Sometimes I sit at my desk and just crave a good burger. I know its unhealthy and I should want a salad instead, but the heart (stomach) wants what it wants. It’s times like this that not just any burger will do. I want that fresh grilled taste that you can only find at a good burger joint. Don’t think there are anymore burger places like this in San Jose, California? Here are 3 places you might have driven right by that serve some serious burgers.
Don’t Judge a Burger By Its Barn
Burger Barn
2485 Forest Ave
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 243-2027
Burger Barn sits across from Valley Fair Mall, but is a stark contrast to the high-fashion and over-priced boutiques that the mall is known for. Burger Barn looks like a run down shack from the outside and, at first glance, the inside is not much better. But remember you came for the burger not the atmosphere.
As for the inside, there are big menu signs everywhere and the deals are very affordable. There are at least a half dozen different burger meals (burger, fries, and drink) for $6.99, including the Teriyaki Burger, Hawaiian Burger, and Bacon Cheeseburger. But the menu does not stop there. I don’t think I have every seen so many burger options in one place. The place even serves breakfast all day! After much deliberation, I finally decided to get the California Burger. I love all things avocado and most restaurants do not correctly construct “California” burgers.
As I was waiting for my burger order, I took the time to really survey the walls. The walls not used for the menu boards are filled with pictures of classic rides and their owners. In 1992 an “unofficial” car club was started at the Burger Barn called The San Jose Outcasts Car Club. Since then, the club has been meeting at the joint every Tuesday night.
I was getting lost in all the pictures when my order was ready. I took it to go and went home with my family to enjoy the meal. I opened my box and was immediately struck by how beautifully made the burger was; the cheese was completely melted across the burger, the burger was cooked through, and the avocado was put on the hot burger at the last minute. I had added a small order of fries to my burger and it was anything but small. The to-go box was crammed with fries.
This burger place might not be beautiful or fancy, but they know what they are doing. Their bare basics style is what helps keep the lines short and the regulars coming back for more.
The Award Winner
Mojo Burger
1411 Bird Avenue
San Jose, CA 95125
(408) 924-0595
Founded by a former McDonald’s manager, Mojo Burger is a small local chain that is giving fast food a new name. The restaurant uses 100% Angus beef from Montana and fries that have never been frozen. This fresh taste comes through when you chomp down on one of their Mojos, as many have experienced and raved about.
Mojo Burger has been voted 2009 Best of Citysearch: San Jose for Fast Food and Family Friendly Dining. They have also been voted Metro Best of Silicon Valley in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
Mojo Burgers on Bird Avenue is in a small strip mall and has a simple interior. There is plenty of seating and a good-sized menu. They have 10 Mojo Meals to choose from that come with fries and drink, with most of them costing less than $8. I also found that their fries and drinks are very affordable when purchased a la cart. I actually ordered the MiniMo w/cheese meal and found it very filling. The burger tasted well seasoned and expertly cooked. The cheese was a little greasy, but the fries were very crisp.
Mojo Burgers are not the best burger I’ve ever eaten, but they are definitely quite a few steps above typical fast food burgers. And, hey, the public has spoken.
Have It Your Way
Juicy Burger
375 South Bascom Avenue
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 295-4510
Juicy Burger is a small chain of local hamburger joints in the San Jose area. I chose to go to the one on South Bascom near San Carlos Street. This location is small but has a plenty of seating, including some nice covered outdoor tables. This is not the best part of town but considering this, the clientele were tame and were mostly families, couples on a date, and employees of surrounding businesses.
The menu selections are pretty simple and my whole family chose to get Juicy Cheeseburgers. I had a bit of sticker shock, since the burger itself was more than $5. Meal combos start at a little over $10. We also added a large order of fries for about $3.50 and hoped it would be enough for all three of us.
One pleasant surprise was the guy taking my order actually asked how I wanted the burgers cooked. We sat down and watched as they flame-grilled the burger right in front of us-and there were really flames that came up about 18 inches. I couldn’t wait to taste the charbroiled yumminess. They also freshly toasted the buns and fried the fries in front of us!
As I waited for my order to be done, I checked out their toppings bar, a rare site anymore. You can put whatever you want on your burger. They have condiments like, ketchup, mustard, deli-style mustard, mayonnaise, and barbeque sauce. They also have produce such as, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickle chips, pickle spears, olives, carrots, celery, and jalapenos. Everything appeared to be fresh and the area looked cleaner than most salad bars.
When our order was done we piled our burgers high with our favorite toppings and headed home. When I bit into that burger, I knew why their prices were so high-their burger patties are out of this world. That charbroiled flavor came through big time and I could actually see the grill marks. The large order of fries was plenty for the three of us, with some left over to feed the baby. They were not at all greasy and tasted fresh.
Juicy Burger may be a little more expensive then most burger joints, but they make up for it in quality. I love the fact that I can design my own burger. This is a place where you really can have it your way.
References:
“Best of Silicon Valley 2007,” Metro News
“Best of Silicon Valley 2008,” Metro News
“Best of Silicon Valley 2009,” Metro News
Best San Jose Fast Food,” Citysearch
“Best San Jose Family-Friendly Dining,” Citysearch
