Lovely's

Easily my favorite smashburger in the Bay Area - maybe even the US. The OG burger combines a perfect meat-to-bun ratio (reminds me of Burger Joint NYC - my second favorite smashburger) and the soft squishy potato bun (similar to shake shack). The American cheese and the perfectly griddled onions with pickles on top makes this my very favorite! Patio seating in the back and the bar opens at 4pm (an hour before they serve food) You have to get a table to order food so best to come a little before opening and make yourself cozy with a drink before the crowds.

Awesome smash burger. Note that Woods is a separate business, you have your order for the burgers taken at the table, drinks are ordered at the counter. Be prepared for it to get extremely busy. Really great vibes.

Recommendation: AVOID Was very excited to try this place, alas it really did disappoint. The burger was ok. It's a smash and generally I love a smash but after more than 2 hours of lines... Cold fries at a burger place feels pretty inexcusable. More than that, it feels like the place is set up to trap you in this opaque funnel (more on the many lines later) and encourage you to buy drinks to pass the excessive wait times. Over all I think there are places in SF that offer better burgers, much better fries and infinitely more pleasurable experiences. Honestly this place is less of a restaurant than a collection of lines. Anatomy of lines Line 1 - The door (15 minutes) The door is your first opportunity to wait. This line looked like it was moving quickly but once you get to the front, it really slows down. Line 2 - Drinks (15 minutes) Just a few steps in the door is line number 2, ordering beer from Woods, the other business that shares the space with Lovely's. It's unclear if this line is optional. The door person seemed to suggest it was not even though we did not want beer. He told us we'd be able to wait for a table after we got a drink. Line 3 - A table (25 minutes) After ordering drinks you stand in an entirely separate line to get a table. The door man told us this would be 15 min. It seems like you could actually just have walked straight in and gotten in that line but maybe the door guy works for the bar not the burger place? Line 4 - Ordering (25 minutes) It's clear from the moment you sit down that you've now entered another line. Waiting for a server to come over and take your order. It was clear that even though we knew what we wanted, we had now entered another line and would not be able to order until it was our turn. When we finally got the opportunity to place an order, we were told we were not allowed to order doubles. Line 5 - The food (35 minutes) We then had to wait another 35 minutes to get our 3 single burgers and 2 orders of fries. The fries were freezing cold.

Decent smash burger. Great price. If you are eating there you have to sit and order as they won’t take it at the counter, the only thing they will take at the counter is your drink order for woods.

Wanted to love the Woods x Lovely’s spot, but it’s just not the vibe if you’re looking for a chill brewery atmosphere. Additionally we ordered a double smash burger (which took awhile) and when the burger came out with a single patty, the waitress was not helpful. Our dog’s patty was the same size… 😂 still good food but not worth the hype

The burgers are SO good but the seating/waiting/line situation is awful. I wish they would get a real waitlist where you can put your name in and get a text when your table is ready. Waiting in 3 different lines is truly crazy.

Beautiful back patio to enjoy a classic burger and fries with one of my favorite breweries in the city. I’d highly recommend going with a smaller group since seating is limited and there are always lines.

Best darn burgers in the neighborhood. Honestly, you have to try em. They also have hotdogs and chili you can put on everything! Dog friendly in the amazingly beautiful back patio. Not a ton of seating on the inside but plenty in the back. If it’s cold, don’t worry, they have ample heaters to keep you warm happy.

The criticisms from reviewers here are a bit ridiculous on options and wait times. It's not a large space, the burgers and beer are fantastic. You won't be disappointed. The wait can be long at times, so be prepared.

Came right at open of the restaurant at 5pm and the place was already packed! The burgers were phenomenal and the fries were delicious. Except to wait a long time for a table to open up. The cult classic hot dog was just fine but the OG and drive thru were so flavorful and delicious. The outdoor vibe is phenomenal.

Lovely patio space in the back, staple selection of burgers and dogs. Lively atmosphere on a friday night - waited ~40min to get inside then another wait to find seating (free for all). Took some time for someone to take order (system was down?) The burger patties were thick and i appreciated the size. The OG burger was standard no frills, an elevated McDonalds-tasting burger. The drive thru burger was lacking the schmaltz onions and the special sauce needed more tang. The chicago hot dog had a bit too much relish, enjoyed the pickle spear in it though

I came on a weekend so it was pretty busy. Burgers start at 1pm on Sundays and I got there at about 1:15pm. The tables were all full and there was an area reserved for a birthday party so we got some wine at the counter and waited for a table outside. There was a host who let us know when a table was open. It took about 25min which wasn't too bad. Definitely expect to wait a little if you come on the weekend! It's not a bad wait since you can order drinks to sip while waiting. Got the drive thru burger with an extra patty and fries! It was so good. Reminded me of In N Out since it came with a similar burger sauce. It was a bit messy because of the sauce and melted cheese but it was delicious. I'm not a big meat person so I could have done without the extra patty. I was stuffed after finishing it off. I also really enjoyed their fries!

My roommate wanted to check out this place from seeing it viral online! We came on a Thursday around 6:00 PM, and the place was busy. Because it's a brewery, you have to get your ID checked as you come in. For outdoor seating in the patio, there's a line that forms in the back. The wait for us was about 15 minutes. Smaller parties can get grouped up together at larger tables. The waitstaff back there were very busy but happy to help if needed. I got a Drive Thru Burger and split an order of regular Fries with my roommate. The burger was pretty solid -- loved the sesame bun, and the smash burger patty was nice and crispy. It was a very wet burger, however, and the paper wrap got soggy after a short time, so look out for that. I really liked the fries! They're like a battered fry crunchy texture but not too heavily coated. Overall, a nice place to go after work and catch up while enjoying a beverage as well!

Nice neighborhood spot--been wanting to try with a group of friends for a while now. The service was a hit-or-miss but likely because it was so busy. I ordered the coney and the flavors were good. However you can't really truly call a hotdog with meat sauce a coney without proper diced white onions with plenty of yellow mustard

Lovely's is rated one of SFs best smash burgers. We got the 'drive thru' which was a traditional diner burger. Great bun to meat to condiment ratio. The sesame bun and sauce the was my favorite part and the cheese fries is made with a homemade sauce! I love the outdoor seating which is literally as big as a typical SF backyard. Very homey and exactly what you'd expect from a little SF hole in the wall.

Delicious burgers, solid fries, great relaxed environment. I always look forward to coming here. It semi-recently opened but feels like it's always been there. Have also tried the hot dog here but the burgers are definitely where this place shines. You order food from your table but drinks you order at the counter. It can get very busy on the weekend but you can enjoy beer and wine from Woods while waiting. The wait is worth it.

The ambiance and food at Lovely's is spectacular. With a bar in front, seating in middle, and patio in back, there's three different environments in one. The drive thru burger was DELISH. The bun soft and v chewy, the meat amazing, and the lettuce crisp and thinly sliced. However one thing was that it was hard to get seated and the place was bustling. After we got inside I had to get up and flag two different people twice. Other than that it was great. Thanks again!

Lovely's is known for their amazing burgers in Oakland, but they opened inside of Woods in Cole Valley. I'm not sure how long they'll be there, but it's such an amazing spot- especially their huge outdoor patio in the back (with lots of heat lamps). You can enjoy a unique selection of beers and large, juicy burgers! I got the picnic which was a classic, delicious burger. It was fresh, and the cheddar was soo good! They also have vegetarian options. Their fries are crisp. Overall, nothing was super greasy, there's a lot of love in the food! It was very very busy on a Sunday afternoon, but the service was still fantastic!

I had the og burger and it was legitimately the best cheeseburger I've had in SF. Everything that a burger should be, done perfectly and nothing more. Vibes are cool on the the patio. I brought my puppy for his first birthday and they had a puppy patty for him. Will be back many times

Burgers: 4/10 Service: 10/10 Space: 10/10 Deeply disappointing in taste. Quality was ok. Flavor & presentation very subpar. If you want a good smash burger go to The Laundromat on Wednesday's in the Richmond District or SmackBurgers -- look them up on IG to see where they're popping up, typically in Alameda.

The food is awesome here! Only reason it isn't a 5 star is because it was a pretty long wait for food and we did have to wait out in the rain. But we would do it again! The fries with the cheese sauce is great, and the burgers were perfect! We had a great time, the vibe is very casual, unless you have a big party you will likely be sat at a big table with other customers. But the food is worth it!

I've been here a couple of times in the past few months, and it has become mine and my friend's favorite smashburger in the city. The patio vibes in the back are fun, and the food is phenomenal - I've tried the OG, Drive Thru, and Chili Willie. My favorite at the moment is the Drive Thru, but all of them share the same beautifully seared patty edges & fantastic flavors. My only critique is the ordering process. You're directed to the back patio to find a table, and a server will come to you there - but you can't order drinks with the server, and also can't order food at the register. Kind of confusing. But the quality of the food (and the beers at Woods) far outweighs this. Overall an excellent burger, I'm so happy it's moved into the neighborhood!

Incredible burger!! Their basic smash burger has so much flavor, I think about it every day. This place is very hip and trendy. The space is more of a bar, but an amazing cozy bar with a huge warm back patio. And they have a gluten free bun . Obsessed will be back again and again

Thursday night July 3rd around 8:30pm my friends and I ate here, all getting burgers and not sharing any food. Later in the night, we all went home with stomach pains and diarrhea. Please, if you had the same experience this night or around then, let the restaurant know or share with others on Yelp. There must be some mishandling of the food or something similar...

My favorite smash burger in the city - love that the bun isn't squishy like other ones. Nicely toasted. Great patio with heaters. It does get busy so can take a bit, but lovely environment to enjoy a burger

Great ambience and food! Wish it was easier to find a seat, sometimes it feels too chaotic to the point I don't wanna go there sometimes. But love it otherwise!

Lovely's is frequently busy, with a line stretching out the door. Oddly, they have vegetarian but no vegan options. How hard is it to make a sauce with veganaise and keep a package of vegan American cheese in the fridge? Pretty hard, I guess.

Terrible service on a busy Sunday. The only server decided to chat it up with 2 patrons for at least 10 mins when it's damn-well a packed house. Find time to do that on your off days. Advice to owner: Have a QR code system in place like most places that can and will expect an influx of guests.

I had double drive thru burger and it was top tier! great service, great outdoor seating.

Recommendation: AVOID Was very excited to try this place, alas it really did disappoint. The burger was ok. It's a smash and generally I love a smash but after more than 2 hours of lines... Cold fries at a burger place feels pretty inexcusable. More than that, it feels like the place is set up to trap you in this opaque funnel (more on the many lines later) and encourage you to buy drinks to pass the excessive wait times. Over all I think there are places in SF that offer better burgers, much better fries and infinitely more pleasurable experiences. Honestly this place is less of a restaurant than a collection of lines. Anatomy of lines Line 1 - The door (15 minutes) The door is your first opportunity to wait. This line looked like it was moving quickly but once you get to the front, it really slows down. Line 2 - Drinks (15 minutes) Just a few steps in the door is line number 2, ordering beer from Woods, the other business that shares the space with Lovely's. It's unclear if this line is optional. The door person seemed to suggest it was not even though we did not want beer. He told us we'd be able to wait for a table after we got a drink. Line 3 - A table (25 minutes) After ordering drinks you stand in an entirely separate line to get a table. The door man told us this would be 15 min. It seems like you could actually just have walked straight in and gotten in that line but maybe the door guy works for the bar not the burger place? Line 4 - Ordering (25 minutes) It's clear from the moment you sit down that you've now entered another line. Waiting for a server to come over and take your order. It was clear that even though we knew what we wanted, we had now entered another line and would not be able to order until it was our turn. When we finally got the opportunity to place an order, we were told we were not allowed to order doubles. Line 5 - The food (35 minutes) We then had to wait another 35 minutes to get our 3 single burgers and 2 orders of fries. The fries were freezing cold.

I love Lovely's. I've always trusted their quality in food so I was excited to see their new location in San Francisco. Lovely's trumped all other food choices at this point. I was, however, making an unintentional comparison to the Oakland location. My expectation was the same service quality as the Oakland location. This new spot is confusing upon entering. Confusing on finding how to sit. Confusing where to even stand in line to wait to be seated. I was confused whether to feel invited because of the "sit-down casual" vibe. I didn't feel welcomed at all and may be that's to say I've only experienced traditional restaurant hospitality system. But I get it. It seemed Lovely's SF is trying to achieve a different food service system/model and may be testing it. Who knows. I'm only providing my perspective and comparison based on a previous experience from the same restaurant. If I was coming in as a new customer I wouldn't even bother leaving this review. I am now because I LOVE Lovely's food and embarrassingly passionate about it because it's SO GOOD. I expected to NOT be disappointed but safe to say I was so I left with the optimism of only going to the Oakland location from here on. I'm from the East Bay so it's convenient. I'm leaving this review with one star for the service (or lack thereof) and only that because that was the only experience I left with. Womp womp.

This place rules! Smash burgers are so much better on a sesame bun. The patio set up is great and they have tons of heaters for when it's cold

The Smash Burger I've been looking for!! I went mid-Sunday so I was able to find a seat and get drinks pretty easy - I can imagine how chaotic it is during any swell lol. All things considered - I heard the cook's having a great time, tons of communication (which makes for great food every time!). There are some lovely staff members handling drinks - the inside and outside are cute - no wi-fi (also, didn't ask for password). I'll definitely be back!! Order: Picnic - no mayo, no ketchup / Chili Cheese Fries (perfection!) and 2 Hazy IPAs

We tried to get dinner there on a Sunday, but they've got strange hours. We'll try again soon, but their schedule seems a bit odd.