50 Best Burger Restaurants in Oakland

“I love Lana's! It's my favorite ice cream shop - so much so I went there for my birthday. The staff are super friendly and the flavors are superb. Banana Oreo and Lilikoi (passion fruit) are definitely my favorite. Shout out to the crew today for keeping my pint cold as I ate my waffle cone outside :)“

“It's inside the Swan Market.We ordered a pork katsu curry, but the pork was a little bit tough. The sauce is a black curry, not the usual curry taste, stronger (but not spicier) and more the taste of soy sauce but without the saltiness (?)“

“I tried the double burger which is half pounder with caramelized onion and dill pickles. Every ingredients make a fabulous harmony in my mouth and the tater tots were “THE FINALE” I’m gonna come back for the Warriors Breakfast burger which has sunny side up egg on burger!!!!!!! And cheese curds!!!! Gotta check this place frequently. Love can’t describe this place, I wanna gate-keep this place.

Kid-friendliness: Server shows enormous love to kids. He becomes crown for them all the time“

“Hella lit. Great taste and awesome prices, the salt and pepper fries are delicious too. Very happy that West Oakland is getting some food joints, and not just more weed dispensaries.

Kid-friendliness: Kids were there after soccer practice/or a soccer game“

“Love the food and the community!!“

“great juicy burger, thick creamy shake and the amazing garlic fries 🍟“

“My picky husband really liked the veggie burger 😊“

“Easy to recommend despite the price floor, can't imagine spending under twenty for the basics of eggs and toast here after tax and tip which does fit California but not quite the high crime rate risks of this area. Will hope these great people can stick it out, we were taken care of quickly and had no issues from the attentive staff. Took to a good selection, pancakes, French toast, egg scramble, and avocado toast, showed up timely and looking too ripe for the grams. I noticed my crispy thick bread upholding big standards for bakeries. Delicious and savory, the others had no complaints either unless it's four dollar for a biscuit? That must be the inflation I keep hearing about! I suppose we hitting above our weight zone for the morning but it felt right to treat ourselves to first class. It's a splendid space and open wood, big windows, and lots of texture gives clean easy going vibes for a fun atmosphere. Parking wasn't too bad for a late Saturday morning but can bet it's not the easiest normally.“

“I drove by a handful of spots and places looked shady. Decided to stop at Seawolf for a beverage. Ended up ordering a cheese ? and added ? from Willie’s kitchen. It was surprisingly really good!
I’m Always looking for a good spot when I’m on the road, and I will be back to this place..

I should’ve taken a photo! ?“

“So amazing! This place always brings back my great memory. When I came first time to Oakland 25 years ago, this place was my first time to have a real hamburger in my life. And after many years, the taste never changes. Actually better every time I come again. I love this place so much!“

“If you are interested in old school burgers where you can still order medium rare, and the burgers actually come medium rare, this the place. The burgers are huge and of high quality beef. The price includes fries, but I like the fact that with a very small upcharge I was able to sub 1/2 sweet potato fries and half onion rings, also very good and made to order. Finally, their milkshakes are great. I took one star off for atmosphere, but that’s because there was a basekball game going on and was a bit loud; however the other patrons were watching the game so I can’t really fault them. The guy that runs the place is always so friendly and appreciative of my business.“

“Ordered online and received the food immediately after arriving. I asked for a holder, and they took a box with a little bit of ketchup packets and emptied it and placed my drinks and food inside. The food itself was amazing, large portions, plenty of flavor. 10/10 would recommend.“

“The melt just might be my new fav in Oakland! The food was outstanding, everything was fresh. the burgers were juicy even without mayo and I love mayo.. spicy melt sauce sooo good! and can we please not forget about the service 10 out of 10 babyyyyy Shay is that girl! She definitely made us feel welcomed and well taken care of. The staff is amazing thank you again!“

“great juicy burger, thick creamy shake and the amazing garlic fries 🍟“

“Hands down best Gyro I’ve had since visiting Denmark. The seasoned fries paired with their ranch and smokey barbecue sauces were divine. The atmosphere is very friendly and the dine-in aesthetic was quaint. HIGHLY recommend OakTown Kabobs with my boy Farzad.“

“Oh my!!!. One of the best Bacon Cheeseburgers myself has had in a long while!. Love this Emil's Burger & Breakfast!!!. GO!!! JALAPENOS!!!.“

“Their cheeseburger was what you'd expect a standard cheeseburger to be, simple classic, and tasty. It was a fresh, well put together cheeseburger, not big and heavy, greasy, or sloppy like other burgers out there. I didn't feel guilty about eating this. It came with fries included. The fries were nice and hot. Wait time was a bit longer than expected, but the end result was a delicious meal. The restaurant and kitchen appeared to be very clean. Staff was friendly and kept me updated on how much longer the wait would be.“

“Ballpark chaser and saw this place and the ratings. Parking was convenient, place was empty but the service was great. We were told they were only doing To-Go orders so they could close early, otherwise they'd get a 5 star review.
Got the double burger all the way with pepper jack and it was absolutely delicious, curly fries were great, regular fries were ok.“

“Good place for salads. The downside is that the burger meat is shrinking and getting thinner to match their burger buns.Today was my last day of wasting money on their almost paper-thin burgers. I'll still patronize them for salads and occasionally a shake“

“Great beer and the most delicious burger I've ever had“

“Amazing staff and teh best burger in town!“

“This place absolutely rocks. It’s exactly the kind of neighborhood spot you hope to find - super high quality food but with a totally casual vibe and excellent price point. Jerk Salmon was exceptional. Owner was hella nice too. So glad we found our new fav spot!“

“Best strawberry shake I've had in a long time. Chili cheese fries were really good, but the fries needed to be cooked longer. Philly cheesesteak is super solid. Very good. Fresh ingredients. Everything was made fresh, and I love that for me. Lol. I'll be back this week for another shake.“

“Today was my first visit! The food was great!! Freshly prepared for each order. I had to call them and let them know! All good!“

“Love eating on the Sun porch and the refills on the ice tea!“

“even they took awhile for the order yesterday I had some problems chili cheese fries was nasty I'm warmed them up in microwave and they were gross filming the garbage man“

“Legitimately one of the best places I have ever eaten. The food is fresh, hot, and made to order, with something on the menu for everyone (I'm a vegetarian and was almost fooled by the impossible burger being real beef because it was that good). Will be returning - I wish I could eat here every day!“

“Was 1/4 pound talking about the patty or the Mayonnaise? It was hard for me to tell. I looked like I was the recipient of a burgerkake event by the end of it. Order Could've included a lifeguard on the side for all the mayo I was swimming through. I don't like to be harsh and I want to support this business. Overall it was a really good meal, location and vintage feel of the place was heartwarming and comforting. Ingredients were quality for the most part. I don't eat burgers often so usually prefer it to be an exceptional experience. I couldn't get passed the excessive mayo that lubricated and coated my whole throat and insides. Otherwise a pretty standard experience.*Ordered April 15th around 1:15p.m“

“First time here today with my son. I had an English Muffin with egg, cheese and sausage. I was pleasently surprised with the portion size and felt it was a great deal for the price. My son 11 yr old had a breakfast burrito and could barely finish it and he's a big eater. Friendly staff, good prices, big portions of tasty food, pretty sure I'm going to spending some more time here soon!“

“Great burgers and curly fries! Clean and well spaced tables.“

“I Love the burgers yummy,, the staff so nice ..“

“Mama’s is always fabulous! Great food, great people. What more can you ask for??“

“I have been stopping by the restaurant at least once a week for breakfast since 2023. all the breakfast menu items are great. you will be pleased with what ever you select.“

“Mangonada, nieve de garrafa, raspados, bionicos, tostilocos, tejuinos“

“Had a first date at this place. Didn't realize at the time that they do comedy on Thursdays. I will be going back for comedy on Thursday with or without my date. The service was fantastic. The bartender was very attentive and listened. Maybe a little too much! (Ha!) But he took my order answered all my questions and the food was tasty. Not spectacular but tasty. I will definitely be going back!“

“I absolutely love this place. It is ten feet from new apartment front door and their food is AMAZING. Family owned and operated with amazing kindness and quality. I've been there just about every day since moving here and have yet to get tired of their menu. 20 out of 10 recommend.“

“A truly amazing burger. I've tried several options on the menu and they're all great. The place is definitely homey and warm but it feels a little gritty and grizzled as well. The price is a little high for a burger that may actually be worth it but, it's an important consideration. Oh yeah, they have beers too.“

“Great metal bar in Oakland with a massive courtyard, and makes you stop wondering where all the cute boys went! A nice reprieve from the steadily wealthier and wealthier Oakland scene, nobody is talking about their new sportscar here and lots of space to see great music most of it metal. 🎸 (though the last 2 metal guys I know who played here were pretty loaded now that I think of it one of them worked at nvidia and the other was a graduate degree engineer from my office ) there’s a baywheels bike share nearby in case you’re scared of leaving your bike locked up here. The courtyard has great seating for people watching, maybe if we do magic incantations all the cool art school girls who have great taste in music will return!“

“I had a belly burrito add shrimp✊🏽💯 it was🔥🔥couldnt finish it #fakefatguy nowadays😅socially distant👍🏽in door seating as well as outdoor great food gud service #getchusum“

“had eggs jaqueline. was superb.“

“Barney’s is what it is. It’s a Bay Area institution. The burgers are reliably good. The sides are good, but also be aware that sides are separate. If you order a burger, fries, and a drink, you’ll be close or over $30. Not unreasonable for Piedmont Avenue, but I know plenty of people that are frustrated at the idea of buying fries on principle, so beware if that’s how you feel. Atmosphere is the worst part because 1. There’s often a faint stickiness to tables, 2. I’ve always seen at least one fly buzzing around (typically near the window seats), 3. Acoustics suck.“

“This is what all mom and pop restaurants should be like. You can literally taste the love in every bite. Everything they serve is fantastic. You won’t be disappointed. I am, very emphatically, including the deep-fried Oreos in that statement. Worth the drive and definitely worth the price.“

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“I absolutely recommend this place.“

“Pupusas are made fresh. Get your revueltas, or jalapeno y queso here. Takes 15 minutes or so to make so come ready. 2.50 for any pupusas. Tacos here are also delicious, comes with a lot of meat and very well flavored. 2.00 each. Horchata isn't super sweet which I like but cost 3.00 each.“

“It’s is a calm atmosphere with great service“

“Good vibes! Will definitely be back!!“

“The Good:

This place has excellent food! The tuna sandwich was phenomenal and the eggs benny were pretty good! The coffee is fresh, hot, and delicious. Service was quick, and the food came out exactly on time. The ambiance is pretty good, with decent decor and clean surfaces.

The bad:

The service is... mixed. The waitstaff are not very outgoing but that's hardly a concern. They do check to make sure things are in stock and that means a lot.

The ugly:

Breakfast ran $50 for 2, so it's not cheap eats. But for a special treat, totally worth it!“

“Great food and great prices. You will have to wait but for the amount of food you’re getting, it’s a good deal. They also know how to season their food.
My favorites are the burgers, chicken tenders, and Philly Cheesesteak (with everything on it). And their fries are often fresh and crispy!

Ask for extra BBQ sauce, it’s made in house

—— Update 2 years later

Still my go to spot. They don’t sell their BBQ sauce anymore but God do I miss it. They also have added chicken and waffles to the menu!“