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An essential San Diego burger shop, Hayes Burger opened in 2020 on Logan Avenue near Barrio Logan’s Chicano Park and is launching its second location Wednesday, March 6 on Adams Avenue in Normal Heights. It was immediately embraced by the neighborhood and the burger-loving public for its tasty smash burgers, simply dressed with fresh lettuce, tomato, and burger sauce, made with USDA prime Angus chuck beef patties sandwiched in brioche buns. The Adams Avenue restaurant retains the same streamlined menu — just a burger, a cheeseburger, and a double cheeseburger — with optional mustard-fried patties or the addition of chopped chiles gueros (which also top the popular Jimi (Hendrix) spicy fries), plus housemade habanero ketchup. Co-owner Jose Honold, who grew up grilling burgers at his grandfather’s Burgers and Beer in El Centro, operates Hayes Burger with partners Alejandro Ballesteros and Ernesto Villaneuva; the Normal Heights space is decorated with works by artists local to San Diego and Tijuana, offers more indoor and outdoor seating than the original, includes a secret patio behind the kitchen, and the partners say they plan to open more locations in the future. - Helen I. Hwang