Visitors to San Diego are likely unaware of the burger war going on in our fine city.

We’ve already reviewed Hodad’s and Crazee Burger, two of my personal favorite burger joints. And yet the word on the street is that Burger Lounge may indeed have the best burger in town. What makes Burger Lounge unique is that all of their beef is grass feed. Essentially, this means that the meat isn’t fatten on grain nor pumped full of hormones to get them to market faster and fatter. This makes for a unique flavored burger that is both lean and flavorful.

A visit to Burger Lounge is a minimalistic experience. From decor to food offerings the look and feel is quite different from your typical busy burger joint. They have a shallow menu, few tables, and only a few beverage offerings. What they lack in depth they attempt to make up for in quality. The burgers are good, the seating is unique, and the beverage options are great.

I have to disclose, this review took two trips. With much anticipation we visited a few weeks back and it didn’t go well. While the flavor of our food was fine and the quality of the experience was great… we were all disappointed with messy burgers. The burgers simply fell all over the plate and we ended up with a tasty mess that left us disappointed. At the urging on some friends we went back and gave it another shot.

The second trip was great. Our burgers were tasty and our experience was much more relaxed and enjoyable. During both trips we took our kids and the staff was very happy to make it a fun experience for the kids.

I will continue the debate like this. For the one of the best burgers we’ve had in San Diego, head to Burger Lounge. It’s not our favorite overall burger joint experience, but the burgers themselves are tasty and lean. (About the only burger our picky daughter will actually eat.) Fries and onion rings are lacking… like they should take them off the menu! Get a salad to complete the SoCal vibe.

Sometimes there are eateries where you have to weigh the trouble of getting there and getting a table with the quality of food. El Indio fits that category. After three separate attempts to eat there we finally made it inside on a Saturday afternoon. Dial up your patience before taking a trip to this one.

El Indio is a taco shop that has reached institutional status among San Diego locals. Legendary. It is close to downtown, (just off of Washington St.) close to the airport, and has long been popular with the nightlife crowd as a great place to grab a bite before heading out. Since El Indio has been around a long time and the food has always been good, this place is mecca to San Diego residents. It’s always on the list of places to visit for those who moved away from San Diego and come back to visit.

The food: The reason there is a line out the door all day every day is the food. Trust me when I say that the hassle of finding parking and waiting in line is worth it. For a first visit I’d suggest the carne asada buritto. Amazing flavors, built-in spices, and large enough to be a meal unto itself. I don’t think I’ve had a better carne asada burrito and I use them as a measuring device for taco shops. It provides the standard by which all others are judged against. If you need traditional sides of rice and beans you’ll be satisfied with these staples but they are not noteworthy. Instead, make sure to get freshly made guacamole and chips as they are fantastic.

Getting there: If you’re from out-of-town and staying at a downtown hotel, I’d recommend getting a cab. There are several popular places on this block and the parking situation is horrible. If you are going out to El Indio before going out to the clubs you’ll want a cab anyway… so save yourself the frustration and leave the rental car in the parking lot. Other than that, expect a fast-food styled line and limited seating. There is some additional outdoor seating across the street. If it is warm you may want to consider that as well.

Overall: This little joint lives up to the hype. If your trip to San Diego is going to explore taco shops, I’d recommend starting here to get a primer for what is to come. Great flavor, fun vibe, and rock bottom prices. (A rarity in San Diego) If you’re staying in a hotel I’d highly suggest getting a bag of chips, some salsa, and fresh guacamole to keep in your hotel room. You’ll be craving this stuff in no time!

As a border community, San Diego is filled with excellent Mexican eateries. From the neighborhood taco shop to the high end offerings downtown, we have lots to choose from. As you can imagine this makes it hard to stick out. Mario’s in La Mesa is unique enough to stick out. Let’s look at three things that make Mario’s an East County favorite.

Location: This spot takes “neighborhood restaurant” seriously. It looks like a house from the outside. Feels like a house on the inside. In fact, I’m pretty sure that this building started out life as a house. It also serves as a gateway to a neighborhood. There’s both a good and a bad side to a neighborhood location. With a tiny parking lot, you will likely have to find street parking. Also, the dining areas are pretty small. So expect a wait at high traffic times and if you have a group of more than eight… well, I’d like to see how they handled that. Maybe the patio?

Home-style: Before we went to Mario’s we had heard two must have items on the menu. First, the carne asada platter. Second, tamales. The former lived up to its billing while the latter was good but not superb. (Not sure why tamales were covered in sauce, we didn’t like it.) Besides the menu items there are a couple of things that make Mario’s amazing. The chips and salsa are fantastic. While it’s just an expected condiment at a Mexican restaurant these stood out as especially good. Also, diners were given a taster of fruit salad. The fruit salad was fantastic and added to the family-factor of our time there.

Also atypical on the menu is home-style Mexican breakfast. If you’ve never tried that it is worth the trip to La Mesa alone.

Service: The waitstaff was great! While busy during our visit I was surprised at the attention we were given. Courtesy, prompt, friendly, and knowledgeable. These are all words we thought of to describe the service we received.

Quintessential San Diego Burger Joint. That’s the phrase that comes to mind about for our families visit to Hodad’s in Ocean Beach. Our morning started off with a walk out to the end of Ocean Beach Pier and we got back just in time for lunch.

By 11:45 AM the place was packed! We waited a couple of minutes and soon found ourselves in a booth, menus in hand. As we placed our drink order we began to take in the decor. Man, this place is a place to explore! My kids counted 7 surf boards hanging from the ceiling or plastered to the wall. There are literally hundreds of license plates and beach signs plastered everywhere.The decoration even extends to the bathrooms!

A few minutes after we placed our order the food started to arrive. Seriously, lightning quick food and great servers! Three of us ordered burgers, which were great, and my son ordered a side of fries. All of us were completely full. We all felt like the fries were the highlight of what we ordered. On our next trip we will try the onion rings, we’re told they are fantastic as well. I also enjoyed a pint, which seemed to amplify the whole experience just a enough. (Great selection of beers on tap!) This is another one of those places where the experience is half the fun. We were there for an early lunch and there was an electric atmosphere.

Overall, I think Hodad’s lives up to the hype. It exceeded our high expectations! A lot of people call this one of the best burger joints in town and I have to agree. When you come make sure you leave yourself with plenty of time as there is often a line going down the street.

Located in North Park, Urban Solace provides a unique combination of fine dining and American comfort food. That isn’t a combination you often hear about. Yet, it is a fun combination that both warms the heart and satisfies the taste buds.

With unique menu items like Duckaroni (Cheese, pasta, and duck) and “Not Your Mama’s Meatloaf” you know you’re in the hands of an experienced, confident chef. (Both of those entrees are great!) There are just enough menu items here to give everyone in your party something fun to enjoy without overwhelming you with a million choices. Add to that very reasonable prices and live music and I’m confident you’ll be pleased with a trip to Urban Solace.

But this isn’t just a place for foodies to oogle over. This is an approachable neighborhood restaurant which feels miles away from the touristy areas of the city. Located just off of University on 30th Street, it’s really easy to get to. You’ll find a combination of neighborhood residents, tourists, business folks, and locals people enjoying great food, fantastic wait staff, and a fun-loving vibe nestled into an intimate bistro-like setting.

When planning a visit to Urban Solace I’d recommend calling ahead to reserve a table. If the weather is nice I highly suggest being seated outside. Come early, enjoy a pre-meal glass of wine and save room for dessert.

Are you in San Diego with your kids and looking for an unforgettable family dining experience? Chances are, if you’ve spent the day exploring Balboa Park or playing at the beach, you are in the mood for something where you don’t have to entertain the kids… that your dinner will be both entertainment and a meal.

That’s exactly the type of day our family had when we decided to go to Corvette Diner. Among the promenade of the Hillcrest neighborhood, Corvette Diner has established itself as a fun, family-friendly hang out in a neighborhood filled with eateries of every variety. Mom and dad were tired from a day of sun and surf at Coronado Beach but our kids were fired up. We wanted a quiet evening and they wanted to be entertained. Our trip to Corvette Diner was really an ode to parenthood. We did it for the kids.

The Decor

Boy were we wrong! Corvette Diner really was fun for the whole family. As we approached the building we could tell that this was going to be a blast. The swooping 1950’s curved sign let’s you know that your evening will be representing the bygone days of Dwight Eisenhower, the twist, Skinny Elvis, and all things pre-Sputnik in America. Once you finally get a table the fun continues with turquoise, black and white checkerboard patterns, rounded corners and the centerpiece… a smoking red and white Corvette. Not to devalue the staff who works here, but they are actually part of the decor as well. Waitstaff who plays the part definitely entertains the kids. The entire time we were seated my 5 year old kept his eyes on them and gave me updates. “They are crazy, they are dancing and asking other people to dance with them!” It was a much-needed distraction. As much as mom and dad were happy that the waitstaff threw straws at customers or told someone to hurry up with their order we were much more pleased that we had a chance to talk while the kids were entertained.

The Food

True to form the Corvette Diner delivers in the greasy spoon category. I should clarify, while they have tons of items covered in cheese and knee deep in calories, they also have responsible menu items for those inclined. I even spotted a few vegetarian dishes! For the sake of the children we cast our diet aside and ordered as much artery clogging goodness as we could. Monster cheeseburgers, a mountain of fries, vanilla malts, and washed it all down with a Cherry Coke that had as much cherry as Coke.

Kids entertained, stomachs full of delicious fod, we didn’t think it could get much better. Shortly after the bill arrived it did. As I was paying the tab our table was showered with bubble gum. Nothing like taking happy, jacked up on sugar kids, and making them blow bubbles with glee to warm a parents heart for the ride home. Corvette Diner may be a little too touristy for mom and dad. But it’s a great unique place in San Diego well worth checking out.

The Good: Upon being seated, children are given complimentary balls of “play” dough (pizza dough) to keep them busy.  The menu features pizza and other Italian specialties such as pasta, sandwiches and salad.  My daughter always orders the Children’s Menu Ravioli.  Priced reasonably at $4.15, it includes a homemade Italian roll and small drink.  Sanfilippo’s pizza is thick crusted and piled with cheese.  It is close to perfection (this coming from a pizza snob).  A medium 12 1/2 inch pizza (6 slices) is more than enough food for my family of four.  At $10.75 for a medium cheese pizza, feeding the family is affordable too.

In addition to their dinner menu, Sanfilippo’s features generous daily lunch specials (1/2 Lasagna with Roll for $5.95 every Tuesday).  Meals are dine-in or take-out.  For take out orders, don’t forget to ask about their pizza to-go specials available Monday through Thursday nights after 5pm.

The Bad: 1) The wait.  Call ahead or dine early to avoid waiting.  Service is friendly but not always fast.  2) Parking.  Sanfilippo’s has a small private parking lot located behind their restaurant.  Parking along La Mesa Boulevard is a challenge due to limited meter parking.

When you think of San Diego County you may not think of good BBQ. Well, Geno’s in El Cajon will introduce you to West Coast styled BBQ in a fun way. Situated on Main Street in El Cajon, the exterior of the building makes it clear that this used to be a Taco Bell. Inside you’ll find a small seating area with a local vibe.

The menu at Geno’s is pretty basic. My favorite sandwich is the Wipe Out. This pulled pork sandwich covered in cole slaw is a little messy but has great flavor. If you’d like to continue the exploration allow me to suggest a side of mashed potatoes. Together they make an awesome comfort food package.

I don’t want to kid you into thinking this is the best place in East County. It’s not. But if you are in El Cajon and you’d like to avoid the plethora of chains and greasy spoons, Geno’s is a solid addition to your repertoire.

Bringing the fun of Mexico to San Diego Lucha Libre is a great little taco shop located just north of downtown San Diego in the Mission Hills neighborhood. The first thing that will smack you in the head about this place is the wrestling theme. Lucha libre, Spanish for free fighting, is a form of professional wrestling practiced in Mexico and Latin America. If you liked Jack Black’s Nacho Libre than you’ll love the decor of this place.

The Good: As far as the food goes I was completely satisfied. Gourmet tacos, great salsas, Jarritos, and the infamous TJ hotog. What is a TJ hotdog? This is an all-beef dog, wrapped in bacon and swamped in grilled onions, ketchup, mustard, and mayo. This is one of those things you just have to try when you visit. At just $1.50 it’s worth it even if you just take one bite. The thing that makes Lucha Libre truly unique is the wrestling decor. Hot pink seats, wrestling posters and movies, masks, belts, and of course an area reserved for the champion. You’ll want to bring a camera and snap some photos of your group eating the TJ hotdog here. Price wise this may be the best deal in San Diego. Specialty tacos are less than $4 each. Even the hungriest of families is going to come up at less than $10 per person.

The Bad: If success in the restaurant business is based on location, location, location, than these guys are in trouble. The shop is small, seating about 30, and parking can be an issue.  The flip side of their location is that it’s really close to the airport. When we pick up friends from out-of-town we make Lucha Libre our first stop and indoctrination into San Diego.

Lucha Libre Taco Shop

If you venture to only one restaurant off the beaten path in San Diego, it should be Crazee Burger in North Park. Tucked into a nondescript brick building on 30th Street between El Cajon Boulevard and University Avenue is the up-and-coming wine bar recently featured on the Food Network’s Diner, Drive-ins and Dives.

I’m not sure which category Crazee Burger fits into, but we’ll call it a dive bar. Technically, chef Lothar Manz and his co-creator Wolfgang Peter Schlicht label this place a wine bar. While they seem to have a great selection of both, in my four visits I’ve never had a glass of wine or one of of the many beers on tap. Let’s face a fact… with a name like “Crazee Burger” and the media attention to the burgers I’d prefer to talk about the food than the beverage.

Now, let’s talk about the burgers. With 33 burgers to chose from chef Lothar has something for everyone. There are two basic categories. First, you have your beef hamburgers with themed toppings. My favorite is the Aloha burger. It’s a great burger topped with a pineapple ring, Teriaki sauce, and swiss cheese. Second, you’ve got the adventurous burgers. This is where the fun begins. A few of my favorites. The Santorini burger is half beef, half lamb, and topped with homemade Tsatsiki sauce. The Gator burger is grilled alligator meat topped with a sweet curry fruit topping. The thing that strikes me about this exotic burger is how sweet it is! And the Kangaroo burger. If you didn’t know it was Kangaroo you’d think it was just lean beef. What really makes this burger stand out is the great creamy horseradish sauce. All of the burgers come with a side of fries which are memorable because they are topped with Parmesan cheese.

Crazee Burger is one of those places where the enitre experience is the meal. From waiting in line and ordering from their fantastic staff at the bar, to finding a table in the tight seating area, to the uniquely local and quirky art on the walls, to one of the owners pitching in to deliver orders to tables… Crazee Burger is a 360 degree San Diego experience.

Great burgers, fun atmosphere, and nightly happy hour should escalate Crazee Burger to the top of anyone’s list of places to visit in San Diego. My only fear is that it’ll get too popular and I’ll have to wait longer for a table. Let me make one last suggestion for Crazee burger. Go with a group of friends and each order something different. When the food comes, share!