John’s Burgers

Full disclosure: I didn’t buy anything here. I have no idea if the donuts or sandwiches are any good, but it looks like your standard SF donut place.
I’d always assumed this was just a donut shop, but after reading the reviews on here, and seeing the «niman ranch» and «best cheesesteak in SF» signs outside, I decided to go here for a cheesesteak.
When I walked in, it looked like a donut shop with a sandwich menu. I can’t remember if they even had burgers on the menu. But they definitely did not have cheesesteaks. My friend and I asked about cheesesteaks, and the people working there had zero idea what we were talking about.
I’m guessing that a couple of years ago, this was a burger/​sub shop, but it changed management, and now it’s a donut shop under the same name.

Before I give this review the service was excellent Thats what got them this star. I base my ratings on five things service, time, ambiance, food taste and freshness of food. Sadly I can only give one star for service.
I finally tried this place today. I walked in it was a bit on the ruanchy side but its near the tenderloin no points taken for that. the service was great the guy at the counter helped me no problem and even helped me save a bit o money.
I ordered the CHIPOTLE BURGER! lol combo. it took a while (seemed even longer with the riff raff of tenderloin coming in) at first i ordered for there but then tog o riff raff issues lol. so when my food finally came the chef brung it out to me and said «Chipotle burger» I said yup thats me! he then replied «yeah the only thing we ran out of chipotle suace» at this point im like isnt that what makes this a chipotle burger? he smiles i then say its fine just give me a buck or two back. he turned to the girl at the register and then turned back and said he would make the sauce for me.
AND THEN HE GOES INTO THE RESTROOM! Idc if the chef has to go to the restroom but the timing was a little offputting. im pretty sure i ate some pubes today lol.
But i do give him cred for even walking out of the back and i did see him scrambling to find sauce for me.
THE BURGER ITSELF WAS BAD.
none of the ingredients used were fresh.}
the lettuce was my age and rubbery
The bacon (that i added for extra) was as hard as wood. very flavorful but extrememly hard.
The bread had a bitter taste
soft onions? I mean really soft onions
overall the burger wasnt up to any par of any burger place i have ever been too.
the really long wait, the chef in the restroom in between my food and then disappearing in the back with my food, annnnnnnd the riff raff and taste of my food plus the incredibly out of date ingredients.
I MIGHT Maybe try this place again. might maybe.
And if you guys read this and recgonize me the next time i come in dont be mad. I Unilocal with praises when the food is good.
Just treat me right and you have a lifetime customer who will not only bring ppl there with me but will also apologize for this Unilocal maybe even delete it and give nothing but praise. see ya next time maybe.

It’s super sketchy going there at night. But otherwise, top-​quality burger. Recommendation: the Chipotle Burger.

Not factoring the pricey donuts into the score here as that was addressed under Donut World already
Burgers are OK. Probably more like Safeway Ranch beef tbh. Decent basic cheeseburgers though. Pricing is meh at $ 5-​$ 7, better deal than Carl’s Jr. or BK tho
Thing most worth mentioning here is the new $ 1 street tacos they have. They aren’t «authentic» Mexican food but close enough to pass for a buck. Beef just appears to be some inexpensive steak grilled w/​o any further preparation but that works out OK with the diced onions and salsa verde. Reasonable size for the price. Not a «destination food» but better cheap eats than Carl’s Jr. if you happen to be in the area to buy a slightly used box of Cocoa Puffs or crack or something.

Not niman ranch beef! They need to take down the sign. When johns burger first opened, the burgers were great! But recently the donut shop took over and they started using really poor quality meat. I took one bite and threw the patty away. When I asked about the niman ranch beef the cashier said «yea, we don’t use that beef anymore. Guess we should take the sign down».

I sell Kettle Corn at the Farmers Markets and this family is always very nice and friendly, and I think it is unfair that some people say that they are afraid they are going to get stabbed, and or it is like eating in a public restroom.
Look at the area around that place before you judge, there are these types of people every where on that street, and I still went in and ordered and got to know these people. I eat there once a week, and I have not had one issue with their service, food, and or product. The beef I noticed is very good, the french fries are always warm, and they have a wide menu selection.
Anyone who is afraid of the area must not be from San Francisco, and it does take getting used to. That shouldn’t be a reason for a low rating, and or a disappointing experience on their part.
I give them 5 stars because everyone there has taken time out to get to know me as a customer, and they are good people just trying to make a living like the rest of us.

Burger was average/​mediocre and I bit into an old avocado stem (I hope and yuck). Fountain soda was watered down. Tried this joint cause they advertised angus meat from Niman but it wasn’t good enough for me to return.

I’ve been debating whether or not to try this place out for months. I finally decided to try it today after reading all the good reviews. The service was friendly and the place was decent enough (despite being the back end of a sketchy donut shop.) I admit, I didn’t stick around to eat in.
I ordered a hamburger combo. Simple. That’s just how I like it. The burger was okay: a skinny (fast-​food style patty — is it really Niman Ranch?) with a sprinkling of shredded lettuce, and a slice each of tomato and onion. How anyone can compare this flat patty to a Super Duper burger is beyond me.
The fries were thick, but a tad underdone. I liked that they had Squirt, though. I haven’t had a Squirt in ages.

A delicious burger, in a place where you feel like you might get stabbed. The burger was delicious, but I felt like I was eating in a men’s bathroom.

Solid burgers at reasonable prices. For a mere $ 2 more, make it a combo with small fries & small drink. Lots of spices & sauces to add zip to your burger & fries. Tip: try the John’s seasoning.
Also offers fish & chips, cheesesteaks, chicken sammies & hotdogs
Friendly service. Food prepared quickly. Tiny place with a few tables. The area is sketch so best to visit during daylight with friends.

Johns is a little hole in the wall tucked in a not too delightful looking building behind a rather less than appetizing-​looking donut shop. So ignore all the signals that say keep on walking and give it a try. The place is clean, there are numerous burger and other sandwich choices, and John is a nice guy trying his hardest to make this less than ideal location rock.
Burgers are all made with Niman Ranch beef. You can taste the difference in a good way. I chose the Nasty Burger. It had special sauce, cheddar cheese and bacon. We’re talking 5-​napkin juicy goodness. The fries were fine. There are plenty of homemade spice blends and sauces to add to your burger if you are in the mood.
My husband had a basic cheeseburger and commented that the ratio of lettuce to meat was disappointing, but agreed the quality was top notch.

Really good fish and fries. The fish is fried using a breaded tonkatsu (Panko) batter. The fried fish was crunchy on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside. The fries were fine. They have a large selection on condiments. They accepted my ScoutMob coupon. Their naked burger (low carb and no bun) is really good. Good customer service. Located in a bad area of the town, I would not go there late at night. I recommend that you order to go. The restaurant lacks a positive ambience and atmosphere (i.e., it is a hole in the wall), and is noisy and hot. Overall a diamond in the rough.

This was a very small burger joint I stumbled across on my adventure. At first, I thought it was a donut place because there was a donut sign placed right next to the burger sign. When I arrived, I was at first deterred by its plain appearance coupled with a few homeless people lying almost in front of the front door. Nevertheless, I walked inside.
Apparently the restaurant shares a space with the donut shop next store so it was very small. I decided to order the first item on the menu, a simple hamburger, and after trying it, I can say that it i was quite delicious. Although I expected a fast food type burger, it came out more like one of the gourmet burgers found in places like Red Robins etc. but cheaper. The beef was juicy and flavorful and the veggies fresh and crisp. Not much to complain about there.
Still, I only had card and they charged me an extra 85 cents to swipe. I was sad.

The best burger joint in the city hands down! Pearls, Super Duper, Nations, In and Out are all good burger joints but John’s is so much better. You can taste the difference because almost everything is made from scratch and to top it off the customer service here is excellent! John’s gets 5 stars in my book.

First off. I love little places. I like that they can not generally tolerate or serve a large crowd.
We stopped in here because we were in the neighborhood. and hungry.and there was a Nimon Ranch sign hanging above a donut shop.
Good quality in a weird place? Yay, let’s do this.
Extra friendly staff (John and his daughter). Knows his food well.
My Sweetheart got the «off the menu» special burger (for his second burger). I think there were onions in the patty, which was a slightly larger patty than the regular ones. I snagged a bite, and it was rather tasty.
I enjoyed my meal, and look forward to trying out their chili-​cheese fries. They have thin fries, which aren’t my favorite, but chili can make most fries shine.
I may or may not try the fried zucchini. They were frozen rounds instead of spears. Might soak up too much of the fry oil. We’ll see.
I am excited to try the philly cheese steak too.
Thank you!

The food here is amazing. It’s owned and operated by a Cambodian family, by a guy known as «John» who many people on here have said is really nice and I believe it. He wasn’t there Friday night when I went but his daughter Angela was and she was as sweet as can be (and cute too).
First off, they use Niman Ranch beef – I repeat Niman Ranch beef! Most upscale restaurants don’t even use this high quality, hormone-​free, grass-​fed beef. Check out the Niman website:
. With the recent news about pink slime in beef, along with all the other horror stories out there about the conditions of our livestock, I immediately felt good and surprised this little hole in the wall would have such high quality meat. The prices do reflect that to some degree, but still reasonable and comparable to other places.
When I walked in two young guys were just leaving and I asked them on their way out if the sign outside claiming «Best Philly Cheesesteak» was legit, and they confirmed heartily. They both praised the place, saying they had been coming there for some time and that all the food was delish. They knew the cashier by name and waved goodbye which added a hometown feel to the place, where everybody knows your name, like Cheers.
I ordered the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich, fries and a coke. It came out to 10 bucks. Now I’ve been to Philadelphia, been to Pat’s and Geno’s, the originators of the cheesesteak, and let me tell you, this place was pretty on par. The food came out quick and piping hot, tender pieces of steak sizzling under melted mozzarella. They use all fresh produce and you can taste the difference: mushrooms, peppers, onions packed with flavor. I wanted to gobble it up so fast but couldn’t because it was so hot. After finishing the first half I was seriously full. If not for the few beers, Manhattans and Irish car bombs I had guzzled beforehand at Pub City, I probably would have wrapped up the second half and taken it to go. But my eyes got ahead of me and the sandwich was so delicious I devoured the other half. The bread was decent, not the best. Maybe because it was closing time and it was day old, I don’t know. But don’t get me wrong it didn’t take away from the sandwich as a whole.
I was talking to Angela afterwards, praising the food and asking about the history of the place. She was really nice and welcoming, even though they closed at 8:30 and by this time it was 8:45. She didn’t rush me to leave at all. I recommended she try eating their cheesesteak with Cheese Whiz, which is actually how the original cheesesteak was made. I know it sounds gross, but it really adds a distinctive rich flavor to the sandwich. She said she would try it and I hope she does because if they start adding cheese whiz to their steaks then it’s all over for me. I’ll be there every week.
Go to this place and get the Philly Cheesesteak. I’m no Anthony Bourdain, but I know good food when I taste it. And John’s Burgers is good eats.

I didn’t get what Jason B. meant by donuts in the front and burgers in the back, but now I do. And that explains this place perfectly.
To enter, go through the side door that leads you to the back. So many different burger variations, and they use niman ranch ground beef. I got the garlic burger, which was pretty good, but nothing special. But hey man, nothing wrong with a little extra garlic. And the owner was so nice — could tell it was my first time there and waived the 0.85 convenience fee for using m credit card, and kept checking up on me. Super nice.
Check out the place if you’re in the area, though that block can be a little sketch.

Donuts in the front. Burgers in the back.
The burgers: John moved across the street. New location. Similar experience. You’ll still find:
— People harassing you for something
— House BBQ sauce
— Friendly service (John, again, was that you?)
And maybe the burgers are not overrated (
). Turkey was rather good.
Three stars for the eats. Another for John continuing to give it a go.
The donuts:

I don’t think John’s ever really closed its no-​win 6^th Street location (now taken over by the enterprising Taco’s Sandwiches). The bright red sign still hangs over Taco’s even though they sneaked their operation a block away to the hidden side of 7^th facing the crack-​infested United Nations Plaza. It’s literally attached to Donut World still on Market where they must share the same deep fryers since everything tastes pretty greasy in that gotta-​have-​it kind of way. I mean I know I can get a much higher quality burger elsewhere, but sometimes you want something off the grill with no thought on how much grease has accumulated on the beef.
There are four small tables in here but a whole lot of different burger and sandwich options from which to choose, The grill appears intentionally hidden from view perhaps to avoid dissuading people from the number of unnecessary calories they would be imbibing. I opted for the $ 6.25 Jalapeño Burger simply because I like sauteed mushrooms and thought the peppers would give it a kick. Not really. The beef was good enough, but the overall burger was such a sloppy-​wet creation that a plastic fork and knife were needed (see photo).
It came with equally moist fries which I doused with mayo and ketchup squeezed out of separate plastic bottles. It did the trick, a guilty pleasure that I will probably erase from my memory if I know what’s good for me. The place appears to attract young, struggling hipsters who talk about auditioning at clubs and why Google Plus is going to ruin Facebook. I didn’t see many of the crackheads you would expect to find in here since they appear to remain loyal to the Carl’s Jr. across the street. I’m more likely to make an order to go next time since I don’t live that far away, but do pray for my well-​being in this neck of the Civic Center.
FOOD — 3 stars… a greasy spoon burger you would expect from a donut shop
AMBIANCE — 2 stars… tiny space with formica and squeeze bottles
SERVICE — 2 stars… you just order at the counter and pick it up… no offer of free refills was forthcoming
TOTAL — 3 stars… something to stick to your ribs once the grease lubricates them

This cheap burger place left their spot next to Tu Lan and relocated to this larger corner space, on the block after Carl’s Jr. and UN Plaza. They took over Donut World (previously Donut Star & Oasis Grill Chinese food).
On the menu: donuts, pastries, burgers, sandwiches, cheesesteak, hot dogs, fish & chips, and lots of fried food side dishes. Very friendly service.