Hodad’s - San Diego, California
This San Diego staple has been serving up the “World’s Best Burger” to surfers and non surfers alike for over 50 years and after trying them myself….I don’t think their advertising is wrong.
The fact you can sit at a table IN the VW bus is such a fun touch!
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Location of this visit: 5010 Newport Ave, San Diego, CA 92107
Other locations: (Downtown) 945 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101
Petco Park, San Diego, CA 92101
Hours:
Open Daily from 11 am to 9pm
Closed Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving and Bossman Day Sept 30th, annually
Accepts cash/card
Seating Sitch: Wait to be seated
Parking: Street parking
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Now before we get into the food I think it is important we take a look at the name. After all, names are important and this one has quite the fun meaning behind it. “Hodad” is actually a real term very similar to what us midwesterners might call a “goat roper.” It is someone who walks the walk, but cannot talk the talk. Someone who would head out to the beach with their fancy surfboard tucked under their arm and absolutely zero plans to use it. A real poser. Founders of the original Hodad’s location in Ocean Beach, Byron and Virginia Hardin, chose the name in 1969 simply because they found it humorous and thought it fit the laid back culture of OB. Safe to say they nailed it.
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The Menu
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The Food
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Abigail and I both opted for the single bacon cheeseburger (which came wrapped in what they fondly refer to as a “burger diaper”) with a side of fries.
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I have eaten many a burger in my 30 years of life and I can tell you right now that most are nowhere near as good as Hodad’s. Every single bite was nothing short of delicious and…drum roll please….I am officially giving it the crown as my number one best burger of all time. The patty was cooked to perfection. The sauce levels were all just right (it comes with mayo, mustard, and ketchup on it.) There are TWO slices of cheese already on the burger which is a fantastic touch. AND let us not forget about the pièce de résistance, THE BACON. Most burger joints when you order a bacon cheeseburger give you a burger with 1 maybe 2 sad little strips. At Hodad’s you get a whole slab. Their bacon is boiled, shredded, and then made and grilled into a lovely crispy slab the size of the hamburger patty itself. If bacon cheeseburgers weren’t ruined for me before they definitely are now because I don’t want them any other way than how they are made at Hodad’s. Oh and the gushing does not stop there! I ordered my burger with a side of their fries and they are also bomb. Especially when paired with their homemade ranch.
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Hodad’s Final Stats:
Service: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Cleanliness/Décor: 10/10
Price: For 2 burgers and fries with tax and tip I paid a total of $57.62 (WORTH EVERY PENNY)
Overall Rating: 10/10
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From the, slightly overstimulating, decor that honestly would make a fun game of what-new-thing-did-you-notice-on-the-wall-this-visit, to the fantastic service, to of course the out of this world burgers, Hodad’s is a place I NEED to return to eat at again ASAP. Like seriously…add another point to the “move to San Diego column.” lol I am so happy I finally made it here to try it out and that I can cross another Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives restaurant off the list! (Also HUGE shout out to our server who gave us Hodad’s stickers when we finished paying for our food!)
