Took 18 minutes to get an original burger and tallow fries. Two other people in the restaurant. Not any better than in-n-out :(

Grass fed burgers, beef tallow fries, organic beverages, condiments & ice creams priced competitively with big chain fast food!? Say less! Popped in today on a whim and will absolutely be back again! Enjoyed every bite & sip of our burgers, fries, & lemonade. Looking forward to trying their milkshakes next time. Quality absolutely exceeded the price (but don't tell management that!). read more

Love the concept, but efficiency isn't their strong suit. I've eaten here three times since they opened and my visit last night wasn't the best. The burger was just ok compared to the previous two times. And the fries were lukewarm. The place wasn't as busy as I've seen it before with a line out the door. We found a place to sit right away and actually thought we beat the rush. It did pick up a bit but several groups actually left after waiting in line to order only to learn the wait time was 30 minutes. We placed our order at 8:16 pm and our little pager didn't buzz until 8:50 pm. There were several other customers who ordered before and after us that made sarcastic comments when their orders were finally ready about how slow the service was: "Oh, I see it's really packed in here so that's why it took so long." and "I thought maybe you lost our order." One of the customers who ordered before us was waiting for her to-go order. She got it maybe five minutes before us. I love the idea of empowering high school and college age students with a good paying job. But on a summer weekend night with only two line cooks in the back and three employees in the front of the house, two of which found time to dance behind the counter, it seems like it seems like this place could benefit from a little more oversight from upper management. For how limited their menu is, the preparation and turnaround should be much quicker. I really want to see this place succeed and hate to see money walk out the door in this economy. I don't mind waiting for quality food, but 30+ minutes for a burger and lukewarm warm fries is a bit much. I hope Vanman's can make a few necessary changes to really step up their game. Your customers will love you for it. read more

Finally went here after wanting to try it out for months and it was worth the wait. My roommate and I both got the classic Smashburger and it was fantastic. You also cannot beat the price of $6. It comes with all the toppings. I got mine without onions he got his without pickles. We also got an order of the Tallow fries which were so good. They put a lot of salt on them but I actually liked it. We also had a 3-year-old with us who loved the fries and asked for more when they were all gone. I ordered the watermelon juice as well and it was absolutely delicious and again $4 you cannot beat that price. I wish I had taken pictures of the food but we just inhaled it so here's a picture of half of my drink left. For parking there is a small lot But there is Street parking As well. The place is rather small but that definitely helps with their prices. You order at the counter and then you wait for your name to be called. There's a few seats inside and outside. read more

Vanman’s - The watermelon drink for $4. It's totally delicious and I did not remember to take a photo till I was halfway done - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

Affordable and delicious. Fed my family of 7 under $85. I love the simplicity of their menu. Everything is house made, from the sauces to the drinks. Food is rich and flavorful, quality and quantity. Super happy we finally got to try this place. I also love that they make their own products to purchase, hygiene products, from soaps, deodorant and lip balm, shampoo and more. I think I'll try their line, next time I come in. Service is great. Minimal seating inside and outside. Parking is a bit hard, but is still worth the trouble. Must try! read more

See all

I'm a fan of grass-fed burgers and organic shakes. I ordered an Oklahoma style burger, tallow fries and watermelon. Juice. I was starving when I received my order so maybe it tasted better than it should have? But I did enjoy all of it. Yeah, the smashed patty was thin but still delicious. The fries were better than the burger. Salty with tons of flavor. The only con in my opinion was there could have been more yummy sauce on the burger. read more

Vanman’s - Storefront and an actual free parking lot that wasn't full - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Working in San Diego. Time for work lunch! Closest place from where I was working. I got the Oklahoma onion and kids tallow fries. Dare I say the fries were better than the burger?? Both delicious in their own ways! The burger sauce!! I'd put that on everything! Quick service. Nice people. Food on the cheaper side. I can do this for lunch any day! read more

See all

This place is highly underrated. Grass fed smash burgers, tallow fries, organic milk shakes and ketchup. If you appreciate cleaner foods without jeopardizing taste or price then this is it. It was so good I even considered going back the next day. I came here with one other person on a weekday and there was a line. The line went fast though. I ended up getting a lettuce wrap Oklahoma burger which included grilled onions. It was oh so good and I highly recommend it. The fries were also really good and went great with their organic house made ketchup. I also got their vanilla milk shake which was probably the best vanilla milk shake I have ever had. It's a must get if you like milk shakes in my opinion. The inside is smaller. There is few bar seating. They also have a small patio outdoor seating area. I cannot wait to come back here. read more

See all

New smashburger restaurant located in Pacific Beach! I had really high hopes after seeing TikToks and hearing how they use quality, local ingredients. But I ended up leaving disappointed due to the long waits and "just ok" food. When we arrived Sunday for dinner, there was already a line out the door. The plaza has some parking reserved for Vanman's but we just found residential street parking. Wait times were about an hour so we placed our order online and knocked out some errands in the area. Unfortunately, the online ordering system isn't completely functional and doesn't notify you when your order is ready. We had to guess when to return and our food was probably sitting out for awhile since the fries weren't crispy anymore. Once we picked it up, we immediately sat down and ate inside the restaurant. Classic Smash: Maybe because of the rush, the burgers weren't cooked as pictured in social media. The patties didn't have that signature crisp around the edges and the potato bun was way too thick. I agree with someone else's review when they said that the bun just completely takes over. Tallow Fries: I'd imagine that these fries would be super crispy when it's fresh. It's salted just fine but ours were already soggy. I also found a rubber band mixed in with the fries. The homemade ketchup was really good though! It tasted like there was honey mixed in so expect a slight sweetness. Vanilla Milkshake: Not sure what their texture is supposed to be but the milkshake was very liquidy. I wonder if that's normal or if it's because it was sitting out for awhile. But I thought the vanilla flavor was really good and I would like to try their other flavors (chocolate, strawberry). Overall, not a bad meal. The food is very cheap compared to other smashburgers but I thought the burgers were just average and when paired with the long wait, it just wasn't worth it. It seems like they're still figuring out some things but hopefully, the food will improve or at least stay consistent (maybe I got a bad batch). read more

See all

Had to tried out this place it was too good to be true, clean quality food and affordable? I really like that everything they offer is real clean ingredients Went during dinner time and it was pretty packed even till closing. My boyfriend and I order both the classic burger and an order of tallow fries. We waited about 15/20mins. Burger was huge but it was mostly fillers. The patty is smashed so it's very thin. I prefer my patty thicker than smashed. Their burger sauce is very light and refreshing. I expect it to be a thick heavy sauce. Their ketchup I believe is house made and it has a different taste. The burger is great the only thing I didn't like was the bun ratio to the fillings. The bun was so thick and too much breading. Not the biggest fan of the fries it was just so greasy and salty, my fingers drenched in oil everytime I pick up the fries. I really do love clean quality foods and this place offers it and is affordable but I would want to tweak my order so I can love it even more. Next time I would request no salt on my fries, and for the burger definitely want the cheese to be cold cause I couldn't taste the cheese it look like it desinergated. I do want to come back to try their milkshake! read more

Vanman’s - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

I really like that this place uses quality, organic, and local ingredients. We came in before the busy lunch hour in a Monday around 11:15am. We placed our order and it took a long time, like over 30 minutes. The burger was good but the bun kinda overwhelmed and took away from the delicious meat flavor. I didn't even remember tasting the cheese when I thought about it later. The fries didn't travel well and definitely didn't look crispy like other people's photos. They were very salty. The vanilla shake was yummy. It tasted like it was made of good quality ice cream which it was. The girls behind the counter were young and clueless. Nice but lacked customer service skills. I asked which burgers were which (ordered 1 without cheese, 1 without pickles and 4 Ok and 4 Classic) and she said I had to open them up to know. They were sealed with stickers and I was bring them to people. I didn't want to open them and give people burgers with ripped stickers. The apple fries were the best thing we ordered. I appreciate that they use organic apples. I'll try the cold brew next time. The prices are really reasonable. There's seating. Parking can be tough. There were lots of cool products made a quality ingredients like tallow, bees wax, honey, like soaps, lip products, deodorants, etc that would make great gifts. read more

See all

Vanman's on Garnet Ave in Pacific Beach opened over a month ago and is part of the smash burger craze. They occupy the space which was formerly a donut shop in the same complex as Desserts by Clement and parking can be a challenge but free street parking nearby is your best bet. Currently, no outdoor seating, although they have the space and patio for it. Only indoor seating on stools and counters along the windows facing out. I was not familiar with Vanman as a brand of anything: food or stuff. The shop displays lots of merchandise mostly hygiene products: soaps, deodorant, lip balm...all products of which Vanman started the business in prior to the burger biz. On to the burgers, the menu is limited to offering two burgers both grass fed patty. I ordered the Oklahoma style onion smash, tallow fries and an extra patty for my pup. The girl at the counter was helpful and answered my questions, since I knew nothing about Vanman's. Vanman's logo is a vintage VW van as seen throughout the walls as decor. I imagine Vanman as some beachy, earthy, hippie-ish dude who lives in his van and trying to make a living selling hygiene products made from beef tallow and has graduated now to selling grass feed burgers. My order was ready, no table service, you go to the counter and pickup the tray and take a seat. I took pics and noticed the burger patties to be smashed flat and rather oily, but hey there's no seed oils so... I had to try the tallow fries which looked golden, but it looked better than it tasted because the fries needed sea salt...I didn't ask for any salt because I didn't want to eat beyond 3 fries. I waited for the burger patties to cool down, then sponged blotted off as much of the oily excess before hand feeding my pup...and she loved it, she ate an entire patty because it was flatter than a pancake lol My burger looked appealing with the potato buns, which I usually don't eat as I prefer lettuce wrapped but after a couple of bites of the burger, I was a tad disappointed in the fact it lacked flavor. I was hoping the Oklahoma onions would give it a wowness but not much onion taste. The grass feed smashed flat burger patty desperately needed seasoning with the basics: sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper please!! It's better to have under seasoned than over seasoned, over salted but these had zero :( The lack of seasoning, bland tasting burger patties were perfect for my pup who gladly finished my burger patty sans onions of course. Despite the small portions of the tallow fries and the burger I had, I can honestly say, I didn't experience a negative allergic reaction because of the higher quality of the ingredients including the fluffy potato buns. For healthier versions of burger and fries, Vanman's is Worth a try. read more

See all

This is such a great burger. It's fresh and none of that crappy stuff you shouldn't be eating. I got regular cheese but think I'll splurge and get the raw cheddar next time. Our gal who took our order was patient and friendly as she explained the menu since we were virgins. The setting is nice with a lot of outside seating and cute planters with rosemary and other cute plants. I loved it and will be back. Great addition to PB. read more

Vanman’s - Burgers and fries - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

This is my new favorite burger! I get their cheeseburger with an extra patty and it is SO good. The fries are awesome too- I love seeing that they are tallow cooked! The grass fed beef tastes amazing, and I love knowing where all of the ingredients come from. Nice to know I'm not eating mystery meat and highly processed foods like at other fast food restaurants. You can also get a full meal for the same price if not a bit cheaper than McDonald's! Their milkshakes rock as well read more

Vanman’s - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Just tried this place for the first time. Amazing! By far the best burger in town, and the upgrade to raw cheese is totally worth it. And the fries, they are next level. You need to come here. read more

The service was friendly. Not super fast but I think it was busy because it is newer. Parking is pretty hard and I almost gave up to get a fast food burger, but glad I found street parking just as I was about to pull away. Super cute inside with a lot of VanMan merch (soap, gum, shirts). Not any tables that I noticed, but all high top chairs along the wall/bench type seating. The tallow fries I ate as soon as I was in the car with my food. So so good. Would come back just for these. The milk shake was good too but on the pricier side. The burger I might skip unless I wanted to add a patty and cheese. The burger to bun ratio wasn't it for me. Though every individual aspect of the burger was delicious, the bun was just too overpowering. read more

See all

This PB suite used to be the home of a couple of donut shops before VanMan's Kitchen recently took over as the new tenant. There were about four dedicated parking spaces in front of the building. The business is known for natural health and wellness products, some of which were on display next to the service counter (e.g. soap bars). On-site dining was limited to a row of stools along a countertop facing the south windows. The menu was made up of grass-fed burgers, tallow fries, coffee, cold drinks, desserts, and milkshakes. The burgers were cooked with 100% grass-fed beef finished with beef tallow and butter. The fries used organic potatoes fried in 100% grass-fed/finished beef suet tallow and were served with a side of housemade organic ketchup. Two burger types were available, Classic Smash and Oklahoma Onion. I chose the latter which had American cheese, grilled organic sweet onions, house pickles and burger sauce as condiments. A potato bun was the vehicle for all of the ingredients. For $6, it was a decent sized burger. I wish the onions stood out more as that's what Oklahoma-style is all about. I also ordered a small cup of Organic Lemonade that used freshly squeezed organic lemon juice and organic cane sugar. The drink was neither too tart nor too sweet. I encountered some difficulty in visiting this place because during the initial days of operation, they closed early because items were sold out? Maybe there was a misjudgment on the supply and demand because I had never heard of a burger spot running out of provisions. Anyway, my rating for VanMan's Kitchen was between a three and four star level. read more

See all

I've been looking forward to the opening of this place since I walked by it a few months ago while under construction. I ordered the Oklahoma Style Onion Smash Burger for $6 and the Tallow Fries for $4. The smash burger came with grass fed beef, American cheese, grilled organic sweet onions, a house sauce and pickles, and a potato bun. The burger presented itself nicely, especially the smashed beef patty. However, after the first bite, I did not experience that quality beef flavor, but a mouthful of saltiness. The smash burger was very salty. The high salt level impeded the beef flavor to come in front, which was unfortunate. To tell you the truth, when you used high quality grass feed beef, it does not take a lot of salt to help bring out the beef flavor. The beef already offers a clean beef flavor. I was a little dumbfounded on the high use of the salt here. When I ate the sweet grilled onions away from the burger, they were quite tasty. The Tallow Fries were good, but some of the fries were overly done, a brown color, and on the dry side. The ones that were not overly fried were very good and offered a subtle crispiness and soft center. The service was friendly enough. The young lady who took my order was nice and engaged in small talk. The gents working here were not much for conversation, not even a hello or thank you. read more

See all

Honestly, I was really looking forward to trying this place. I tried it and... how does a smash burger taste like FISH? I thought maybe it was just my Classic burger, but then my husband (who'd gotten the Oklahoma burger) said his tasted fishy and weird too. The table behind us asked what we were saying, (we didn't know they'd heard us) so we repeated ourselves, and they agreed! One guy saying he thought his burger tasted fishy too. I made the joke that I'd come here for a burger, not a tunafish sandwich. The fries were good. Homemade ketchup was good. Decent ranch. But the burgers? I couldn't finish mine, it went straight to the trash, and I will never go here again. Is it the burger sauce? The grill the burgers are cooked on? Was the tallow bad? No idea. But FISHY at a BURGER place? And other patrons agreeing? Thank god it was cheap here and this was not a bigger waste of money. read more

Vanman shares a small parking lot with a water place and Clement's.  There was a spot at opening time but none when I left.  Inside was interesting.  In addition to the ordering counter and seating there were lots of health and beauty products. Lemonade had a delicious sweet and sour flavor.  They make it fresh daily and it's much better than that stuff from the soda machine. Fries fried in tallow were crispy and had a delicious fried flavor. Burger with extra pattie was a good size lunch.  I ordered it with just lettuce and tomato.  Lettuce and tomato were fresh and crisp.  Beef was thin and crispy.  Very mild beef flavor.  I would have liked some salt and pepper or bacon to give it more flavor. Ice was crystal clear and refreshing. Very good water filtration here. Staff was nice and efficient. read more

See all

This is the reason I don't go to McDonald's anymore. Real beef hamburgers, the fries are also really good. Go there, but make sure maybe go early or even after the lunch time crowds. Where you can get a good parking spot in front of the place. read more

Delicious! great value with burgers starting at $6 and fries for $4.50 no frill, just yum. Fast service, cute restaurant. vanman's can be my man!! read more

The food is excellent. Sadly today was my last time enjoying it. I have frequented this place multiple times a week, because of the incredible taste and reasonable pricing. I wanted to support the mission of food that's real and not full of fillers and gimmicks. Well, I just got back in town from a week long trip and the prices were totally jacked. Now I get organic ingredients are expensive but everything on the menu having a 3 dollar price increase is now just too hard to justify. read more

Vanman’s - Pre price gouging - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

Hands down the best burger joint in San Diego. The place was packed, and we waited half an hour, but it was absolutely worth it. For $6, you get a juicy burger bursting with flavor. The $4 fries are crunchy, well-seasoned, and large for the price. I'd highly recommend trying a burger if you're in the area! read more

Vanman’s - Classic smash burger and fries! - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

It looks like this spot just opened up. It used to be a donut shop but that closed quickly. I hope Vanman's is here permanently because I was a BIG FAN. Anyways - 30 min wait - but so worth it this food was a 10/10. I got the regular smash burger with fries. Wow. So good. Also the price is unbeatable. The amount of ingredients in the burger were perfect as well. This spot is small, but we managed to find a spot to sit. Most orders it looks like are to go orders. I highly recommend trying this spot. I will be back. read more

Vanman’s - Fries + smash burger - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

A really great lunch spot! The burgers were flavorful and fresh, and I really enjoyed the crispiness of the smashed patties! I had the Oklahoma onion burger (comes with grilled sweet onions) and I really liked what the onions added to the burger. The fries were good too, but the burgers were the real star. And the apple fry dippers were shockingly good. The apples were the perfect balance between a little cooked and not too soft, and the funnel cake style batter was fried to perfection. I'd definitely recommend ordering these for a little sweet treat after your burger! read more

See all

Super good! I got the Oklahoma style onion smash burger and it was delicious. The tallow fries were also super crispy and good. Would definitely come back! Prices and portion sizes were very reasonable. read more

Vanman’s - Oklahoma style onion smash burger - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

Solid spot for smash burgers. I never have an upset stomach after eating here and the prices are reasonable, which is saying a lot these days. I have tried the affogato and it is a really yummy treat. Definitely worth adding on. The apple fritters are not it. I am sorry but they are terrible. No taste and sour. I would skip those completely. We have been several times and it can be a little inconsistent, whether it is the service or the wait time. That said, I will be back. Those fries are like crack. read more

Sweet little burger shop. The smash burgers here are pretty good but everything else could use some work. The quality and quantity of the meat combined with the taste was fantastic! The meat was the reason I'll be back here. Awesome char, great tasting onions, and love the house-made ketchup and secret sauce. Cons- Apple fries were weak. The apples were coming out of the dough before we even picked them up. The caramel sauce they come with is a little too watery for my tastes and I wish they sprinkled a little cinnamon sugar or something on top. Feels like an unfinished dessert. Fries - I found them over fried and under seasoned. They weren't bad when drenched in house ketchup but I think you could put a turd in that ketchup and it'd be great. House ketchup was fantastic. If I was gonna change the burger I'd add more grilled onions and pickles Overall price to quality and quantity is unbeatable. I'll be back - hope they work out some kinks I'd give it a 5 for the obvious flaws but hope to change the rating soon read more

See all

Super solid burger spot!! Love the idea of grass fed beef, tallow fries, and organic Straus milk shakes. The burger was delicious. The patty was perfectly salty and crispy. Our fries did come out cold, which was a bummer... but they were super busy, so I understand the hiccup! read more

See all

I stopped in around 4:30 PM on a Friday. Street parking was easy to find and free, with a two-hour limit. You walk in and order right at the counter. The employees were genuinely sweet and welcoming. The menu is simple: you can order either the classic Smashburger or the Oklahoma Smashburger, which comes with grilled onions instead of raw. Both are priced at $6, which is hard to beat. There's no outdoor seating. Inside, there are stools and a narrow counter lining the wall where you can sit and eat. Dogs are allowed, which is a nice bonus. To try the fries, I ordered a kids-size fry for $1.50. *Oklahoma Smashburger: I wasn't a big fan. The meat lacked seasoning and didn't have much flavor. The bun felt cheap and was too thick for the burger, throwing off the balance. Overall, it just didn't taste like great quality. *Fries: I liked that they were crispy and not thick-cut, but again, no seasoning. They really needed salt, pepper, or something to give them flavor. *Ketchup: Honestly, not good. It tasted overly sweet and didn't complement the food. All in, I spent under $9 for a pretty large burger and a kids-size fry. It did hit the spot in the moment, and I was in and out in about 15 minutes. The price and speed are definite positives. That said, the food quality and lack of flavor were disappointing. I guess you get what you pay for. read more

Vanman’s - Oklahoma Smashburger & Kid's Fry - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

The burgers are good, but average for a smash burger. I have to get used to the beef tallow fries as they were my first. Nice little corner Burger joint. There's service was good. read more

Man I was really hoping this place would be fire. I live in the hood and always try to support the local. I'm hoping they read this and make the change. Hate to critical, but I'm kind of a Burger Buff. My bun was so dry I ate 1/2 of it without the bun. The patty was pretty thin and didn't have much flavor in the meat. It was salted fine, but when you smash fry a burger and don't let it render its going be dry with less flavor. Easy fix: Different Bun and Cook the meat slower. read more

Burger blew my mind, i wasn't expecting it to be so good. Definitely one of my favorite burgers in SD if not my favorite (and yes i have made the rounds to many MANY burger joints in SD). highly recommend burger is 5/5. Skip the fries though- they aren't great, I'd probably just save the calories and order 2 burgers instead ;) read more

Simply, wow. I took one bite of their classic cheese and knew this was going to be a staple place on my list. Starting at $6 per burger with optional $3 extra patty, it is the best bang for your buck. I got the extra patty and don't regret it a bit. The tallow fries are addicting and have the perfect level of crunch and salt. The inside is super clean and the service is very kind. It has a modern retro feel with their pretty display of tallow products. Can't wait to be back and try a shake next time. read more

We were lured in by the chap prices. However, the smell immediately put me off. My husband still wanted to try it though. I took one bite of the burger and was repulsed, as it tasted like fish to me ( not sure why, but it did). The fries were weird, and even weird with their ketchup , if that is even what it was. My husband finished the food. But definitely would not go back again. read more

Vanman’s - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

Other PB burgers should watch out...the price point, taste & quality is far better than anything else around. Burgers were made to order and still quicker than the other neighborhood favorite ;) If the bun was toasted, it would keep it from getting soft at the end. Other than that it was a great meal! Such a good addition. read more

I never leave reviews but felt this one needed it. Dined in on a Thursday evening, and there was no wait to order. Food took a while to come out and everything was lukewarm, dare I say, cold. Don't know how since we were sitting there for 20+ minutes. Normally I am not hypercritical of restaurants... however, I ordered the Oklahoma Onion Style burger (no modifications) and it came without onions?? There are only two types of burgers so I am unsure how they mixed that up. Burger was meh. Fries were crispy but cold. *multiple other reviews confirmed this was not an isolated incident. There was another guy whose burger was missing a patty too. My partner really liked the burgers the first time he went, around three months ago, so this was disappointing. They've also significantly raised their prices. I hope we just caught them on an off day, but I probably won't come again. read more

The prices are incredibly reasonable (less than your average fast food burger these days) and about 100 times better. They are smash burgers and I got a single for about $6, next time I'd opt for a double, which I think was about $9. Beef tallow fries were great as well. They also have dedicated parking spaces, which is super rare for businesses in PB on Garnet. The staff was really friendly and they were super quick preparing the food too. Would definitely recommend! read more

Vanman’s - Classic smash and tallow fries. The meat to bun ratio was off, I'd order a double next time. Tasty though! - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

Oh my gosh, honestly that was one of the best burgers I've ever had in my life and I grew up on In-N-Out. No matter if you like Smash burger style or not, these are incredible. I just was told they're all grass-fed burgers as well and they're only $6.... C'mon! Tallow fries and my strawberry shake all soooo goooooood! I'm so excited that I live close by, it was so delicious. You won't be disappointed The service was great! The kids working were all very polite. Met the owner, super cool guy! read more

See all