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.

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!