I really like this place. Usually I have the fish n chips but I tried their new chicken wraps this time. It was amazing! My granddaughter had the chicken tender kids meal and chocolate peanut butter shake!! I've been coming here since I was kid, I brought my kids here, and now my grandchildren get to enjoy it. read more

I had high hopes for beef and bun. I mean, what could go wrong? You got beef and you got bun. Add some cheese and you got a delicious meal, right? Not so fast. This place reminds me of All American Burger from Fast Times at Ridgemount High. It's seriously stuck in the 80's and the quality is about what you'd expect from a high school cafeteria. It's a no go -- even the shakes suck... read more

I'm writing to report something I witnessed at Beef 'n Bun on August 7, 2026, at approximately 8:10. As I was going through the drive-thru to purchase a chocolate malt, I saw three employees outside taking a smoke break. One of the employees appeared to be smoking marijuana from a pipe. While I was sitting in the drive-thru line waiting for my shake, I had to smell the marijuana smoke coming from the area where the employees were taking their break. What concerned me most was that this same employee then returned inside and was preparing a shake when I reached the drive-thru window. I am not making assumptions about anything I did not personally witness. I am simply reporting what I observed because I believe an employee smoking marijuana near customers and then immediately returning to food and beverage preparation raises legitimate concerns about customer exposure, food safety, and possible employee impairment while working. I would appreciate it if management would review what happened that evening and take whatever action is appropriate. Thank you. read more

I ordered fish and chips today August 3rd, the "taste was good". The fish had so much crust that I could tell at the time what condition it was. When I came home I had a serious diarrhea attack. I was either served old fish, or under cooked fish. This was order 34. If I have the time I am going to file a complaint with the Food safety people. Bad handling of fish who cause serious issues with some people. I can send a graphic of what happened to me I do not think Yelp would allow me to post it but I will share it if the Health Department follows up read more

What happened to Beef N Bun's French fries? They used to be crinkle cut and now that are the limp shoestring fries! I am so disappointed! I came today because I was craving those awesome restaurant style crinkle cut fries and was so disappointed to get the limp shoestring ones and they were COLD & STALE! I am NEVER coming back again, they aren't what they used to be! read more

Beef 'n Bun - Limp and stale shoestring fries. - Burgers Near Me - El Cajon, California

Family owned I believe and really good quality. For fast food it hits all the boxes and doesn't feel like cheap meat or quickly processed food. The fries are crinkly cut and the burgers feel freshly made and fresh veggies. The people working were so friendly and the line proved why they've stayed in business read more

My husband was born and raised in El Cajon and grew up eating here. We've enjoyed it for years but noticed it's inconsistencies for awhile now. Tonight we decided to give it another shot and wow what a disappointment. No more crinkle cut fries!!! Smaller, obviously frozen burger patties... we actually returned it all. Sad but they've lost us as customers. read more

I've been coming to Beef&Bun off and on since 1974. Stopped by the drive-thru this evening (8/2/2026) for my usual 1/2 pound combo burger and vanilla malt. Got home to find a bunch of silly stringy French fries in the bag. Curious, I sought an explanation. A.I. told me that management had recently changed. We'll, so has the food. The burger was dry and bland, and I couldn't even finish the crap fries. This seems to be the end of an iconic East County burger joint. Maybe they should change the management again. read more

Food is fine enough, not better than any chain. The portions are small. Two burger combos came out to $42. That's insane pricing. Probably not coming back anymore. read more

Haven't been in a while. Heard about the new ownership. I was pleasantly surprised. Food was great. Service was better. A lot of these younger kids don't want to work or know how to work. (Covid babies ) but the crew that they had on was so polite and attentive. I've lived behind the restaurant for 10 plus years and we will be back much more. Only recommendation is bring back the crinkle cut fries! Keep doing what you're doing! 10 out of 10 read more

The food is great, and the shakes are amazing, BUT... they got rid of their fries that they've had forever, and these fries taste like garbage and they are actually some of the worst fries I've ever had in my life! PLEASE bring back the old fries. These current fries suck! I've been coming here for close to 30 years, and might stop coming if they don't go back to their old fries! read more

After going here regularly for years they have now changed the fries. Apparently there is new management and they are trying to save money, which I can understan, but the new fries are horriblle. They are thin, not krinkled, the flavor is lacking and they are cold when they get to the table being so thin. Please please pleas bring back the original fries!!! A request coming from many of your regulars that may stop coming because of the switch. read more

Pros: The shakes. My family specifically went for the shakes. My wife and son got the Oreos shake and I got the peanut butter shake. They said it was delicious, and I agree. Cons: THEY ROUND UP ON SALES. They rounded my total to the highest dollar. That is a scam. It can be 0.99 cents or 0.01 cent, this is unprofessional, deceptive, and theft. I drove 2 years to check them out and never returning after they rounded up regardless of how good their shakes are. read more

Nothing really crazy is just burgers and fries and shakes if you're in the mood. Prices are a little out there and while I know they are a single company dealing also with inflation the cost just wasn't worth it to us door subpar food. Burger was cooked well though and fries are well salted though portions are small. Overall I may come to try the other burgers or a shake but I'll likely just keep passing it on my way home. read more

Beef 'n Bun - Cheeseburger and fries - Burgers Near Me - El Cajon, California

If you haven't ever visited this place and you have lived in San Diego for a long time , you really should stop by for a bite to eat ! Beef n Bun has been here forever and their food is always good ! But their shakes are the BEST in town !! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Clean location , friendly employees ... you can't go wrong here ![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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Very Disappointed. I first came BB 1970 as young kid. Stopped by 90's when I returned. I used to stop by when area make special trip. WHAT HAPPENED. Got fish/chips. Not as crunchy, tastey. Oh crinkle fries, criss cross fries. Where did they go you replaced shoe string fries. Can get them anywhere Bring them back. My dog didn't like them. I threw them trash. You've lost a customer read more

I love that they have a drive thru, super convenient! We ordered a kids grilled cheese, a couple burgers, and a fish sandwich. We all really enjoyed our food, it was definitely very messy, but a good burger always is! We also ordered milkshakes, they were good but the eggnog shake was amazing! I've been thinking about it since. The service was good and fast for how much food we ordered. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I did see seating inside when we drove by the front as well.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Overall a great must try spot! read more

Fresh flat top burger & fat onions rings that stayed crispy for hours. I enjoyed the simple beefy bacon burger patty. Super friendly & fast service! read more

Beef 'n Bun - Burgers Near Me - El Cajon, California

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A once staple for burgers and shakes. Is now a nail in the foot and glass in the mouth. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Hurts to walk in a see how bland the atmosphere is, not too mention they dont use a number system.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The burgers are tiny and pass for mcdonalds 99 cent burgers. Also they're charging "rounded charges" now. Dont how that's legal without reasoning, but they're doing it. If you see this, move on. Trust me. You work to hard for your money to entrust it to this place. read more

I'm really sad they changed their fries to shoe string. Crinkle fries are on the menu, but they switched to cheap ones that really sucks

I worked here when I was 19, so over 30 years ago. I loved taking my kids here, because of the nostalgia, aquarium and who cares how much they charge because it was great food. They used fresh meat every morning, fresh buns and the yummiest crinkle cut fries. Today my family decided to go here for the first time in a while looking for a fresh burger. It took 10+ minutes to take our order, then 30 minutes to get our food brought out. When our food was finally brought out to us we were shocked to see frozen hamburger patties. Buns that look like they were a couple days old and the French fries look golden but were stale and cold. My husband's monster burger had badly wilted lettuce. His bun was actually cold, like they had defrosted it but not completely and we probably threw away all four French fries it was that bad. I tried putting ketchup on the fries and it was watery, no flavor and was it even ketchup? What a bummer to see something so nostalgic turn out worse than Burger King or McDonald's but cost the price of Black Angus. read more

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Decent food. Use to be patties made in house. Now it's frozen. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Place needs a good clean and update.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Staff is awesome! read more

The hamburgers were delicious. Very old school. Shake was good but over priced for size. Service was friendly.

Great fast food! There is even a drive thru. Love those fries and shakes Stop By today read more

A very longstanding burger spot in East County since I'm guessing the 1960's. Listen people... Is it the best burger that you will ever have? Probably not. But it is better than mid range and the fries and shakes are better than most. The people are friendly. Please support local family owned businesses. The Milkshakes are really above. read more

This place used to be solid. That was many moons ago though. Now they charge top end prices for mediocre at best food. Somehow we're stuck going here because my wife only likes impossible patties and this is quite literally the only place that serves one. That being said, I wish they would get rid of it. Because I despise going here anymore. Nothing on that menu is appetizing anymore. All food is frozen, never fresh. Even the pictures they use online look like someone sat on the food. They don't even try anymore. Well tonight was the final straw. Wife ordered an impossible burger but likes it "dressed like a normal quarter pounder". Get food home and burger doesn't even have a patty on it. The ordering process is insane when you want the meatless patty. Why not just make your normal combos with a "sub impossible patty" option? Doesn't that seem more efficient? Why does the impossible burger have to come with spicy mayo, weird lettuce, and sweet potato fries? Stop making that the default. It's trash. But hold on, the impossible combo is like $30 after you sub a shake. That's right, $30! Why? It's usually made wrong. Why is it $30? All this and they still don't know what extra crispy fries are after all these years. If it were up to me, I'd forget this place existed read more

I came here because the photos of their fried zucchini looked really good online. Sad to say, they were cut way too thick and not seasoned at all. It was like biting into a raw piece of flavorless zucchini. The breading also was not seasoned. To top it off, the staff in the drive-thru were rude and the wait in the drive through was at least 35 mins. read more

Always wanted to try this long time mom and pop restaurant. Actually a drive thru as well. I ordered the regular burger and Fries. Definitely both top 5 in my life. Burger was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Lots of fresh cut lettuce tomato and onions. Pickles too. The bun is exceptionally light and not too big like most burger places offer. Just big enough to hold it all together. Then the fries. Lightly salted. They serve them wavy cut ( actual French cut fries) ! Very, very good. read more

Delicious Drive-In restaurant food, Great burgers, ice cream shakes, in and crinkle cut fries

The food is exactly what you would expect. Oddly they have a varying menu list which surprised me as someone who has passed by this location about a dozen times. The service was amazing, I saw three employees and they all had smiles on their faces and were warm and welcoming. The ambiance is adequate for a spot like this no major frills and made me feel like I went back in time which is the main reason I came here after looking at the outside. It's a location that looks like I would have come here in the 80s/90s. The food is exactly from the same time period having never been here as a child it made me think of similar locations I had been to during that time period as a child. The price was very reasonable for my meal. I paid 11 for a burger fries and a drink, however they ask if you want a soda or a milkshake which I found unique and pretty cool. read more

Beef 'n Bun - Burgers Near Me - El Cajon, California

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The service here is phenomenal! Tomi was really sweet when I came in. I'm from Ohio and I was totally confused because I had never been here before. It was super busy but she stopped what she was doing to help me which I really appreciated! read more

My dentist used to write prescriptions for a "Beef n Bun Peanut Butter Shake". I don't like in La Mesa so I kind of forgot it existed. It's still relatively affordable. The cherry shakes are killer, and my dog can take down an entire vanilla cone. The fried food (from what I remember) goes really well with it as well. read more

A must if you're looking for a classic hamburger. True mom and pop flavor food. The hamburgers are truly something else. The friends are great. The onion rings are massive and the milkshakes are a must! The service could be a little faster but good food takes time. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The inside of restaurant is your typical burger joint.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My favorite is a banana shake. Very flavorful! read more

Unfortunately, not their best tonight. The chicken fritters were smaller than usual and undercooked while the fries were over salted - to the point I had to just throw them out. Hopefully my next visit is more positive. read more

Family favorite through generations. Love our fletcher hills gem. Best milkshakes, fried zucchini's, corn dogs & fish and chips! Burgers are great just a bit $$ read more

Best burger around! One of the last great burger stands! Gotta get a shake- they are good. Wish they sold T- shirts. I'd love to get one.

Great experience. Food made fresh. This has been on my list for way too long. Looking at you Tina! I was really surprised at how yummy everything was. I have been craving a good burger. This was it. The fried zucchini was the bomb diggity. Logs of fried deliciousness. Ice cream cone was super creamy and perfect. I don't usually like crinkle fries, but I loved these. I would definitely come again and recommend anyone to try this out. read more

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I use to be a regular here from the late 80's through the early 90's (My High School and early College years). I highly recommend trying this place for a blast of great stuff from the past. I don't know how long they've been around, but I do remember going to this place with my parents even as a little kid. As a grown up later on...I would often stop here and pick up some of their Delish, hot and fresh, large beefy and juicy Burgers and incredibly deluxe home style Shakes/ Malts and freshly made French Fries to take with me along with a hot date to the Santee Drive In Movie Theater.... Now that's what I like to call a Winner Winner (Burger & Shake and a Drive In Movie Dinner)... Cheers! read more

I went today 6/16 and was insane the wait time. I was in line for 20 minutes and finally decided to leave. Only 2 cars in front of me.

Food was decent but service leaves a lot to be desired. After a looong wait in line behind the one car ahead of us (during which time I read a book and taught myself to play the harmonica so I wouldn't waste the time), we asked for a specific condiment at the window (malt vinegar which we don't have at home) for the fish & chips. "Benjamin" said "yeah" or something similar as he shut the window, giving the impression he didn't really want to be there. Food finally came, we asked if the condiments were in the bag (I have to have malt vinegar for the fish), again with the "yeah" and he shut the window. No smile, no "thanks for visiting," no "have a nice day" etc. You know the rest - we got home, no malt vinegar (also no napkins). This seems to be the Beef & Bun way. Customer drives a distance, pays the high prices and in return gets a long wait, rude employees and incorrect orders. This is why over the years we return less and less often, occasionally hoping for improvement, and being disappointed. Oh, and they have the nerve to blatantly have a huge "tips" jar next to the pick-up window. read more