Where to start. I had never had a smash burger before The Friendly when I was introduced by a friend. I went and got the OG burger. It changed my life. I had it once every two weeks for probably three months straight. The flavor of the patty is amazing, the bun is buttery and fluffy, cheese is melty. Overall one of the best burgers i've ever had. I've had their pizza a had full of times, which is also very good. The burger is what will always bring me back though. They frequently have chef collaborations that they post on their instagram that I keep up with. i believe the collaboration in the picture was a lobster mac and cheese croquette with gouda on their OG burger. Very good. We ate it at the University Ave location and they have plenty of outdoor seating at picnic benches. All of their collaborations i've had are delicious and out of the ordinary! always something to look forward to. read more

The Friendly Tavern - special surf and turf collab, OG burgers in the back - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

For a place called Friendly, the guy working there was about as friendly as a parking ticket. We got 86'd because he somehow convinced himself we were buying a beer for my 41-year-old brother. Instead of acting like a normal human and asking a question, he went straight into full-blown mall cop mode. The mustache guy carried himself like his shit didn't stink and treated customers like they were inconveniencing him by being there. The burgers might be good, but the customer service was laughably bad. Wouldn't go back if he was giving the food away for free. read more

This is a San Diego staple smash burger restaurant in the heart of North Park! The atmosphere is a backyard cookout vibe which is a great place to casually enjoy an American smash burger with your friends. There is plenty of seating at the outside bar top & the many picnic tables to enjoy your meal. You order at the register & wait for your order to be called, which comes out pretty timely. The burgers here are VERY greasy, so I like to come back every once & a while, but it is absolutely worth the try. * Hamburgesa - 8.5/10 (the patty has a great char to it & the big jalapeño slices adds the perfect kick of spice. the American cheese is melted completely on the patty with the grilled onions exuding a mouthwatering aroma. but beware that the buns are soaked, & dripping in grease) * Bacon Mushroom Swiss - 8.7/10 (again, the patty is charred to a nice crisp. the bacon bits are also cooked well & adds another layer to the smash burger. i also love the combination of mushrooms & Swiss cheese. this is my go-to order here, but i can only take it down once every few months ) * Fries - 8/10 (very crispy & addicting fries. you NEED to get the garlic aioli dipping with these) read more

The Friendly Tavern - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

I didn't even have a chance to take photos of the menu or seating or signage because I was too busy eating! The burgers here are 5 star hands down. The perfect amount of flavor, cheese and topping ratio and crispy bits are to die for! We ordered one of everything, burgers, fries and onion rings. The attached photo is our second course where we bought our favorites the bacon mushroom swiss and hamburguesa. When I am in SD, I will define go again. read more

If you're looking for a juicy burger this is your place! I ordered the shit kicker and although it was a little on the greasier side it was flavorful! I like my meat well done and it was yummy with a crispy edge. The BBQ sauce and onion rings really paired well. Their ranch is house made and SO FLAVORFUL. One of my favorite ranches to date. Their onion rings are crunchy and still have the onion in tack haha. They have outdoor seating some with and without shade. They're really fast on taking your order and getting it right to you! Definitely give this place a try if you're looking for a good smash burger! read more

The Friendly Tavern - Burger and onion rings - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

Coming to the Friendly in SD has become the norm. However we don't come to this location. Both places are equally as good when you're going to have just the "OG Dirty Flat Top" cheese burger. This location offers a few other burger options as well as fries and onion rings. No pizza at this location. The other location offers only "OG Dirty Flat Top" cheese burger and Pizza. So if you want pizza the other location with limited seating. If you want more burger options and more space to sit, then it's this location. Food is always great. Never miss on any trip down here. read more

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I've came here so many times it's that one go to place that I go to when I know it's not gonna disappoint and they NEVER DO. This location specifically, don't get me wrong that other location is good too, but this one there's just something about it. I don't know what it is, but the burgers just slap so much harder.! My go to is the OG DIRTY FLAT TOP! Can't go wrong with it honestly I've also tried the mushroom Swiss, but nothing has topped the OG so far ! Give it a try if you love a good smash burger read more

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Delicious smash burgers and a cute back patio. This place is dog friendly, has decent seating, and is a hidden gem down University Ave away from the main busy 30th street. I love the simplicity of the menu. They focus on making a top notch, greasy, cheese smothered burger and it's exactly what we wanted. I highly recommend the OG Dirty Flat Top. The second favorite of our group was Meat Cheese Bun. Everyone loved their burgers and all of us are now huge fans of Donna's Pickle Beer. You gotta love a dive to appreciate this place. You order at the counter and they'll shout your name from a tiny windows to get your food. The bathroom....skip it if you can. Next time we're back, we're gonna shotgun our beers for $1. read more

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Such a vibe to go at night, it literally looks like someone's backyard. Quality good freaking burgers, can't go wrong with any burger on the menu. Service is fairly quick for how busy they get. read more

The Friendly Tavern - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

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The Friendly gets 5 stars because it always hits the spot. It's consistent and delicious every single time. I have a go-to burger: The Hamburguesa. IMO it's the best burger because the jalapeño adds the perfect kick. It's the comfort food I crave often, so I will continually come back. Highly recommend if you just want fast food. This specific location has an outdoor seating area which is different from than the 30th St location. Fair warning: If you aren't a fan of messy or greasy food, this isn't for you. read more

The Friendly Tavern - Two Hamburguesas and Fries - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

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The Friendly Tavern was recommended to me by my San Diego native friends and we had a great time! It is very San Diego-core, with a little wooden shack where you place your order and lots of outdoor seating. There is nice lighting and decorative graffiti. We got our food after ten minutes, and this is a true smashburger. It was greasy, heavy, and messy. Personally, it's not my type of burger, but if you are craving a late night munch, this would be perfect! read more

The Friendly Tavern - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

This is a Reddit recommendation when I looked up best burger in SD. I got the OG Dirty Flat Top (Their most popular item). The smash burger is very tasty and juicy, I really enjoyed it. My cousin got the Bacon Mushroom Swiss. And I had a bite, and it's also really good. I can definitely taste the mushroom! This location in North Park is perfect for carb-loading before bar hopping! read more

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Highly recommended!!! Whenever someone comes to San Diego I take them to the friendly Tavern. There is only outside seating, not much shade, but that's usually not an issue. It seems the menu is set, meaning you can't really do substitutions. The good thing is there are several different burger styles so you will probably find what you want. The burger is cooked perfectly and smashed to perfection. The picture does not do it justice as it is extremely tasty. The fries were crispy and had the right amount of salt. This will become your favorite smashed burger spot. read more

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The Friendly Tavern looks really good however if you have a disability such as HS they refuse to work with you on food modifications, I was really excited about this place and had been on my list for months I show up and they say you can get a plain hamburger and I was immediately disappointed I understand it's an efficiency thing but I think it's inconvenient that I can't get a burger entirely the same with just no cheese so that I don't get a flare up of my condition Anyways back to the food review the burger was really greasy and dry, the flavor was alright, it was very crispy more crispy than others I've had, however the fries were phenomenal and I would order these 100x if I could read more

The Friendly Tavern - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

The cheese ruins these burgers for me....They won't let you order it without cheese. They say no substitutions but I just want to delete an item. I don't want to substitute anything. It's not like I hate cheese but their cheese is gross. Some of their employees are not friendly. read more

Heard so much about this place that I had to try it. While looking for it I ended up at The Friendly off 30th which is more of a pizzeria. They gave us directions to the tavern. The outside of this place is unassuming but as soon you walk in there's plenty of outdoor seating with picnic tables and benches. We walked up to the register to order, they were short staffed so it took a minute but it was definitely worth the wait. We ordered OGs with fries and everything was scrumptious. Love smash burgers. Will definitely be back! read more

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Yummy burgers. No frills kind of place, have patience when looking for parking and remember to bring a hat as shade is hit or miss.

Love that they have more options at this location and tons of outdoor seating. Always great vibes here and the staff is awesome. Food is delicious. Best smashed burger in San Diego! read more

The Friendly Tavern - OG Dirty Flat Top, Onion Rings, Fries - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

Really good smashburgers fries and onion rings. service was FAST. biting flies? FIERCE. read more

The Friendly Tavern - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

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Good, simple smash burger with store bought buns. Price is fair. Person in the front is really rude. We were the only ones in line, so it wasn't busy at all. We were up so we moved to the front and were still thinking about what to order. And he told us to get out of the way if we weren't ordering.. Ruins the vibe of the place and feels contradictory to the name. read more

The place to go to suit your cravings and get a greasy, no frills smash burger with crispy fries and the best aioli sauce. Finish that off with a crisp beer, and you're set. Friendly service here at The Friendly Tavern, I love the dog-friendly open air seating, and such a good place to just chill and vibe. read more

The Friendly Tavern - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

The name of this place is so accurate! It definitely felt like a modern day tavern for those traversing North Park. Nestled in University Avenue, you can't miss the mint green sticker bombed building with a pig on the roof, lol! Walking around the building, you will see a pickup window, bar to order, and picnic tables in the outdoor seating area. Love the open casual vibe. Food 5/5! I will say the smashburger is scrumptiousss. Perfectly crispy on the edges. Really hits the spot for a good, greasy burger! I ordered the Hamburguesa and it is perfect. It has 2 patties, jalapeños, butter braised onions, and soyrizo aioli. The jalapeños are the perfect acidic bite to cut through the richness. And also got fries on the side! Yum yum yum. Wait Times 3/5. On a Saturday, the line can get quite long. And after ordering, the wait times for food is actually longer than you expect. Prices are more expensive than a fast food joint, ($7-9 for a burger, $4 for fries), but I think it's worth the price. read more

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Enjoyed the great customer service here and the outdoor community vibe too. We saw this place on an Instagram Reel for the #1 top 5 burgers places in San Diego. Parking was a challenge on a Sunday afternoon. It was a 20min parking trip and a good block walk to the Friendly. This was a well needed and enjoyable walk. There were 4 parties seated in the courtyard dining area. When we arrived, a party of 6 was leaving. We ordered and it was a smooth process: 1 OG Flat Top Burger, 1 Shit Kicker Burger, 1 order of fries to share, 2 drinks. The food was ready in about 10mins and it was perfect temperature. The presentation of the food was good. We enjoyed our burgers and fries. We will come back as this was a nice place to sit, eat, and enjoy a good burger. Parking again is challenging but a nice walk is needed as the burger is a good one. read more

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Introduced to Friendly Tavern from a friend! Good smash burger, definitely heavy and very buttery. I decided to pig out my first time: -DIRTY FLAT TOP $8.00 -BMS $9.00 -Fries $4.00 -Ranch $0.50 -Garlic Aioli $0.50 -Fall beer $8.00 If I remember correctly, I think ranch was the better sauce over the garlic aioli. Burgers itself were tasty, but definitely heavy. I don't think I could eat 3 burgers because of how buttery they were. Fries were a huge miss. I would not order again. Cold and not a whole lot given. Street parking is super difficult in the area...so you might need to park a few blocks away. read more

I'm glad I finally made time to eat here! I got the OG Dirty Flat Top, and especially loved the butter braised onions inside. I also got the onion rings, which would have been great by themselves but I found the combo with the burger leaving me feeling a bit greasy, potentially due to the extra butter with the onions. The staff were efficient and quick. Be aware that (as stated clearly on their menu) there are no modifications made to the menu items, so those who are gluten free or with other dietary restrictions may have a difficult time finding something to eat here. read more

The Friendly Tavern - og dirty flat top, onion rings, fries - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

Best Smash Burgers in San Diego - Remember NO substitutions. ;-) The dining area is very rustic and almost feels like a camp ground so don't expect anything fancy. But that is part of the charm. read more

Best smashburger in town. No doubt in my mind. No substitutions keeps things straightforward and I love it. All outdoor seating at picnic tables. This location has fries and more burger and beverage options than the 30th st location. Parking is street parking in the surrounding neighborhood. read more

The Friendly Tavern - Classic burger and fries - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

Parking always sucks around here but once you find a good spot, it's worth it. I had the Sh*t Kicker with fries and beer on the side and the cost was decent. Not the best but also not the worst priced. This burger was amazing- great flavor and overall excellent quality. I was disappointed in the fries- very thin shoe string type of fries, nothing special here. I wish they had other options like tots or curly fries. My buddy had ordered the onion rings and I tried them- definitely a lot tastier and better than the fries. My kicker burger had a couple of rings in it and also tasty. I didn't appreciate no signage outside the building so I struggled to find the place. I did like the seating arrangements- back patio area was nice and spacey. Oh and the service was quick- didnt wait long at all for our burger. Definitely worth checking out. Enjoy! read more

The Friendly Tavern - The sh*t kicker with fries on the side - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

Food is amazing. Unfortunately you never know when they will be open or closed which is super annoying. Then they do private events and will have a sign that says they open at a certain time only for you to find out that they still won't be open. read more

the beeesttt smashed burgers in SD!! never had a bad experience and the food always tastes good no matter which location you go to. read more

The Friendly Tavern - og dirty flat top - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

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Sometimes the idea of smash burgers is better than what I get. That is not the case here. My kid asked for burger and fries and we were in the area and I'm so glad we did. Our burgers were awesome. Meat to bun ratio on point, fries were perfect! It's been weeks since our visit and I keep suggesting them for when we're near cause I want a repeat. I think it hit some vibes of childhood, when that one arches place still served actual food and tasted good. The bun was buttered and toasted perfectly..... I mean what more do you want in a burger. Oh, and they serve up awesome cocktails, too! Friendly service and on a nice day, you can't ask for a better place to eat out doors with lots of shade trees. read more

If I could I would give this place 3.5, but since it's not hire a 4 star place for me, 3 stars it is! I have been here a couple times and I always leave wishing it was... better? Service is very minimal, they take your order, and then call out your name when it's ready, that's about it. Prices are reasonable, though I wish Burgers automatically came with fries. The burgers themselves are underwhelmingly unseasoned. They could use a good amount of salt & pepper. The eating area is a nice patio, with pretty chill vibes. It's definitely nice especially in the evening, around sunset. read more

The Friendly Tavern - Hamburguesa, OG Dirty Flat Top, Fries - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

I'm allergic to mayo and they were unwilling to make the burger without it. For a small restaurant that wasn't that busy, what a crazy hill to die on read more

Oh, Friendly... just perfection. Their burgers just hit -- every single time. Don't change a thing. One, because you can't, and two, because you absolutely don't need to. Just order it as is, take a seat, and enjoy the magic. The staff is always a joy, and the vibe is exactly what you want in a neighborhood spot -- chill, welcoming, and a solid place to post up and watch the game. Simple. Delicious. Consistent. The Friendly does it right. read more

The Friendly Tavern - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

The Friendly Tavern is probably the busiest and biggest location of the Friendly options around San Diego. There is usually one worker taking orders at an iPad by the bar area. There is usually a long line here that takes 10-15 minutes to order. After ordering, you can look for seats in their outdoor area. They have lights and plenty of benches and tables. We ordered the OG Flat Top and the Jalapeño Burgers with a side of onion rings. These are the best smash burgers in San Diego! The garlic aioli paired with the cheese and grilled onions is perfection. I love their crispy onion rings and ranch. I definitely will be back soon! read more

The Friendly Tavern - OG and Hamburguesa w/ Onion Rings - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

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Service is.. like how the others have said, very "friendly". I got the Bacon Mushroom Swiss which tasted too buttery for me, although still a decent burger. read more

Loved this place the burgers were so good and cheap great place for a date nite or getting dinner with your friends. Great vibe great beers great food you can't go wrong going here for local San Diego food. You're going to wait in line but it goes by fast and food comes out fast too it's very chill really. Try it out I can't wait to go back! read more

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Our first time here. It's a great spot! Lots of outdoor seating and I could bring Cako. Love the menu! And they have fries and onion rings!!! I love the og spot, and I'd get a pizza too...LOL! Great flavor of the shit kicker! I want to try each one now! Best time to go is between the meal times since it's not as crowded. Cako even got her own puppy patty! Cako Approves!!! read more

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The best smashed burger in SD Omg so good ... def coming back here Service is def friendly and fast efficient Ambiance is a vibe, outdoor and lots of seating, but parking can be a struggle at times But over all it's so worth it read more

The Friendly Tavern - BBQ burger and Mushroom Burger with fries and o-rings - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

Why I'm not returning: The cook messed up and gave us someone else's burger. My boyfriend asked when grabbing it, "are you sure this is right?" And the chef told him yes. So we thought score, they gave us a free burger. Ten minutes into eating the chef came to us and asked to see our ticket, told us the orders got messed up and so we showed him our ticket and he walked away. Then he came back five minutes later, asked for our ticket again and said aggressively, "See, you only ordered two burgers" to which I responded, "my boyfriend asked you about our order" and he cut me off and said, "No, you didn't. Next time tell us." Which bothered me because we did ask if our order was correct. How is it on us, and not the chef to review the order to make sure then it was correct? We weren't trying to take someone's order. We are not opportunists looking to steal and he came out to shame us in a combative way. We left immediately after that. Never again. Pro's: -The og burger and the fries were great. Super delicious. -The cashier was friendly. -The ambience was lovely. - Had this mess-up not happened our experience would've been a fantastic one with a rave review. read more

The Friendly Tavern - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California