Top Burgers in the East Bay

Neighborhood gem still making stellar burgers.

Open since the ‘60s, Ahn’s has been under new management since 2013 and reopened in 2015 after a grease fire. Oakland residents have been returning to it for decades, drawn by its humble fare like the cheeseburger and the pastrami burger. Even though I didn’t grow up in Oakland, the burger felt universal. That’s the power of a good burger: It possesses a transcendent familiarity, through seared beef, shredded lettuce and pickles. Located next to Lake Merritt, Ahn’s is in a squat, yellow building with a small parking lot and a sign that lights up at night. Order your burgers with crinkle cut fries and eat over the standing tables in front or head to the lake for something a little more romantic.

Credit cards accepted • Soft drinks

510-763-4328 • ahnsburger.com • Order online

Drive into idyllic Livermore for views and a burger.

The backdrop of Cali Kid Burgers is like a computer screen saver with views of knobby green hills and a sea of green pastures. The restaurant is only a year old and is located near the outlet malls. The namesake burger, the Cali Kid, is an uncomplicated construction of white cheddar, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles and Cali sauce, similar to In-N-Out’s spread. Get it with your choice of protein: beef, chicken or a portobello mushroom cap. For something more inventive, order the chile smash burger, which comes with the addition of corn and tortilla chips. The crunchy chips come topped with a cherry bomb sauce, a spicy condiment made with mayo, garlic and jalepeños. All of it makes for a satisfying burger. Sit on stools or wooden tables inside the spacious dining room or grab a table outside.

Credit cards accepted • Beer and wine

925-495-4572 • calikidburgers.com • Order online

Throwback diner with toasty patty melts and milkshakes.

As the sun sets in Antioch, Hazel’s Drive In glows with nostalgia. The burgers are on the bulky side, the Willy being the biggest featuring juicy beef, lettuce and tomatoes inside a sesame bun. But the patty melt — with crunchy, buttery rye bread, American cheese and smoky grilled onions — is the winner. Stay on the nostalgia train by ordering an Almond Roca or butterscotch milkshake to accompany your food. The old-school spot opened in 1947 but has been under new management since 2003. Its signage and art still survive, though not unblemished by time. On one side of the building is a demented scene of anthropomorphic hot dogs and fries consuming milkshakes and burgers with a creepy, toothy grin. Inside it’s like a diner from the movie “Pleasantville,” with a black and white chessboard-like floor. You can dine on bar seating; otherwise servers bring the food out to your car or one of the picnic tables outside.

Credit cards accepted • Soft drinks

925-757-4772

Antioch strip mall restaurant with charbroiled burgers on sesame buns.

Situated in a strip mall in Antioch, HD Burger is an unpretentious shop with formidable burgers. The menu includes cheeseburgers, chili cheese, pastrami, bacon and Beyond burgers, among other items. All burgers come on an eggy bun that’s topped with black and white sesame seeds and toasted on an open flame. Opt for the classic burger with peppery angus beef, drizzled with ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise and a touch of relish. HD Burger goes heavy on the mustard, but fret not, the beef absorbs its sharp flavor. What’s a burger without a fried companion? Get the the beer-battered onion rings or the Philly fries, which come topped with beef, peppers and onions Indoor and patio dining are both available.

Credit cards accepted • Beer and wine

925-978-9398 • hdburgerandmore.com

California-Thai restaurant with bright, neon interiors and a crunchy, fragrant burger.

Housed in a fluffy brioche bun, the fried pork patty here is a Thai-style burger that’s a must-order. Jo’s makes it in the style of laab moo tod, a crispy Thai meatball dish. The burger is juicy, fragrant with lemongrass and topped with a creamy, zesty makrut lime mayo and snappy cucumbers. Book a reservation to dine in the spacious patio or the inviting dining room, where the walls are covered in purple wallpaper with leaf patterns, plant vines dangle from shelves and a neon sign of a monkey is mounted by the kitchen.

Credit cards accepted • Full bar

510-479-3167 • josmodernthai.com • Order online

Burgers with jammy onions and tropical vibes can be found at this restaurant.

At Kon-Tiki, the tropical island theme extends to all aspects of the menu, including the burger. It has jammy onions that are cooked with pineapples, giving it a robust sweetness that along with pickles, pierce through the beef. The menu lends itself to pairing a drink with the burger, especially considering how potent the drinks are. Get the Kon-tiki zombie, which has so much rum that it’s capped at two per guest. Inside, the restaurant has a dark green, tropical vibe with bar, booth and table seating, though there are also parklet tables out front.

Credit cards accepted • Full bar

510-823-2332 • thekon-tikioakland.com • Order online

Ice cream parlor turned burger joint with grass-fed smash burgers.

Don’t be confused when you walk into Lana’s. It might seem like an ice cream parlor — it was previously home to Cookie Bar Creamery — but it has now pivoted to include stellar burgers on the menu. A classic double burger here is similar to McDonald’s formula: two lacy beef patties, American cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickles and minced onion. I love the commitment to condiments here; not only is it familiar, it adds umami flavors. The ingredients here, though, are more thoughtful than fast food: Lana uses grass-fed beef from Oakland’s Cream Co. and sandwiches it in a soft Martin’s potato bun. Since grass-fed beef is leaner, the meat is slightly chewy but has a crunchy layer from being pressed on a hot flat-top grill. Fries options include shoestring, curly and tater tots. Pick one to go along with your burger and grab a stool along the windows inside or snag a spot at one of the handful of tables outside.

Credit cards accepted • Soft drinks

510-250-9240 • lanasoakland.com

One of Oakland’s best burgers comes out of a shipping container.

Located inside a shipping container, Lovely’s shares space with Two Pitchers Brewing Co. and has a menu built for people raised on fast food. Diners used to eating burgers with shredded lettuce and tomatoes will find kinship in the Drive-thru burger; those that grew up on chili burgers from Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel will enjoy the Chili Willy; and those that opted for Carl’s Jr will gravitate to the Westerner, which has onion rings, bacon and barbecue sauce. The burger I found myself reaching for, though, was the fried onion one. It is a variation of the one made famous by George Motz, though it originally hails from Oklahoma. It’s made by cooking the beef patty with thinly sliced onions so that the burger absorbs the beef fat and juices.

Credit cards accepted • Soft drinks

510-234-1445 • lovelysoakland.com

Vegan burgers and vibes are what this burger shop is all about.

Located on a busy stretch of Oakland’s Piedmont Avenue is vegan burger sensation Malibu’s Burgers. The patties here are made with Impossible meat but go beyond (pun intended) some of the bland representations of it out there. Malibu’s are seasoned with a blend of salt, pepper and garlic powder that distract from nuttiness most people associate with Impossible meats. Go for the Needy Meaty, where the patty is topped with vegan bacon that gives the burger a gentle smokiness, or Tasha Grande. The latter is a riff on the Big Mac, complete with an indulgent, tangy and sweet sauce. Also good: The crinkle-cut fries, which are dusted with a healthy shake of a peppery seasoning, similar to what you might find at a charbroiled burger joint. Malibu’s only has indoor dining and takeout.

Credit cards accepted • Soft drinks

510-879-7362 • malibusburgers.com • Order online

Richmond burger joint beloved by the community makes awesome burgers at a value.

Phila Burger Station, housed in a small shack with tons of parking, is located on a busy stretch of 23rd Street in Richmond known for its food. The classic cheeseburger comes with an excellently seared beef patty enveloped in American cheese and crisp iceberg lettuce. Phila is the sort of local spot known for burgers priced under $10 and draws adults and high schoolers alike. The restaurant doesn’t offer any seating, but most diners take it to go or eat in the parking lot.

Credit cards accepted • Soft drinks

510-234-1445

Small burger shack with sweet and savory burgers on challah bread.

Another burger entry from Alameda, Scolari’s has been slinging upscale comfort from a small restaurant on Park Street. The restaurant’s blueberry and bleu cheese burger best encapsulates Scolari’s project: fun, unconventional riffs on quintessential American food. Excessively peppery beef serves as the base for sweetened, macerated blueberries and the tangy cheese, which is all served on a pillowy challah bun. This burger seems to be a product of the late 2000s, when bistro burgers (aka gourmet burgers) ruled the burger kingdom, but it still stays fresh. Grab a picnic table out front or take it to go.

Credit cards accepted • Soft drinks

510-521-2400 • scolarisgoodeats.com

Smash burger phenom pop-up retools fast food staples with ferocious flavors.

At Smish Smash, fast food nostalgia reigns supreme. Every menu drop for the pop-up is like a fun surprise, referencing iconic creations from the past and actually making them taste good. The Mk’rib, a take on the McDonald’s classic, has pork and beef patties with crispy, lacy edges; white, gooey American cheese; and a tart barbecue sauce, among other ingredients. Unlike its bland inspiration, this sandwich is well-balanced and has plenty of crunch. Though the specials change, Smish Smash’s signature burger is always a solid option. It has crispy, seared patties topped with melty American cheese, briny pickles and a sauce made with mayo, ketchup and sherry vinegar, all sandwiched in a squishy potato bun. Find Smish Smash at Neptune’s Net in Alameda. It’s takeout-only so grab your swag and head to Crab Cove for a meal with a view. Check out the Instagram for the latest pop-up dates.

Credit cards accepted • Soft drinks

510-263-9438 • smish-smash.com • Order online

Casual restaurant with not-so-casual burger with thick patties.

At the tail-end of Alameda's Downtown is Spinning Bones, a laid-back restaurant with a rotisserie food focus. Instead of slowly roasted proteins, get the burger, which comes on a fluffy brioche bun with two hefty beef patties and familiar ingredients like American cheese slices, shredded lettuce and Thousand Island dressing. Pickled pink onions add acid, countering its richness. The real secret, though, is a heavy hand of salt, which is necessary for a hearty patty. In lieu of fries, the restaurant serves a side of potato salad. Though there’s indoor dining, the burger tastes best in the parklet, where you sit in the sun and submit to its power.

Credit cards accepted • Beer and wine

510-263-9290 • spinningbones.com • Order online

Burger shop with squishy buns, American cheese and garlic aioli.

Oakland burgers with a chill vibe is what True Burgers is all about. The burgers are on the smaller side here, though all feature a savory, creamy garlic aioli. True cooks all its burgers medium, unless specified otherwise, and serves them on wrinkly, white buns. It’s a simple equation of salty, rich beef with gooey cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and mayonnaise. Get it with exceptionally savory fries, which taste similar to Burger King’s. The space, sandwiched between an apartment building and an empty retail store, is pretty low key, and you might miss the sign if you’re driving by. Once there, find a stool by the window or sit down at one of the tables scattered throughout the dining room. The restaurant has outdoor seating as well.

Credit cards accepted • Soft drinks

510-208-5678 • trueburgeroakland.com • Order online