TikTok sent us here and it didn't let us down! After hearing what a staple Jack's is in Santa Cruz, we had to try it while we were in the area. Let me tell ya, this is one of the best burgers I've had in a hot minute. I got the Western Burger, which had chilli w/ beans, jalapeños, and barbecue sauce. This burger was perfect in basically every way. The chili was incredibly rich and savory, the jalapeños added a nice crunch and acidity, and the barbecue sauce added some sweetness. So many flavors at once that worked so well. It was well worth the mess. My wife got the Bacon Cheeseburger with a 1/3 lb patty. I really appreciated how many cheese options they had. The veggies were fresh and abundant. And that bacon was perfection. Crisp, but still had a good chew, and was thick. This was a classic done right. The fries were also fantastic. Nice and crisp but fluffy on the inside. And the portions were very generous. The place overall just feels like exactly what you want from a local burger shop. A charming burger sculpture on the roof, very friendly staff, ton of outdoor seating. If you've heard about or have been meaning to come to this place, it's well worth the hype. read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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The tri-tip sandwich was DIVINE. The bread was perfectly crisp and soft inside, with yummy mayo sauce. The meat was tender, and I loved all the grilled onions. My husband really liked his cheeseburger too. We shared a chili cheese fries which I had no complaints about. Portion was good to share. read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

This place hit the spot! Everything was so fresh and quick. The restaurant smells like fresh bbq and the team was super friendly. It's a smaller restaurant than I thought but we were in and out of there in 30 minutes. read more

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Jack's was highly recommended by my cousin/ UCSC student, so of course we went there. It did not disappoint. Located in the cool Santa Cruz downtown area you will find this little building with delicious hamburger smoke billowing from the rooftop. Ooooo, this was the spot. We go inside to the ordering counter and then took a seat outside where you receive your order. Santa Cruz has great weather so you know they have a bunch of outdoor seating. Minutes later we are chowing down on amazing burgers. I had the mushroom Swiss burger and it was excellent and the fries were perfect. I had to leave off a star only because they don't have a bathroom or more importantly a sink to wash your hands. I definitely need to wash my hands before eating. Luckily my daughter had hand sanitizer. Bring your hand sanitizer and come get an amazing burger. read more

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Jacks will NEVER disappoint. I love you Jacks. Always quick service with the sweetest people working so hard. The food is always amazing and gives me a home away from home taste. read more

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I just waited 25 minutes for an order of a chicken burger and fries. My chicken portion is comically small, probably 2 1/2 ounces. It looks like they tore the breast in half. I paid in cash because there was a sign stating there would be a discount for paying cash, but they charged me full price. read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Grilled chicken burger - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Everything a burger should be. Old school vibes, friendly service, I've been coming here since last millennia! read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Burger and fries basket - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

It's kinda hard to mess up a burger and fries but some places have. Jacks however, did not disappoint! Small burger joint with delicious food & nice staff. Wish they had a restroom but that's just me searching for a con. read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Bacon cheeseburger added jalapeno - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Such a cute staple of Santa Cruz. I have not gone for years. Little place on the corner, behind pacific ave. Some seating inside, a little cramped but nice for the size of the place. Seating outside as well. I took my order to-go. Cashier super friendly, you can see the kitchen, cooks are working hard! You can see the fresh patties! Got my meal quick, it was super hot and the fries!! Thick cut and so yummy. I'm not sure if they are fresh cut? But they are very good. Burger was substantial and very fresh and yummy. If you are not a big eater I suggest a single patty! Definitely a place to try if you need a good classic burger that is fresh. read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Double Cheeseburger with Basket Fries - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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I love Jack's! I've been coming here since I was in college. This restaurant is small, with five tables inside and a few more outside. There are no restrooms. But! The burgers! They're so good! I took my parents here on my most recent visit. We got two cheeseburgers and a hamburger (grilled onions on all), and an order of fries. They had a special where cans of Pepsi were buy one, get one for a buck. The total came out to roughly $44. The burgers here always taste fresh and are perfectly seasoned. The employees are consistently kind and always know what's up! 10/10 would recommend but bring your own hand wipes! read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Cheeseburger and fries basket. - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

The Chipotle Salmon Burger and the Double Hamburger with cheese were very tasty! Service was fast and friendly. The ambience I would describe as "nostalgic". Definitely will be back! read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Receipt - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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This is one of my favorite places in Santa Cruz. The service is professional, quick, and thorough. The food is delicious, and the outside seating is usually what I choose for ambiance, although there is both inside/outside seating available. A big thank you to the Jack's team for consistently serving great food to the community. read more

I believe tri-tip is a California thing, and I'm glad I got that sandwich here because it was flavorful, marinated, and delicious. The place is busy and packed and I would've liked to eat there, but as it was, no public restroom even for customers, and we took it to go to the hotel. Id definitely like to don't back and try more of their large menu of specialties. The ambiance is loud, like a sports bar, with outdoor seating but no TV! read more

Ordered ahead of time via doordash and order still isn't ready. What was even the point of ordering early? Waited 30 minutes. Don't waste your time. It's better to order in person. read more

Really great burger and fast service. The bacon cheeseburger and the fries are both terrific. Don't miss the milkshake. It's a little place with big flavors. read more

I think their specialty burgers change seasonally because I can't find a menu image with the Swiss and Mushroom burger ($13? I don't remember), which is what I got. So delicious! The patty and mushrooms were flavorful and juicy, cheese was perfectly melty and had a satisfying cheese pull. I wasn't expecting 2 patties but it was nicely complimented with some fresh lettuce and tomatoes. I had regrets I didn't get any fries before I ate the burger, but this was definitely enough for me, in the end. I stole some fries from my friend still, and they're pretty standard, soft fries, like the ones you get at the fair. Not too salty, clearly fried, best eaten very hot. Wasn't paying too much attention to how long we waited for food, maybe 10 minutes? They were busy, but they'll call out your name from a window when it's ready (they have a speaker too but they don't use it often). Pretty busy when we went for an early dinner on Tuesday, almost all the seating was taken but it's not too big of a place. read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Swiss and Mushroom Burger - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

This place still slaps. I've been coming here for 25+ years, and am still a huge fan. I don't live in the area anymore, but make it a point to come any time I'm home visiting friends or family. Jack's makes delicious burgers. It definitely has that open-flame, fresh grilled taste. The fries are solid, not spectacular. They are on the thicker side (not too thick), and are lightly salted. Definitely recommend ketchup and Jack's Sauce for dipping! The Jack's sauce is one of the things that keeps me coming back. Think Thousand Island style, but smooth (no relish), and added spices and seasonings! I usually order 4 sides when I go, one for my fries, one to pour on each burger bite, and two to take home. My typical order is a Double Bacon Cheeseburger Basket (includes fries), add grilled onions. They have other options such as chicken and turkey burgers, Beyond burgers, veggie burgers, Tri-tip sandwiches, tuna melts, hot dogs, chicken tenders, salmon burgers, and even a turkey corn dog! They sell sodas on tap, as well as in cans, plus other beverages such as Gatorade, energy drinks, Naked juice, Yerba Mate, milk, glass bottle Coke, and Jarritos. They also have milkshakes! There is a small lot attached, but also street (pay) parking around, and a pay-by-the-hour lot across the street. There is no public bathroom to use! The staff is mostly friendly, though they deal with a lot of people throughout the day so you generally don't get too much friendly chit-chat. I'll continue to come back for the fresh grilled burger taste and Jack's Sauce! IG: @bbnem.eats read more

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I placed a phone order and was told it would be ready in a few minutes. I arrived and assumed my name would be called whe my order was ready. It was very busy. I waited 25 minutes and then asked about my order. The cashier was extremely rude and said I was supposed to let them know when I arrived so they would start my order. That makes no sense because why would they even take phone orders if they weren't started until you arrive and pay for them. I told her it would have been helpful if she had let me know that when I called. Then the cashier got even ruder and started arguing with me in front of staff and other customers. I cancelled my order and left. Just an awful experience. Won't be returning to this place again. read more

One word review: boring Here are a few more: boring burgers and bland fries. Need better food and basic bathrooms. It's possible that Jacks is living on its former reputation and there's simply no other reasonable alternatives nearby but I can't find any reason to come back. The burger meat was almost tasteless and overcooked. The tomato and lettuce is lifeless. The bun is bland. The fries look promising but are unseasoned. If you want to dip them in something, it's $0.35 for a small container. Order inside but sit outside. The inside is dirty and soulless. The staff don't want to talk to you. Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more no more not more. read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Double Burger with Basket Fries Cheeseburger with Basket Fries - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Haven't been here for a while, but when I was a kid after the boys and girls club, this was the spot to go. They made it to where we were able to afford it so not only is this place delicious but they made it a spot where the neighborhood kids could eat. Thanks y'all. read more

HUGE burgers at reasonable prices. Parking is rough and the wait can be a bit. Also, their to-go packaging is less than ideal. But the burgers are delicious! read more

Smells Good!! Was heading to Aptos for a family function, and decided to grab something to eat prior to; Burgers & Fries were good and made to order. Me: bacon, cheeseburger basket, well-done, no tomatoes, and a Dr Pepper She: bacon cheeseburger basket hold the comes withs. He: bacon cheeseburger, no tomatoes, no lettuce, chili cheese, fries, and a chocolate shake. Everybody liked everything, because it disappeared shortly after we got our food. You order at the counter, and they call your name, so service was good, considering how busy they were. Not from the area, so I wouldn't drive from the bay for a burger, but if in town again, I might. I give them 3.5 yummms up! read more

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Alrighty then. Originally we headed out tonight to go to Chubb's Chicken Sandwiches. Closed on a dang Saturday night. WTF. Immediate zero stars. (can't normally leave that!) So we thinking...been in Santa Cruz 17 years and have never went to Jack's. Let's give it a whirl. Local favorite. How can we go wrong.... Let me count the ways. I order the Big Daddy Super Special Burger, aka "The Diablo Burger With The Works". Got all the cool ingredients for a little fire in the hole type of thing. Wifey went with basic bacon cheeser. Fries too. (Decent fries!) So we get'er home. Damn Diablo is biggg! Nice! First bite ends up in a messy, soggy disaster. No, they lied; not toasted French bread. It's gooey raw French bread. The kind that does not hold up to an overcooked, undersized meat patty. No way to salvage this. So let's strip off all of the bread, get it down to the basics and go Animal Style on this burger. Bottom line; pretty much hockey puck territory and as I write this review with dried special sauce on my fingers, I'm thinking about my turkey leftovers in the fridge... read more

Place recommended by the hotel. Great food and people! Would definitely visit again when in the area again. read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Burgers and fries - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Wow, this place is on my list of top 5 burgers in my lifetime. A delicious "backyard style" cheeseburger that is perfectly balanced. Wish I could come here for all my burgers. It would be hard to do better than this! read more

PLEASE COME TO THIS PLACE! Tried it for the first time today with my girlfriend 5 billion stars! they had bacon burger and even said it was better than in n out!!!! we got it with the fries and they were delicious! also the staff were incredibly nice and efficient, no long wait times for us! gracias muy buenas hamburgesas. THE PICTURE DOES NOT DO IT JUSTICE!!! didnt meet jack tho... read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Bacon Burger with Basket Fries - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Jack's makes a very solid burger. High quality meat. Also reasonably priced for a good burger. Fries are standard, satisfying. They also have a chicken sandwich, chicken strips (which you order by the each!), hot dogs, and other stuff if you have kids who don't like burgers. Service is pretty quick, but they do get busy and they are actually cooking things, so I wouldn't call it fast food. read more

Shakes are amazing. Fries are too Burgers aren't for me I don't know how to explain it, almost thick? Bready but not much bread. Cant describe it lol. but I bet others will enjoy it, it was yummy read more

Holy moly. From the first bite it was so tasty. The burger was amazing. The fries were super crispy. Nice little outdoor patio to sit on. I'll definitely be coming back every time I'm in Santa Cruz. read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Double cheeseburger - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Pops and I were dropping off a trailer on Wickety wickety Westside and realized neither of us had ever been to Jack's. Kinda weird since we both have seen it for decades, just never tried. Decent options of burgs for a small burg spot. Thin patty style, but not smash burger thin. Flavor was solid and veggies were crisp and fresh. Buns could be improved upon as they were standard issue. Pops said his milkshake was on point and they know how to do it with them tricky mama thick straws. Can't stand dem skinny ones. All in All, I can find a better burger around here, but I will definitely hit it again on a downtown day drinking tear when needing a quick power up burg. Everyone working there seemed stoked and they were very chill and friendly. Get some custom made buns for the burgs (bet Sumanos could do something nice for this) and ya'll will keep on keeping on for the next couple decades no probs read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Double Cheese Burger w/ some fries that shall remain anonymous - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Jacks is my favorite place for burgers. It has kind of an old school style that I like. Their fries are very good too. There are several places that serve burgers (well duh!) but Jack's is the best for quality and quantity. Jack's is a true local treasure. It has the vibe of a 1950s- 1960s burger place with indoor and outdoor seating in the heart of Santa Cruz. Jack's "basket" special makes burgers, fries and a drink a steal in the later afternoon. read more

As much as I love Jack's and their delicious food my orders are always incorrect. Always. Either it's the wrong sandwich or a missing milkshake and I am over charged. When these errors are brought to their attention all I receive is blank stares. I think I need to go elsewhere. read more

Consistent; friendly service and great burgers! A staple in town and been around for years. Always good. Highly recommend!

Wed, May 29, 12:30 pm. Four of us went to Jack's Hamburgers, a locally owned and operated restaurant, for lunch. I ordered the Swiss and Mushroom specialty hamburger basket (with fries). I can honestly say that it was perhaps the best burger I have ever had! Consisted of a perfectly grilled 1/3 lb. beef patty, Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on a large sesame seed roll. The quantities of everything were generous, but I was especially happy to see a lot of romaine lettuce on the bun. The French fries were also excellent. Jack's menu allowed for others in our party to customize their lunches. For instance, the burger for a friend who follows a paleo diet was served wrapped in romaine lettuce. Chicken strips were priced by the strip. Today, my friend ordered three. But, once before, she had ordered only one to try out. We ordered inside, and picked up our order when our number was called. We sat outside at picnic tables to enjoy the warm weather and gentle breezes. Every tablet was taken but turnover was relatively fast. read more

Such a good Burger! Only started frequenting Santa Cruz dinning this quarter and so far Jack's takes the crown. Western Burger with chili is very fun and indulgent, but can't beat the classic cheeseburger with a basket of fries. Very Special and nostalgic read more

We were excited to try Jack's however left disappointed. The burger patty was bland and dry like an unseasoned frozen patty. The condiments on the burgers were the saving grace along with the ranch and golden brown fries. read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Chipotle Burger & Swiss and Mushroom Burger with fries - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Super tasty burger's here. I got the bacon cheeseburger basket with no tomato. They have fantastic hot crispy fresh thick French fries! Burgers have a wonderful char broil taste from their grill, buns fresh, produce crisp & so fresh tasting you'd think this produce is farm to burger fresh yep! Bacon will add that touch of smokiness that I've been missing for years but now it's my go 2! Staff super nice since these guys are busy. Awesome jacks sign reminds us of jet sons post modern look is outta sight man. Price is more than fair. #1 burger in Santa Cruz county! read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Burger and fries - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Solid burger spot one street over from the main drag of downtown Santa Cruz. Stopped here with some friends after wandering around UCSC. The menu was expansive and everything was reasonably priced. My chipotle burger with fries came out to around $12.30, which I thought was a steal. The fries were warm, crispy, and salty. The burger had this smoky flavor which reminded me of backyard bbq burgers, which was complemented by the spiciness of the chipotle sauce. The cucumbers were a nice change of pace from pickles; they weren't was acidic, but added a cool zesty flavor. Check this place out if you're a fan of unpretentious burgers and fair prices. read more

Jack's Hamburgers - Chipotle Burger with fries - Burgers Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Came here yesterday, the burgers were so delicious. Felt like if you were to make them at home with all natural ingredients. Service was very great , got my food pretty fast as well. Will be coming again. read more

Was a pretty good burger. Good size and put together well. A little on the expensive side. Fries were ok. They had a good crisp to them and weren't too salty. This place is like a good taco shop for burgers. NO RESTROOM! read more