Hodad's Downtown

I’ve been eating at Hodad’s for years, whenever I visit San Diego. I still believe that this is the best burger you can get in SD. You can taste the freshness and tenderness in the beef and vegetables to a whole other level. The atmosphere can be polarizing but I’m a huge fan of the plastered stickers and license plates everywhere. The service every time has been wonderful, too. It’s a great spot. That being said… they are just getting way too expensive. $21 for a double burger with no sides or a drink, is a bit much. There is a service charge of 3%, but then you are also expected to leave a tip. I don’t get that part at all. I get that these days prices are high, but so is the competition, and for $20+ my burger should at least have a side order and a small soft drink. I don’t remember them being this expensive in the past. Overall, amazing food and great service/atmosphere, so they deserve the 5 stars, but the menu prices and additional service fees are far too high. As much as I love the food, I probably won’t be returning until these prices are figured out.

My favorite Burger place All Time. We've been away for 3 years now. I had to come here and have a Burger during our San Diego vacation. I had the Blue Jay Burger; bacon cheeseburger with Blue cheese sauce and grilled onions. So Tasty. My wife had the Chicken Burger Fried with Crispy Bacon. It was very delicious. I always recommend this restaurant. The staff is Awesome and super Cool. The place has a Down to Earth San Diego Vibe.

Definitely one of the best burger's in San Diego never disappoints burgers are big and delicious I personally think the French fries are the best I always get a strawberry shake and they are made with real ice cream hodads is definitely a must try service is always excellent super friendly staff this one is downtown so parking is kinda difficult

Delicious 😋. Pretty cool location and walking distance to Petco park. The burgers are huge and the mini is the one pictured here. I love that they customize the toppings and even include ranch or BBQ on the side for free. The prices seem reasonable for the area but it was definitely pricey. We purchased two mini cheeseburgers and one regular cheeseburger, two fries along with two drinks and we paid around $60! Honestly, it was so worth it haha. Loved it.

I had seen a video with this fine establishment and had to come and try it for myself. I feel like a good burger is what this country is built on, so I take my burgers as serious as Phil Collins does, and that old mustard tiger is all about them burgers. I went with a double bacon cheese burger with no condiments or toppings. I feel like I get a better taste of the real stars of the show. I also don't get soggy buns. Plus, I am on a diet, so don't judge. The burger was great. The onion rings were good, too. But I am particularly taken with the potato wedges. My wife got all the toppings and condiments. She was very happy with the burger. This place is in a top 5 for burgers for me. The service was excellent. We had a group of 7, and sometimes it's like herding cats. The tall gentleman who took our order was patient and attentive. Nice T-shirt selection, too.

Bacon Cheeseburger has crispy bacon, strong meat, and fresh tomato, onion, lettuce. It's so tasty. The only one thing weak point of the burger is too thick to bite for middle size men. If you are a tall American, you could eat every ingredient with one bite. It's casual mood dinner. There are many clean tables and space.

Still the best burger in town. But sitting at the bar for 10 minutes while every front-line employee walked past me at least twice before one of them even noticed me is unacceptable. It wasn't that busy either. The waiter never stopped back to check on me and never brought me the check. And now they add 3% to every check above the listed menu prices.

And this is just a mini-size burger, y'all! I don't come that often but I have been coming here for several years now. The best chocolate shake in town, hands down! Friendly and attentive service, great food!

Man do you get what you pay for! We ordered a mini cheeseburger, regular cheeseburger, tuna sandwich, and basket of fries. Portions and taste are worth the price. The tuna salad sandwich I ordered came on wheat, it was so tall it was hard to eat haha Service was good. Restaurant was nice, even had a special table that is a truck you could eat in.

We enjoyed a delicious hamburger at Hodad's Downtown San Diego. This was my first time at this location we usually go to Hodad's in Ocean Beach. I highly recommend the Guido Burger inspired by triple G's Guy Fieri. The burger is served with pastrami, pickles, Swiss cheese, grilled onions and spicy brown mustard. I ordered a small side of French fries. This burger was outstanding 5/5 stars!! My friend ordered the double cheeseburger with bacon and also gave it 5/5!! This burger joint is on Broadway on 10th street near the City College Trolley station. The service was great and restaurant was fully decorated with stickers, surfboards, and license plates decor like Hodad's in OB. Check it out when in the area! Happy Yelping :)

Came to this place about 13 years ago and it didn't disappoint again. Triple D spots are a hit or miss but Hodads is a hit. The energy in the restaurant is infectious. The gentleman who greeted us was awesome and we had a "cool shirt off". The music is blasting and people seem to be enjoying themselves. Try to sit at the window if you can it's fantastic. The food was pretty good. The ranch tasted a little off for my son and I, but the onion rings were delicious. I'm not an OB ever but both times I've been I ate at Hodads.

I've heard some good things about this place so I decided to stop by in the downtown location. I have to say the area is not the business but once you go inside, the staff is friendly and welcoming. The interior is cool and has such a retro vibe. I got the mini single burger which wasn't so mini. I had a feeling it was going to be the size of a regular burger. My bf got the single cheeseburger. We got some onion rings as well. We both enjoyed our burgers but believe it is pretty pricey for pretty regular tasting burgers. They were good but nothing that special about them. But at least the burgers are a good size.

Good burger. It's loaded. Very cool skater vibe, they do a good job with the atmosphere. Our waiter was a very nice guy. It's an above average burger but nothing amazing.

Enjoyed this place -- good burgers, good fries and onion rings, friendly staff, and fun decor and vibe inside. Has a good selection of beer. The milkshakes looked huge. Would recommend and go back again.

Yeah, I believe the hype now! Food: 10/10 Service: 10/10 Ambiance: 8/10 Can't say enough great things about this place and burger! So glad I was able to try it during my visit to SD. Yes, it's pricey, but I think worth the stop to try. Grab a beer and that's how you have a good time here!

First time here & omg it was off the chain Amazing. The onion rings were a huge hit. The burgers are MASSIVE so come hungry. Its so good

Delicious! Can't wait to come back. I got the mini bacon cheeseburger with a basket of fries. Great food and excellent service!

People were friendly, but the burger was just alright. Good size. Full of toppings. But not super tasty in terms of meat. Onion rings had a great dipping sauce. If in the area and wanting a burger, I'd head to bottle rocket a few blocks away.

I recently had the pleasure of indulging in the best burger I've ever tasted, and it was an experience worth sharing. This culinary masterpiece featured a juicy, perfectly seasoned beef patty, cooked to perfection with a slight char. In the outside and a tender, flavorful interior. Topped with melted cheese, a lot of crispy bacon, fresh shredded lettuce, ripe tomatoes and a dollop of delicious sauce, every bite was a harmonious blend of textures and tastes. Ask for grilled onions. The soft toasted but held it all together. Accompanied by a side of frings (Fries and onion rings) this burger was a true delight for the senses and an unforgettable gastronomic adventure. Paired with a house blonde beer and you'll be in a heavenly state of mind body and soul. Oh and the service was great! Even recommended other brewery's afterwards. 5 stars all around!!

Tried Hodad's for the first time and went for the double bacon cheeseburger with onion rings. First off, the onion rings were fantastic--crispy, flavorful, and just what you'd hope for in a side. The burger itself had good flavors, but I'll be honest, it was a bit of a challenge to eat. It was incredibly sloppy, with toppings and sauce oozing out with every bite. I ended up losing a lot of the burger as I was trying to enjoy it. I get the sense that this is what Hodad's is going for--a messy, over-the-top burger experience. Overall, I'd give it a 4 out of 10. The flavors were on point, but the messiness made it less enjoyable for me. If you like your burgers big, bold, and a bit chaotic, Hodad's might be right up your alley.

Arrived right when they opened and was seated right away. You choose a seat then they take your order. The menu is fairly simple. We opted for a pastrami double cheeseburger to share between two people. Our food came out quickly and was fresh and hot. The fries/wedges were outstanding. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The burger itself was heavy but tasty. I didnt think the pastrami added anything. I would just get a regular cheeseburger next time. The burger was about $17. Overall good vibes and good food. Not the best burger ive ever had or even top 5 but still tasty. The fries are elite!

Meh! First off fair warning this place is insanely loud , and sticky. There is a large group of aggressive homeless people directly across the street. Food came out fast. Strawberry milkshake was great. I got the Guido burger. Juicy but that's where it stops. I found the flavor profile fine but not like BAM, and the bread just melts away due to the wetness of the burger. Onion rings were alright.

Good vibes and better burgers. Their bacon is amazingly done; they boil it and then cook it with the burger.

It's been MANY years since I've been to Hodad's. This place has left an everlasting impression on me, but I haven't been back because of how saturated the one in PB is and the one in downtown is just surrounded by homeless. Food is still consistent! My bacon cheese burger was so delicious and juicy! We got the frings to share and it was huge. A party of 5 could share this. Service was consistent and our server was super nice and checked on us frequently.

4 stars as service was great. Fun vibe in place but I think food wise they rely too much on previous hype. Burgers are not seasoned well and were dry. Ingredients were ok. Nothing special. Fries were delicious. The coating on onion rings is a weird texture. Expensive and not worth it. Too many other burger places around. Time to step it up.

Hodad's, it's been a while.... Their OB OG location was one of those places that I remember from back when I was in San Diego the first time. Though the memory is hazy, I still recall the long line, huge burgers (and onion rings), and iffy bathrooms. It was one of the must-go-to spots if in SD county. Fast forward a decade (or more), and there are other places that go big or even bigger with their burger, so it was about the time to give Hodad's another go and see how it measures in post-COVID 2024 on a recent San Diego trip. For one, the downtown location is not as busy. As a matter of fact, they were fairly slow on a Sunday evening and we were seated immediately. The parking is still a B, but not as impossible as in OB. Knowing better, I went with "mini" bacon cheeseburger, which is (of course) not mini by anyone else's standards but Hodad's. Add some Onion Rings and this is still one of the best burgers you can find anywhere. One thing missing to make this meal a wrap is beer. And Hodad's is now a brewery as well. Not sure if they contract brew but their Local WC IPA surely hit the spot. Not the best beer in SD (obviously) but very decent nevertheless. At the end of the day, I can only conclude that Hodad's still has it. The burger scene has evolved and there might be bigger and fancier places than Hodad's now, but for that authentic SD experience, this is (still) where it's at. I can only hope that it's not another decade to the next visit...

Same old Hodad's but in downtown San Diego. Spacious, but it is not a large establishment. It is not located in the best area, as there are many homeless outside and parking can be an issue. Service was a bit slow for us, but still pretty on point. Burgers were good and so were the onion rings! I feel the burgers are pretty good, while the two signature menu items the blue cheese burger and the guido are above and beyond everything else...

Hodad's is such a chill place to dine at, plus it's Guy Fieri approved LOL! Their hamburgers are tasty and you need to order their milkshakes - they sure give you a big portion!! Other than that, I Highly recommend their onion rings and french fries! You can order BOTH- just tell the waiter you want to order "Frings."

This place has gone downhill! Horrible! Meat is horrible now taste like frozen meat, bacon burned, bread is low quality falls apart, too much mustard grilled onions are gross.

Excellent and fast service, damn the in tap beers are soo good! I think I found one of my new fav Hazys (HESHER) I always forget just how damn good these burgers are with how many we have in the area. The decor inside the Resturant is so fun and I really love the stickers and license plates all over the walls

This is the spot for massive, messy burgers. So good, and the onion rings are on point. It's super laid-back, but it can get pretty crowded and loud. Definitely worth the wait if you're craving a killer burger. Service was excellent.

I'm obsessed with hodads burgers. The bacon cheeseburger is my go to. But, oh man, parking in downtown is a real pain. Be prepared to circle the block a few times or park a few blocks away. It's a small price to pay for such delicious food.

Hodad's you don't have a designated spot for parking, and it does get busy in downtown; but there are meters and paid lots so I won't be bothered by one minor inconvenience. THE BURGERS HERE ARE NEXT LEVEL! Probably one of my top 5 burger spots if not top 3. Used to be a local to San Diego and the ocean beach or downtown location both always impressed. A malt is a decent size and shareable; or more than enough for the ice cream/shake lover. The blue jay is my fave even though I don't like blue cheese the one used here isn't bad tasting. If that's not your style a mini or regular size cheeseburger, hamburger, or bacon cheeseburger all hit the spot. Fries are potato wedges Onion rings are good too both with ranch of course :) A good must try spot in San Diego and when I visit now and time allows it's definitely in my list of places I gotta potentially eat at. Curious about the chicken strips lol but the burgers hands down 10/10 Oh and the wall is decorated with custom license plates that differ between both locations.

The place is very dirty, they never cleaned the windows, I couldn't see the street outside while I was sitting there. The tables and chairs are veeeeeert sticky and disgusting. The burgers looked fried because of the excessive use of vegetable oil, the fries were too old taste Won't be there again because they didn't hire anyone to clean the restaurant

We weren't sure about going here when we seen all the windows blacked out but as soon as we walked in it was like ahhhhhh.. such a cool atmosphere and was greeted with a smile and service immediately. We've experienced the other location but this one is by far the best. The tater chip strips are amazing!(I totally feel like all other chicken strips are just wrong after having these) The guido burger is mouthwatering and definitely worth the cost. It came with a healthy portion of mini potatoe wedges having the best flavor. This is a go to place for sure! Thank you for being you Hodads!

Came to the Hodad's location in downtown SD, inside is very artful with a bunch of license plates, pictures, stickers, etc. My girlfriend and I were seated right away and our server was super chill and even asked if we wanted to sit inside the car! I ordered the guido burger with a basket of fries and it was reallyyyy good. The pastrami is cooked perfectly and it's filled with a good amount of sauce. The basket of fries/wedges was also really good, thick, crispy, not soggy or unflavored at all. However, the patty itself I noticed was thin and not too juicy I felt like the pastrami took over the patty and whole burger. My girlfriend ordered the single cheeseburger with blue cheese and they definitely filled the burger with blue cheese as you can see in the picture lol. The onion rings were also really good, super crisp, tasted fresh, not soggy on the inside. For the chocolate malt, nothing too special it's a good chocolate malt with syrup. Overall, the burgers and basket of fries/rings are flavorful and huuuuge. A single patty burger will fill you up for sure. Definitely a cool spot to visit!!

Cool spot! Burgers and fries were really good; wish I would e tried the onion rings!

Hodad's is a great San Diego joint that pays homage to the surf culture and serves up some delicious food! It's been a few years since I've been to this location and it was surprisingly not too crowded at lunchtime on a Friday. It's a laidback place with stickers and unique license plates lining the walls, not to mention one of those classic CA surf vans that you can sit in. Food here is delicious, the burgers are large and packed with delicious goodness (I had to smash it down so it would fit in my mouth). I highly recommend getting everything that it comes with to get the full flavor. The fringes (onion rings & fries) are amazing - fried to crispy perfection and comes with BBQ and ranch dipping sauces. Note that The fries are more like potato wedges. I have also heard that the milkshakes are amazing but I unfortunately can't have icecream so I'll take everyone else's word for it.

Upon arriving my co worker and I were greeted/seated quickly. The server was really nice and he helped us with explaining the menu. The style of the restaurant is like a cool and fun burger shop. Stickers covering the tables and lots of pictures and decor within the restaurant. The food was good it's a classic burger and the fry's were chefs kiss‼ I will definitely be back great service and food

This is the pinnacle of a California burger joint. It's been visited by Guy Fieri, so it's THAT good. But once you get seated and their cold homemade beer or hand spun shake is in your hand, you're about to go on a ride. From a single hamburger to a triple, mouthwatering chicken sandwiches, Guido burgers, and thick crispy onion rings, you'll be ensconced. With this downtown location, you'll get a lot more space than the ocean beach site, (but still with all the vanity license plates). Don't ever go away Hodad's, you're my favorite place whenever I visit SD!

Happen to be in downtown for comicon and after 8 years find myself coming back here. Such a great place very chill free and relaxed environment. All the servers were just nice and easy going and in such a great mood. The burgers were nicely sized even though they do add a lot of onions but well worth the money. The chicken sandwich was also really good and reputable to most places around. They also have a good beer selection I tried one of there Mexican lagers brewed locally and it was amazing. My son just loved the place.

Went to Hodad's before a concert cause it was surprisingly empty for a Friday night, guess cause of the holidays. I ordered the single w onion rings. The burger was delicious and the onions rings crispy n yummy. I understand everything is expensive now but $20 and a tip for burger & rings is a bit steep.

Hodad's is an excellent spot for burgers and milkshakes. They're always consistent in terms of quality and although it might seem pricey, the portion sizes are huge. Service is relatively quick and the food is made fresh. I usually get a bacon cheese burger and a side of frings (onion rings and fries best of both worlds). Highly recommend sharing one of their milkshakes since you'll probably be full from the food. I've also tried the Guido burger (inspired by Guy Fieri) and that thing was a heart attack but worth it. There are a couple of booths and tables for customers and I also quite enjoyed the skater/surfer/SoCal theme with punk rock music playing in the background.

What can I say about Hodads. Excellent grunge place to go to. Outstanding burgers amazing out of this world. Chocolate malts and spectacular onion rings. We went to the downtown San Diego location, and the service was outstanding. Getting to the door can be a little bit of an obstacle course with the amount of homeless people, all along the streets leading to the entrance. It is well worth the gauntlet that you have to go through to get to the front door because of the outstanding food and the terrific customer service. I highly recommend going to Hodads if you've never been and returning if it's been a while since your last visit. Make sure you order the chocolate malt with your burger. You can thank me later .

Goood burger loud atmosphere but fun! My burger was perfect sized my friends a was so if he couldn't fit in mouth ha.

We arrived about 10 mins after opening. Only two other tables were occupied at that time. It was mostly full, except for bar seating, by the time we left an hour later. Everyone's description about the location and interior is pretty spot on. Beachy feel and stickers everywhere. The menu is simple and easy to choose from. They have a separate beer menu which include local brews. I had a hard time deciding between mini or single burger, but ended with a mini bacon cheeseburger. It was the perfect size us since we shared everything. My partner got the Blue Jay burger and it was pretty large. We also added a basket of fries and a basket of onion rings. The burgers were cooked well and very juicy. I got it with everything on it because that's how I believe a burger should be eaten. The bacon patty was out of this world - crispy and available with every bite. The blue cheese spread on the Blue Jay Burger was a little overpowering. It would have been more complimentary if they had used half the amount. Fries and Onion rings had the right amount of crisp. Overall, a solid burger joint and great recommendation from Triple D's. If I were to revisit in the future, I might just go with the BLT.

A San Diego staple. The food at Hodad's is always good. This location is conveniently located downtown close to where I live. It has all the charm you'd expect. The only reason it's not a 5 star review is because unfortunately there are better burgers downtown. Hodad's a great old school diner quality, and sometimes that's what you want but in a city with so many options it gets a little lost. The price is also a bit high for the quality.

We tried this as a mini-DDD road trip. The place was empty at lunch time which surprised me as a DDD place. The ambiance is cool subway eclectic. I had the Guido Burger that Guy Fieri had. The Pastrami was way too salty and killed the burger. The wife had the Blue Jay burger and that was pretty tasty. All in all, just a meh. Hope they make it.

One of my fav burger joints when I lived in SD. I like this spot over the OB location because it easier to get and parking is just as challenging. If you love bacon this is the spot for you. The bacon burger has an entire bacon patty added to it. Even the mini bacon burger is so big I have difficulty putting my mouth around it. We usually order the half Oder of frings and shake but we were not that hungry. They also have beer here which goes well with the bacon burger. There is also the Guido burger created by Guy Fieri which also good. The BLT is good if you want the all bacon experience. The Tuna sandwich is ok if you are not in the moot for meat. Hodads is a must try spot if you are in San Diego but and really hungry.

Holy cow. That was awesome. Guido burger was amazing. And then the onion rings were perfect. Now the price is steep, but one of the rare times where it was totally worth it. Already looking forward to next time.

So glad we found this established burger joint in downtown SD. The atmospheric is very youth oriented with stickers everywhere and rock music playing loudly. I knew it was only gonna get better when they brought out this monster chocolate milkshake with a big scoop floating on top. The burgers were perfectly well done and the steak fries were almost perfect. The service was pretty quick. We all left thoroughly stuffed.

What can I say, I took down a cheeseburger with bacon, it had so much bacon I think it had the amount of a small pig.lol service these dudes were on it always checking on us to see if we wanted anything more to eat or drink, there so quick to also sitting you down to eat even if tables are full they still come and update you to tell you as soon as a table opens up they will sit you down asap. The area where the restaurant is at is good, your better off going to this one then the one in downtown. Also if you don't wanna pay for parking drive around and you will find 2hr parking spots and if you're just going to eat it's perfect amount of time.

This was my first time at Hodad's and let me tell you ... they did not disappoint !!!!! We waited about 5 mins to be seat, surprisingly it was a lot of people there on a Monday. Our waiter was very friendly and patient with us. All the items on the menu seemed sooo good !! It was definitely hard to pick an item to try. After a little deliberation, I ordered the mini bacon cheeseburger with pastrami ! My food was AMAZING!!!!!!!! Full of flavor and grease like I like it !!! The French fries were absolutely fresh and piping hot !!! The ambiance was very welcoming ! Very energetic ! I loved the stickers and license plates as the decor. Definitely reminded me of a Triple D place by Guy.

No trip to Gaslamp is complete without a visit to Hodad's! It's my favorite spot for onion rings. Their burgers are delicious as well - my husband and I love the Blue Jay (even though I don't even like bleu cheese!). Super easy to call in / place an online order (when available) and the staff is always friendly at pick-up. Their fries (potato wedges) are good as well - super filling & perfect the next day after a night out ;)

Met with a work associate for lunch at the downtown location. Street parking on a weekday a bit hard to find. Promptly greeted and sat in a booth. Our server quickly approached and took our drink order. No beer this round, but got a soda water in a glass. I ordered the single cheeseburger with bacon. Huge. And very good. Place is very colorful. Recommend while in SD.

This place sells vibesss. The music goes hard and it's loud, so not the most family-friendly spot. Parking is street parking, so you will face the same problems you get in the rest of downtown San Diego, plus there are a lot of homeless people around. The portion sizes are huge! I didn't understand why they had mini burgers before, now I do. I ordered the double cheeseburger. It was a solid burger and fairly priced. My partner has the Blue Jay burger and it was gigantic. The layer of blue cheese was, dare I say it, too much. He couldn't finish it because of how rich it was and he loves blue cheese. The onion rings were also delicious - crispy, flavorful, you don't lose the onion. The malted strawberry shake was also big, just a tad too thick, completely undrinkable out of a straw. I see why this place is so famous, though I wouldn't go out of my way for it.

This stop has been years in the making for my wife and I. We are big DDD fans so this was a dream come true. The ambiance was immaculate. Punk and reggae music pumping. The service was quick and attentive, everyone was extremely pleasant. Now to the food.... Good Lord. This is a top 5 burger I've ever had. Everything was well seasoned and hot. The bacon patty is a nice touch as it gives you bacon in every bite. They pile on the fixings so be prepared. We did not try a beer as we were nursing a bit of a hangover but the burger set us right. Couldn't recommend more!