UPDATE-- the owners tried to guilt me into changing my review because it's a family owned business. They should put more effort into making better food than changing honest reviews. Theirs plenty of other family owned business out their still making good food. STEP UP YOUR GAME read more

Love their burgers. I've tried several, all deliciously decadent. The custom sodas are unique and delicious. The tater tots are too crunchy for me, not sure why read more

Headed back in and still as busy as ever but burgers cooked perfectly!!! Way to go Burger Bench. So happy for all your success in my hometown! read more

Burger bench is solid, my family still talks about it, this place is a definitely worth a visit on our way to San Diego. Check them out you won't be disappointed ! read more

I typically only leave reviews depending on how good or bad the service was. This time I am leaving a review specifically pertaining to the food. To keep it short and simple, I ordered a Chorizo Diablo and it was absolutely incredible! To top it off it was only $10.....you can't beat that! If you're contemplating, don't. Do yourself a favor try one of their burgers! read more

Great burgers asomé service great selection of draft beers cooks are great as well the guys in front of the house good job guys I'm definitely coming back. Thanks read more

I'm going to keep this short and simple. You can taste the difference immediately in the quality of meat they use. We live in Chula Vista and make the drive up. It's always worth it! read more

Burger Bench - Classic cheeseburger with tots and onion rings - American Near Me - Escondido, California

Great Burgers and shakes! really fresh sourced and great tasting! Even with Covid19 the outdoor dining is comfortable. Fast service too!

The bench burger is so good but it isn't that big, this place is really good I just wish they had bigger portions

Yummy fresh burgers tasty sides jam packed with flavor. I ordered the mud pie shake my fave. I've been many times and thought I've written a review. Oops! Beer is cold on tap, folks are nice and it's on Grand Ave in Escondido the heart. If you haven't been you won't be disappointed. The only reason I don't give a 5 star is the price. Husband and I are here for lunch ordered 2 burgers, one side, and 2 shakes. read more

Burger Bench - Left Mud Pie Right Chocolate PB banana shakes - American Near Me - Escondido, California

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We'll park our butts on this Burger's Bench any day. The food was all we could talk about during our lunch and the portions were not disappointing. Support healthy shops in Esco! read more

Burger Bench - Smokehouse Burger w/ fries. - American Near Me - Escondido, California

The food is awesome, service is fast and friendly, beer is cold - what more do you need? They do a great job rotating local beers on tap, beer tenders are very knowledgeable and able to discuss beer details. Free tastes. This place is great! read more

This is hands-down such a good burger joint! Even crowded, they still serve exceptional food with great service. This is our fourth or fifth time back here. This was my first time and it did not disappoint. I ordered the old-fashioned hamburger I believe it was the number one without cheese and it was so delicious. I usually can't eat a whole burger but I ate the whole thing. I'll definitely be back. Will bring in my family athey visit me this summer. Can't wait to go back. read more

02/22/2016 Visited. First off I give this Gourmet Burger Place a Full 4 1/2 Stars for the quality of their food. The prices are about the same as any Higher End Specialty Burger House. Special Burger and A Potato Side around $15.00 The Ambience is flat out Casual. 3 Stars. The Staff Very Friendly and helpful. 4 Stars. The Prices Are Not Bad Considering The Fresh Quality Ingredients and Real Black Angus Beef. 3 1/2 Stars. The Burger was cooked perfectly the way I like them. Outstanding flavor, nice and Juicy, with good bacon. The Burger alone is $9.00 and a good 4 1/2 Stars. The Bacon Cheese Melt is very Large but wasn't as flavorful as the Burger. $7.00. Only giving this one 3 Stars though. Nothing Special. The Tater Tots were Well, TATER TOTS. 3 Stars. The Chefs Tomato Soup was a let down as it was way to thick to be called a Soup and tasted more like a pasta sauce than anything else. 1 3/4 Stars. The Real Surprise Was The Fried Chicken Wings. Big, Juicy, and flavorful with your choice of two dipping sauces. Try The Sweet Chili Sauce. Very Tasty. 4 Stars. There is a good number of Craft Beer to choose from along with special in house natural soda. Very Good Soda. 4 Stars. All in all This Is A Must Try If Your Near Escondido. I'll Be Back. read more

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The burger was great and they even have gluten free buns. Will definitely be eating here again.

Sun rise burger and smoke BBQ burger on point. Oreo shake is fantastic! Chili cheese fries and onion rings just ok. Truffle tots needed more seasoning, but not bad. Cool local spot. read more

Burger Bench - Sun rise burger, chili cheese fries, and Oreo shake. - American Near Me - Escondido, California

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This is my favorite burger spot!! They have great food and beers. The atmosphere is great as well! I usually go for the smokehouse burger (the burgers have nice thick bacon), some truffle fries, and whatever beer they have. They have a decent selection of different kinds of beers so it's not hard to want to try something new. The sunrise is very delicious as well. read more

4.5 stars: solid food, great selection of homemade beers! We shared two mini slider sets, 3 sliders a set means 6 sliders, covering all the flavors! All the flavors were decent, but the fried chicken one really stood out. The truffle parmesan fries were on point. The fries are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The seasoning is nicely done. Easily shared, although, do you really want to do such a thing?? They also have tater tots, (but I'm a fries person 100%) . They have homemade sodas and beers, huge selection of the latter. They will let you try a little sip of the beer for taste, since it is hard to know if you'll like it just by their (although very creative) names. If those don't tickle your fancy ask for cups to get water from the soda machine. Order at the front, get a number and the food is brought to you. They clear it after you're finished. Solid spot, seating inside and out! (and I think they have wifi too!) read more

Burger Bench - Fries so good! Slider set of three x2! All the flavors - American Near Me - Escondido, California

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My husband and I love Burger Bench. It's a great local spot here in Escondido. Everyone is super nice. Everything on their menu is great! I myself love the Grilled Chicken Cobb and my husband loves the burgers. Nice portion sizes. They also have a nice selection of beers. Great spot! read more

AMAZING!!! Great atmosphere! Great music! Fabulous service! Hipster sort of vibe! It was our first time here, the prices are just right. It's clean and very well taken care of. The employees seem to care about the customers, cleaning off tables quickly, and acknowledging everyone that walks in or out the door. Order at the counter, grab a number and sit either inside or outside. For another $4 add on Tomato soup and pair it up with the Bacon Cheese Melt! Lots of Craft Beers on Tap. Variety of sodas and shakes. Strawberry shake was delicious ($5.50) well worth the price. I was surprised how big the mug was. Food- Truffle Parmesan Tots ($4) were yummy, crunchy & flavorful. A lot of tots for $4. Bacon cheese melt on parmesan grilled sourdough bread ($7) was so good & savory. They definitley didn't skimp out on the cheese or bacon. Crispy chicken sandwich ($9) with cole slaw & green apple slices was very tender & juicy. Just the right amount of ingredients and condiments especially their homemade aoli sauce. We're definitely not from around here, but we will be back! It's a MUST TRY!!! read more

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I suggested that my family check this place out for a late lunch on Saturday (~2:30p). While I later learned that this place is often packed for lunch and dinner, we didn't have to wait in line at all and there was plenty of seating at this time, though there were also a few other parties inside, too. The person who took our order was incredibly helpful, taking the time to help my v. non-foodie parents select a burger that would suit their taste and offering to make them custom larger sized burgers with the toppings that come on the sliders. We ended up ordering a few of the sliders, the patty melt, the blackened chicken caesar, and an order each of the tots, onion rings, and fries. The burgers were all delicious and cooked medium-well (medium was recommended, but I have a feeling they were left a little longer at my family's hesitation). The toppings on the fig burger were a little too sweet for my taste, but could have been fixed with a little salt. I liked the mushroom burger (even though mushrooms can be too soggy sometimes, these weren't), and my blackened chicken caesar was good, too. The real stars of the show were the sides though-- all of them were crispy and flavorful, especially the beer battered onion rings. As far as ambiance, burger Bench looks like the prototypical hip restaurant you may have seen in memes about gentrification -- think: rustic wooden benches and tables, exposed lightbulbs, colorful chalk paint describing the dozens of local craft beers on tap in the back. It's cozy and cute if you're into that. I definitely want to come back to try some of the beers and would recommend to people looking for something a little adventurous, but that still has plenty of classics to please pickier eaters, too. read more

Beautiful burger, great beer, nice staff but limited seating/space. Felt a bit like eat and get out.

I was a little hesitant to try the bench burger, as it seemed to have maybe one too many ingredients, but wow. Top three best burgers I've ever had. I don't really have much to say other than it was just a really good burger. I also appreciated how friendly the guy at the counter was when taking our order. He was patient with us as we looked over the beer menu, and made suggestions which turned out to be great. My only complaint was the sweet potato fries were a little soggy. I'd probably try the regular seasoned or parm fries next time. Still 5/5 stars from me. read more

This place was tremendous. It has a great little downtown feel, while also not being nearly as crowded as other local places, like Hodad's. The burgers are on par. You can essentially build it however you want, and their truffle fries were really good. The best thing about it was that I got a burger, fries and a soda for right around $10. Not a bad deal for a burger this good. My best friend had the sliders and said they were delicious as well. I particularly appreciated the the local organic sodas they had. The root bear and vanilla cream sofa were great! I'd definitely go back to this place several times over! read more

I wanted to give this place a good try -- as it is in my neighborhood -- so I ordered the half truffle tots, half truffle fries, a patty melt with mushrooms, Swiss, and medium wagyu beef, and a salted caramel pretzel shake. The fries and tots were actually cold -- no warmth at all -- and they were mushy/soggy. It's less than 5 min to my house so I was bummed on that. The patty melt was a circle patty that didn't fit at all on the grilled/parm sourdough. It wasn't medium. This is always my biggest problem w a burger -- accidental overcook is understandable but it makes burgers taste like cheap, frozen Costco patties. Having paid extra for the wagyu beef and specifying medium, this likely killed the meal. A well seasoned, well cooked burger would have covered the fries/tots problem. Bummer. Finally, the salted caramel pretzel shake... wow! This is seriously one of the best shakes I've ever had. Absolutely worth the (just under) 7 bucks. It tastes like a shake from a five star chef. So it cost me about $30 to discover an amazing shake alongside some tots, fries, and a burger that I ended up giving to someone else to finish. Two stars. The shake is so good, however, that I didn't regret the whole purchase (normally I'd be very disappointed spending $30 for myself and still needing to make my own lunch after giving the meal away). The shake really is a special kinda of dessert in north county, IMO. I plan on returning for many of them with my family :) I imagine I'll try more food again in the future with all the shakes I plan on getting -- so hopefully this visit will prove to be an exception when I eventually try more food :) read more

The only good part about my experience was the beer. The prices were high at $7 a pint. My $7.50 burger was mostly bun. My burger was slathered and driping in their amazing sauce. The problem was the patty was tiny and did not fill the bun. The 4 bites I got were flavorful but after that the burger lack luster. I wanted to talk to the staff about it but they were hiding in the kitchen laughing and cursing. Trying to get a refill while eating my bread burger. I hope it improves and I hope this place is successful it is not for the working man and his kids. read more

Burger Bench - The Beer was Great. Plenty to choose from. - American Near Me - Escondido, California

Really good and the prices are great. They advertise that all of their products come from local markets. They have a fancy little natural soda machine. Had the classic burger, truffle fries, onion rings, and grill cheese with bacon. The burger was cooked perfectly and its definitely not frozen. With 2 drinks the total was around $32. They have a really great selection of craft beers too. All amazing. read more

Burger Bench - Grilled cheese with bacon, and Parmesan truffle fries - American Near Me - Escondido, California

I recently found out that BB does brunch and knew I had to give it a try. My boyfriend got the pesto breakfast sandwich (which comes on a croissant), tots with gravy, and I got the fried chicken and waffles. Everything tasted great! My boyfriend loved his sandwich, the fried chicken with waffles were delicious, and the tots with gravy were amazing and definitely the best thing we got. I will however note that there wasn't nearly as much fried chicken as I'd expect for fried chicken with waffles, but that wasn't a big deal to me since I'm not big on huge portions anyways. Otherwise everything was great! read more

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One of the burger places I like to go to when I'm itching for a "fancy" burger. They have alternative meats like turkey and chicken as well as salads if you're not into the regular patty. My faves from their list are the sunrise burger, smokehouse, and their truffle tots. If you can't choose between one or the other, they give you a 3-slider option where you can grab 3 mini burgers and try all the ones that caught your eye. I love their variety of sauces, so many to choose from especially if you love aioli! I am a big fan of their smore shake - served with a toasted marshmellow-filled graham cracker. Service is also friendly. Such a unique restaurant as they are not only dog friendly, they even serve great local beer, delicious shakes and organic cane sugar soda as well! What more can you ask for in a burger joint? read more

Pretty good. I got the patty melt, wife got a burger. Patty melt was okay, instead of a square patty that fits the bread shape they just used a regular, small round burger patty, so it was excessively bready around the edges. Tots and onion rings were really good. Chocolate shake was just terrible, it had a weird "burnt" aftertaste that I couldn't get past. Overall, if I was hungry and downtown I may eat here again but I don't think I'd ever "plan" to come back. read more

Visited again tonight. Another horrible experience. Hair in my onion rings. Don't think I will be back. Usually good. Tonight I ordered a chorizo burger. It with no chorizo. I let the server know. 30 minutes later, after I was finished with my non-chorizo "sandwich". I was presented with a small tray of chorizo. Marginal effort at customer servic read more

Burger Bench - American Near Me - Escondido, California

Very cool place that I stopped in after doing a 8 mile hike. Place is very cool with an extensive beer list albeit changing often. The Burgers are amazing as are the mini corn dogs! Those Tater Tots are to die for as well! Seriously they are one of the best Tater Tots I have had in a long time! read more

Burger Bench - Sunrise Burger w/ mini corn dogs Thick Smoked Bacon, fried egg, crunchy tots, cheddar cheese - American Near Me - Escondido, California

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Outside dining area is nice, and the food was absolutely solid. Everything came out fresh, and there's something about mini corn dogs and wings fresh out of the fryer that make you want more. Ordered a "beer of the month" it was actually a kombucha but we didn't even say anything but out waiter knew we were on the fence finishing it so he got us something else. Great service! read more

I was pretty disappointed with burger since I asked for medium rare and it was medium/well. It looked good and I still ate it all but... it wasn't the way I wanted it. However their chicken wings are so darn good which is why I will give this place 4 stars. read more

Burger Bench - American Near Me - Escondido, California

I have a hard time naming a better burger in San Diego County. The bench burger is particularly fabulous. The beef and bacon are superb, the bbq sauce is not too sweet not spicy, and the bun is top notch. Excellent chicken wings that come plain and you dip in sauce. The buffalo and sriracha aioli sauces are wonderful. Good fries, too. Nice rotating selection of beers as well. Worth the trip to Escondido from anywhere in SD. read more

Burger Bench - American Near Me - Escondido, California

We ordered for delivery on Veterans Day as my husband served 13 years in Marines. The order was 35 minutes late, strike one. The chicken wings had a burnt flour taste, strike two. My husbands burger, which was wrapped in lettuce instead of bun had a black bug crawling on it, strike three your out. Very disappointed to say the least. read more

Great place! Their tater tots and burgers are delicious, and you can choose up eat inside or outside.

Excellent food and beers. Always get great service. If you still have room try the desserts.

This place Rocks, I know right, another burger place. First off you are partially correct. It is a burger joint. But it's a burger joint with like a rustic, bohemian fig jam on top of bacon, cheese, green chilies and avocado on top of your patty kind of burger place. My mouth felt like it was at a circus with all these awesome flavors dancing around in there. This place leaves you wanting more, more of the food and atmosphere. P.S. the staff rocks too, super professional and kind. read more

One thing about visiting a place very often is that you are bound to experience an off day. And today was one of those days. It happens every so often, burnt onion rings, very well done burger party. It happens. If it happens to you, I say give them one more chance. If it happens twice in a row then bad luck. The other week when I was in was 5 stars. Will still be back. read more