So much better than Carl's Jr or any other place around here. Great burger, perfectly seasoned, fresh lettuce and tomatoes and fresh fries. Nice outside seating and pleasant atmosphere read more

I am giving this one star for the fun, interesting and some what vintage style of the restaurant. There are game to play and historic artifact to see. However, there was oddly a strong smell of kitty litter which intensified the closer you got to the kitchen and restrooms. We attempted to avoid the smell by moving to another table. Where this smell came from will remain a mystery, but it left me with a head ache. We ordered zucchini as an appetizer which was over cooked, over breaded and the consistency of the zucchini was slimy. My daughter ordered a grilled chicken sandwich with cheddar and avocado. The chicken was dry, the cheese processed and the avocado was the only part of the sandwich that was good. Not ever going back. read more

Came for a Togo order for breakfast before a game. 30 minutes waiting and not ready. Got a refund and had to leave. Girls had to play without eating. SMH. They should tell you when a to go order is going to take very long so you can plan accordingly. read more

Knowlwood has been around for quite some time. I've visited off and on over the years. I like their burgers - I agree it is not the world's best - but it is certainly a good burger. They have other items, like fish and chips, but I have only had their burgers. Pricing is reasonable. You order at the counter, and they call you up when your food is ready. The restaurant has a rustic look - matches up with the other buildings in this "old towne" area. The back area has a pool table and air hockey, that you can play (for pay) to pass the time away. Oh, one more thing - if you are trying to find the restaurant, don't go by the map location shown. It shows the restaurant north of the 5 freeway. It is actually south of the freeway, right next to the Dennys. read more

Knowlwood - Sourdough Burger - Burgers Near Me - Irvine, California

I don't know how this greasy, slimy, disgusting excuse for a food establishment is still open, but I guess they have some thanking to do to the people that stay in the hotel across the parking lot or their convenient location off of the freeway. The employees here are just kids who don't care about customer service and the cook thinks we're too stupid to realize that when we ask for a new sandwich, I can tell when you're bringing out the same one, sans pickle. I had a family of four with me today and ordered the "irresistable" Frisco burger. Ingredients include: Bacon, cheese, grilled onions, thousand island, lettuce, tomato, and pickles on grilled Parmesan sourdough. EW, pickle? I kindly asked for no pickle. Upon receiving my sandwich, 4 bites in I encounter a pickle. I kindly ask the young, blonde lady working at the front for a no-pickle sandwich. I went to go sit back down at the booth while they cooked me a new one because that's what a good restaurant does. They proceeded to give me back the SAME EXACT burger with the pickles taken off. I'm not stupid. No burger is cooked in 30 seconds and brought out piping fresh. I immediately went back the counter, clearly annoyed to have insulted my intelligence, and told them WHILE SHOWING THEM THE PICKLE THEY MISSED, and told them to make me a new sandwich. It's called customer service!!! learn it, embrace it, USE IT. Not only that, this place reminds me of a dive bar that I wish I was blind so I wouldn't have to see all the dirt and grime everywhere. Pictures included with this review show the black dirt stains on the booth, the splattered food on the wall dividing the booths, and the seats that are tearing and worn down. This is basic cleanliness. Everyone who works here either doesn't care or is just too lazy to clean it up. I get that this is Old Town Irvine, but I do not literally want to walk into a warehouse full of dirt and eat the food that comes out of here. I hope this place closes down soon. Their prices are ridiculous and their burgers are NOT the "World's Best Hamburger", I'd rather spend my money on a place that's clean and doesn't make me feel like I need to burn my skin off and take a steaming hot shower to cleanse my pores. read more

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What happened to this place? We've been coming here for years for family birthdays and such. It's always been a great compromise because the kids can get chicken strips or a cheeseburger while the adults get fish and chips or a salad. This time my daughter's chicken strips were so rubbery they were inedible. We returned them for a paper thin cheeseburger that literally had no flavor. Thank you to the kitchen staff too that gave us the nasty stare down when we picked up the cheeseburger! Nothing makes you feel better about your food than when the cook is visibly angry because you returned the first entrée. They forgot the cookie, so we went back to get it. It was tiny and blah. This place has so many fond memories for us but I think we need to find a new haunt. The food is sad and tired. read more

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Knowlwood, I love you. Our group of 12 was looking for a bite to eat that wouldn't require a 2nd mortgage...enter KNOWLWOOD! I used to eat at the Anaheim location often back in the 90's and quite frankly forgot this one existed until my hubby mentioned it. It's easy to forget about unless you're staying at the La Quinta Inn or sitting in that horrendous traffic poo-poo area by the 5 freeway/train crossing. If you're dining in Irvine in large groups, you understand that a wait can be 60-90 minutes on the weekends...unless you eat at 5pm or 9pm. Our group arrived at 6:30pm on Friday night and SURPRISE! Nobody was there! So your first thought might be "hey, I'm so lucky to get 4 empty tables next to each other" or "OMG, food here must be crap!". I knew what their food was like to I was thrilled to find an empty restaurant. Ordering was quick and painless. Food was cheap even with the combo meal. I think we shocked the kitchen because food took a little while getting out. Slow food deliver is ok because the kids were busy at air hockey, pool and video games. I had the BLT with avocado - no complaints here. The rest of the family went with the cheeseburgers and bacon burgers. One note to the kitchen: please identify which burgers are 1/3 and 1/2. That took a bit of poking around to figure out, and we were wrong! HA! I'd say the food is average and the prices are very reasonable. What makes me a fan: ample seating, cheap entertainment for the kids 10yrs-16yrs, and cheap food. Lots of open parking once you get through the mess on Sand Canyon. read more

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Excellant burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches!!!!! ... yet warning....the worst tasteless watered down and cold chilli that I have ever had in my life.... yet they refunded us on the chilli so will come back again for other food here. read more

Their motto, "World's Greatest Burger" really should be re-named to "Worlds Greasiest Burger". That said.... it was a darn good greasy burger. My guy had the BBQ Chicken Sandwich, not too dry and cooked well. I had a turkey burger - greasy, but good, loaded with lettuce, tomato, and grilled (also greasy) onions. We shared a platter of fried (and greasy) mushrooms. Dipping them in the ranch was quite delicious. I kinda got a "fair food" experience there. They really should consider battering their burgers and deep frying them... Really, it was tasty. But I'd rather not have my dinner with a side of heartburn. The restaurant itself was really nice. There's an old classic truck that has been converted into bar with stools. The staff there is friendly. I asked the cashier what her favorite items were and she was very quick to make recommendations and share her favorite menu items. She was a big fan of the Irish Nacho's but I really think that would have been too much grease for me to handle on this trip. read more

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An average american lunch joint serving burgers to fried chicken. It takes a bit longer than average to receive your food after ordering at the cashier. Their cheeseburger with thousand island sauce is pretty good but their fries dont even compare to the delicious tastes of McDonalds or real handcut steak fries. French dip is not too tasty as Im a big fan of that dish. Nothing really stands out at this place but it continues to attract the lunch crowd. read more

Knowlwood - Burger with thousand island sauce - Burgers Near Me - Irvine, California

Coming here made me nostalgic and sad. I remember coming here every weekend after soccer games and that the place would be bustling with people and giant burgers. Today I took a trip down memory lane and brought my boyfriend here. Sunday night, completely empty, aside from an old couple sitting in the corner. The food was inexpensive, but lackluster. The "World's Best Burger" was dry and could benefit from some mayo, ketchup, or perhaps an extra tomato slice. Even the Irish Nachos were a disappointment. The cheese was over-baked and not gooey, and the bacon was overdone and too hard. It's clear why this place is not the same busy and exciting restaurant it once was. :( read more

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I don't think it's the world's best burger! It's pretty bold to make that statement. Personally, the burger was OK. I prefer In & Out or Carls Jr better. They have fried mushrooms, which were very nicely battered and fried to perfection. Very generous portion for around $4. But they are a little too much battered for me, I ended up taking out the batter and just eat the mushroom. That way, it's less filling too. read more

I love this place for the friendly and courteous staff. It's super dog friendly. Along with our meal they brought out a cup of water for the pooch. I like their wet Breakfast burrito. read more

Knowlwood - Super dog friendly - Burgers Near Me - Irvine, California

the front end service and atmosphere of this location really saved it. With that said, the food was meh at best. Don't know how it was possible, but one half of the cut burger patty was medium and the other half was well done. Mushrooms... no flavor at all. A let down for sure. read more

Self-Declared World's Best Burgers Yup! It's just that. Self-declared. I was literally driving by when I saw the sign that said "World's Best Burgers" on the outside of Knowlwood Restaurant in Irvine. Stunned, I exclaimed, "Hell-no! I've eaten tons of burger joints and I've failed to eat at the 'Worlds Best'?" - I had to try it. After making a U-turn, I arrived at a fairly large building that was also a 'historical site'. The inside of the restaurant was rather large, with plenty of seats, a game room, and even an old truck as decor. I ordered their 1/3 lb Burger and started chowing down not too long after. The burger was indeed fresh and savory; however, to proclaim itself the 'Worlds Best' is far from accurate. If you're around town and would like a comfortable place to eat a decent meal that is not too over priced, come to Knowlwood. However, I would not particularly make a trip just to go here. Because of your big-headed proclamation I give you a 3 star rating and shake my fists at you! read more

Knowlwood - Knowlwood Inside - Burgers Near Me - Irvine, California

I used to come to this Knowlwood a lot when I lived in Pasadena and visited friends in the O.C. Back then, it probably was just about the best burger in the area. Fast forward 20 years or so, and Knowlwood is still pretty much the same - same menu, same, drinks, same decor. They still make a decent burger and some good breakfast food. The Irish nachos are still tasty, but how can fries covered with cheese, bacon, sour cream, and green onions not be tasty. Service is lackluster. My last trip was during a soccer tournament at the Great Park. The hotel next door was full of families, so the restaurant was busy. The staff was unprepared for the crowds and completely overwhelmed. It took about 40 minutes for us to get our food after we ordered. That is unacceptable for a fast casual place. Anyway, if you're in the area and need food but don't want to venture out Knowlwood fills the bill. Not someplace I would frequent, but also not someplace I would flat out refuse to eat at. read more

A bunch of my coworkers raved about this place so I gave it a try, twice. Sadly both times I was utterly disappointed. Maybe it's just me but I'd almost rather go get a big mac than get a burger here. OK maybe not that bad but still Jack in the Box and Carl's Jr's premium offerings are far better than a burger at this place. Seriously! Both times I went service was super slow and one of those visits it wasn't even that busy. The only good thing about this place is the atmosphere and the kitschy interiors. My advice is to go to the Jack in the Box across the street, get yourself a Sirloin Burger and sneak back in Knolwood's. That way you can enjoy the atmosphere with a much better burger. read more

We came here for lunch the other day with my coworkers after always driving by it. They claim to have the "world's best burger" so we definitely had to try it out. It's located right off the 5 freeway on sand canyon next to the denny's. The decor of the place reminded me of an old barn converted into a burger joint. They had some very eccentric signs hanging around the place with a bunch of farm tools. Not to mention the pickup trunk smack dab in the middle of the entrance. If you're so inclined they also have a small pool table and air hockey table available. We all ordered the world famous 1/2 lb world's best burger combo with thousand island and grilled onions. The burger was served in a basket with a nice serving of steak fries and a pickle. The burger itself served on a white bread bun stuffed full of lettuce, tomatos, pickles and your choice of creamy mustard or thousand island and grilled or fresh onions. The first bite i didn't think it was the WORLD's best burger as the thousand island sauce didn't have that tangy zest you would expect or get at like innout. The grilled onions were just whole onion slices sauted in what seemed like plain onion juices since it didn't taste like anything at all. The patty itself was pretty well good and flavorful i would rate the burger itself just 3/5. The plus is they have fresh horchata as a drink option in the self service drink machine. Although it's slightly watered down and not as cinnomonie like at Alertos it's still all you can drink horachata... But overall i would rate this place 3/5 despite their bold "world's best burger" statement falling short. read more

Eh.....it's ok. Not the best spot to grab breakfast, but if your on the road and need to stop, it's not bad. It was a just an average breakfast at California prices. A little steep for average. In my opinion, there are better places around for a better price. read more

I've never heard of this place before and just decided to come here instead of Denny's next door. This place is such a vibe, the owner was very nice and friendly with our group. Very cool place to study, with games to play in between sessions. Food is decent, but overall I'd come back here just to hang out, support the business and study again! read more

You come to Knollwood for breakfast to get what you expect, a reasonable, fresh, cooked to order meal. Don't be in a hurry however, as it usually takes a lot of time to prepare. We ordered a Denver omelette and the corned beef hash. The corned beef hash features real corn beef chopped up, and it is not canned. Food came out hot and as ordered. Better than Denny's, but you go here when you are in the area, not as a destination. read more

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They have the best fish & chips anywhere in Orange County. Nice thick haddock that is very lightly breaded and excellent tartar sauce. The fries are nice and thick. With a side of mayo the fries are extra good. One other thing is that the fish and chips are only $6.79. Kurt is having a French dip beef combo, and it's only $8.69. And because there is no table service, you save 15%. read more

Knowlwood - Burgers Near Me - Irvine, California

Excellent food with Hugh portions and a great price point. Never disappointed. Great service as well.

Perfect classic burger restaurant. Nothing more nothing less. Great customer service. I can truly appreciate this experience these days. Taking a burger and perfecting it with simple and delicious fried sides and friendly customer service. Thank you Knowlwood! read more

Knowlwood - World's Best burger, World's best burger with avocado and mushroom with fries, onion rings and fried zucchini - Burgers Near Me - Irvine, California

Awesome breakfast for the price. Great service food always comes out fast. Lunch is great as well. If you are reading this trying to decide to go to Dennys or here, it's no comparison. knowlwood is better by a long shot! read more

Normally they are good but tonight sucked! Overcooked and state tasting food . Avoid it

Went there for breakfast with some friends. The service was good, and very pleasant and friendly. The food, however, we just ok, maybe sub-ok. My friends had pancakes, which was simple and successfully made, and my other friend had a cheese omelet, also made without fanfare. I ordered the burger and eggs. DON'T GET THIS. I was told it cannot be made rare, or medium rare. I accept this due health reasons, however, I did not expect the patty to be out bone dry and tougher than leather! it was horrible. I asked that the potatoes hash browns NOT to be crispy and was assured they would not be. THEY WERE NEARLY BURNT. The eggs were cooked properly though. Again, the server was terrific and friendly, so she got a good tip. If you go here, get something simple, and expect super crispy potatoes. There is always Denny's next store. read more

Loved this place so much. Ambience was super cool. Lunch was delicious and served hot and fresh. I got the Chinese chicken salad which was a large size portion & made with fresh salad & grilled chicken breast and sweet dressing. Perfectly paired. It was good. Unable to Finish it all, shareable for two. Ordered kids meals as well with many options for kids meal. Corn dog, hot dog chicken strips, hamburger, cheeseburgers. Order the Irish nacho's !!! Fries and cheese & bacons & onions. Amazing and worth every bit of fat & calorie. Affordable. Great service. Lots of seating. Great prices. Great burgers! It's a must. Right next to 5 fwy. read more

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We were staying at the hotel right by this place and decided to give it a try due to the convenience. We LOVED it! My husband and I both ordered the Frisco Hamburger Combo. Mine with regular fries and my husband's with sweet potato fries. By far the best burgers I've had in a long while! The burgers came on a Parmesan crusted bread and it was amazing. The fries were crispy and fresh. I don't like sweet potatoes but I tried my husband's fries and was thoroughly surprised as to how good they were. The atmosphere was great and we enjoyed the old western/Irish pub type feel the place had to it. Also, Arturo was our cashier and he was so very pleasant and nice. He brought our food to our table and was very kind to us. We appreciated his service. A major plus to this place, is the 50% off discount for military. read more

Knowlwood - Frisco Burger with sweet potato fries - Burgers Near Me - Irvine, California

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I went here with a group and ordered the most popular item on the menu. The burger with sourdough bread. Overall I wasn't very impressed as the burger was an average burger at best. Maybe it was expectations, but the "World's Best Burger" made me think I was going to have something amazing. read more

Just moved recently to Irvine. Looking for a good old fashioned burger, I found this place. I wouldn't come here again. The fries were ok and the cookie was ok. Got there "Frisco burger " and it tasted off. Also got there "word best" cheeseburger and it was dry. The order was also mistakenly taken as well but I'm just here to review the food. Would recommend you people reading this to find somewhere else to eat a burger. read more

I recommend the Kitchen Scramble. It comes with a side of toast, but you should substitute it with a 1/2 order of their French Toast. This is a hearty meal and enough to share with someone. I took off a star, because the food isn't always consistent. The food seems to taste fresher in the morning than lunchtime. I do love that they serve breakfast all day, but I recommend getting it before noon. read more

Knowlwood - Recommend: Kitchen Scramble, substitute regular toast with 1/2 order French Toast. - Burgers Near Me - Irvine, California

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Knowlwood is a classic icon from the old school Orange County days before all the track homes take over and the farm lands where sold off too big Real estate developers. This place is the last of a dying breed old school breakfast and burgers. I'm a big fan of breakfast here can't go wrong with the corn beef hash and poached eggs. Sadly this is the last location left in all of Orange County, so let's keep this hidden gem around and support it when you can when in the area.!! read more

Knowlwood - Front of the restaurant - Burgers Near Me - Irvine, California

Had the fish and chips all fresh this is very cool place . Looks like a good place to watch a game and have a few read more

Knowlwood - Yum - Burgers Near Me - Irvine, California

This place fell off 100%. If this is the last location left, please do something to save your self. The quality used to be way better when they had multiple locations. read more

0 stars for NO SERVICE. http://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-entertainment/celebrating-st-patricks-day-2015-in-rio/# Even Rio Dejaneiro celebrates St. Patrick's day, and you guys can't even serve your corned beef hash past 11am on FREAKING ST PATRICK'S DAY!!!!! VERY upset! I'm sure the food here is great, (actually I would never know) but our work schedules don't ever allow us to eat breakfast before their 11am cutoff for breakfast! This is probably the only place in irvine that actually serves corned beef hash, and we've never been able to eat it!!!!! It's not like you don't have the F***ing ingredients in the kitchen to F***ing make it! And TODAY is FREAKING St. Patrick's day! And you can't make your corned beef past 11am!??? What is WRONG with you guys!?? I will NEVER eat here, because you have pointless rules for absolutely no reason... And it just pisses people off! I have worked in the restaurant industry for many years and there's absolutely no logical reason whatsoever for restricting breakfast hours. SO... F**** you Knowlwood! read more

Not sure why this place only has three stars. They have good old-fashioned diner food. Every time I come in Troy is working hard and keeping things going. He definitely deserves accolades! I will be returning for our office lunches! read more

This place is a divey breakfast spot where you have to line up to order and line up to pick up your order. I did see some table service but not sure what they did to receive that type of service. I ordered a kids dollar pancake dish and a breakfast burrito. I only got one slice of bacon though. Wish I had two cuz my kids love bacon and they don't like to share. My sister's kid got more than one slice of the same order. My four year old did eat half my burrito as a consolation prize. Can't believe it. Helps with my diet. There are some arcade games that kept my nephew distracted while I finished eating. Does great business but the parking lot is way too small especially with a new Denny's in the same lot. Must deter quite a few people. read more

2.5 stars People I've read your reviews and I get that this place is cheap, is unpretentious and fills a gap in the market. May be I came at the wrong time of day (20 mins before closing), but I was faced with an empty restaurant except for a family who kept staring at us...yes, we are Asians! ;) I was expecting a place a little more lively for a burger joint restaurant with a theme. Samantha's burger (creamy mustard and grilled onion) didn't seem that memorable. I saw fish and chips on the menu, so I tried that along with Sam Adams (serving beer was a nice surprise.) It was ok, but I wasn't much better than what I can serve up at home. But it was all under $15 which was cool. read more

My friend raves about this place. I had to try it out. World's best burger, not even close. It didn't even taste like a restaurant burger, more like fast food. There isn't anything special about the burger. The fries were way too fresh. I had the munch bunch which was lots of fried mushrooms, zuchinni, and onion rings. It's nice cause they give you a lot but the breading wasn't good and it felt dry and overfried. Didn't think fried food could be so bland. The good thing is their drink selection. Strawberry to lemonade to tea to horchata!! Ole!! read more

Knowlwood - Burgers Near Me - Irvine, California