If you know, you know. That spot on San Pablo where you can literally smell the mesquite grill from the street... yeah, that one. You don't even have to see the sign. If you're walking or driving by hungry, it will stop you in your tracks. When I want a real burger, the kind that actually tastes like it came off a mesquite grill, this is the place. The flavor is completely different. Smoky, juicy, simple, and done right. Big portions, no nonsense. Just burgers and fries the way they're supposed to be. The fried mushrooms are so good. Add jalapeños to your burger, game changer. 100% recommend if you're craving a true, no frills, mesquite grilled burger. read more

If you're craving a classic burger done right, this is exactly the kind of place you're looking for. No gimmicks, no over-the-top toppings--just the fundamentals executed really well. The patties have that unmistakable smoky char, the kind you can literally smell as soon as you step into the parking lot. It's the kind of aroma that immediately tells you that you made the right choice. This definitely isn't a spot for the health-conscious, but that's part of the appeal. Everything feels unapologetically indulgent. You can hear the constant sizzle from the grill and the bubbling rush of oil when a fresh batch of fries hits the fryer, it adds to the whole, old-school burger joint experience. And don't skip the pineapple milkshake. It's surprisingly good, with small chunks of pineapple throughout that give it real texture instead of just flavoring. Every now and then you get a bright pop of acidity and sweetness that cuts through the richness, which makes it a lot more interesting than your typical shake. read more

The first time I came here, it was solely by accident. I ordered a char cheese burger. This was by far the best burger I have ever had at a very reasonable price of $9.50 The second time, was yesterday. I live in San Francisco, and had a craving for a good burger. I drove all the way there and ordered the same. 1/3 lb char cheese burger with everything on it, with fries $9.50 If you want the best burger you have ever tasted at a reasonable price, this is the place. Once ordered, if you are staying, staff will bring you your order. This restaurant reminds me of a burger joint from the 50s. There's some seating inside, a few benches outside, or take out. Parking is limited. read more

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A burger spot popular with locals! The old-school feel gives the place an amazing atmosphere. The staff are friendly, and the burgers are absolutely delicious. I especially loved the fried mushrooms. read more

Al's Big Burger - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

I know big Al's back when I used to go to Berkeley high school when you want something that's fast and simple with flavor. They have the same original taste. The food is always good. The service is unique. They have the same ladies usually family ran business. The ambience is the same since high school nothing has changed, but it's not dirty but you can tell it's a vintage and old school and been around for a long time. Look at my photos I always like the bigger stuff so I got a ribeye steak sandwich with everything in it if you want something good and simple if you're in Albany, always give that big al's a chance. read more

Al's Big Burger - Before I did the damage ribeye steak sandwich with grilled onions and regular house fries - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

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Total American burger satisfaction experience. Al's is not your $30 dollar gourmet place, but the burgers are simply delicious and will do the trick every time. Al's is the real burger place that's been there forever. The atmosphere is friendly and made me feel at home; people talk to each other, and the staff is great. What else can you ask for? read more

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This place hits the spot if you're in the mood for a charbroiled burger! Got the cheeseburger, large fries, and a strawberry shake. Strawberry shake was good, very thick. Gotta try the other flavors. Everything was delicious and will be back again. Seating inside and outside- a bit tiny but I like the vibe. read more

Al's Big Burger - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

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Now how did that Paul Simon song go? Oh yeah... "If you'll be my bodyguard, I can be your long lost pal. I can call you Betty, and Betty, when you call me, you can call me Al...Call me Al!" Remember that catchy 1986 song? OK, probably not, but when I see the sign for this burger joint, I want to start singing the song to the order taker's face. She looked about 16, so I figured I should pass. Jamie W and I had never been here before, so as we strolled on San Pablo, we thought we could stop by before common sense got the best of us. Jamie went for the $9.50 1/3-lb Char Burger with American Cheese and the bargain-price $3.50 Corn Dog (Photo 7). I also had the 1/3-lb Char Burger with American Cheese and added Mushrooms which brought the price up to $11.50. I also added a small side of Fries for $5 (Photo 8). Our verdict? We both thought the medium burger meat was reasonably good. The bun, however, was strangely stale. The standard fixings were fine, even the barely meltable American cheese. The corn dog was the meal deal with immaculate breading. The fries were the surprising highlight, nice and crispy with a bit of seasoning. All in all, it was what we expected it to be... and Betty, when you call him, you can call him Al. FOOD - 3 stars... pretty standard cheeseburger, but the fries and corn dog sing AMBIANCE - 3 stars...the wraparound patio seating is good SERVICE - 3.5 stars...attentive enough TOTAL - 3 stars...a fresher bun would've gotten me more excited RELATED - Exploring Albany? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3ebRKbk read more

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Al's has changed ownership but what they're sticking to the simple, great burger shack type of menu, service and quality. Nothing fancy. Just great basics. Living nearby, I usually call in my order and bring it home, but sitting at one of the few casual tables gives you the experience of feeling like a local at a neighborhood burger joint. read more

Al's Big Burger - Outside looking in - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

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It was little bit later in the afternoon and I have driven by this place before and been wanting to drop In as I'm always looking for a good burger to eat .It reminded me of a little spot I used to go to In high school ! It is average priced and the burger was delicious .The fries weren't too bad either .i would come back again to Al's read more

I had never been here before, but after asking several locals where to find a good classic burger joint, many recommended Al's Big Burger. I was excited when I arrived. The place has a charming old school vibe with window ordering inside, plenty of natural light, and a simple setup that feels nostalgic. It is also conveniently located next to one of my favorite Goodwill stores, which made it seem even more appealing. There is a good-sized parking lot, seating both inside and outside, and a self-serve water station. The tables are stocked with all the usual condiments. The staff were friendly and welcoming, which left a positive first impression. Unfortunately, the food did not meet my expectations. The prices were noticeably high, but since they advertise big burgers, I figured it might be worth it. I ordered the double char cheeseburger, which is two thirds of a pound of beef. The base price was $12.50, and each slice of cheese was an additional $1.25, making the total $15 for the burger. The burger was large, but the flavor reminded me of a slightly more well-done version of a Sonic burger. It was fine, but it did not stand out, and it felt overpriced for what it was. I also tried the onion rings and a corn dog to sample more of the menu. The onion rings were $6.25 for a large, but what I received was a small portion of nine rings. They tasted more like frozen store-bought onion rings rather than freshly made. The corn dog had a similar mass-produced taste. When I asked about the portion size of the onion rings, the staff apologized and mentioned that this is how they are now. After checking some older Yelp photos and reviews, I learned that the restaurant had changed ownership. From what I could see, the previous version of Al's offered much larger, hand-breaded onion rings and food that looked more freshly prepared. It was disappointing to realize that things had changed, especially since it seemed like the original concept had a lot of local support. In total, we spent just over $42 for two burgers, an order of onion rings, and a corn dog. For the price, the quality just was not there. If you like that style of burger, it might still be worth checking out, but I would definitely skip the sides. read more

Al's Big Burger - 2/3 Lb Double Burger With Cheese - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

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Born in SF, raised in the EastBay: (El Cerrito,) in the many years I have lived here, I have actually never dined into this restaurant, until recently 2025. lol I always drove past in the many years, but just never had a chance. Now that I could say that I've been here, here's my review. Local spot, small place, yet they have lots of seats to dine in. Lots of burger, options, and they even have other food to choose from, such as chili, cheese, dog, etc. I got the regular char burger, and that was really good. Got a side of large fries. It was enough to feed both my husband and I. Good deal! Good burger, and fries! There is a parking lot, but it's kind of small. It's OK, there's street parking. I will definitely come here more often now. Will not forget. Gotta represent my hood! (Albany) lol! read more

Al's Big Burger - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

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A+ Best Burger in the 510! Fresh, Quality food, reasonable prices. Call ahead and pick it up!! read more

WOW FACTOR? Kinda - old fashioned drive in. HAVE AGAIN: French fries were very good and you get a good amount. Good service. NOT HAVE AGAIN: Chocolate milk shake was not very good and I drank only half of it - I did not care for the ice cream. The 1/3 lb bacon cheese burger really needed salt and pepper - the meat was too plain, sadly. read more

Food here is always good but they have their off days. Burgers are exactly what it says A big smoked burger that's always good however you get it. I've never had an issue but today went just for a shake while rolling through. Got an extra large and still well worth it. Staff are friendly and quick. Place is small but you'll usually find some type of seating if you're there when they open or in the early hours after opening. However it's always clean and awell kept up building! read more

Al's Big Burger - Milk Shake - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

The patty seems very similar to the 1/3 lb frozen patties that I get from Costco. It's good--but 4X the price of me throwing together the same meal at home. However! The charcoal thing does make it worth it. I love food cooked over charcoal, and that's not something I can't easily make at home. So--this is a solid 4 stars! The fries are good too, and this is definitely a step up from your standard fast food. I like it. read more

Al's Big Burger is definitely a local spot that has some favorites and can give you a bang for your buck. The burgers were pretty good, but I didn't think it was as juicy as I wanted. The chicken nuggets tasted pretty similar to McDonald's. The fried mushrooms were a nice surprise, and I enjoyed them. My favorite thing that I didn't get a picture of was the milkshake. It was delicious and pretty thick but I like that. read more

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I couldn't believe it. I rarely give reviews but this was one of the worst burgers I've ever had. It tasted salty. It tasted old. And the fries were old. The vanilla milkshake was very good. I will never go back and have a burger or fries there. I called to get my money back and nobody answered. At this point, they can have my money and I'm totally turned off. read more

Reminded me of a good backyard BBQ burger. The prices aren't ground breaking but I did expect more. The staff all seem very nice. This is definitely one of those local favorites. I am intrigued by their other offerings though. I saw items like fish and chips, steak sandwich, fried chicken burger, etc. Risky picks? read more

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I heard this was a very popular local spot with the best burgers in town, so I had to check it out! I ordered a 1/3 lb Cheeseburger with American cheese ($9.50). The wait was a bit longer than I would've liked, but food was nice and warm still when I got it. The burger had an overall smoky flavor to it, like what you'd get from a classic backyard BBQ. It was overall nice and tasty, but I personally find it overpriced for something that can be done at home if you had a backyard. I guess this appeals to locals more for the nostalgia. I also probably should've ordered the double patty instead because I was still hungry after my single patty burger. read more

Al's Big Burger - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

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Was able to bring my dog and sit outside on a perfect 73° day, slight breeze while sitting outside! The smell of the char burgers was heavenly and delicious as we walked up to order at the window. They do burgers well! Ketchup and mustard are on the tables, mayo is on the burger. Will be back to try their shakes!! Might skip the fries on the next visit. read more

Al's Big Burger - Outside seating - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

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They did it again. great burger, grest zucchini fries, great ranch. I never leave Al's disappointed. read more

Al's Big Burger - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

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So busy, seems very popular! Very small place - order at the window and grab one of the few seats inside or outside. I came here with my brother and my dad to grab a quick dinner in the neighborhood. I used to live right up the street 20+ years ago but never came by, so nostalgic feelings for me. The garden burger ($9.25) was ok, a little dry. They forgot the cheese, the bacon was overcooked. I would go to Nation's over Al's next time. read more

Al's Big Burger - Menu 8/10/24 - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

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Great burger, thanks for bringing back the crinkle cut fries! ....................................................................................................... read more

So happy I came today and could they have their crinkle fries back! Our office used to come hear regularly but stopped because they had changed their fries. . Service is always friendly! read more

Solid burger spot. I get the baby burger with pepper jack and share the onion rings with my son. It's a throw back for sure with a dirty diner vibe, but it's a vibe. When I'm feeling crazy I get a shake, so so good. read more

Food wasnt bad but pricing seemed a bit ridiculous to me. Decent sized burger, patty was cooked well. Fries had a nice crisp to it. Best thing they had was probably their nuggets. Tasted like a more fresh version of mcnuggets. I know its an older diner but they could probably clean the seating area a bit more. Ketchup and musturd bottles were very dirty. read more

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It looked old school & yummy so pulled up to try it. My char cheeseburger was not bad - I had grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, & mustard. My guy had the char bacon cheeseburger These are really messy to eat but they give you a lot of napkins. This is not as good as Nation's but I enjoyed my burger & would come again. The workers were really nice! read more

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Haven't seen any burger place around this area that does better, and almost all do worse.

Best Burgers around !! Great Milkshakes, Super selection of Burgers and their Fries are to die for, an Albany Institution !! read more

Al's Big Burger - Backyard - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

Everything was delicious the bacon double cheese burger was huge .The fries were good but the enjoy the onion rings more. The service is always quick since I ordered ahead online and it's always ready when I arrived. I also see that they are now open on Sunday's but I wish that they were open later than eight pm. read more

Al's Big Burger - Fries - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

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Al's Big Burger is the type of burger joint that leaves you with a smile. I know some people have their favorite local burger spot they used to frequent in their childhood that brings back positive & yummy memories. As we're beginning to grow a family, Al's Big Burger is starting to become our new spot in Albany! Very kid-friendly and approved. Quick service, order-at-the-register, if you eat inside you can see and smell the chargrill magic happening, and now they added outdoor seating which def. gives that old school feeling. And as for the reason we're all here, the burgers are bomb! Onion rings and the crinkle-cut fries are always super crispy and flavorful, the burgers are hot off the grill, super juicy and topped with the basics, bun is soft, and make sure to try their milkshakes! Next time I for sure want to grab a peanut butter shake to switch things up. There also is a shared parking lot with another business & from time to time I see families eating in the bed of their truck coming from a baseball game down the street to capture the memory before heading home. Overall, for value and vibes, this is the burger place for a quick one or sit down. read more

Al's Big Burger - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

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Ehh it was ok. It got my burger fix and that's about it, nothing really special. I'd say this is more of a 3.5 stars than a 4. Anyway I got the standards char with cheese and fries. Fries were a bit too crispy for my taste, maybe it was under the heat lamp too long idk. The burger itself was on the smaller side but tasted like a good old fashion burger. If that's what you're looking for, this is a good spot and with friendly service. Eat well, or..don't? -ant read more

Al's Big Burger - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

Delicious bacon cheese burger with crispy fries and a shake. Service was fast and friendly. read more

Al's Big Burger - Bacon cheese burger with grilled onions - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

I am from Las Vegas and I passed by this place for the last 3 weeks so today i went and tried it for the first time excited happy and hungry !! There are two windows to order from I was in line behind someone when the second window to the left was opened and an employee named Stephine said ,"I can help who is next ". I walk up to the window and said ,"can I have a ribeye steak sandwich." Stephine responds with a weird look on her face and says," hi how you doing?! No ....no hi how you doing ?! Okay! " They way she was responding to me was very condescending and shocking I did not feel comfortable after this incident I'm standing there and she looking at me shrugging her shoulders and laughing with a really sinister smirk on her face then I walked away and went and order with a different employee and she took my order no problems I'm sitting there waiting for my food very upset and with a lump in my throat I can't believe I was treated like that When the food was ready an employee brought out the food the same employee that took my order she a very good employee I thought might be the onwer and asked her ",Are you the onwer " She said ,"No" I said ,"well I need to speak to the onwer about one of the employees ". I explained the whole situation and she said ,"I'm ver sorry about that ,is there anything I can do ?" I asked ,"what's the owners name ?" She told me ,"Her name is Skylar." At this time Stephine came from the kitchen and started to argue with me all over again then I took a look at the situation and couldn't believe what is going on This is actually crazzy how it is going for my first time here Stephine has her hat on the side of her head and her pants sagging and telling me off again ! Wow never coming here again read more

Gotta give this place all stars. Love the smoke and the char flavor. Best burgers around! read more

Why did I wait so long to come back? Had a craving for a good burger and came back to Al's. I ordered the 1/3 lb burger with American cheese, grilled onions & pickled jalapeños, plus onion rings, fries & a coffee milkshake. The burgers here are SOLID, and with everything on it, it's truly a balanced meal. The fries were perfectly well done and crispy, and the onion rings were well battered. I need to come back more often! read more

Al's Big Burger - Cheeseburger with grilled onions & pickled jalapeños - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

Al's Big Burger has been around since I've been a kid, so it's survived many years! Consistency is their key to success, even with probably several ownership changes through the decades. We've called it "Big Al's" since forever until I actually yelped it writing this review! Al's main event is a huge 1/3 pound hamburger. With several types of cheese to select (pepper jack is my fav), tomatoes and lettuce, it's not cheap anymore. But what is? The burger is still flame grilled, juicy and tasty. So nostalgic! Milkshakes are very thick. I like the coffee flavor. French fries are yummy thick crinkle cut and one order easily serves 2 people. Service is always friendly, both at the order booth and after. Al's is my 92-year old dad's favorite burger place. He used to go to when he taught at Albany High decades ago. The 1970 casual burger joint ambiance is still the same. The old timey tables are probably the same ones, but I don't recall 1/3 lb burgers back then. I guess they've grown bigger too. read more

Al's Big Burger - 1/4 lb char burger & fries - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

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My family loves this place. They've improved their burgers so much since I moved here. Easy to call in, place an order and pickup. It's our go to when I need a quick meal on the way out or way home that I know everyone will enjoy. read more

Very good burger with all the fixings cooked rare as requested. That's hard to find these days. And, it's much closer to me than the Red Onion in El Cerrito which has a good burger as well. Very well cooked onion rings and French fries. My only complaint is that the milkshakes are very thick and hard to drink with a regular straw. read more

Al's Big Burger - 1/3 Lb Char Cheese Burger - actually rare as requested! - Burgers Near Me - Albany, California

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