FROM BAY AREA TO TAHOE: ROUTE 66-LIKE STOP In the past when I go to Tahoe or Reno I would drive straight there without taking a stop. This year I decided to make a quick stopover for lunch. Last week I saw an article on SFGate for places to eat when you leave SF Bay Area to head to Tahoe. I thought about going to Auburn to eat but when I checked the drive from Auburn to Tahoe would take a little over two and a half hours. Then I thought about going to Placerville as it's on the freeway heading to Tahoe. After looking through SFGate at the recommended places one of those places I decided to choose was Burger Barn in Pollock Pines, which is about an hour and a half away to South Lake Tahoe. I came here this past Tuesday for lunch. I didn't want to order a lot that I become too bloated to drive to Tahoe. Through their website I had already look at the menu. One item that interests was the Hawaiian Swiss Burger. The reason was I'm still craving my time when I went to Hawaii last year. Granted this burger doesn't really relate to Hawaii except for the pineapple. When you check-in through Yelp you get a free milkshake. Keeping with the Hawaiian-theme lunch I decided to get a coconut milkshake. When I thought about ordering I was deliberating if I should get a Double or Mega size Hawaiian burger. The Double is two patties while the Mega is four patties. I decided on the Double as I also wanted to order the beer-battered fries. Sometimes beer-battered items aren't crispy enough but you think the fries itself would be. The beer-battered fries at Burger Barn was crispy and not soggy. Sometimes milkshakes tend to be too heavy. The milkshake I had at Burger Barn was a cool, refreshing drink on a hot day. The main item was the Hawaiian Swiss Burger. Regardless of what type of burger you order the main component of any burger is if the beef patty is delicious yet not heavy that it makes your stomach feels queasy. With the Hawaiian Swiss Burger I wasn't sure how the pineapple would work with beef. At the Filipino fast food chain Jollibee one of the items is Aloha Burger, which has pineapple. I never ordered an Aloha Burger at Jollibee because of the pineapple but at Burger Barn I wanted to try. What's the verdict? I really like the Hawaiian Swiss Burger at Burger Barn. The unlikely combination of melted Swiss cheese and sliced pineapple works well. There's no need to put ketchup on this burger because the pineapple adds the sweetness. So the price of my lunch, which consisted of small beer-battered fries, double size Hawaiian Swiss burger, and free milkshake, costs about $15. That's not a bad price for lunch. What's cool about this place is the location is similar to those stops on US Route 66. Burger Barn is a small place where the inside décor reminds of you of a 1970's diner. In addition there's a True Value store next door just in case you need items for your car. (I bought coolant at True Value after lunch.) If you plan to go to Tahoe or Reno and eat at stopover where you are still on the main highway I recommend Burger Barn at Pollock Pines for a quick bite to eat for lunch. read more

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We've been wanting to try this place out for a while now and finally did last weekend. We called our order in to pick up. They said it would be ready in 30 minutes. They were pretty busy when we got there. I got the Hawaiian which is usually my go to hamburger. It was okay, tasted like a neighborhood bbq that was homemade. It was good but not great. The fries were good and the root beer was on point. Lol read more

Great food and service. The burgers were fresh and delicious. Fries were crispy and hot. We'll be back. Loved sitting outside. read more

The burgers were delicious , my husband had the western burger and I had the Swiss mushroom burger . Both very good the meat very soft and juicy . Our server was nice and attentive . The ambiance was not why we expected but it was nice and cozy . read more

Came here after a camp with a group of people, not very many places to sit with a group of 6+ but there is an outside bench that fit the 8 of us. The staff was somewhat friendly, we got a pretty sarcastic waitress, nothing wrong with sarcastic but at times was nessasary. The food was REALLY good, I got a mushroom burger (forgot the actual name but it was the mushroom one) I split it with my friend and it was the bomb. I also got sweet potatoe fries which were pretty good too. Paying was a little odd because you have to go to the cashier and tell them what number you were. The food itself didn't look pretty just a warning but the taste makes up for it Food: 10/10 Service:8/10 Presentation: 5/10 read more

Burger Barn - Outside - Burgers Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

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Fantastic hometown burger stop. Great selection of milkshakes and a variety of burgers. Everything is made to order and worth the wait. French Fries are outstanding and the service was exceptional. Cute location on the side of the main road with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. read more

This is one of the few places I can get a burger that works with my food issues. Turkey burger patty and gluten free bun, so fantastic.

I have been all over El Dorado County for the best burger and this is it! Excellent service with a smile and a fantastic burger off the grill. My entire family now eats here, and I pass on the word everywhere to anyone. You will never be disappointed. read more

First time here with my son and daughter. Awesome service. Nice outdoor seating. We had the bacon bbq cheese burger, fries, and chicken nuggets. My kids asked for strawberry lemonade, which they didn't half, but they kindly added cherry juice to the lemonade! Also, the owner surprised us and told us we were the 100th customer and brought both kids a chocolate shake (after respectfully asking my permission first. Glad we stopped by! read more

Really good burgers, and a large selection for shakes! I used to come here more when I lived in the area. :)

P and I rode the motorbikes over to Pollock Pines and met our sister K. She rode her new bike out to show us. We were buying lunch of course and that's just how that is, so... Defiantly a neighborhood spot, cozy, friendly, and to the point simple. Certainly not the best burger I've eaten but enough to satisfy. The patty itself was small 4z before cooking, looked like I&O burger. Order a double I didn't see anything of culinary creativity but I did enjoy the pastrami burger. Portions were light and a borderline value for the price. We shared a basket of onion rings and fries, no cole slaw offered. Ingredients were fresh, order to table time very good but it was 2 in the afternoon. Staff was delightful, friendly and anything to help attitude is a definite plus. I'm sure we'll meet up for another ride but I'll vote to try another spot, l look for the Wow in these sole proprietorship restaurants, that's what keeps 'em coming back again and again. Foodguy-martin read more

Burger Barn - condiment station on table - Burgers Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

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Delicious fresh hand made burgers. The fries are delicious too. My husband loved his double bacon with blue cheese burger. I just ordered a cheese burger. The produce is delicious and fresh. The ladies were very friendly. Plus since i was checking into the restaurant on Yelp i received a free shake. I was so excited to try a different shake. They usually have a special shake during the ftuit season i.e. blueberry, blackberry etc. We have tried the blueberry it was filled with fresh blueberries. So delicious. This time i wanted to try the eggnog. It was so good. Definitely hit the spot. read more

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One of the few reasonably priced places in the area. Good food, good service, good variety of burgers and sandwiches No surprises. Highly recommended. read more

The wait was almost 2 hours for just 3 burgers and sides. Instead I recommend buying food from any grocery store, then going home to cook it, then you don't end up with an elementary school lunch with a 2 hour wait. This review was written by my 14 year old son .he insisted to write one. We were passing by after being far from home .. otherwise we would have ate at home . Next time we'll wait to get to Placerville. FYI don't tell customers the burgers we ordered are on the grill to have us wait another hour after that. We could of just left at that point . And lying to customers isn't ok. If you cared at all about the customers you would of at minimum gave a discount for the amount of time we waited. My time is also worth something. But nothing at all . It's only about your time/money . We will never be back . read more

Food is overpriced... quality is poor... our fries are always so soggy. And the blonde hair older woman is not friendly... We stopped going here because it's always subpar and for the price we can't justify it. read more

End of day, closing time a Tasty regular burger of ample quality and quantity; very good hotdog; great crispy battery dipped french fries; and a thick creamy strawberry milkshake. ALL THE BEST AND GOOD FOODS FOR AN INDEPENDENCE DAY. ALL topped off with great hospitality and service; and despite a long very busy emotion filled 4th of July hospitality reigned with a "thank you" visit from staff even after closing time on the patio. THANK YOU ALL. We'll be back. read more

Stopped here after a long day on the road, and the people here were so nice and welcoming! Amazing service, highly recommend!

Just moved from El Dorado Hills to Pollock Pines and Burger Barn was one of the first places we had to check out. Their food is so good and everyone there was very friendly read more

Burger Barn - Menu - Burgers Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

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This place is so good! Probably the best burgers i've ever had. And the shakes are great also.

I just don't understand the 4 and 5 star reviews. Someone mentioned charbroiled? They're fried on a grill not hot enough for any kind of sear. Buns untoasted, resulting in a soggy bottom. Fries are limp and greasy, and sodas (or the ice they're served with) taste like its made with unfiltered tap water (chloride taste). As a local, I have sampled the place enough to know this is the norm and not the exception. If you're gonna splurge on burgers and fries, spend a dollar more and go to the Knot Hole and get one with actual grill marks, and fries that are actually crispy on the outside, and soft and hot on the inside. I know all food tastes better when you're on vacation... perhaps that explains the inflated reviews that are here. And obviously, it's pretty hard to completely screw up a cheeseburger, but if you want a good one, I wouldn't recommend you go here. Once more I gave these folks another try a couple weeks ago... a $9 dollar cheese steak. When they gave it to me it felt like they gave me an empty roll. After inspection there was no cheese to be seen. I asked about it and they asked "do you want more cheese?". I said yes and this is what I ended up with... read more

Burger Barn - Laughable! - Burgers Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

No mask on the employees and no smiles either. We left due to the cold service and disregard for COVID safety. Edit to respond to owner comment: mask hanging off one ear, not covering mouth or nose, is not suitable. read more

Service was great-like being in your small hometown burger joint. Great variety of selections beyond burgers to include other great sandwich. Chilli cheese burger had the right amount of chilli for the bun and burger size. The Reuben was filling and tasty. The onion rings were perfection and the fries came as a generous portion. Milkshake tasty and flavor choices galore. Try it! You'll like it! read more

I am a fan because you get a really good burger here with lots of options. The waffle fries are great the beer prices are below average. And it is just a nice place to visit. Kids will love this place as it has everything they want including I am sure the best milkshakes in all of Pollock Pines. It's a throwback, it gets a bit smokey inside, opt for the patio. But in Winter it is closed. Very enjoyable, especially the lovely staff. Locals call it their favorite burger place. read more

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This place used to be good, but not anymore! After a bad experience last year with barely edible food (between an under cooked burger and over cooked fries), I gave this place one more try. This time we were served completely cold food. I will never eat here again! read more

This place reminds me of Bubba's Burgers in Kauai. Really good burgers and excellent service. Did a take out order for first time last week and will definitely be back! read more

Really good and for the area the place was a very great option for lunch. Nice patio area if the weather is good or seating inside if it's not. There was much more variety on the menu than I expected and we will definitely make a trip back soon. The junior size was perfect for lunch and if you get the meal a generous portion of yummy fried come with. Highly recommend the bacon blue cheese burger the blue cheese was good quality. Onion rings will be added to the order the next time we go. read more

Quick small mom and pop diner stop on the way to/from South Tahoe. Prices are very reasonable and service is fast. Don't expect anything fancy. We had the kids' grilled cheese and nuggets, Hawaiian chicken salad, and the chicken fried streak burger 'special'. Serving sizes were adequate and taste was satisfactory. If you're in a bind as we were due to road closures or need a bite to eat, Burger Barn is a good choice. read more

Burger Barn - Chicken Fried Steak Burger 'special'. Nothing spectacular, but adequate to hold you over to your next meal. - Burgers Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

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Wonderful service and delicious food! You definitely get a hearty serving. Everyone that works there is so kind and helpful. We've been stopping in this town for years and didn't know this restaurant existed. We will definitely be coming back for those burgers and onion rings. read more

Disappointing for sure. I ordered the mushroom Swiss burger. I've never ordered one ANYWHERE that added lettuce and ONION on that burger. I'm 47. I've ordered a lot of them. It may as well not have had Swiss or mushroom on it. I couldn't taste either because of the onion. I got a mouth full of beef, lettuce and onion. Not a mushroom Swiss burger taste at all. Fries were pretty good. Customer service doesn't exist here. Run by people who should be retired at this point. Seems they're too grouchy to be nice to their customers. The old, short haired, blonde woman can't smile or even say "you're welcome" when you thanked her . I'd suggest to a younger person to get out of the business if you're not a people person, but at this point I'd just suggest retirement. I don't like people much either, but I know how to be polite in public. I just moved to Pollock Pines two weeks back. There's not much here as far as variety goes. So it's disappointing to have my first experience here go the way it did. I will try them one more time when I'm really craving a burger. There might be something good under all that onion. But the customer service blows! UPDATE: So this place really blows! Been visiting them for two months now. I've tried different things in the menu. The fish n chips are the most disgusting fish I've ever eaten! Mushy and sour! REALLY gross! Their chicken sandwich is just throw together with a couple chicken strips. They claim their burgers are always cooked well done but ALL our burgers have pink in the middle. The ranch is even gross! Oh, and make sure you have plenty to drink when you order the French dip. Even with the au jus! There are also now TWO rude women I see working there. I'm done with this place! I've tried, but they blow! Don't bother. Go to Placerville and get a burger. read more

First time coming here and I really liked it a lot and will be back. I order a jalapeño cheese burger super yummy my boyfriend has the western bacon burger I recommended trying both hamburger and got a side of garlic fries they were pretty yummy. I think the prices are fair and they do offer other side choices like hot dogs and sandwiches. The food does take a while to get out so that way the food is hot and fresh. I prefer to wait a little longer than getting food that is cold. If you are in the area I would give this place a try. I will be back for sure. read more

I used to love Burger Barn, but their pricing has drastically risen and the food quality hasn't followed suit. It's still a decent burger but not memorable and I probably won't return again unless some immense change has happened. I've been eating here my whole life and always decently enjoyed the food until recently. I hope they can return it to its former glory someday soon. read more

Go another 2 miles to the other place is town... i was over charged on a order i placed for pick up. And truthfully it juat isnt anything that great :( read more

Highly recommended. Can't go wrong with any of their burgers. Not the fastest, but not too slow. Everything is fresh and hot.

This is a classic burger joint correct in every way. It's greasy, stuffed, charbroiled, melted, fried and served up hot. The establishment is what it is and it's certainly not trying to disguise itself as something it's not. it's simple and strait forward. The service is kind but curt. Most of the customers seem like they are high. I'm sure they come for the milkshakes and malts, that's why the families go to. Plenty of parking and plenty of outdoor seating for the nice days. Not a good beer selection. The selection of burgers is amazing. read more

Burger Barn - The inside of the stuffed to barbecue burger = deliciousness! - Burgers Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

I have been here before and always had a great experience. Drove 30 minutes to come here again because of the experience we had in the past. Well all started when first walked in, there was no clear sign if we should get seated on the patio or if we had wait. When I opened the door, the server was on the phone and the old lady at the register was busy counting money and just yelled saying for us to order thru the window. Well after that all just went down hill, we had a horrible experience, she was super rude on the order window, she closed the window as we were still ordering a couple times. Our food got here before the drinks, and we had to asked a couple times for a drink that we had already paid for . There were a few people got here after us and got their drinks right away. Also, tHey charged me for a large shake and gave me a small. The younger server, drop our food at our table with no napkin or utensils and had an attitude when we asked for it. It is a shame because we really enjoyed the food last time and today the experience and the food was really bad. With this crap service we will never come back here again. I understand that business are doing their best with Covid, but good customer service and a little appreciation to the customer should not be impacted by Covid. We had to pay for our food before we got it and had this crap service, I wonder if they just gave up on the customer service because now they get the money before give the service. Save yourself some time and disappointment and look for another place to support Edit to reply to owner, I have attached the receipt from today and also talked with someone called " Bri" that they said it was the manager. Also forgot to put her that the hamburger meat tasted like frozen meat and not the fresh home style hamburger meat I had here before. read more

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Really tasty burger and awesome onion rings. Always cooked to perfection. Service is wonderful.

The burgers are just terrific and the beer battered fries are quite good. Also they have a cozy,shaded outside dining area. read more

Burger Barn - Here's the menu. Very reasonable! - Burgers Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

Overpriced McDonalds style burgers. Soggy fries. I like supporting local businesses during this time but everything in the order was wilty and gross. read more

Burger Barn - Cheeseburger and garlic fries. 0/10 DO NOT recommend - Burgers Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

Always soggy food, but I only order to go. It would probably taste better if I ate in. The service is not terrible. They are over busy though. Living in the hills is different, so their owner is probably trying hard to make sure they aren't overpaying staff so they can stay open. My kid's live their burgers, I feel like they are almost edible. read more

We decided to make a stop to eat on the way back to the bay from Lake Tahoe. We ended up here at the Burger Barn in Pollock Pines. The main reason for this spot was because of the deep fried mushrooms. Not too many places serves deep fried mushrooms so when I find one, I tend to try the place. It was a cute and cozy restuarant. We were greeted right away once we walked through the door. The server came not too long after we picked our seat. I could not really make up my mind on which sandwich to order but luckily our server suggested the chicken melt. It went well with my deep fried mushrooms. My husband ended up ordering the Swiss cheese burger double patty. He enjoyed that burger very much. Along with his burger he ordered curly fries. They were nicely seasoned and crispy. My kids had chicken nuggets and burger kids meal with root beer float and milk shake. If your either on your way to Lake Tahoe or on her way home from Lake Tahoe, I would suggest dropping by Pollock pines and eat here. The food and service is great! read more

Burger Barn - Deep fried mushrooms, curly fries, Swiss burger - Burgers Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

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