Pearl’s Deluxe Burgers

I am so glad I was able to write a review for this place before it closed. I will miss your milkshakes and cute employees.
Now no boys or girls will be coming to your yard.
There is still one in SF!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
You can’t be closed! Their cheeseburgers and sweet potato fries give me so much happiness. Only sex and 90’s hip hop make me happier!
I guess I still have the other two.
RIP, Pearl’s Alameda. This shopping center so lacks good eateries now. :(

On a whim my friend and I decided to explore Alameda and settled on trying out this burger place because it looked interesting.
A tip I have to strongly suggest for anyone who actually eats is to go for the ½ pounder. The ¼ pounder my friend and I bought were tiny, the smallest ¼ lb patties I’ve ever seen. We both thought our burgers were really small, and I even laughed when my friend said that I finished my burger in about two bites.
To their credit, the burger was good, at least the Bula burger was, I had the misfortune of ordering The Bomb, which really isn’t the bomb and kind of sucked.
The place is kind of dirty, and has the old concrete feel of an unwanted warehouse that was transformed into a restaurant. I didn’t want to sit anywhere except the window seats that were semi-​clean once I wiped it down.
You have the option to see them make your burger on an open grill, that’s always a plus.

CLOSED! Apparently the food trucks took away so much business from Pearl’s it had to close down. Sorry, but I generally prefer an established restaurant to a trendy food truck that can relocate whenever the propietor wants. The last thing South Shore needs is another tenant casualty. (Do you hear me Planning Board? Move them to the former Navy base!)
I’m so bummed.

We started off walking across the street to the South Shore mall to do a little window shopping and ran into a burger joint named Pearls Deluxe Burgers (
). We could smell the burgers before we even saw the place. It was heavenly.
We stepped inside to a cute red and white theme and immediately sat at the bar. We love sitting at the bar of any restaurant. The place just hummed with activity and people. The staff was in constant motion and it was fun to watch. Helene was behind the counter and was so friendly with a ready smile.
They have a great menu with some great flavor combinations for their burgers. Scott had the half pound Phat Bobb (bacon, BBQ sauce, onion rings, Jack cheese and mayo). It was HUGE and delicious. I ordered the quarter pound Prized Pearl (grilled onions, bacon, mayo and bleu cheese). It was juicy and the bleu cheese just melted into the burger. The combination of the grilled onions and the cheese was perfect. One of the best burgers I’ve had in a long time. We shared a big basket of fries. As we watched the cooks, it looks like they fry them twice so they are totally crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. If you can’t decide what kind of fries you want, or if you want onion rings, you can order Springs (half sweet potato fries and onion rings), Spries (half sweet potato fries and regular fries, or Frings (half onion rings, half french fries).
We’ll definitely go back!

This is hands down my favorite burger place in the east bay. I have no idea why it only has 3 and half stars. Prices are reasonable for what you get. A huge or small grass fed organic burger made with beef from New Zealand. I loveeee their fries! They taste like curly fries. The bun is nice and fluffy with good form and slight crisp on the outside.
Salads are organic. Plenty of parking in Alameda shopping center. I am definitely coming back whenever I want a burger

BLEH! Turkey too much pepper!!!

Pearl’s is located on the south end of Alameda South Shore center next to the mall’s other food establishments.
We had:
The King Burger, which consists of ¼ patty topped with a grilled split hot dog, thousand island and American cheese. The burger was juicy and cooked medium as requested. However, the bottom bun was a bit soggy from a combination of the burger juices and thousand island.
Bula Burger, which consists of a burger topped with a spicy pineapple sauce, bacon, mayonnaise and Swiss cheese. The burger was juicy and cooked medium but again the bun was soggy from the sauce.
Garlic fries. Very crispy fries mixed with fried garlic. It was tasty, though it was a bit salty.
Overall, good burgers but there are better burgers out there.

I came here for the first time last week when off the grid food trucks were around and I didn’t want to wait the long lines, and ordered the Prized Pearl, a burger with bacon, blue cheese, and bacon, and a large order of onion rings. Total was 10.31 after tax w/​o tip cause I did take out. While I was waiting for my order, I munched on some free pickles that they have there — a nice touch I’d say.
The half pounder is $ 2 more than the quarter pound which wasn’t worth it in my opinion so I went ahead and ordered extra bacon for $ 1 instead.
I ordered my burger medium rare and sure enough the burger was medium rare. Good start. The actually patty itself though, I was a bit disappointed — salt and pepper would have definitely made the patty tastier. The bun itself tasted very fresh, was super fluffy and was nicely toasted. Another plus. Blue cheese, being the pungent cheese that it is, overpowered the bacon, and I was a bit disappointed. All good ingredients, but not well matched.
I’d come here again, but would definitely try to bring a buy 1 burger, two drinks, one side, and get a burger free coupon from Safeway.
Not a bad burger, definitely a cut above other places I’ve been to.

After a trip to Kona, Hawaii I told the girlfriend lets find a burger in Alameda that cost less then the customary amount of $ 10.00 to $ 16.95 we had seen on our vacation. Paying that amount does not make sense to me. So we hopped on the beach cruisers (left the Mini Cooper at home) and the search was on. On this Sunday afternoon everyone must have had the same idea because downtown Park St was crowded.
We ended up at Pearl’s at the Towne Center. This place is really clean, it has good ambiance and outdoor seating. They have two sizes of burgers… quarter and half pound. Also offered as toppings is bacon and cheese plus different types such as mushroom, onion, teriyaki etc. I still don’t get the bacon thing, I like bacon for breakfast but not on my burger.
I ordered the half pound, medium well ($ 5.99) with everything but onions on it. You are thinking no onions. As a compliment I ordered the half onion rings and fries. These were large and tasty. The fries range in price from $ 2.99 to $ 3.99 but here is the caveat. It is enough for two people.
The burger was cooked to my liking… I’m not super particular about my burger just as long it is not dry. I thought the hamburger had good flavor and not too salty. With the condiments and the large pickles offered extra flavor can be had. Pearl’s is a good choice but compared to Burgermeister they run second billing.

What?! A burger joint close to my work that i havent tried! Had to give this place a shot.
Came here with a bunch of people from work, love the different options you have regarding the burgers.
also their choices with fries is really good too, you could order half fries/​half onion rings or half sweet fries and half regular fries, I ordered what is called fringles which is half fries and half onion rings.
The fries were really good, nice and crispy and not too greasy, but for around 3.75 I would’ve expected more.
I decided to stay on the safe side and I ordered the Kobe burger medium
Well with cheddar cheese and mushrooms. I must say the bun was pretty dismal, I think it was either too toasted or s bit too old because it was very crumbly.
Also my burger was more on the well done side then the medium side, and the Kobe beef was lean but didn’t really taste much more special then regular ground beef.
They add all your condiments on your buffer, they have a mini bar station that has sauces and full pickles, loved the pickles. We were a total group of 15 ppl so we decided to eat out, which was great they have great seating arrangements outside.
Pros: good quality selections to choose from, great quick service.
Cons: not much unique where it can stand out from other burger places, they should prepare the meat more accurately.
Be sure to give this place a try, I know next time I will be trying their regular burger and order a slice of their cheese cake for a 1.50 more.

I had the Kobe Beef Burger with a side of sweet potato fries and a coconut milkshake. Everything was delicious! The burger was done just right and the meat was juicy and tasty. The fries were of course yummy because I love sweet potato fries: D The coconut milkshake was creamy and had just the right amount of sweetness.
The portions are generous and the service is fast and friendly. It’s not cheap (the regular Kobe burger was $ 10, plus cheese and other stuff = more $) but the prices are fair for the food and service you receive; it’s a good place to go every once in awhile.
FYI: I had a little trouble finding the place. For some reason my GPS insisted it was in some magical portal between the Post Office and McDonald’s, but actually it’s across from Panera on the opposite side of the parking lot.

Pearl’s is a cute little place, inside Alameda’s «SouthShore» The interior is clean and simple, with the menus on the walls when you walk it, the drinks in front of the cashier and you can see the cooks and waitress making your food and drinks.
I order the PHAT BOB, medium, quarter pound, and it was measly size. About my fist. My friend ordered a veggie burger and it was almost twice my burger and around the same price! Unbelievable! The patty was really dry, the bun was burnt, the bbq sauce was just liquefied drooling all over my burger buns. It was edible, but hard to, since it was so dry!
I also had an order of garlic fries, and YUMMM! Now those for their price of a large, I think is 3.99 and are just to DIE FOR! So much massive amount of garlic and green onions and crispy fries all mixed together. That garlic flavor, taste doesn’t leave your buds or your breathe for days!
They do take cash and credit. Downside is to credit/​debit, they still check id, it’s a bit of hassle to me if you ask. I don’t think the a la carte burgers are worth it, but do try the garlic fries!

The food took awhile, we waited at least 15 mins for a burger and a salad.
Service was alright, could have been better since there were about 5 customers, who had already been serviced. I liked the suggestion of the house made honey sesame dressing.
Ordered the cobb salad and the buffalo burger w/​the fixin’s, there were NO condiments and no utensils. Should be a given since it’s take out. The food was good quality, but just not for the price, it was over $ 20 for an ala carte burger and a salad.

humm… I’m surprise that pearls is only averaging 3 stars. I thought it was pretty good… especially for alameda food.
any gourmet burger is going to run you at least $ 10. accept the fact or go drive two minutes to bk. pearls offers KOBE! Anyone with a love for burgers better than a fast food chain should try pearls. again, I was stunned that they offered kobe and that they served sweet potato fries. the fries were okay, nothing to brag about. But I did love the burger I had. bacon, avocado, melted cheese and a fat slice of tomato. If they offered a fried egg, this place would easily be my favorite joint in town.
We waited about 10 minutes for two burgers which was fine since I know everything was made to order. the shakes are delish and the burger was fresh and bigger than my face. what more could a hungry girl possibly want.
in comparison to bugermisters downtown. its nice that burgermister is more of a comfy sit down area where a waiter comes to serve you and pearls is more cafeteria style where you order at the register and walk 4 feet to pick up your burger. but at least you’re not having to tip and worry about the nasty sticky menus and a less tasty burger with a soggy bun for the same price. [please refer to my burgermister review] cheers and I hope people do enjoy the burger as much as I did.

This places confuses the hell out of me.
It’s like some kind of alternate universe where all the skinny people live and eat massive burgers to stay healthy.
Every person I walked by on my way to my table had burgers with 2 patties, dripping in saucy/​greasy goodness, and had the biggest smile on their faces. And the weird part? All of them looked like they belonged to the rare class that is the «underweight» category on the BMI chart.
Where the hell did all these undercover fatties come from?!
One woman in particular was killin her specialty double burger’ed monstrosity and was washing it down with a pineapple shake.
FASCINATING! She had to be a size 0. Maybe even possibly a 00.
And another man sat a few tables away from me with his no-​more-​than-​30″ waist demolishing garlic fries, a ½lb burger, and chocolate shake.
WHAT IS GOING ON?!
I sat there all self conscious with my ¼lb Pesto Burger; feeling like I was some kind of insult to the skinny-​burger-​eating clan and couldn’t stop staring at everyone else around me.
I just don’t get it.
Anyway, staff was really nice — gave me a suggestion on what to try — and the mini Pesto Burger I got was super good. Ladies, see my reference picture. The ¼lb is a bit on the smaller side; but if you’re getting fries and a soda, it’s plenty big enough! (Especially if you’re getting that BBQ burger with the onion rings. Blaaah talk about a food coma.) Otherwise, pay the few extra bucks for the½lb with no extras and you’ll be stuffed. If you’re hungry, a ¼lb probably wont do it for you. I’m pretty sure my 11 year old niece, who is the size of a toothpick, would devour the ¼lb and still be hungry.
I’ll probably be back but it wont be for a while. $ 18 for a soda, ¼lb specialty burger, and ½ specialty is pretty expensive considering how small the ¼ is. Though satisfying, I think $ 20 could be better spent elsewhere.
But the taste was good, service was good, and though I’d probably give this place a 3.5, I’ll round up (:
I’ll definitely be back to marvel at all the skinny people stuffing their faces with copious amounts of food through the window. This is an attraction on its own.
How do you think they do it!?!
Magic, I guess.

Pearl’s seems to attract lovers and haters (of their burgers). i lean toward the latter since pearl’s always disappoints.
sampling: deluxe burger (5.99) with lettuce, onion, tomatoes, mayo on sesame seed bun. nothing extra for me since that’s my test whether a burger is good or not.
–ordered medium rare, came med at best, closer to medium well done. essentially a tasteless piece of meat with some juice coming out. (-.5)
leftovers
–only regular mustard and ketchup on table. no other condiments (-.5)
–aftertaste…
–many speciality burgers
–fries, drinks seem pricey.
–good service, décor excellent.
–nice people, burgers cooked badly.

The Pearl Burger five step program:
Step one: Place your order.

Step two: Scrape your jaw off the floor.
Mini Slider: $ 5.99. WHAT! It’s the size of baby’s hand… like a premature baby.
Veggie burger: $ 7.98. Just a burger, no fries, no salad.
Step three: Waiting for 20 minutes.
Yes the 20-​minute wait applies to an empty restaurant.
Apparently they have to raise, skin, and cook the vegetarian cow.
Step four: Eat the burger
This is around the time you look around and consider going postal.
YESSSSs! I take my burgers THAT serious, and fckn with burger is
like fckn with my emotions –someone will get hurt.
Step Five: Feel ripped off
Pearl burger thinks really highly of its burgers and the price reflects
their feelings. If pear’s burger would stop doing crack they would
realize their burgers are about $ 3 overpriced.
The taste is ok.
The price is crazy.
The service, what service?
The location is money.
I don’t recommend it and I don’t plan to return.

I was in the Tail End of a Double Shift and craving a Burger. So I headed over to Pearls with my work vehicle. Pearls is Located in Alameda in the Revamped South shore Shopping Center. Its a bright Sterile looking Burger Joint. I ordered a ½LB Prized Pearl Burger-​which has Bacon, Mayo, Sauteed Onions and Bleu Cheese, Large Order Of Onion Rings and a Large Fountain Drink. My Order was ready 17 Minutes later.
My Burger Was Juicy and Very Tasty. Just Slamming. The Onion Rings were light and Airy. I’m a Fan and Ill be Back LOL. Plus they take Discovercard Yea!!!

As a long time fan of the Pearl’s in the TL, I’d pay bridge toll and drive out of the way of my humble abode in the East Bay just for a taste of one of their amazing burgers across the Bay. So imagine my excitement when during a visit to the Alameda Towne Center, I discovered that Pearl’s would be opening another restaurant there. And imagine my double excitement when I found out that one of my friend’s brothers was going to be working there. I practically shook him down for the grand opening date, and because of my connivingness, somehow walked away with the soft opening date as well — today: D
In Alameda, this is a far cry from the dinginess of the one in the TL. I’m not knocking the TL one by any means as it has its own charm, but lets just say that this one just fits into Alameda very well. It’s spacious and clean with nice furnishings, and they’ve got actual service. You can order burgers by by the ¼ to ½ pound and unlike the other two Pearl’s restaurants, this one even has beer and wine on tap (or, will have sometime next month, after they get their liquor license). Score! Because there’s nothing like enjoying your burger with some booze.
Today, I went with my usual Prized Pearl, garlic fries, springs (a mix of sweet potato fries and onion rings if you didn’t already know!) and an Oreo milkshake. Soooo good. Just like the one in SF. But with ambiance. Parking. No homeless people. And soon, booze.
Watch out, Alameda. With this new Pearl’s in the town center, I’m gonna be coming into town all the time ;)