The Counter
Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 321-3900
The Counter was just selected the south bay's "Best…
Announced 8 days ago
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sun 12:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
334 Reviews for The Counter
One of The Counter's Favorite Reviews
This ain't yo typical burger joint! So for those of you seeking a grease laden burger, you best go somewhere else cuz you ain't getting one at this Counter!
Alas a Burger Joint that is hip, trendy, and has healthy options!!!
I was first introducted to the The Counter when visiting friends in Santa Monica. I was so excited to find out that they have one in Palo Alto and one at Santana Row. The Santa Monica Counter was pretty busy and I noticed right away that everyone seemed to be having a great time! We didn't have to wait long before we were seated. Upon seating, your server will ask you if you have ever been to The Counter before. If you have then kewl, if you haven't then they explain what the clipboard, pencil, and paper are all about. The great thing about this place is that you choose everything that goes on your burger including the type of bun. For those unlucky few who prefer not to eat carbs, then you can have your burger in a bowl.
They offer so many different choices that you can never get bored!! At the Palo Alto location, the crowd ranges from college students to your typical Palo Alto Yuppy, not saying that's a bad thing.
I recently had dinner at The Counter in Palo Alto on a week night and the place was seriously poppin. I was surprised that it was mostly college students because on the weekends you see families and couples and do I have to say it, yes I think I do. You see KIDS!!!! AHH monsters!!! You should definitley go on a week night because they turn the volume up and play some trendy music and there wasn't a little whiny brat in sight. So a week night is a must from now on!!
I love coming here because the decor is trendy and they have those booth type seats that have the cushy backboards along the wall. There is also some fierce graffiti style art on the walls that gives the place a hip urban feel.
So definitley go to THE COUNTER for a yummy gourmet burger. You will be happy you did. Oh yeah, did I mention that they have a full bar and plasma screen tvs so you can catch whatever game is playing and get yo drink on.
I had a fight with my bf the second time I tried this place. I was alone for dinner and needed a place to cool off and eat something. I was shooed to my table by an angry looking host that seemed to have problem with me sitting at a good table away for the smell and odors of the kitchen. He had to explain this to a supervisory I guess. I then soon realized that they were sitting singles only at the bar and by the kitchen. That's rude. It was a seen pattern and an unfair one at that. The burger was okay , a little spendy for my taste , but the waitress seemed irritated that I didn't a side , and only a soda. So 15 dollars later I was mildly satisfied and only had one refill the whole 45 minutes i hiding out there.
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As of this writing, there are more than 300 reviews of The Counter.
But how many of those reviews offer an opinion of the turkey burger with carrot, pineapple, horseradish cheddar, bacon, egg, and soy glaze on an english muffin?
Okay, this one doesn't either, but you can really order some preposterous burgers here, including the aforementioned disaster. And it's really busy, so you can bitch about the service. And you can bitch about the fact that you're paying frou-frou prices.
But you're not stupid enough to do that. Instead, you order a burger with sensible toppings that go together, and you accept the fact that you feel treated a little more poorly than the "humane-certified" beef you're eating, because the traffic in the restaurant is so brisk. And then you enjoy yourself and give the Counter its due.
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I like the build-your-own burger option and the fact that there are 10,000 plus possible combinations of toppings and ingredients to choose from but I'm sad to say that what you get for 10 dollars is not really worth it.
I guess if you're someone who is health conscious and wants to watch their "carbs" an option would be to get your burger in a bowl. But who would want their burger eaten out of a bowl? That must be insulting to all burger Gods! If you're going to have a real good ol' American burger indulge!!! Don't half ass it!
The Counter's decor is trendy and a lot of privileged teenies and trust fund tweenies hang out in or around this location.
Now, onto why I give The Counter 3 stars. Its for the genius and most savory creation of sweet potato fries! Insanely good! The sweet and salty combination always work together in my book. And since sweet potato is dense with nutrients even when its fried is a bonus. I find myself craving these fries from time to time. What are you doing for lunch later?
I enjoyed the Counter burger and the S'mores milk shake. The burger was succulent & the s'mores milk shake had the right amount of sweetness. I thought the sweet potato fries were ok. Overall great a great tasty meal, but on the expensive side for what it is.
I am keeping my rating the same, but I had lunch here again today and the temperature inside the restaurant was FREEZING. I had goosebumps on my legs the entire time I was eating, and it made for an uncomfortable dining experience. The manager did bring me a blanket to put over my legs, as the temperature inside is controlled by central air and can't be regulated by the restaurant.
I was also served a really brown, spotted piece of avocado that should never have made it out of the kitchen.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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08/07/2007
fried pickles are so good
who would have thought?
custom burgers were well prepared
service (even after… Read more »
This place is awesome! I was convinced to get their goat cheese spread over my burger. I protested, "I don't care for goat cheese!" But I was forced into it, and OMG it was heaven. This juicy burger over a salad with some yummy ingredients was the perfect meal.
Burger in a bowl, Nuff Said!!!
It's fantastic!!!!
We were meeting a bunch of friends for dinner here one evening and with this location being situated in a part of PA that I never been to, we had trouble finding this joint.
As I've mentioned with the SJ location, their sweet potato fries are a must have and tastes even better with their aioli dip. Warning though, you can consume an incredible amount of calories on their ginormous portion of fries here. One order is sufficient for 2-3 people so just an FYI.
Another FYI, their wheat bread breaks up pretty easily so being that the girth of a burger here is several inches thick, you may have to use a knife/fork if you opt for the wheat bun.
The burgers are way to small! But I have to say they are innovative and tasty. The sweet potato fries are good as well.
The atmosphere is a little to yuppie for me and the service is terrible, which pretty much ruins the entire restaurant.
1 burger with onion strings added.
1order of fries.
1 diet coke. (Yeah,I know that doesn't match the order, I just don't like the sugary taste of regular coke and I needed the caffeine this afternoon)
$16.78
Yes, you read that right.
$16.78
Yes, it was a very good burger but it's still just a burger! They church it up with some nice options for sauce and toppings and the staff is really nice but it's still almost a full Jackson for a hamburger lunch.
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I really like this place because I don't have to explain myself, why I don't want any produce or sauces on my burger. You get a checklist of what you want on your burger, what kind of patty you want, and all sorts of extras. I got the 1/3lb beef patty with bacon and BBQ sauce w/ a regular bun. I really like how they have healthy options too, such as the wheat bun, and veggie or turkey burger. Of course I didn't get these, but I like that they have the choice, a lot! I also enjoy how they have split fries. We got a fifty-fifty of regular fries and sweet potato fries. They have great Chocolate Shakes, as well as their "Shake of the Month" option. The staff is great, the establishment is nice and the food is awesome.
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I like the concept. Choose your meat, cheese, toppings, sauce and bun. You can be really fancy if you want, or plain and simple if that's your style. But their service needs improvement, and they just didn't seem that organized.
When we first arrived, the hostess said we could either wait to sit inside or go outdoors where it's first come first serve. Well, she neglected to tell us that we have to order at the register first if we wanted to sit outside. So we found a table outside, and waited for a few minutes until we realized that we needed go place our order inside ourselves.
It took awhile before we got our order of sweet potato fries and onion rings, and they made a mistake and gave us regular fries instead. They finally brought the onion rings and they were super soggy and greasy.
And it took a very long time to get our burgers. At least 20 minutes since we placed our order! The burgers are very good, but they gave me the wrong sauce. I didn't want to wait again, so I didn't even bother asking them for different sauce.
It's a shame that the service is slow and they get your order wrong. The burger was good, and I wouldn't mind coming back again if I didn't have to wait so long.
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Specifically as a place to take a group, this place was awesome. I came here with ~15 people for a web geek meet-up and the waitstaff couldn't be more accommodating. They moved the outside tables around and chairs so everyone had a seat at the main table, then they took our orders at the table rather than having everyone go to the counter so "we could continue to talk to each other". How nice!
The food was standard burger fare -- yes, pricey, but sheesh, if you really really wanted a veggie burger with a fried egg, mushrooms, goat cheese and garlic aioli on an english muffin, you can have it. My burger wasn't dry at all and very tasty, but it was stacked so high that I eventually asked for a fork. Burger faux pas ftw!
Standard beer fare, and pricey as well: $5 for a glass. A few people had milkshakes and I didn't hear any complaints.
So, if you're looking for a great place to bring a group, try here; it was unexpectedly perfect.
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I love this place! Best burgers in Palo Alto!! :D I looove putting random toppings on my burger so this is the perfect place for me ;] if you're adventurous with your foods, GO HERE!!!!!
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I've never experienced a burger joint like here. Where else can I choose from three types of hamburger buns (ok, so maybe English Muffins don't count, but still, a honey wheat bun? Pretty neat), four different types of burger meat, and tons and tons of toppings that you can only find at certain places and in certain combinations (think fried eggs and sauteed mushrooms).
My friend and I went last night after hearing raves about this place, and the novelty of the do it yourself burger. I ordered a 1/3 lb Angus beef patty on a honey wheat bun complete with yellow American cheese, fried egg, and lettuce. It was so delicious! Thick, hearty, juicy, and sufficiently junky. My friend's turkey burger was a big hit with her as well, and we oohed and ahhed our way through the burgers. The only bummer was there our fries came out so early, so by the time the burgers came we were pretty much almost out of fries.
The service here is pretty friendly, a little hard to flag down though, the waiter we had seemed very busy running between the tables. The decor was fairly simple in a diner fashion, but a little bit classy, especially with the shiny bar. The prices here are a little higher than you'd expect, my friend and I had a bill of almost $40 for two burgers, shared fries, and one soda and one iced tea. Totally worth it though!
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Seriously amazing burgers. I must admit that the first time I went here, I was a little overwhelmed by the choices. There were too many. Somehow, I managed to put together a pretty tasty burger. The sweet potato fries are actually the best that I've had. They are not greasy and they are really soft inside like an actual sweet potato. I highly recommend their 50/50. The only downside is that they are located across from my yoga studio and it gets hard to relax during Sivasana when all I can think about is going to the Counter!
Pros:
Great food
Lots of options including vegetarian
Good beer on tap
Cons:
Fries only come in one-size, so much for portion control
Expensive but worth it!
Limited locations...need one in the city or east bay
I was "sick" on Tuesday.
No idea why.
But, in my "sick" state, I found the HOLY GRAIL of a burger combination at the counter.
Well, if you think I am going to tell you, you can just eat it.
No, seriously, I wasn't being a dick. If you want it, I'll tell you, and you can go make it and eat it.
Complaint time...
It's not that I am hurting for money but seriously. There were two of us. She got the same priced burger as I did. We shared an order of fries and each got a soda.
Total price.....$46.
For burgers.
$46.
For burgers.
Inflation.
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Excellent burgers and shakes. I've never had a burger on an English muffin before, but now I can't go back to burger buns. They also have great sweet potato fries but their portions for fires are best for more than one person.
Great for burger aficionados. This is a very well put together burger joint with great food, tv's to watch sports, and attentive service.
The meat tastes great and is very well prepared, and the topping selection is top of the line. I had the 1/3rd lb burger, which was plenty large for me, with the sweet potato and regular fries combo, with a strawberry shake. All exceed my expectations, and the meat was cooked just as I liked it. Also important, two of my friends were vegetarian, and both believed the veggy burger to be one of the best they had!
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Due to complete customization, this place totally hits the spot no matter what mood I'm in. There veggie burgers are some of the best around - the other great ones are at Alana's! - and I constantly find myself daydreaming about them... the only thing that keeps me from dining at The Counter everyday is the cost of the burgers and the price my waistline pays for eating them! Highly recommended :)
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Food is good but complicated. You almost need a degree in burger technology to order here. I guess this is what an ultra modern burger place is suppose to look like. I prefer the the ambiance of a real burger joint. But if you want the burger/night club feeling then this is your place. A bit pricey but I guess you have to pay for the futuristic atmosphere and music DJ. Food is good but nothing great. I would go back here but next time I will wear some modern treads so I would fit in with the crowd. Compare to other good/great burger joints, this place is not quite there.
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When my bf and I came here the first time, we got a burger and it was good, but not like mind blowing. I wasn't that into the pickle chips, the sweet potato fries are alright, the fries are alright (and I usually love fries), and the fried onions are alright.
However, this month I tried the burger salad on a lettuce bed, and thought that was awesome. I urged my bf to try, he didn't have high hopes, but ended up thinking it was awesome too. What I like is that the beef really gives it a good taste. And since it's on lettuce (and we added tomato, avocado, grilled onions, and bell pepper) it doesn't make the meal feel too heavy. However - we blew our calories on the milk shake - that was awesome :) I find the meat really filling so usually we just share the 2/3 lb burger on the salad.
Coming from NYC where there is a burger joint everywhere, it's hard to find a good burger (or maybe I don't know all the right places yet.)
Best customized burger I ever had. We ordered our burgers with a side order of mixed onion rings/fries/sweet potato fries and sat outside to wait for our food. Ooh. Can't forget the delicious Strawberry Shake I ordered. The burger was delicious but there was so much on it that it was toppling over. One of those fork and knife burger experiences. Great spot in Palo Alto.
I am SO impressed w/this place.
I really have no idea why there are negative views on this place.
Are you complaining on price???
Okay..given..The Counter is NOT a cheap burger place..NOR
is it intended to be.
Is Whole Foods, Andronicos or Draegers criticized for being
more expensive than Safeway or Albertsons? Nope.
So in the same respect, The COUNTER should not be
discounted for not having better prices for quality! =)
The first thing I notice is the clean and heavy duty quality of the amenties of the place. Stainless steel everywhere...etc...
You get these little clipboards w/all the options of your burger.
You can get a burger from 9 bucks all the way to 20!
It is DEF not cheap...but the ingredients make it worth it.
The meat! The beef is freshly ground and crumbly. That's how you can tell if it's new. The beef is suprisingly lean and not fatty.
The beef does not have the flavor of charbroiled places like
Clarkes in Mountain View..but the freshness alone justifies
this place.
Everything is thick and hearty. The meat to the vegetables.
Also, they have sweet potato fries better than the ones
at Taylor's refresher!
Big hearty burgers w/a lot of hearty flavor. Not the fullest flavor..
but fresh flavor..
PEOPLE
We ran into the most ANNOYING trio of azn girls ever...
All portly, all w/very bitter looking pouty faces, all sporting expensive
2 thousand dollar designer handbags.
They're wolfing down their burgers to fill their protruding bellies
and were going on and on about how they were going to
Santa Row next and how some guy named John Chu was
so CHEAP because he wouldn't pay for them as they want...
Some one PLEASE.... TELL these girls that the movie clueless was a MOVIE.
Sometimes life does NOT have to imitate art.
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A friend of mine suggested The Counter for lunch one day about two months ago for my birthday. I went there with no pre-conceived ideas and was happily surprised at the experience. Located on California Avenue, it's typically fairly busy at lunch although in the 2 to 3 times I've gone the wait's never been more than 10 minutes if that.
So what puts this place above your typical burger joint? Selection! You can literally customize all aspects of your burger. From the size of the patty, how you want it cooked, toppings, cheese choices and the bun. The final one really speaks to me. For the last 10 years, I've been stuck having to really watch what burgers I eat at restaurants due to a whole sesame seed thing. To be able to go in and build a medium grilled, 1/3 lb burger with Tillamook cheddar, and my choice of a huge selection of toppings all nestled in an ENGLISH MUFFIN! Holy cow batman that rocks! And when they delivered the accompanying sweet potato fries and onion string combo well that was it.
I have eaten in very pricey restaurants and very cheap ones but this one allows me to do what most places don't...order EXACTLY what I want.
As to prices, we ordered:
1/3 lb burger
2/3 lb burger
A couple of extra toppings (I think)
2 sodas
Onion strings & sweet fries combo
And it ran around $40 with tip. Pricey, yes. Worth it? Hell yes!
OK, I give this place 2 stars not because of the quality of the food. I have never had a bad meal here. The 2 stars are for poor service. Ok, I'm not that gullible but, am willing to give a place at least 2 tries one for let's see, 2 for correction if they failed.
What occurred with me is the food was fine although they did mix up my order. What came next threw me. When I advised the server upon paying for pick up that something was incorrect she informed me that's what you told me. I asked to see what was ordered upon her discovery she learned I was correct since I already knew a guy took the freaking order.
She then goes to fix the food which by now, I'm skeptical about eating. She was really salty. As I stand there pondering I ask for the manager. I inform him of the situation, he was gracious yet hasty. One thing I know don't order by phone with these guys. Fax it in and call back to confirm. Had it not been lunch time where time is short already I would have eaten in.
The food is good here, love the variation on fries and I'm in heaven with the burger options. Personalities run thin though. So the best advise I have for this location and I have eaten at the one in Santana Row is work with your customers.
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If, when ordering a burger, you feel like Sally from "When Harry met Sally," this place is for you.
The seemingly endless possibilities of toppings, sauces, and cheeses will satisfy any imaginable request. The sweet potato fries are also well-made.
The space is airy and light with a patio in the front and the service is friendly enough.
My boyfriend and I were in Palo Alto because he had to take care of some things, and by the time 11:45 rolled around we were both starved. Well I was really starved. How can he tell? I was getting SUPER cranky...and you know how that goes...
So we really wanted to go to Taxi's but we were too lazy to find where it was so driving up and down the street, i pointed to the counter. Now, let me say this. As we walk in, there is no one standing at the host podium or whatever it is called, and there are 4 people standing on the opposite side near the take-out counter.
We're staring at them, they are staring at us. AWKWARD. Daniel even asks me: are we supposed to seat ourselves at this one? Seriously, those 4 employees just stood there, looking at us, not even offering to seat us. WHAT IS THAT? Finally one girl says Oh, I'll seat you now. It was so awkward. Ew. That was a big big turn-off. Second guessing self seating at a restaurant is never a good thing. to me at least.
The food at the Santana Row location is a millz times better. My burger was dry and overcooked, and it just wasn't that tasty. My boyfriend got a free upgrade on accident with double veggie patties. It was freaking ginormous.
I give it two stars because the greeting was absolutely terrible and my food wasn't up to par. I prefer the Santana Row location because I have been there at least 5 times, and every single time, we were greeted immediately when walking in and my food was always consistently good. Although the service is quicker at this location, go to Santana Row!
PS: i HATE seeing employees with hickeys on their necks. Especially more than one...especially HOEStesses/waiters. Please, even though you work at a restaraunt and get paid minimum wage, HIDE THEM!!!
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Ugh, this was the worst restaurant experience we've had in a long while. We had been wanting to try it, having had good experiences at other similar burger joints. I ordered a relatively plain burger with the peppercorn steak sauce, and my husband ordered a more complicated burger with avocado and grilled onions, etc. We also ordered onion strings. They asked if medium was ok for our burgers and we said yes. It was relatively pricey at around $30 for 2 burgers, 1 side, and 1 soft drink.
Our drinks (water and lemonade) arrived first -- the lemonade is Crystal Light-ish in taste. ]The onion strings arrived next (probably 10 minutes before our burgers) and were awful, greasy and pretty near tasteless. We ate a few and left the rest. Our burgers arrived eventually. My steak sauce looked like au jus and didn't taste like much of anything. My husband's grilled onions looked like they were sauteed in some sort of sauce; after tasting them he took them off his burger. The buns didn't hold up well -- even mine with few extra toppings fell apart almost immediately. The kicker: both our burgers were raw in the middle.
We were headed off to a movie, so we didn't have time (or at that point, inclination) to wait for our burgers to be redone. We asked a waiter if we could get our money back for our burgers, and after talking with the manager, he came back with two coupons for free burger + appetizer. If we'd had more time, we would have pushed for a reimbursement, since we don't ever want to go back.
I have a new favorite burger place in the mid-peninsula! Many burger joints only have a couple burgers that I would consider ordering, but the Counter has over 300,000 possible burger combination. This alone will keep me coming back for years. The atmosphere & decore are hip and the drink menu is original. Lastly I recommend the cheese & chili fries, some of the best I have ever had!
Downside: A little overpriced
This is one of the best places for takeout in Palo Alto.
Some people are put off by the high prices, expecting this to be another fast-food burger joint. If you're looking for McDonalds, then go to McDonalds!
If, however, you are looking for a place that will serve you tons of delicious, fairly healthy (if you choose to be) food that you can customize in a million ways, then eat here. With each burger, you can choose your meat, choose how you want it served, choose from a ton of toppings and dressings, and add some great sides.
Before I go, here are some Counter Burger hints:
1) There's a 50-50 option on the Sides menu, where you can choose two of (Onion Rings, Sweet Potato Fries, and Fries). Ask for a 50-50 with all 3 (they're not that good at math), and you can get them all.
2) If you're stretching your budget, choose the 1 lb option over greens, and you're basically getting 2 whole meals (unless you're a big eater) for under $15.
I am suffering deep, stomach clenching regret. How did I not notice the fried pickle chips on the menu? It was probably the stud muffin of a man sitting across the table from me ... but let's start from the beginning.
I was visiting the area, having never been, and the fellow suggested we hit this joint for a burger (even after having noshed In-N-Out the night before). Never one to turn down a burger, I obliged. We started out with the "fifty-fifty" of sweet potato and regular fries with a most delicious dipping sauce. My only beef? I'd recommend throwing some more of that sauce in with the fries. One little cup just isn't enough.
I ordered a turkey burger with the horseradish mayo, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes and something else that I've quickly forgotten. The dining mate ordered a regular burger with some blue cheese and some other fixins, including honey mustard (I believe). The turkey burger was pretty okay, but I'm not going to lie -- it wasn't much to write home about. It's definitely a mouth full, but it didn't scream "I'm special!" to me. On the other hand, intrigued by the setup of the joint and the ordering style, I fully intend to go back at some point to try some of their other options.
And the fried pickles. I really can't express how much fried pickles mean to me. A childhood relic, they are, from the days when I was a Southern Missouri brat whose parents trucked her and her brothers down to Northern Arkansas -- the home of the fried pickle. You can understand then, why my ignorance to the menu is haunting me now.
We ended the meal with some key lime pie, which, for my first time having it, was outstanding. It had the right amount of tang and a crust like you'd find on a cheesecake, which is my favorite.
The downsides? The dining companion's cup was leaking, but luckily we used a little dish to keep it from soaking the table. The waiter seemed sort of inattentive, but the place was pretty busy, so I'll take it easy on him. And as I said, I wasn't incredibly impressed by the burger (shoulda gone for the beef), but the fries were delish.
Yes, I'll be going back (that is, the next time I'm in Palo Alto). And next time, I'll be paying attention.
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Heard about the sweet potato fries here (having loved the ones at Pacific Catch) and checked this place out at 9pm. I had checked out the website beforehand and had a clue that it was going to have a very 'So Cal' feel. I was solo and sat at the counter, where the service was good. Ordered the turkey burger with 4 veggie toppings, herbed goat cheese and garlic aioli on a wheat bun and loved it. $8.50 is cheaper than a gourmet burger in SF and I felt it was worth it. I got a huge order of 50/50 fries for $6. Saw a guy at the end of the counter getting three kinds of dips (toppings) for his fries and will do that next time. My total bill was $15. Looking forward to trying the veggie burger next.
I really love this place. Burgers are excellent, and anything with carmelized onion marmalade is a wonderful thing. I love that it's on California street, away from the obnoxious stink of University-Avenue smugness.
Tasty, fresh food with a dose of fun. Make your own burgers with a variety of toppings and sauces. I got the veggie burger with baby greens, tomato, sprouts, sauteed onions, and provolone with russian sauce on a wheat bun. It was too big to take a bite out of, which is part of the fun. I also got the 50/50 fries and onion strings, which come with sauces and were also tasty. They would have gotten more stars except for two things. First, although there were few people in the restaurant, it took forever to order and when the food arrived it was all cold. Second, it is pricey. A burger, fries, and cookie for lunch cost me a whopping $18!! Will I go back? Only to pick up some fries, perhaps...
My notes on my first and probably last visit to The Counter (subtitled, "gourmet burgers"--an oxymoron right off the bat):
1) Awkward ordering system if you're a first-timer, complicated options for building your burger, kinda like Fuddrucker's on steroids. I "forgot" to check the boxes for Tomato and Pickles. Silly me.
2) A good number of fries were undercooked--a MAJOR faux pas in my book. Few things in life more disappointing than an undercooked potato (of any kind), especially at these prices. I will say the portion was large for $3.50, almost too large esp. for one person. The main prob? The fries beat my burger by at least 15 minutes and were stone cold by then. I kid you not. They were served on a white minimalist plate in the shape of a rectangle. Whoopee.
3) Burger was tasty but pricey. I "configured" my own Western Bacon Cheeseburger with Tillamook Cheddar, Fried Onion Strings, Sweet BBQ sauce, Applewood smoked bacon, sliced jalapenos, and "mixed lettuces." I didn't know what mixed lettuces meant but I took the gamble. Turned out to be chopped Romaine as far as I could tell. The burger arrived sitting in the middle of a big white plate stacked like 8" high. This was clearly meant as dramatic presentation, but I couldn't take a bite without removing toppings and smashing the whole thing down.
4) The fresh banana shake was prob the highlight of my meal. I would go again and order that by itself. Delish!
This place made me realize how basic it is to have your burger and fries served together, so you can alternate back and forth. Like, the way every other burger joint on the planet would do it.
In the end, I filled up on (undercooked) fries 10 minutes before my burger arrived (which seemed par for the course looking around). In fact, the couple next to me were also picking at their fries for a while before one of them wondered aloud if they got the burger order in.
They did have various servers checking in often ("How is everything? Can I get you a refill?" etc.). I looked at one guy and said, "I'm fine, I'm just waiting for my burger," half hoping he might check in on it. He didn't bat an eye and moved onto the next table.
All of the above = trying too hard. Not worth the money and the service was way too uneven for the price I paid: basically $20 for a burger, regular fries and a shake. Huh??..... Sorry, Counter people, thumbs down.
I think the first thing people should know is that I don't eat burgers.
I know, I know...so I had chicken instead. This place = frickin awesome. Could the great company and couple beers have something to do with it? Probably. Would it be equally as good if I continued sitting alone waiting for my party? Most likely.
Servers are very friendly, seem to actually (gasp) care about if you're all set up and what not. Sweet potato fries mmmmmm. I love the "build it yourself" menu. It's always satisfying to be able to order exactly what you want, as opposed to modifying something that restaurants offer. Not too expensive, not too cheap, just right. Atmosphere is casual/fun, food is great, service is good. All in all, The Counter rocks my world.
I really want to like The Counter, because the concept totally appeals to me. But I've been twice, and it's just been plain disappointing.
On both visits, my dining companions and I were greeted cheerfully at the door as we made our way to the clipboards to order for the patio. The clipboard works great: I am in total control of my destiny.
The person at the cash register (same guy both times) from whom we order, though, turns the experience sour; "inattentive" and "rude" are terms that come to mind. On today's visit, I was trying to hand him my clipboard sheet with my order and he just kind of stared off in to space.
It's a little strange that fries are listed and served as an appetizer only; it really only serves to throw off the pace of the meal. The fries themselves are executed pretty well; they're served fresh and are just greasy enough.
Maybe I'm still bitter from my first visit, when it took something like half an hour to get my burger. I timed it on the second visit, and the food showed up in eight and a half minutes, which is about right, I suppose.
The burger, I must say, leaves something to be desired. They've put together this amazing selection of toppings, but it just doesn't work. Mine had flavorless tomato, oily-watery "peppercorn steak sauce", "grilled" pineapple that struck me as more similar to canned, all on an english muffin that just got soggy and fell apart at the first hint of liquid.
All of that is really disappointing, since they really did present an absolutely gorgeous sandwich in a really nice setting. If the execution was on, I would go here all the time. But as it is, it's just plain overpriced.
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I really like the turkey burger. The many topping options make it difficult to decide. Each time, I have barely been able to take a bite of the burger it was so big!