Out of all the times i've been in HMB, i'm surprised i had never been here! dads luncheonette is an adorable little restaurant out of a train trolley i came in on a thursday around lunchtime. the restaurant itself is very small and cozy and there's limited seating inside, so plan on enjoying the outdoor seating with the fresh ocean air. i ordered a hamburger and the mac n cheese. it took about 10 minutes to come out and my server was very smiley and friendly. loved the customer service. the food on the other hand was just okay. i promise you i wanted to love love love this place but it was just okay. the mac n cheese wasn't super flavorful and it lacked the sort of consistency i prefer in my mac n cheese. the burger tasted good, with an egg and fresh veggies, but was kind of difficult to eat? it comes in a wrapping paper to keep it together but it's definitely a 2 hand and a napkin kind of burger. i did enjoy my experience but was just a little disappointed in the food. i'd be back if im in the area but would consider maybe the mushroom sandwich and to try the homemade chips. overall 2.75/5 read more

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I live in San Diego but have family up here in the bay. My niece and nephews recommended this place. I asked why is it so good, it looks like a shack and it's 45 minutes away. My nephew said "Peter, It's a burger + egg in bread!!! It's SOOOO dang good!!" I was like.... cool dude... Ya, nephew was right. This is up there with the best Burger's I've had. It beats Rocky's, Hodad's, several I've had in SF. The bread is toasted perfectly, the egg is perfectly over easy medium, the burger itself tastes like is prime or grinded in house. Whatever the case may be, this place is awesome. Highly recommend checking it out. read more

Dad's Luncheonette - Burger, 12/10 - New American Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Our grandson was visiting from Colorado, we took him to the ocean at Halfmoon Bay and lunch at Dad's Luncheonette last Friday. We ordered 3 hamburgers, an order of home made potato chips, 2 cokes and a water. the bill was just over $80. It was very busy, community dining on picnic tables and had limited parking. The service was very friendly, lunches delivered in a paper bag. Great weather, sun. The burgers had a single standard small patty cooked well done, a fried egg and included organic condiments served on toasted bread. The potato chips were OK but we would not order again. The cokes were from Mexico, made with cane sugar, OK. The hamburgers came apart on the toast and were messy to eat. Interesting lunch, pricey, friendly service. read more

Dad's Luncheonette just gets better and better. My favorite place to go for lunch on the coast. The hamburger sandwich and the potato chips are to die for. Can't miss the soup. Sit in your car or at the picnic benches If you haven't gone, you need to try it‼ read more

Unpopular opinion/review here... I wanted to love this place and had high expectations since its been bookmarked and on my radar for a while. We pulled up, noticed a long line (25+ people deep), but figured, we weren't in a rush and we wanted to try it out. This is roadside dining so as expected, be prepared to eat in/on your car or if you're lucky, grab a seat at one of the tables in front. If you plan to take it to the beach and/or home, your order is going to get soggy. The menu isn't huge and you'd probably spend the same amount if you were to eat at In and Out so I appreciate how things were priced. You have an option of a Hamburger, Mushroom Sandwich, Home Made Potato Chips, Mac N Cheese, Herb Salad, Soup, and/or Sweet of the Day. I do appreciate that they have a Kid's menu; Plain Mac, Grilled Cheese, Hamburger, Cheeseburger, or Just the Patty. Hamburger - You can taste the fresh ingredients, bread is good, meat is tasty, egg was a little over cooked. Overall, it was good, but it could've been better on a brioche bun. Everything just fell apart and was soggy and messy half way through. Mushroom Sandwich - Great earthy flavors from the mushrooms, but could've used a char or a quick fry to give it more texture and flavor. House made Chips - Had an umami flavor and great crunch, but the entire order was swimming in what appears to be nutritional yeast. A bit of an overkill to be honest... would've worked better with a light dusting instead. Whipped Maple Bacon Cookie - Rich and delicious... something worth sharing with others. I believe it was topped with Chinese dry shredded pork? Either way, it worked in bringing the different flavors together. Kid's love the plain Mac and plain cheeseburger. I'm no chef and I respect Chef Scott Clark's menu and how he runs his business. I also appreciate that all of the ingredients are locally sourced. read more

Dad's Luncheonette - New American Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Heard about this place on TV and wanted to try for a long time. As TV covered, they don't make that easy. It's in a caboose that has an annex for people to order. Then you take the foods to wherever you wish to eat. On this perfect day, the tables in the parking lot are perfect. Foods are not cheap. Burger is $15 and that's what we ordered. It was excellent with a twist, they were in standard bread and not burger bun. I kind of miss the texture of a good bun, but had no complaint on the sandwich itself. Had a bite on someone's mushroom burger and it was good too. Just for them, this place is a worthy destination. Soup was interesting, not bad at all, but takes a bit thinking. Salad was fragrant. Mac-n-cheese was also "interesting". I wouldn't jump up and down to say they are great. But they are definitely worth trying. The potato chips were very interestingly delicious. Sliced very thin, perfectly fried, and covered with some kinds of yeast powder that has a mild flavor and enrich the texture greatly. (They also make a mess to someone downwind.) Overall, this is a very good "restaurant" that is really a stationary food truck. read more

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I've been wanting to try this place for a while now and finally got the chance to when visiting Half-moon bay. This small sandwich shop specializes in locally grown ingredients. What makes this place so unique is that the restaurant is somewhat shaped like a boat and the server flirts with you. Every sandwich comes with a soft egg, cheese, red onion pickles, dad's sauce, lettuce, and white bread. Homemade potato chips(5/5): it's crunchy and has this seasoning dust that was super flavorful. Hamburger sandwich (5/5): Tasted meaty and juicy. The juiciness went well with the meat. Be careful about the egg yolk dripping on you. Mushroom sandwich (5/5): the maitake mushroom was very delicates and unique compared to other mushrooms I've had before. Check this place out! read more

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We were in the area found this place on yelp. It's a train cart in a shopping center so tons of parking. There is tables on the side with huge trees. We went into a covered area to order. The menu is small but pretty straightforward. I ordered the mushrooms sandwich with an egg. It comes in a regular sandwich bread. When it's ready they just call your name. We ate our food in the trunk of our suv. The sandwich was pretty good. The Mac and cheese was okay but it had wild rice. I would pass on the Mac and cheese but the mushroom sandwich was pretty good. read more

Dad's Luncheonette - New American Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

My partner and I went on a Saturday day trip to Half Moon Bay with our puppy and found Dad's Luncheonette on Yelp. We were immediately intrigued by the pictures, the menu, and the unique set up. We got there around 1pm, and there was a small line out the door. The picnic tables set up in the parking lot were all filled with people enjoying their lunch, and a few pups enjoying the sunny day with their owners. Though there was always a line to order, the food came out pretty quickly and turnover for seating wasn't too bad. We waited under 10 minutes for our food, and by the time the food we came we had gotten a table. Service was very friendly and high energy. The highlights for us were the mushroom sandwich and the black sesame raspberry custard. All of the other items were good, but missing some salt. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. If we're back in the area on a sunny day with our pup, we'd go back! Gotta try out the rotating desserts! read more

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Limited seating options inside so this is not a good spot if it's dreary outside. The hamburger sando was okay but the mac n' cheese could have been skipped (they definitely skimped on the cheese). This place does get pretty busy so you want to show up early if you don't like lines. Service was alright and all of the orders are packed to go so if you don't want to eat there you can just grab and go. read more

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Our friend told us to checkout Dad's in Half Moon Bay on our way to a hike in the area and we are glad we did! We split the mushroom sandwich 5/5 Herb salad 4/5 (very herb forward hence the name) Potato chips with nutritional yeast 4/5 Carrot soup - 5*/5 - coconut milk based with chunks of perfectly cooked carrots and roasted pepitas on top - so delicious. And I don't even like cooked carrots! There are only about six seats at a counter inside but plenty of picnic benches on the "patio" which is real just the parking lot under some trees but it does trick. I'll come back again to try the hamburger and see what other soup they have! read more

This was oh so good! I was camping nearby and stopped in for one of the best hamburgers I've ever enjoyed. If you're in the area you must stop by read more

Dad's Luncheonette - Outdoor - New American Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

What a beautiful weekend in Half Moon Bay! Boyfie and I just had to stop at Dad's Luncheonette before leaving. Right off the bat, the little caboose was very charming and the staff were very personable. We couldn't decide what we wanted so we went with the Happy Meal option which included one of each menu item (which is perfect if you want to try everything!) The Hamburger sandwich was so delicious- beef patty was juicy and perfectly greasy, pickled onions for sharpness, tangy mustard to cut through the richness, wonderfully runny egg, and toasted buttery bread. The Mushroom burger had thick cuts of maitake mushroom, so if you're the biggest fan of mushrooms, I wouldn't recommend. The homemade potato chips were decent. Sprinkled with nutritional yeast, they had a good saltiness to them but I felt like they did not go with the rich flavors of the sandwiches. The herb salad was light and refreshing, I would definitely order again. However, it has a very strong "herb" flavor, so if you are averse to herby-type salads, probably stay away. We were pretty disappointed with the mac and cheese. We felt as though we were eating just the al dente noodles and there was little to no cheese sauce. The soup of the day, black eyed peas and collard greens, was waay too salty for me but my boyfriend liked it. The rose and pistachio cookie was a new flavor profile for me but it was baked perfectly! The edges were crispy but the inside was soft and warm. Overall, the sandwiches and salad were definitely stars and we really enjoyed ourselves. Definitely a must-try local business whenever you are in Half Moon Bay! read more

Dad's Luncheonette - Hamburger sandwich (top) & Mushroom sandwich (bottom) - New American Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Cute lunch spot in Half Moon Bay. Be aware of long lines, and some items sell out! We made the drive over to HMB on a gorgeous day, arriving after noontime. Sadly, they were sold out of their homemade potato chips... wah wah.... We were able to try their shroom sammy and their hamburger sammy. Decent, but not mind blowing, but a solid lunch... got a little soggy however. Seating is to be had in a parking lot, or a shared bar-top like space inside the caboose like space. Awesome - quirky interiors; and friendly staff. read more

Dad's Luncheonette - Mushroom Sammy - New American Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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I think I had different expectations for this spot and was just let down. It seems like the spot and was definitely busy when we walked up but I wasn't impressed with the food. I tried the hamburger which was bland. The Mac n cheese was also very flavorless. I did enjoy the homemade potato chips. Maybe this isn't my kind of place but it seems others enjoy it. read more

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Food was alright, fresh ingredients and all that. I came for that earl grey cream pie and ofc they didn't have it. I usually don't let service get to me, and these folks are trynna be nice and accommodating I supposed? But it was a long wait with a mistake on their end and I wasn't happy about that. read more

This place has great burgers, the burger is just delicious. The service is friendly and fast. It's an amazingly cool Looking business it's ran out of old Train freight. I definitely recommend Dad's for Burgers read more

Dad's Luncheonette - Hamburger sandwich - New American Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

This was the a delicious and surprising stop before highway one. Awesome food and amazing staff, the perfect post plane meal. We got the burger, chips, soup, and desert and everything was absolutely amazing! read more

I was looking forward to eating here after seeing the chef on a morning show in NYC. I love the ambiance of the caboose. The chef was very friendly and interactive with the kids coming in. Now for the bad: I hate it when grilled bread is half grilled or not buttered edge to edge and crispy. The bread is twice the size of the mushrooms contained within. The not grilled bread was soggy and ruined my appetite for the luscious filling. I expected more from a Micheline Starr Chef. Even Dennys can grill bread correctly. read more

I've had lunch at Dad's Luncheonette a few times now and while I really want to like it, every visit has been pretty mediocre. First off, the ordering and wait time for food is extremely long and the food itself is pretty expensive for the size of the sandwiches. The quality + presentation of the food is also pretty hit or miss. We got two hamburger sandwiches and one was slightly pink in the middle, while the other was pretty overcooked. They also served it on a burnt piece of bread and when we brought it to their attention, they asked "are you sure it's not just toasted?" I've attached a photo so other yelpers can see for themselves. read more

Good sandwiches, but overpriced, small portion, and long wait. Worth trying once, but I wouldn't revisit. Came on a Saturday at 2 pm. There was a short line that moved very slowly. Only 1 cook and 1 cashier. Doesn't help that the cashier takes his sweet time with everything. They will call your name or bring your order out. Took about 15 mins to receive mine I got the hamburger sandwich and mushroom sandwich for $14.50 each. I asked for no added salt or butter and they charged an "inconvenience fee" of $1.50 each. I understand if I am adding ingredients but to charge to omit ingredients, that makes no sense. It's not extra work, but less work. Hella greedy. The sandwiches were both pretty good. Ingredients were basically identical besides the meat patty vs mushrooms. No need to try both. It's not a big sandwich. Normal size slices of white square sandwich bread. Most males will likely not be full from just 1 They sell some canned beers and soft drinks. Several first come first serve long picnic tables and small tables set up nearby in the parking lot. There's also maybe 8 seats along the wall inside. Didn't notice any bathrooms in the plaza. read more

Dad's Luncheonette - Menu - New American Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Cute train car structure that serves as the kitchen and order counter. Mostly a to-go place I think as there is very limited inside seating. There are a number of picnic style tables in the parking lot next to the train car structure. The tables were in the direct sun on the day we visited and no shade umbrellas were available. Also to note, there is no barrier to protect patrons from vehicle traffic in the parking lot. The menu is limited but offers enough variety that most people should be able to find something they like. I ordered the burger. It was tasty and had fresh ingredients. The burger was served on regular sliced sandwich bread which both my partner and I found did not hold up well to the burger juice and got a bit soggy. Service was fast and friendly. Price for 2 burgers and a soda was $35. read more

I visited with my dad and dog and we loved it! The service was amazing, the staff is really nice not to mention the sandwiches were yummy! My doggy also got a patty. :) Will definitely be coming back. read more

This was unequivocally the worst mac & cheese I've ever had. It lacked seasoning or sauce, and basically tasted of burnt wild rice puffs. Buying nine boxes of Kraft Mac & cheese would have been a much better use of my money.. The mushroom sandwich is exceptionally mediocre for nearly $15. The flavors lack contrast and the textures all mailed together. It also seems to be served on grocery store sliced bread. Honestly- save your money and go down the street to McDonald's. read more

Excellent little stop in half moon bay. 4.5 stars The hamburger sandwich is phenomenal. Rather than the normal French buns, soft sandwich bread is used, slightly toasted, with just the right amount of grass fed meat, perfectly cooked egg, and leaves from little gem. The sauce also makes this burger phenomenal, none of the pungent mustard or salty ketchup, or heavy mayonnaise sauce. Just enough to enhance the flavor of the perfectly cooked beef patty, with the aroma of the grilled beef lingering in the air, while sitting under beautiful trees in a parking lot in half moon bay. Garbanzo soup was a bit too salty - may be because we came at the end of lunch time. Order after you have the burger so it doesn't get cold. The food gets cold while eating outside. We heard the Earl grey and orange pudding was excellent as well - will dig in it at the beach. read more

Dad's Luncheonette - Garbanzo soup - a bit too salty - New American Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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I came by around 2pm on a Sunday and unfortunately the mac and cheese and potato chips were sold out. Employees are so friendly here! There are a handful of picnic tables to dine at outside, and plenty of parking in the lot. I ordered the hamburger sandwich and it was scrumptious! I enjoyed the juicy patty, and the pickled red onions went really well with it and added acidity to the sandwich. I do wish the patty was bigger and filled up the entire sandwich - I had mouthfuls of just bread on all sides. My egg was half solid/half runny (see pic for solid egg yolk), though I saw some reviews saying their eggs were mostly runny. Waited about 20 mins for my sandwich, which was a bit longer than the estimated time they gave me of 8 mins, but all good because they are always so busy and I'd say it was worth at least one try! read more

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Some places have great food. Some places have fantastic service. And then some places have personalities that are so charming that the great food and amazing service make the experience memorable and something special. That's this place. read more

Dad's Luncheonette - Burger - New American Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Dad's Luncheonette is always worth the wait! The line moves pretty quickly and the burgers are always delicious. So good in fact, I never get to take a picture. My friends and I also split Mac and cheese as well as the yuzu tart and both were very yummy! They have some outdoor seating but it is limited so I would recommend taking it to go and eating it at the nearby beach. read more

Absolutely perfect. I had the hamburger and mac and cheese. Both were great. The food here is simple yet full of flavor, with nothing feeling heavy or greasy. I truly enjoyed every bite. read more

Dad's has a great location, in the heart of Half Moon Bay's downtown plaza. The service here is impeccable-- fast and efficient staff who are always friendly and welcoming. They bring out the meals to you and will generally remember everyone's face and call out your name. Their hamburger sandwich is the go to order here. In recent years, post 2021, they've also added an additional structure to shield you from the weather. There are also permanent seating benches outside next to the iconic sandwich trailer. read more

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After seeing reviews decided to give this place a try. The good: staff is awesome. Very friendly and has a great vibe. Food. It's a simple menu but what we got several of the items on the menu. We got the hamburger and the mushroom burger. For sides we got the Mac and cheese as well as the potato chips. Everything was really good. One of the better burgers I've had. Not the best but up there. The mushroom burger was much better than I expected. The chips and Mac were also really good. The bad: like I said it is a limited menu. If not a burger fan then this is not a place for you. Also only a couple inside chairs and since the door stays open if a cold day not much help. All in all a good burger and worth trying. read more

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Nice fancy approach to comfort food, but it is possible to overthink a hamburger and they have done that. A hamburger on white bread is hard to eat and just doesn't deliver what you're expecting when you want a hamburger. read more

The burger and chips are worth the wait. The server was super polite and always served with a smile on her face. The perfect lunch spot

This place has been a longtime restaurant I've wanted to try for a couple of years but have yet to get a chance since it opens from Thursday-Sunday so be aware. Ambiance: The interior is unique since you're getting a chance to go inside a train! The wind does blow into the train so it does get a bit chilly (bring a jacket warning). There's wall seating on the inside and benches on the outside. There is a water tap included. Service: The staff there are friendly and feels very "community" if you know what I mean Mushroom sandwich (5/5): If I were to call a perfect sandwich, it would be this. The mushrooms are so flavorful! If you're not a big fan of mushrooms, the mushroom flavor isn't too strong since it was seasoned so well. It had a tangy little vinegar taste to it. The ingredients are so fresh! Hamburger sandwich (4/5): It was ordered with everything as suggested and this was a lil letdown compared to the mushroom sandwich. The patty itself wasn't too special, it felt like the other ingredients in it was carrying the burger. It was good but not as good as the mushroom sandwich. Homemade potato chips (4/5): The chips are seasoned well with nutritional yeast. The chips are cooked more than my liking (darker shade) if that's what you're into. Overall, I'd come here again just for that mushroom sandwich. They do suggest ordering everything and I highly agree. Highly recommend to check this place out! read more

Great hole in the wall (or caboose in the parking lot) lunch spot! Detailed breakdown below: **Service, 5/5** The small team hustles hard to get orders through quickly! Although the line is long, you won't have to wait longer than 5 or 10 minutes for your food to be prepared. **Price & portion, 5/5** Prices have increased a little over the years, but I'm happy to support a small business that consistently cranks out quality meals. **Taste, 4.5/5** - Hamburger sandwich, 5/5: Soft toasted bread, a runny egg, juicy burger patty, and pickled onions with a zing. What a great combo! So savory but light enough you can finish the whole thing without dozing off knto a food coma. - Potato chips, 4/5: Amazing texture and good serving size to share with a friend alongside your sandwich. Just wish it had some more salt. - Mac n cheese, 4/5: Similar to the house chips, super solid and great texture (not squishy, but not so al dente you feel like it needs another minute in the water), but could use some salt. **Other notes** Parking is abundant, but seating is not. There are just a handful of seats inside and some picnic tables out front, but be prepared for a car picnic. Bathroom is available at the plaza -- just ask the cashier for a key! read more

my boyfriend and I stopped by this place last month since we were going to be in the area. this place has been on my bookmarks for the greater part of this year and ive heard their mushroom burger was great. also heard that the chef used to work at a 3-star Michelin restaurant. We got here around 11:30am on Saturday, there were a lot of people sitting and eating on the outside benches already. There were two people ahead of us in line. The menu is quite simple -- two sandwiches, a few sides and a lil dessert! There is also an option to try everything -- for $53! I think thats a pretty good deal, especially since what we got was already $45. The HMB farmers market is on Saturdays too, so we took a nice stroll and bought a few things while we waited for our food to be ready. (15 min or so) We got the mushroom burger and the regular hamburger. we also got the house chips (sprinkled with nutritional yeast) and their toffee pudding. I LOVED the hamburger. the bread was buttery, and the meat was juicy and a lil greasy. the star of the show, for both me and my bf, was their house mustard or sauce he used. it was tangy and was perfect to cut through the fattiness of the meat. He also uses it in the mushroom burger and (I'm assuming), the dressing of his salad as well. my boyfriend enjoyed the mushroom burger more than I did. the mushroom was quite meaty, but I wanted more of a sautéed taste. The mushroom was very ... mushroom-y, so if youre not a fan of. mushroom, avoid this! I still enjoyed it somewhat. the chips with the nutritional yeast was okay. I dont recommend getting it again. the nutritional yeast was good for first two bites, but it got kinda boring after awhile. I wish we got the mac and cheese, we heard from a friend that was a really good item to get. the toffee pudding was amazing! I love toffee so I might be biased. the pudding was nice and creamy, and we enjoyed the nuts and toffee bits sprinkled on top to mix up the textures. Parking is okay, it's a medium sized lot shared with the farmers market. spotting this lil place is easy, can't miss the big red caboose that says "Dad's Luncheonette!" ... oh the chef also goes deep sea fishing and will go on group boats! there was a flyer inside the ordering area and a number if you'd like to go. my boyfriend took a picture read more

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took a quick half day trip to HMB today with a girlfriend, and this was our first stop for a quick but yummy lunch! we came by around 1145a on a friday morning, no line with just a few people eating outside. we couldn't decide on what to get so we got an order of their homemade potato chips and one of each sandie's and split it (which was definitely the way to go). both were solid, but the mushroom was our favorite. super succulent and juicy, which made the bottom of the sandwich a bit soggy, but that is the price to pay as with in n out burgers by the time you get to the bottom. the homemade chips were good, light and crispy, topped with what i am guessing is nutritional yeast? but nothing to write home about per se. a solid little meal before we head to the coast, our tummies were happy without feeling too full or bloated or greasy, which was what we were looking for :) 10/10 would come back and support this sweet shop again! read more

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Simple menu but everything is well made and so delicious. Mushroom sandwich is satisfying even if you're a carnivore. The hamburger is perfect combo of ingredients. Do watch out for the runny egg as I sadly got more of it on my jacket instead of in my belly. Service is friendly and they write your name on the bag with a heart Worth the drive down highway one and grabbing a couple sandwiches to enjoy the weather and the ocean coast. Gotta love California! read more

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True gem in half moon bay, from burger, sandwich, soup to salad, everything is perfect prepared! Though I have been there many times, I always found myself be surprised and satisfaction with the fresh food with exotic taste. This is a must go place in your life kind of food station. read more

Tasty, unique burger sandwich served out of a delightfully quirky train car restaurant. Sandwich was good - an interesting twist on the ordinary, though not a life changing burger (eg I wouldn't drive out a long way just to try it). A little small for the price, bread seemed like sandwich sponge bread and a bit squishy/under-toasted - if I were to recreate it at home, I'd use a thicker sliced, more robust levain toast or something, maybe cook the patty medium rather than medium-well. Still, flavors worked well together. Definitely worth a stop if you're already coming into HMB. Long line on a Sunday lunch but moved pretty quickly. Would return to try the mushroom sandwich and herb salad. read more