half the night with an upset stomach. They gave us chips, they were burnt. Next time I'll go to Dublin 4 when craving a Lamb Burger.
(1)
Joe C.
Pros: Great place for food and drinks. Ambiance was nice. Fire pits and TVs outside to watch games are always very cool. Big ass burgers stuffed with whatever you want. They offer a full bar and a great selections of beers. Cons: Beer flight sampler was a total joke (4 small glasses). Dixie cups are bigger than their flight glasses. Service/server was very slow. Server could not answer simple questions. Me: "What does BLK stand for?" Server: "I don't know, I have only been here for 2 months... this is what I do in my part time." Overall impression: Will probably be back, hopefully management can train or hire more competent staff. Be prepared for pricey food and drinks. I have seen 3 or 4 places come and go at this location... hopefully this place can make it.
(3)
Brett C.
BLK Burgrz had their soft opening begin last night at 6pm. The wife and I were very excited to try it. The ambience inside and out was very nice. The outdoor patio is really neat with very cool glass fire torches. It also features TV's inside and out. The interior is quite small, as is the bar. The booths indoors looked comfortable. We sat on the patio and they had plenty of heaters to keep folks warm. People may have some negative things to say after night one, but folks lets keep things in perspective. It was night one and it was advertised as a soft opening. I will give ALL of the staff credit, they did the best job possible with the cards they were dealt. Was the wait long to be seated and served? Yes, but that was to be expected and all personnel working worked their butts off to accommodate all guests to the best of their ability. The beer and wine lists were extensive. They have bottled beers and a few on tap. Since it was a limited menu I am not sure if more beers will be offered on tap, but on night one there was about 5. The wine list is also lengthy with a lot of varietal choices. There are a few choices by the class and several bottles available. The choices range from reasonable to high end. We tried two appetizers: Mac n Cheese- Baked with bacon, jalapeno and smoked Guda cheese ($8). I thought this mac and cheese was delicious. Nice and cheesy, with a wonderful bacon flavor and a nice kick from the jalapeno. Highly recommended. Ahi Stacks- Seared Ahi over cucumber slices, topped with fried ginger and a balsamic lemon sauce. The idea is nice however, the Ahi was a tad dry and in our opinion needed more flavor and some more of the sauce. We both ordered the 1/2 lb Kobe (American Wagyu) pattie. It was tender and seasoned well. We both had the brioche bun. The wife had brie as her cheese choice and I had cheddar. The wife also added baby greens, sauteed mushrooms, green chiles and a honey mustard sauce. She really enjoyed her burger. I added shredded lettuce, tomato, fried egg, bacon and Thousand Island dressing. I was very impressed. You get to choose sides. We ordered the fries and onion rings and shared. The fries are seasoned lightly with what appears to be seasoning salt and parsley. They also appeared to be made from scratch and possibly double fried. The onion rings were excellent. Not too greasy. Held their structure and the breading stayed intact. They also had us try their house potato chips complimentary. They were just crispy enough, not greasy, lighly seasoned with seasoning salt and dusted with parsley. We also enjoyed a few Lost Coast Great White beers. They were served very chilled and were delicious. All in all it looks like BLK Burgrz once settled in after a few weeks will be offering an awesome place to grab drinks, appetizers and burgers. We are very excited to have BLK Burgrz right here in our backyard. The Executive Chef is Nathan Farkas. Don't quote me on this statement, but I believe he came from Slater's 50/50. ***** (5 Stars)- Amazing, zero flaws, a must go! (Not given often) **** (4 Stars)- Memorable, strongly feel you should visit *** (3 Stars)- Above average, worth a visit ** (2 Stars)- Average, some pro's and some con's * (1 Star)- Opinion is do not go, below average
(4)
Jen B.
I hope they are still trying to figure out how to run a restaurant because so many things went wrong during my visit here. Like another reviewer said, when we arrived they told us it was a 5-10 minute wait for inside seating and even longer for outside....there was no one else waiting and there were multiple tables inside and outside available. That was really confusing because there were plenty of employees around to seat us at the hostess station. Anyway, the burger was good, but way over cooked, and honestly not worth $20 + tax and tip. Onion rings were excellent as were the fresh potato chips they say on our table as we read the menu. They also served me cold fries so I asked them to replace them. This took about 15-20 minutes before I had to ask again about the whereabouts of my fries. Finally a new batch arrived, but it was after everyone was finished. :( The server was nice enough and apologetic to two of our burgers being hammered and the fries incident, but never offered to do anything extra for those mistakes. My dining partners would go back, but I don't think I would.
(3)
Jaynie D.
Great spot but the service was not. Our 1 burger took forever to come out and it was seriously lacking in flavor....boo!! The wrong beer was given to me (in which the waitress blamed the bartender) the side of sauce we asked for never came out. The busboys were really on top of it though. The waitress did try and make it better by giving us a free dessert...which was good. There was a table next to us that also had major issues with the service and the waitress kept blaming the kitchen. Your a team, don't play the blame game!
(2)
Tom B.
Bad calorie intake on recent visit. Second visit here, first was OK, but after this visit we will not be returning for food. Calamari was rubbery, Onion Rings were soggy and greasy, Ahi Stack was chewy and tasteless. Service was ok, but when we expressed dissatisfaction with our Ahi order, which was delivered first, an uncomfortable apology was made as the plate with the majority of the order still on it was removed. We also did not finish the rubbery calamari or the onion rings, no offer to credit anything, but server was pleasant enough. The free chips were also not very good. This place may be OK for a drink, but unfortunately, this place is worse than all of the other establishments in Ladera, which has no good restaurants.
(1)
Lindsay L.
We had lunch here today and hadn't been in recently. The service was extremely poor. The hostess and our initial waitress weren't aware of the lunch specials. We then were given another server who knew the specials. After getting our drinks it was about 15 minutes before he came to take our order. After 45 minutes (everyone in our party ordered sliders) our lunch finally came. The onion rings were amazing, but all burgers were supposed to be medium and were basically beef jerky and clearly had sat under the heating window for quite some time. Our server came back initially to check on us before we started eating, but never came back to fill our drinks or check on us during our meal. After we finished eating he finally came and refilled our drinks only after we flagged him down and asked. A few at our table waited tables for years so we have a lot of patience for servers, but they weren't busy at all and clearly weren't concerned about customer service. I wont be returning.....
(1)
Bill C.
Loved it. Burgers are good. Great IPA selection. Lots of toppings. Loved the outdoor space
(4)
Chris V.
Not sure what the deal is with all the bad reviews. We dined her and had an awesome burger and awesome service. Pretzel Bun and Wagu Beef burger was very good. Try the Sriracha Ranch. Delicious! We will be returning!
(5)
Lisa B.
The food was good but the service is not great and it takes forever to get your food. We ordered an appetizer that never came. Wouldn't recommend if you're in any hurry or like your drinks refilled. It took us 15 minutes to get our check...not the place for me.
(2)
Robert P.
Inconsistency is the reason for this 3-star review. I frequent BLK Burgrz because my friend's band plays nearly every Friday-The Christian Hernandez Rotation. I wasn't expecting such a nice venue, so I was surprised when I pulled up and the outdoor patio was visually appealing. The inside of the restaurant is also very nice, but the bar is a bit short. The first visit I ordered tri-tip sliders. MAN were they good. Seasoned well, the tri-tip's flavor exploded and created a savory experience in my mouth. The side of potato chips they give complimentary are also very nicely seasoned. They weren't too heavy on salt, and I didn't feel like I was mauling down grease into my stomach. Service was alright, as we sat there waiting for about 20 minutes before our order was taken, but they made up for it in the end. The second visit I ordered tri-tip sliders again. MAN did they SUCK. Not seasoned at all, the bread was stale and the onions were dripping in grease. I'm not sure if they got another chef or something, but it was NOT worth my money. The side of potato chips were superb, but that was about the only thing I would eat. There was no salt or pepper on the tri-tips at all, and that really disappointed me. The third visit I ordered chicken sliders. Ugh, they had stale bread AGAIN and the chicken was dried out. My fiance got them last time and hers were on a different type of bread and the chicken was nice and moist. I'm not sure where these visits went wrong, but I hope they pick it back up. The venue is nice, the prices are decent, the service is good, but the food is lacking. I'll still continue to go to support my friend, but I probably won't order anything next time. Atmosphere: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Food: 2/5
(3)
Mommy H.
Sorry BLK. First time there...really looking forward to dinner. Special family outing so mommy could relax and not make dirty dishes at home. We sat and ate potato chips...OK but too much salty seasoning on them. I ordered a blue cheese stuffed burger on pretzel bread with lettuce tomato pickles bacon and avocado. Yum! first bite was amazing...only because that was the only part where the meat was actually cooked. The rest of the burger was not :-( the bread was dry, just not a good burger when you are expecting a well done burger. My daughter ordered hers with lettuce and got arugula. Hubby ordered his medium cooked...was well done. Other daughter ordered 4 different spreads to try on the side...they put them all in the burger. The waiter took my plate and stopped me from taking the bite I had on my fork. He took my daughters plate and offered to scrape the buns (really!!!!). They brought back her burger missing items and the same onion rings from the original burger plate. So she had cold onion rings. We had to many things to complain about that it was really a sad experience. Did I mention there was hardly anyone there? It took over 40 minutes from the time we ordered our food to finally get it... And they got every order wrong. So all I ate was potato chips, 1 bite of the burger, fries and water. My stomach hurts!!!!!! We did not have to pay for the burger I did not eat, or the one they screwed up twice. They offered us desserts before they offered to not charge me for a burger I couldn't eat. It was 945 pm by the time we left...on a school night. No way I can give the kids dessert at that time. No no no! No clue how to run a kitchen, customer service was OK, but the scrapping stuff off the bun was a bit gross. Really?
(1)
Guy H.
A quick comment to say how disappointing it is that a business owner has no idea what happens at this place. The people that work there just don't seem to care about repeat business. The employees appear to be "put out" by customers coming in the door. We were told there would be a 45 minute wait and there must have been at least three tables empty. We ended up taking our group elsewhere and it's not likely we will ever return. Yelp is a great tool if owners actually look at it and train employees, but I can't keep supporting a restaurant that doesn't appreciate the locals that WANT them to succeed. You can charge $20 for a burger but at least act like you want the business!!!
(2)
Mia M.
Awesome awesome awesome the burgers are super hot and come on little burning hot sizzling skillets. The fries are crazy hot. The burger ( Kobe blue cheese bacon infused on a cheddar cheese bun) was out of this world delicious. My wife went crazy for her apple chicken salad The decor is really stylish and comfy. Outside it a killer patio with comfy chairs and lots of heat lamps. Get there early the place was slammed. I love it and I don't please easily Oh pretty good for kids too. Lots of TVs and very lively They even had a bitching high res tv above the urinal and I hung out it the restroom watching Monday night football a bit too long (awkward) lol. Great place for 2 or 3 couples to get together. A date night with your wife alone at a place called blk burgez may wind you up in the doghouse thought. I love it
(5)
Meribeth G.
Liked the atmosphere: outdoor patio, great furniture, cool TV set-up, interior space very attractive. Waiter was great, helpful, on it. Problem is that they are a burger place and the burgers were not great! I asked if I ordered the burger medium rare - would it be bloody and completely rare or are they true to temps.. was told if I ordered medium it will be cooked to perfection. Got the burgers and all 7 of us ended up with Well to Very Well done burgers. Most of the burgers were not eaten. It was a shame, since if the burgers had been juicy and cooked correctly, we would be back many times more.
(2)
Laurie D.
Very very disappointed!! Took my son here for his 23rd birthday celebration. Hortible food and service!!! $14.00 salad and they forgot the apples. Waitress brings a bowl of apples LOL. Hamburger raw and well done!! Nice ambiance though! Not the greatest experience!
(1)
Robin B.
We just spent Sunday afternoon on the patio having moscow mules (yummy) and burgers! Their endless chips are really good too. There have a beautiful patio with comfortable seating .We watched the Ducks playoff game in the lounge area but really couldn't hear it. It's too bad, because we are looking for a place to enjoy different games. They have alot of televisions, but we were told the owners didn't like the sound on. Seems like a missed opportunity for them. Nicole waited on us and was outstanding. She kept drinks and water coming. We never had to ask for anything. She was on it and she's one of the main reasons we will be back. Overall I would give them high marks.
(4)
Cooper M.
This place is amazing and the service is great. Best burger I have had in a while it's the Hawaii burger.
(5)
Alexis B.
Very nice atmosphere, but very very pricy!! The food is very very yummy though. I rate this a 3 out of 5... Because of the prices... But every thing else is very satisfied
(3)
Rae Z.
This is the other preferred date night place in Ladera. Honestly, I'd probably only give it 3 stars if it were anywhere else, but in this community devoid of quality restaurants, I should round up. The best thing about Blk Burgerz is the atmosphere. They have done a beautiful job with the indoor space and patio. All outdooor seating is always well-warmed, and the couches comfortable. My favorite spots are the two booths that are half inside half outside. As we have the opportunity to regularly drop off the kids in Ladera, we have had a half dozen dates at this restaurant. All of the food and drinks we have received have been adequate to good. The burgers are good, and I love to get the salads here. The spinach salad has perfect dressing. There have been some misses, though. We have ordered chicken wings twice, and once they were not crispy enough. The complimentary chips are sometimes good, but often are soggy and greasy instead of crispy. This is probably good for me, as then I'm not tempted to eat them! My main complaint is the cost of the burgers and other entrees. I suppose you can only do so much with a burger, and to justify $18 it should be more than it is. You could easily get the same quality burger with the same toppings for $13 at The Counter. Actually, they have organic grass fed bison for $14 which I much prefer to Blk's faux Kobe. From now on, I stick to the salads. For what its worth, they sometimes have goood Happy Hour and football night specials. Those definitely up the value and make visiting here a no-brainer.
(4)
Beth K.
I sat on the open patio for a late lunch. My server came right over with a basket of house made chips and water. I ordered the Kobe slider lunch special a glass of wine. They have a small but decent selection of wines. The slider was served on a pretzel bun and side salad. I'm not a burger person. I loved the slider, and the house made chips. I can't to go back. The service was good. The staff was nice and attentive. The food was really good. I can't wait to go back.
(4)
Ann V.
We used to live in Ladera Ranch and have been to BLK many times. I really want to like this place but the service and food are just average. The patio is nice but the size of the venue doesn't seem to match up with the small bar (one or two bartenders!) and inability for the kitchen to keep up. Feels like a restaurant that wants to be real but just can't seem to get there. When given the choice, it's not at the top of our list.
(2)
Eric T.
This my friends is the most expensive Burger I have ever ordered or eaten: 1/2lb Kobe beef patty stuffed with jalapeños and cream cheese, pretzel bun, bacon, fried egg, fried onion strings, arugula, heirloom tomatoes, pepper jack cheese, honey mustard on top and garlic Chile aoli on bottom. Service was good. Waited over 20 mins for my food but when it came it was good. Was it worth the money I would say no. I ordered it medium and it came more like we'll. Anyway great idea, I would recommend trying it on a Friday night with a beer but not worth the price for lunch unless it's a hot first date or something like that.
(4)
Carrie R.
Went with our family twice. What a classy yet family friendly place to share a meal. The seating is so comfortable both inside and out. The decor was warm and inviting. We decided to share everything so this made it possible to try a variety of dishes. Got a custom built Lamb Burger, on a jalapeño bun, w/Brie cheese, avocado, topped off w/siracha ranch! Everyone LOVED it. The Spinach salad ranked right up there with a unanimous 2 thumbs up from entire table. They are certainly worth a visit. It can get very crowded, especially if you go during the dinner rush. But fear not should you have to wait, they have over 60 craft beers, quite a selection of wines, and a full bar so you can enjoy a drink while you relax and get ready for a delicious meal just as we did.
(5)
Chris K.
We dined here for lunch on a Saturday and sat outside. Patio is nice, bar area looks pretty cool. The service was ok. Not a lot of people at BLK that day. This being our first time I really liked the idea of the restaurant, mostly outdoor seating, modern vibe in a family area. I figured it should have been busy. Menu was good, the burgers were good also. The only thing is the prices are a high for a family area. The quality of the food and meat are high which matches the prices, and I would eat here again with my wife and just leave the kids at home. Thumbs up!
(4)
g u.
Seems like a nice place to take a date for burgers. Unique selections (just look at their menu) and great outdoor ambience. It's not like you're going to take a date to Slaters or Islands. I'd give it more stars, but the last time I went there they overcooked my burger. I guess if you want it medium ask for medium rare. In all, it's one of the more unique burger places in South OC. I'll have to give it another try if I can ever get a date ;)
(3)
Cristi T.
Service is HORRIBLE.. We want this restaurant to be good but so far it has failed. We are so limited with the selection of restaurants out here in Ladera & RSM area, when this place popped up. We were excited. We have been there as a couple, as a family and as a group and the service has been consistent with lousy service. Tonight .. A Thursday night and its dead, maybe 5 tables being worked & the food took awhile of course. But mainly the point of this is the service was so disrespectful. Zach was our waiter and had an attitude that spoiled the vibe from the beginning. When my husband followed up on how much longer the food would take the girl with pig tails laughed at him while the bartender said well how long ago did you order & what was it..Immediate defense mode and spilled off to the entire staff. Keep in mind that you can see thru the kitchen swing door with a window in it that at least 3 or 4 people were leaning back chatting & laughing. The bartender said those are the "bus boys" as in they don't count!! The manager Nicole was missing during all of this(of course) In the past with food taking longer than the average restaurant we would return. Not anymore!! spending 20$ on a burger & 10 plus on a cocktail I expect decent service and to feel comfortable. I was worried that for sure my food was prolly spit in or thrown on the ground and placed on plate to be served!! -good nite!!
(1)
Chad I.
Had a stuffed burger, edamame, and a cookie. Couldn't be happier. They also have a great beer selection and had live music playing on the night I went.
(5)
Randy D.
Well I gotta tell you I have been there a lot at least 20 times every time the service is crappy I'm done its a joke anymore I don't normally do this but I feel the public should know the service was horrible the food is good when it's not cold but enough is enough please just sell the place to somebody who cares about service at first I thought the atmosphere was good and beyond Beyonce's very cool but the service is always sucked and for what you pay to eat and drink there its not worth it so do me a favor save your money and barbecue at home or definitely go somewhere else if it wasn't for the poor service it would probably be a decent place but they're not going to get it right they haven't got it right since they opened it so it's time for me to move on along with a lot of people who I know they say the same thing some of you that give this place good reviews you're either friends of people that own it or something because I've never heard one good thing about it I've had friends that work there and they've all quit
(1)
Christine A.
Went here last night for dinner with the family. I'm not sure why there's so many negative reviews. We had a large party, and had 2 waiters helping. Everything was ordered as quickly as it came out. Probably waited a total 20 minutes, which is normal for a large party of 15. Staff was friendly and welcoming even patient with our large family gathering. The service was beyond great! My burger came out exactly how I requested! Probably one of the better burger places I've been in awhile. Only complaints is that the first half of the food came out 5 minutes earlier than the rest, but I understand we had a large party! The restaurant setting was clean and very appealing to the eye! I definitely recommend trying this place!
(5)
Rachel T.
I tried this place when it first opened a few months ago and I was pretty disappointed how expensive their price list was and the food wasn't spectacular. I tried their seared ahi and it was waaaaaay too salty. That says a lot because I eat very salty (my bad habit). It was so salty that it took away the ahi tuna flavors. I think that dish was about $15 maybe even more (portion was small) and I couldn't finish it. Their burgers after adding your toppings... You're looking at about $15-$30 burgers. Go to Slaters 50/50 for your money worth. I really want to love this place because it's so close to my house. I probably will not visit this place again. They have a pretty patio area; cozy and impressive if you're there for a beer. I wouldn't order their food.
(2)
Christine B.
First time here. This place is awesome. Loved the decor, food selection and drink menus. Had the Kobe sliders and they were delicious. Will definitely be coming back for their happy hour and to enjoy their huge patio!
(5)
Angela B.
The burgers are delicious. The martini was strong. Some hit/miss with the staff, but a beautiful setting with live music on Saturday night that was simply breathtaking (all string quartet). I love live music!!! I truly hope this establishment can work out the kinks and make a name for themselves in Ladera. Thank you for coming to ladera!!! Love!!!! Order: Burger Sweet potato fries Martini
(4)
Jeff C.
Great burger the first time we went. Today, we Got up an left after being passed over by server not once, not twice but three times and then a group right next to us, sat down ten minutes later and were immediately attended to. We told a group of five other couples we were planning on meeting here next weekend to find another customer friendly place.
(1)
Tyler H.
Would give zero stars. Said we could sit out side and get drinks. Even gave us Drink menus then came back and said the bar is open inside if we wanted to come get drinks. See ya
(1)
M R.
Before I get into this, let me just say that I consider myself a burger aficionado. Seriously, ask my family and friends or just take a look at my delicious profile picture - those don't lie. We recently moved back to the Ladera Ranch area and wanted to give this place a try. I have a very specific list of my favorite burger places in California and Nevada and I was curious as to whether BLK could jump into the mix, perhaps dethrone one of my favorites. When we arrived, we sat outside and man, the ambiance is awesome. The layout, the comfy feel of couches and the fire pits and decor is very well done. I felt very comfortable there right away. Our server was decent, he seemed to be on it pretty quick and brought us some complimentary chips which were outstanding. I ordered a build your own with very basic items simply because that's my system. Every new burger place I go to, I get basic "extras" to really get a taste of the burger, the bun, the quality, etc, rather than bacon, avocado, and all of that. Very light mayo, mustard, tomato, pickle, onion and lettuce (no cheese, it disturbs the formula) on a honey wheat bun. The food arrived pretty quickly which was good, because I was starving and admittedly, I had thoughts of throwing some of the couch cushions into the fire in order to create a distraction so that I could sneak over to the table next to us and steal an onion ring. Fortunately that didn't happen. The burger was juicy and flavorful, not overdone and the bun was good however, it was massive. The bread to burger ratio was a little off in my opinion and there were a few times early on that I did have to unhinge my jaw in order to get both sides of the bun in a single bite, rather than working the burgers flanks like corn on the cob. The onion rings that came with my meal were gargantuan (I don't use that word often, mostly because I don't thin it demands the kind of respect that "big azz" or "ginormous" does from the younger generation, but I'm taking a chance on this one) and though they looked amazing, the batter was overdone and again, the ratio was a little weird as there was a ton of breading and not much onion. We had fries at the table that were actually very good, but they became soggy really fast. I mean super soggy, like high school food cart kind of soggy. Overall the atmosphere and the food was on par with just a few exceptions. Now let's get down to the nitty gritty, the mammy jammy or the willie nilly if you prefer. Price. It's in Ladera Ranch so you have to assume it's going to be more expensive than something in Tustin or Irvine but $17 felt like too much for a burger at this level. That was the lowest priced burger as a matter of fact. I wouldn't frequent BLK simply because I'd go broke in the process. Special occasions, a friend in town for the weekend, something like that, sure, I'd come back.
(3)
Kathy C.
This place is fantastic. We enjoying sitting outside with the heat lamps keeping us cozy. Service is outstanding and the burgers are to-die-for. They have music outside and we even brought the kids who could run around a little outside near the fireplace. We're definitely going back soon!
(5)
Teri E.
best pretzel burger and ketel martini, hands down. i love the patio but due to rain, ate indoors last night. pinot by the glass is great as well. the decor is inspiring, an eclectic mix of restoration hardware meets pottery barn, kansas yard sale? i love this place and will miss it when i move to other side of mission viejo next week.
(5)
Charisse W.
BRIAN is the bomb at night !!!! Robert rocks during the day. Nicole is always a delight to see and gab with
(5)
Kayla L.
This is our third time at the restaurant and hoped it would be a better experience - we skipped the lunch rush this time considering the previous visit we walked out after waiting an hour for an order of sliders. Tonight, the restaurant was completely empty - we were the only table and still never got our appetizer, the sides arrived cold, and all the burgers were maybe average. All of these let downs were happening while a manager was present... The server was apologizing for this problems and did not charge for the additional side, but the manager NEVER made an appearance or looked remotely interested in the problems. This shows the lack of leadership in the restaurant and it reflects in their food. I have tried to give this place another change considering other people rave about it, but this my last visit. Hope the manager can step it up - help our your kitchen and servers because you are losing business quickly.
(1)
Alexis G.
This restaurant is nice and clean, service is ok. The food isn't bad at all. Came here with friends had the chicken apple salad, ahi stack and veggie sliders. I would say that it is a bit pricy, and I can see why families would not want to come here. Just keep in mind that they have lunch specials. We noticed when we received our bill that the sliders were less than what we thought they were. Give this place a try, it's not bad.
(4)
Ryan G.
Moved to the area recently. Pros: good food, good concept. Cons: it's not cheap so you'd hope the service would be good... That's not really the case. Both times I've come here, it was slooow. And not the kind of slow where it was super busy so you kind of understand. It was moderately busy but you just get the feeling that the staff doesn't care about you.
(2)
Ed T.
Went there for dinner on a week night. Waited for 45 minutes after ordering our food did not even get our appetizer. There were only 2other tables seated. Employee at the bar drinking and the waiter talking about how he got his girl friend pregnant. This is a low class, overpriced copy of Slaters. The only good part was walking out the door.
(1)
Tom Q.
Great food, good service, nice environment. Sure, its a $15-$20.00 burger so not an everyday joint, but the burgers are great, the homemade chips hit the spot, and the beer list is extensive, diverse, and quite good. Get a spot near the outdoor fireplace or on one of the sofa, relax, eat some good food, and if you hit the right Saturday, catch some classical renditions of classic rock tunes. Negative reviews were are not consistent with the experience my family had here on January 4, 2015. Got seated right away, service was attentive, and the food came out hot and as ordered.
(4)
Shannon O.
First time to BLK Burgers and will be back. Great ambience. Very casual chic. Delicious food. Friendly staff. But, I'd have to say, the live string quartet playing topped off the experience. So happy to have this restaurant so close to home. Burgers are a little pricey- about $18. But, other food- salads, appetizers, light bites, drinks are comparable. Patio is the place to sit.
(5)
Zach H.
Went here for lunch on a Thursday. Wasn't too crowded at all. The entrance is a little confusing but we figured it out. We sat on the patio and our server was Zach and he was great. I ordered the Angus sliders and a Stone IPA to drink. The sliders were amazing!! Very filling, I could only finish 2. Overall, excellent service and excellent food. Will come back for dinner and see how that goes but so far this place is great!
(5)
Stefanie M.
Hubby and I tried this place last night, as we're moving to the area and looking for more local good eats. They just opened a week ago, and things were a bit shaky as they were still in their soft opening. I'm picky when it comes to grammar, and it was a red flag to me to see so many misspellings on the menu. I counted at least four ways they spelled "gouda" on various menu items, and spelled "Lagunitas Brewing" as Laginitas and Laginatas, respectively, right next to each other. Sigh... Five stars for the ambience! Love the decor, and the firepits and large patio are a definite plus (when it doesn't rain, like it did last night, sending the majority of customers running to huddle in the restaurant - whoops!). Craft brew selection is pretty sweet, but only a handful of beers on tap. You can order from a good selection of bombers, though, which is what we did, saving us a couple of bucks and splitting one between the two of us. Burgers are of the "high-end" variety - the cheapest burger you can order is $17, and they only go up from there. They have some fun stuffed and "infused" burgers, though - everything from a mac and cheese stuffed burger, to a blue cheese stuffed, to a bacon infused burger. Since the burgers are pricey, we ordered a mac and cheese appetizer and a cheddar and bacon stuffed burger to split. The mac and cheese was delish, had a nice heat to it, and the burger was good, but didn't blow me away. Sweet potato fries were the star of the night! THE BOMB. Our waitress was friendly, helpful, and did seem to have good working knowledge of the menu only a few days in. We liked the place enough that we'll definitely come back, but hope they drop their prices a bit in the future. Hard to convince ourselves to come in for two burgers and two beers and not get out under $60.
(3)
Dom T.
I went and a sunday evening and while it wasn't empty there wasn't a wait. Great ambiance and service. Really great burgers, definitely at the top of my list. With all the burger places now, its hard to find one that has unique choices like here. And I like that they don't charge extra per topping. The only negative in my experience is the price. As great as it was, I can't say it justifies the price. Though its not somewhere I could go back to regularly, I'd definitely consider it for special occasions.
(4)
Derek R.
Diablo burger was awesome! Thanks Lauren for the recommendation!!! Be back soon to try the sausage burger!
The food, drinks and ambiance at this place is great, the service not so great! Been here a few times now and every time I have come, it hasn't been busy at all. I can't wrap my head around the fact that it takes 20 minutes to get a water or a waiter to greet us! For the price of a burger here, this place should be on top of everything, especially their service to their guests! I unfortunately won't be coming back here and if I do I will call ahead for take out.
(2)
Laurie C.
Ordered take-out from here and the three mini burgers were pretty good (albeit expensive), but the girls who worked here were so rude. I don't understand why these young people aren't trained properly. Customer service should be hugely important if you want repeat customers! These girls acted as though I was inconveniencing them by just being there! Will not be coming back. Guarantee this place won't last long. It's unfortunate.
(1)
Ashley A.
I don't know why this place gets bad reviews. I always get the pesto flatbread and strawberry lemonade and there both great. The restraunt is decorated cute and the free chips that come to the table are sooo addictive.
(5)
Pat C.
This place is the bomb. My wife, daughter and I went here for dinner. We couldn't be more impressed. Service was great.(Thanks Jordan). For all the complainers about the wait time on your burger. Maybe you should go to McDonalds. Is your burger ready in 5 minutes? NO! Is it worth the wait? Hell Yes!! I had the stuffed burger w/ mac and cheese. Maybe the best burger I've ever had. Pretzel bun was awesome. My wife and daughter both had cheese burgers on gluten free buns. Both said they were the best gluten free buns they have had. Their beer selection is filled with local brews We also ordered a side of their Mac and Cheese and it was great as well. if you are looking for a quick so so burger this isn't the place for you, but if you are looking for a great burger in a phenomenal atmosphere I would highly recommend BLK. Oh I almost forgot. The complimentary home made chips were also great.
(5)
Tom O.
Our server was also the bartender. That was the first problem. He spent all his time with the bar customers. It took about 15 minutes for him to take our order. No one else was in the restaurant. After we waited 20 minutes for our burgers, I asked to see the manager. She told us she had just checked and our order had printed out in the kitchen five minutes before. When we balked, she said it must have been a printer order. Please... Don't try blowing smoke up my butt. We cancelled our order and will never return.
(1)
Charlene M.
The best part about this place was the decor and homemade chips. The worst part: the high prices for mediocre burgers. I have eaten many gourmet burgers in my day. I've sampled the best of them, Plan Check in LA, Stacked, The Counter, so I am what one would consider an aficionado of specialty burgers, and let me tell you, there is nothing special about these burgers. Honestly if you are going to charge $19 for a burger it had better be freakin amazing and sadly ours was not. My husband said he prefers Corky's burger, which is saying a lot considering it's a fraction of the price and made at a diner that doesn't specialize in burgers. Hopefully by charging that much for each burger they don't need to sell as many to stay profitable because we won't be returning!
(2)
Milly M.
Overpriced burger that's just okay ... not great & nothing special. Although the patty was juicy, it was tasteless & needs some seasoning. The service was average, the place was pricey and I wasn't a big fan of their fake foliage in the patio!
(2)
Virginia G.
Another great dinner .. celebrating Rich's bday and our server, Jennifer was terrific. she catered to us as if we were royalty. The basket of chips she brought to the table for us to munch on while waiting for our food --- we wolfed down with our drinks. The spinach salad is a fav of mine as is the Diablo burger. Thanks Jennifer... made the dinner extra special.
(5)
Dave M.
This place has the best burgers in town, I had the 1/2 pound burger and it was cooked perfect, my wife had the chili and loved it. They bring out these awesome chips when you get seated which my wife used to eat her homemade chili. The atmosphere is also probably the best in Ladera Ranch, Great patio with T.V's everywhere to watch your favorite sports.
(5)
Dustin N.
Burgers were awesome, chili was better. Great atmosphere servers were very friendly and helpful. Moses, was our specific server and was on point, and aware of us and asked if we needed anything as i appreciate servers doing. Cant wait to return.
(4)
Chris M.
This is a tough one because I REALLY want to like this place and, on many levels do, but there are definitely some things that need to be addressed if BLK is going to make it in a location where everything else has failed. First the good: - The food was good and very well made. My favorite is the Diablo burger, cooked medium. It has a perfect amount of heat and flavor so that's a definite win. - Great selection of craft beers and wines so that's definitely another plus. - The decor and the ambiance were well put together, the seating was comfortable and, despite being outdoors on a chilly night, the abundance of heat lamps made things relatively comfortable. The bad: - Unlike many, I've been there several times now and, on all but one occasion, the service has been extremely sub-par with the wait staff being slow, inattentive and generally unconcerned with their guests. The wait staff is typically nice but, nice doesn't make up for poor service...sorry. - The price is ridiculously out of line with the product they serve. There are some excellent burgers in OC (The Counter, Bru, Haven Gastropub, The Side Door, etc) and I'd put these burgers just a notch or two below any of those. Their burgers are definitely better than Slater's so, that puts them in the "really good but not great..." category but, for a minimum price of $17 one would expect the skies to open up and angels to sing when you bite into one of them and that simply isn't even close to the case here. - The cooks smoking right outside of the patio area where everyone's sitting! Seriously on this one? This has happened on two different occasions where I've been sitting outside, smelled cigarette smoke, looked up and have seen a cook standing there taking a drag! A) I really don't want to smell cigarette smoke when I'm eating, B) If you're running a restaurant, you really shouldn't let your employees engage in disgusting behavior right in front of your customers...especially if you're a food service establishment! Yes, I know, it's their right to smoke but, designate a smoking area some distance away from the restaurant so we, the customer, doesn't have to be exposed to it. Bottom line, I very much wanted to like this place but I just can't. Will I go in there for a drink if someone invites me? Maybe; it's close to home and their bar is above average. Will I choose to go here with my family or suggest it to a friend? Absolutely not. Unless they do something dramatic (and, based upon their track record at Casa I don't see that happening), I don't see this place ever being successful which means we'll have yet another failed restaurant in that location.
(2)
Jerry S.
Best burger EVER! We're from Nor Cal, wish we had a location near us. Loved all of the choices that are on the menu.
(5)
Jaime H.
I had the sliders for lunch and they were good, but wouldn't go back as there regular menu is definitely way overpriced, and if I want a tasty burger, there are plenty of options for less than $17-20. Would only recommend for lunch unless you don't mind dropping $20 on a burger.
(3)
Rob M.
The food is pretty good, but extremely expensive. Additionally, it is not a great atmosphere for kids, which is unfortunate for a restaurant in Ladera Ranch.
(3)
Shannon W.
Yes I was hoping for something great here in the oc .... Not a good burger ... At all!!! If you want a great burger try my Fathers office .... Then charge me 19.00 ...
(2)
Andrew J.
BLK is nearly twice as expensive as The Counter and not nearly twice as good.
(2)
Urs B.
Overall the experience was good and pleasant, the burger was good, but expensive, so was the beer I had with it. The booth we sat in was really narrow, we hardly had any space to move.
(3)
Mike C.
Came here for the first time tonight. Was a little concerned because some of the reviews on here did not rate them too nicely. I really do not know why. First we sit down and they give you a basket of homemade chips which are really good! Very well seasoned. Gerardo was our bartender and was a lot of fun and had good advice. First he poured us our drinks and then give us suggestions on the menu. Good advice definitely go with the bleu cheese burger. Burgers are huge! Great bun, great toppings and not too much toppings to dominate the meat. I also had the chili on the side and it is very good. A little bit of a kick - it's perfect. Definitely want this place to succeed and looking forward to coming back! Update: I went back to this place tonight. I had previously given it a five star review. However, I am changing it to three stars. One problem that I have to admit $18 is a lot of money for a burger. It is good but the cheap side of me won and I left. Two they've opened up the patio which is nice but I kind a liked it before when it was covered more. They have done a lot of work on the restaurant and it isn't bad. You just have to be able to convince yourself $18 for hamburger is a good deal
(3)
Alex K.
Is it a burger joint wanting to be a high end bistro or is it a bistro trying to be a hipster burger joint. I honestly don't know. They do serve good but not great burger. Rather slow in the kitchen even on a slow lunch. Yes Kobe beef is expensive. It just wasn't worth the money based upon the flavor.
(3)
J M.
Good service. Hefty burgers. Great milk shakes. Kobe beef burgers (smallest is 1/2 lb so bring your appetite). Completely customize your burger.
(4)
Julie M.
1st time @ the new BLK Burgerz in Ladera Ranch. Adam & Lauren were on top of things. LOVE the new patio-felt very LA. Our burgers were a little overdone so a waste of pricey ($18) Kobe beef. Onion rings & sweet potato fries were perfect. Cocktails by fire- nice. Had to ask for utensils. Giant chocolate chip cookie in hot skillet perfect to split 4-ways. Would come back for date night but a little pricey for a family outing.
(4)
Marti M.
I really want to talk about this place but not sure how to sum it all up... I drank way too much wine so some of it is still a blur. -Love the outdoor patio and hanging out on the couches. -TV's were great, watched Clippers playoffs and Kings game and tv wasn't on too loud. -Service was average. If you give free kettle chips why did we have to order them 45 minutes after we sat down? We were trying to decide which appetizer to order and picked the kettle chips then server said "oh those are free". Great, bring the damn free chips already -When we first got there we ordered 2 drinks and server asked to close out our tab? Server wasn't going on break or going home. It was just awkward that she wanted us to pay right away. -Our table was teady about an hour later so I stumbled over to sit down. BF had risotto and it was great and I had kobe beef sliders, pretty good. ***The music choice was very bad. Felt like I was at a wedding reception waiting for the bride and groom to make their entrance! That string quartet does not belong in the atmosphere with sports on the big screens. I hated every minute of it. However, I was informed by server that everyone else loves them. I don't love sports and string quartets together. They are really out of place at BLK.
(3)
Awesome G.
We arrive and we're excited to try this place. The atmosphere was really nice. We waited for about 5 minutes and were seated as the place was only 20% full. Unfortunately, after waiting for 45 minutes - the food comes out, COLD! I asked for a glass of HOT TEA and that comes out room temperature. My burger was completely raw inside and burnt on the outside. I sent it back and waited another 20 minutes. I've definitely had better burgers for less. The quality of the meat did not taste at all like 100% Kobe beef as advertised on the menu. Finally I get the bill - $80 for 2 adults and 1 child. Definitely far from gourmet" I would encourage you to spend your time and money elsewhere. Although, the staff was friendly and apologized it was the management and the kitchen that needs serious work! I'm never coming back again.
(2)
J C.
Better than Slaters 50/50 IMO. Good burger + fries. Plan to return. Server stated they plan to introduce some type of happy hour deal in the future -- YAY! Edit 2-23-14 Based on recent visit, adding half star -- 4.5stars Happy hour, lunch specials in effect; full menu is out, service was better.
(5)
Paolo F.
The other servers didn't pay attention to us when we arrived. Finally, our server (who had just entered and stared his shift), Jeff, saved the day. Burgers were not that good.
(2)
Michael M.
Had to write a review. Burgers are good, not the best and certainly not 18$ good. Cool atmosphere, went on a friday night around 10, the place was pretty dead. I guess their burgers are "special" because they're stuffed. They taste good but I was taken back by a 50 dollar bill for 2... just for burgers. I would recommend Slaters 50/50. Better priced, better atmosphere. If you want an excellent burger just go to In n Out.
(2)
Lisa M.
The kobe sliders, jalapeño mac and cheese, and the carne asada street taco with their salsa are the dishes I must rave about. The food was amazingly delicious!! I highly recommend this place!
I-like others-don't know why this place only has 3 star review. I have been 7 or 8 times over the past few months and always bring someone new to try their menu. I have ordered something different almost every time. And while the service was a bit slow during their first month open, they have greatly improved and they continue to grow their menu each time I'm there. LOVE their homemade chips that greet you when you sit down. Yum! All my guests have been thoroughly impressed with the food and the ambience and although the prices are a bit high, you can definitely split and be satisfied. Love their string 80s performers on the weekend.
(5)
Diane E.
We had lunch here late in the afternoon. It was a half an hour wait for our lunch, the slider special $8.95 for two sliders and a side and a BLK salad. The food was good, the chips are great just a bit salty. My salad dressing was on the sweet side, but the balsamic dressing was very good. The burgers were good, not over the top but good. We would order a little differently next time. We had seating outside and I got the sun and my friend got the shade. Happy. We were stuffed when we left. It was a very pleasant lunch all in all. Designer burgers are pricy. And these are no exception.
(3)
I K.
First positives. Idea of making your own burger with all the different options; nice outdoor seating area; decor; friendly waiters; nice tasty burger. Not so much negative but things that can be improved. Our waiter was working both at the bar and also waiting, so it took a while to get the check at the end and for us to be on our way. The buns were nice but most likely not freshly made. Our pretzel bun was cold and did not taste or feel fresh at all, a big disappointment for a $17 burger. I might go there one more time but if the buns are the same, will probably stop going
(4)
Cedric V.
Like some other Yelpers, I'm a little boggled on why Blk Burgrz has such a low score. I had lunch there today with some friends and I thought it was great. It was a little slow, so the service was very attentive. I had a peppercorn Kobe burger with a lettuce wrap. The server suggested that they cut it in half before coming out of the kitchen and I'm glad they did. I thought for sure they brought me two burgers. The Kettle Chips were addictive. Overall I think it was good - though the burgers are expensive, they feed two people which is worth it.
(4)
Ed G.
Absolutely the WORST RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE EVER!!! My family and I had attended a pre-opening event and waited 2.5 hours for our food. OK, so I get how soft openings go, so we decided to give them another shot...BIG MISTAKE. To the management, a few words of advice: 1. The service and the smug attitudes of your host/hostess staff is absolutely unacceptable. With $18.00 burgers on your menu, you are attempting to sell an experience that should be a step or two better than Red Robin, Islands, or even Ruby's. Quite frankly, I've had better service at Jerry's Dogs and McDonald's down the street. 2. If a patron calls in to secure a reservation because they have a larger party (in our case, two families of four that wanted to enjoy an evening together), do not tell them that you do not accept reservations, only to have other parties arrive and be seated because they had reservations. Please management, remember that consistency is the key to success; do not send mixed messages. 3. If the large party tells a member of your host staff that they would be willing to split into smaller groups in order to be seated in a more timely fashion, make a note of it and communicate the information amongst the rest of the host staff. If two tables open up that are back to back, ask the patron if they would accept that option prior to assuming that such a split would be declined prior to seating other parties. 4. If you make a mistake, OWN IT. Apologize and take steps to rectify the situation before a patron becomes frustrated and leaves your establishment disappointed. As a resident of Ladera Ranch, I was excited to learn that we were going to have a new dining option nearby. In my book, after two failed experiences, I'm sorry to say that this no longer exists a viable dining option. I travel frequently and enjoy dining in a variety of atmospheres; some of my best meals have been in dives where the food and service belie their humble surroundings. In your case, you have put money into your surroundings only to fail miserably in other areas. I hope that you figure it out and achieve success, but you will have to do it without my family and the other family that had joined us last night...we won't be back.
(1)
Gavin T.
Disappointed, Ladera really needs a good place to eat. $18 for a burger is just crazy...The burgers are very dry and you create your own from the menu. I understand it was a soft open and the service was good but you can't charge $18 for a burger and deliver a normal burger that does not taste that great. I would rather drive to newport and eat a $14 burger at R&D. Wish I could give a good review but it was not that great.
(1)
Jon C.
If I could I could give less than 1 star I would. Great Ambiance. Other than that...Horrible. 45 minute-1 hour ticket times. Watched people complain and leave due to the long wait for their overly priced food. I ordered a "stuffed" burger. Wasn't stuffed with anything. Burgers were way too greasy. Kobe "grade" beef ? Not sure what "grade" refers to but I grade it an "F". The onion rings were horrible. If the food doesn't get better, doubt this place lasts a few months.
(1)
Geoff W.
This place is VERY over priced... I do not have a problem paying a premium if you are receiving a premium, but $18 for a burger is too much. Keep in mind, that $18 does not include the additional toppings and sauces which range from $.50 to $1 each. Overall, I would give the food a B-, and the service was a C-. If you are looking for a good atmosphere to grab a drink and watch a game, my rating would be very different. Great set up, just not worth the $$$
(1)
Teresa S.
Had the most expensive lunch ever...and was totally turned off by the place...I ordered wings, fries and a soda.....$18.xx...WTH I wouldn't have minded so much about the price if the food was good...big disappointment chicken had no flavor and was burnt, fires where ok to say the least. I think my kid could make a better meal then what I was served today. Also the bartender, should maybe rethink her work attire....ass crack should not be acceptable at any place of business... =/
(1)
pasha m.
not the best burger in town but a cool place to have dinner. outdoor patio is great, but service is not the best in town. we have visited the place few times and every time the service to the table has been very slow. seems like there are few servers that have to tend all tables... last time was the worst of all. table was given and took the server about 15 minutes to come and say hi, and that was after I asked someone whether we even had a server or not. 6 adults, two kids. first kids meal shows up, 3 minutes later, 2 of the burgers show up. then the beer shows up. then 2 more plates. final plate didn't even show up till i complained to the manager. another 15 minutes after everyone else finished their food last plate showed up. the plate and beer ended up being free, but it pretty much ruined the experience and would most likely stop me from going there again
(2)
Steph R.
Food was excellent. Honestly, I have waited to go here because of the prices, but it was worth it, especially since I have half a burger for lunch tomorrow. My daughter said it was the best chocolate shake she had ever had. Our server, Jeff, was very friendly and attentive. Aspen, the hostess, was sweet and explained the menu since it was our first visit. About five employees thanked us and said goodnight when we left. A+ for service! Oh, and the kettle chips were absolutely amazing!
(5)
Wesley F.
This place is amazing! Great tasting burgers, heat lamps, large tv's, good beer selection, and a sting quartet for ambiance. What more could we ask for? Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Jenny W.
Well I'm sad to say, this is one place I won't be going back too! Was so excited a new place was opening! Looked amazing from the outside, but from the moment I entered my time there became less and less amazing! The food is wayyyy over priced! A $20 burger! Really! And when it only tasted mediocre it only made the price that much more ridiculous!!! Normally I wouldn't take the time to write a review, but my service was so bad, I had to let others know! Our server was AWFUL! I believe he said his name was Adam! Tall, blondish brown hair. Anyways if it wasn't bad enough that we had to ask three times for our drinks and our food order was messed up, his eyes were so blood shot I couldn't tell what he was on! He seemed very out of it, maybe had a little too much fun before work!!! And to make matters worse, he obviously didn't want to be there because right in the middle of serving us, he went home and was almost trying to rush us out of there so he could go!!! When he realized we wernt going anywhere, had a co worker take over! Then we watched him get in his yellow car and screech out of the parking lot like he was late to a party! We WONT be returning!!!!
(1)
Britt W.
This place is a nice place for great food and casual dining! The day we went (a Saturday afternoon) was pretty busy but our service was amazing and our waitress, Jessica, made us feel right at home. She was by far one of the best servers we ever had. We were sat next to "one of those tables" filled with 4 difficult elderly ladies and the way she handle them and was still able to serve our table immediately after with a smile is truly a talent. Food= great. Atmosphere= great. Service= above great. We will be back again for sure.
(4)
Jen R.
The burger was really good and the ambiance is awesome! It's right about the same price range as other restaurants in the area so given the choice we would hit this spot over the overs! Yummy sweet potato fries :)
(4)
R. H.
My husband and I came here for lunch. We ordered the lunch special, 2 sliders and a side salad. The Kobe beef sliders were delicious. We had a side of onion rings too. The onion rings were some of the best I've ever had. We are coming back again for sure!
(4)
Cathy B.
Who are these complainers? The place was fantastic from the food to the decor. If you know the history of Kobe meat you would understand the price. Yes, it is expensive for a burger but the restaurant is an experience in fine 'burger' dining.......not so much about the burger as it is the quality of the meat, fish etc. The choices of burgers and the way the menu is stylized for the customer is amazing and extensive. I have been for dinner and for lunch. The prices at lunch are less expensive. The servers are exceptional. I truly hope this place makes it and I am sad at these reviews. It deserves more praise than it is getting.
(4)
Mandi M.
John was an amazing server!!!! We will be back and hope to have him as our server m! Best food and best service ever!-
(5)
Bob L.
This was a tough one. Arrived at 7:04. Girl at the front told us 25 minute wait and there were LOTS of open tables. Finally sat down 45 minutes later. Service was some of the worst I have ever had. Took forever for someone to take our order, I guess the chips they bring you are suppose to hold you over until your food arrives but our chips beat our meal by 2 minutes which also took forever. The ONLY reason I am giving 2 stars is because of the burger. It was fantastic. Another thing I found interesting. We ran in to some friends there and there were asked by the hostess "are you going to be much longer because we have this table reserved and the party just got here". Really???? I guess they haven't even paid their bill yet. We on the other hand got our bill before we even had a chance to order dessert. It is now 9:49 and we are finally leaving. Don't come here if you are in any sort of hurry. Undecided if I will be back.
(2)
Lisa G.
Went there last night for the first time. Great place, great food, and they serve my fave Cakebread Chard!! Taking the boyfriend and going back tonight.
(5)
Glenn C.
First off, I am a Ladera resident so I am thrilled that a decent restaurant concept finally came back to Ladera. I have been here twice now and both times I went away happy with my experience. They are only using their soft opening menu at this point, but I loved the food. The burgers are very very good. I sat at the bar once and enjoyed the two guys behind the bar. They mixed great drinks and they were very friendly and talkative. I sat outside the 2nd time with my family and we loved the atmosphere. The evening we went was kinda chilly, but we were comfortably warm with the heaters located throughout the patio. My wife and son loved their food as well. I had the mac n cheese burger, loaded up with veggies and fried egg on a brioche bun (delicious). My wife had the traditional Kobe burger on Hawaiian bun and loved it. They have a great selection of craft beers so beer lovers should be impressed. The reason I am only giving 4 stars is because of the steep price. I loved this place, but $20+ for a burger is kinda pricey (regardless of where you are at). I understand the high rent district of Ladera forces the restaurant owners to charge a bit more than normal, and I certainly respect this fact. BUT still $20 + gets you a steak in some good restaurants. The burgers are high quality, and the restaurant is beautiful. I am glad this restaurant is here in Ladera and I hope it is here to stay for a very long time. I will be back. One more comment - why would a yelp reviewer go to a newly opened restaurant on the first 2 nights after opening and give negative reviews for timeliness???....give the freakin place a break and hold your negative reviews until the placed has had a chance to work out their kinks. If the restaurant is still experiencing the same problems a month after opening then rate accordingly. Just my opinion.
(4)
Juno J.
We just wanted to try this burger place despite of the review. People have different taste so we thought to give it a try, they could be wrong. Let me start by saying the ambiance of the place is absolutely stunning. Taste is average, despite of customizing your own burger, it's still just like any restaurant burger. At least we tried and now we know. Conclusion, for an $18 (no drinks) burger this is pricey!!! Taste and quality is not up to par with Riders Club in San Clemente for $7.95.
(1)
Michellea D.
The first time my husband and I went to BLK it was amazing. The second time I went with my daughter and it was ok. I love the burgers, but the 2nd time my burger was under cooked. I told the waiter and he did nothing. I will come back for one more try.
(3)
J Z.
They started off great and every time we order food to go, it just gets worse and worse. I think there is something going on with the kitchen staff.
(2)
Richelle D.
First I have to saw the ambiance in this restaurant is very nice. The patio is large and cozy. The manager was vey nice and greeted us right when we walked in. My complaint was the prices. Food was just okay. Ive been a resident in Ladera Ranch for 10 years and I want to see them survive the curse of Ladera Ranch Restaurants. But if they dont make it more affordable it will not last. I was told they have a one man band on Saturdays so I will try that out and see if I can swallow the prices, since I will be getting entertained at the same time.
(3)
Sarah A.
kobe burgers were good with lots of toppings we enjoyed Garrison who did a great job of serving us.
(3)
Stacy S.
This place is amazing. Delicious food and great drinks.
(5)
Danjo M.
Someone I'm assuming associated with this restaurant just emailed me that my review was fake. How sad that they have someone doing that. Not a good way to recover from SEVERAL reviews stating the food was not good, just fix it. Ladera needs a good restaurant, not some idiot sending replies to a yelp review for being honest. Shame on you... good luck, you'll need it!
(1)
Karen G.
I'm giving it two stars only for the $5 happy hour martini even though it took 20 minutes to get that drink. Service and food were terrible. There were 3 people at bar and later one table of 4 yet it took forever to get a drink. The waiters were busy hanging outside where there were no patrons but a hot hostess. The hostess had an attitude and tried to sit us outside in over 100 degree weather. Then sat us at a dirty wet table and got an attitude when I asked her to clean it. We are dealing with an empty restaurant so sitting issues should not have been there. It was empty when we left. We got the Kobe sliders and they were over cooked with burned buns. Thank goodness we didn't pay for the 18 dollar burger. The bruschetta was god awful, uncooked rolls with some unflavored squares of tomatoes and mozzarella. Not sure if it was canned or jarred but not worth eating. Then undercooked spicy wings. Seriously wish we could get some good eateries in town but this place won't last. The owner should have been as concerned with service and food quality as he was with the number of TV's and outside decorations.
(2)
pam h.
The food isn't that bad. It's def not worth the money
(1)
Britt G.
OBSESSED with the tomato soup here. It's practically a chowder - thick and creamy. The vegetarian burger options are great, as well as the other non-Kobe options. The staff really seems to work hard and provides excellent customer service. I had Adam Webb the second time I was there and he was awesome. I love how he pronounces "jalapeños." Also love the craft beers! Go.
Positive: Friendly staff, nice outdoor seating and bar, decent fries and beer selection. Negative: 3/4 lb burger cost $20 with side, short staffed, and tasteless burger.
(2)
sanaz t.
From the service to the food this place was 5 stars. Service was amazing! Host was kind and informative, then I was greeted by a Nicole a manager who also took her time to go over the menu options for me. My server, Zach was patient with me since I am such a nightmare when it comes to ordering, and even took the time to tell me some of his personal favorites. Now to the food... OMG the Kobe burger was to die for, and being able to dress it up whatever way i wanted made it even more amazing. The onion rings are a must! Light and not greasy!! I almost forgot the complimentary kelly chips thats come to your tables dusted with ranch powered... TO DIE FOR. They also had some pretty tempting salads on the menu too, so I need to go back and try one of those as well! Def go to this place!!!!
(5)
Lisa S.
Thought I'd give it another try...I was pleasantly surprised with the staff, the food and how accommodating they were when our party of two grew to a party 7! Great drinks & food. The staff was so fun and really interacted with our group.
(5)
W C.
Do the owners read these reviews at all? Almost every review is about the wait. We sat at 5:00pm. We ordered food at 5:20pm and the hamburgers were delivered at 6:15pm. The kids had long since finished their kid meals and we must have waited another 40 minutes for our hamburgers. Are you kidding? We may live in Ladera but we eat at nice restuarants all over Orange County and we know when we are being provided with poor service. Such a shame. We are all hoping for great restaurants in Ladera. They are in danger of losing their investment if they don't fix this quick.
(2)
Michael M.
Stupidly expensive ($20) for a burger joint! This place will be getting yet another tenant soon.
(1)
Jim M.
Tanner rocked as our server...sat outside and dug the space..food was great...chips to start was a nice touch...tons of options. Saving the final star for when they are not on a soft open...cheers
(4)
Christian R.
Wish this place wasn't $18 bucks for a burger. $10 would be ok, but $18 with the family is outrageous. The three stars is only because of the price/value.
(3)
Greg B.
Well I made my 4th and most likely final attempt at dining at Blk. The sad thing is I really want to like this place because the patio is great and I want to support businesses in my community. In my opinion an $18 burger should be absolutely fantastic and there should be service to match. Mac and cheese Burger was way overdone and ruined entire experience. The place was slow last night and the staff moved even slower getting drinks as well as food. The best item was the complimentary kettle chips. Seriously they need a management team that understands restaurants and delivering a quality dining experience. The owners should read these reviews and think hard on what they think is being executed in the dining room, kitchen and from staff. This community would support quality if it was at Blk but not as it is currently run.
Go see Anton! He's awesome and super friendly! Blk Burger is amazing!
(5)
Ryan F.
Went opening week, and the food was great, but the service was suspect. Just left, and they've not only fixed the service issues, but also expanded the menu with some amazing options! (Edamame are phenomenal!). Special shout out to our waitress, Jennifer!
(5)
Joe S.
We love MLK Burgrz! I heard mixed reviews but after eating here, I can say I have no idea why. The service is excellent and so is the food. The layout, vibe, music, etc. all add value to the dining experience here. We have been back multiple times now and this is our favorite place to go when eating out.
(4)
Elle B.
We were there on the finally of the guitar riff off .This place makes us feel like we went on vacation. The decor is so beautiful bringing the english design in by adding topiaries everywhere. The inside becomes one because they have dutch doors that open the entire place up. There are so many elements to the decor that makes dining even that much better! My family had the edamame and we were in taste bud heaven. My husbands ordered the Mary's chicken and i had the blue cheese burger and we loved our meals. The kids ordered pizza and they to where really happy about there food. I ordered a Taji martini and the only thing i can say is be careful because you can drink these all day long because they are so yummy. My husband was so impressed the the house wine was cakebread. We will be dining here a lot!
(5)
James B.
We have been waiting for a place in Ladera that would really bring it and finally it is here... Tanner our waiter was spot on knew the menu, made great recommendations on both food and drink, this place is FAR BETTER than Slaters 50/50, those that complain go to Slaters so I have a seat here. Ask for Tanner
(5)
Andrea K.
Yummy burgers but make sure you come with an appetite. They're huge! And they come with insane amounts of stuffings toppings buns sauce..the works. Super custom..you can get anything you want however you want it. Onion rings were stellar. Service was great. Price point is high but for the amount and quality of the food id say it's worth it on a once in awhile splurge occasion.
(5)
K A.
Delicious! I have had the jalapeño burger and the avocado burger. The best burgers I've ever had. Great wine/beer list. Excellent service and beautiful remodel/decor.
(4)
Sandy A.
This place could be great if they would only improve their service. Staff seems very unorganized. People are willing to pay higher prices for food if the ambiance is good. They have a great patio but have ruined it with all the tacky fake plants. What a shame because it's a wonderful location. Food was very good once we got it.
(3)
C W.
Tried this place because when you live out here your choices are seriously limited. I Recognize quality and I don't mind paying it but it has to be worth it, this wasn't worth it. The service was good, the decor is nice and the patio is super nice. We both ordered burgers and although I appreciate all the choices for bun and toppings, it was really average and nothing special. Just too expensive for ordinary.
(3)
Sambo P.
Not good. This pretty much sums it up. The menu was complicated and they were not truly ready to open as many items were unavailable. The salad dressing tasted like plain oil, every other chip was soggy, and we waited 45 min for BURGERS. Our order was mixed up and our toddler's meal came out last.... 10 min later so almost after an hour of waiting. I could go on and on, but I won't. The kids did like the fire feature outside. So there is that.. :)
(1)
Lama H.
They suck! Your better off pouring grease down your throat!! Although the appetizers were delicious, and the ambiance is nice I couldn't speak highly of the burgers and after all it is called BLK Burgrz... Especially for $18!!! Don't do it!!
(1)
Nicole S.
Great ambiance and decor. Food was below average, especially for a $20+ burger. Sweet potato fries are fabulous, burgers were bland and the sliders were dry. We waited 45 minutes to get our bill situated, then the GM came over as gave a horrible apology and excuse. We wanted to love it, but the customer service (lack there of) was some of the worst I've ever experienced. Our waitress was kind and really trying to work things out, but her management did a poor job supporting her and helping make things right. Really bummed because the atmosphere is great.
(2)
Amy M.
Not worth it. Extremely pricey and terrible customer service. They messed up our bill 4 times and we waited an additional 45 minutes for them to figure it out. Don't bother going here unless you want a $20 burger and bad service. Better to go to Slater 50/50.
(1)
Tom R.
Really good addition to Ladera but way too expensive. I get that it's Kobe beef but $18 for a burger is a little too high. Good beer selection as well a wine. Hope it stays but price needs to come down. I'll go to Slater 50/50 where the prices are reduced in half.
(1)
Pam P.
My boyfriend and I ate at BLK's on Friday night, November 22nd. The ambience was incredible and very hip and current. After being fairly regular patron's of "The Counter" in Irvine, a great "build you own" in the center off of the 405 and Jamboree, we were VERY excited to learn there was another "build you own" burger place right down the road from our house. We soon discovered BLK is way over priced $17 to $21 dollars for 1/2 pound burger. The Kobe meat was okay but NOT great flavor. The onion rings on the Kobe Sliderz (my order) were very weak and moist.... I had asked if the onion rings would be crispy stringy onion rings. Sadly, they were far from it. The bun was the pretzel bun and came out cold immediately. The meat was warm but the bun was cold. My boyfriends "build you own" was okay. Not exceptional as you would hope for with a $21 price tag. We will not be going back - the place is way over priced for the burgers. The owners should eat at the "Counter" and take notes. The prices are approximately $10 for a "build your own" and everything on the menu from the sweet potato fries to the build you own burgers is amazing. Sorry, BLK..... way over-priced for what you get. I would pay $21 for an amazing hamburger, but I did not walk away from BLK with an amazing food experience.
(1)
Amy R.
Went to dinner Monday, November 18, immediately was seated outside. We 4 of us placed our drink orders at 6:10, 4 beers and we were given a small portion of chips to munch on until or orders were taken. It literally took 35 minutes to get our beer, 3 bottles one on tap. We placed our dinner order when our waiter finally came back to check on us at 7pm, we have to mark on a sheet of paper our items for a 17.00 burger, omg. We then ordered more drinks and were not given those until 7:40, our burgers did not arrive for almost an hour of waiting. We were not overly impressed, the rice my husband ordered was under cooked and TOO much soy sauce, my onion rings were cold as we're my friends order and for 17.00 a plate we should have had more than 3 cold onion rings. We mentioned our displeasure to the manager working and instead we were given a bottle of water for the table. The customer service and quality of food needs improvement immediately if BLK burgrz to survive in this location. The remodel was done nicely, now fix your staff
(1)
Henry P.
This was our 4 th visit and by far the worst yet. We had a party of 6 and sat in the large booth in the back. First off there were some construction workers trying to move a large wine rack in the back, this should have been done during off hours and not when customers are having dinner. Second our server didn't have a clue of what she was doing. The drinks we ordered were wrong and she never followed up on our request for an additional soft drink, it shouldn't take 20 min to get it. We finally went to the bar and got it ourselves. As for the food maybe she should have told us that each order would take 20 min to prepare. When to food finally came that server didn't know who ordered what and our first was no where to be found and she never even came to clear the appetizer plates. Finally the bill was wrong. The first server should be fired or re-trained. We will be back but I hope we don't get that same service. I will pass this on and warn future customers about our experience.
(2)
L K.
Great food and great decor! Yes, the burgers are on the pricey side but I think people are being a bit tough on the reviews. Many are giving them a low rating because of the price even though they enjoyed the restaurant. I'm glad I read through the comments and gave BLK a chance.
(5)
Dave C.
Had lunch yesterday afternoon, outside on the neat patio. Soft opening menu - which was fine. The staff was very pleasant and it was certainly busy. We were told there was a 10 minute wait even though there were a few empty tables, titrating the covers to help the kitchen no doubt. No problem, we had a drink at the bar and watched a little football, and less than 10 mins later we were seated. Chips out immediately, nice touch. Sliders for me and chix salad for my wife. Sliders arrived first; tasty but cooked more than i prefer (they didn't ask how i wanted them cooked). Oddly, the salad was to "be right out" but it didn't come until about 7 minutes later. It was really good though, and the manager came by to "own" the mistake and apologized. We also had the sweet potato fries, and when i asked for ketchup, the server brought out ketchup, along with a sampling of 4 different sauces, which i thought was a smart move. Let's give this place a chance Ladera. It's not Pizza, it's designed for adults - two things we really need in Ladera. Don't any of you remember the "soft opening" of Infusion? total nightmare yet an absolute winner long-term. As long as they get consistent on the operations, focus on delivering great food by nice people, it will be a winner. Otherwise it's Microbar all over again. give it a chance, be supportive.
(3)
Scott W.
BLK makes great burgers yes, but the salads are hidden gems. I usually order the spinach salad and add Filet for $5 more. That makes the salad about 15 bucks, a bargain for a filet salad of the quality that they serve you. The prices on the burgers are too high even though they are really good. My daughters favorite is the Mac N Cheese stuffed burger. The staff are super friendly and prompt. A real class act. Jason helped us that last time we were there. Great server. Ask for him! I wish the burgers were a little cheaper but like I said, the salads make up for it. They added a new LED tree and it's too bright. BLK, if you're listening, make that tree light a warmer color! It's like a people repellent right now. I still love you though and I can't wait to see your expanded menu. I would have given 5 stars if the burger prices were a little cheaper.
(4)
Hadyn G.
Had a great time, delicious food, (I had the Kobe burger) great music and ambiance, beautiful restaurant and amazing service from our server Lauren. Will be coming back for sure. Welcome to Ladera Ranch BLK!
(5)
M H.
I have had a chance to eat at BLK three times in the last two weeks. Each time both the food and the service has gotten better. I know understand why soft openings matter and why you should never comment on a first experience. If you were on the fence try BLK again the bugs are being worked out. Great food, great ambiance and great drinks.
(5)
Kristi K.
I am excited for our community to have another restaurant after losing so many lately. I ate here with a group on Saturday night during their Soft Opening. The staff was very warm and welcoming, despite some frantic moments that come with opening a new business. The decor: The place has undergone major (much-needed) remodeling since the prior tenants left. The inside is very small, but has the feeling of eating inside a rustic Pottery Barn and is nicely appointed and is fully open to the patio. I saw one huge flatscreen TV inside showing football. The outside patio is much improved and has distinct eating areas and conversation areas with fire pits and patio heaters. It seems like it was a bit chilly out there where there weren't heaters. The drinks: The menu has a pretty extensive list of craft beers and wine including Cismontane, Stone, and Deschutes. Several of the choices weren't available for the Soft Opening, but they kindly recommended others that they had. The wine on special was Cakebread. The food: The Soft Opening had a limited menu, but we tried 2 of the stuffed burgers, one stuffed with mac n cheese (!!) and one stuffed with swiss and mushrooms. We also had 2 Sizzling burgers with customized toppings. The server provides you with a form to check off how you want your burger from the type of bun, to the cheese, sauce, and toppings. It was disappointing that cheese is $1.00 extra on an already expensive burger ($17). Gourmet toppings are also extra. It would be nice if you felt like you got a bit more value for your money. In terms of the side items, we ordered kettle chips, regular fries, sweet potato fries, and also onion rings. The kettle chips were great and had a hint of garlic and parsley. The regular fries were on the soggy side and seemed to be the bottom of the barrel. I would chalk that up to the soft opening. The sweet potato fries were crispy and delicious and a good portion was included as a side. The onion rings, on the other hand, were disappointing. The side order was 4 small rings in some sort of bland, doughy batter. They were not greasy, which is great, but I would not order them again unless something changed. For dessert, we opted for the key lime pie and it was delicious. There were two tart-sized pies with whipped cream and a raspberry drizzle. Looking forward to trying the "Pizookie"-style cookie dessert next time. The service: Everyone from the hostess to the servers to the bus boys were gracious and accommodating. Even though we waited more than two hours for our food (again, kitchen working out kinks), they made us comfortable and feel welcome. I will definitely be back in the next few weeks. I'm giving my review 4 stars rather than 5 because I don't like the feeling of being nickled and dimed for adding toppings and extras to an already expensive entree. With a lower price point, this would be a frequent place to eat.
(4)
Bill S.
My wife and I were thrilled with the atmosphere as well as the food. I've seen reviews complaining about the price and they are way off. If you're looking for a six dollar burger go down to carls jr. This place gives high quality meat and an amazing ingredients offering. In addition, there were plenty of patio warmers on a freezing cold night which made for a great evening. Give BLK burgers a try and I promise you won't be disappointed
(5)
Kim T.
My husband and I visited this as we were excited for the new opening. We sat at the bar and the bartender was very friendly and polite. Our food took 45 mins to arrive and when it did they brought me a different item and said they ran our of the pretzel bun. I then said ok and began to take a bite when I realized they had put the sauce on which I had asked for on the side. The bartender apologized and took the food back and after another 20 more minutes I asked where my food was and they went to check on it. The other bartender apologized and said they had informed the manager. After. 30 minutes of waiting I told them I no longer wanted my food. My husband was unable to enjoy his meal as he waited for me so we could eat together. A manager never visited the table and on our way out we asked for a manager and got some guy standing at the host desk that did not act or talk like a manager. He did not do anything to correct our poor experience and he did not even offer to take care of our bill. I've worked in restaurant management for 10 years and this place will not be able to survive as they do not understand customer service. The staff seems to enjoy talking to each other rather than helping customers. Managers nowhere to be found with a new restaurant opening???
(1)
Yelper A.
My husband and I came here last week from out of town to visit family and heard about this burger place. I am a huge burger fan and was intrigued even though we had already eaten dinner. We felt like having a few drinks after dinner and decided to visit anyways and check out the menu. The restaurant has very nice decor. A beautiful huge patio with firepits and tvs. The inside was cute too, reminds me of a sheik upscale western saloon. We sat at the bar in big comfy chairs and were greeted immediately. Our bartender, Gerardo, was very friendly and professional. He engaged us in conversation and recommended many great beers. What a great beer selection! 4 great ipas on draft and my husbands favorite, firestone double jack ipa. We are also huge beer fans so this place is perfect for us! The menu looked delicious! Cant wait to be back and try the mac n cheese stuffed burger! Great ambiance and great service! We will definitely be back next time we are in town to have dinner here!
(5)
Jellybean J.
Tried it for the first time. Loved loved loved the service. Our waiter Jeff was AWESOME!!! Went with my husband and two kids, food was good a little pricey. Heard mixed reviews on the service and food but all together great experience.
(4)
Sean W.
Had an excellent experience at this new high scale restaurant. The burger was incredible and our server, Jen, was great! Definitely coming back here soon.
(5)
Wade S.
For $17, I had a turkey burger (made with brown rice and bell peppers) with cheddar, spinach, red onion, bell pepper and honey-mustard on a Squaw bread bun. I chose a very fresh side salad and ate fresh kettle chips (complimentary!) while my order was being prepared. The heated patio is great and the service from Robert and the rest of the staff was excellent.No, it's not a six-dollar burger but this is not fast food - it's a very comfortable casual dining experience with a great staff and excellent food. I will be back!
(5)
V C.
We wanted to support the new local business, so we decided to try this place. The hostess brought my daughter a high chair and didn't recognize that it was filthy. We asked her to wipe it down. She tried, but the food was caked on so bad that it didn't clean. She then went and brought us another. We finally all sat down and five minutes later, I had to get up and ask if we were going to get served? The food came out and my wife needed more dressing for her salad, but our waiter never came by to check on our food. My burger was $20 and it was just average. After finishing our meals, we sat for 10 minutes waiting to cash out. I finally had to get up again and hand my credit card to a gal. My receipt came back and I noticed we were double charged for my wife's meal. This place was a nightmare. I wouldn't mind giving them another shot, but their food was ridiculously overpriced and just average.
(1)
hans d.
easy to get to location, but that's where the peace ends. crowded patio, everyone there hungry and waiting for food, friday eve in way south o c means "get me some food, cause i'm not here to drink." it's burgers and bar food, way over priced to pay the rent i guess, and the service, poor from beginning to end. bartenders weren't ready, stood there for 7 minutes while they talked to the drunks at the bar. i ask for chardonney, he says what kind? i said what ever's open, if i wanted a specific i would have asked. that's the first $$. then comes the wobbly table for 8, and the convoluted ordering, then the interminable 35 minute wait for food but hey the drinks guy came around 4 times, and so three people in our party were buzzed from no food and plenty of alcohol before the $$ burgers came. the salad came last, in two? bowls. the waiter and servers need to learn the trade. last straw was the loudest most obnoxious jazz trio ever. sure they could play, but they were still just kids with loud toys. within seconds, the only joy i got from this venue was taken, as the decibel level went immediately to coachella levels right in my face. i was literally yelling to my wife. estupido management prob thought it was a cool way to get people to drink more. never ever never again. you want a good burger, go to in n out and go to the park with your girl. watch the stars. listen to smooth jazz softly. want to waste some quality time, here's the place. and with 8 people drinking they no doubt got what they wanted, my bro's visa to the tune of $$$$.
(1)
Jessica K.
Great find! I was looking for a place to eat after the gym & it was after three so a lot of the places close by were closed down until dinner. Took a look at the menu and was pleasantly surprised. They had an excellent selection of salads as well as many other choices beyond just a burger. The place is tucked away in the corner of a shopping center. It has a large patio with a couple TVs and maybe even some entertainment. The decor was very modern and chic. It's not a cheap place to grab a quick bite, but what do you expect with a place that has Kobe beef done many different ways. I was very impressed with the wine list as well as the selection of craft cocktails & micro brews. Any place that has rombauer Cabernet by the glass starts with a B at least, I sat in the bar area Jordan my server/bartender was great. All of the staff were very polite & attentive. I had the Kobe meatloaf with a salad, bacon green beans & kale soup. The portions were generous & I'm happy about that because everything was delicious. Instead of serving bread with the meal you get house made potato chips. I love this place & will be returning very soon.
(5)
Kathi L.
I've been to BLK Burgrz several times now, and have gotten take-out a few times. This review is about the take-out experience. For the most part, all is good. However, they seem to have a habit of not including some necessary items. Most of the time, I'm planning on eating the food somewhere other than home. So it would be nice if they included utensils and napkins. But fine. I can make do. But when I order a salad, I expect it to come with dressing. This is now the second or third time I have gotten a salad from them with no dressing. And I'm not able right now to go back and pick it up. Very, very frustrating.
(2)
Jake B.
BLK Burgrz has delicious food and a really cool atmosphere. Their house chips, sweet fries, and of course the BURGERS are outstanding. If I were to give BLK letter grades, they would read as the following: Food: A+ - I haven't eaten one item that I didn't love. Burgers are #1 in OC. Service: B - Waiting staff is great, but the hosts don't smile much. Food comes out in reasonable times Ambience: A - Cool outside patio and bar with lots of beer To-go: D - Ordered to-go once, just one custom burger and sweet fries, I also requested house chips (which I did not get) and my burger was missing two items that I ordered on it, and didn't taste quite the same as it usually does (Bun wasn't very toasted on got soggy, sweet fries were cold) If you're looking for great food, BLK Burgrz is a great spot and one I regularly eat at. Definitely recommend getting reservations on a Friday or Saturday night, and I would not recommend ordering to-go.
(4)
Michelle F.
Ok....3 stars due to lack of customer service. The patio is hot and the location is too small to take reservations and hold all open inside tables for 2 hours until the reservation shows up.....rediculous. most tables with reserved signs on them weren't even sat by the time we left. This is unacceptable. And it is frustrating because the food is good....over priced but good. Visit at your own risk. We will not be back.
(3)
Marcy M.
Great burgers and salads! It would be a great place for a large group, the patio is really nice. Would recommend a few more wheat and soy free options.
(4)
Sheryl S.
Awesome service from Angelina - Truly sweet and attentive. HOWEVER, the "cheese plate" needs some serious attention ... $14 for crackers and grocery store sliced cheese??? Seriously????
(3)
Marc O.
While I'm unable to comment on the food, as we left before a waiter ever came by, their service was possibly the worst I've ever experienced. We sat for 10 minutes during which we repeatedly asked for a heater for our pregnant for friend, and someone to at least bring some water. The hostess nodded upon hearing our request, but simply went back to shuffling menus. Wow. I don't think I've EVER walked out of a restaurant before but this was soooo bad. If this place has any hope of sticking around, management will need to be vastly improved.
(1)
Behnam T.
So half an hour into the service a mouse decided to appear into the restaurant and the servers pretended nothing has happened. My burger was cold and I had a pretty bad stomach ache. The service was good and our host and waiter were courteous. But give me a break a mouse in a restaurant and you don't even care that's just wrong ! Not going back there again
(1)
Jenny H.
When arriving on 9/16/15 at around 7:45 PM, it was 5 minutes to be seated, which is fine, there were open tables, but not incredibly full. It was a chilly night, so we asked for a heater. The hostess said "sure." A couple moments later, a guy brought chips and we asked for a heater again. Subsequently, a few moments later, we asked for a heater again. We were never brought a heater. After 10 minutes of sitting at the table, without having and drink or food orders taken, we asked for service from the hostess. She rolled her eyes, but responded "sure." After a few more moments of this hostess walking past and ignoring us, we finally decided to leave. We spoke to the manager as we were leaving, and he dismissed us. The lady whom he was dealing with at the moment, heard me say we were leaving from the poor service and she responded "sounds like a bad night" (as she also had poor service at the same time). This is the second restaurant I've walked out of in my life to a better establishment in the same complex.
(1)
Rebecca A.
Where has simple customer service gone? We wanted to try BLK to support our neighborhood businesses however we were greeted with less than hospitality; the plants had more personality. We were told 20 minute wait for outside seating but there were plenty of tables we could see. We waited for 25 minutes without any new customers arriving. I don't get it. My husband got frustrated and we left. Please change the way you receive customers. They are what keeps your doors open. We won't be back.
(1)
Catherine M.
Youngest off on a sleepover and twins getting ready to jet off on holiday. Time to go out and have dinner! There's a burger joint nearby that smells good whenever I go past. Cameron's tried it and enjoyed it so we decided to go there tonight. It's a place that changes hands regularly. Pizza, generic bistro, burgers, and now "burgrz". Decent location and catches a good breeze which is important when it gets so hot and you want to eat on the patio! First impression is that it's pretty. Patio is set up with tables and chairs, tables and low slung arm chairs, and tables and benches. Not too crowded - and the large concrete surround planter in the middle adds to the impression of intimate yet with some breathing space. The patio is bordered with plexi-glass walls so you get the feeling of larger than it is combined with the noise reduction you need for a busy strip mall on Antonio. There are the usual free-standing heaters and along one side of the patio is a low wall topped with glass pebbles. Gas lines feed the pretty flames that the staff light at sunset. So, nice ambience. Service was also nice and reasonably quick. The courtesy chips were tasty and replenished. The drinks were sizeable and reasonable. Not to mention they are clearly proud of their range of beers! They have a decent range of food mostly revolving around ground beef - wagyu and Kobe feature prominently on the menu. They do both custom made and menu item burgers. I always love a custom made. Choosing exactly what I want on a burger is so much better than requesting add-ons, substitutions, or leave-offs! There are appetizers and desserts but, honestly, the burgers are so freaking huge, you don't need anything else! I went with custom, of course. They do a couple of "stuffed" patties that looked very tasty. The swiss mushroom bacon one caught my eye so I went with that. I topped it with a very nicely made garlic aeoli and a pesto paste on a brioche roll with some greens, tomato, and sauteed onions. They come with sides so I picked the sweet potato fries. The girls and Cameron went with custom as well but chose onion rings and regular fries. The food was good. Very good. $18 burger good possibly. However, it was a bit spoilt by the mistakes. Cameron and Erin got their orders perfectly made. Briannah and I not so much. My tomato was missing and my garlic aeoli was actually the chilli garlic aeoli (since the two options weren't even next to each other on the custom order, it wasn't case of mistakenly crossed the wrong one!) And my pesto was a large clump on the edge of the bread roll as opposed to inside on the burger. Luckily I love chilli, I could easily spread the pesto around, and my server grabbed me some tomato. Those issues aside I really enjoyed my burger. Also luckily Briannah, who also ordered the garlic aeoli, did not get the chilli by mistake as she does NOT like chilli! Her burger had sauteed onions instead of the mushrooms she ordered but she just pulled off most of it and was fine. The sweet potato fries were tasty but too heavily salted so I could only eat a few. And the onion rings disappointed in their coating. And the burgers were huge. This is both a good and a bad thing. But when the small option is 1/2 a pound, you know it's a serious deal! Overall, it was a pleasant enough meal but probably not special enough to return to for the same dish. That might be my dislike for the lack of attention to detail paid by the kitchen staff. Each error wasn't a big deal in itself but that's four errors in total off custom order sheets where everything is spelled out. I'd go if friends were going but otherwise nope.
(3)
AlexNader R.
this is a great place for the older kids looking for a delicious childhood burger with the simple amenities of adulthood. Big Juicy Burger. But more more to offer they have a full american menu . with pastas sandwiches and INCREDIBLE EDAMAME! I am came in around 9:15pm on Tuesday March 31st. they close at 10pm There is 2 tables inside and maybe 2 outside . There is 3-4 servers 1 bartender . The server to guest ratio is high , but no complaints there better to much then not enough! I sat at the bar , The bartender seemed like he had been bartending a while he was handling the tables inside while doing side work while helping me at the bar top.It was close to closing time and he was more then welcome to have me sit down and gave me full option to ask questions about drinks or the menu which I appreciated. I had over heard this gentleman talking about wines, I don't drink but it seemed like he knew what he was talking about. all the servers I saw this night are early 20's to early 30's younger staff which gives off a easy going vibe. The patio has always been a big issue with this restaurant pad there has been 2-3 other places here and all failed. BLK Burgrz is holding it in there. they have a nice fireplace outside with comfy lounge seating with normal tables. and i have to say a TON of Heaters off all types open flame heaters the subtle up high heathers they really focused on making the patio comfortable in the cold, also they have some nice big tvs on the patio which makes it that much more comfortable. only thing the patio doesn't have going for it is the rains. rains with no cover and a majority of your seating outside is always a upsetting possibility . but blks has been doing great with this location the best ive seen yet! Edamamme . Only reason I came I have been wanting a picture so bad! It's a messy edamame . Really great flavor. You can add bacon to Anything an make it great but bacon with edamame an soy sauce it's worth the messy hands . A lil garlic and mushrooms this is almost Better then the burger. Almost is the key word there. It's healthy with a fat boy kick :) I would come here just for this! Custom burger . I jumped into a 3/4 pound "Kobe" beef with a brioche bun , arugula , pickles , white onions , tomato , the spicy chipotle adobe mayo with the seasonsings of the meat on the 3/4 pound kobe was perfect that mayo was the perfect combination of spice and seasonings . With of course bacon and avocado . The options for custom burgers is endless. It's every child's dream . It's a grown up burger place. Honestly the price has been the same since they opened. if you want a cheap burger go to mcdonalds 1 dollar double cheese. but this you pay for what you get, a quality big mouth burger. and if burgers aint your thing they have a very lively menu! and i heard there doing brunch now! This needs to be a minimum 4 star but its forsure a 5 STAR PLACE!
(5)
Amy T.
I don't why this place only has three stars this food was amazing. Just know it is a little bit more expensive but for the foods taste it is worth it!!! I had the chicken strawberry vinaigrette with green apples and candy peacons, my boyfriend had the mac n cheese stuffed hamburger. Both were to die for. When you first sit down they give you homemade chips! I also had the strawberry martini so delicious. I will definitely come back when I'm in the area.
(5)
Kristina R.
Hmmm as I always say, Ladera can be a tough crowd. I am not a beef eater so I can't speak for the burgers/steak they offer here. I had a pleasant experience here at lunch with friends. Service was friendly, not exceptional, but just ok. I can see it being slow if they get busy which I know they do at night. I personally LOVE what they have done with the decor here in comparison to previous restaurants that have been in this location. The patio is awesome & we had a great table that was indoor but placed near an open awning so you get the enjoyment of the outdoors as well. Pretty pretty! I enjoyed my lunch & was surprised that it was priced as a "special" so it was more than affordable. Again, I can't speak from the carnivore perspective because the burgers did appear to look expensive. Apparently when people think "burger" they think cheap. Any way; I ordered the Veggie Slider w/ a side salad and I enjoyed it. There were many other items on the menu I was interested in trying; including a veggie burger. But wait, we didn't get these "chips" everyone talks about ? Hmmm ? The pickings are slim in this area.. but regardless , I will come back! The decor & ambiance here takes you out of Ladera Ranch which I liked. & it was clean! =4 stars!
(4)
Brooke P.
I didn't have high expectations for this place because of some reviews, but we were pleasantly surprised! Hubby and I both did DIY burgers which were AMAZING! They better be for $16 a pop, but they really lived up to the price. I got brioche bun, burger, arugula, blue cheese and the chili aioli. Really good taste, fell apart somewhat but I was able to eat it all. We were really happy with the service. We were promptly seated in a side table which was fine with us as we had the 14 month old twins with us! They had a good kids menu, brought out drinks, dinner and any special requests quickly. We will definitely be back!
(5)
Dino D.
Burger was very good. House chips were awesome too. Service was fair. Outdoor seating options totally confusing !!! These are community tables. These are bar service tables. The host said..... I got an idea how about you just call it seating and when one is available seat some one there. Sorry I don't give much hope for the longevity of strip mall restaurants that are trying to be niche. The rents put them behind the eight ball at the end of the day it was a very good burger though !!!!
(3)
Ashkan H.
Called in my order for 4 burgers, they told me they be ready in 25 mins I got there in 30 mins still had to wait 20 mins so their 25 mins means 50 mins. (Their excuse: you came in during rush hour! - Thursday 6pm) Medium well burgers are pink inside, maybe i should have talked COLOR, do not serve me a pink burger! Fries were dry/HORRIBLE (they were prepared at least 3 hours prior to my order) - Gourmet burger!!! really? This place is a JOKE! They should have invested in training their employees and improve service/food quality rather than big screen TVs and furniture!
(1)
Joseph W.
Ok, decided to try this place out again yesterday. The Ducks game was on so my friend and I decided to try BLK Burgrz instead of the local sports bar. Well, we ended up at the local sports bar. Why? Because while they had the Ducks game on the main TV inside they had no window shades. Sitting in the corner meant having the sun's glare directly in our faces. Why in the world don't they have window shades? How complicated is a window shade? Fine, ok, no window shades. We ask the hostess if she can put the Ducks game on the bar TV's as people at the bar are turning around anyway to watch the Ducks game as the bar has the basketball game on instead. She says she can't change it. Seriously? Why not? Nobody was watching it. There are two TV's at the bar anyway, just change one of them. Ok, fine, you can't change the bar TV's. What about outside? Well, again we are told the TV's can't be changed but this time it's because they simply are broken and can't be changed. Broken TV's? Why do you even have them? Then we are told there is some presentation taking place anyway so the seating is reserved. Well, they lost out on business yet again but didn't seem to care. I seriously can't even joke about how absurd this was. I can't even get to rating the food because I have yet to progress to being able to get a decent seat without the sun in my eyes or that has the game on that people want to watch. I'd laugh if the basic incompetence was not so sad. Ranch Sports Grill it was. Again. The place that actually has been able to figure out that getting business might be correlated to having the games on people want to watch while having some drinks and food.
(1)
Rachel S.
Second visit...Great burger and relaxing ambiance on Friday night (live music-string quartet). Our first visit was opening night and we were not impressed with the price/menu and service. I am glad we tried them again!! They have definitely improved and our server was very attentive. The complimentary chips are addicting. Although the burgers are priced on the higher end, you are getting a big, well made burger with creative or classic condiments! They offer extensive wine, beer, and cocktails. Great treat for a date night and I love having close to home!
(4)
Kendra G.
I came here on Saturday with my husband and father-in-law. My husband and I just moved to Ladera Ranch, and were excited to try BLK as I had peeked in previously and the decor (both inside and outside) is adorable! We came in at about 2pm, and were told by the hostess that they weren't seating anyone else for a while because the kitchen needed to catch up since they had just launched a brunch menu. We were in no rush so we went to the bar to grab a drink. The bartender told us he would be right with us. Fast forward 20 minutes later, we still didn't have drinks. The bartender was running around and pouring plenty of drinks, but didnt help us! The manager came by after a while and took our drink order. She was very knowledgable about the beer selection and even poured us some tasters. They have a great selection of craft beers and I had one with a hint of grapefruit. It was delicious! We were then seated on the outdoor patio. The complementary kettle chips were great. Though you can build your own burger, I opted for the mac n cheese stuffed burger with garlic fries, which was fantastic! Unfortunately when our food was dropped off, nobody brought us utensils so we had to track down someone to bring us napkins and silverware. Even though the service was a bit slow, the staff was very friendly. If service had been better, I would've given BLK 5 stars, but neverless, I will be back!
(4)
Pete K.
I went for an early dinner for the first time at BLK Burgrz. Because it was early, the place was not busy and there were many tables available. The first sign of an unpleasant experience was the hostess who didn't smile or greet me. I already felt unvalued as a customer, but decided to move on and be seated and order dinner. I was seated and asked the waitress for water with lemon. What I got back from a different waiter was water and no lemon. Another sign I was not listened to or valued. Then I had to ask for a napkin and silverware. I never saw any pricelist when I ordered my custom burger via an extensive checklist they provided with pencil. This made me think this was a place for over-priced burgers. I waited for well over a half hour before getting up from my table, locating the waitress and asking her to cancel my order. Therefore, I never got to eat, so I can't comment on the taste or value of the meal I ordered. As I was exiting the establishment, I mentioned to the hostess this was my first and last time here. She said nothing and was again expressionless.
(1)
Mina Z.
Decor: 5 stars Food: 4 stars Service: 2 stars My friends and I went for Valentine's Day because we wanted to try something new. The food was definitely yummy, and it's fantastic to add all those toppings free of charge. Was it anything extraordinary? No not really. The mac and cheese appetizer was delicious, the stuffed burgers are good, you'll love the onion rings - the batter is nice and crunchy. The service is just sub par. Everyone was extremely nice, but after 15 minutes of waiting for someone to pick our check up, we were getting agitated. The kitchen moved quickly, so the food came out immediately, but there were no servers to bring: another round of drinks, condiments, extra chips, more water... Etc. We asked for everything at least twice. Plus, they really missed an opportunity, two in our party would have ordered extra drinks had anyone asked. My second glass of wine came after my plates were cleared. Also, the servers aren't really knowledgeable. We asked two of the employees about brunch and received completely different answers. So I still don't know what the deal with brunch is. And finally, I have to say... They committed the cardinal sin. They overcooked my burger. It was medium well when it got to me.
(3)
T S.
The Good - I loved the seating arrangement at the restaurant and the edamame and house chips were yummy. The Bad - First and foremost, the service was awful!!! The wings didn't have much flavor and were very fatty. Both of us ordered the sliders and they were WAY too salty. The side salad looked like a pre-bagged, chopped salad. Oh! and while we were, once again, waiting for our food, we noticed when they were cleaning tables for their next guests...they simply flip over the table cloth and use again...gross!!!
(2)
Greg R.
High end burgers and decent beverage choices. The Counter style ordering process with a fill in your own order slip at the table. High quality ingredients to choose from. Full bar and big tv's so you won't miss any of the game.
(5)
Patrice N.
Very good service from a very very nice waiter - outdoor seating, so nice. Wings were not crispy at all (we liked the sauce), which was very wwwwww. Pale gummy skin. Ewwwww... Mac and cheese, yum. Asked for the famous chips three times and never, ever received any. How do you run out of chips on a Friday night during the World Series AND the Ducks are playing? Silly me, I thought that 'we're out of chips' meant 'we are making more and you'll get some.' Nope. I think my husband and my son enjoyed their massive burgers and onion rings. I had the signature lamb burger and it was crazy dry (and so was the bun). I'll go there for cocktails, mac and cheese, and MAYBE EVEN SOME CHIPS, but I'll pass on anything else...
(2)
Veronica W.
Oh how I wish I could give them a better review! With very few restaurants in Ladera Ranch it would be great to have the one nice restaurant be good, but alas it is not. The food is substandard and it is way over priced!!!!!! Our service has always been exceptionally poor, not just bad, incredibly BAD! You usually have to wave your hand around to get the attention of your server and you are out of luck if you want drink refills since you will probably only see your server every 30 min or so. Save your time and money...try some place different!
(1)
H N.
High end boutique burger spot with pretentiousness!Maybe because its in OC..has to right??Staff was highly courteous,attentive and on point.Loved the decor and most importantly, food was great!burgers,mac n cheese,fries and other plates ordered were greasylicious..worth coming back for food,drinks and hang out. Nice work BLK..
(4)
Brittany G.
Amazing rotating beer list. Very relaxed and cozy atmosphere on the inside. Last night (Saturday) there was a string quartet playing popular music outside for a fun twist. My boyfriend had the Mac and cheese stuffed burger with a pretzel bun and loved it. I had the cheddar bacon stuffed burger which was also really good. Cronut dessert definitely something you don't want to miss.
(5)
Andrew M.
This is a great example of a good concept but terrible execution. In the end, the restaurant is another example of the disappointment that is restaurants in Ladera Ranch. When someone finally opens a good restaurant, they will own the market--it still surprises me after leaving here for the past year how horrible the food scene is given how many people live around here. First the food is decent. The burgers are well done and appear to be good quality. The hot ketchup is delicious and the chips are very good. The condiments are plenty and the only reason why we've given this place a few chances is because the food is decent. But it can't overcome the terrible service. The food just isn't THAT good. The service is slow and doesn't accommodate very simple requests. They have to come back multiple times to get the order right (or bring silverware). There is no sound to the TVs outside--DO NOT go here to watch any sports game. You'll be very disappointed. Unfortunately, there just aren't very many good choices near here and so it will probably survive for a while. But they won't make as much as they could for the simple reason it is painful to go here.
(2)
Cesar R.
Attention animal lovers: Please do not eat at BLK Burgerz. I called today at 1:20PM to ask if I can take my dogs to their outside patio to eat. The person who answered replied, "As long as it is a small dog." I replied, "So it depends on the size?" She responded, "Well, big dogs can come, but pit bulls can not". I said, "So, it doesn't depend on the size, it matters the breed.". She responded, "Pit bull are bad dogs. What breed do you have?" I said, "It doesn't matter what breed you have, as long as they are leashed and well behaved. Can I speak to the manager?" She responds, "I am the manager. What breed do you have? Do you have a pit bull?" Then I said, "It doesn't matter what breed it is." She responds, "If you don't tell me the breed then you are not welcome". Then she hung up on me.
(1)
Alexandra K.
The food here is great. Endless options for toppings, healthy versions, and great sides. The outside patio is nice and the openness of the restaurant is a great concept. However, if you don't want to wait an hour and fifteen minutes for your burger, it would not recommend it.
(3)
John D.
If you are gluten free for any reason DO NOT DINE HERE!!!!! Tonight my wife who is a celiac had a very challenging experience. Here's the story: After calling the establishment and confirming with the hostess/phone attendant that they had a gluten free menu and policy, my wife went with three friends. Upon arrival she's was given a gluten free menu. When the chips arrived she asked if they were GF, the waiter said no but he would bring out some that were. When he returned she asked if the fryer was dedicated to non gluten items. He went back to ask and the manger showed up. He then asked "how sensitive are u?". She explained she was a celiac and had to watch x contamination. He then proceeded to tell her that ALL BURGERS EVEN THE GF ONES ON THE MENU WERE MARINATED IN SOY SAUCE!!!!! My wife explained that soy sauce has gluten so why would they be on the GF menu? Isn't that dangerous! False advertising? He said they only had a little soy Sauce and most people don't know that gluten is in soy sauce and only of you are very sensitive could u feel it.... Are u kidding me????? Anyway!!!! They do not have a good GF policy, GF Menu is BS and they lie to the public. Stay away and don't pay the ungodly price for a terrible burger anyway.
(1)
Jeff P.
My wife loves the turkey burger. Each time we have been there I have gotten a burger, it has been good but not worth the price. Great atmosphere decent service.
(4)
Kali S.
So not only is the manager biased towards dog breeds but rude as all out doors as well. Very poor in taste seeing that this "establishment" is dog friendly then any dog regardless of breed is allowed. If a bully breed was a service dog are you telling me a special needs person or veteran would not be able to dine?? How shameful!
(1)
Jett S.
I do enjoy my time here. The atmosphere is awesome, and I love the patio they have. Food is delicious and we'll crafted. My only complaint is the insane prices.
(4)
Barry S.
I know it's a high end burger joint, but despite the reviews, I think it's great. -Food (complimentary chips) -Not just burgers (good salad and fish) -Beer and wine selection -Good service -Vibe and Ambiance -Outdoor seating (couches, tv's, heat lamps) -Bar area -Decor My favorite so far are the Kobe sliders and if you like good beer, they have an excellent selection. Two thumbs up. One of our favorites in Ladera
(5)
Erik B.
BLK Burgrz is a great new spot in the Ladera Ranch community. It's a cool spot that's nearby for anyone in Coto de Caza, Las Flores, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, and even San Juan Capistrano. The burgers are amazing and they come in a choose your own ingredients style. The indoor/outdoor dining style is perfect for afternoons or evenings. I ordered the Diablo burger that was a good beef with Serrano, Habanero, and Anaheim chili pressed into the mix. Top that off with a hawaiian bun, grilled pineapple, and fresh avocado and it's among my favorite blends for a burger. The service is great. Our server Jeff was attentive, fun, and polite. The hostess staff was smart and friendly. The bar is a really cool mix of rustic and modern with a types of mixed specialty drinks and a full beer selection. There's a happy hour daily from 2-6 with $5 beers and the usual discounted deals. Something I may consider if the timing is right. Very stoked to have come across this new addition to the mix. The restaurant is a creation of a group of restauranteurs who have done well with Ladera's Casa Ranchero. For style points, atmosphere, sheer simplicity and all around good food, this place is top drawer. Check out BLK whenever you are nearby or if you're in town, make yourself a regular.
(5)
Ryan M.
As other people have said, there have been a number of restaurants that have come in and out of this location. It's very convenient for anyone that lives in Ladera, which is why we decided to go. I like how the restaurant is mainly an outdoor place for diners. It works because the weather here is always wonderful :). They have heaters and fireplaces for when it gets to be cooler though. Some of the plants are obviously fake... =P. Ok so the menu: It was a little confusing at first figuring out how to correctly make an order. All 3 of us were a little confused. But the server came over and clarified things. I had a chicken burger which was very good. The chicken was not overcooked which I always appreciate. I would almost describe the restaurant as a sort of build your own burger which is great for picky people. And it is definitely a good quality burger at that. Overall, I might go back if I wanted to eat somewhere that was convenient and close to home and I was in the mood for a burger specifically. EDIT: I changed review from 4 to 3 stars to reflect how I have been reviewing other restaurants. I rate on an absolute scale and this belongs as a 3 star in my opinion based on the restaurant atmosphere and price and how I enjoyed it.
(3)
Matthew S.
By far the worst customer service I have ever experienced in my life. The staff were very inattentive and I had to keep on reminding them I was ready to order. The food was ok, but I would have had a better experience at Jack in the Box.
(1)
Blaine W.
Absolutely loves this place! You pay for the price, and this place has such good quality. I loved my mac n cheese stuffed burger and did I mention the amazing beer list. My girlfriend got a martini and loved it. I would recommend you try this place!
(5)
Anne B.
We have been here just about every week for the last month and every time we have received great service and excellent food. Their edamame appetizer is outstanding. Good music and atmosphere, as well.
(5)
Jennifer L.
We came here Sunday night around 9:30 pm and had dinner. Some of the reviews I read about this place made me kinda nervous, but it was the only place still open in Ladera other than corkys, so we came in. I found out they serve food until 11 pm....great for night owls like myself and my boyfriend who always seem to eat later rather than earlier....We sat on the patio under the heaters. The patio ambiance is super cool and inviting and has TVs and several seating areas....definitley a great place to come just to kick back and relax. It also gets pretty busy on Fridays and Saturday nights at the bar area. The food was great!!!! We started with the pesto flatbread as an appetizer and the kettle chips....those chips are addicting! I came with 3 other people and we all enjoyed our burgers tremendously. They were so big too....yes they are 17 or more each, but I took half of my burger home so I had 2 meals out of it. You can customize them to your likings with toppings, buns, etc....and it blows The Counter out of the water in terms of toppings and meat quality avid just overall experience l. I don't think I will ever go back to the counter after experiencing the burgers here....they were THAT good! The stuffed parties are awesome and have Alot of flavor. I just moved to Ladera and I'm so glad we found this restuarant, both as a place to eat and to come hang out on the patio.....I would like to come back again and try another burger again...I'm hungry just thinking about it!
(4)
Jessica F.
I really want to like this place and be happy once I am done having a meal here, but it's definitely very hard to! The service is absolutely horrible!!! Every single time I have gone it's slow, so I don't understand why their service is slow as well?! If you have about 2+ hours to waste, then go here. Otherwise, stay away. This place definitely had the potential to be good, if they just improve their customer service.
(1)
J H.
We were reluctant to grab a burger but did. The highlight of the night was Brian who went out of his way to make sure we were taken care of. We will definitely be back.
(5)
Erin C.
I come here quite a bit and never got around to writing a review. This place is awesome! The food is delicious, they have a great craft beer selection, and my bartender Ty is always a good time. As many good times as they have shown me, I wanted to show them my appreciation by sharing my experiences with you all! Definitely check this place out.
(5)
Ray V.
I've been here three times and the other reviews pretty much sum it up. The prices are pretty high for "gourmet" burgers and the experience is real hit and miss. My first visit was great. I was blown away at the outdoor patio as it really is amazing and inviting. My food was great and the service was excellent. I ordered a Kobe burger, Mac & Cheese, and a Moscow mule to drink. Everything was presented well and came out timely. Also I'll point out that the guy waiting on us really knew his job and had ready answers to all our questions. I didn't catch his name but I remember he was pretty tall. They have a full bar and the whole place is really setup like an upscale outdoor bar more than a restaurant. At least in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I think Ladera really needed a nice upscale full bar with great outdoor seating. I had immediate thoughts of how cool this was going to be for night time cocktails and such. Yeah , those ideas got dashed pretty quick ... Read on. The second visit I brought the whole family and this time it was very so so. The food took forever. There was 6 of us but the place was a little empty so we didn't expect the 40 minute wait for our food to come out. Our waiter could tell we were all annoyed. These are burgers after all and they only take about 10-12 minutes to cook. This time the waiter seemed almost confused. The long wait was a serious buzz kill. Even after all that they forgot some of our side sauces we asked for. It took so long that my daughter didn't even eat and just got a box and took hers to go as she would have been late to another event. Since she could sit and eat her order needed up being no different than a Carls Jr burger with a $16 price tag. Ok, so the next visit I called ahead and asked how long of a wait there would be for 6 of us. I was told by the girl who answered the phone that it wasn't too busy and it would only be about 5-10 minutes. I asked if I could put my name on a "call ahead" list. I was told it wasn't necessary because there wasn't really a wait. I live across the street so we all jumped in the car and headed over. We got there 10 minutes later and noticed right away the patio was easily half empty but there were several different parties waiting by the hostess podium. They all seemed annoyed. I went to put my name in and was told it would be 45 minutes to an hour. I pointed out all the empty tables mentioned I called a few minutes ago and was told those were all reserved for a big group. It's important to note that the empty tables were scattered all around , not in one place. Who reserves "random" tables for a big group ? We waited for about 15 minutes then left and went to The Ranch Sports Bar at the other end of the center. Oh, and during that time no one came for all those "reserved" tables and at least one other group waiting left too. I haven't been back to eat there since, but I did make one more attempt on a Friday night (friday or Saturday) just to have a cocktails with my girl but they had some sort of live classical music playing. I don't know about you but that was a big turn off for me. Nothing is less inviting at a bar like this than classical music. I don't have any problem with classical music but the whole vibe seemed weird. Maybe it was another "reserved patio" private thing ? Who know , who cares. The bottom line for me is the place to way too expensive for what it is. The outdoor patio is really nice but if I do return it'll be for cocktails only. If I get a feeling for $15-$18 burgers I'll go to Slaters 50/50. The service is better and it's actually less expensive. BLK Burger really needs to pay more attention to training their staff and managing the seating. Consistency is the reason we go to our favorite restaurants on a regular basis. BLKZ Burger just doesn't have it. If it's a roll of the dice each time why go ? I'm not "gambling" with my time or money for any restaurant. I hope they get it together because this layout could be a real home run if it were run just a little better with much more attention to the customer experience.
(3)
Darlene J.
They really should allow you to leave "0"! This was our third attempt here, wanted to really give this place another try & we wanted outside dining because it was a nice day. Well, we came in for lunch on 2/22 they were not too busy the manager approached us to take our drink order's. Then a waitress came over introduced herself & brought us water. We decided on what we wanted & another waiter came over to take the order. We must have waited 30 minutes for 2 burgers! In the mean time we keep seeing the bus boy bring out chips to every single table but ours. OK, if you have to buy them I never heard the table next to me order them! When we finally received our burger's they were actually only warm along with the fries. We managed to flag down a waiter (not ours) & have them returned to the kitchen. Again, we sat while chips were being brought out to more tables. When our burgers were brought back out, One bite & my burger was the same not hot just barely warm, plus the bun fell part! Seriously they put them under the heat lamp to warm! My husband flagged down a waiter & asked to see the manager. I gave the place 1 star because she took everything off the bill but her attitude as a manager was horrible. You run a business where your burgers run $19 & customer service sucks, this is not a gourmet burger joint! So, after giving this place yet another try (3rd), we are officially done with BLK Burger & if that woman is the manager well, this place better rethink their hiring process!
(1)
Michele E.
Went tonight to enjoy some holiday cheer and sadly was so disappointed! My first drink was a Martini and it looked beautiful but was awful my next drink was a Moscow Mule and it was awful the waiter could tell I didn't like this drink I told him both drinks were horrible so he sad he would have them make it again and it was even worse. I'm surprised the manger didn't come by to apologies. Shame on the bar tonight !
(1)
Doni L.
This place was just okay I gave it 3 stars solely on the atmosphere and fries. My Kobe slider came on a bun that was so hard I couldn't eat it. A little disappointing considering the prices. I'm glad I tried it with friends but will not be a returning customer.
(3)
Stuart P.
This restaurant has a great patio. The Saturday we visited they had a violin quartet playing and it was excellent. The food is nice - not difficult to make burgers I know. I had the lamb/beef and it was nice but could have had more seasoning in the meat. Wife had tuna burger and she really enjoyed. I did not like the honey wheat bun so much and other options were less appealing. A robust artisan whole wheat bun would be better. With a beer, two glasses of wine no appetizers, then bill came to $65. Ok when you consider setting and live music.
(4)
Ashley B.
Honestly, because it's located in Ladera unfortunately it's subject to very picky reviews :/ I don't think that the reviews are a good representation of how great their food is! I have been there twice now and both times left saying it was the best burger I've ever had in my life. Creative decor, the ambiance is nice, the staff is nice. It's a very nice place for a date night out. It's an upscale burger place so a little on the pricey side for a burger, but totally worth the money. The options are outrageously overwhelming, chips are to die for. I for one can see how they would run out because they're probly in high demand! They were busy when we were there, so obviously we weren't treated as though we were the only people in the entire restaurant, but the service wasn't remarkably bad at all. Our waiter was friendly, quick, and to the point. Our food didn't take more than 10-15 minutes which I think is reasonable since it's not a fast food joint. I can't see how this place can get bad reviews at all....unless of course you're a very entitled personality who should be waited on as though you're the Queen! Yelp sucks for the way it filters and shows things, not an accurate rep of this place. 3 stars? No way.
(5)
Rich S.
As a longtime resident nearby, we are always cheerleading for restaurants to "make it" at any Ladera/RSM locations. We've seen this space be used for Newport Rib Co., Ollie & Jax and now BLK Burgerz. We visited with a very optimistic mind. The more I thought about our experience, I came to the conclusion that the price of the burgers sets such a negative tone to anyone's visit that the staff has a hard time combating the pessimistic aura. It didn't help that the only leader on the day we visited was an assistant manager who didn't want to be bothered when he was off-duty. There was no smiles on anyone's faces. It was palpable. The decor was interesting, and I'm sure they spent quite a bit to renovate. Beer selection was very good. We sat down inside, and there couldn't have been more than 10 people there. We asked to have the Charger game switched to the screen with volume, and we were rebuffed by said off-duty manager, who sat in the middle of the room eating a salad. The waiter would sheepishly approach the manager about whether we could switch screens, and he mumbled something about having promised a customer that the big screen could project his game. That customer had left long before we arrived, but nobody noticed. Finally they accommodated us, but we were made to feel like we were nagging. Unnecessary. Let's put aside the fact that the price for my avo/bacon burger was $19, because I've been known to splurge before. Would I return for a $19 burger? Maybe, but not as often if the burger was $14. The prices are offensive, but so are beers at Staples Center, and I always return there too. The process to order a burger was just silly. I had forgotten my glasses, so I just wanted to order from the waiter. They made it clear that they have a cute system, and they wanted me to use their little Scrabble scorecard. I know that they are proud of this process, since they need something for people to remember them by. I thought it was lame and inflexible. Burger was OK, but nothing special.
(2)
Anastasia F.
Drew is an awesome bartender. Makes the best Shirley temple ever. The fries are interesting and it's not a bad thing. They have a little spicy zing to them. The hot fudge donut Sunday is amazing!
(5)
Diego S.
I took my time to understand if I really like this place. Definitely a great atmosphere if you are going for drinks and chill out. As far as the food, I don't think it is worth the cash. Here the strikes: 1) I don't want to figure out myself the good ingredients to make a good burger. If I have to do that I might just want to do it at home for a fraction of the price. If I pay 18 bucks for a burger, it better be an outstanding burger that you came up with and I will never be able to reproduce at home. 2) 2 hours (2 adults and a baby) from the time we got in to the time we got out. This is on a thursday evening just before 8 pm when the place is not busy at all. 3) After filling out the card "build yourself" (which I generally hate on a restaurant) they were able to mess up a few toppings. 4) The fries were nothing impressive. I do expect impressive fries on a 18 dollars burger side. The bottom line: I'll go back for drinks and the atmosphere, but right after I had a in&out or habbit or smash burger.
(2)
tara m.
we loved everything about this place! the inside seating is so cozy with open sides and the patio is massive with fireplaces and really nice furniture...raul, our waiter, was great! friendly, helpful when we asked for suggestions and attentive...liquor choices are huge...now for the food...we ate like two little piggies...their homemade potato chips are unbelieveable...we started with a tuna stack...mangos and avocado with edamame...and onion rings...and that was only the beginning...we ordered both fries...yummy...then it got even better...shared a brown rice veggie burger...built our own...wow so many choices...and we shared the salmon sliders that were out of this world! not a single thing about this experience could have been any better...im going back again and again and again...
(5)
Aaron K.
This place makes an amazing burger. I had the kobe style burger on a pretzel bun. It was really good!
(5)
Kim W.
What an amazing burger, with an incredible amount of choices! Awesome place and staff! Gerardo and Nicole were amazing and helped navigate all the choices! Tangerine beer is excellent.
(5)
DARCY A.
5 Stars!!!! Love this place!!! Amazing food & great atmosphere! Love the outside patio & fire pit. Delicious food & drinks!!!
(5)
Mike M.
Great place. Love the lamb burger.
(5)
Shauna And Steve D.
We came despite the mixed reviews. Food is very enjoyable and service at the bar was very attentive and friendly. Decent beer selection. Burgers are solid and cooked to temperature. Burgers are indeed pricey as many previous reviews have noted. They are also not the best we have ever had, Port of Call in NOLA still holds that mantle, but they are quite tasty and carefully prepared and we will return. If the price point is not for you, don't bash the food quality.
(4)
Andie P.
Waited close to an hour for a single basic burger to go with a nearly empty restaurant... Really? I left kohls right next door per my receipt at 2:01 pm. By the time I got the burger, tried to explain my frustration to the manager (which was useless) it was 3:15pm!!! Yes I ordered a well done burger but that does not justify the wait. I should have suspected that something was wrong when after waiting for around 20 min the manager came over to ask me how I would like the burger cooked with the host that took my order. I think that's when my order must have been put in the system. I tried to explain to the manager that it wasn't fair that a family that arrived after us received their food before but she just reverted to how a well done burger takes 22 minutes. Ugh! Well the burger wasn't even for me but I did try it and it was good. Not worth $17.28, a long wait and a manager that could have been a little more sympathetic with my frustration.
(1)
Laura A.
Came here for the first time tonight. Very yummy! We ordered the Kobe sliderz for the both of us as an appetizer, but it ended up being more than enough for our "snack" for The game. These sliders were seriously amazing! The onion rings were some of the best I've ever ever had. The ranch is homemade here and you can definitely tell. Our bartender was very courteous and let us know his favorite things on the menu. The beer is really great as well. Great selection of local brews. You can tell they take pride in keeping everything sanitary as well. I saw our bartender check glasses a million times before he was happy. Haven't tried the extensive menu, but it looks like it's good! A bit pricey, but worth it. Although I would never spend $17+ on a burger, like I said, the Kobe sliderz were very good.
(3)
Todd S.
A friend and I had lunch here a week ago and the food is spectacular! Dinner is out of my price point but they do lunch specials every day of the week for $8.95 and it includes your pick of sliders from the dinner menu and a soup or salad. The bottomless chips are delish too! Good draft beer selection. Their patio is one of the best in south Orange County, a great vibe and very comfortable. The only recommendation I would give the owners of this place is that they need to do something for Happy Hour (3-7 pm) even if it is just for beer and wine - but preferably some food too. Grow the traffic :-)
(5)
Aerin L.
First time here and I was truly impressed. First off they have a lovely outdoor area and beautiful new modern indoor area it is small and cozy and the outside area is very cool. Secondly, I had a lunch special which was reasonably priced - the salmon sliders, they were absolutely delicious! I am definitely going back again. The beer selection is awesome better than most places. The service was great as well. It is definitely more of a small cool upscale restaurant; as opposed to a larger busy average place.
(5)
Jack L.
This place is amazing, top to bottom. That being said, your experience can be made a little better knowing a few things about the place. Yeah, it's kind of pricey for a 1/2 pound gourmet Kobe burger. It's also huge and could easily be shared. I've just had a soup and a beer and that was enough. The chips, onion rings and sweet potato fries are delicious. No need to over order. If you share food, make sure to increase your tip, the staff is great and deserve it. The best thing about this place is the music on Friday nights. This funky jazz combo called the Christian Hernandez Rotation has been playing and they are fantastic. Go listen and you'll agree. Please remember, if you camp out at one of the tables listening to music, tip your server extra, the table is not being turned over. Tips are how they pay the bills and they are very nice.
(5)
Lisa T.
Nice place! Good food, love the decor, service isn't super quick but I guess it forces you to relax and enjoy your dinner! So far, my favorite place to eat in Ladera :)
(5)
Mark J.
I so wanted to love BLK Burgrz - so much so that after our first two disasters I emailed the manager (who had emailed us previously with an invite to try them second time) to see if it was possible to arrange a third trial. My intention was to give BLK Burgrz every opportunity to prove they're as good as their potential appears to promise. Only after not hearing back after two weeks I thought it time to share our experiences. Suffice it to say, were it not for the delicious burgers and chips, my rating would have been lower. As we all know, great flavor alone does not a great restaurant make. To wit, where BLK Burgrz falls short is NOT their tasty burgers but rather their service - we're talking a few hundred feet shy of the runway kinda short. So how bad was it? To date, we've ordered a total of eight burgers. That is, eight opportunities to get it right. Right? You'd think for the hefty price that maybe an emphasis on service might be a priority, and even if not, it wouldn't be abysmal. Regardless, we have yet to see a single meal arrive at our table either as ordered or in a timely manner. Not wishing to belabor the point, suffice it to say our primary complaint is that they cannot get their ingredients right. In other words, it's not so much the waiters but the cooks. One can only guess what the issue is. They're both slow and ineffectual. Our most recent visit saw our four burgers being returned to the kitchen - twice. After waiting for over an hour for our food, and the third attempt failed to get out burgers delivered as ordered, we tipped our waiter for doing his best and made a hasty exit. Though three of my guests vowed never to return, I planned to give it one more try. That is, until I did not receive a reply to my letter. That being said, I still hold out hope BLK Burgrz will get their act together, but wait until they overhaul their service before visiting again. I only hope they get it together quickly - if not, the corner will soon be empty once again. NOTE: Since this review was posted, I did hear back from the manager, six weeks later, who explained about "a period of getting the kinks worked out" and thanked me "in advance for visiting again soon." Though not what I had hoped, it is a step in the right direction - I can't help but give them another try. What do you think?
(3)
Kathleen S.
Finally decided to branch out on the menu to try some new items. I had the steak salad. 4oz of medium rare steak was good, but the rest of the salad was very average. My husband moved on from the Mac and cheese stuffed burger and blue cheese burger to the lamb burger. It was still a good burger but not worth the premium price.
(2)
K K.
As of today all of my Yelp reviews have been positive experiences for the most part. This will be my first negative review. My family and I came here for lunch on Saturday the 13th. We were pretty much the only table in there, you would think we would have decent service. Our server Keirsten was VERY unattentive. There was probably 6 other staff members who weren't paying attention to us either. They were all hanging by the bar talking amongst themselves, while we were sitting inside at the booth by the window closest to the bar. We sat down and ordered, most of us got the build your own burger option. Between the 4 of us 3 of our entrees came out incorrectly. My bun was supposed to be a pretzel bun, came out at brioche, my moms side was supposed to be fries, came out as a soup, we didn't even know they had soup! My sons burger came out burned on top and the cheese and over cooked. For $17+ burgers this is inappropriate. When we said to the runner (because our server was nowhere to be found) we didn't order soup as one of our sides we ordered French fries, he than proceeded to ask us if we were sure that's what we ordered, instead of leaving and going to retrieve the fries. We sat there arguing with him, instead of just getting us the fries, letting our food sit and get chilled, we receive the fries that had the garlic seasoning on them, which every time I have been here they do not. We were not about to send those back because it took too long to even get them. I'm not sure if it was the servers error when inputting the food in the computer or the kitchens fault. While we were completing our meal, a bee had flown in through the window since there is a slight opening, my son ran from the table I got up and so did my husband, everyone that was hanging at the end of the bar chit chatting with what looked like a male manager with brown hair, didn't even turn there head to see if everything was alright. We killed the bee ourselves and sat there for another 10 minutes waiting for our server to come around so we can get boxes. I ended up getting up from our table to ask the bartender for some boxes. I boxed up the tables food myself, and all of the plates & extra glasses sat there in front of us while she dropped the check. I am in the industry, trust me I understand a lot. But not checking back to see how food is when it finally comes out correctly, no pre bussing, no refills? She's lucky to have gotten 15%. She didn't deserve it, be a good idea to complete more training. The only other person that was helpful was a very tall busser with curly hair. He refilled beverages that sat there empty our whole meal. No one touched our table customer service lacks, guests visiting your establishment should be appreciated, I didn't feel that way at all, wasn't welcomed back, and it will take a while to return if I decide to. The reason I gave 2 stars was because of the food quality. Was good, somewhat consistent.
(2)
Katy L.
This is our new favorite restaurant! The outdoor vibe is relaxed but has a touch of formality making it a great place for a family dinner with the kids or a business dinner with a client. We love the menu list of gourmet burger choices but my hubby is stoked by the fact that he can "build his own". The drink selection is extensive and the desserts definitely don't disappoint! Both times we have eaten here we have been provided with excellent service from Moses. He remembered us from our first visit, asked our names, talked with our three year old and made sure that he got our orders correct! He was super personable and made us feel very comfortable on both occasions. Outstanding service! We will definitely return to this fabulous place!!
(5)
Lauren G.
My fav burger is the diablo!!! Super spicy but SOOOO good!! So many amazing beers to choose from!! Plus, like 4576205976 salads if burgers aren't your thing. I dig it. ps. hater yelpers: seriously, if you like slaters 50/50 so much then GO THERE and eat the prison meat burgers (seriously look it up)! No one wants your bad attitude anyway :P
(5)
Kat B.
First time here! Loved it so much I ordered the the filet tip sliders and a royal breeze martini! Our servers name was Jess she gave us awesome service!!! She was the one that suggested the food to us and it was delicious she was so nice and I would defiantly recommend this restaurant to my friends! Will be back soon!
(5)
TJ B.
I'm not sure how this place can last. It's biggest problem is the space itself. The inside is tiny, with room for about 30 people, max. My wife and I went with my brother and my parents and we were crammed into a 4-top that barely contained us. I really can't see how a restaurant can survive with such minimal indoor seating. I know this is SoCal, but who wants to sit outside in December when it's 50 degrees out? The second issue, and it's also a huge one, is the absurdly complex ordering process. While I appreciate the opportunity to customize my burger, it should not be a requirement. Give me a bunch of "house specials" to choose from and let me customize if I still can't find anything I like. I go out to eat to have a relaxing evening, not to fill out paperwork. Lastly, the food itself is just not that great, especially given the price point. For 18 bucks, I expect a pretty amazing burger. But mine (mild sausage patty with jalapeño bun) was overcooked and underwhelming. My wife's ahi burger was a sloppy mess, breaking apart during the first bite. The apps were better, with the flatbread getting the most love from the table. The mac and cheese was pretty tasty as well. The oddball was the edamame, which inexplicably came slathered in some kind of soy/bbq sauce and topped with bacon bits. It was okay, but a little heads up about this unique preparation would have been nice, especially for my vegetarian wife. I'm certainly willing to give BLK Burgrz another shot, but I think it would just be for apps and drinks. And we'd definitely want to sit outside. That might work out better for us, but if that's the only way to truly enjoy BLK Burgrz, I'm not sure how well it's going to work for them.
(2)
William F.
Here I go, I decided to try it because I was in the area. (Update: i have been back a few more times) The atmosphere is fantastic, Looks great and has more than one Big Screen TVS. I really liked how I got to choose what to add to my burger. They even had Gluten Free Buns! Burger was semi Tasty! They give you free chips which is a plus. Downside: Way to expensive for a burger. 16/18dollars for a burger.. Should be a lower price for a burger. Fries were not that good. Definitely need to improve the fries. The service is not that good. At times, it can be overstaffed but not focusing on customers. The girls at the hostess stand didn't seem to know what they were doing. They do have TVs so you can watch sports or whatever. The staff is so overly staffed that they just stand around and Chat and do nothing. The drinks (alcoholic) are not good, what does that mean? New bartender please? The guy is not good. I ordered a pomegranate margarita, it was more like a pink lemonade slushy. Update: the guy bartender (name may be Alex), Greased semi long hair (and has beard) is horrible! He needs to learn how to make drinks. Someone needs to train him. Train or fire him, just saying. He also works at Casa Ranchero. The burgers are the only good thing here. The free chips are good too. Burgers are great! overall, I go back because of the burgers.
(2)
Kristin M.
My husband and I went here on a Sunday afternoon at about 2pm. The patio is large and there was only one other party seated outside. It felt like a lounge/ bar ambiance, pretty nice. We ordered ice water with lemon as it was a hot day, over 90*! We were brought a glass of water, no ice, no lemon, no straw. Bummer! We then ordered the kobe sliders with onion rings and edamame (we always share.) The waiter came out a few minutes later with house made kettle chips, complimentary. Oh boy, they were good, just wish they had a cheese sauce that could be ordered along with them. I ended up asking for some siracha ranch and dipped the chips in that. When our food finally arrived, it did take a while, everything looked delisious! The edamame was great, tasted fresh, shallot, bacon pieces/fat and garlic slices all tosses together, yummy! The kobe sliders were great, we ordered them well done and they were perfect, just asked for some ketchup. Ewwwwww the onion rings, although looked awesome, were so gross! Yes, gross! They were way too thick, so thick, that when you bit into them they were raw inside. The batter made them soggy. I should have ordered the fries. The waiter even saw that we didn't even touch thoes onion rings, other than the bite we had, and didn't ask how we liked them or if he could get us something else. The unfortunate thing is, I think the waiters and even the manager (I'm assuming he was the manager because he was the only one dressed up) were too concerned about the hostesses. They were all standing there talking casually, it wasn't a meeting. Oh well, I'll still recommend, some of the food was good, kinda pricey but the atmosphere makes up for that. Don't oder the onion rings!
(3)
Sebastian R.
WOW! THE BEST KOBE BURGERS IN ORANGE COUNTY, maybe even on planet earth!!! How could anyone possibly compare BLK Burgrz to In-n-Out!? NO COMPARISON! It's like comparing apples to strudels! I visited BLK Burgrz on three occasions, each experience was better than the last; and each time I visited, I took someone new to accompany me. So far, I have tried the stuffed cheese burger; the stuffed avocado burger; and the stuffed swiss bacon burger... all of them were OFF-THE-CHART AWESOME! One of my friends ordered a stuffed cheese burger, cooked medium rare, while I ordered mine well-done... both were cooked to perfection. Two of my other companions ordered the Diablo burger, and I had to have a bite... AWESOME! It's now my new fav! While I don't drink alcohol, my friends and I noticed they have a huge selection of brews on tap. Once we sat inside because their patio was packed... the other two times we sat on the patio, and the ambiance was always memorable. Each time we visited, everyone around us had a blast, and it appeared that everyone enjoyed their meals. I can assure anyone who checks our BLK Burgrz that they-too will become regulars. It's worth the drive!
(5)
Aubrey J.
Soft opening, hard to deal with. My family and I attended the opening night excitedly. The food choices immediately surrounding Ladera Ranch are pretty bad so we were really happy to see that a nice burger place was opening up close by. Welp... Too bad for Laderaians this place is pretty bad. We arrived a few minutes before they opened at 6pm and waited about 45-50 minutes to sit down. The hostesses said it'd be about 20. That's not a problem, except when it is and you have a kid with you. The staff were wandering around quite a bit. While we waited our son was playing near some potted plants in the outside area and one of the owner's friends from their resource-consuming party said maybe he shouldn't play with the plants. I let her know as soon as we get a seat, it wouldn't be a thing. Go enjoy your chardonnay Lucile. Our waitress was unbelievably slow and uncommunicative. Appetizer was grey tuna "ahi" dry as a bone. We mentioned it was not ok, and she said alright and took the plate. No mention as to what would happen next. The burgers (mine was $21) showed up around the 1 hour 45minute mark and they were just alright. Slaters 50/50 kills this place. The beef was plain, the bread was alright. The whole thing was nothing special and absolutely not $21 worth. She brought another plate of less dried out "ahi" about 20 minutes after the first and it was still incredibly dry. We asked it to be sent back and not returned. I asked for a drink that was on the menu, yet it was unavailable. Drinks went, and stayed, empty during our stay at our table. Everyone was overall pretty nice, but being nice while you're trashing our evening doesn't really matter. We escaped before our kiddo melted down and they billed us for the Ahi hilariously. After a discussion it was removed, as was this restaurant's ability to receive my patronage. My wife and I agreed to give it one more shot, sans-kiddo. If it can crawl out of 1-star land I'll post an update. If not... I'm sure this spot will head to the Ladera boneyard.
(1)
Roland A.
I went for dinner on November 18. I was seated immediately at the bar, which was fine since I was by myself. The two guys behind the bar were nice, friendly and professional. I placed my order about 6:10 pm. Soon I learned that they didn't have the Quinoa burger, which I had ordered. So I put in another order - something easy - a burger straight from the menu. I waited, and waited, and waited. At about 6:45 I was given a basket of chips. At about 7, I was told that my burger was being plated and would be out soon. About 7:10, the people who were next to me, who arrived 20 minutes AFTER me, got their food. I asked my dinner and the bar tender sent someone to check on it. By 7:15 I received my dinner. The delay in getting food is unacceptable and speaks to a management issue.
(2)
Matt H.
We walked out after waiting about 10 min for a table when the place is pretty empty! It's kinda strange the host is in the back part of the patio took me a second to find them. Once we got menus it's $18 for a burger that only comes with 4 toppings its an extra $1 for cheese and additional toppings plus 75¢ for sauces like thousand island that's really over priced you'll be spending about $22 for a burger more or less! Doubt ill come back for that price. However they did say the menus change but if the prices stay that high this place won't be around very long. Sad because Ladera needs some good places to eat.
(1)
William P.
Not sure why this place gets only 3 stars. Sure it's expensive but the outdoor space is excellent and the meal we had there a couple of Saturdays ago was great. We each had one of the stuffed burgers and found them to be well prepared and great tasting. Service was fine, even for a busy Saturday night. Nice beer selection. We will be back.
(4)
Rich Z.
Pretty solid burgers but it's hard to justify $100 for a family of 4. I'm sure the high rent of Ladera Ranch forces them to charge the prices they do. Worth going to once in a while.
(3)
Amber T.
I love this place! Burgers are gourmet and ambiance is very hip and cool. Staff was attentive and friendly and food was delicious! Family friendly but also great for date nights. A bit pricey but well worth it!
(5)
Lisa M.
We were so excited to see a new restaurant in Ladera. The atmosphere is great and they did an amazing job re-working an awkward space. We sat down in the patio area on a beautiful sunny day, football games on a few TVs nearby and an extensive menu of beers...all good! We turned our attention to the food menu. We love The Counter so we were comfortable with the build your own approach until we saw that the burger we constructed would have a price tag of $22!!!! We pay $12 for the same burger at The Counter. The starting price for a burger is $17 and that comes with 4 basic toppings. Each "exotic" topping is $1...yes, cheese is extra! So sad. I really wanted to love this place, but I won't be back.
(2)
Michael P.
Good burgers (not exceptional) and setting. Big improvement from other restaurants that failed at this location. Still, at $17+ per burger it will be hard to become a regular for a hamburgers joint. If it comes down to Island's or BLK, Islands is going to get me 4/5 times. Service was great and friendly staff. Clean and well maintained. Family friendly.
(3)
Stevo L.
This place rocks. The food is fabulous and the alcohol selection is wonderful. The prices are better now, as they allow all the great toppings without the cost. On another note, hello people, the food is good, you have to pay more for quality. Large portions friendly service. They are working out the early bugs. I love this place! Did I mention the bar is cozy?
(5)
JV S.
The hours posted are incorrect, the hours on yelp only fit certain days. Went out of my way..
(2)
E C.
We went between usual meal times on a Sunday. Great food. Good service. The complimentary chips are super yummy. I had a beef salad. It was fantastic.
(5)
OtherOCHW H.
My family and I visited BLK burgerz with the rest of Ladera Ranch on one of their first nights being newly open. It was crowded and we had to wait a little longer to be seated but the venue is small and like I said, everyone in Ladera had the same idea that night. When we finally sat, we were greeted many times by various staff who spent the evening refilling our drinks, asking if we needed anything, and refilling our kettle chips over and over. I love the concept of building your own burger. My hamburger bun was soft and fresh and the Kobe beef burger was soft. The burger was cooked to my specifications and there were endless possibilities in the burgers one could enjoy, thanks to their many options on the menu. I love the ambiance and the restaurant was lively with a good energy. The meal took awhile to come out so the restaurant ended up comping our entire meal! They apologized profusely and were more than accommodating and hospitable. To people who complain about the wait, it was opening week and you were warned there would be a wait. Maybe someone who was royally bugged by this should choose to come after the restaurant has been open for a few months. We were also told that the food and menu was part of a "soft opening", meaning they could make changes and adjustments based on these first few weeks. So to leave a negative review at this stage is just bad karma. All in all an impeccable experience!
(5)
Cheri H.
There aren't many great restaurants in the Ladera/Mission Viejo area so we were pleasantly surprised after having a meal at BLK Burgrz this afternoon. This is a build your own burger place with plenty of choices including many healthy alternatives to a big juicy Kobe burger. Burgers are not cheap but they are good, try splitting one. Kudos to our server Jordan! We let him know it was our first time at BLK and he went out of his way to explain all of the options. Coming from a culinary background, it's always great to see an employee "sell" the restaurant and I mean that in a good way. We're looking forward to our next visit. Well done BLK and Jordan!
(4)
Michael E.
To those that gave this place anything less than 4 stars: how can you sleep at night? BLK makes GREAT food, and has, frankly, the best service I've seen in a budding restaurant in Orange County, period. A nice gentleman by the name of Robert served us, and I was blown away by not only his attention to detail, but the friendly and professionally manner with which he handled my family's table. My burger was phenomenal, the service was first rate, and I'll be damned if I don't visit again. To anyone asking, I recommend the Kobe burger with a side of onion rings--best burger AND onion rings I've had in OC. Thank you BLK--we'll be back soon!
(5)
Asile A.
I give this place a 4* based on atmosphere alone! We all love hanging out here. Not as thrilled with the 'have to do it our way' when ordering a burger. They make it WAY too hard. However the food is yummy once you are over the drama of giving your order. The drinks are okay, nothing to rave about but this is where the food does make up for the less than average drink.
(4)
Trip T.
Came here with my wife and daughter...here's the bullet point review. The Good - Potato Chips Wait Staff Stuffed Burgers The Not So Good - Almost the whole place is outside (brrr) The non-stuffed burger was ok...not great. The prices. Wow. Ouch goes the wallet. Overall, not bad. Maybe a once every great once in awhile kind of place...at least until the weather warms up! It's not bad...but the high prices cost a star, along with the fact that even many of the indoor seats are partially outside.
(3)
Debbir K.
My husband and I went last night (3-14) for the second Friday in a row. We tried the Mac and Cheese starter which was ok. We split a stuffed Swiss cheese burger and we liked it. But again, just ok. Not as juicy I would have like. The thing that we didn't enjoy were the fries. I had read a review in the local newspaper about them being some of the best in Orange County. Double fried. Well, ours were limp and cold when we got them. Like they were the last few left in the batch. I would think double fried would be crispy. The night was beautiful and the patio was so nice. A three piece band started playing at 6:30, so that was really enjoyable. We will probably go back again just for the ambience.
(3)
Jennie B.
I so wanted to love this place. It had great decor and a great atmosphere. We went on a Friday night about 6pm and it was pretty busy. Mostly big parties. They have lots of outdoor seating which is nice but it was full. We sat inside. Menu was extensive and the cheapest burger is $18. You can add basically any toppings you want. I had the Kobe buyer on a pretzel bun. Sounds good right? Well the bun had been topped with wet lettuce so it soaked all the water up before it got to me so the bun texture was terrible and soggy. I couldn't get over the wet texture it had. Also the burger was ordered medium and it was more rare than anything. I picked it apart and it seemed squishy and red all through it. The kids meals were nice and the fries and the beer selection was good. They have some basics to work out to be a great place. Hope they can figure it out!
(2)
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Address :27742 Antonio Pkwy,Ste K7
Ladera Ranch, CA, 92694
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Drive-Thru : No Caters : Yes
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Emily L.
I want to love this place. I want to love it so hard that it never leaves Ladera. I'll start with the good: my lamb burger was insane. Best burger I've had since a trip up north, like 2 years ago. Seriously...lamb burger at BLK...where have you been all my life? The food has been consistently good at this place...but the Lamb is my new fav. Ok, here's the issue. We had crap service tonight. Someone else ended up essentially "stepping in" for our server, because she was too busy chatting up a table of businessmen to deign to ask us for our orders, see how our food was, or refill our drinks. Here's the deal...I used to wait tables. If we have excellent service, I try to grab the check before the hubs. He's never had to work for tips (fancy bastard), so he's a crappy tipper. I'll grab the check, pay the bill, and leave an excellent tip. Tonight, I was so furious about our lack of service, that I asked someone in the restaurant where, exactly, our tip would go. If it went to the woman who essentially covered our server's ass all night, then I was happy to leave a tip. If it went to our negligent waitress, then no tip at all. I was assured that the tip would go to the correct person (it would not have, otherwise...it would have gone to our lousy waitress), and was happy to leave a tip, albeit I did let the hubs leave a tip...not as much as I would have, had I been wowed. It's a Wednesday night, not a busy Friday or Saturday (when I tend to be a little more forgiving). I watched our waitress play with her other table's iPad, while ignoring us entirely, and leaving all the work to her co-workers...knowing that she would collect the tip in the end. That's such BS. I would never employ someone with a work ethic like that. I hope BLK Burgrz steps up their game with the waitstaff, because one more service experience like this and I'm not going back. Not even for takeout. I don't care how good the lamb burger was.
(2)Christin C.
Doggy discriminatory. Fact: I have only had pitbull and pitbull mixes as pets for the last twenty years and have never been threatened or injured by one. Fact: I have been in animal rescue for 4 years and have been around hundreds and hundred of dogs and pitbulls are still "hands down" my favorite breed. Fact: I have only been bitten once and it was a small fluffy dog like the kind you welcome at your establishment. I still have the scars to prove it. Do what you want, but I won't be back.
(1)J F.
The food was really good. Huge portions....we should have ordered less. The warm kettle chips before the meal were amazing. Interesting combinations of burgers....variety of meats, stuffings and buns. Wish the burger stuffed with Mac & Cheese had been cheesier. Great service and good atmosphere. We would go again!
(4)Elaine G.
While sitting waiting for our lunch we we reading the reviews on yelp. Common complaint was dirty flatware. Sure enough when we unrolled the napkin our forks had dried food on it! Be prepared to wait at least 25 minutes for lunch when not busy. Ordered the lamb beef burger. Very good and worth the wait. Little things they can do like remove the plastic plant decor and check the flatware to command their prices. This is not a cheap restaurant. The grade of beef is not what you would find in a typical burger place. A steak will cost you $75. Seasoned potato chips were a nice touch while waiting for our meal. Some guy wearing a dirty black apron who greeted us has to lose the apron. Disgusting.
(3)Courtney B.
Sooo I'm really confused why this place only has 3 stars. Let me tell you why... AMBIANCE: warm, cozy and very earthy. The patio is one of the largest and most inviting I've ever seen at a restaurant. You could easily show up with a group of friends hang out all day (for lunch and cocktails) or night for dinner under the stars. (By the way they have heat lamps so you won't get too cold) STAFF: Super quick attentive service. My friend and I were helped my 4 different people. We were checked on often but not too much that it was annoying. More important, do you know why the staff was great? Because they were happy! Who likes being served by a miserable POS that hates his life. No one. I'm sure that the staffs mood is a reflection of their management and that says a lot to me. People taking care of people, taking care of people... You get it. FOOD: to put it mildly, I'm a foodie and this place meets my foodie needs. They bring you out a basket of delectable potato chips that are seasoned to perfection as your "welcome here's a snack while you struggle to pick something off our elaborate menu" and then you're suckered in... Just by the chips. You don't even have a prayer. Your going to chow down on something you weren't anticipating eating because the delicious chips made you curious and now you want more. Obviously I choose a burger, hence the name, and this was not a disappointment. I got the Kobe beef stuffed jalapeño burger. It was juicy and flavorful and not smothered in sauce. Do your self a favor and try it. Now on to real business... DRINKS: in the past few years I have become a little obsessed with ginger beer (not ginger ale...) which led to my love affair with Moscow Mules. Now, being a Moscow Mule lover, I've had my fair share and this one my friends is AMAZEBALLS. They use great ginger beer and freaking Titos Vodka (which is the most amazing American made vodka from Texas) in a copper Titos cup with lots of fresh lime! Just how I like it! How did they know?! Ahhhh so good! And that is why this place deserves all 5 fabulous stars. Till we meet again BLK Burgrz.
(5)Maia C.
Went there for lunch with my mom and sister and there was a lot of room on the patio. The atmosphere is pretty cool out there and they have heaters so if its a little chilly its still comfortable. The service was good and the food was yummy its just a little over priced for what you get.
(3)Anthony B.
Not a good place service poor burgers overrated. And expensive a tip skip this dump I ordered the classic burger got a better one at carls sorry but I won't come back
(2)Tina S.
Well... I decided to go back to BLK after my earlier (horrible) review right after they opened. I can't speak to sitting down and having dinner there, and I've heard through the grape vine that the owners still supplant customers with private parties, BUT I can say that happy hour on Friday nights is a blast. Jordan and Ty are great bartenders (love the Martinis), very attentive, and generate a really nice cozy vibe. Plus, the food we've ordered has been great (no burgers though!), albeit expensive.
(4)Eric C.
I was hopeful the first time was an anomaly...but nope. The service was terrible and I will never go back again. I was on the wait List, gave my cell phone number for when the table was ready and waited over 45 minutes while they gave my table away. We ordered an appetizer which never came and the server was not apologetic as all. I wanted to leave in the worst way. No manger ever came by even when the server knew we were un-happy. This was a terrible experience AGAIN and very un professional approach to handle the situation. I live 3 minutes from the location and will NEVER go back again. I will eat McDonald's off the ground before I step foot in there again, even if it was free. There is no WAY! If it wasn't the 2nd time in a row, I would have more patience. Go spend good money elsewhere, seriously. Almost forget, it was that busy...worst restaurant experience in 10 years. Eric
(1)Kerry D.
Service was good. Chips they served amazing. Veggie sliders ok cheese so thick had to cut in half. Will go back and try other items. Ladera needs a place like this
(4)Kassandra P.
The burgers here are delicious. I tried the bacon stuffed cheddar burger with sweet potato fries and it was all very good. I took off one star because of the pricing.. It's very expensive. Not somewhere I can afford to eat at regularly. But for a special occasion, I'll be back.
(4)Wayne S.
Four of us for a birthday dinner...how disappointing!! Overly priced, but expected that. But, the service was horrible...didn't expect that!! Our order was 'lost', so we waited for nearly an hour. We kept inquiring, but the response was they were looking into it. Food good. We complained afterwards about the service, but no one cared, so we left, never to be caught dead back there again. Looks like we are not the only ones to have poor service there.
(1)Cynde V.
I had a hard time even giving one star. I am a Dog Trainer with a very well behaved Bully Breed. We have never had a problem with him being accepted at other outdoor restaurants but while waiting and it was a looooong wait for a table we were very rudely asked to leave. Our better behaved dog than most children dining there was NOT welcomed. Won't be back and will spread the word!
(1)Richard K.
Absolutely a waste of time and money. Tonight, there were open tables BUT the Manager was too busy taking a personal call to manager the Resturant. Just a poor, poor Resturant. This space has had 4 different restaurants in 4 years. You'd think the owners would care enough to hire the right people for a $25 hamburger. Eat somewhere else.
(1)ron w.
BLK Burgrz is not just a burger joint. It is the place to get a giant joint of house ground, and blended, responsibly sourced Wagyu beef cooked as you wish. It is a build your own burger that requires a construction permit from the City. Think The Counter on steroids. BLK Burgrz whups Slater's 50/50 handily unless you crave their Bacon Tartar burger or enjoy dining with a flash mob of caterwauling infants and competing with the deafening boombox drilled into the ceiling. At BLK, we are talking substantial but civilized burger that comes with a steak knife to make it manageable. It holds together unlike the 8 inch monster at G-Burger which is like the pretty one in Accounts Payable...that quickly turns into a sloppy mess once you get involved. No, this is an adult burger destination and easily the best burger in the City. A 1/2 pound of juicy, crusty, meaty burger nestled on a Brioche, Honey Wheat, Pretzel, Japapeno, Squaw, Potato bun of choice. There is a laundry list of sauces and toppings to add to your creation to please every taste whether exotic or mundane at no extra cost. There are more pairings than Paris Hilton's date book. Can't decide? There is a menu of stock combinations which all can be tweaked to please you. They also have non-burger options. Scallops? Really? Why would you? Okay, your Bro brought his new squeeze who happens to be a Glatt Kosher, Halal, Gluten Free, Lactose Intolerant, Vegan, recovering alcoholic with peanut allergies. There will be something she can find besides the ladies room. If for no other reason you should go for the basket of house made potato chips dusted with parmesan cheese which is perfect to enjoy with the large selection of draft beers on tap. The burger comes out for the kitchen as requested every time. The burger juices will run down your arm. Be prepared. And if you want some other sauce you forgot, it appears magically merely for the asking. And if that weren't enough they throw in an ample side of your choice. Excellent fries, sweet of regular, onion rings that are cavity cracking crunchy, beans, chili, slaw, or another basket or two or three of those potato chips. After all, this is not a cheap date option for a burger. It is eclipsed by the Morten's Burger available only in the bar at $19 per. The sour Yelper (see below) couldn't figure out how much the burger cost. Try reading the large print notice that the burger is $17. But then, that dude probably can't find brown socks that match either. I would also like to point out that some of my fellow Yelpers were unfair to this place recently. I grant you that the kid at the host podium was less than enthusiastic at greeting new guests and would have probably been happier sitting at home plugged into an MP3 player and "sexting" someone they met in a Chat Room. However, once you clear of the vapid, blank expressionless face in the front and seated, you are handed off to the servers who are all attentive, bar and burger knowledgeable and eager to please. My fellow Yelper walked out before enjoying the uber burger because no one fawned over him at his arrival, and the busboy forgot his slice of Meyer Lemon in his Perrier water. You need that? Go to Studio at the Montage Hotel where the Somm will swoon with feigned appreciation at your expertise in ordering chocolate milk to pair with your Porterhouse. Giving one star to BLK Burgrz for some perceived slights was unfair and irresponsible. This dude probably drinks his Chablis with pinky extended and looks askance at you if you don't. The other recent Yelper that went off the rails with a three star rating because the bar tender couldn't find "the game" demonstrates a sad use of Yelp space. That dude needed to go where he eventually went, a Sports Bar for bottled beer, and stale popcorn but crammed with sports related homogeneous conviviality. Or, just stay home in his boxers with the remote, pickin' his nose and a defrosting a Hungry Man Dinner. BLK Burgrz is for burger connoisseurs who want the best in town. So, if you don't want to fly with the Eagles you gotta get out of the sky. Go to Wendy's and leave room for me. After reading this review I reminded myself at how good this burger place is. So good, in fact, I'll be going to BLK Burgrz again tomorrow.
(5)Larisa B.
This place is a joke. The service is slow...the only thing they did fast was pick up the bill. The prices are totally out of line...the food is ok (like burger King type of ok) they took about 30 min to get a drink (that was wrong) we ate about 2 bites of there $20 burgers and we're so mad we paid the bill and went to jack in the box...do yourself a favor. ..don't come to this place...In short...about an hour and a half... $70.00 and left pissed and hungry. ..
(1)John R.
To bad there is no negative stars. Wow...understanding the fact that Ladera Ranch is over priced and not worrth anywhere near the hype we stopped in here anyways. $18+ for a so so burger!? $75.00 FOR A 4oz steak?! Absolutely Ridiculous. Super slow service. Super high prices. Nothing good to say here...Save your hard earned money. ..go someplace where the food and service is worth it. I can't stress how disappointed we were...
(1)Jeff D.
Skipped the brunch thing and did an OpenTable reservation for Mother's Day. The reviews were great and the options in this area are limited. We were looking at houses and were excited to eat somewhere locally. Unfortunately, our service and food was less than what we expected. It took an hour to get a burger and a salad and our Ahi Appetizer looked like it was hacked off the fish. My stuffed burger wasn't stuffed with anything other than what you'd expect in a burger but for $18 I was disappointed to not see anything but the meat. For an $75 lunch I would expect quicker service and a higher quality meal. Let alone what they describe on the menu. 2 stars for the reservation and NBA playoffs on the big screen.
(2)Patrick T.
45 min for a to-go order is excessive. Even more disappointing was being ignored by the bartenders while I stood waiting to order for 10 min. I've been coming to this place for quite a while note but was thoroughly let down.
(2)Kc P.
Third time I tried to give them a shot all around horrible. Bad service actually no service at all coming in burdens them. The owner sits there an allows the workers to treat the customers like crap. The food if it makes it to the table and warm for that matter has potential. Worst service horrible owner all around just very unpleasant. Has so much potential too sad.
(1)Joyce J.
I'm feeling like a restaurant critic today. My husband and I tried Burgrz yesterday. First, we like the location and the ambience - we sat on the patio - it looks great although the chairs we had were not as comfortable as we would like. Joey, our waiter, was awesome. The house fries - awesome and addicting!! Good extensive wine list. I had the kale salad. It was very good with the mango, etc. however, for my taste, I think kale should be chopped finer. My husband had the classic burger. It was done perfectly, however, the brioch bun falls apart, the accompanying salad was just blah. All in all, it's fine, but we expected better for the price.
(3)Kyle S.
Pretty disappointing experience. A good majority of our food came out cold, and the custom order model seemed to have caused some confusion with one person getting a lamb burger instead of a turkey burger. In the end, they ended up charging us the wrong bill (more confusion), causing us to wait even longer. Food here isn't cheap, but it definitely has potential to match the price, so long as their line of service steps it up.
(2)Anthony A.
The only thing that brought me here was a number of reviews I'd read stating this was a pretentious new burger joint that was grossly overpriced and it didn't live up to the hype. So, naturally, I had to try it. I met a buddy here for lunch and we grabbed a spot out on the patio. I'll say this, the decor here is phenomenal. Outdoor seating on a sunny day can't be beat, with high tables, comfy couches, and a couple of huge crystal fire burner things that added good form and function. Our bubbly young waitress explained the menu to us. It's like The Counter, more or less. I quizzed her on the name - since BLK Burger is an odd choice - and she said it's actually pronounced "Black Burger", which refers to the color of the Japanese cows that produce Kobe beef. When I asked if their Kobe beef burger come from Japan - which is the ONLY way beef can be qualified as Kobe beef - she said they weren't... but there's a steak on the menu that supposedly is. I just think it's lame how many places sell "Kobe beef burgers" when it isn't actually Kobe beef. Call it "Kobe style beef", but then that's less attractive, isn't it? I really don't recall the exact burger I got because I customized the entire thing, but it more than likely contained bleu cheese and bacon. What I do recall is that, as nearly every other review has pointed out, this is far from being worth the cost. Hell, Gordon Ramsay's BURGR at Planet Hollywood costs less and, trust me, that is a better burger. My line of thought here is you can only take a burger so far. Go ahead and use the best ground beef you can find, but it's still ground beef. That's what makes a burger. Some spots have gimmicky burgers topped with foie gras or gold shavings or truffles, something expensive to justify a ridiculous price tag. This place just serves burgers. There's nothing to distinguish this burger from any other "gourmet" burger that comes in at a few bucks less the cost. Once you start getting above $10 for a burger the quality needs to exponentially increase. This was a $13 burger all day, not the $18 it cost. As a side I went with the vegetables in brown rice. Great concept, and it's a definite preference over fries, but it's cooked with such a thick, heavy sauce that it's virtually impossible to finish after eating a huge burger. Lighten this side up and it'll complement the meal well.
(3)Tina Cristabel H.
The food, décor, and atmosphere is as good as it gets! Home made chips were perfect and the ahi appetizer was delish. I had the chicken sandwich, which tasted fresh and was seasoned great, for dinner but was jealous of my friends burger patties coming out on individual skillets. Overall, I have already recommended this restaurant to 4 of my friends and have nothing but good things to day about it!
(5)Justin D.
The service here is consistently terrible. I have been here a few times and the food is pretty good (which is why I was hoping things would get better). After today I will never go again. The place was about 30% full and it took 15 minutes to get a glass of water and our food took an hour. I was disappointed with my burger, it was cold and had been sitting out a while. My entire group was disappointed with the food this time. It's hard to find a decent restaurant in the Ladera Ranch area and so I thought I would give this place another chance. Not any more, it's just a matter of time before this place closes down.
(2)Paul N.
We liked it... Food is good service a little slow... the garlic potato chips are a great idea for a starter...
(4)Sanjeev S.
The make your own burger place in a laid back setting. The best thing about this place is the space. There's more outdoor seating than indoors, and the comfortable couches and fireplaces and TVs make it seem like you're at home. Great for kids, and it's better than being home because you can come here for brunch in your pyjamas, the cooking and cleaning up after is taken care of. The open space is great, even during dinners on chilly SoCal nights, the fireplace and patio heaters keep you warm. Now about the food, they can do better. Way better. My daughter usually gets nibbling on a fruit bowl and one time the blackberries had fungus on them. The chips are okay, kind of home like, and drinks are great. They have soccer on large screens, if they had cricket, I'd probably be here more often in shorts and flip flops during weekends. The burgers are okay, you can pile on as many healthy ingredients as you like in making your own burger, we've left less than happy with the flavour on several occasions. Nonetheless, the service is great. There is a larger table in the corner by the wine rack which is our favourite nook to meet friends and chat the afternoon away, while kids go through crayons and colouring books.
(3)Noumaan S.
I've driven past this place multiple times and today decided to give it a try. After reading yelp reviews here's the update: They didn't offer any chips while we waited , so I ended up ordering them as a side to my burger to see what people are raving about - they were probably the best thing we ate that night. We also ordered calamari. Service was quick - food was out in under 10 mins. They forgot to provide us napkins or silverware. When we alerted the bus boy, he came back with just the spoons... Maybe he eats calamari with spoons? Our food was slightly cold. The calamari was rubbery cold (I would rate it 1/5) and the burger was lukewarm not piping hot (I would rate it 3/5). Ambiance was good. The quartet playing took requests. They have music on Saturdays from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. I really wanted this place to be a winner - but the food was a big let down.
(2)Chris M.
I"m so happy this restaurant opened up in Ladera Ranch. Their burgers are amazing and their homemade chips are great as well. The outdoor patio has a nice ambiance and I love the fact that they regularly have live music. The only reason for not rating 5 stars is that their service can tend to get a little slow when they are busy.
(4)PJ W.
This place is great. If you think your going to get a better burger for the price at another joint your crazy. This place has a great atmosphere, great food, and wonderful service. Would definitely recommend and go back. It is on the pricier side but in my opinion worth it.
(5)C M.
The customer service is horrible. I have been to this restaurant on multiple occasions, each time hoping the service would be better. Sigh. The last visit was the worst. My husband, son, and I paid a visit hoping to grab a quick lunch. That didn't happen. It took over an hour for us to receive a total of 6 regular sliders. (There were only 2 other tables there.) During our wait, two gentlemen came in and took a seat. They were seated for at least 10 minutes and no one came to assist them. Why? All of the staff was in the back area or the kitchen. The men finally got up and left. When the manager (Nicole) finally came out, I pulled her to the side and mentioned how long we had been waiting for our food. I also stated how she lost customers as no one was around to assist. She didn't apologize and all she stated was that they were short on staff. By the way, our food was not comped. I asked for the general manager's business card and guess what, she didn't have any! She stated she 'believed' the GM would be at the restaurant that Friday night. Did I already mention how HORRIBLE the manager is? On another occasion, I came by to pick-up a $50 gift certificate. The same manager (Nicole) was there again and it took at least 30 minutes to PRINT out a piece of paper. The manager stated they were out of $50 gift certificates, so she had to give me two $25 gift certificates instead. Really??? The "gift certificate" was printed unevenly on a piece of RESUME PAPER with the restaurant's name and amount. No certificate number was located on it. The manager wrote her initials on it but it was only two letters. I'm still baffled as to why the amount could not have been changed since it was printed from Microsoft Word! Oh yeah, anyone can EASILY replicate this! I have also experienced: - Staff not knowledgeable of the menu - Cold food (twice on the same occasion with the same dish!) - Slow service with minimal people dining Hopefully, the owners see this review because some serious changes need to be made at this restaurant.
(1)David H.
Sat at the bar and loved it. Burger was fantastic, drinks were on time and generous, desert was absolutely amazing. We have been back multiple times and will continue the trend. Patio is great and wait staff is very professional.
(5)John C.
Great place to relax and have a fantastic meal. If you are in a hurry, it may not be the best place for a meal. We had burgers and sodas for lunch, and had a blast. Comfortable seating, friendly service, and over-the-top burgers. Had a coupon for usd 15 from restaurants.com , so took the edge off when the bill came. We will be back again soon!
(5)Brett A.
Patio restaurant with a small indoor section, ambiance was dialed in with outdoor couches, fireplaces, greenery. Our service was remarkably slow, took about 2.5 hours to dine. Maybe need another server for weekday nights... I had the Diablo burger and it was awesome, loved the habenero stuffed kobe. The rest of the burger was solid as well. Solid beer selection from an IPA standpoint. Someone from my table got their $6 beer sampler, and that was a complete joke. MAYBE 3oz of beer in total. That's like paying $32 for a pint. Potential to be 5 stars, but the slow service and the bottom line...one burger and two beers = $40
(3)Joe M.
Second time is even less charming. Our first experience was a busy Friday night with a party of six. The waitress was great and tried very hard, but the order was totally screwed up, getting it fixed took forever and they never did get it right. As recompense the manager, who never once came by our table, offered us a round of shots. Might have been good if we were twenty-something's looking to get ripped, but we weren't. This time the restaurant did not seem particularly busy for 1:00 on a Sunday, but the hostess said they were backed up and even though they had tables, the wait staff would not be able to help us for 10 minutes are so. It was 30 before we were even acknowledged or offered a beverage. Food was good, but two burgers, a glass of wine and an iced tea was $70.00 with tip. It seems like they have a good concept but very weak or inexperienced managers. We tried to give them a second chance - there won't be a third.
(1)Nicole F.
Always enjoy the food and the attentive staff. We have consistently had a good experience and the food is delicious!
(5)Dorris T.
First of all, don't believe the 3 stars that yelp gives this place. We saw the commercial on TV today and decided to give it a try even though some of the reviews weren't that great. Well, the place has such great ambiance and decor. After we sat down they dropped off a basket of homemade potato chips and they were so good. We started off with the orangecicle martini! Tastes like a 50/50 Ice cream bar. Yum! And then split the kale salad. Very good with light lemon vinegrette. My husband ordered the salmon sliderz and I ordered the veggie sliderz. Both were amazing. Then this string quartet started playing upbeat pop songs like Cold Play, Freddy mercury, and others and they take requests. The servers were great and the manager came over to us to see how we were doing. It was such a wonderful experience we just didn't want to leave. The lounge areas are so relaxing and there are TV's all over the place to watch the games. Totally recommend this place. We had a wonderful time.
(5)Keren A.
The service people were friendly, however waited over 40 min for a couple burgers and it wasn't that busy. Ordered the Lamb/Kobe Burger it was very dry and over cooked, they say they cook it that way so people don't get sick. Ironically I was up half the night with an upset stomach. They gave us chips, they were burnt. Next time I'll go to Dublin 4 when craving a Lamb Burger.
(1)Joe C.
Pros: Great place for food and drinks. Ambiance was nice. Fire pits and TVs outside to watch games are always very cool. Big ass burgers stuffed with whatever you want. They offer a full bar and a great selections of beers. Cons: Beer flight sampler was a total joke (4 small glasses). Dixie cups are bigger than their flight glasses. Service/server was very slow. Server could not answer simple questions. Me: "What does BLK stand for?" Server: "I don't know, I have only been here for 2 months... this is what I do in my part time." Overall impression: Will probably be back, hopefully management can train or hire more competent staff. Be prepared for pricey food and drinks. I have seen 3 or 4 places come and go at this location... hopefully this place can make it.
(3)Brett C.
BLK Burgrz had their soft opening begin last night at 6pm. The wife and I were very excited to try it. The ambience inside and out was very nice. The outdoor patio is really neat with very cool glass fire torches. It also features TV's inside and out. The interior is quite small, as is the bar. The booths indoors looked comfortable. We sat on the patio and they had plenty of heaters to keep folks warm. People may have some negative things to say after night one, but folks lets keep things in perspective. It was night one and it was advertised as a soft opening. I will give ALL of the staff credit, they did the best job possible with the cards they were dealt. Was the wait long to be seated and served? Yes, but that was to be expected and all personnel working worked their butts off to accommodate all guests to the best of their ability. The beer and wine lists were extensive. They have bottled beers and a few on tap. Since it was a limited menu I am not sure if more beers will be offered on tap, but on night one there was about 5. The wine list is also lengthy with a lot of varietal choices. There are a few choices by the class and several bottles available. The choices range from reasonable to high end. We tried two appetizers: Mac n Cheese- Baked with bacon, jalapeno and smoked Guda cheese ($8). I thought this mac and cheese was delicious. Nice and cheesy, with a wonderful bacon flavor and a nice kick from the jalapeno. Highly recommended. Ahi Stacks- Seared Ahi over cucumber slices, topped with fried ginger and a balsamic lemon sauce. The idea is nice however, the Ahi was a tad dry and in our opinion needed more flavor and some more of the sauce. We both ordered the 1/2 lb Kobe (American Wagyu) pattie. It was tender and seasoned well. We both had the brioche bun. The wife had brie as her cheese choice and I had cheddar. The wife also added baby greens, sauteed mushrooms, green chiles and a honey mustard sauce. She really enjoyed her burger. I added shredded lettuce, tomato, fried egg, bacon and Thousand Island dressing. I was very impressed. You get to choose sides. We ordered the fries and onion rings and shared. The fries are seasoned lightly with what appears to be seasoning salt and parsley. They also appeared to be made from scratch and possibly double fried. The onion rings were excellent. Not too greasy. Held their structure and the breading stayed intact. They also had us try their house potato chips complimentary. They were just crispy enough, not greasy, lighly seasoned with seasoning salt and dusted with parsley. We also enjoyed a few Lost Coast Great White beers. They were served very chilled and were delicious. All in all it looks like BLK Burgrz once settled in after a few weeks will be offering an awesome place to grab drinks, appetizers and burgers. We are very excited to have BLK Burgrz right here in our backyard. The Executive Chef is Nathan Farkas. Don't quote me on this statement, but I believe he came from Slater's 50/50. ***** (5 Stars)- Amazing, zero flaws, a must go! (Not given often) **** (4 Stars)- Memorable, strongly feel you should visit *** (3 Stars)- Above average, worth a visit ** (2 Stars)- Average, some pro's and some con's * (1 Star)- Opinion is do not go, below average
(4)Jen B.
I hope they are still trying to figure out how to run a restaurant because so many things went wrong during my visit here. Like another reviewer said, when we arrived they told us it was a 5-10 minute wait for inside seating and even longer for outside....there was no one else waiting and there were multiple tables inside and outside available. That was really confusing because there were plenty of employees around to seat us at the hostess station. Anyway, the burger was good, but way over cooked, and honestly not worth $20 + tax and tip. Onion rings were excellent as were the fresh potato chips they say on our table as we read the menu. They also served me cold fries so I asked them to replace them. This took about 15-20 minutes before I had to ask again about the whereabouts of my fries. Finally a new batch arrived, but it was after everyone was finished. :( The server was nice enough and apologetic to two of our burgers being hammered and the fries incident, but never offered to do anything extra for those mistakes. My dining partners would go back, but I don't think I would.
(3)Jaynie D.
Great spot but the service was not. Our 1 burger took forever to come out and it was seriously lacking in flavor....boo!! The wrong beer was given to me (in which the waitress blamed the bartender) the side of sauce we asked for never came out. The busboys were really on top of it though. The waitress did try and make it better by giving us a free dessert...which was good. There was a table next to us that also had major issues with the service and the waitress kept blaming the kitchen. Your a team, don't play the blame game!
(2)Tom B.
Bad calorie intake on recent visit. Second visit here, first was OK, but after this visit we will not be returning for food. Calamari was rubbery, Onion Rings were soggy and greasy, Ahi Stack was chewy and tasteless. Service was ok, but when we expressed dissatisfaction with our Ahi order, which was delivered first, an uncomfortable apology was made as the plate with the majority of the order still on it was removed. We also did not finish the rubbery calamari or the onion rings, no offer to credit anything, but server was pleasant enough. The free chips were also not very good. This place may be OK for a drink, but unfortunately, this place is worse than all of the other establishments in Ladera, which has no good restaurants.
(1)Lindsay L.
We had lunch here today and hadn't been in recently. The service was extremely poor. The hostess and our initial waitress weren't aware of the lunch specials. We then were given another server who knew the specials. After getting our drinks it was about 15 minutes before he came to take our order. After 45 minutes (everyone in our party ordered sliders) our lunch finally came. The onion rings were amazing, but all burgers were supposed to be medium and were basically beef jerky and clearly had sat under the heating window for quite some time. Our server came back initially to check on us before we started eating, but never came back to fill our drinks or check on us during our meal. After we finished eating he finally came and refilled our drinks only after we flagged him down and asked. A few at our table waited tables for years so we have a lot of patience for servers, but they weren't busy at all and clearly weren't concerned about customer service. I wont be returning.....
(1)Bill C.
Loved it. Burgers are good. Great IPA selection. Lots of toppings. Loved the outdoor space
(4)Chris V.
Not sure what the deal is with all the bad reviews. We dined her and had an awesome burger and awesome service. Pretzel Bun and Wagu Beef burger was very good. Try the Sriracha Ranch. Delicious! We will be returning!
(5)Lisa B.
The food was good but the service is not great and it takes forever to get your food. We ordered an appetizer that never came. Wouldn't recommend if you're in any hurry or like your drinks refilled. It took us 15 minutes to get our check...not the place for me.
(2)Robert P.
Inconsistency is the reason for this 3-star review. I frequent BLK Burgrz because my friend's band plays nearly every Friday-The Christian Hernandez Rotation. I wasn't expecting such a nice venue, so I was surprised when I pulled up and the outdoor patio was visually appealing. The inside of the restaurant is also very nice, but the bar is a bit short. The first visit I ordered tri-tip sliders. MAN were they good. Seasoned well, the tri-tip's flavor exploded and created a savory experience in my mouth. The side of potato chips they give complimentary are also very nicely seasoned. They weren't too heavy on salt, and I didn't feel like I was mauling down grease into my stomach. Service was alright, as we sat there waiting for about 20 minutes before our order was taken, but they made up for it in the end. The second visit I ordered tri-tip sliders again. MAN did they SUCK. Not seasoned at all, the bread was stale and the onions were dripping in grease. I'm not sure if they got another chef or something, but it was NOT worth my money. The side of potato chips were superb, but that was about the only thing I would eat. There was no salt or pepper on the tri-tips at all, and that really disappointed me. The third visit I ordered chicken sliders. Ugh, they had stale bread AGAIN and the chicken was dried out. My fiance got them last time and hers were on a different type of bread and the chicken was nice and moist. I'm not sure where these visits went wrong, but I hope they pick it back up. The venue is nice, the prices are decent, the service is good, but the food is lacking. I'll still continue to go to support my friend, but I probably won't order anything next time. Atmosphere: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Food: 2/5
(3)Mommy H.
Sorry BLK. First time there...really looking forward to dinner. Special family outing so mommy could relax and not make dirty dishes at home. We sat and ate potato chips...OK but too much salty seasoning on them. I ordered a blue cheese stuffed burger on pretzel bread with lettuce tomato pickles bacon and avocado. Yum! first bite was amazing...only because that was the only part where the meat was actually cooked. The rest of the burger was not :-( the bread was dry, just not a good burger when you are expecting a well done burger. My daughter ordered hers with lettuce and got arugula. Hubby ordered his medium cooked...was well done. Other daughter ordered 4 different spreads to try on the side...they put them all in the burger. The waiter took my plate and stopped me from taking the bite I had on my fork. He took my daughters plate and offered to scrape the buns (really!!!!). They brought back her burger missing items and the same onion rings from the original burger plate. So she had cold onion rings. We had to many things to complain about that it was really a sad experience. Did I mention there was hardly anyone there? It took over 40 minutes from the time we ordered our food to finally get it... And they got every order wrong. So all I ate was potato chips, 1 bite of the burger, fries and water. My stomach hurts!!!!!! We did not have to pay for the burger I did not eat, or the one they screwed up twice. They offered us desserts before they offered to not charge me for a burger I couldn't eat. It was 945 pm by the time we left...on a school night. No way I can give the kids dessert at that time. No no no! No clue how to run a kitchen, customer service was OK, but the scrapping stuff off the bun was a bit gross. Really?
(1)Guy H.
A quick comment to say how disappointing it is that a business owner has no idea what happens at this place. The people that work there just don't seem to care about repeat business. The employees appear to be "put out" by customers coming in the door. We were told there would be a 45 minute wait and there must have been at least three tables empty. We ended up taking our group elsewhere and it's not likely we will ever return. Yelp is a great tool if owners actually look at it and train employees, but I can't keep supporting a restaurant that doesn't appreciate the locals that WANT them to succeed. You can charge $20 for a burger but at least act like you want the business!!!
(2)Mia M.
Awesome awesome awesome the burgers are super hot and come on little burning hot sizzling skillets. The fries are crazy hot. The burger ( Kobe blue cheese bacon infused on a cheddar cheese bun) was out of this world delicious. My wife went crazy for her apple chicken salad The decor is really stylish and comfy. Outside it a killer patio with comfy chairs and lots of heat lamps. Get there early the place was slammed. I love it and I don't please easily Oh pretty good for kids too. Lots of TVs and very lively They even had a bitching high res tv above the urinal and I hung out it the restroom watching Monday night football a bit too long (awkward) lol. Great place for 2 or 3 couples to get together. A date night with your wife alone at a place called blk burgez may wind you up in the doghouse thought. I love it
(5)Meribeth G.
Liked the atmosphere: outdoor patio, great furniture, cool TV set-up, interior space very attractive. Waiter was great, helpful, on it. Problem is that they are a burger place and the burgers were not great! I asked if I ordered the burger medium rare - would it be bloody and completely rare or are they true to temps.. was told if I ordered medium it will be cooked to perfection. Got the burgers and all 7 of us ended up with Well to Very Well done burgers. Most of the burgers were not eaten. It was a shame, since if the burgers had been juicy and cooked correctly, we would be back many times more.
(2)Laurie D.
Very very disappointed!! Took my son here for his 23rd birthday celebration. Hortible food and service!!! $14.00 salad and they forgot the apples. Waitress brings a bowl of apples LOL. Hamburger raw and well done!! Nice ambiance though! Not the greatest experience!
(1)Robin B.
We just spent Sunday afternoon on the patio having moscow mules (yummy) and burgers! Their endless chips are really good too. There have a beautiful patio with comfortable seating .We watched the Ducks playoff game in the lounge area but really couldn't hear it. It's too bad, because we are looking for a place to enjoy different games. They have alot of televisions, but we were told the owners didn't like the sound on. Seems like a missed opportunity for them. Nicole waited on us and was outstanding. She kept drinks and water coming. We never had to ask for anything. She was on it and she's one of the main reasons we will be back. Overall I would give them high marks.
(4)Cooper M.
This place is amazing and the service is great. Best burger I have had in a while it's the Hawaii burger.
(5)Alexis B.
Very nice atmosphere, but very very pricy!! The food is very very yummy though. I rate this a 3 out of 5... Because of the prices... But every thing else is very satisfied
(3)Rae Z.
This is the other preferred date night place in Ladera. Honestly, I'd probably only give it 3 stars if it were anywhere else, but in this community devoid of quality restaurants, I should round up. The best thing about Blk Burgerz is the atmosphere. They have done a beautiful job with the indoor space and patio. All outdooor seating is always well-warmed, and the couches comfortable. My favorite spots are the two booths that are half inside half outside. As we have the opportunity to regularly drop off the kids in Ladera, we have had a half dozen dates at this restaurant. All of the food and drinks we have received have been adequate to good. The burgers are good, and I love to get the salads here. The spinach salad has perfect dressing. There have been some misses, though. We have ordered chicken wings twice, and once they were not crispy enough. The complimentary chips are sometimes good, but often are soggy and greasy instead of crispy. This is probably good for me, as then I'm not tempted to eat them! My main complaint is the cost of the burgers and other entrees. I suppose you can only do so much with a burger, and to justify $18 it should be more than it is. You could easily get the same quality burger with the same toppings for $13 at The Counter. Actually, they have organic grass fed bison for $14 which I much prefer to Blk's faux Kobe. From now on, I stick to the salads. For what its worth, they sometimes have goood Happy Hour and football night specials. Those definitely up the value and make visiting here a no-brainer.
(4)Beth K.
I sat on the open patio for a late lunch. My server came right over with a basket of house made chips and water. I ordered the Kobe slider lunch special a glass of wine. They have a small but decent selection of wines. The slider was served on a pretzel bun and side salad. I'm not a burger person. I loved the slider, and the house made chips. I can't to go back. The service was good. The staff was nice and attentive. The food was really good. I can't wait to go back.
(4)Ann V.
We used to live in Ladera Ranch and have been to BLK many times. I really want to like this place but the service and food are just average. The patio is nice but the size of the venue doesn't seem to match up with the small bar (one or two bartenders!) and inability for the kitchen to keep up. Feels like a restaurant that wants to be real but just can't seem to get there. When given the choice, it's not at the top of our list.
(2)Eric T.
This my friends is the most expensive Burger I have ever ordered or eaten: 1/2lb Kobe beef patty stuffed with jalapeños and cream cheese, pretzel bun, bacon, fried egg, fried onion strings, arugula, heirloom tomatoes, pepper jack cheese, honey mustard on top and garlic Chile aoli on bottom. Service was good. Waited over 20 mins for my food but when it came it was good. Was it worth the money I would say no. I ordered it medium and it came more like we'll. Anyway great idea, I would recommend trying it on a Friday night with a beer but not worth the price for lunch unless it's a hot first date or something like that.
(4)Carrie R.
Went with our family twice. What a classy yet family friendly place to share a meal. The seating is so comfortable both inside and out. The decor was warm and inviting. We decided to share everything so this made it possible to try a variety of dishes. Got a custom built Lamb Burger, on a jalapeño bun, w/Brie cheese, avocado, topped off w/siracha ranch! Everyone LOVED it. The Spinach salad ranked right up there with a unanimous 2 thumbs up from entire table. They are certainly worth a visit. It can get very crowded, especially if you go during the dinner rush. But fear not should you have to wait, they have over 60 craft beers, quite a selection of wines, and a full bar so you can enjoy a drink while you relax and get ready for a delicious meal just as we did.
(5)Chris K.
We dined here for lunch on a Saturday and sat outside. Patio is nice, bar area looks pretty cool. The service was ok. Not a lot of people at BLK that day. This being our first time I really liked the idea of the restaurant, mostly outdoor seating, modern vibe in a family area. I figured it should have been busy. Menu was good, the burgers were good also. The only thing is the prices are a high for a family area. The quality of the food and meat are high which matches the prices, and I would eat here again with my wife and just leave the kids at home. Thumbs up!
(4)g u.
Seems like a nice place to take a date for burgers. Unique selections (just look at their menu) and great outdoor ambience. It's not like you're going to take a date to Slaters or Islands. I'd give it more stars, but the last time I went there they overcooked my burger. I guess if you want it medium ask for medium rare. In all, it's one of the more unique burger places in South OC. I'll have to give it another try if I can ever get a date ;)
(3)Cristi T.
Service is HORRIBLE.. We want this restaurant to be good but so far it has failed. We are so limited with the selection of restaurants out here in Ladera & RSM area, when this place popped up. We were excited. We have been there as a couple, as a family and as a group and the service has been consistent with lousy service. Tonight .. A Thursday night and its dead, maybe 5 tables being worked & the food took awhile of course. But mainly the point of this is the service was so disrespectful. Zach was our waiter and had an attitude that spoiled the vibe from the beginning. When my husband followed up on how much longer the food would take the girl with pig tails laughed at him while the bartender said well how long ago did you order & what was it..Immediate defense mode and spilled off to the entire staff. Keep in mind that you can see thru the kitchen swing door with a window in it that at least 3 or 4 people were leaning back chatting & laughing. The bartender said those are the "bus boys" as in they don't count!! The manager Nicole was missing during all of this(of course) In the past with food taking longer than the average restaurant we would return. Not anymore!! spending 20$ on a burger & 10 plus on a cocktail I expect decent service and to feel comfortable. I was worried that for sure my food was prolly spit in or thrown on the ground and placed on plate to be served!! -good nite!!
(1)Chad I.
Had a stuffed burger, edamame, and a cookie. Couldn't be happier. They also have a great beer selection and had live music playing on the night I went.
(5)Randy D.
Well I gotta tell you I have been there a lot at least 20 times every time the service is crappy I'm done its a joke anymore I don't normally do this but I feel the public should know the service was horrible the food is good when it's not cold but enough is enough please just sell the place to somebody who cares about service at first I thought the atmosphere was good and beyond Beyonce's very cool but the service is always sucked and for what you pay to eat and drink there its not worth it so do me a favor save your money and barbecue at home or definitely go somewhere else if it wasn't for the poor service it would probably be a decent place but they're not going to get it right they haven't got it right since they opened it so it's time for me to move on along with a lot of people who I know they say the same thing some of you that give this place good reviews you're either friends of people that own it or something because I've never heard one good thing about it I've had friends that work there and they've all quit
(1)Christine A.
Went here last night for dinner with the family. I'm not sure why there's so many negative reviews. We had a large party, and had 2 waiters helping. Everything was ordered as quickly as it came out. Probably waited a total 20 minutes, which is normal for a large party of 15. Staff was friendly and welcoming even patient with our large family gathering. The service was beyond great! My burger came out exactly how I requested! Probably one of the better burger places I've been in awhile. Only complaints is that the first half of the food came out 5 minutes earlier than the rest, but I understand we had a large party! The restaurant setting was clean and very appealing to the eye! I definitely recommend trying this place!
(5)Rachel T.
I tried this place when it first opened a few months ago and I was pretty disappointed how expensive their price list was and the food wasn't spectacular. I tried their seared ahi and it was waaaaaay too salty. That says a lot because I eat very salty (my bad habit). It was so salty that it took away the ahi tuna flavors. I think that dish was about $15 maybe even more (portion was small) and I couldn't finish it. Their burgers after adding your toppings... You're looking at about $15-$30 burgers. Go to Slaters 50/50 for your money worth. I really want to love this place because it's so close to my house. I probably will not visit this place again. They have a pretty patio area; cozy and impressive if you're there for a beer. I wouldn't order their food.
(2)Christine B.
First time here. This place is awesome. Loved the decor, food selection and drink menus. Had the Kobe sliders and they were delicious. Will definitely be coming back for their happy hour and to enjoy their huge patio!
(5)Angela B.
The burgers are delicious. The martini was strong. Some hit/miss with the staff, but a beautiful setting with live music on Saturday night that was simply breathtaking (all string quartet). I love live music!!! I truly hope this establishment can work out the kinks and make a name for themselves in Ladera. Thank you for coming to ladera!!! Love!!!! Order: Burger Sweet potato fries Martini
(4)Jeff C.
Great burger the first time we went. Today, we Got up an left after being passed over by server not once, not twice but three times and then a group right next to us, sat down ten minutes later and were immediately attended to. We told a group of five other couples we were planning on meeting here next weekend to find another customer friendly place.
(1)Tyler H.
Would give zero stars. Said we could sit out side and get drinks. Even gave us Drink menus then came back and said the bar is open inside if we wanted to come get drinks. See ya
(1)M R.
Before I get into this, let me just say that I consider myself a burger aficionado. Seriously, ask my family and friends or just take a look at my delicious profile picture - those don't lie. We recently moved back to the Ladera Ranch area and wanted to give this place a try. I have a very specific list of my favorite burger places in California and Nevada and I was curious as to whether BLK could jump into the mix, perhaps dethrone one of my favorites. When we arrived, we sat outside and man, the ambiance is awesome. The layout, the comfy feel of couches and the fire pits and decor is very well done. I felt very comfortable there right away. Our server was decent, he seemed to be on it pretty quick and brought us some complimentary chips which were outstanding. I ordered a build your own with very basic items simply because that's my system. Every new burger place I go to, I get basic "extras" to really get a taste of the burger, the bun, the quality, etc, rather than bacon, avocado, and all of that. Very light mayo, mustard, tomato, pickle, onion and lettuce (no cheese, it disturbs the formula) on a honey wheat bun. The food arrived pretty quickly which was good, because I was starving and admittedly, I had thoughts of throwing some of the couch cushions into the fire in order to create a distraction so that I could sneak over to the table next to us and steal an onion ring. Fortunately that didn't happen. The burger was juicy and flavorful, not overdone and the bun was good however, it was massive. The bread to burger ratio was a little off in my opinion and there were a few times early on that I did have to unhinge my jaw in order to get both sides of the bun in a single bite, rather than working the burgers flanks like corn on the cob. The onion rings that came with my meal were gargantuan (I don't use that word often, mostly because I don't thin it demands the kind of respect that "big azz" or "ginormous" does from the younger generation, but I'm taking a chance on this one) and though they looked amazing, the batter was overdone and again, the ratio was a little weird as there was a ton of breading and not much onion. We had fries at the table that were actually very good, but they became soggy really fast. I mean super soggy, like high school food cart kind of soggy. Overall the atmosphere and the food was on par with just a few exceptions. Now let's get down to the nitty gritty, the mammy jammy or the willie nilly if you prefer. Price. It's in Ladera Ranch so you have to assume it's going to be more expensive than something in Tustin or Irvine but $17 felt like too much for a burger at this level. That was the lowest priced burger as a matter of fact. I wouldn't frequent BLK simply because I'd go broke in the process. Special occasions, a friend in town for the weekend, something like that, sure, I'd come back.
(3)Kathy C.
This place is fantastic. We enjoying sitting outside with the heat lamps keeping us cozy. Service is outstanding and the burgers are to-die-for. They have music outside and we even brought the kids who could run around a little outside near the fireplace. We're definitely going back soon!
(5)Teri E.
best pretzel burger and ketel martini, hands down. i love the patio but due to rain, ate indoors last night. pinot by the glass is great as well. the decor is inspiring, an eclectic mix of restoration hardware meets pottery barn, kansas yard sale? i love this place and will miss it when i move to other side of mission viejo next week.
(5)Charisse W.
BRIAN is the bomb at night !!!! Robert rocks during the day. Nicole is always a delight to see and gab with
(5)Kayla L.
This is our third time at the restaurant and hoped it would be a better experience - we skipped the lunch rush this time considering the previous visit we walked out after waiting an hour for an order of sliders. Tonight, the restaurant was completely empty - we were the only table and still never got our appetizer, the sides arrived cold, and all the burgers were maybe average. All of these let downs were happening while a manager was present... The server was apologizing for this problems and did not charge for the additional side, but the manager NEVER made an appearance or looked remotely interested in the problems. This shows the lack of leadership in the restaurant and it reflects in their food. I have tried to give this place another change considering other people rave about it, but this my last visit. Hope the manager can step it up - help our your kitchen and servers because you are losing business quickly.
(1)Alexis G.
This restaurant is nice and clean, service is ok. The food isn't bad at all. Came here with friends had the chicken apple salad, ahi stack and veggie sliders. I would say that it is a bit pricy, and I can see why families would not want to come here. Just keep in mind that they have lunch specials. We noticed when we received our bill that the sliders were less than what we thought they were. Give this place a try, it's not bad.
(4)Ryan G.
Moved to the area recently. Pros: good food, good concept. Cons: it's not cheap so you'd hope the service would be good... That's not really the case. Both times I've come here, it was slooow. And not the kind of slow where it was super busy so you kind of understand. It was moderately busy but you just get the feeling that the staff doesn't care about you.
(2)Ed T.
Went there for dinner on a week night. Waited for 45 minutes after ordering our food did not even get our appetizer. There were only 2other tables seated. Employee at the bar drinking and the waiter talking about how he got his girl friend pregnant. This is a low class, overpriced copy of Slaters. The only good part was walking out the door.
(1)Tom Q.
Great food, good service, nice environment. Sure, its a $15-$20.00 burger so not an everyday joint, but the burgers are great, the homemade chips hit the spot, and the beer list is extensive, diverse, and quite good. Get a spot near the outdoor fireplace or on one of the sofa, relax, eat some good food, and if you hit the right Saturday, catch some classical renditions of classic rock tunes. Negative reviews were are not consistent with the experience my family had here on January 4, 2015. Got seated right away, service was attentive, and the food came out hot and as ordered.
(4)Shannon O.
First time to BLK Burgers and will be back. Great ambience. Very casual chic. Delicious food. Friendly staff. But, I'd have to say, the live string quartet playing topped off the experience. So happy to have this restaurant so close to home. Burgers are a little pricey- about $18. But, other food- salads, appetizers, light bites, drinks are comparable. Patio is the place to sit.
(5)Zach H.
Went here for lunch on a Thursday. Wasn't too crowded at all. The entrance is a little confusing but we figured it out. We sat on the patio and our server was Zach and he was great. I ordered the Angus sliders and a Stone IPA to drink. The sliders were amazing!! Very filling, I could only finish 2. Overall, excellent service and excellent food. Will come back for dinner and see how that goes but so far this place is great!
(5)Stefanie M.
Hubby and I tried this place last night, as we're moving to the area and looking for more local good eats. They just opened a week ago, and things were a bit shaky as they were still in their soft opening. I'm picky when it comes to grammar, and it was a red flag to me to see so many misspellings on the menu. I counted at least four ways they spelled "gouda" on various menu items, and spelled "Lagunitas Brewing" as Laginitas and Laginatas, respectively, right next to each other. Sigh... Five stars for the ambience! Love the decor, and the firepits and large patio are a definite plus (when it doesn't rain, like it did last night, sending the majority of customers running to huddle in the restaurant - whoops!). Craft brew selection is pretty sweet, but only a handful of beers on tap. You can order from a good selection of bombers, though, which is what we did, saving us a couple of bucks and splitting one between the two of us. Burgers are of the "high-end" variety - the cheapest burger you can order is $17, and they only go up from there. They have some fun stuffed and "infused" burgers, though - everything from a mac and cheese stuffed burger, to a blue cheese stuffed, to a bacon infused burger. Since the burgers are pricey, we ordered a mac and cheese appetizer and a cheddar and bacon stuffed burger to split. The mac and cheese was delish, had a nice heat to it, and the burger was good, but didn't blow me away. Sweet potato fries were the star of the night! THE BOMB. Our waitress was friendly, helpful, and did seem to have good working knowledge of the menu only a few days in. We liked the place enough that we'll definitely come back, but hope they drop their prices a bit in the future. Hard to convince ourselves to come in for two burgers and two beers and not get out under $60.
(3)Dom T.
I went and a sunday evening and while it wasn't empty there wasn't a wait. Great ambiance and service. Really great burgers, definitely at the top of my list. With all the burger places now, its hard to find one that has unique choices like here. And I like that they don't charge extra per topping. The only negative in my experience is the price. As great as it was, I can't say it justifies the price. Though its not somewhere I could go back to regularly, I'd definitely consider it for special occasions.
(4)Derek R.
Diablo burger was awesome! Thanks Lauren for the recommendation!!! Be back soon to try the sausage burger!
(5)Mitch B.
After my bad experience at Slaters 50/50, I was leery of going to another specialty burger place. Several times I've passed BLK, so my wife and I decided to give it a try. Thankfully, we did. First, the place looked great inside and out. Walls opened to allow us the feel of sitting outside without the sunburn. Second, place had plenty of TVs and music that wasn't overwhelming. Third, the food was just right. Beginning with the chips, wife had the Kobe Sliders and I had the Kobe Cheeseburger with cheddar and sautéed mushrooms, lettuce wrapped. Perfectly cooked and great taste. Fourth, service was great. Food and refills came quickly. Manager stopped by for 15 minutes to check on our experience. Great all around for a casual date night or family dinner.
(4)Jessica F.
The food, drinks and ambiance at this place is great, the service not so great! Been here a few times now and every time I have come, it hasn't been busy at all. I can't wrap my head around the fact that it takes 20 minutes to get a water or a waiter to greet us! For the price of a burger here, this place should be on top of everything, especially their service to their guests! I unfortunately won't be coming back here and if I do I will call ahead for take out.
(2)Laurie C.
Ordered take-out from here and the three mini burgers were pretty good (albeit expensive), but the girls who worked here were so rude. I don't understand why these young people aren't trained properly. Customer service should be hugely important if you want repeat customers! These girls acted as though I was inconveniencing them by just being there! Will not be coming back. Guarantee this place won't last long. It's unfortunate.
(1)Ashley A.
I don't know why this place gets bad reviews. I always get the pesto flatbread and strawberry lemonade and there both great. The restraunt is decorated cute and the free chips that come to the table are sooo addictive.
(5)Pat C.
This place is the bomb. My wife, daughter and I went here for dinner. We couldn't be more impressed. Service was great.(Thanks Jordan). For all the complainers about the wait time on your burger. Maybe you should go to McDonalds. Is your burger ready in 5 minutes? NO! Is it worth the wait? Hell Yes!! I had the stuffed burger w/ mac and cheese. Maybe the best burger I've ever had. Pretzel bun was awesome. My wife and daughter both had cheese burgers on gluten free buns. Both said they were the best gluten free buns they have had. Their beer selection is filled with local brews We also ordered a side of their Mac and Cheese and it was great as well. if you are looking for a quick so so burger this isn't the place for you, but if you are looking for a great burger in a phenomenal atmosphere I would highly recommend BLK. Oh I almost forgot. The complimentary home made chips were also great.
(5)Tom O.
Our server was also the bartender. That was the first problem. He spent all his time with the bar customers. It took about 15 minutes for him to take our order. No one else was in the restaurant. After we waited 20 minutes for our burgers, I asked to see the manager. She told us she had just checked and our order had printed out in the kitchen five minutes before. When we balked, she said it must have been a printer order. Please... Don't try blowing smoke up my butt. We cancelled our order and will never return.
(1)Charlene M.
The best part about this place was the decor and homemade chips. The worst part: the high prices for mediocre burgers. I have eaten many gourmet burgers in my day. I've sampled the best of them, Plan Check in LA, Stacked, The Counter, so I am what one would consider an aficionado of specialty burgers, and let me tell you, there is nothing special about these burgers. Honestly if you are going to charge $19 for a burger it had better be freakin amazing and sadly ours was not. My husband said he prefers Corky's burger, which is saying a lot considering it's a fraction of the price and made at a diner that doesn't specialize in burgers. Hopefully by charging that much for each burger they don't need to sell as many to stay profitable because we won't be returning!
(2)Milly M.
Overpriced burger that's just okay ... not great & nothing special. Although the patty was juicy, it was tasteless & needs some seasoning. The service was average, the place was pricey and I wasn't a big fan of their fake foliage in the patio!
(2)Virginia G.
Another great dinner .. celebrating Rich's bday and our server, Jennifer was terrific. she catered to us as if we were royalty. The basket of chips she brought to the table for us to munch on while waiting for our food --- we wolfed down with our drinks. The spinach salad is a fav of mine as is the Diablo burger. Thanks Jennifer... made the dinner extra special.
(5)Dave M.
This place has the best burgers in town, I had the 1/2 pound burger and it was cooked perfect, my wife had the chili and loved it. They bring out these awesome chips when you get seated which my wife used to eat her homemade chili. The atmosphere is also probably the best in Ladera Ranch, Great patio with T.V's everywhere to watch your favorite sports.
(5)Dustin N.
Burgers were awesome, chili was better. Great atmosphere servers were very friendly and helpful. Moses, was our specific server and was on point, and aware of us and asked if we needed anything as i appreciate servers doing. Cant wait to return.
(4)Chris M.
This is a tough one because I REALLY want to like this place and, on many levels do, but there are definitely some things that need to be addressed if BLK is going to make it in a location where everything else has failed. First the good: - The food was good and very well made. My favorite is the Diablo burger, cooked medium. It has a perfect amount of heat and flavor so that's a definite win. - Great selection of craft beers and wines so that's definitely another plus. - The decor and the ambiance were well put together, the seating was comfortable and, despite being outdoors on a chilly night, the abundance of heat lamps made things relatively comfortable. The bad: - Unlike many, I've been there several times now and, on all but one occasion, the service has been extremely sub-par with the wait staff being slow, inattentive and generally unconcerned with their guests. The wait staff is typically nice but, nice doesn't make up for poor service...sorry. - The price is ridiculously out of line with the product they serve. There are some excellent burgers in OC (The Counter, Bru, Haven Gastropub, The Side Door, etc) and I'd put these burgers just a notch or two below any of those. Their burgers are definitely better than Slater's so, that puts them in the "really good but not great..." category but, for a minimum price of $17 one would expect the skies to open up and angels to sing when you bite into one of them and that simply isn't even close to the case here. - The cooks smoking right outside of the patio area where everyone's sitting! Seriously on this one? This has happened on two different occasions where I've been sitting outside, smelled cigarette smoke, looked up and have seen a cook standing there taking a drag! A) I really don't want to smell cigarette smoke when I'm eating, B) If you're running a restaurant, you really shouldn't let your employees engage in disgusting behavior right in front of your customers...especially if you're a food service establishment! Yes, I know, it's their right to smoke but, designate a smoking area some distance away from the restaurant so we, the customer, doesn't have to be exposed to it. Bottom line, I very much wanted to like this place but I just can't. Will I go in there for a drink if someone invites me? Maybe; it's close to home and their bar is above average. Will I choose to go here with my family or suggest it to a friend? Absolutely not. Unless they do something dramatic (and, based upon their track record at Casa I don't see that happening), I don't see this place ever being successful which means we'll have yet another failed restaurant in that location.
(2)Jerry S.
Best burger EVER! We're from Nor Cal, wish we had a location near us. Loved all of the choices that are on the menu.
(5)Jaime H.
I had the sliders for lunch and they were good, but wouldn't go back as there regular menu is definitely way overpriced, and if I want a tasty burger, there are plenty of options for less than $17-20. Would only recommend for lunch unless you don't mind dropping $20 on a burger.
(3)Rob M.
The food is pretty good, but extremely expensive. Additionally, it is not a great atmosphere for kids, which is unfortunate for a restaurant in Ladera Ranch.
(3)Shannon W.
Yes I was hoping for something great here in the oc .... Not a good burger ... At all!!! If you want a great burger try my Fathers office .... Then charge me 19.00 ...
(2)Andrew J.
BLK is nearly twice as expensive as The Counter and not nearly twice as good.
(2)Urs B.
Overall the experience was good and pleasant, the burger was good, but expensive, so was the beer I had with it. The booth we sat in was really narrow, we hardly had any space to move.
(3)Mike C.
Came here for the first time tonight. Was a little concerned because some of the reviews on here did not rate them too nicely. I really do not know why. First we sit down and they give you a basket of homemade chips which are really good! Very well seasoned. Gerardo was our bartender and was a lot of fun and had good advice. First he poured us our drinks and then give us suggestions on the menu. Good advice definitely go with the bleu cheese burger. Burgers are huge! Great bun, great toppings and not too much toppings to dominate the meat. I also had the chili on the side and it is very good. A little bit of a kick - it's perfect. Definitely want this place to succeed and looking forward to coming back! Update: I went back to this place tonight. I had previously given it a five star review. However, I am changing it to three stars. One problem that I have to admit $18 is a lot of money for a burger. It is good but the cheap side of me won and I left. Two they've opened up the patio which is nice but I kind a liked it before when it was covered more. They have done a lot of work on the restaurant and it isn't bad. You just have to be able to convince yourself $18 for hamburger is a good deal
(3)Alex K.
Is it a burger joint wanting to be a high end bistro or is it a bistro trying to be a hipster burger joint. I honestly don't know. They do serve good but not great burger. Rather slow in the kitchen even on a slow lunch. Yes Kobe beef is expensive. It just wasn't worth the money based upon the flavor.
(3)J M.
Good service. Hefty burgers. Great milk shakes. Kobe beef burgers (smallest is 1/2 lb so bring your appetite). Completely customize your burger.
(4)Julie M.
1st time @ the new BLK Burgerz in Ladera Ranch. Adam & Lauren were on top of things. LOVE the new patio-felt very LA. Our burgers were a little overdone so a waste of pricey ($18) Kobe beef. Onion rings & sweet potato fries were perfect. Cocktails by fire- nice. Had to ask for utensils. Giant chocolate chip cookie in hot skillet perfect to split 4-ways. Would come back for date night but a little pricey for a family outing.
(4)Marti M.
I really want to talk about this place but not sure how to sum it all up... I drank way too much wine so some of it is still a blur. -Love the outdoor patio and hanging out on the couches. -TV's were great, watched Clippers playoffs and Kings game and tv wasn't on too loud. -Service was average. If you give free kettle chips why did we have to order them 45 minutes after we sat down? We were trying to decide which appetizer to order and picked the kettle chips then server said "oh those are free". Great, bring the damn free chips already -When we first got there we ordered 2 drinks and server asked to close out our tab? Server wasn't going on break or going home. It was just awkward that she wanted us to pay right away. -Our table was teady about an hour later so I stumbled over to sit down. BF had risotto and it was great and I had kobe beef sliders, pretty good. ***The music choice was very bad. Felt like I was at a wedding reception waiting for the bride and groom to make their entrance! That string quartet does not belong in the atmosphere with sports on the big screens. I hated every minute of it. However, I was informed by server that everyone else loves them. I don't love sports and string quartets together. They are really out of place at BLK.
(3)Awesome G.
We arrive and we're excited to try this place. The atmosphere was really nice. We waited for about 5 minutes and were seated as the place was only 20% full. Unfortunately, after waiting for 45 minutes - the food comes out, COLD! I asked for a glass of HOT TEA and that comes out room temperature. My burger was completely raw inside and burnt on the outside. I sent it back and waited another 20 minutes. I've definitely had better burgers for less. The quality of the meat did not taste at all like 100% Kobe beef as advertised on the menu. Finally I get the bill - $80 for 2 adults and 1 child. Definitely far from gourmet" I would encourage you to spend your time and money elsewhere. Although, the staff was friendly and apologized it was the management and the kitchen that needs serious work! I'm never coming back again.
(2)J C.
Better than Slaters 50/50 IMO. Good burger + fries. Plan to return. Server stated they plan to introduce some type of happy hour deal in the future -- YAY! Edit 2-23-14 Based on recent visit, adding half star -- 4.5stars Happy hour, lunch specials in effect; full menu is out, service was better.
(5)Paolo F.
The other servers didn't pay attention to us when we arrived. Finally, our server (who had just entered and stared his shift), Jeff, saved the day. Burgers were not that good.
(2)Michael M.
Had to write a review. Burgers are good, not the best and certainly not 18$ good. Cool atmosphere, went on a friday night around 10, the place was pretty dead. I guess their burgers are "special" because they're stuffed. They taste good but I was taken back by a 50 dollar bill for 2... just for burgers. I would recommend Slaters 50/50. Better priced, better atmosphere. If you want an excellent burger just go to In n Out.
(2)Lisa M.
The kobe sliders, jalapeño mac and cheese, and the carne asada street taco with their salsa are the dishes I must rave about. The food was amazingly delicious!! I highly recommend this place!
(5)Joy J.
Ended up on BLK's Yelp site to get their phone # so I could make a reservation for our second visit and I was shocked they had such a low Yelp rating so I felt compelled to speak up and say BLK is AWESOME!!! The food is A+, service A+ and ambiance A+. I can't believe people are lowering their rating because the burgers are $20. Yes, they are, but they're worth every penny. folks, this is a gourmet restaurant concept - not McDonald's. You can build your own meal with fabulous, unique options and there are no "add-on" a la carte costs. The portions are huge, so if you have a 'beef" with the best burger ever, then split it with a friend or skip BLK and go eat fast food. This place ROCKS so don't believe the wacko's who are complaining about cost - you get what you pay for! PS - BLK might be one of the best restaurant décor places in OC - super cool place to eat, drink and hang out! Great vibe!!! And, of course, terrific A+ food!
(5)Heather R.
I-like others-don't know why this place only has 3 star review. I have been 7 or 8 times over the past few months and always bring someone new to try their menu. I have ordered something different almost every time. And while the service was a bit slow during their first month open, they have greatly improved and they continue to grow their menu each time I'm there. LOVE their homemade chips that greet you when you sit down. Yum! All my guests have been thoroughly impressed with the food and the ambience and although the prices are a bit high, you can definitely split and be satisfied. Love their string 80s performers on the weekend.
(5)Diane E.
We had lunch here late in the afternoon. It was a half an hour wait for our lunch, the slider special $8.95 for two sliders and a side and a BLK salad. The food was good, the chips are great just a bit salty. My salad dressing was on the sweet side, but the balsamic dressing was very good. The burgers were good, not over the top but good. We would order a little differently next time. We had seating outside and I got the sun and my friend got the shade. Happy. We were stuffed when we left. It was a very pleasant lunch all in all. Designer burgers are pricy. And these are no exception.
(3)I K.
First positives. Idea of making your own burger with all the different options; nice outdoor seating area; decor; friendly waiters; nice tasty burger. Not so much negative but things that can be improved. Our waiter was working both at the bar and also waiting, so it took a while to get the check at the end and for us to be on our way. The buns were nice but most likely not freshly made. Our pretzel bun was cold and did not taste or feel fresh at all, a big disappointment for a $17 burger. I might go there one more time but if the buns are the same, will probably stop going
(4)Cedric V.
Like some other Yelpers, I'm a little boggled on why Blk Burgrz has such a low score. I had lunch there today with some friends and I thought it was great. It was a little slow, so the service was very attentive. I had a peppercorn Kobe burger with a lettuce wrap. The server suggested that they cut it in half before coming out of the kitchen and I'm glad they did. I thought for sure they brought me two burgers. The Kettle Chips were addictive. Overall I think it was good - though the burgers are expensive, they feed two people which is worth it.
(4)Ed G.
Absolutely the WORST RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE EVER!!! My family and I had attended a pre-opening event and waited 2.5 hours for our food. OK, so I get how soft openings go, so we decided to give them another shot...BIG MISTAKE. To the management, a few words of advice: 1. The service and the smug attitudes of your host/hostess staff is absolutely unacceptable. With $18.00 burgers on your menu, you are attempting to sell an experience that should be a step or two better than Red Robin, Islands, or even Ruby's. Quite frankly, I've had better service at Jerry's Dogs and McDonald's down the street. 2. If a patron calls in to secure a reservation because they have a larger party (in our case, two families of four that wanted to enjoy an evening together), do not tell them that you do not accept reservations, only to have other parties arrive and be seated because they had reservations. Please management, remember that consistency is the key to success; do not send mixed messages. 3. If the large party tells a member of your host staff that they would be willing to split into smaller groups in order to be seated in a more timely fashion, make a note of it and communicate the information amongst the rest of the host staff. If two tables open up that are back to back, ask the patron if they would accept that option prior to assuming that such a split would be declined prior to seating other parties. 4. If you make a mistake, OWN IT. Apologize and take steps to rectify the situation before a patron becomes frustrated and leaves your establishment disappointed. As a resident of Ladera Ranch, I was excited to learn that we were going to have a new dining option nearby. In my book, after two failed experiences, I'm sorry to say that this no longer exists a viable dining option. I travel frequently and enjoy dining in a variety of atmospheres; some of my best meals have been in dives where the food and service belie their humble surroundings. In your case, you have put money into your surroundings only to fail miserably in other areas. I hope that you figure it out and achieve success, but you will have to do it without my family and the other family that had joined us last night...we won't be back.
(1)Gavin T.
Disappointed, Ladera really needs a good place to eat. $18 for a burger is just crazy...The burgers are very dry and you create your own from the menu. I understand it was a soft open and the service was good but you can't charge $18 for a burger and deliver a normal burger that does not taste that great. I would rather drive to newport and eat a $14 burger at R&D. Wish I could give a good review but it was not that great.
(1)Jon C.
If I could I could give less than 1 star I would. Great Ambiance. Other than that...Horrible. 45 minute-1 hour ticket times. Watched people complain and leave due to the long wait for their overly priced food. I ordered a "stuffed" burger. Wasn't stuffed with anything. Burgers were way too greasy. Kobe "grade" beef ? Not sure what "grade" refers to but I grade it an "F". The onion rings were horrible. If the food doesn't get better, doubt this place lasts a few months.
(1)Geoff W.
This place is VERY over priced... I do not have a problem paying a premium if you are receiving a premium, but $18 for a burger is too much. Keep in mind, that $18 does not include the additional toppings and sauces which range from $.50 to $1 each. Overall, I would give the food a B-, and the service was a C-. If you are looking for a good atmosphere to grab a drink and watch a game, my rating would be very different. Great set up, just not worth the $$$
(1)Teresa S.
Had the most expensive lunch ever...and was totally turned off by the place...I ordered wings, fries and a soda.....$18.xx...WTH I wouldn't have minded so much about the price if the food was good...big disappointment chicken had no flavor and was burnt, fires where ok to say the least. I think my kid could make a better meal then what I was served today. Also the bartender, should maybe rethink her work attire....ass crack should not be acceptable at any place of business... =/
(1)pasha m.
not the best burger in town but a cool place to have dinner. outdoor patio is great, but service is not the best in town. we have visited the place few times and every time the service to the table has been very slow. seems like there are few servers that have to tend all tables... last time was the worst of all. table was given and took the server about 15 minutes to come and say hi, and that was after I asked someone whether we even had a server or not. 6 adults, two kids. first kids meal shows up, 3 minutes later, 2 of the burgers show up. then the beer shows up. then 2 more plates. final plate didn't even show up till i complained to the manager. another 15 minutes after everyone else finished their food last plate showed up. the plate and beer ended up being free, but it pretty much ruined the experience and would most likely stop me from going there again
(2)Steph R.
Food was excellent. Honestly, I have waited to go here because of the prices, but it was worth it, especially since I have half a burger for lunch tomorrow. My daughter said it was the best chocolate shake she had ever had. Our server, Jeff, was very friendly and attentive. Aspen, the hostess, was sweet and explained the menu since it was our first visit. About five employees thanked us and said goodnight when we left. A+ for service! Oh, and the kettle chips were absolutely amazing!
(5)Wesley F.
This place is amazing! Great tasting burgers, heat lamps, large tv's, good beer selection, and a sting quartet for ambiance. What more could we ask for? Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
(5)Jenny W.
Well I'm sad to say, this is one place I won't be going back too! Was so excited a new place was opening! Looked amazing from the outside, but from the moment I entered my time there became less and less amazing! The food is wayyyy over priced! A $20 burger! Really! And when it only tasted mediocre it only made the price that much more ridiculous!!! Normally I wouldn't take the time to write a review, but my service was so bad, I had to let others know! Our server was AWFUL! I believe he said his name was Adam! Tall, blondish brown hair. Anyways if it wasn't bad enough that we had to ask three times for our drinks and our food order was messed up, his eyes were so blood shot I couldn't tell what he was on! He seemed very out of it, maybe had a little too much fun before work!!! And to make matters worse, he obviously didn't want to be there because right in the middle of serving us, he went home and was almost trying to rush us out of there so he could go!!! When he realized we wernt going anywhere, had a co worker take over! Then we watched him get in his yellow car and screech out of the parking lot like he was late to a party! We WONT be returning!!!!
(1)Britt W.
This place is a nice place for great food and casual dining! The day we went (a Saturday afternoon) was pretty busy but our service was amazing and our waitress, Jessica, made us feel right at home. She was by far one of the best servers we ever had. We were sat next to "one of those tables" filled with 4 difficult elderly ladies and the way she handle them and was still able to serve our table immediately after with a smile is truly a talent. Food= great. Atmosphere= great. Service= above great. We will be back again for sure.
(4)Jen R.
The burger was really good and the ambiance is awesome! It's right about the same price range as other restaurants in the area so given the choice we would hit this spot over the overs! Yummy sweet potato fries :)
(4)R. H.
My husband and I came here for lunch. We ordered the lunch special, 2 sliders and a side salad. The Kobe beef sliders were delicious. We had a side of onion rings too. The onion rings were some of the best I've ever had. We are coming back again for sure!
(4)Cathy B.
Who are these complainers? The place was fantastic from the food to the decor. If you know the history of Kobe meat you would understand the price. Yes, it is expensive for a burger but the restaurant is an experience in fine 'burger' dining.......not so much about the burger as it is the quality of the meat, fish etc. The choices of burgers and the way the menu is stylized for the customer is amazing and extensive. I have been for dinner and for lunch. The prices at lunch are less expensive. The servers are exceptional. I truly hope this place makes it and I am sad at these reviews. It deserves more praise than it is getting.
(4)Mandi M.
John was an amazing server!!!! We will be back and hope to have him as our server m! Best food and best service ever!-
(5)Bob L.
This was a tough one. Arrived at 7:04. Girl at the front told us 25 minute wait and there were LOTS of open tables. Finally sat down 45 minutes later. Service was some of the worst I have ever had. Took forever for someone to take our order, I guess the chips they bring you are suppose to hold you over until your food arrives but our chips beat our meal by 2 minutes which also took forever. The ONLY reason I am giving 2 stars is because of the burger. It was fantastic. Another thing I found interesting. We ran in to some friends there and there were asked by the hostess "are you going to be much longer because we have this table reserved and the party just got here". Really???? I guess they haven't even paid their bill yet. We on the other hand got our bill before we even had a chance to order dessert. It is now 9:49 and we are finally leaving. Don't come here if you are in any sort of hurry. Undecided if I will be back.
(2)Lisa G.
Went there last night for the first time. Great place, great food, and they serve my fave Cakebread Chard!! Taking the boyfriend and going back tonight.
(5)Glenn C.
First off, I am a Ladera resident so I am thrilled that a decent restaurant concept finally came back to Ladera. I have been here twice now and both times I went away happy with my experience. They are only using their soft opening menu at this point, but I loved the food. The burgers are very very good. I sat at the bar once and enjoyed the two guys behind the bar. They mixed great drinks and they were very friendly and talkative. I sat outside the 2nd time with my family and we loved the atmosphere. The evening we went was kinda chilly, but we were comfortably warm with the heaters located throughout the patio. My wife and son loved their food as well. I had the mac n cheese burger, loaded up with veggies and fried egg on a brioche bun (delicious). My wife had the traditional Kobe burger on Hawaiian bun and loved it. They have a great selection of craft beers so beer lovers should be impressed. The reason I am only giving 4 stars is because of the steep price. I loved this place, but $20+ for a burger is kinda pricey (regardless of where you are at). I understand the high rent district of Ladera forces the restaurant owners to charge a bit more than normal, and I certainly respect this fact. BUT still $20 + gets you a steak in some good restaurants. The burgers are high quality, and the restaurant is beautiful. I am glad this restaurant is here in Ladera and I hope it is here to stay for a very long time. I will be back. One more comment - why would a yelp reviewer go to a newly opened restaurant on the first 2 nights after opening and give negative reviews for timeliness???....give the freakin place a break and hold your negative reviews until the placed has had a chance to work out their kinks. If the restaurant is still experiencing the same problems a month after opening then rate accordingly. Just my opinion.
(4)Juno J.
We just wanted to try this burger place despite of the review. People have different taste so we thought to give it a try, they could be wrong. Let me start by saying the ambiance of the place is absolutely stunning. Taste is average, despite of customizing your own burger, it's still just like any restaurant burger. At least we tried and now we know. Conclusion, for an $18 (no drinks) burger this is pricey!!! Taste and quality is not up to par with Riders Club in San Clemente for $7.95.
(1)Michellea D.
The first time my husband and I went to BLK it was amazing. The second time I went with my daughter and it was ok. I love the burgers, but the 2nd time my burger was under cooked. I told the waiter and he did nothing. I will come back for one more try.
(3)J Z.
They started off great and every time we order food to go, it just gets worse and worse. I think there is something going on with the kitchen staff.
(2)Richelle D.
First I have to saw the ambiance in this restaurant is very nice. The patio is large and cozy. The manager was vey nice and greeted us right when we walked in. My complaint was the prices. Food was just okay. Ive been a resident in Ladera Ranch for 10 years and I want to see them survive the curse of Ladera Ranch Restaurants. But if they dont make it more affordable it will not last. I was told they have a one man band on Saturdays so I will try that out and see if I can swallow the prices, since I will be getting entertained at the same time.
(3)Sarah A.
kobe burgers were good with lots of toppings we enjoyed Garrison who did a great job of serving us.
(3)Stacy S.
This place is amazing. Delicious food and great drinks.
(5)Danjo M.
Someone I'm assuming associated with this restaurant just emailed me that my review was fake. How sad that they have someone doing that. Not a good way to recover from SEVERAL reviews stating the food was not good, just fix it. Ladera needs a good restaurant, not some idiot sending replies to a yelp review for being honest. Shame on you... good luck, you'll need it!
(1)Karen G.
I'm giving it two stars only for the $5 happy hour martini even though it took 20 minutes to get that drink. Service and food were terrible. There were 3 people at bar and later one table of 4 yet it took forever to get a drink. The waiters were busy hanging outside where there were no patrons but a hot hostess. The hostess had an attitude and tried to sit us outside in over 100 degree weather. Then sat us at a dirty wet table and got an attitude when I asked her to clean it. We are dealing with an empty restaurant so sitting issues should not have been there. It was empty when we left. We got the Kobe sliders and they were over cooked with burned buns. Thank goodness we didn't pay for the 18 dollar burger. The bruschetta was god awful, uncooked rolls with some unflavored squares of tomatoes and mozzarella. Not sure if it was canned or jarred but not worth eating. Then undercooked spicy wings. Seriously wish we could get some good eateries in town but this place won't last. The owner should have been as concerned with service and food quality as he was with the number of TV's and outside decorations.
(2)pam h.
The food isn't that bad. It's def not worth the money
(1)Britt G.
OBSESSED with the tomato soup here. It's practically a chowder - thick and creamy. The vegetarian burger options are great, as well as the other non-Kobe options. The staff really seems to work hard and provides excellent customer service. I had Adam Webb the second time I was there and he was awesome. I love how he pronounces "jalapeños." Also love the craft beers! Go.
(5)Aubra S.
While the food was my obvious main attraction of the restaurant, with the build your own burger...and wonderful salads, the wine and martini lists are absolutely fabulous!! Seriously BLK burgrz delivered the overall dining experience with terrific ambiance, décor and service that was friendly, and attentive!! We had the edamame and ahi stacks as appetizers with our wine and martinis (most definetly recommended) and the kids stayed busy with fun activities on their menus that kept them engaged the ENTIRE time! We chose to order 2 salads (the spinach and the kale) and eat them family style then designed our own burgers. Those two salads are absolutely delicious!! you have got to try them! We sat outside, with the heaters and the gorgeous fire places we stayed comfortably warm and actually kind of forgot that we were outside!! My mouth waters thinking about our next visit and the whole family is excited to go back! I don't typically hand out 5 stars lightly... but like i said the entire experience was great! So whether dining as a couple, or family style as we did it, I most definitely recommend BLK burgrz to everyone!!!
(5)Daniel V.
Positive: Friendly staff, nice outdoor seating and bar, decent fries and beer selection. Negative: 3/4 lb burger cost $20 with side, short staffed, and tasteless burger.
(2)sanaz t.
From the service to the food this place was 5 stars. Service was amazing! Host was kind and informative, then I was greeted by a Nicole a manager who also took her time to go over the menu options for me. My server, Zach was patient with me since I am such a nightmare when it comes to ordering, and even took the time to tell me some of his personal favorites. Now to the food... OMG the Kobe burger was to die for, and being able to dress it up whatever way i wanted made it even more amazing. The onion rings are a must! Light and not greasy!! I almost forgot the complimentary kelly chips thats come to your tables dusted with ranch powered... TO DIE FOR. They also had some pretty tempting salads on the menu too, so I need to go back and try one of those as well! Def go to this place!!!!
(5)Lisa S.
Thought I'd give it another try...I was pleasantly surprised with the staff, the food and how accommodating they were when our party of two grew to a party 7! Great drinks & food. The staff was so fun and really interacted with our group.
(5)W C.
Do the owners read these reviews at all? Almost every review is about the wait. We sat at 5:00pm. We ordered food at 5:20pm and the hamburgers were delivered at 6:15pm. The kids had long since finished their kid meals and we must have waited another 40 minutes for our hamburgers. Are you kidding? We may live in Ladera but we eat at nice restuarants all over Orange County and we know when we are being provided with poor service. Such a shame. We are all hoping for great restaurants in Ladera. They are in danger of losing their investment if they don't fix this quick.
(2)Michael M.
Stupidly expensive ($20) for a burger joint! This place will be getting yet another tenant soon.
(1)Jim M.
Tanner rocked as our server...sat outside and dug the space..food was great...chips to start was a nice touch...tons of options. Saving the final star for when they are not on a soft open...cheers
(4)Christian R.
Wish this place wasn't $18 bucks for a burger. $10 would be ok, but $18 with the family is outrageous. The three stars is only because of the price/value.
(3)Greg B.
Well I made my 4th and most likely final attempt at dining at Blk. The sad thing is I really want to like this place because the patio is great and I want to support businesses in my community. In my opinion an $18 burger should be absolutely fantastic and there should be service to match. Mac and cheese Burger was way overdone and ruined entire experience. The place was slow last night and the staff moved even slower getting drinks as well as food. The best item was the complimentary kettle chips. Seriously they need a management team that understands restaurants and delivering a quality dining experience. The owners should read these reviews and think hard on what they think is being executed in the dining room, kitchen and from staff. This community would support quality if it was at Blk but not as it is currently run.
(1)Phil S.
Went there two weeks after opening. Not impressed. Went again last night and was very pleased.. Service was quick and friendly. Food was prepared the way we asked. Sat inside this time as last time it was so dark we could not read anything. This place is not cheap and the décor is a tad strange. But the food is good, and the drinks are plentiful.
(4)Bree W.
Go see Anton! He's awesome and super friendly! Blk Burger is amazing!
(5)Ryan F.
Went opening week, and the food was great, but the service was suspect. Just left, and they've not only fixed the service issues, but also expanded the menu with some amazing options! (Edamame are phenomenal!). Special shout out to our waitress, Jennifer!
(5)Joe S.
We love MLK Burgrz! I heard mixed reviews but after eating here, I can say I have no idea why. The service is excellent and so is the food. The layout, vibe, music, etc. all add value to the dining experience here. We have been back multiple times now and this is our favorite place to go when eating out.
(4)Elle B.
We were there on the finally of the guitar riff off .This place makes us feel like we went on vacation. The decor is so beautiful bringing the english design in by adding topiaries everywhere. The inside becomes one because they have dutch doors that open the entire place up. There are so many elements to the decor that makes dining even that much better! My family had the edamame and we were in taste bud heaven. My husbands ordered the Mary's chicken and i had the blue cheese burger and we loved our meals. The kids ordered pizza and they to where really happy about there food. I ordered a Taji martini and the only thing i can say is be careful because you can drink these all day long because they are so yummy. My husband was so impressed the the house wine was cakebread. We will be dining here a lot!
(5)James B.
We have been waiting for a place in Ladera that would really bring it and finally it is here... Tanner our waiter was spot on knew the menu, made great recommendations on both food and drink, this place is FAR BETTER than Slaters 50/50, those that complain go to Slaters so I have a seat here. Ask for Tanner
(5)Andrea K.
Yummy burgers but make sure you come with an appetite. They're huge! And they come with insane amounts of stuffings toppings buns sauce..the works. Super custom..you can get anything you want however you want it. Onion rings were stellar. Service was great. Price point is high but for the amount and quality of the food id say it's worth it on a once in awhile splurge occasion.
(5)K A.
Delicious! I have had the jalapeño burger and the avocado burger. The best burgers I've ever had. Great wine/beer list. Excellent service and beautiful remodel/decor.
(4)Sandy A.
This place could be great if they would only improve their service. Staff seems very unorganized. People are willing to pay higher prices for food if the ambiance is good. They have a great patio but have ruined it with all the tacky fake plants. What a shame because it's a wonderful location. Food was very good once we got it.
(3)C W.
Tried this place because when you live out here your choices are seriously limited. I Recognize quality and I don't mind paying it but it has to be worth it, this wasn't worth it. The service was good, the decor is nice and the patio is super nice. We both ordered burgers and although I appreciate all the choices for bun and toppings, it was really average and nothing special. Just too expensive for ordinary.
(3)Sambo P.
Not good. This pretty much sums it up. The menu was complicated and they were not truly ready to open as many items were unavailable. The salad dressing tasted like plain oil, every other chip was soggy, and we waited 45 min for BURGERS. Our order was mixed up and our toddler's meal came out last.... 10 min later so almost after an hour of waiting. I could go on and on, but I won't. The kids did like the fire feature outside. So there is that.. :)
(1)Lama H.
They suck! Your better off pouring grease down your throat!! Although the appetizers were delicious, and the ambiance is nice I couldn't speak highly of the burgers and after all it is called BLK Burgrz... Especially for $18!!! Don't do it!!
(1)Nicole S.
Great ambiance and decor. Food was below average, especially for a $20+ burger. Sweet potato fries are fabulous, burgers were bland and the sliders were dry. We waited 45 minutes to get our bill situated, then the GM came over as gave a horrible apology and excuse. We wanted to love it, but the customer service (lack there of) was some of the worst I've ever experienced. Our waitress was kind and really trying to work things out, but her management did a poor job supporting her and helping make things right. Really bummed because the atmosphere is great.
(2)Amy M.
Not worth it. Extremely pricey and terrible customer service. They messed up our bill 4 times and we waited an additional 45 minutes for them to figure it out. Don't bother going here unless you want a $20 burger and bad service. Better to go to Slater 50/50.
(1)Tom R.
Really good addition to Ladera but way too expensive. I get that it's Kobe beef but $18 for a burger is a little too high. Good beer selection as well a wine. Hope it stays but price needs to come down. I'll go to Slater 50/50 where the prices are reduced in half.
(1)Pam P.
My boyfriend and I ate at BLK's on Friday night, November 22nd. The ambience was incredible and very hip and current. After being fairly regular patron's of "The Counter" in Irvine, a great "build you own" in the center off of the 405 and Jamboree, we were VERY excited to learn there was another "build you own" burger place right down the road from our house. We soon discovered BLK is way over priced $17 to $21 dollars for 1/2 pound burger. The Kobe meat was okay but NOT great flavor. The onion rings on the Kobe Sliderz (my order) were very weak and moist.... I had asked if the onion rings would be crispy stringy onion rings. Sadly, they were far from it. The bun was the pretzel bun and came out cold immediately. The meat was warm but the bun was cold. My boyfriends "build you own" was okay. Not exceptional as you would hope for with a $21 price tag. We will not be going back - the place is way over priced for the burgers. The owners should eat at the "Counter" and take notes. The prices are approximately $10 for a "build your own" and everything on the menu from the sweet potato fries to the build you own burgers is amazing. Sorry, BLK..... way over-priced for what you get. I would pay $21 for an amazing hamburger, but I did not walk away from BLK with an amazing food experience.
(1)Amy R.
Went to dinner Monday, November 18, immediately was seated outside. We 4 of us placed our drink orders at 6:10, 4 beers and we were given a small portion of chips to munch on until or orders were taken. It literally took 35 minutes to get our beer, 3 bottles one on tap. We placed our dinner order when our waiter finally came back to check on us at 7pm, we have to mark on a sheet of paper our items for a 17.00 burger, omg. We then ordered more drinks and were not given those until 7:40, our burgers did not arrive for almost an hour of waiting. We were not overly impressed, the rice my husband ordered was under cooked and TOO much soy sauce, my onion rings were cold as we're my friends order and for 17.00 a plate we should have had more than 3 cold onion rings. We mentioned our displeasure to the manager working and instead we were given a bottle of water for the table. The customer service and quality of food needs improvement immediately if BLK burgrz to survive in this location. The remodel was done nicely, now fix your staff
(1)Henry P.
This was our 4 th visit and by far the worst yet. We had a party of 6 and sat in the large booth in the back. First off there were some construction workers trying to move a large wine rack in the back, this should have been done during off hours and not when customers are having dinner. Second our server didn't have a clue of what she was doing. The drinks we ordered were wrong and she never followed up on our request for an additional soft drink, it shouldn't take 20 min to get it. We finally went to the bar and got it ourselves. As for the food maybe she should have told us that each order would take 20 min to prepare. When to food finally came that server didn't know who ordered what and our first was no where to be found and she never even came to clear the appetizer plates. Finally the bill was wrong. The first server should be fired or re-trained. We will be back but I hope we don't get that same service. I will pass this on and warn future customers about our experience.
(2)L K.
Great food and great decor! Yes, the burgers are on the pricey side but I think people are being a bit tough on the reviews. Many are giving them a low rating because of the price even though they enjoyed the restaurant. I'm glad I read through the comments and gave BLK a chance.
(5)Dave C.
Had lunch yesterday afternoon, outside on the neat patio. Soft opening menu - which was fine. The staff was very pleasant and it was certainly busy. We were told there was a 10 minute wait even though there were a few empty tables, titrating the covers to help the kitchen no doubt. No problem, we had a drink at the bar and watched a little football, and less than 10 mins later we were seated. Chips out immediately, nice touch. Sliders for me and chix salad for my wife. Sliders arrived first; tasty but cooked more than i prefer (they didn't ask how i wanted them cooked). Oddly, the salad was to "be right out" but it didn't come until about 7 minutes later. It was really good though, and the manager came by to "own" the mistake and apologized. We also had the sweet potato fries, and when i asked for ketchup, the server brought out ketchup, along with a sampling of 4 different sauces, which i thought was a smart move. Let's give this place a chance Ladera. It's not Pizza, it's designed for adults - two things we really need in Ladera. Don't any of you remember the "soft opening" of Infusion? total nightmare yet an absolute winner long-term. As long as they get consistent on the operations, focus on delivering great food by nice people, it will be a winner. Otherwise it's Microbar all over again. give it a chance, be supportive.
(3)Scott W.
BLK makes great burgers yes, but the salads are hidden gems. I usually order the spinach salad and add Filet for $5 more. That makes the salad about 15 bucks, a bargain for a filet salad of the quality that they serve you. The prices on the burgers are too high even though they are really good. My daughters favorite is the Mac N Cheese stuffed burger. The staff are super friendly and prompt. A real class act. Jason helped us that last time we were there. Great server. Ask for him! I wish the burgers were a little cheaper but like I said, the salads make up for it. They added a new LED tree and it's too bright. BLK, if you're listening, make that tree light a warmer color! It's like a people repellent right now. I still love you though and I can't wait to see your expanded menu. I would have given 5 stars if the burger prices were a little cheaper.
(4)Hadyn G.
Had a great time, delicious food, (I had the Kobe burger) great music and ambiance, beautiful restaurant and amazing service from our server Lauren. Will be coming back for sure. Welcome to Ladera Ranch BLK!
(5)M H.
I have had a chance to eat at BLK three times in the last two weeks. Each time both the food and the service has gotten better. I know understand why soft openings matter and why you should never comment on a first experience. If you were on the fence try BLK again the bugs are being worked out. Great food, great ambiance and great drinks.
(5)Kristi K.
I am excited for our community to have another restaurant after losing so many lately. I ate here with a group on Saturday night during their Soft Opening. The staff was very warm and welcoming, despite some frantic moments that come with opening a new business. The decor: The place has undergone major (much-needed) remodeling since the prior tenants left. The inside is very small, but has the feeling of eating inside a rustic Pottery Barn and is nicely appointed and is fully open to the patio. I saw one huge flatscreen TV inside showing football. The outside patio is much improved and has distinct eating areas and conversation areas with fire pits and patio heaters. It seems like it was a bit chilly out there where there weren't heaters. The drinks: The menu has a pretty extensive list of craft beers and wine including Cismontane, Stone, and Deschutes. Several of the choices weren't available for the Soft Opening, but they kindly recommended others that they had. The wine on special was Cakebread. The food: The Soft Opening had a limited menu, but we tried 2 of the stuffed burgers, one stuffed with mac n cheese (!!) and one stuffed with swiss and mushrooms. We also had 2 Sizzling burgers with customized toppings. The server provides you with a form to check off how you want your burger from the type of bun, to the cheese, sauce, and toppings. It was disappointing that cheese is $1.00 extra on an already expensive burger ($17). Gourmet toppings are also extra. It would be nice if you felt like you got a bit more value for your money. In terms of the side items, we ordered kettle chips, regular fries, sweet potato fries, and also onion rings. The kettle chips were great and had a hint of garlic and parsley. The regular fries were on the soggy side and seemed to be the bottom of the barrel. I would chalk that up to the soft opening. The sweet potato fries were crispy and delicious and a good portion was included as a side. The onion rings, on the other hand, were disappointing. The side order was 4 small rings in some sort of bland, doughy batter. They were not greasy, which is great, but I would not order them again unless something changed. For dessert, we opted for the key lime pie and it was delicious. There were two tart-sized pies with whipped cream and a raspberry drizzle. Looking forward to trying the "Pizookie"-style cookie dessert next time. The service: Everyone from the hostess to the servers to the bus boys were gracious and accommodating. Even though we waited more than two hours for our food (again, kitchen working out kinks), they made us comfortable and feel welcome. I will definitely be back in the next few weeks. I'm giving my review 4 stars rather than 5 because I don't like the feeling of being nickled and dimed for adding toppings and extras to an already expensive entree. With a lower price point, this would be a frequent place to eat.
(4)Bill S.
My wife and I were thrilled with the atmosphere as well as the food. I've seen reviews complaining about the price and they are way off. If you're looking for a six dollar burger go down to carls jr. This place gives high quality meat and an amazing ingredients offering. In addition, there were plenty of patio warmers on a freezing cold night which made for a great evening. Give BLK burgers a try and I promise you won't be disappointed
(5)Kim T.
My husband and I visited this as we were excited for the new opening. We sat at the bar and the bartender was very friendly and polite. Our food took 45 mins to arrive and when it did they brought me a different item and said they ran our of the pretzel bun. I then said ok and began to take a bite when I realized they had put the sauce on which I had asked for on the side. The bartender apologized and took the food back and after another 20 more minutes I asked where my food was and they went to check on it. The other bartender apologized and said they had informed the manager. After. 30 minutes of waiting I told them I no longer wanted my food. My husband was unable to enjoy his meal as he waited for me so we could eat together. A manager never visited the table and on our way out we asked for a manager and got some guy standing at the host desk that did not act or talk like a manager. He did not do anything to correct our poor experience and he did not even offer to take care of our bill. I've worked in restaurant management for 10 years and this place will not be able to survive as they do not understand customer service. The staff seems to enjoy talking to each other rather than helping customers. Managers nowhere to be found with a new restaurant opening???
(1)Yelper A.
My husband and I came here last week from out of town to visit family and heard about this burger place. I am a huge burger fan and was intrigued even though we had already eaten dinner. We felt like having a few drinks after dinner and decided to visit anyways and check out the menu. The restaurant has very nice decor. A beautiful huge patio with firepits and tvs. The inside was cute too, reminds me of a sheik upscale western saloon. We sat at the bar in big comfy chairs and were greeted immediately. Our bartender, Gerardo, was very friendly and professional. He engaged us in conversation and recommended many great beers. What a great beer selection! 4 great ipas on draft and my husbands favorite, firestone double jack ipa. We are also huge beer fans so this place is perfect for us! The menu looked delicious! Cant wait to be back and try the mac n cheese stuffed burger! Great ambiance and great service! We will definitely be back next time we are in town to have dinner here!
(5)Jellybean J.
Tried it for the first time. Loved loved loved the service. Our waiter Jeff was AWESOME!!! Went with my husband and two kids, food was good a little pricey. Heard mixed reviews on the service and food but all together great experience.
(4)Sean W.
Had an excellent experience at this new high scale restaurant. The burger was incredible and our server, Jen, was great! Definitely coming back here soon.
(5)Wade S.
For $17, I had a turkey burger (made with brown rice and bell peppers) with cheddar, spinach, red onion, bell pepper and honey-mustard on a Squaw bread bun. I chose a very fresh side salad and ate fresh kettle chips (complimentary!) while my order was being prepared. The heated patio is great and the service from Robert and the rest of the staff was excellent.No, it's not a six-dollar burger but this is not fast food - it's a very comfortable casual dining experience with a great staff and excellent food. I will be back!
(5)V C.
We wanted to support the new local business, so we decided to try this place. The hostess brought my daughter a high chair and didn't recognize that it was filthy. We asked her to wipe it down. She tried, but the food was caked on so bad that it didn't clean. She then went and brought us another. We finally all sat down and five minutes later, I had to get up and ask if we were going to get served? The food came out and my wife needed more dressing for her salad, but our waiter never came by to check on our food. My burger was $20 and it was just average. After finishing our meals, we sat for 10 minutes waiting to cash out. I finally had to get up again and hand my credit card to a gal. My receipt came back and I noticed we were double charged for my wife's meal. This place was a nightmare. I wouldn't mind giving them another shot, but their food was ridiculously overpriced and just average.
(1)hans d.
easy to get to location, but that's where the peace ends. crowded patio, everyone there hungry and waiting for food, friday eve in way south o c means "get me some food, cause i'm not here to drink." it's burgers and bar food, way over priced to pay the rent i guess, and the service, poor from beginning to end. bartenders weren't ready, stood there for 7 minutes while they talked to the drunks at the bar. i ask for chardonney, he says what kind? i said what ever's open, if i wanted a specific i would have asked. that's the first $$. then comes the wobbly table for 8, and the convoluted ordering, then the interminable 35 minute wait for food but hey the drinks guy came around 4 times, and so three people in our party were buzzed from no food and plenty of alcohol before the $$ burgers came. the salad came last, in two? bowls. the waiter and servers need to learn the trade. last straw was the loudest most obnoxious jazz trio ever. sure they could play, but they were still just kids with loud toys. within seconds, the only joy i got from this venue was taken, as the decibel level went immediately to coachella levels right in my face. i was literally yelling to my wife. estupido management prob thought it was a cool way to get people to drink more. never ever never again. you want a good burger, go to in n out and go to the park with your girl. watch the stars. listen to smooth jazz softly. want to waste some quality time, here's the place. and with 8 people drinking they no doubt got what they wanted, my bro's visa to the tune of $$$$.
(1)Jessica K.
Great find! I was looking for a place to eat after the gym & it was after three so a lot of the places close by were closed down until dinner. Took a look at the menu and was pleasantly surprised. They had an excellent selection of salads as well as many other choices beyond just a burger. The place is tucked away in the corner of a shopping center. It has a large patio with a couple TVs and maybe even some entertainment. The decor was very modern and chic. It's not a cheap place to grab a quick bite, but what do you expect with a place that has Kobe beef done many different ways. I was very impressed with the wine list as well as the selection of craft cocktails & micro brews. Any place that has rombauer Cabernet by the glass starts with a B at least, I sat in the bar area Jordan my server/bartender was great. All of the staff were very polite & attentive. I had the Kobe meatloaf with a salad, bacon green beans & kale soup. The portions were generous & I'm happy about that because everything was delicious. Instead of serving bread with the meal you get house made potato chips. I love this place & will be returning very soon.
(5)Kathi L.
I've been to BLK Burgrz several times now, and have gotten take-out a few times. This review is about the take-out experience. For the most part, all is good. However, they seem to have a habit of not including some necessary items. Most of the time, I'm planning on eating the food somewhere other than home. So it would be nice if they included utensils and napkins. But fine. I can make do. But when I order a salad, I expect it to come with dressing. This is now the second or third time I have gotten a salad from them with no dressing. And I'm not able right now to go back and pick it up. Very, very frustrating.
(2)Jake B.
BLK Burgrz has delicious food and a really cool atmosphere. Their house chips, sweet fries, and of course the BURGERS are outstanding. If I were to give BLK letter grades, they would read as the following: Food: A+ - I haven't eaten one item that I didn't love. Burgers are #1 in OC. Service: B - Waiting staff is great, but the hosts don't smile much. Food comes out in reasonable times Ambience: A - Cool outside patio and bar with lots of beer To-go: D - Ordered to-go once, just one custom burger and sweet fries, I also requested house chips (which I did not get) and my burger was missing two items that I ordered on it, and didn't taste quite the same as it usually does (Bun wasn't very toasted on got soggy, sweet fries were cold) If you're looking for great food, BLK Burgrz is a great spot and one I regularly eat at. Definitely recommend getting reservations on a Friday or Saturday night, and I would not recommend ordering to-go.
(4)Michelle F.
Ok....3 stars due to lack of customer service. The patio is hot and the location is too small to take reservations and hold all open inside tables for 2 hours until the reservation shows up.....rediculous. most tables with reserved signs on them weren't even sat by the time we left. This is unacceptable. And it is frustrating because the food is good....over priced but good. Visit at your own risk. We will not be back.
(3)Marcy M.
Great burgers and salads! It would be a great place for a large group, the patio is really nice. Would recommend a few more wheat and soy free options.
(4)Sheryl S.
Awesome service from Angelina - Truly sweet and attentive. HOWEVER, the "cheese plate" needs some serious attention ... $14 for crackers and grocery store sliced cheese??? Seriously????
(3)Marc O.
While I'm unable to comment on the food, as we left before a waiter ever came by, their service was possibly the worst I've ever experienced. We sat for 10 minutes during which we repeatedly asked for a heater for our pregnant for friend, and someone to at least bring some water. The hostess nodded upon hearing our request, but simply went back to shuffling menus. Wow. I don't think I've EVER walked out of a restaurant before but this was soooo bad. If this place has any hope of sticking around, management will need to be vastly improved.
(1)Behnam T.
So half an hour into the service a mouse decided to appear into the restaurant and the servers pretended nothing has happened. My burger was cold and I had a pretty bad stomach ache. The service was good and our host and waiter were courteous. But give me a break a mouse in a restaurant and you don't even care that's just wrong ! Not going back there again
(1)Jenny H.
When arriving on 9/16/15 at around 7:45 PM, it was 5 minutes to be seated, which is fine, there were open tables, but not incredibly full. It was a chilly night, so we asked for a heater. The hostess said "sure." A couple moments later, a guy brought chips and we asked for a heater again. Subsequently, a few moments later, we asked for a heater again. We were never brought a heater. After 10 minutes of sitting at the table, without having and drink or food orders taken, we asked for service from the hostess. She rolled her eyes, but responded "sure." After a few more moments of this hostess walking past and ignoring us, we finally decided to leave. We spoke to the manager as we were leaving, and he dismissed us. The lady whom he was dealing with at the moment, heard me say we were leaving from the poor service and she responded "sounds like a bad night" (as she also had poor service at the same time). This is the second restaurant I've walked out of in my life to a better establishment in the same complex.
(1)Rebecca A.
Where has simple customer service gone? We wanted to try BLK to support our neighborhood businesses however we were greeted with less than hospitality; the plants had more personality. We were told 20 minute wait for outside seating but there were plenty of tables we could see. We waited for 25 minutes without any new customers arriving. I don't get it. My husband got frustrated and we left. Please change the way you receive customers. They are what keeps your doors open. We won't be back.
(1)Catherine M.
Youngest off on a sleepover and twins getting ready to jet off on holiday. Time to go out and have dinner! There's a burger joint nearby that smells good whenever I go past. Cameron's tried it and enjoyed it so we decided to go there tonight. It's a place that changes hands regularly. Pizza, generic bistro, burgers, and now "burgrz". Decent location and catches a good breeze which is important when it gets so hot and you want to eat on the patio! First impression is that it's pretty. Patio is set up with tables and chairs, tables and low slung arm chairs, and tables and benches. Not too crowded - and the large concrete surround planter in the middle adds to the impression of intimate yet with some breathing space. The patio is bordered with plexi-glass walls so you get the feeling of larger than it is combined with the noise reduction you need for a busy strip mall on Antonio. There are the usual free-standing heaters and along one side of the patio is a low wall topped with glass pebbles. Gas lines feed the pretty flames that the staff light at sunset. So, nice ambience. Service was also nice and reasonably quick. The courtesy chips were tasty and replenished. The drinks were sizeable and reasonable. Not to mention they are clearly proud of their range of beers! They have a decent range of food mostly revolving around ground beef - wagyu and Kobe feature prominently on the menu. They do both custom made and menu item burgers. I always love a custom made. Choosing exactly what I want on a burger is so much better than requesting add-ons, substitutions, or leave-offs! There are appetizers and desserts but, honestly, the burgers are so freaking huge, you don't need anything else! I went with custom, of course. They do a couple of "stuffed" patties that looked very tasty. The swiss mushroom bacon one caught my eye so I went with that. I topped it with a very nicely made garlic aeoli and a pesto paste on a brioche roll with some greens, tomato, and sauteed onions. They come with sides so I picked the sweet potato fries. The girls and Cameron went with custom as well but chose onion rings and regular fries. The food was good. Very good. $18 burger good possibly. However, it was a bit spoilt by the mistakes. Cameron and Erin got their orders perfectly made. Briannah and I not so much. My tomato was missing and my garlic aeoli was actually the chilli garlic aeoli (since the two options weren't even next to each other on the custom order, it wasn't case of mistakenly crossed the wrong one!) And my pesto was a large clump on the edge of the bread roll as opposed to inside on the burger. Luckily I love chilli, I could easily spread the pesto around, and my server grabbed me some tomato. Those issues aside I really enjoyed my burger. Also luckily Briannah, who also ordered the garlic aeoli, did not get the chilli by mistake as she does NOT like chilli! Her burger had sauteed onions instead of the mushrooms she ordered but she just pulled off most of it and was fine. The sweet potato fries were tasty but too heavily salted so I could only eat a few. And the onion rings disappointed in their coating. And the burgers were huge. This is both a good and a bad thing. But when the small option is 1/2 a pound, you know it's a serious deal! Overall, it was a pleasant enough meal but probably not special enough to return to for the same dish. That might be my dislike for the lack of attention to detail paid by the kitchen staff. Each error wasn't a big deal in itself but that's four errors in total off custom order sheets where everything is spelled out. I'd go if friends were going but otherwise nope.
(3)AlexNader R.
this is a great place for the older kids looking for a delicious childhood burger with the simple amenities of adulthood. Big Juicy Burger. But more more to offer they have a full american menu . with pastas sandwiches and INCREDIBLE EDAMAME! I am came in around 9:15pm on Tuesday March 31st. they close at 10pm There is 2 tables inside and maybe 2 outside . There is 3-4 servers 1 bartender . The server to guest ratio is high , but no complaints there better to much then not enough! I sat at the bar , The bartender seemed like he had been bartending a while he was handling the tables inside while doing side work while helping me at the bar top.It was close to closing time and he was more then welcome to have me sit down and gave me full option to ask questions about drinks or the menu which I appreciated. I had over heard this gentleman talking about wines, I don't drink but it seemed like he knew what he was talking about. all the servers I saw this night are early 20's to early 30's younger staff which gives off a easy going vibe. The patio has always been a big issue with this restaurant pad there has been 2-3 other places here and all failed. BLK Burgrz is holding it in there. they have a nice fireplace outside with comfy lounge seating with normal tables. and i have to say a TON of Heaters off all types open flame heaters the subtle up high heathers they really focused on making the patio comfortable in the cold, also they have some nice big tvs on the patio which makes it that much more comfortable. only thing the patio doesn't have going for it is the rains. rains with no cover and a majority of your seating outside is always a upsetting possibility . but blks has been doing great with this location the best ive seen yet! Edamamme . Only reason I came I have been wanting a picture so bad! It's a messy edamame . Really great flavor. You can add bacon to Anything an make it great but bacon with edamame an soy sauce it's worth the messy hands . A lil garlic and mushrooms this is almost Better then the burger. Almost is the key word there. It's healthy with a fat boy kick :) I would come here just for this! Custom burger . I jumped into a 3/4 pound "Kobe" beef with a brioche bun , arugula , pickles , white onions , tomato , the spicy chipotle adobe mayo with the seasonsings of the meat on the 3/4 pound kobe was perfect that mayo was the perfect combination of spice and seasonings . With of course bacon and avocado . The options for custom burgers is endless. It's every child's dream . It's a grown up burger place. Honestly the price has been the same since they opened. if you want a cheap burger go to mcdonalds 1 dollar double cheese. but this you pay for what you get, a quality big mouth burger. and if burgers aint your thing they have a very lively menu! and i heard there doing brunch now! This needs to be a minimum 4 star but its forsure a 5 STAR PLACE!
(5)Amy T.
I don't why this place only has three stars this food was amazing. Just know it is a little bit more expensive but for the foods taste it is worth it!!! I had the chicken strawberry vinaigrette with green apples and candy peacons, my boyfriend had the mac n cheese stuffed hamburger. Both were to die for. When you first sit down they give you homemade chips! I also had the strawberry martini so delicious. I will definitely come back when I'm in the area.
(5)Kristina R.
Hmmm as I always say, Ladera can be a tough crowd. I am not a beef eater so I can't speak for the burgers/steak they offer here. I had a pleasant experience here at lunch with friends. Service was friendly, not exceptional, but just ok. I can see it being slow if they get busy which I know they do at night. I personally LOVE what they have done with the decor here in comparison to previous restaurants that have been in this location. The patio is awesome & we had a great table that was indoor but placed near an open awning so you get the enjoyment of the outdoors as well. Pretty pretty! I enjoyed my lunch & was surprised that it was priced as a "special" so it was more than affordable. Again, I can't speak from the carnivore perspective because the burgers did appear to look expensive. Apparently when people think "burger" they think cheap. Any way; I ordered the Veggie Slider w/ a side salad and I enjoyed it. There were many other items on the menu I was interested in trying; including a veggie burger. But wait, we didn't get these "chips" everyone talks about ? Hmmm ? The pickings are slim in this area.. but regardless , I will come back! The decor & ambiance here takes you out of Ladera Ranch which I liked. & it was clean! =4 stars!
(4)Brooke P.
I didn't have high expectations for this place because of some reviews, but we were pleasantly surprised! Hubby and I both did DIY burgers which were AMAZING! They better be for $16 a pop, but they really lived up to the price. I got brioche bun, burger, arugula, blue cheese and the chili aioli. Really good taste, fell apart somewhat but I was able to eat it all. We were really happy with the service. We were promptly seated in a side table which was fine with us as we had the 14 month old twins with us! They had a good kids menu, brought out drinks, dinner and any special requests quickly. We will definitely be back!
(5)Dino D.
Burger was very good. House chips were awesome too. Service was fair. Outdoor seating options totally confusing !!! These are community tables. These are bar service tables. The host said..... I got an idea how about you just call it seating and when one is available seat some one there. Sorry I don't give much hope for the longevity of strip mall restaurants that are trying to be niche. The rents put them behind the eight ball at the end of the day it was a very good burger though !!!!
(3)Ashkan H.
Called in my order for 4 burgers, they told me they be ready in 25 mins I got there in 30 mins still had to wait 20 mins so their 25 mins means 50 mins. (Their excuse: you came in during rush hour! - Thursday 6pm) Medium well burgers are pink inside, maybe i should have talked COLOR, do not serve me a pink burger! Fries were dry/HORRIBLE (they were prepared at least 3 hours prior to my order) - Gourmet burger!!! really? This place is a JOKE! They should have invested in training their employees and improve service/food quality rather than big screen TVs and furniture!
(1)Joseph W.
Ok, decided to try this place out again yesterday. The Ducks game was on so my friend and I decided to try BLK Burgrz instead of the local sports bar. Well, we ended up at the local sports bar. Why? Because while they had the Ducks game on the main TV inside they had no window shades. Sitting in the corner meant having the sun's glare directly in our faces. Why in the world don't they have window shades? How complicated is a window shade? Fine, ok, no window shades. We ask the hostess if she can put the Ducks game on the bar TV's as people at the bar are turning around anyway to watch the Ducks game as the bar has the basketball game on instead. She says she can't change it. Seriously? Why not? Nobody was watching it. There are two TV's at the bar anyway, just change one of them. Ok, fine, you can't change the bar TV's. What about outside? Well, again we are told the TV's can't be changed but this time it's because they simply are broken and can't be changed. Broken TV's? Why do you even have them? Then we are told there is some presentation taking place anyway so the seating is reserved. Well, they lost out on business yet again but didn't seem to care. I seriously can't even joke about how absurd this was. I can't even get to rating the food because I have yet to progress to being able to get a decent seat without the sun in my eyes or that has the game on that people want to watch. I'd laugh if the basic incompetence was not so sad. Ranch Sports Grill it was. Again. The place that actually has been able to figure out that getting business might be correlated to having the games on people want to watch while having some drinks and food.
(1)Rachel S.
Second visit...Great burger and relaxing ambiance on Friday night (live music-string quartet). Our first visit was opening night and we were not impressed with the price/menu and service. I am glad we tried them again!! They have definitely improved and our server was very attentive. The complimentary chips are addicting. Although the burgers are priced on the higher end, you are getting a big, well made burger with creative or classic condiments! They offer extensive wine, beer, and cocktails. Great treat for a date night and I love having close to home!
(4)Kendra G.
I came here on Saturday with my husband and father-in-law. My husband and I just moved to Ladera Ranch, and were excited to try BLK as I had peeked in previously and the decor (both inside and outside) is adorable! We came in at about 2pm, and were told by the hostess that they weren't seating anyone else for a while because the kitchen needed to catch up since they had just launched a brunch menu. We were in no rush so we went to the bar to grab a drink. The bartender told us he would be right with us. Fast forward 20 minutes later, we still didn't have drinks. The bartender was running around and pouring plenty of drinks, but didnt help us! The manager came by after a while and took our drink order. She was very knowledgable about the beer selection and even poured us some tasters. They have a great selection of craft beers and I had one with a hint of grapefruit. It was delicious! We were then seated on the outdoor patio. The complementary kettle chips were great. Though you can build your own burger, I opted for the mac n cheese stuffed burger with garlic fries, which was fantastic! Unfortunately when our food was dropped off, nobody brought us utensils so we had to track down someone to bring us napkins and silverware. Even though the service was a bit slow, the staff was very friendly. If service had been better, I would've given BLK 5 stars, but neverless, I will be back!
(4)Pete K.
I went for an early dinner for the first time at BLK Burgrz. Because it was early, the place was not busy and there were many tables available. The first sign of an unpleasant experience was the hostess who didn't smile or greet me. I already felt unvalued as a customer, but decided to move on and be seated and order dinner. I was seated and asked the waitress for water with lemon. What I got back from a different waiter was water and no lemon. Another sign I was not listened to or valued. Then I had to ask for a napkin and silverware. I never saw any pricelist when I ordered my custom burger via an extensive checklist they provided with pencil. This made me think this was a place for over-priced burgers. I waited for well over a half hour before getting up from my table, locating the waitress and asking her to cancel my order. Therefore, I never got to eat, so I can't comment on the taste or value of the meal I ordered. As I was exiting the establishment, I mentioned to the hostess this was my first and last time here. She said nothing and was again expressionless.
(1)Mina Z.
Decor: 5 stars Food: 4 stars Service: 2 stars My friends and I went for Valentine's Day because we wanted to try something new. The food was definitely yummy, and it's fantastic to add all those toppings free of charge. Was it anything extraordinary? No not really. The mac and cheese appetizer was delicious, the stuffed burgers are good, you'll love the onion rings - the batter is nice and crunchy. The service is just sub par. Everyone was extremely nice, but after 15 minutes of waiting for someone to pick our check up, we were getting agitated. The kitchen moved quickly, so the food came out immediately, but there were no servers to bring: another round of drinks, condiments, extra chips, more water... Etc. We asked for everything at least twice. Plus, they really missed an opportunity, two in our party would have ordered extra drinks had anyone asked. My second glass of wine came after my plates were cleared. Also, the servers aren't really knowledgeable. We asked two of the employees about brunch and received completely different answers. So I still don't know what the deal with brunch is. And finally, I have to say... They committed the cardinal sin. They overcooked my burger. It was medium well when it got to me.
(3)T S.
The Good - I loved the seating arrangement at the restaurant and the edamame and house chips were yummy. The Bad - First and foremost, the service was awful!!! The wings didn't have much flavor and were very fatty. Both of us ordered the sliders and they were WAY too salty. The side salad looked like a pre-bagged, chopped salad. Oh! and while we were, once again, waiting for our food, we noticed when they were cleaning tables for their next guests...they simply flip over the table cloth and use again...gross!!!
(2)Greg R.
High end burgers and decent beverage choices. The Counter style ordering process with a fill in your own order slip at the table. High quality ingredients to choose from. Full bar and big tv's so you won't miss any of the game.
(5)Patrice N.
Very good service from a very very nice waiter - outdoor seating, so nice. Wings were not crispy at all (we liked the sauce), which was very wwwwww. Pale gummy skin. Ewwwww... Mac and cheese, yum. Asked for the famous chips three times and never, ever received any. How do you run out of chips on a Friday night during the World Series AND the Ducks are playing? Silly me, I thought that 'we're out of chips' meant 'we are making more and you'll get some.' Nope. I think my husband and my son enjoyed their massive burgers and onion rings. I had the signature lamb burger and it was crazy dry (and so was the bun). I'll go there for cocktails, mac and cheese, and MAYBE EVEN SOME CHIPS, but I'll pass on anything else...
(2)Veronica W.
Oh how I wish I could give them a better review! With very few restaurants in Ladera Ranch it would be great to have the one nice restaurant be good, but alas it is not. The food is substandard and it is way over priced!!!!!! Our service has always been exceptionally poor, not just bad, incredibly BAD! You usually have to wave your hand around to get the attention of your server and you are out of luck if you want drink refills since you will probably only see your server every 30 min or so. Save your time and money...try some place different!
(1)H N.
High end boutique burger spot with pretentiousness!Maybe because its in OC..has to right??Staff was highly courteous,attentive and on point.Loved the decor and most importantly, food was great!burgers,mac n cheese,fries and other plates ordered were greasylicious..worth coming back for food,drinks and hang out. Nice work BLK..
(4)Brittany G.
Amazing rotating beer list. Very relaxed and cozy atmosphere on the inside. Last night (Saturday) there was a string quartet playing popular music outside for a fun twist. My boyfriend had the Mac and cheese stuffed burger with a pretzel bun and loved it. I had the cheddar bacon stuffed burger which was also really good. Cronut dessert definitely something you don't want to miss.
(5)Andrew M.
This is a great example of a good concept but terrible execution. In the end, the restaurant is another example of the disappointment that is restaurants in Ladera Ranch. When someone finally opens a good restaurant, they will own the market--it still surprises me after leaving here for the past year how horrible the food scene is given how many people live around here. First the food is decent. The burgers are well done and appear to be good quality. The hot ketchup is delicious and the chips are very good. The condiments are plenty and the only reason why we've given this place a few chances is because the food is decent. But it can't overcome the terrible service. The food just isn't THAT good. The service is slow and doesn't accommodate very simple requests. They have to come back multiple times to get the order right (or bring silverware). There is no sound to the TVs outside--DO NOT go here to watch any sports game. You'll be very disappointed. Unfortunately, there just aren't very many good choices near here and so it will probably survive for a while. But they won't make as much as they could for the simple reason it is painful to go here.
(2)Cesar R.
Attention animal lovers: Please do not eat at BLK Burgerz. I called today at 1:20PM to ask if I can take my dogs to their outside patio to eat. The person who answered replied, "As long as it is a small dog." I replied, "So it depends on the size?" She responded, "Well, big dogs can come, but pit bulls can not". I said, "So, it doesn't depend on the size, it matters the breed.". She responded, "Pit bull are bad dogs. What breed do you have?" I said, "It doesn't matter what breed you have, as long as they are leashed and well behaved. Can I speak to the manager?" She responds, "I am the manager. What breed do you have? Do you have a pit bull?" Then I said, "It doesn't matter what breed it is." She responds, "If you don't tell me the breed then you are not welcome". Then she hung up on me.
(1)Alexandra K.
The food here is great. Endless options for toppings, healthy versions, and great sides. The outside patio is nice and the openness of the restaurant is a great concept. However, if you don't want to wait an hour and fifteen minutes for your burger, it would not recommend it.
(3)John D.
If you are gluten free for any reason DO NOT DINE HERE!!!!! Tonight my wife who is a celiac had a very challenging experience. Here's the story: After calling the establishment and confirming with the hostess/phone attendant that they had a gluten free menu and policy, my wife went with three friends. Upon arrival she's was given a gluten free menu. When the chips arrived she asked if they were GF, the waiter said no but he would bring out some that were. When he returned she asked if the fryer was dedicated to non gluten items. He went back to ask and the manger showed up. He then asked "how sensitive are u?". She explained she was a celiac and had to watch x contamination. He then proceeded to tell her that ALL BURGERS EVEN THE GF ONES ON THE MENU WERE MARINATED IN SOY SAUCE!!!!! My wife explained that soy sauce has gluten so why would they be on the GF menu? Isn't that dangerous! False advertising? He said they only had a little soy Sauce and most people don't know that gluten is in soy sauce and only of you are very sensitive could u feel it.... Are u kidding me????? Anyway!!!! They do not have a good GF policy, GF Menu is BS and they lie to the public. Stay away and don't pay the ungodly price for a terrible burger anyway.
(1)Jeff P.
My wife loves the turkey burger. Each time we have been there I have gotten a burger, it has been good but not worth the price. Great atmosphere decent service.
(4)Kali S.
So not only is the manager biased towards dog breeds but rude as all out doors as well. Very poor in taste seeing that this "establishment" is dog friendly then any dog regardless of breed is allowed. If a bully breed was a service dog are you telling me a special needs person or veteran would not be able to dine?? How shameful!
(1)Jett S.
I do enjoy my time here. The atmosphere is awesome, and I love the patio they have. Food is delicious and we'll crafted. My only complaint is the insane prices.
(4)Barry S.
I know it's a high end burger joint, but despite the reviews, I think it's great. -Food (complimentary chips) -Not just burgers (good salad and fish) -Beer and wine selection -Good service -Vibe and Ambiance -Outdoor seating (couches, tv's, heat lamps) -Bar area -Decor My favorite so far are the Kobe sliders and if you like good beer, they have an excellent selection. Two thumbs up. One of our favorites in Ladera
(5)Erik B.
BLK Burgrz is a great new spot in the Ladera Ranch community. It's a cool spot that's nearby for anyone in Coto de Caza, Las Flores, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, and even San Juan Capistrano. The burgers are amazing and they come in a choose your own ingredients style. The indoor/outdoor dining style is perfect for afternoons or evenings. I ordered the Diablo burger that was a good beef with Serrano, Habanero, and Anaheim chili pressed into the mix. Top that off with a hawaiian bun, grilled pineapple, and fresh avocado and it's among my favorite blends for a burger. The service is great. Our server Jeff was attentive, fun, and polite. The hostess staff was smart and friendly. The bar is a really cool mix of rustic and modern with a types of mixed specialty drinks and a full beer selection. There's a happy hour daily from 2-6 with $5 beers and the usual discounted deals. Something I may consider if the timing is right. Very stoked to have come across this new addition to the mix. The restaurant is a creation of a group of restauranteurs who have done well with Ladera's Casa Ranchero. For style points, atmosphere, sheer simplicity and all around good food, this place is top drawer. Check out BLK whenever you are nearby or if you're in town, make yourself a regular.
(5)Ryan M.
As other people have said, there have been a number of restaurants that have come in and out of this location. It's very convenient for anyone that lives in Ladera, which is why we decided to go. I like how the restaurant is mainly an outdoor place for diners. It works because the weather here is always wonderful :). They have heaters and fireplaces for when it gets to be cooler though. Some of the plants are obviously fake... =P. Ok so the menu: It was a little confusing at first figuring out how to correctly make an order. All 3 of us were a little confused. But the server came over and clarified things. I had a chicken burger which was very good. The chicken was not overcooked which I always appreciate. I would almost describe the restaurant as a sort of build your own burger which is great for picky people. And it is definitely a good quality burger at that. Overall, I might go back if I wanted to eat somewhere that was convenient and close to home and I was in the mood for a burger specifically. EDIT: I changed review from 4 to 3 stars to reflect how I have been reviewing other restaurants. I rate on an absolute scale and this belongs as a 3 star in my opinion based on the restaurant atmosphere and price and how I enjoyed it.
(3)Matthew S.
By far the worst customer service I have ever experienced in my life. The staff were very inattentive and I had to keep on reminding them I was ready to order. The food was ok, but I would have had a better experience at Jack in the Box.
(1)Blaine W.
Absolutely loves this place! You pay for the price, and this place has such good quality. I loved my mac n cheese stuffed burger and did I mention the amazing beer list. My girlfriend got a martini and loved it. I would recommend you try this place!
(5)Anne B.
We have been here just about every week for the last month and every time we have received great service and excellent food. Their edamame appetizer is outstanding. Good music and atmosphere, as well.
(5)Jennifer L.
We came here Sunday night around 9:30 pm and had dinner. Some of the reviews I read about this place made me kinda nervous, but it was the only place still open in Ladera other than corkys, so we came in. I found out they serve food until 11 pm....great for night owls like myself and my boyfriend who always seem to eat later rather than earlier....We sat on the patio under the heaters. The patio ambiance is super cool and inviting and has TVs and several seating areas....definitley a great place to come just to kick back and relax. It also gets pretty busy on Fridays and Saturday nights at the bar area. The food was great!!!! We started with the pesto flatbread as an appetizer and the kettle chips....those chips are addicting! I came with 3 other people and we all enjoyed our burgers tremendously. They were so big too....yes they are 17 or more each, but I took half of my burger home so I had 2 meals out of it. You can customize them to your likings with toppings, buns, etc....and it blows The Counter out of the water in terms of toppings and meat quality avid just overall experience l. I don't think I will ever go back to the counter after experiencing the burgers here....they were THAT good! The stuffed parties are awesome and have Alot of flavor. I just moved to Ladera and I'm so glad we found this restuarant, both as a place to eat and to come hang out on the patio.....I would like to come back again and try another burger again...I'm hungry just thinking about it!
(4)Jessica F.
I really want to like this place and be happy once I am done having a meal here, but it's definitely very hard to! The service is absolutely horrible!!! Every single time I have gone it's slow, so I don't understand why their service is slow as well?! If you have about 2+ hours to waste, then go here. Otherwise, stay away. This place definitely had the potential to be good, if they just improve their customer service.
(1)J H.
We were reluctant to grab a burger but did. The highlight of the night was Brian who went out of his way to make sure we were taken care of. We will definitely be back.
(5)Erin C.
I come here quite a bit and never got around to writing a review. This place is awesome! The food is delicious, they have a great craft beer selection, and my bartender Ty is always a good time. As many good times as they have shown me, I wanted to show them my appreciation by sharing my experiences with you all! Definitely check this place out.
(5)Ray V.
I've been here three times and the other reviews pretty much sum it up. The prices are pretty high for "gourmet" burgers and the experience is real hit and miss. My first visit was great. I was blown away at the outdoor patio as it really is amazing and inviting. My food was great and the service was excellent. I ordered a Kobe burger, Mac & Cheese, and a Moscow mule to drink. Everything was presented well and came out timely. Also I'll point out that the guy waiting on us really knew his job and had ready answers to all our questions. I didn't catch his name but I remember he was pretty tall. They have a full bar and the whole place is really setup like an upscale outdoor bar more than a restaurant. At least in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I think Ladera really needed a nice upscale full bar with great outdoor seating. I had immediate thoughts of how cool this was going to be for night time cocktails and such. Yeah , those ideas got dashed pretty quick ... Read on. The second visit I brought the whole family and this time it was very so so. The food took forever. There was 6 of us but the place was a little empty so we didn't expect the 40 minute wait for our food to come out. Our waiter could tell we were all annoyed. These are burgers after all and they only take about 10-12 minutes to cook. This time the waiter seemed almost confused. The long wait was a serious buzz kill. Even after all that they forgot some of our side sauces we asked for. It took so long that my daughter didn't even eat and just got a box and took hers to go as she would have been late to another event. Since she could sit and eat her order needed up being no different than a Carls Jr burger with a $16 price tag. Ok, so the next visit I called ahead and asked how long of a wait there would be for 6 of us. I was told by the girl who answered the phone that it wasn't too busy and it would only be about 5-10 minutes. I asked if I could put my name on a "call ahead" list. I was told it wasn't necessary because there wasn't really a wait. I live across the street so we all jumped in the car and headed over. We got there 10 minutes later and noticed right away the patio was easily half empty but there were several different parties waiting by the hostess podium. They all seemed annoyed. I went to put my name in and was told it would be 45 minutes to an hour. I pointed out all the empty tables mentioned I called a few minutes ago and was told those were all reserved for a big group. It's important to note that the empty tables were scattered all around , not in one place. Who reserves "random" tables for a big group ? We waited for about 15 minutes then left and went to The Ranch Sports Bar at the other end of the center. Oh, and during that time no one came for all those "reserved" tables and at least one other group waiting left too. I haven't been back to eat there since, but I did make one more attempt on a Friday night (friday or Saturday) just to have a cocktails with my girl but they had some sort of live classical music playing. I don't know about you but that was a big turn off for me. Nothing is less inviting at a bar like this than classical music. I don't have any problem with classical music but the whole vibe seemed weird. Maybe it was another "reserved patio" private thing ? Who know , who cares. The bottom line for me is the place to way too expensive for what it is. The outdoor patio is really nice but if I do return it'll be for cocktails only. If I get a feeling for $15-$18 burgers I'll go to Slaters 50/50. The service is better and it's actually less expensive. BLK Burger really needs to pay more attention to training their staff and managing the seating. Consistency is the reason we go to our favorite restaurants on a regular basis. BLKZ Burger just doesn't have it. If it's a roll of the dice each time why go ? I'm not "gambling" with my time or money for any restaurant. I hope they get it together because this layout could be a real home run if it were run just a little better with much more attention to the customer experience.
(3)Darlene J.
They really should allow you to leave "0"! This was our third attempt here, wanted to really give this place another try & we wanted outside dining because it was a nice day. Well, we came in for lunch on 2/22 they were not too busy the manager approached us to take our drink order's. Then a waitress came over introduced herself & brought us water. We decided on what we wanted & another waiter came over to take the order. We must have waited 30 minutes for 2 burgers! In the mean time we keep seeing the bus boy bring out chips to every single table but ours. OK, if you have to buy them I never heard the table next to me order them! When we finally received our burger's they were actually only warm along with the fries. We managed to flag down a waiter (not ours) & have them returned to the kitchen. Again, we sat while chips were being brought out to more tables. When our burgers were brought back out, One bite & my burger was the same not hot just barely warm, plus the bun fell part! Seriously they put them under the heat lamp to warm! My husband flagged down a waiter & asked to see the manager. I gave the place 1 star because she took everything off the bill but her attitude as a manager was horrible. You run a business where your burgers run $19 & customer service sucks, this is not a gourmet burger joint! So, after giving this place yet another try (3rd), we are officially done with BLK Burger & if that woman is the manager well, this place better rethink their hiring process!
(1)Michele E.
Went tonight to enjoy some holiday cheer and sadly was so disappointed! My first drink was a Martini and it looked beautiful but was awful my next drink was a Moscow Mule and it was awful the waiter could tell I didn't like this drink I told him both drinks were horrible so he sad he would have them make it again and it was even worse. I'm surprised the manger didn't come by to apologies. Shame on the bar tonight !
(1)Doni L.
This place was just okay I gave it 3 stars solely on the atmosphere and fries. My Kobe slider came on a bun that was so hard I couldn't eat it. A little disappointing considering the prices. I'm glad I tried it with friends but will not be a returning customer.
(3)Stuart P.
This restaurant has a great patio. The Saturday we visited they had a violin quartet playing and it was excellent. The food is nice - not difficult to make burgers I know. I had the lamb/beef and it was nice but could have had more seasoning in the meat. Wife had tuna burger and she really enjoyed. I did not like the honey wheat bun so much and other options were less appealing. A robust artisan whole wheat bun would be better. With a beer, two glasses of wine no appetizers, then bill came to $65. Ok when you consider setting and live music.
(4)Ashley B.
Honestly, because it's located in Ladera unfortunately it's subject to very picky reviews :/ I don't think that the reviews are a good representation of how great their food is! I have been there twice now and both times left saying it was the best burger I've ever had in my life. Creative decor, the ambiance is nice, the staff is nice. It's a very nice place for a date night out. It's an upscale burger place so a little on the pricey side for a burger, but totally worth the money. The options are outrageously overwhelming, chips are to die for. I for one can see how they would run out because they're probly in high demand! They were busy when we were there, so obviously we weren't treated as though we were the only people in the entire restaurant, but the service wasn't remarkably bad at all. Our waiter was friendly, quick, and to the point. Our food didn't take more than 10-15 minutes which I think is reasonable since it's not a fast food joint. I can't see how this place can get bad reviews at all....unless of course you're a very entitled personality who should be waited on as though you're the Queen! Yelp sucks for the way it filters and shows things, not an accurate rep of this place. 3 stars? No way.
(5)Rich S.
As a longtime resident nearby, we are always cheerleading for restaurants to "make it" at any Ladera/RSM locations. We've seen this space be used for Newport Rib Co., Ollie & Jax and now BLK Burgerz. We visited with a very optimistic mind. The more I thought about our experience, I came to the conclusion that the price of the burgers sets such a negative tone to anyone's visit that the staff has a hard time combating the pessimistic aura. It didn't help that the only leader on the day we visited was an assistant manager who didn't want to be bothered when he was off-duty. There was no smiles on anyone's faces. It was palpable. The decor was interesting, and I'm sure they spent quite a bit to renovate. Beer selection was very good. We sat down inside, and there couldn't have been more than 10 people there. We asked to have the Charger game switched to the screen with volume, and we were rebuffed by said off-duty manager, who sat in the middle of the room eating a salad. The waiter would sheepishly approach the manager about whether we could switch screens, and he mumbled something about having promised a customer that the big screen could project his game. That customer had left long before we arrived, but nobody noticed. Finally they accommodated us, but we were made to feel like we were nagging. Unnecessary. Let's put aside the fact that the price for my avo/bacon burger was $19, because I've been known to splurge before. Would I return for a $19 burger? Maybe, but not as often if the burger was $14. The prices are offensive, but so are beers at Staples Center, and I always return there too. The process to order a burger was just silly. I had forgotten my glasses, so I just wanted to order from the waiter. They made it clear that they have a cute system, and they wanted me to use their little Scrabble scorecard. I know that they are proud of this process, since they need something for people to remember them by. I thought it was lame and inflexible. Burger was OK, but nothing special.
(2)Anastasia F.
Drew is an awesome bartender. Makes the best Shirley temple ever. The fries are interesting and it's not a bad thing. They have a little spicy zing to them. The hot fudge donut Sunday is amazing!
(5)Diego S.
I took my time to understand if I really like this place. Definitely a great atmosphere if you are going for drinks and chill out. As far as the food, I don't think it is worth the cash. Here the strikes: 1) I don't want to figure out myself the good ingredients to make a good burger. If I have to do that I might just want to do it at home for a fraction of the price. If I pay 18 bucks for a burger, it better be an outstanding burger that you came up with and I will never be able to reproduce at home. 2) 2 hours (2 adults and a baby) from the time we got in to the time we got out. This is on a thursday evening just before 8 pm when the place is not busy at all. 3) After filling out the card "build yourself" (which I generally hate on a restaurant) they were able to mess up a few toppings. 4) The fries were nothing impressive. I do expect impressive fries on a 18 dollars burger side. The bottom line: I'll go back for drinks and the atmosphere, but right after I had a in&out or habbit or smash burger.
(2)tara m.
we loved everything about this place! the inside seating is so cozy with open sides and the patio is massive with fireplaces and really nice furniture...raul, our waiter, was great! friendly, helpful when we asked for suggestions and attentive...liquor choices are huge...now for the food...we ate like two little piggies...their homemade potato chips are unbelieveable...we started with a tuna stack...mangos and avocado with edamame...and onion rings...and that was only the beginning...we ordered both fries...yummy...then it got even better...shared a brown rice veggie burger...built our own...wow so many choices...and we shared the salmon sliders that were out of this world! not a single thing about this experience could have been any better...im going back again and again and again...
(5)Aaron K.
This place makes an amazing burger. I had the kobe style burger on a pretzel bun. It was really good!
(5)Kim W.
What an amazing burger, with an incredible amount of choices! Awesome place and staff! Gerardo and Nicole were amazing and helped navigate all the choices! Tangerine beer is excellent.
(5)DARCY A.
5 Stars!!!! Love this place!!! Amazing food & great atmosphere! Love the outside patio & fire pit. Delicious food & drinks!!!
(5)Mike M.
Great place. Love the lamb burger.
(5)Shauna And Steve D.
We came despite the mixed reviews. Food is very enjoyable and service at the bar was very attentive and friendly. Decent beer selection. Burgers are solid and cooked to temperature. Burgers are indeed pricey as many previous reviews have noted. They are also not the best we have ever had, Port of Call in NOLA still holds that mantle, but they are quite tasty and carefully prepared and we will return. If the price point is not for you, don't bash the food quality.
(4)Andie P.
Waited close to an hour for a single basic burger to go with a nearly empty restaurant... Really? I left kohls right next door per my receipt at 2:01 pm. By the time I got the burger, tried to explain my frustration to the manager (which was useless) it was 3:15pm!!! Yes I ordered a well done burger but that does not justify the wait. I should have suspected that something was wrong when after waiting for around 20 min the manager came over to ask me how I would like the burger cooked with the host that took my order. I think that's when my order must have been put in the system. I tried to explain to the manager that it wasn't fair that a family that arrived after us received their food before but she just reverted to how a well done burger takes 22 minutes. Ugh! Well the burger wasn't even for me but I did try it and it was good. Not worth $17.28, a long wait and a manager that could have been a little more sympathetic with my frustration.
(1)Laura A.
Came here for the first time tonight. Very yummy! We ordered the Kobe sliderz for the both of us as an appetizer, but it ended up being more than enough for our "snack" for The game. These sliders were seriously amazing! The onion rings were some of the best I've ever ever had. The ranch is homemade here and you can definitely tell. Our bartender was very courteous and let us know his favorite things on the menu. The beer is really great as well. Great selection of local brews. You can tell they take pride in keeping everything sanitary as well. I saw our bartender check glasses a million times before he was happy. Haven't tried the extensive menu, but it looks like it's good! A bit pricey, but worth it. Although I would never spend $17+ on a burger, like I said, the Kobe sliderz were very good.
(3)Todd S.
A friend and I had lunch here a week ago and the food is spectacular! Dinner is out of my price point but they do lunch specials every day of the week for $8.95 and it includes your pick of sliders from the dinner menu and a soup or salad. The bottomless chips are delish too! Good draft beer selection. Their patio is one of the best in south Orange County, a great vibe and very comfortable. The only recommendation I would give the owners of this place is that they need to do something for Happy Hour (3-7 pm) even if it is just for beer and wine - but preferably some food too. Grow the traffic :-)
(5)Aerin L.
First time here and I was truly impressed. First off they have a lovely outdoor area and beautiful new modern indoor area it is small and cozy and the outside area is very cool. Secondly, I had a lunch special which was reasonably priced - the salmon sliders, they were absolutely delicious! I am definitely going back again. The beer selection is awesome better than most places. The service was great as well. It is definitely more of a small cool upscale restaurant; as opposed to a larger busy average place.
(5)Jack L.
This place is amazing, top to bottom. That being said, your experience can be made a little better knowing a few things about the place. Yeah, it's kind of pricey for a 1/2 pound gourmet Kobe burger. It's also huge and could easily be shared. I've just had a soup and a beer and that was enough. The chips, onion rings and sweet potato fries are delicious. No need to over order. If you share food, make sure to increase your tip, the staff is great and deserve it. The best thing about this place is the music on Friday nights. This funky jazz combo called the Christian Hernandez Rotation has been playing and they are fantastic. Go listen and you'll agree. Please remember, if you camp out at one of the tables listening to music, tip your server extra, the table is not being turned over. Tips are how they pay the bills and they are very nice.
(5)Lisa T.
Nice place! Good food, love the decor, service isn't super quick but I guess it forces you to relax and enjoy your dinner! So far, my favorite place to eat in Ladera :)
(5)Mark J.
I so wanted to love BLK Burgrz - so much so that after our first two disasters I emailed the manager (who had emailed us previously with an invite to try them second time) to see if it was possible to arrange a third trial. My intention was to give BLK Burgrz every opportunity to prove they're as good as their potential appears to promise. Only after not hearing back after two weeks I thought it time to share our experiences. Suffice it to say, were it not for the delicious burgers and chips, my rating would have been lower. As we all know, great flavor alone does not a great restaurant make. To wit, where BLK Burgrz falls short is NOT their tasty burgers but rather their service - we're talking a few hundred feet shy of the runway kinda short. So how bad was it? To date, we've ordered a total of eight burgers. That is, eight opportunities to get it right. Right? You'd think for the hefty price that maybe an emphasis on service might be a priority, and even if not, it wouldn't be abysmal. Regardless, we have yet to see a single meal arrive at our table either as ordered or in a timely manner. Not wishing to belabor the point, suffice it to say our primary complaint is that they cannot get their ingredients right. In other words, it's not so much the waiters but the cooks. One can only guess what the issue is. They're both slow and ineffectual. Our most recent visit saw our four burgers being returned to the kitchen - twice. After waiting for over an hour for our food, and the third attempt failed to get out burgers delivered as ordered, we tipped our waiter for doing his best and made a hasty exit. Though three of my guests vowed never to return, I planned to give it one more try. That is, until I did not receive a reply to my letter. That being said, I still hold out hope BLK Burgrz will get their act together, but wait until they overhaul their service before visiting again. I only hope they get it together quickly - if not, the corner will soon be empty once again. NOTE: Since this review was posted, I did hear back from the manager, six weeks later, who explained about "a period of getting the kinks worked out" and thanked me "in advance for visiting again soon." Though not what I had hoped, it is a step in the right direction - I can't help but give them another try. What do you think?
(3)Kathleen S.
Finally decided to branch out on the menu to try some new items. I had the steak salad. 4oz of medium rare steak was good, but the rest of the salad was very average. My husband moved on from the Mac and cheese stuffed burger and blue cheese burger to the lamb burger. It was still a good burger but not worth the premium price.
(2)K K.
As of today all of my Yelp reviews have been positive experiences for the most part. This will be my first negative review. My family and I came here for lunch on Saturday the 13th. We were pretty much the only table in there, you would think we would have decent service. Our server Keirsten was VERY unattentive. There was probably 6 other staff members who weren't paying attention to us either. They were all hanging by the bar talking amongst themselves, while we were sitting inside at the booth by the window closest to the bar. We sat down and ordered, most of us got the build your own burger option. Between the 4 of us 3 of our entrees came out incorrectly. My bun was supposed to be a pretzel bun, came out at brioche, my moms side was supposed to be fries, came out as a soup, we didn't even know they had soup! My sons burger came out burned on top and the cheese and over cooked. For $17+ burgers this is inappropriate. When we said to the runner (because our server was nowhere to be found) we didn't order soup as one of our sides we ordered French fries, he than proceeded to ask us if we were sure that's what we ordered, instead of leaving and going to retrieve the fries. We sat there arguing with him, instead of just getting us the fries, letting our food sit and get chilled, we receive the fries that had the garlic seasoning on them, which every time I have been here they do not. We were not about to send those back because it took too long to even get them. I'm not sure if it was the servers error when inputting the food in the computer or the kitchens fault. While we were completing our meal, a bee had flown in through the window since there is a slight opening, my son ran from the table I got up and so did my husband, everyone that was hanging at the end of the bar chit chatting with what looked like a male manager with brown hair, didn't even turn there head to see if everything was alright. We killed the bee ourselves and sat there for another 10 minutes waiting for our server to come around so we can get boxes. I ended up getting up from our table to ask the bartender for some boxes. I boxed up the tables food myself, and all of the plates & extra glasses sat there in front of us while she dropped the check. I am in the industry, trust me I understand a lot. But not checking back to see how food is when it finally comes out correctly, no pre bussing, no refills? She's lucky to have gotten 15%. She didn't deserve it, be a good idea to complete more training. The only other person that was helpful was a very tall busser with curly hair. He refilled beverages that sat there empty our whole meal. No one touched our table customer service lacks, guests visiting your establishment should be appreciated, I didn't feel that way at all, wasn't welcomed back, and it will take a while to return if I decide to. The reason I gave 2 stars was because of the food quality. Was good, somewhat consistent.
(2)Katy L.
This is our new favorite restaurant! The outdoor vibe is relaxed but has a touch of formality making it a great place for a family dinner with the kids or a business dinner with a client. We love the menu list of gourmet burger choices but my hubby is stoked by the fact that he can "build his own". The drink selection is extensive and the desserts definitely don't disappoint! Both times we have eaten here we have been provided with excellent service from Moses. He remembered us from our first visit, asked our names, talked with our three year old and made sure that he got our orders correct! He was super personable and made us feel very comfortable on both occasions. Outstanding service! We will definitely return to this fabulous place!!
(5)Lauren G.
My fav burger is the diablo!!! Super spicy but SOOOO good!! So many amazing beers to choose from!! Plus, like 4576205976 salads if burgers aren't your thing. I dig it. ps. hater yelpers: seriously, if you like slaters 50/50 so much then GO THERE and eat the prison meat burgers (seriously look it up)! No one wants your bad attitude anyway :P
(5)Kat B.
First time here! Loved it so much I ordered the the filet tip sliders and a royal breeze martini! Our servers name was Jess she gave us awesome service!!! She was the one that suggested the food to us and it was delicious she was so nice and I would defiantly recommend this restaurant to my friends! Will be back soon!
(5)TJ B.
I'm not sure how this place can last. It's biggest problem is the space itself. The inside is tiny, with room for about 30 people, max. My wife and I went with my brother and my parents and we were crammed into a 4-top that barely contained us. I really can't see how a restaurant can survive with such minimal indoor seating. I know this is SoCal, but who wants to sit outside in December when it's 50 degrees out? The second issue, and it's also a huge one, is the absurdly complex ordering process. While I appreciate the opportunity to customize my burger, it should not be a requirement. Give me a bunch of "house specials" to choose from and let me customize if I still can't find anything I like. I go out to eat to have a relaxing evening, not to fill out paperwork. Lastly, the food itself is just not that great, especially given the price point. For 18 bucks, I expect a pretty amazing burger. But mine (mild sausage patty with jalapeño bun) was overcooked and underwhelming. My wife's ahi burger was a sloppy mess, breaking apart during the first bite. The apps were better, with the flatbread getting the most love from the table. The mac and cheese was pretty tasty as well. The oddball was the edamame, which inexplicably came slathered in some kind of soy/bbq sauce and topped with bacon bits. It was okay, but a little heads up about this unique preparation would have been nice, especially for my vegetarian wife. I'm certainly willing to give BLK Burgrz another shot, but I think it would just be for apps and drinks. And we'd definitely want to sit outside. That might work out better for us, but if that's the only way to truly enjoy BLK Burgrz, I'm not sure how well it's going to work for them.
(2)William F.
Here I go, I decided to try it because I was in the area. (Update: i have been back a few more times) The atmosphere is fantastic, Looks great and has more than one Big Screen TVS. I really liked how I got to choose what to add to my burger. They even had Gluten Free Buns! Burger was semi Tasty! They give you free chips which is a plus. Downside: Way to expensive for a burger. 16/18dollars for a burger.. Should be a lower price for a burger. Fries were not that good. Definitely need to improve the fries. The service is not that good. At times, it can be overstaffed but not focusing on customers. The girls at the hostess stand didn't seem to know what they were doing. They do have TVs so you can watch sports or whatever. The staff is so overly staffed that they just stand around and Chat and do nothing. The drinks (alcoholic) are not good, what does that mean? New bartender please? The guy is not good. I ordered a pomegranate margarita, it was more like a pink lemonade slushy. Update: the guy bartender (name may be Alex), Greased semi long hair (and has beard) is horrible! He needs to learn how to make drinks. Someone needs to train him. Train or fire him, just saying. He also works at Casa Ranchero. The burgers are the only good thing here. The free chips are good too. Burgers are great! overall, I go back because of the burgers.
(2)Kristin M.
My husband and I went here on a Sunday afternoon at about 2pm. The patio is large and there was only one other party seated outside. It felt like a lounge/ bar ambiance, pretty nice. We ordered ice water with lemon as it was a hot day, over 90*! We were brought a glass of water, no ice, no lemon, no straw. Bummer! We then ordered the kobe sliders with onion rings and edamame (we always share.) The waiter came out a few minutes later with house made kettle chips, complimentary. Oh boy, they were good, just wish they had a cheese sauce that could be ordered along with them. I ended up asking for some siracha ranch and dipped the chips in that. When our food finally arrived, it did take a while, everything looked delisious! The edamame was great, tasted fresh, shallot, bacon pieces/fat and garlic slices all tosses together, yummy! The kobe sliders were great, we ordered them well done and they were perfect, just asked for some ketchup. Ewwwwww the onion rings, although looked awesome, were so gross! Yes, gross! They were way too thick, so thick, that when you bit into them they were raw inside. The batter made them soggy. I should have ordered the fries. The waiter even saw that we didn't even touch thoes onion rings, other than the bite we had, and didn't ask how we liked them or if he could get us something else. The unfortunate thing is, I think the waiters and even the manager (I'm assuming he was the manager because he was the only one dressed up) were too concerned about the hostesses. They were all standing there talking casually, it wasn't a meeting. Oh well, I'll still recommend, some of the food was good, kinda pricey but the atmosphere makes up for that. Don't oder the onion rings!
(3)Sebastian R.
WOW! THE BEST KOBE BURGERS IN ORANGE COUNTY, maybe even on planet earth!!! How could anyone possibly compare BLK Burgrz to In-n-Out!? NO COMPARISON! It's like comparing apples to strudels! I visited BLK Burgrz on three occasions, each experience was better than the last; and each time I visited, I took someone new to accompany me. So far, I have tried the stuffed cheese burger; the stuffed avocado burger; and the stuffed swiss bacon burger... all of them were OFF-THE-CHART AWESOME! One of my friends ordered a stuffed cheese burger, cooked medium rare, while I ordered mine well-done... both were cooked to perfection. Two of my other companions ordered the Diablo burger, and I had to have a bite... AWESOME! It's now my new fav! While I don't drink alcohol, my friends and I noticed they have a huge selection of brews on tap. Once we sat inside because their patio was packed... the other two times we sat on the patio, and the ambiance was always memorable. Each time we visited, everyone around us had a blast, and it appeared that everyone enjoyed their meals. I can assure anyone who checks our BLK Burgrz that they-too will become regulars. It's worth the drive!
(5)Aubrey J.
Soft opening, hard to deal with. My family and I attended the opening night excitedly. The food choices immediately surrounding Ladera Ranch are pretty bad so we were really happy to see that a nice burger place was opening up close by. Welp... Too bad for Laderaians this place is pretty bad. We arrived a few minutes before they opened at 6pm and waited about 45-50 minutes to sit down. The hostesses said it'd be about 20. That's not a problem, except when it is and you have a kid with you. The staff were wandering around quite a bit. While we waited our son was playing near some potted plants in the outside area and one of the owner's friends from their resource-consuming party said maybe he shouldn't play with the plants. I let her know as soon as we get a seat, it wouldn't be a thing. Go enjoy your chardonnay Lucile. Our waitress was unbelievably slow and uncommunicative. Appetizer was grey tuna "ahi" dry as a bone. We mentioned it was not ok, and she said alright and took the plate. No mention as to what would happen next. The burgers (mine was $21) showed up around the 1 hour 45minute mark and they were just alright. Slaters 50/50 kills this place. The beef was plain, the bread was alright. The whole thing was nothing special and absolutely not $21 worth. She brought another plate of less dried out "ahi" about 20 minutes after the first and it was still incredibly dry. We asked it to be sent back and not returned. I asked for a drink that was on the menu, yet it was unavailable. Drinks went, and stayed, empty during our stay at our table. Everyone was overall pretty nice, but being nice while you're trashing our evening doesn't really matter. We escaped before our kiddo melted down and they billed us for the Ahi hilariously. After a discussion it was removed, as was this restaurant's ability to receive my patronage. My wife and I agreed to give it one more shot, sans-kiddo. If it can crawl out of 1-star land I'll post an update. If not... I'm sure this spot will head to the Ladera boneyard.
(1)Roland A.
I went for dinner on November 18. I was seated immediately at the bar, which was fine since I was by myself. The two guys behind the bar were nice, friendly and professional. I placed my order about 6:10 pm. Soon I learned that they didn't have the Quinoa burger, which I had ordered. So I put in another order - something easy - a burger straight from the menu. I waited, and waited, and waited. At about 6:45 I was given a basket of chips. At about 7, I was told that my burger was being plated and would be out soon. About 7:10, the people who were next to me, who arrived 20 minutes AFTER me, got their food. I asked my dinner and the bar tender sent someone to check on it. By 7:15 I received my dinner. The delay in getting food is unacceptable and speaks to a management issue.
(2)Matt H.
We walked out after waiting about 10 min for a table when the place is pretty empty! It's kinda strange the host is in the back part of the patio took me a second to find them. Once we got menus it's $18 for a burger that only comes with 4 toppings its an extra $1 for cheese and additional toppings plus 75¢ for sauces like thousand island that's really over priced you'll be spending about $22 for a burger more or less! Doubt ill come back for that price. However they did say the menus change but if the prices stay that high this place won't be around very long. Sad because Ladera needs some good places to eat.
(1)William P.
Not sure why this place gets only 3 stars. Sure it's expensive but the outdoor space is excellent and the meal we had there a couple of Saturdays ago was great. We each had one of the stuffed burgers and found them to be well prepared and great tasting. Service was fine, even for a busy Saturday night. Nice beer selection. We will be back.
(4)Rich Z.
Pretty solid burgers but it's hard to justify $100 for a family of 4. I'm sure the high rent of Ladera Ranch forces them to charge the prices they do. Worth going to once in a while.
(3)Amber T.
I love this place! Burgers are gourmet and ambiance is very hip and cool. Staff was attentive and friendly and food was delicious! Family friendly but also great for date nights. A bit pricey but well worth it!
(5)Lisa M.
We were so excited to see a new restaurant in Ladera. The atmosphere is great and they did an amazing job re-working an awkward space. We sat down in the patio area on a beautiful sunny day, football games on a few TVs nearby and an extensive menu of beers...all good! We turned our attention to the food menu. We love The Counter so we were comfortable with the build your own approach until we saw that the burger we constructed would have a price tag of $22!!!! We pay $12 for the same burger at The Counter. The starting price for a burger is $17 and that comes with 4 basic toppings. Each "exotic" topping is $1...yes, cheese is extra! So sad. I really wanted to love this place, but I won't be back.
(2)Michael P.
Good burgers (not exceptional) and setting. Big improvement from other restaurants that failed at this location. Still, at $17+ per burger it will be hard to become a regular for a hamburgers joint. If it comes down to Island's or BLK, Islands is going to get me 4/5 times. Service was great and friendly staff. Clean and well maintained. Family friendly.
(3)Stevo L.
This place rocks. The food is fabulous and the alcohol selection is wonderful. The prices are better now, as they allow all the great toppings without the cost. On another note, hello people, the food is good, you have to pay more for quality. Large portions friendly service. They are working out the early bugs. I love this place! Did I mention the bar is cozy?
(5)JV S.
The hours posted are incorrect, the hours on yelp only fit certain days. Went out of my way..
(2)E C.
We went between usual meal times on a Sunday. Great food. Good service. The complimentary chips are super yummy. I had a beef salad. It was fantastic.
(5)OtherOCHW H.
My family and I visited BLK burgerz with the rest of Ladera Ranch on one of their first nights being newly open. It was crowded and we had to wait a little longer to be seated but the venue is small and like I said, everyone in Ladera had the same idea that night. When we finally sat, we were greeted many times by various staff who spent the evening refilling our drinks, asking if we needed anything, and refilling our kettle chips over and over. I love the concept of building your own burger. My hamburger bun was soft and fresh and the Kobe beef burger was soft. The burger was cooked to my specifications and there were endless possibilities in the burgers one could enjoy, thanks to their many options on the menu. I love the ambiance and the restaurant was lively with a good energy. The meal took awhile to come out so the restaurant ended up comping our entire meal! They apologized profusely and were more than accommodating and hospitable. To people who complain about the wait, it was opening week and you were warned there would be a wait. Maybe someone who was royally bugged by this should choose to come after the restaurant has been open for a few months. We were also told that the food and menu was part of a "soft opening", meaning they could make changes and adjustments based on these first few weeks. So to leave a negative review at this stage is just bad karma. All in all an impeccable experience!
(5)Cheri H.
There aren't many great restaurants in the Ladera/Mission Viejo area so we were pleasantly surprised after having a meal at BLK Burgrz this afternoon. This is a build your own burger place with plenty of choices including many healthy alternatives to a big juicy Kobe burger. Burgers are not cheap but they are good, try splitting one. Kudos to our server Jordan! We let him know it was our first time at BLK and he went out of his way to explain all of the options. Coming from a culinary background, it's always great to see an employee "sell" the restaurant and I mean that in a good way. We're looking forward to our next visit. Well done BLK and Jordan!
(4)Michael E.
To those that gave this place anything less than 4 stars: how can you sleep at night? BLK makes GREAT food, and has, frankly, the best service I've seen in a budding restaurant in Orange County, period. A nice gentleman by the name of Robert served us, and I was blown away by not only his attention to detail, but the friendly and professionally manner with which he handled my family's table. My burger was phenomenal, the service was first rate, and I'll be damned if I don't visit again. To anyone asking, I recommend the Kobe burger with a side of onion rings--best burger AND onion rings I've had in OC. Thank you BLK--we'll be back soon!
(5)Asile A.
I give this place a 4* based on atmosphere alone! We all love hanging out here. Not as thrilled with the 'have to do it our way' when ordering a burger. They make it WAY too hard. However the food is yummy once you are over the drama of giving your order. The drinks are okay, nothing to rave about but this is where the food does make up for the less than average drink.
(4)Trip T.
Came here with my wife and daughter...here's the bullet point review. The Good - Potato Chips Wait Staff Stuffed Burgers The Not So Good - Almost the whole place is outside (brrr) The non-stuffed burger was ok...not great. The prices. Wow. Ouch goes the wallet. Overall, not bad. Maybe a once every great once in awhile kind of place...at least until the weather warms up! It's not bad...but the high prices cost a star, along with the fact that even many of the indoor seats are partially outside.
(3)Debbir K.
My husband and I went last night (3-14) for the second Friday in a row. We tried the Mac and Cheese starter which was ok. We split a stuffed Swiss cheese burger and we liked it. But again, just ok. Not as juicy I would have like. The thing that we didn't enjoy were the fries. I had read a review in the local newspaper about them being some of the best in Orange County. Double fried. Well, ours were limp and cold when we got them. Like they were the last few left in the batch. I would think double fried would be crispy. The night was beautiful and the patio was so nice. A three piece band started playing at 6:30, so that was really enjoyable. We will probably go back again just for the ambience.
(3)Jennie B.
I so wanted to love this place. It had great decor and a great atmosphere. We went on a Friday night about 6pm and it was pretty busy. Mostly big parties. They have lots of outdoor seating which is nice but it was full. We sat inside. Menu was extensive and the cheapest burger is $18. You can add basically any toppings you want. I had the Kobe buyer on a pretzel bun. Sounds good right? Well the bun had been topped with wet lettuce so it soaked all the water up before it got to me so the bun texture was terrible and soggy. I couldn't get over the wet texture it had. Also the burger was ordered medium and it was more rare than anything. I picked it apart and it seemed squishy and red all through it. The kids meals were nice and the fries and the beer selection was good. They have some basics to work out to be a great place. Hope they can figure it out!
(2)