"Smish Smash I was taking a bath, long about a Wednesday night, yeah!!!" Okay I'm no Bobby Darin,…read morebut I am quite the aspiring burger aficionado and the smash burgers being handcrafted at Smish Smash are some of the best and most affordable in the entire city of San Francisco! And when Food & Wine Magazine calls this burger one of the most exciting in the U.S., I for one was implored to take notice and visit! Located on the first floor of Saluhall on Market Street in downtown San Francisco next to the IKEA store, Smish Smash started as a pop-up six years ago by owners Am y Han and Victor Donado. Just last year they opened their first stand-alone location on the first floor of Saluhall, which to be quite honest has struggled to keep their other vendors open. Thankfully, Smish Smash has had the benefit of being on the first floor with a view of Market Street, not to mention a great word of mouth thanks to their exceptional smashed burgers that has not only many burger lovers coming in, but quite the number of delivery drivers coming in to pick up burger orders galore. What brought me here to Smish Smash was the fact that a friend and I had theatre tickets at the nearby Golden Gate Theatre and we decided that we needed something quick and delicious before we walked back to the theatre to sit for almost three hours of a show. They suggested that we try this amazing and fun burger concept that was garnering significant buzz and so meeting up at Saluhall was the way to go as they had complimentary WiFi access and plenty of clean and open seating. The menu at Smish Smash is of course filled with burger options with no fewer than seven on their regular menu and a rotating special menu items including items with chili on them including fries, hot dog, and chili in a bowl, not to mention a couple of extra burgers to boot. Each of their burgers on their regular menu has the option of ordering it as a single or double smash burger. Since it was my first time, I ordered a single version of their Cheeseboiga, which had yellow American cheese, pickles, caramelized onions, and mac sauce. My dining mate ordered a single version of their Wow Burger which was topped with white American cheese, grilled onions, pickles, and s2 sauce, which is a combination of mayonnaise and relish, with an order of a side of Curly Fries which were cooked in beef tallow, our total bill was 33 dollars before taxes and gratuity were added in. It wouldn't take too long for our order to be custom made by their team and we enjoyed every last bite while sitting at their communal dining inside the Saluhall. The most noticeable thing that I noticed about the smash burgers at Smish Smash was the fact how thin their smashed burgers were, almost paper like thinness, which made for a unique dining experience. But what was lacking in overall heft of the burger was more than made up in terms of overall juiciness and flavor of my overall burger, of which came out clear on the grease and flavor on my fingertips as I ate every last bite. So good was my experience at Smish Smash that a return visit mere a couple of months later was in order when I attended a show at the nearby Orpheum Theatre. With complimentary WiFi and water available to customers, this time I ordered their Smish Smash Special which was their Dac Biet smash burger which was their signature grass-fed smashed beef topped with white American cheese, sliced onions, jalapeños, cilantro, Thai basil, alfalfa sprouts, lime and pho aioli. This particular smash burger, which cost 16 dollars, was a little on the healthier side as the sprouts, onions, and cilantro overpowered everything, but the flavor profile did make it feel as if I was enjoying a bowl filled with pho noodles with all the fixings. I appreciate what Smish Smash is trying to do, as an up and coming entrepreneurial business from pop-up to permanent business in an area that could seriously use the support, I am all in with what Smish Smash is offering up on a daily basis, good affordable trendy smash burgers that makes burger lovers coming back for more and then some! "I was a-moving and a-grooving, yeah I was a-smishing and a-smashing..."

Came right when they opened (which was the perfect time imo). Parking was difficult to find…read moreinitially - but after circling around a few times, I realized there is a garage in the same building. Now to the best park...the food! Easily one of the best smash burgers I've had in the bay. I got the cheeseboiga single. Shoe string fries had the best crisp. And take it from me - please don't skip the banana pudding! Service was prompt, and met with a smile. She was patient while we took a while to decide our order. Also, keep a look out for specials. I noticed the special signs right after i placed my order. Food also came out just as quickly. I hope they add more food spots in this food hall! Ambiance is modern, clean. (And there's a Photo Booth!) we will be back!!!

The Marina/cow hollow area in SF, gives off small college town vibes!…read more The streets are lined with a variety of different restaurants, shops, and so many places to explore. Causwells is one of the restaurants definitely worth exploring. First off, everyone on staff is so incredibly kind, generous, and welcoming, you'll never want to leave. There is a small bar area immediately to your left when you walk into this intimate feeling Restaurant. The bartender makes you feel like you're walking into chairs. Yes he's busy, but he acknowledges customers walking in. Very cool! We were immediately seated, and while the tables are on the smaller side and fairly close to one another, it's still created a very cozy experience. They have a nice menu that with a variety of items. The people seated next to us were enjoying the salmon and it looked absolutely delicious. We went for the burgers, because it's one of their must try items on the menu. It's a Smashburger with gooey cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and this delicious deliciously soft tasty bun. Diners tip: the burger comes with onions, and we both asked for them to be grilled. This is definitely the way to go. The burger is very generous in size, snd delicious. Perfectly seasoned, well-made, and it is that taste sensation that we all crave when eating a burger. The fries were tasty and lightly seasoned, and if you can get through the entire burger and the fries, you get a gold star. I did my usual two bites and I was done and yes, I took the rest home with me. This is a great restaurant and definitely should be on your list of places to try!

Excellent people-watching seating outside in a well covered parklet. We stopped by just before 5pm…read moreon a Tuesday and were easily seated. Empty inside, but patio seating filled in. Have a small happy hour 3-5pm. Pros: - Food is decent. Burger was a strong 4/5 (though i asked for my onions grilled, and they were sadly raw and difficult to pull off). Salad with sunchokes and citrus was a nice bit of roughage, nice bitterness in the lettuces. - Banana bread 'grilled cheese' is an epiphany. Must try. - Cocktails were fun & IGworthy. - Vibes & location feel so perfect on a sunny afternoon. Cons: - 1 bathroom stall, can only imagine how rough this gets when during a busy dinner service. - Service was friendly, but often multiple asks for the same item, and long waits between check ins. Overall, a decent spot in an area flush with choice. Probably more of a 3.5 than a 4, but well round up here!

Came on a Wed night for the smashburger and wow it didn't disappoint! I wouldn't say I'm much of a…read moreburger fan but heard I had to try the smashburger here so we came around 6pm and waited ~45 min for a table for 4. They call you when the table is ready so we were free to walk around. For the smashburgers, they have a beef and a vegetarian patty version, both with 2 patties, double cheese, pickles, and onion. No substitutions but trust me we all got the og burger and it was delicious. Loved the crispy patties with a nice charred edge. I think this may have changed my mind about smashburgers entirely, it was that good. We also got the crispy brussel sprouts to share (on a bed of goat cheese for extra flavor) and the mushroom pizza. I liked the variety of mushrooms they use which gave the pizza a nice earthiness. I'm not a huge fan of white pizzas though so I thought it could have used an extra boost of flavor but for detroit style thicker crust pizza, this was solid.

I've had their bagels and they were comparable to really good, chewy NY bagels. So we had high…read moreexpectations for their Detroit pizza and double cheese burgers. We waited in line for about 50 minutes and landed on bar seating. Service was efficient and accommodating. * * * O U R P I C K S * * * DOUBLE PATTY, DOUBLE CHEESE ~ shrettuce, pickles, onions and French-style potato salad. This was juicy, but it was missing tomatoes and more lettuce and onions. Just felt heavy and greasy, because it was double meat and double cheese. It needed some freshness from extra vegetables to make it cleaner tasting. I tasted the pickles in between the patties, but it still didn't cut the greasiness. The buns were a bit too soft and they didn't seem toasted, so while holding it, it became smooshed. Potato salad was ok, though I'd probably prefer fries with ketchup. It's half-cut roaster potatoes with a bland dressing, because the potatoes are big pieces. If they were cut smaller, you'll taste the dressing more than just potatoes. 3.5/5 SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS PIZZA ~ fennel sausages, Jimmy Nardello pepper cream, pearl peppers, mozzarella, & red sauce. This was ok. Crust was crispy, but the pizza bread was more dense than we would have liked. The Jimmy Nardello pepper cream sauce on top was heavy and it was too saucy for us. Mozzarella had a good cheese pull and was good. But like the burger, it felt heavy. Needed more acidity to balance and lighten the load. 3.5/5 I guess on Wednesday nights, people don't mind waiting an hour for the burgers. If it had sliced tomatoes and more lettuce, it would have been much better. But for $15, they should have the essentials to make a good burger. As for the pizza, maybe we chose the wrong one for us. We left disappointed. In my opinion, it's overhyped for 1hr+ wait.

Really loved the burgers here! Did not care for the sides--French fries, waffle fries, chicken…read more"tenders", and onion rings. I recommend the Big Louie (two patties), as the ratio of meat to bun to toppings is ideal. Loved the mayo and sauce on the burger as well. Friendly staff (: Would defo come back for the burgers!

A friend and I walked into Louie's Original at 8pm and quickly placed an order for their $30…read morerestaurant week menu: two Big Louie's with white cheddar, one waffle fry, one onion ring, and 2 fountain drinks. I've never known about Louie's Original, and was surprised by the amazing down to earth welcoming vibe - it definitely feels like it could be a neighborhood staple. The service was friendly and fast, and our buzzer went of not too long after we placed out order. The Big Louie is definitely big - the buns were nice and fluffy, with heavy juicy burgers and the white cheddar went perfectly with the secret sauce. But surprisingly the stand out was the onion rings - the waffle fries were great too, but I'm not sure what they did to the onion rings they're umami, almost dashi or furikake-esque, and with a perfect crispy batter that doesn't get soggy or fall all off the onion, and the onion inside was perfect, like a soft simmered onion thats sweet and still has just enough firmness without being sharp. I'm glad I found Louie's original, and I'll definitely be back for those onion rings and maybe a little louie next time :)

San Francisco has all types of burgers available at many different restaurants. The burgers can…read morerange from fast foods like Mc Donald's like their Mc Arch to king of fast food burgers also known as Burger King ( who says there are no kings). Then there are smash burgers which has been the craze for a few years already. Then there are burgers known for their sauce like the animal style sauce at In-N-Out . Burgers in SF can get cheesy . Everybody has any reason to say it's a better burger whether it's for the purple onions, pickles , or buns. There is a place which serves the Cali Burger. On a West Portal stroll there is a burger place which sells the Cali Burger. The Cali Burger means fresher ingredients usually locally sourced in California. Calibur is the place to get an organic grass fed burger. I got the double cheese burger with Calibur sauce. It was tasty and it had great flavor along with a soft bun. The fresh grass fed cheese burger pairs well to eat with cheese fries in SF. The fries were crispy and saucy and got a bit messy. Calibur also sells chili cheese dogs along with different flavors of shake including Neapolitan. Overall a good place to fresh grass fed cheese burger on a bun. You can get organic beef that's grass "fed"with Calibur sauce "spread" and a soft fresh bun "bread"although they don't have onion rings or purple onions you can get raw with yellow onions or the onions that are "red" The organic ingredients locally grown under the California "sun" get a grass fed cheeseburger medium or well "done" take a shot with Calibur and I ain't talking about a weapon like a "gun" but get something loaded with beef and cheese on a "bun"

I've never seen a place offer chili and garlic fries but serve the chili and garlic on the side. It…read morecame across as lazy, but I guess it can also be efficient for the staff. Not sure if the cashier was not paying attention or if it was too big of an order, but a few of our burgers were messed up and missing things that we requested like grilled onions instead of raw and pickles. The burger was manageable. Although the sauces came on the side, the fries were cooked well. As we were eating, a line started to form. But instead of acknowledging them, a guy came out from the back with his hoodie on and focused on packing to-go orders. When he was done, we greeted them at the cashier. He did not look happy at all. It was a good try and it was my fiancee's fave spot once upon a time, but i don't understand what's so good about this place.

me and my mom came here trying new places because we're traveling food was amazing and watching the…read morelakers beat the rockets made it even better lol but a good burger there is the kimchi burger with garlic fries amazing make sure to get ranch on the side only down side soda machine was down and the people at the bar weren't very friendly other than that super good food go try

One of the things we really liked about this place was the nice bar next to it. They had a good…read moreselection of wines by the glass, including Rombauer Chardonnay, and the pricing was actually very reasonable. The burger was very full and generously packed with ingredients. The chicken nuggets portion was surprisingly large, and the fries were also very tasty. It was also one of those rare beautiful sunny San Francisco afternoons. Usually whenever we visit the city, the weather is cloudy, so being able to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine made the experience even better. The only small negative thing I would mention is that the wait time felt a bit long even though it did not seem overwhelmingly crowded. But honestly, I can understand it, maybe because they prepare everything carefully and fresh. Would I come back again? Absolutely.

Probably the best burgers we've had in SF (...yet!)…read more They have a set menu with 2 burger options and fries. The burgers are pricey but worth it. The smash burger was probably my favorite. I also lovvved the fries with the yummy seasoning. Would definitely come back with friends! Although there was a line, it moves quickly and the staff were great. You place your order inside, and then wait outside until your name is called. There are a couple of benches just outside if you fancy sitting out. Will be coming back!

Tried this place for the first time and I will say the meat it self was delish HOWEVER... my bun…read morewasn't toasted and I don't like mayo on my burger and when I asked to remove the mayo and add the secret sauce I was told very rudely no. He then said he would put it on the side. He didn't. After spending $140 on 3 burgers, a fries, 3 cookies and 3 waters... I expected better. I am very disappointed with the service we received and let's not forget the money that was spent. I would have to agree with some of the 1 star reviews. JUST DO BETTER

Just plain excellent. Fries too. Milkshake phenomenal. Employees great. I tried to hit it the next…read moreday on the way to the airport. Not enough time.

Ate there twice since new owners…read more I ordered delivery the week before and was served a very disappointing meal.. the $30 kobe burger was like one ounce of beef smashed down and crunchy as if it was deep fried. fries cold. I had to visit them in person to see what happened. I had their sweet potato fries and a $30 kobe burger, with everything. burger was dry, didn't taste like kobe beef.. any authentic Japanese ingredient is difficult to find served by San Francisco Restaurants.. Even multi starred restaurants serve fake stuff.. used to be just one or two celebrity chefs.. but now I guess the rest have to compete, and it gets down to this level. Last year rated one of the best in San Francisco.. now.. worth nothing.

It was a nice day to be in Mission Bay Area as the sun was out after a few days of rain. I stopped…read moreby UCSF PCMB to visit my additional coworkers. We decided to go to lunch at Gott's Roadside. It is my "go-to" spot when I am near the Chase Center! I love their big menus, the "big wordings", colorful deco, and there are lots of seatings in the inside/outside. I always order my usual, the Cali chicken without red onions and Jack cheese. I find it more healthier than the gourmet burgers that they have on the menu. The staff are always welcoming and friendly. They take their time to explain their menu and special. Their all gender bathrooms are always clean and the communal handwashing station are outside of the bathrooms. If you're ever in the Mission Bay Area and thinking of a gourmet burgers and fries or want a quick bite before going to a Warriors game/concert at the Chase Center, don't forget to stop by Gott's Roadside! Pro tip: Order online on their website or on major those food delivery apps for pick up to skip the crazy long lines during game days.

Good customer service. They helped me with questions about the menu…read more My pesto provolone chicken Sanwhich was really good. Crunchy. Strawberry lemonade was really good too. My husband liked his burger as well. Not so much on the chili though, but still edible. Prolly won't get that next time. Spacious area. Lots of seating. Great place to come to before attending an event at Chase Center

Came here randomly today and I'm glad I did! Didn't take any pictures of my food because I was…read morestarving but I ordered a spicy peppa smash burger, super good and a sink the pink cocktail for my drink, very good as well. The bartender Bianca was really nice. I'll definitely be back for happy hour :)

Large smash burgers and lush unique shakes. Pretty good happy hour in a chill, hipster setting…read more Good to watch sports at and people-watch. Fries were crispy. Would recommend the Mission smash burger. Not cheap, but good portions and tastes like good quality. Rich flavor. Would be back--service was efficient and friendly.