Seriously delicious burger!! It's sort of East County's version of Hodad's/Rocky's, and it's far enough away so as not to have to deal with any of the Hatfield v.s McCoy comparisons that either of the beachside burger joints must always deal with. The vibe is definitely that of a dive bar, and when we went, it was fairly mellow inside. We sat up front, flanked on all sides by flat screen TVs, each showing a different sporting event, save for the one proudly blaring "American Idol" auditions. (PLEASE SOMEONE CANCEL THAT SHOW ALREADY. But I digress.) Our server was FAST. She appeared as though out of thin air with waters and a smile, even leaving us our own pitcher of iced water, presumably in case she got caught at another table. (I've definitely done that as a server before--very smart.) She delivered our drinks immediately, and took our order while suggesting her favorites from the simple menu. I ordered the bleu cheese burger, The Boy had a simple cheeseburger. I will say that our food took a surprisingly long time to come out, but our server never let our sodas dip below the halfway point, so we were happy to wait. The burgers themselves were AWESOME. I'm a big fan of any restaurant that doesn't use gross, dry, Town Talk buns, and these were deliciously flavorful. Another plus in my book was that all the fixin's were served on the side. I have the taste buds of a five-year-old (read: no veggies for me!) so this was a great little touch for me. Only issue, and not even a huge one? My burger was a bit more done than I usually prefer...but the beef was of such obvious quality that it didn't adversely affect the flavor too terribly much. They were generous with the bleu cheese, as well! The prices absolutely cannot be beat! My burger was $5! For three of us, no beers but three burgers, a side of fries, and three sodas, we spent $35 including tip! They also give out a punch card for frequent visitors, one of those "buy this many and receive a free burger" things. Awesome. read more

Hope this crappy place go out of business, worst customers service and rude people, will never go back to this place, so glad we walked out and didn't spend our money here. read more

This place has freaking amazing burgers. They have a cheeseburger, fries, and drink special (aka "the lunch special) for like $6. The ladies that work there are pleasant and, once again, the burgers are freakin awesome! Cash only. read more

My office is close by and I have lunch there all the time. Burgers and fries are very good and I don't remember it ever not being good. Sometimes the food is slow coming if there is a lot of people, as there is only one cook and griddle, but not unreasonably so. Ambiance is cool too, especially if you are a sports fan, as there has got be at at least 10 widescreen TV's with lots of different choices. Waitresses are friendly too. So all things considered, for a 1/3 pound burger, fries and soda or draft beer for a $6.95 you've got a winner! Oh and buy 5 (with the Burger Bonus card) and get the next one free...done it many times : ) read more

I work down the street from Johnny B's, so sometimes for lunch when I crave a nice, juicy cheeseburger, I'll call in and order one! I've eaten in the actual place once and liked the atmosphere. Another benefit of eating in the restaurant is that there are specials that there are dine in orders. The cheeseburgers always taste perfect to me... cooked perfectly. =) However, the french fries always come out a little too greasy for me! read more

This is a truly kickback bar. You can definitely eat good burgers and brews here. Don't forget the hot yellow chiles. On cool nights, you can go out on their small patio and sit around the fire pit. They have cool bartenders/bartendresses. read more

Good bar food nothing to classy , not to impressed with the menu but the burger was good. Everything was almost 10 dollars each. I was driving so I couldn't have a beer but I will return to enjoy my self one day read more

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Well. It's over. First the remodel set up like a diner, then the price hikes, food quality not as good and now no longer 21 and up which was the saving grace I know they won't care because they'll make their money but it's a shame there isn't anywhere we can get a drink and some food without kids running around. It was nice while it lasted. read more

Great little place to grab a burger, fries or mozzarella sticks & a beer! Good & friendly service too! Great little place in downtown La Mesa!! read more

Ordered the popular patty melt. It's the talk of the town. Unfortunately it was cooked horribly. It was oozing grease, it was not served on Rye as requested. I ate it because I was hungry, but regretted that decision later. The only reason I'm writing this is because we hope the owner reads this and goes back to the original recipe. read more

My boyfriend and I go here pretty much every week with our friends on Sundays for the $10 steaks. I'm a vegetarian but my boyfriend looooves his steaks as well as most of our friends. Attn: STEAK LOVERS- Every Sunday you can order a $10 steak dinner, that includes a salad, toast, beans and french fries. None of my friends have been unhappy with it since. I always get the onion rings, their perfect and I'm really picky about onion rings... Bottom line, this place is a no-frills kind of joint. They only serve beer and wine, and the vegetarian items on the menu are limited, but I couldn't give a place I go to so often a bad yelp. read more

Great standard burger place. From the outside it seems like a small little hole in the wall but it is actually quite nice and roomy inside. They brew their own beer which is always a plus for me. The burgers a pretty standard, great quality but nothing out of the ordinary. I would recomend this place to anyone looking for a quality burger, beer, and game read more

Johnny B's - Burgers Near Me - La Mesa, California

I have been to Johnny B's twice now. Once just for dinner on a monday night and this past weekend during octoberfest. First time it was kind of slow and they had the football game on. My girlfriend and I each got a burger and were pleasantly surprised based on the price. Service was not too shabby and the food was good. Next visit started out rocky, our first server was obviously stressed by the crowed from octoberfest and did not have a good first impression. Before we could order she started off saying "We DO NOT split checks so you may want to decide how you are going to pay, our system does not allow for multiple cards." Which kind of turned us off because we had a large group and not everyone had cash, but w/e we will cross that bridge when we get there. We all ordered a round of beers from there special octoberfest menu which wasnt too impressive but the prices werent bad, my girlfriend ordered a vodka-sprite. The beers came out fast enough but the mixed drink took a good 15 minutes. At this point some guy came over with separate checks for each couple and took our food orders and kept the drinks coming. Our dining experience took a complete 180 turn. So overall, food is good for the price, nothing really special and the service can be hit or miss. 3.5 stars read more

Everything is great here I love the food and the wings are bomb too... I just wish that they had more spicy topping such as jalapeños for the Burger..... Mmmmmmm blue cheese crumbles bacon and jalapeños... Its a match made in heaven anyways I love Lynn she is super awesome and very friendly just like her staff... Keep up the good work guys I will for sure be back always and forever p.s make sure u get the frequent flyer card lol I'm about to get my free burger on this visit boooom that is all read more

Always good! There are lots of good burger places around San Diego, and Johnny B's definitely is in the "Tier 1" category. Burgers are consistent and tasty, beer is cold, and service is friendly and punctual. What more could you ask for? read more

I was so excited that this place was open during the COVID-19 outbreak... maybe I was a little overzealous when I read that we could take a beer to go with our take-out order... The older gentleman probably in his 60s who is taking the orders was so obnoxiously rude when we walked in I almost walked out... he finally calm down a little bit after I asked him if his name was Johnny? Or if he was Upset to be working during the virus... (clearly he hates his job right now) so we proceed and order our food, and he makes our 12 ounce beers to go... ( I didn't measure, but that's how much he said they were) but then tells us we can't have them while they cook the food. I offered to go outside... I mean to go is to go right? I ended up tipping the cooks separately because I couldn't bear to tip this guy, he was such a jerk... The food was absolutely delicious!! And can I graciously add that the cooks pleasantly greeted me with a smile when I walked in!!! Check into this Johnny, this waiter will destroy your business!! read more

Looking for a nice quiet weekend breakfast you must try this place. Although there are other places to go to in the area, this place hit all the right notes for anyone looking for great food and morning spirits. The breakfast menu maybe small, but when they only do it for the weekend it's perfect and portions will definitely fill you up. Enjoy. read more

Been going here for at least 8 years and LOVE it. Yes, nothing is perfect, but it is a great place to go and hang out for some casual food and drink and maybe watch a game. They are always accommodating if you want to watch a specific game and will do there best to get it on for you. Within the last year or two they have upgraded all the TVs to nice flat screen ones. The viewing is good from any seat in the house. Now the outside patio TV's are a bit lacking/older. menu - It is limited. Don't come here if you want a lot of variety. But that being said that is OK with me. I don't eat beef so I've never had the burgers that everyone raves about. I think the chicken sandwiches (grilled) at good and so is the salad. Check out Sunday morning for breakfast - good value and good eggs. yes, sometimes the food takes awhile to come, but they warn you about that on their menu. Plan accordingly. The owner, Johnny, is great, friendly and seems very caring. Every year he has a customer appreciation day where they roll back prices and serve free food (bbq pig and fixings). How can you beat that? The servers are friendly. They have a lot of repeat customers and I think they show their appreciation. I'm glad they are in downtown La Mesa. read more

Avid Patty Melt fan. Former East Coaster here from Philly. Back East, if you can't make a patty melt, you should probably close your doors due to culinary shame. Nonetheless, sampling the local cuisine stumbled across Johnny B's. By far best patty melt ever. Better than home. U have to plan on a 45 minute wait for food, even during the week. Older wait staff seems cold, as I always get a patty melt that comes with thousand island on the side and asking for a knife appears to be a hassle. However, love everyone else in the place . Great cooks, management, cleanliness, and vibe. Get a burger card- when u buy 5 burgers, any burgers, you get the 6th free! Great recession buster. On fridays, a shop next door plays old british movies under the stars on a projector. Pretty neat lil night out to break your routine!! read more

A few months ago I was craving a tasty burger so I checked Yelp. I wanted something reasonably priced, near home, and better then fast food or fudruckers! Johnny B's fit all those criteria so the hubs and I decided to check it out! The front of the joint was kind of hard to pick out in the dark. Because we went later in the day the place was fairly empty with only a few tables of what seemed like regulars in the main dining area. Once ordered our food arrived quickly. My burger was pretty damn good with my only complaint being that I had a hard time eating it! It was big and started to fall apart early on, though for some reason my husbands kept itself together! The ambiance wasn't fantastic, but I don't really care about that when the food is so tasty! read more

Nice little burger gem of LA mesa. Locals like to gather here and you'll feel a strong sense of community. Decent beer list for La mesa burger joint. For burgers i get the cheese burger and add bacon.. half fries and onion rings, Westcoast IPA from Green Flash.. DONE.. read more

This is another one of those I-can't-believe-we-live-five-minutes-from-here-and-haven't-eaten-here places. The burgers live up to the hype, and are a comforting, welcome antidote to the gourmet burger shops (and high-end restaurants diving into the burger pool.) The meat is juicy, the old-fashioned sesame buns toasted and buttered just right, and the condiments (crispy iceberg, juicy tomatoes, tart pickles and sweet red onions) prove that good food doesn't have to be complicated. There are a few variations (blue cheese, bacon) but other than my addition of Ortega chiles (which were blackened just so), there's no need to stray from tradition. The fries are pretty standard but are still crisp. The onion rings are fat, crunchy and almost greaseless. I'm a huge fan of the house-made chips - an enormous basket of piping hot, perfectly salted, not-too-thick-nor-too-thin russets were the perfect compliment to the burger. Service is quick and friendly, prices are unbelievably reasonable, and the lively setting is packed with locals who know a good thing when they see one. Although this place has a bar pedigree, do not underestimate the quality of the food. We're definitely adding this place to our rotation. read more

Good food- I haven't tried the cocktails but supposedly they are weak. Only downside is service isn't that great but it's a bar atmosphere so that's to be expected. read more

Cute little place in downtown La Mesa, but over priced. Ordered a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, which was super small and $6.00 (keep in mind fries are extra). I am not a huge hamburger eater, but heard theirs are good. I will have to try one next time, maybe it will be worth a second shot. read more

Everything I've ordered here is sooooo yummy!! Love the food! I would have given that 5th star, but the last time I was there, we had to move from a table to the bar because we sat there forever and no one came to take our order. Once we moved to the bar, our order was taken right away. Another bonus is that they don't allow kids! I have kids, so every once in a while I enjoy being able to go out on an adult only night, and not get stuck somewhere having to listen to someone else's kids act crazy in a restaurant. read more

My in-laws and I really love Johnny B's. It is 21+ only so keep that in mind. It's never packed whenever we go. The burgers are really tasty. We come to Johnny B's whenever we come down to La Mesa. Beer is good, service is good, the place is all around great! Definitely recommend! read more

Great burgers!!! Great place!!! Great people!!! I came here on a first date with an amazing woman and had the best time ever. The food definitely enhanced the date. read more

The burgers here are 5 star all the way. The service is atrocious! We arrived at 8pm on a Friday night. We sat ourselves on the patio. Our server came and took our order 15 minutes later. At 9:00 our burgers (that's all we ordered) still hadn't come. We asked the server about it. She said they'd be out in a minute. 15 minutes later...still no burgers. We left and haven't returned. Waiting an hour for food is just WRONG especially at a burger joint where that is the only thing on the menu. It's not like we ordered something custom. We ordered 2 cheeseburgers! For now, I'm taking a break from this place. read more

Johnny B's is consistently the best burger, and bar type food, in east county. I have been going here since they opened, and I have never been one bit disappointed. Not sure what I like the best because everything on the menu is fantastic. Recently i have been having the grilled ham and cheese or just a grilled cheese with green chilis. Add the great food to the great service and Johnny B's is definitely a winner. read more

I may be bias because I am a local, but I absolutely love dining at this establishment! But I also know that the treatment I get from frequenting this restaurant is extended to out of towners and locals alike. From regular experience the food is ALWAYS FRESH. They make everything to order (no fries sitting in the frier, no lettuce already chopped up for serve). My meal is made for ME and nobody else. My main experience for writing this review is FOOTBALL SUNDAY! I had a local brunch date with a customer of mine, and as I am a Packer fan in Charger land, it is tough for me to get my game on anywhere. Johnny B HIMSELF specifically accommodated my dining experience (while extremely busy making drinks and cooking food) by ensuring my Packer game was in front of me at all times. Breakfast=delicious Drinks=refreshing Customer service=UNFORGETTABLE THANK YOU JOHNNY B's!!! read more

Great bar burger!!! Service is great prices are excellent!!! Lots of mixed crowd from young to well no spring chicken lol read more

Johnny B's - Fun place great burger prices are great always have a great meal - Burgers Near Me - La Mesa, California

Great lil burger joint! Husband and I love to frequent here as we live in la mesa too! Nice lil sit down area come for the lunch specials! Not the happiest of staff but they get it done. And once the food is ordered it comes out relatively quick. Thanks for lunch! read more

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Beer selection was good but the service wasn't too good. I went there to eat but ended up leaving after 1 beer.

Was expecting more from my first visit. Frozen hamburger patties....the fries and onion ring combo was great. Great selection of beers both on tap and bottles. read more

Lucky me. Went to a well known burger and brew house today to relax. New menu item...KC Pig WIngs. Talk about what I want, bingo! Shanks cooked and tossed in a wonderful Jamaican Jerk sauce. This is what hot wings dream of being. Served over a bed of french fries, this one hits the spot. I expected any shank meat to be tough, then covered up with sauce. Not what I got babe! Check it out so I can get these again. They serve you two, I want three with rice and call it dinner at a four star restaurant. Good job Jhonny B's! read more

I absolutely love this place. Some of the friendliest waitresses and staff I've ever found. Consistently quality food, and some of the colder pours in town. The beer selection is a pretty good, and growing, but they have everything I need. Big thanks to Johnny, and everyone who worked customer appreciation day. Wonderful slow roasted pig sandwich, beans and slaw all for free. With great prices on beer, one of the best ways to kick off the summer. Try the hickory-bacon cheese burger, they'll make it as rare as you like. read more

Drove 20 minutes to get to Johnny B's to try their burger out. Upon entering there was a "Please Seat Yourself" sign posted. My wife and I sat down and waited patiently for almost 15 minutes to get service at our table. Nobody ever came by to greet us or even show us a menu. Will never know if their burgers are good, but I do know that their service is garbage. read more

We went to Johnny's on Sunday for breakfast and wow the food was delicious, service was amazing, we also were checked on by manager too he was very friendly the place was a clean and trendy, lot of TVs football games were all on. Great place !!!!!!! Can't wait to go back read more

Great expanded atmosphere, friendly service, local feel. They just added a new salad to the menu broadening their menu options!!! Way to go Johnny! read more

To Johnny B. James Holmberg, says Hello!