Director's Cut ( Project Burger )

This has become our favorite burger spot in Alameda, and that didn’t happen by accident.

First: the food. The burgers are ginormous—the kind where, if the owner hears you’re still hungry, he takes it as a personal challenge. Black & Blue burger? Excellent. Mama Mix? A go-to. Fish tacos, chicken sandwich, milkshakes—everything is consistently good. He knows how to do both spicy and not-spicy well, with real flavor, not just heat and does his best to adapt his menu to accommodatediet preferences. We’ve reached the point where we sometimes just say, “Surprise me,” and it always works out.

Then there’s the service, which honestly sets this place apart. Some of the best customer service we’ve ever experienced—on the phone and in person. Very personable, very human. He knows how to engage warmly, but also how to step back and let families or groups just enjoy their time together. Community-minded in a way that feels genuine, not performative.

He supports local art (including kids’ artwork), keeps the bathrooms clean, and has a couple of cozy seating areas—including a back space with TVs near the bar area. He’s essentially a one-stop shop: cooking, customer service, running the place himself. You might see a helper occasionally, but it’s mostly just him—and it shows how much care he puts into everything.

What really sealed it for us is how kind he is with kids—letting them peek at the cooking process when things are calm, explaining what he’s doing, treating them with respect. We only come in about once a month, so we’re not even “regular regulars,” and we’re still treated like neighbors.

Big-hearted, community-focused, and serving some of the best burgers around. Highly recommend.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: California Burger, Kafta Burger, Grass Fed Beef Burger All Toppings, Fish Tacos, Chicken Sandwich, French Fries, Mama's Mix Burger, Hand Cut Sweet Potato Fries, Black and Blu, Hand Cut Fries

Updated Review - my initial experience at Project Burger was excellent, and earned it a 5 star review, but tonight’s experience was honestly a waste of time and money.

We placed our order at 6:20pm and it took till 7:10pm to get our food. The owner is also the order taker, cook, and table buser; and the restaurant was busier than the day we initially dined. If business continues to do well he honestly should hire one other person to help with order taking and bus tables. Additionally, customers who placed their order after us received their food first.

When we finally received our food the whole meal seemed like it was made in haste. Very poor quality cook on the burger patty itself. My patty was undercooked on the inside, and the exterior was burnt (meaning he had no control of the heat on the stove, it was set too high so the outside cooked faster than the inside.) My boyfriend’s patty was completely raw looking, he refuses to complain when we eat out; but I offered him airborne when we got home to kill any potential germs from the underdone patty and he took me up on that offer.

Additionally, the owner/ cook totally ripped us off on the fries. We ordered 2 sides of fries with our burger, costing an additional $5.95 each. He came out with one tray of fries and said “I made enough for the both of you.” Respectfully Sir, what you gave us to share was the single order of fries that you price at $7.95. We were not served $12 worth of fries.

Waiting 50 minutes for our food to be served undercooked & burnt patties, and get ripped off on fries is absolutely unacceptable. We didn’t even get compensated in some way for patiently waiting without a single complaint as long as we did. Docking to a 2 review due to lack of consistency for a return visit.

If you want better service and good food - go on a week night no one cares to really dine out on. If you walk in and the place is busy leave (unless you see he’s hired help) it’s not worth it.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 1

DEFINITELY a well-built burger. And I do mean well built. It tasted like they put some Real LUV (to quote Jody Watley) in the process. Interestingly they offer real sugar soft drinks not the crap sodas that are typically offered. I threatened the owner that I would come back, I'll make good on that sooner than later

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

A remarkable burger cooked to perfection on a flame grill. skin-on fries with just the right amount of salt. Super friendly and sweet owner (?) who made us feel like regulars. a surprisingly varied menu with something for everyone. Mixed greens and fresh tomatoes, toasted seeded buns, special sauce...delightful.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Very high end / not a normal burger. I recommend the halal lamb burger, it's very large and high quality. Some nice beers on tap. Yeah, Definitely not Mickeys. I would definitely recommend.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Hand Cut Fries

The burger is divine! The proprietor is humble, generous, and clearly skilled at his craft. Will be back.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This is the best burger I’ve had in the Bay Area. Might even be the best I’ve had ever. The sauce is amazing, they don’t skimp on the pickles, the burger is charred perfectly. It’s basically 10/10 on all fronts. The service is super fast, and it’s not one of those BS gourmet burgers. It’s a true classic burger. Do yourself a favor and just go here if you’re reading this review.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

World class burger with an even better owner who treated us like family! Definitely make sure you are prepared to walk away (or roll) absolutely stuffed.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Husam, the owner, is a great guy and runs a great burger joint next to the movie theatre. Good burger. Good service. Always recommend. Can get slammed at lunch time for Alameda High. Come before you got to a movie.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: California Burger, Burger, Wagyu

Definitely my new favorite burger spot on the island. I got the Black and Blu burger and it was delicious, juicy, and flavorful. The fries were also really good. It’s a little on the pricey side for a burger and fries but definitely worth paying the premium for the food you’re getting

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Amazing burgers and fries. We had a bacon blue and a regular cheeseburger. Both were incredible. Fries were cooked fresh right when we ordered (we are major fry snobs) and were fabulous. Owner was friendly and generous. Highly recommend.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

What an amazing burger. I had the California and enjoyed it so much. The seasoning and sauce were perfect. Every bite was moist and the avocodo was so creamy. Highly recommend!

Also— I would say its the best chocolate shake/fry combo in town. 😍

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Flew from Texas for Sleep Token & ended up at Project Burger in Alameda —

The burger? YEESSSSSS — juicy, flavorful, perfectly seared, with that buttery toasted bun that just melts right. Fries? Golden, crispy, and seasoned perfection .

The staff was genuinely kind — not “corporate nice,” but real-people nice — the kind that makes female travelers feel completely at ease. The vibe was calm, cozy, and safe (which means everything when you’re traveling solo or as woman). Easy parking too, park in the garage….$3 for 4 hours ~after 5pm posted free. no sketchy side streets, just chill, good energy from start to finish…and walkable streets to look around the area.

And……. let’s be honest — once iii gets a bite of these burgers and hand cut fresh fries, he won’t be asking for late-night pizza post-concert (Portland ) munchies ever again. 🍔😅🤘🔥

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I had an amazing experience at Project Burger on Alameda Island. The burger was truly top-notch, made with fresh ingredients and packed with bold flavors. The atmosphere was welcoming and stylish, making my meal even more enjoyable. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a gourmet burger experience. I’ll definitely be coming back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Best burger in Alameda. We love them. Always friendly and the food is delicious. The very is very nice guy. We will come back.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5