their black burgers are literally so freaking good. amazing bun, super good sauce, and i love the black beans burger. the fries are also crunchy and soft. i highly recommend it. they pretty much always have seating, but it's kind of grungy inside. read more

Not good at all. Not made how I requested yuuk. Asked garlic fries received plain. Woman was nice too and expensive

As a Berkeley student, I love going here after midterms to get a delectable burger. It feels like the quintessential UCB burger spot. Prices are super affordable and the staff are all excellent. They remember their customers and make sure everything is taken care of. The burgers are rightly cooked and juicy. The buns are softer in the middle and just a little bit crispy on the outside for the perfect combination. Try the Persian burger! read more

Been going here forever. Crinkly fries are great; even vegans like 'em. Burger is nice. Persian/lamb burger highly recommended. Mediterranean plate: it's been a while, but a great combo of falafel, dolmas, hummus, and babaganoush. read more

We went to a casual burger restaurant near the campus last Thursday.Most people recommend the burgers here, so we went there and had a great dinner at this restaurant. Location: It took us fifteen minutes to walk from Sather Gate to this restaurant. But the shop sign is obvious, so we can find it easily. Also, you can use the google map to find it easily. Service and atmosphere: The service here is really good. We can enjoy soft music and watch TV here. And all the staff here are friendly to us and provide good service . It's a good place for a group of people like us to have dinner. We could talk, laugh, and take pictures when we eat there. We also found a lady eating on her own and reading newspapers at the same time(The picture is shown below). So the atmosphere is really casual and relaxing. Food: They offered both single and combo. Each combo includes a burger, a portion of french fries, a cup of cold drinks, which satisfies all your needs for a dinner. However, if you think you can't eat too much, you can only order one burger at a time. I ordered a Turkey burger, but it seems that it was too big for me to finish it. The flavor of the turkey was very good and not too greasy but the piece of the turkey I got was a little bit thick for us to bite. There isn't a lot of variety in what they offer. Price: The price here is average for dinner and lunch,but is a little expensive for breakfast. The burger is 6-8$ each. It was definitely worth for a burger at this size. Menu: The menu here is clear, but not too much food. Overall: This is a good place to eat burger, the taste is good, the price is reasonable, the atmosphere is casual, and the service here is nice, but they don't have many varieties in their food, and the location is a little bit far from the campus. read more

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The lamb burger was ! Always my favorite. With fries to compliment, can't go wrong. Just wish they were open a little later, but still all good. Looking forward to coming back. read more

One delicious bacon burger. A perfect patty, a bun to die for. Quick service and amazing value. I will definitely stop in again when I'm in town. Great funky atmosphere too!! read more

Bongo Burger - Burgers Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Food is great!! But expect no smiles. It seems like they've never heard of service with a smile. I actually think they hate their customers. They glare at you like you're putting them out. Is it too much to be friendly? read more

Just some classic grilled burgers made to order! With a sense of Americana, they've got a nice selection of burgers and fries. Good taste and great ingredients! I've been to this location a few times and it's never disappointed. What you order is what you get! Simple honest burgers are sometimes all you need to satisfy your burger fix. read more

This place is way overpriced--$2 to add cheese to a hamburger--and the food is just alright, nothing stands out with either the expensive af steak sandwich or the burgers. The lady behind the counter does not do customer service very well and they took forever to bring me my food, there's hardly any customers there at any one time so that doesn't make much sense. They also close at 7pm so it seems like they are just doing the bare minimum work toward running a restaurant and perhaps coasting on a few dedicated customers. read more

I've been to Bongo Burger quite a few times and it has slowly turned into my favorite burger spot in Berkeley. Before I stopped eating meat, my go-to was the chicken burger. The last couple of times I've gotten the black bean burger and it is 100% the best veggie burger I've had in Berkeley. The patty itself is delicious and the mix of veggies (with amazing pickled onions) put it over the top. On top of this they have the BEST RANCH I've ever had ANYWHERE. Seriously so good. Very decent prices and it's only like 50¢ more to get a drink. Round it all together with their crinkle-cut fries and you will walk away very satisfied. I just ate there and am already daydreaming about their ranch... read more

It looks like a fast food spot, but it definitely has better quality. Breakfast special for only $4; 2 eggs any style, homefries, &toast. It's a steal since I really only want eggs &homefries for breakfast. Their burgers are known to be amazing for the price! Persian burger made with ground lamb looks simple but I gotta give it a try next time I'm here! Apparently you gotta have it with their special Bongo sauce that adds quite the touch; tops it off! read more

I ordered on the app and it took me to the wrong store. They refused to cancel my order. NOT worth it for a $12 burger.

How can something that looks like a Subway sandwich taste so good? I got the Persian (lamb) burger and was surprised that it didn't look like a typical burger. When I look a bite though, it didn't really matter what it looked like. I got it without the condiments and it was still full of flavor! The lamb is really tender and cooked well. My only thing was that it was a tad salty. Good thing you can only get it in a combo meal so it came with a soda which I think goes really well with burgers. I'm usually not a crinkle fries person, but the fries were really good. Overall, the whole Persian burger combo meal was really good. i would recommend. read more

Bongo Burger - Persian burger - Burgers Near Me - Berkeley, California

Bongo Burger makes me happy for a variety of reasons: prices are fair, the food is good, and service is generally quick even when there's a crowd. As a vegetarian, even I sometimes crave a great burger and I have to say, Bongo Burger's black bean burger give me absolute life. I literally marched in there a week ago so I could eat a black bean burger with fries after a long, terrible day. Nothing could have been a better pick me up. I don't frequent the place because...burgers and fries aren't exactly the healthiest food options, but I would definitely recommend it to my friends in the area. read more

Bongo Burger - Black bean burger with fries. - Burgers Near Me - Berkeley, California

Spicy chicken burger w/ grilled onions, crispy fries and a pepsi. To. Die. For. Been coming here for 7 years and it's still amazing every time. read more

I came here on the suggestion of my friend, who likes to eat out a lot. I wanted to try a place with an awesome mushroom burger. I love mushrooms so much you have no idea. This is a small place, but it works for them. They've added a Persian flavor do some of their dishes. I haven't tried them though. I just ordered a mushroom burger. The patty was very flavorful. My only complaint is there wasn't enough mushrooms! Also, I really liked their fries. I think they're using Oreda fries, which I find funny. read more

I have a horrible habit of comparing every burger place I try to In-N-Out, and I'm almost always disappointed. Bongo Burger was a disappointment. I tried the Persian Burger, which was a lamb patty on a french roll, with the typical burger add-ons (lettuce/tomato/onion). A couple of Yelpers were raving about it so my expectations were sky high!.....aaaaaand it was a bit dull. Flavors were okay, the whole burger itself was thinner than I expected it to be (maybe I go to Ike's way too often....), and the lamb was a little gamey for my taste. The boyfriend ordered the "Chicken Plate" off the Mediterranean side of the menu. Along with a measly portion of fries, it came with two small pieces of charbroiled chicken and a DISPROPORTIONATE amount of pita slices. By the time we finished the chicken, we still had at least 5 pita slices to eat, AND we were still hungry. So we did what anyone else would do. .....we dipped them in ranch and ate them. Please don't judge me. Maybe we ordered the wrong things and should've gone with a traditional burger. Either way, for 2 people we spent a little shy of $20 and weren't completely satisfied. tl;dr - Meh food, decent prices, would only come here if I had a hankering for a burger and was too lazy to drive to In-N-Out in Alameda. read more

On our last trip to Berkeley I convinced the honey to come out to Bongo Burger as I mistakenly thought it was a famous burger place I'd been to once before. It wasn't but that doesn't make my meal any less good. I ordered the plain turkey burger and the honey ordered an omelet however my burger came out much more quickly even though he ordered first. It actually took longer than I would have thought considering the fewer number of people in the restaurant at that time. As a few reviewers have said my patty was rather thin, however the service was friendly and warm and my meal was delicious - and for a great price! We managed to find seating before the rush but I could see during the lunch hours this place being mobbed. I would totally come back, but next time I'd probably order a double ;D read more

I had the Persian burger, and the dough which was ok. The tidiness of the restaurant, tables, and floor were horrible and made us lose our appetite. The hostess and the cook aprons were super dirty. No gloves at all, and the chef touched everything and everywhere and made sandwiches. At least 30 flies were flying inside the dining. It was a terrible experience. read more

On our Saturday Random Eats, BF @JaRue2011 & I flipped through my Yelp bookmarks to find ourselves making a lunch drive to Bongo Burger in Berkeley, CA (courtesy Yelper Peter J) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=R9En8v3vSH1uYj_Zmzpj6g LOCATION: Located on Dwight Way just a few meters East of Telegraph Ave; you can't miss it. Parking on the street (good luck) or garage parking options in vicinity. Lots of other neighbor restaurants & dives in area; lots of foot traffic from local Cal Bear students & others like BF & myself just out for a foodie adventure. RESTAURANT: Small space, but table seating is not truly arm to arm. Most ppl who dine to eat, do just that & then they're out; else folks take it go. With small space, patrons come w/ the hawk eye of seating availability & the fast pace stretch to grab the seating before it gets taken. It's not combative tho, everyone seems to know you either find space inside, find space on outside tables, or stand out on the sidewalk & eat. Armless wood chairs, simple wood tables 2-seater or 4-seater inside, & few outdoor patio seating on sidewalk. Courteous patrons after dinning inside/outside & bring their empty tray inside & dispose of trash. CUST SVC: Friendly, helpful, & fast. Arrived on a Saturday late afternoon, about 3rd-4th person in line, grabbed indoor 2-seater table (think we lucked out honestly), & waited like 5-7min for our # to be called for pick-up. Being our 1st visit here, cashier was friendly & helpful for questions ...like "What's in the Perisan Burger?" Their condiment bar options are kept well full for their many Bongo Burger eaters. EATS: All around hot fries & flavorful burgers served! Almost a bonus when a joint grills your buns, & they do here. BF absolutely loved the condiment options available with Ranch, Sriracha Hot Sauce, etc. BF-J with his Persian Lamb Burger http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=xxOBYkHeSyyZSqLozCinBw ** $6.50 Persian Burger almost length of serving tray http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=F1RG82mIU9zGqltx3pKjPA ** Few bites into Persian Burger http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=VKHP6X67J8DlZomBg0aHkA ...Ingredients all fresh, toasty bun, enjoyed the shredded lettuce, & flavorful. BF's only "wish" would be for a thicker pattie; he felt there was more bread ratio than meat. Me with my Mushroom Burger http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=9d55sdKJSjNASTIvKSzwUA ** $7.95 Mushroom Burger Combo http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=1p5rpJI1ElEQLHhoExI3VA ** Few bites into Mushroom Burger http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=GKqcDaP4YkCnJLUh4j1dsg ...Toasty bun, fresh vegs, a good tasting pattie. Combo comes with small fries & fountain drink prepped from behind cashier counter; not sure if free re-fills. OVERALL: Final tab for our "Yelp flipped coin decision" to Bongos came to $17.84 http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=Ja4IMy2HBaCaOld78LjbYw It was a good foodie adventure that we both enjoyed. read more

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Bongo Burger is one of my favorite spots. Their shishkabob sandwich is flavorful and filling. Parking can be tricky on Dwight Ave but that's the only thing to look out for. read more

I come to Bongo for the Persian burger. In fact, I've never ordered anything else here. This ground lamb sandwich hits the spot every time I have it. I also dig their crinkle cut fries. If you're not into lamb, you should still try it. And if you're allergic to lamb (or are otherwise abstaining), you should get the turkey burger. My advice? Get the Persian burger to go (this place doesn't have much atmosphere for dining in) and gobble it up at home. read more

I really like this place, mostly because there aren't that many burger joints here. I ordered a Persian burger combo, which came out to be less than $10, and enjoyed the hell out of that lamb sandwich. The fries were zigzag shaped and fried to a crispy delight and the burger was everything done right to a lamb kabob. Cheap, fast service, delicious kabob, credit card okay? Yeah, FIVE FUCKING STARS FOR YOU, BONGO BURGER. read more

Bongo Burger - Burgers Near Me - Berkeley, California

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mmm mmm Bongo Burger. The only thing I've eaten here is their mushroom burger, which is the BOMB. Their homefries are really good too, and service is very chill, but their burgers are great size for the money, as well as the fries. I remember the cashier asking me if I wanted everything on my burger, but I have no idea what "everything" is, I said yes anyway and they didn't disappoint. I have yet to try their baklava.. Also, try their fries with the ranch! read more

Yum + Cheap ($7.80 for burger/fries/soda) = Excellent Only in glorious Berkeley do you find a cute little burger joint that accommodates vegans and vegetarians, too... ah, I love California. While I stumbled in for real burger on my way to somewhere else, I couldn't help but notice the wonderful (and healthy) menu --- full of fun stuff like falafel, tebouleh, etc. The cashier was so darned friendly and so were the young guys cooking up the goods. Good vibes all around. Cute little stop-in joint, no doubt. read more

Bongo burger is one of the best cheeseburgers I've had in the Bay. The bread, meat, and cheese are all perfect. The fries are great too. A fast food joint steals my heart if they have unlimited delicious ranch dressing on tap next to to-go containers. Quality charbroiled burger...This location is in the busy telegraph area, the Euclid location is just as good and less crowded if you're on that side of campus read more

Hands down the best lamp burger in the area , their spicy chicken is off the hook too , I always order their tabooleh salad and it's so refreshing . Prices are worth their foods , I don't know where they get those buns for all their burgers but I think that huge part of their success ; the bunds are so fresh and crispy especially the long one that comes with Persian burger , I can't have another meal in the day if am eating that whole thing , it's insanely good , highly recommend . Halal too makes it worth so many times . Needless to talk about ambiance as it's a very tiny place . Service is quick and not bad at all . read more

In college, I probably went to Bongo Burger over 100 times. It's a timeless Berkeley classic. The crinkle cut fries and black bean burger are must-haves. Normally, I would never opt for a vegetarian burger in lieu of meat options, but it's that good. I'd recommend adding feta cheese to the black bean burger and including grilled onions. The lamb sandwich/burger is also a solid option, but I still think it doesn't stand up to the black bean burger. I would generally recommending sticking with the burgers/sandwiches, rather than items like the various Mediterranean plates. As to the fries, I recommend that you take advantage of the free ranch, sriracha, and ketchup to make some personalized sauces. Mixing the ranch and sriracha provides a nice alternative for dipping your fries that you'll constantly crave. Do it! read more

My roommate and I have a tradition of coming here to celebrate birthdays, end of midterms, etc. I've successfully converted her into loving black bean burgers and i absolutely adore their fries dipped in ranch/ketchup/Sriracha. It's a small place so we always take it to go and deal with the pouring rain as we trek back to our apartment, but the food manages to still stay hot. :) Worth a try, i promise read more

I cannot speak to the quality of the food, but someone in the front of the kitchen was preparing food without a mask on. I live in the area, but I'm afraid I will never be stopping by here if the management/staff care more about their own personal comfort than the safety and wellbeing of their customers and neighborhood. Caveat emptor. read more

Customer service was underwhelming, the woman who took the order was a little rude, the soda was old and the black bean burger that I ordered was a bit cold, so the cheese wasn't melted. I'm not sure where the kindness has gone, but it surely wasn't in this establishment. With all things considered, one would imagine the interactions could be just a little more pleasant when people are trying to support the business. Won't be back. read more

Persian Burger baby!!!!! My son just downed An amazing Persian burger. Highly recommended as it tastes like a loose version of a koobideh kabob on a seeded bread. read more

Want a really good burger and really good fries for cheap? Come to Bongo Burger!! Seriously, the food here is high quality and very tasty and a meal is under $10. Unfortunately, you're compromising ambiance for price. This place is located right next to People's Park so may get someone ask, "Are you enjoying your burger cause I've been starving my whole life," then guilt you into buying them lunch. Still, I love Bongo Burger and usually get either the black bean burger or turkey burger with fries, then load up on sriracha and ranch. They also have a really neat painting of a woman cheating on her (I assume) husband with the cook. read more

Persian Burger.. You were quite tasty. Even though you were put together like a sandwich, the lamb meat made it up to me. The chopped up lettuce, tomato, and some mayo did add some nice touch. I like the idea of being able to choose from a french bread bun or pita to wrap you up... or if I want you whole or half. And you do go quite nicely with the crispy crinkle fries. But I do wish you were a bit meatier because that would had been more savory. Bongo Burger.. You're a good spot for a quick bite to eat. My friend seems to really like your mushroom burger since he ordered one to nom in the restaurant, and the other for to-go. That must say something about your burgers. Plus, I thought the portion size was good for it's price, and there's a pretty good assortment of food in your menu. And your service was not bad, but it was a bit too obvious on how much nicer you became after getting tipped in the tip jar. Since I am from way out of town, I believe my first time meal here would be my last one as well. read more

Bongo Burger - Half Persian Sandwich with Fries. ~$7 - Burgers Near Me - Berkeley, California

This place brings back so many memories of the time I was a little Cal bear. This has got to be one of my favorite burger joints of all time. Sure, there's other places that are staple to Cali or the East Coast, but this place for sure takes the cake or burger. Perhaps I'm bias, but there's been plenty of times where eating a freshly grilled bacon burger form this place saved my life or at least made the day way more manageable when I was stressful. In addition to the burgers, their fries are also nicely done and taste so fresh. If you're in the area, make the stop. This place is worth it. Parking sucks, but the burgers will make up for it. read more

Unsanitary. Workers were without masks and gloves. Lady taking orders blew her nose, then picked up the phone and continues to take orders. MASk FREE. No thanks read more

Quite Amazing. Came here on a whim upon a very strong insisting invite from a peculiar gentleman. We ended up ordering the Persian Burger cut in half and the Mushroom burger cut in half as well as an order of fries. Now at first glance, you'll ever wonder why this place is so famous. Theres not much thats special about this place that has its menus basically dangling from a couple chains on the ceiling. But rather, the food speaks for itself (speaking is an understatement, more like proclaims loudly of its bold flavor) and is just awesome. The mushroom burger, is probably one of the best burgers I've had. Cliche? HELL NO I mean it, wayyy better than In n Out. The bun is grilled to a crispy texture and the meat and veggies complement each other so well. Did I mention the seasoning and sauce that they use? Holy. The Persian Burger, what A LOT of people rave about. It was ok. Its served on this long roll with a consistency similar to that of the mushroom burger bun. This burger was slightly more bland than the mushroom burger but was still good. PASS on the fries, they don't taste fresh and the freshest thing that is about them is probably the fact that they are freshly opened from a frozen bag you can buy at safeway. Bongo Burger, you're champion at burgers! Mushroom Burger here I come! read more

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Ordered via doordash for pickup at 6:11pm, store closes at 7pm. At 6:48pm, doordash still says the order was being prepared. I called twice to check, there was no answer. I walked there to check. My order was ready. Staff asked what drink I wanted, said sprite, and when she said it was done, I see coke in the drink. I said I ordered sprite and pointed to the receipt. She pours out the coke and refills with sprite. I start to check the rest of my orders to make sure there were no other mistakes. My order was a mushroom burger which I added a note "Gluten intolerant (lettuce wrap)". i unwrap my burger to see buns. I said to them that I asked for a lettuce wrap. They countered, saying they ran out of lettuce. Note that the website said that they had gluten free options available, but clearly, the staff don't understand. I was quite frustrated at that point. I just wanted to leave and so I left, but in hindsight, I really should have asked them to make me a new one. Really disappointing. read more

Monday nov 17 08 Location is bright and open. I enjoyed how the front windows open like doors to give you fresh air and so you don't choke on cooking fumes. Also you don't wanna leave smelling like cooked beef patties or the usual berkeley stinkies you find around there.I ordered a Persian Burger (lamb) and also a steak burger.No, not just for me my cousin was there so we split them to try each. The bread is nice and toasty to my liking but the insides were not packed with enough meat. I esp. hate it when you get a bite of just bread, lettuce, and well nothing else. If I wanted 20% of my burger to be vegan I would have ordered that. Strech the meat to the ends of the bun, or better yet, have the meat sticking out the side!! For how thin the meat patty was, you would expect it to reach both ends of the bun! I started off eating the steak sandwich, the steak needs to be marinated in something, it was bland but somehow enjoyable. Fresh and neatly packed but I feel like I am spending 2-3 bux more than what I feel this grub should cost. I still give them 4 stars because when I ate the lamb burger it had flavor. Not the overwhelming lamb flavor, I'm sure they use a little lemon juice in this. Crinkle Cut French Fries are cooked just right. No complaints here or raves. Overall I enjoyed my trip here, Parking wasn't too hard to find and only half a block away. The spot is what I liked, The seating wasn't cramped and the open airy feeling was good because I tend to overheat easily, I think I need more exercise to burn all this food off, ok it's winter, I could use the extra insulation, I'll wait till march! read more

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