Ordered the OG, classic smash and A5 wagyu fries. Both burgers were decent, nothing special. Would highly recommend to NOT get the shoestring fries as they tasted like they were from McDonald's. Soggy and basic. They even forgot to give me the sauce that comes with it, but my fault for not checking my to-go order before I left. Go to Wise Ox or The Friendly for better burgers read more

Swagyu Burger - Poway - Overpriced, soggy, basic shoestring fries - Burgers Near Me - Poway, California

Always wanted to try this place out and made it out there for lunch one day. The 1/2 lb smashburger was one of the best burgers ive eaten. Perfect cook, perfectly seasoned and on a good bun. Cant ask much more from a burger. Oh the sidewinder fries: These should be illegal. If you like thick cut/potato wedge style fries you wont be able to stop! read more

Swagyu Burger - Poway - 1/2lb Smashburger: handdown one of the best burgers out there - Burgers Near Me - Poway, California

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burger was non existent, I don't know where the photos come for the yelp ads, but if you took a picture of my burger, the burger was paper thin and had no flavor, the bun was good but too thick. My sandwich was mostly lettuce. The prices are ridiculously . A Mexican Coke is $4.50. I asked for grilled onions and they three dollars for them. Never ever go back. It's like sitting in a cold with one big TV screen and no music or anything. The staff is untrained and oblivious of the customers needs. i'm surprised at the restaurant getting good reviews. It's right around the corner from my house and I would love if it was a good place to eat, but it's not!! read more

Absolutely the worst burger I have ever eaten. Almost inedible. Service was ok. The place stinks & is dirty. The bathroom was used for storage so it was closed. Is that up to code? read more

Looks nice on the outside. There was no one in today .. it is a Saturday. Burgers did come out fast. They are thin patties. Buns fresh, sides were overfried potato fries, regular fries, and some type of potato wedges. Our onion rings are missing. Service was awful. The two young gentlemen working at the counter are just young not caring about service. Attitudes suck. We had to ask 2 times to get our drinks. Order of onion rings was missing. The gentleman said oh, I didn't get that. He didn't place a new order for them so we can get them. Well, that's not our fault. We said it. We had to ask several times for ketchup for the dipping sauces. Stood upfront to ask about our cups for refill. The two young men working just left walked outside side of the restaurant..to talk to smoke cigarettes. Clearly, they don't care about customer service. The order was three burger meals came to a total of $74.00. Well, at least we finally tried it and now. Definitely won't be back. We love supporting our local restaurants in poway. I feel very sad for the owners of this business. I hope they take this review seriously. Please watch your video cameras in your business. I say this because my husband and I are business owners. Customer service is so important for returning customers. No bathroom for our kids to wash their hands. In and out is better. read more

It's best to eat this burger in your bathtub! It's nasty and messy and delicious! I will probably go for single next time because double was too much. Don't miss the sidewinder fries! read more

Burgers were delicious. People complain about the price but it's a quality meat. No one greeted us for a good minute. Ambiance was nice- good music, cute lighting, surrounded by thriving plants Fries were yummy and the secret SECRET sauce the guy made was hecka good!! Funny story while leaving, I made a compliment about the sauce and the young guy said, "Oh you mean the Ariol-i sauce?!" lol he was trying to say "aïoli" he didn't know so we just rolled with it. read more

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Tried coming here 2 weeks ago 15 minutes after opening and despite the doors being unlocked the store wasn't close to being open yet. The employee said they won't be open for another half hour, 45 minutes after opening. Today I'm trying to order online and the items are 50% more expensive than their in store menu ($15 for a cheeseburger vs $10 in-store) and half the items are missing from the online ordering. Pair that with being unable to order over the phone, I think I'm done trying to make this place work In response to the owner: if you go directly to the swagyuburger website, select the Poway location and hit order, it redirects to a toasttab website where the prices are 50% higher. This is directly from your website, not DoorDash/other service read more

The burger is fantastic. The staff is fantastic. The problem is when you walk in it smells like ass. I've noticed before and brought it to their attention but it's back and it's nasty ! . Sent a private message before posting but no reply ! read more

We had a gift card from this place to use. We wanted to try the fresh meats that we saw online but most of the meats we were interested in are sold out. We decided to try the burgers. We ordered 2 1/2 lbs smash burgers, a side of fries and a side of onion rings. As soon as my husband arrived, our order was ready as promised. 20 mins later is the drive time from swagyu to our house. The meal was still warm. I guess I didn't pay attention to the description and Yelp reviews and photos and was caught off guard that that thur burgers had no toppings other than cheddar cheese. The brioche bread was super thick and soft and I was only able to take a couple bites since it was so dense. The meat was lean but for me lacked something. Salt? Lettuce? Tomatoes? I did add a little ketchup and mustard to offset the greasiness of the burgers. My husband ordered just the patties so there was just 2 pieces of meat with cheese. The side of fries were soggy unfortunately although we did enjoy and devour the onion rings with a side of ranch. The entire meal was super expensive. For 2 burgers and 2 sides, we spent about $65. Pretty hefty for a meal. read more

Swagyu Burger - Poway - 2 patties, cheddar cheese and brioche bun. - Burgers Near Me - Poway, California

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UPDATE: they brought out an extra burger which we didnt order and they said we could have it for free. I checked the charge a week after and they charged me for it. I am so disappointed :( -- Came here with a group of friends and unfortunately they messed up most of our orders. Our female server was super nice and confirmed with us our items correctly so I'm thinking it might've been the kitchen. When one guy brought out my food and I tried to explain how my order was wrong, he seemed annoyed and sort of rudely walked away without saying anything. The other guy (which I think is the main chef) was super nice and offered to fix up my friend's burger. As for the food, it tasted good but nothing mind-blowing. It was hard for me to tell a difference between a wagyu patty and a regular one. I also added a bunch of veggies (grilled onion, lettuce, tomato) to mine and I think my bf's one without veggies was yummier. As for the fries and onion rings, those were solid. I think it'd be nice if they did more lunch items with wagyu asides from burgers. Overall it's a cute little place with not bad food, I just hope they sort out their order issues since I noticed another table also had to correct their order. read more

Swagyu Burger - Poway - Burgers Near Me - Poway, California

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In the smallest of strip shops deep in the heart of Poway, lies this gourmet eatery that puts out some serious burgers with quality meat; welcome to Swagyu Burger. The seating inside is crowded and limited; there is seating outside but be prepared for slower service if dining outside. During the weekend lunch, I was fortunate to obtain a seat at the bar with a full view of the open kitchen. From my view, I was able to observe the burgers, fries, and onion rings made to order for the patrons. Watching the multiple wagyu meatballs get smashed down into a patties on a scorching hot flattop, you just know the burgers are gonna come out with a proper crusted Maillard reaction. My order of the 1/2 lb signature Smashburger comes with two 4 oz swagyu patties, melted American cheese, pickles, secret sauce, all on a brioche bun. It is meaty and a handful like it's supposed to be. The melted cheese is plenty gooey but I thought there was too much of their "secret sauce" that overpowered the flavor of the beef (next time, I'll withhold the sauce or put it on the side). The onion rings might be crispy but are not made from scratch; straight out of a box into the fryer. A minor problem with this eatery is that they don't offer any beer to enjoy with their delectable burgers. The price point of the burgers might be a little on the high side but the quality of meat served justifies it. When dining here, you're gonna have to have patience with the time it takes for your food to come out; good meals take time and care. Once you receive your burger, your tastebuds will be glad you waited (although with a beer would be even better). read more

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I've been to the downtown location and wanted my family to try the 1/2lb OG Swagyu $23 burger. I love that they are pet friendly and offer a Dog Patty for $4.00. It's located in a small shopping center on the end. Friendly service. Nearby opening soon is the Swagyu Chop House. Small indoor dining area. No public restrooms. read more

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- Husband (a big burger person): 5/5 Swagyu Burgers absolutely lives up to its name and still has Swag to spare. Tucked away in the corner of the shopping center, it's small and tucked away but with a big attitude and an even bigger flavor. The minimalist decor feels like walking around rings of an old rock-and-roll album. Jet black walls, jet black chairs and stainless steel appliances. The little bit of color comes from the hanging vine stitched across the ceiling and the single red tile line slashed against the back wall. With the ambient rock music in the background, this place feels seriously cool. The staff was super friendly and helpful. They caught on early that we weren't regulars and helped explain the menu to us. They even congratulated my pregnant wife on our upcoming child. It was a great interaction. I ordered the swagador burger: 2 quarter pound patties with Serrano peppers and topped with pork belly. Absolutely delicious. The star of the whole ensemble was absolutely the pork belly. It was perfectly cooked on the burger and added the perfect juicy-fat feeling to the wagyu burger meat. The burger was so good and filling I actually didn't leave any room for the onion rings! Which is a bummer because they also smelled really good. We will be frequent and return customers. - Wife (not a burger person): I had a cheese burger. It was very juicy. It was absolutely 5/5 burger. I don't usually eat a whole burger but really enjoyed the whole thing. Their sauce was tasty and veggies were just right amount. Owners are very friendly. Store is well renovated and pleasant to dine in. read more

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I am so happy they opened a restaurant location here in Poway. I tried the Pacific Beach location once, and holy moly, so many flies inside and outside so I never went back. Swagyu Poway was delicious and offered a good food:price ratio for several items on the menu. I would definitely return. Food 5/5: The food was perfect, but my partner (tap water connoisseur) said the water tasted funny; so for those of you with refined tap water preferences may just need to get a fountain drink. - 1/4 lb Smashburger: Single perfectly-charred smashed swagyu patty, topped with gooey American cheese and sweet pickles (my favorite kind in a burger), and housed in a fluffy brioche bun. Perhaps I am a peasant, but aside from the better char, I couldn't actually taste any difference between the swagyu beef and the Angus beef. - 1/4 lb Angus burger: I don't know what is going on here, but they have a promotion where this is only $5. As someone who regularly gets both fast food (e.g. Shake Shack, In N Out) as well as expensive gourmet burgers (e.g. Queenstown, I guess technically Swagyu), I am flabbergasted as to why there is a gourmet burger at fast food prices here. We didn't question it and bought TWO! As mentioned above, aside from slightly less char (perhaps from lower fat content), this tasted just like the wagyu smashburger. - Onion rings: These went from deep fryer straight into my mouth. The batter was so crunchy and well seasoned, and the onion was tender enough that I could bite it into pieces (you know some onion rings, you end up drawing out the entire onion in a single bite). It came with sweet BBQ sauce and tangy secret sauce. - Sidewinder fries: These were actually well-seasoned with a nice crunch on the outside, fluffy interior. Ketchup and secret sauce came as dips. I mourn the loss of the nitro potatoes though. Those were SUPER crunchy potatoes that I still think of to this day. Ambiance 5/5: Although the shopping center is not the most attractive, the restaurant looks sleek and trendy (both interior and exterior). The ambiance is very elegant, and I can imagine that it would be a great place for a date or work dinner (although my partner and I personally showed up very disheveled after going to the gym). We sat outside, and were able to have a beautiful view of Mt Woodson (?). The bathroom was weirdly situated, but they have a clean bathroom. Parking 5/5: Free lot parking. read more

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Burgers aren't usually top of the list but we finally gave this place a try and I'm glad we did. My wife and I split the OG Swagyu and the double American wagyu so we could compare the two. The OG was the clear winner. Super decadent meat with nice melty cheese and pickles to cut through it all. The American wagyu honestly tasted like any other burger. Tasty but if you didn't tell me it was wagyu I wouldn't have guessed that it was "special". The sidewinder fries are crazy good. Nice and crunchy beer battered outside and super fluffy inside. Good with ketchup or the special sauce that it was served with. The guy at the till was very friendly and gave us a nice tour of the menu and made recommendations. He even brought our burgers out cut in half because he knew we were sharing. Tiny restaurant, no restrooms which I found a bit odd. Would come back if I had a hankering for a burger and would definitely splurge on the OG. read more

This was a great place to stop for lunch. The staff was friendly and attentive. The restaurant inside was clean and comfortable. We chose to eat outside in the patio because we had the dog with us. It was also very comfortable. They brought our food out to us and it was very good. We both had the single burgers with fries and sweet potato fries. They were cooked perfect and we had plenty of food. Thanks again for the great food and service. We will be back again. read more

Swagyu Burger - Poway - Nice tables outdoors - Burgers Near Me - Poway, California

You have to pre-order only the hamburger WTF forget it. I have had Wagyu in Japan. I also understand that these people that are selling Wagyu meat MAY NOT REAL Wagyu meat. you have to have a special certificate saying, Where the Wagyu came from which farm otherwise, as well In Japan you are required by the Wagyu Farmer to display the certificate at all times. It also needs to display how much that Wagyu weighs There's too much forgeries Wagyu meat out there. Also I understand in the U.S. there's only aloud by Wagyu five or six restaurants that have that special certification I'M PRETTY SURE A HAMBURGER STAND DOES NOT HAVE THIS CERTIFICATION. So i'm assuming that this is fake Wagyu meat thats not from Japan at all. Ask to see the certification from Wagyu Japan google what I am saying as well. So I'm alleging, this is not real Wagyu from Japan. If they really have the certification, they will show it to you. When you ask with the special seal on it from Wagyu. read more

I was prepared to leave a good review however things ended badly for us. We got our food to go and paid $80. Got one classic 1/2lb, one western, both kinds of fries and onion rings for sides. Burgers were mid, food was ok. We were hungry and it did it. However 4 hours later we suffered horrible food poisoning symptoms starting with tummy ache and ending with projectile vomit. I'm so upset with this place, it's 5am and we're up with our newborn while taking turns to throw up. That's ridiculous, you know I'll be calling in today. Review update: have been trying their number for days now. No way of reaching anyone. Absolutely worse phone line and customer service ever. read more

Swagyu Burger - Poway - Cute dine in area - Burgers Near Me - Poway, California

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A buddy and me have been wanting to this spot. I'm so glad we did. This place was delicious. The smashed burger I had was amazing. I absolutely loved the secret sauce and the way all the ingredients just went together. I ordered the fries with the secret sauce and ranch as my dipping sauces. I will definitely be coming back to try the rest of their menu. read more

So dang good. Droolworthy burgers, sweet and simple interior, chill and friendly staff! read more

Swagyu Burger - Poway - We had an 1/2lb Smashburger "OG" and a 1/2lb Classic, with Onion Rings. Absolutely delicious! - Burgers Near Me - Poway, California

We stopped here after a long hike to potato chip rock. Wasn't busy at all with only 2 customers when we walked in. Seems like a quiet place to grab a good burger and fries. The menu had plenty of food and drink options and the order was taken right away. There's outside and inside seating; we chose outside since it was a perfect day. The inside did seem nice and clean. The waiter brought our food out in a short period of time and it was still hot. Overall the burger was excellent and cooked perfectly with some kind of secret sauce andddd it was very juicy. The lettuce and pickles were crunchy too. The fries were hot and crispy too so no complaints. If you're in the area check them out. read more

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Decided to try this place as a last minute dinner outing and was not disappointed. Surprised that it was empty inside! Service was friendly and helpful. I couldn't decide between sweet potato waffle fries and the shoestring fries... I went with sweet potato and they were really good. Next time I'll go for the beef fat shoestring! Also got the 1/4lb smash burger. Came on a brioche bun. Fresh. Delicious. Thought about giving this place a 4 star review but when I think about what could be better, I got nothin! Hope this place gets more business so it stays! read more

We had driven by Poway Swagyu Burger several times saying "We should try that place!" so we finally did. The burgers at Swagyu range from $8.50 (Single Cheeseburger, American Wagyu smash patti) all the way up to $28 (El Swagador Burger, two 4oz swagu smash patties). (Prices as of April 2024). Upon entering we were given a rundown/education/upsell about the items on offer and the different types of wagyu. Add another $8 for sides such as fries or onion rings. Milkshakes, soft drinks and bottled water are available as well as a container and cups for complimentary water. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor casual dining, albeit the outdoor tables are right next to busy Twin Peaks Rd. Inside, the restaurant has attractive trailing plants set against black and natural accents, bringing a touch of the outside in. Inside was a little smokey from the grilling for my liking and I would have preferred to sit outside, but my husband didn't want to sit next to the busy road. I think a line of bushes planted along the patio/road wouldn't go amiss. Our burger was good and well appointed with 'extras' like lettuce, tomato and pickles, although I personally felt the patti was on the skinny side. The sidewinder fries and dips were delicious. While I would have liked to have tasted the top-of-the line burger, we weren't about to spend in the region of $50-$60 on two burgers and fries at a fast casual restaurant. The burger we had was good enough and did the job of filling our bellies. For us, this was likely a one-time dining experience. Free parking is available in front of the restaurant which is located in a small (dying) strip mall. Check the Swagyu website for other locations coming soon. read more

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Swagyu in Poway : "B+ or 4 stars" meaning "Very good, and a little bit of driving is fine." I wish my wife loved burgers as much as I do, and my metabolism is like it was 30 years ago. But for those reasons, I haven't visited as many burger spots as I'd like in the 2.5 years living in San Diego. Swagyu has been on my hit list for a while now and finally had an excuse to go yesterday with a couple friends. It's a small restaurant, not too many seats, and a very simple menu. Definitely a quality over quantity situation, something more restaurants should do! Double Cheeseburger, American Wagyu...i.e. The $12.50 one (B+ ) : Simple, tasty, burger that's nicely cooked, hot and juicy, with good seasoning & char. The cheese and the secret sauce went very nicely with the meat. Burger bun was nicely grilled, and the veggies tasted fresh. Easily the best burger I've had so far in SD, but really, that doesn't mean too much as I've only been to 3 or 4 non-fast food burger restaurants. Onion rings (B+ ) : Crunchy, nicely seasoned onion rings. If the batter was a bit thinner so that the onion to batter ratio is higher, I'd give it higher marks. Fries (B- ) : They're decent fries, and others might like them a lot. I like fries with more crunch, and these had a very high ratio of soft potato to outer crunch, so they didn't match my preference. But if they were sitting in front of me, of course I'd eat them! I still have quite a few burger places I need to visit, including highly rated spots like the Friendly and Rocky's Crown Pub. But if I wanted a burger and didn't feel like driving far, Swagyu would be high up on my list. -------------------------------- Food Grading Scale: A+: Life changing. You remember these bites for the rest of your life. Occurs very infrequently and when it does, you'll know it. You don't even know how to further improve it with a magic wand. A: Wow! Excellent. You felt happy biting into it. You're considering whether it's life changing, but know it misses the mark. A-: Very very good. Whatever it is, it's one of the best, but you can think of further improvements. B+: Very good. Very enjoyable, not to the point of "impressive," but worth revisiting. B: Good. A solid example of whatever it is, offering enjoyment, but not enough for making an effort to get. B-: Not bad. If in a pinch to eat something, this offers some enjoyment and is a reasonable option. C+: Mediocre plus. Pretty average, but with one or two positive characteristics you can identify. C: Mediocre. "Meh". Very average. Not bad enough to make you angry, but nothing good about it at all. C-: Bad. You recognize it for what it is, but a very bad rendition. Your foodie self is a little pissed, and feeling like a dummy you ordered it. D: Awful. Whoever cooked it should be ashamed of themself. Somehow, you still managed to swallow a bite. F: WTF is this? Inedible. One chew, you had to spit it out. Fire the chef. read more

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My husband and I came to try this place and OMG we both agreed these are some of The Best burgers we've had Ever!!! The fries and onion rings wow amazing and so different! Definitely coming back! read more

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Great food, great service!! Their cookies and cream shake is amazingly delicious! Definitely recommend. read more

One word summary for the food: yummy !!! Tasty burger with toasted buns, delicious fries and onion ring, thick and creamy shake. It was an enjoyable lunch! It was our first time there. The person who took our order took the time to explain every item on the menu. Also he gave some recommendations which we appreciated. Restaurant has inside and outside sitting. It is small but clean. read more

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Management allowed a single person to man register and cook food. Always the sweetest employees including the one currently doing the work of 3 employees. Management needs to show up and back your staff when no shows happen. Currently waiting over 30 minutes for my $32 order..burger, drink, onion rings. Ownership definitely slipping if this is the norm. read more

Been to swagyu before at the last location and fell in love with the name swagyu but decided to try this one over in poway do mind I did drive from hemet but was in the area so I decided to stop by because I know that the food is delicious. I also brought my mom with telling her that this place is the "best burger you will have in your life". So when we arrived I was happy to see this place. But how are you going to sell burgers if you run out of ingredients to make the burgers. Make that make sense I used to be a kitchen manager before so there isn't an excuse on why there are "no buns and meat" well I mean it is what it is. Now I have to drive back home with no swagyu and a disappointed mom what a bummer :( read more

Wish I had the chance to try this place today. I've been wanting to come here for a while, but unfortunately when I finally did, I wasn't able to order for another 15 minutes because the employee arrived late to work. I understand delays can happen, but for a food establishment there's important prep work that should be done before opening. I saw the employee turning on the lights after opening time and immediately starting to grind meat. Since I was on a time crunch, I couldn't wait. I'll give them another chance in the future, and if the food and service are good, I'll update my review. read more

Unique and delicious burgers! I've been twice now and both times the meat was cooked perfectly. I would recommend getting less sauce or sauce on the side - it's good, but it almost seems like a shame to cover up the perfect meat with something else. The fries were ok: well seasoned, but I think they could have been a little thinner. Main complaint was it took a while to get food even when they weren't busy, and the dining area isn't great. The tables seemed wobbly, no fountain drinks (just bottle soda/can), no napkins really. Also pretty pricey for burgers, I understand it's expensive meat but still seemed on the high end. Better than a lot of the other local burger places, so this will be a go-to. read more

Swagyu Burger - Poway - Burgers Near Me - Poway, California

Nice little business, good quality and great for the price. Kid friendly options, and staff is welcoming and kind. Cool little place inside too, nice lighting and atmosphere. read more

Couldn't find the actual Swagyu Burger place to review. So picked the Swagyu chop Shop in the corner. Great sandwich smashed down thin. The meat tasted a little salty but i think that was just me. The edges of the burger was nice and crisp. The bun for the burger was amazing. Reason for 4 stars I asked for water. They only have bottle and no tap? I got a cup of ice though. Found it kind of weird. Amazing burger though. Would definitely try again. read more

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Hands down one of the best burgers I've ever had. The chef and server were super cool and friendly. & whoever had the AUX was jamming. Overall 5-stars! I'd give em 6 if I could. We'll be back! read more

Swagyu Burger - Poway - 1/2 Lb El Swagador & Sidewinder Fries - Burgers Near Me - Poway, California

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Ordered from UberEats and OMG that burger was the best I've ever had! I had the American double. We tried the fries, onion rings and sweet fries too. All were fantastic. And I ordered a dog patty for our little dog and he was very happy! Please open a spot in Scottsdale! I'm moving and I'll crave this again for sure!! read more

Quality ingredients and quality service. A little messy but they give you plenty of napkins and a packaged damp paper towel to help with that! read more

Swagyu Burger is amazing! There are too many good things to say about this local Poway gem. The quality of the food is amazing and it is consistently a great place to eat. Love the customer service and all the amazing people that work here.. read more

This is my second time here and they never disappoint! Food always comes out fast and hot. We got the western swagburger, 1/4 signature swagyu smashburger, and the fries. The burgers were saucey and the meat was tender. Last time I came here, they served food on metal trays so they definitely upgraded. Love their new, sleek decor and they were playing chill, alternative rock. Vibes were immaculate, will keep coming back!! read more

Swagyu Burger - Poway - Burgers Near Me - Poway, California

The best burger I've ever had! Fries weren't bad either (they were very good) but that burger. Service was friendly too. RECOMMENDED!