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    Hodad's

    4.1 (3.1k reviews)
    ModerateBurgers, American
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Hodad's Takeout or Delivery

    Hodad's Photos

    Business Info

    HODAD'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Hodad's

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    Reviews With Photos

    Mini Cheeseburger
    Raisa B.

    It was our first time in San Diego last week, and we were told that we had to visit Hodad's. We chose the downtown location, and headed there straight from the airport. It was 2:30 on a Thursday, and it was super easy to find parking right around the corner at a meter. When we walked in, we were blown away by the ambience! License plates, stickers, and other fun art all over the walls and booths. There was a ton of seating, and we were greeted right away. We placed our orders within five minutes, and received our food really quickly. The burgers were giant, and the fries portions were huge. Half-price beer and milkshakes every day from 2 to 6? How can you beat that?! They brew their own beer, and the four we tried were really good. The milkshakes were humongous! The looks on my kids' faces when they brought them out to the table were priceless. Needless to say, we had to get some to-go cups because they could barely even finish half. Great service, delicious, messy burgers, good beer, and great shakes. What's not to love?!

    Guido burger
    Bernadette S.

    was craving a burger and my coworker asked if i ever tried this place. I never heard of it an apparently it is a san diego staple. I read that it got more popular with out of towners and gained more visibility due to it being shown on diners drive in and dives. I waited two weeks for my burger craving to be fulfilled (work team decided to do the monthly lunch here so i could try it lol). This place did not disappoint! Firstly, its street parking. Be mindful that in the area that it is in, there's a lot of no left turns and one ways lol. Took me 20 minutes to figure out how to get to the meter parking across the street but because of the one ways and no left turns, it became an adventure lol. I looked at the front of the place and asked my fellow san diego natives, is this open?? It looked abandoned haha! But that's their gimmick apparently. Walked in to see a big place, about 8 booths, one long table. It is table service. We were seated immediately. my coworker and i split the guido burger, half size frings, and strawberry milkshake. Wow. The half sized frings is big enough to share with 3-4 people. The onion rings sold me. So crisp and the onions were sweet. Potato wedges were good too but the star was the onion rings. Glad we split the burger because even half size it was huge. Very delicious! Milkshake was a huge portion and was yummy and Balanced the salty from the burger. They told me to check the location by the beach to get the true experience. the food is filling and it ended up being my only meal of the day. Staff were very nice. they do have high chairs as well for the little ones. definitely will come back.

    Kristin M.

    Stopped in here for a dinner before attending a nearby show at the House Of Blues. Hodad's is perfectly within walking distance of House of Blues, so I highly recommend coming in for a burger next time you're pre-gaming for a show. This whole place is fun to look at, with funny license plates, surf boards, and the walls covered in Hodad's stickers. The music is vibing and not too loud to carry on a conversation, with a mixture of punk, rock, punk rock, and metal. There's ample seating with a bus booth (probably seats 3ish comfortably, 7 four top booths, one long picnic table with 8 seating benches that would sit two comfortably on each bench, and 4 high top tables. There was a basketball game playing on their three tvs for those that love a bit of sports with their meals. Our server Anson was the highlight of the meal other than the food. He has this confident calm demeanor with a seriously wicked smile and he was so nice and patient, giving us some great recommendations! We opted to try the Guido burger as it's mentioned it was inspired by Guy Fieri, and basket of frings. The fries are those amazing thick wedge fries and were so perfectly seasoned and the rings and fries were so perfectly crispy and hot. Definitely fresh made. The Guido burger was juicy, flavorful, and everything you would want in a burger. Can't wait to come back soon next time I'm seeing a show at HOB or just for a fun night out.

    Guido burger and fries
    RC E.

    Located in downtown, east village. Street parking. Smells like urine outside and inside of the establishment. Tried the Guido burger and fries. Big portions. Service is mid. Instead of raising their prices due to inflation, they add it as a 3% service charge.

    Mini bacon cheeseburger with onion rings
    Julee W.

    If you're in the mood for a burger, this is the place to go. The mini burgers come in at a sixth of a pound, while the singles are a third of a pound, and they definitely don't skimp on toppings. Expect a burger stacked high and overflowing in the best way. The bacon is more like a thick patty than traditional strips, which was a pleasant surprise. The fries were soft and almost mashed-potato-like in texture, but the onion rings were the real standout. They were easily the star of the meal. Service was excellent as well. Our waiter was friendly, attentive, and helpful with recommendations, which made the experience even better.

    Katie F.

    With a line down the block at the OB location (always!), we stopped into this location after a Padres win, to see what the fuss was about. I'd rate this spot a solid 3.5. Here's why: STAR#1: Location is easy to find amidst the buildings of downtown and wasn't all that crowded. The interior is a smattering of old license plates, meets fun graffiti and an old bus sits in the corner - that anyone can dine in! The vibe is surfer meets metal (as that was blasting throughout the space) and we felt right at home. STAR #2: The menu is small but mighty - in the sense that it offers all that it excels at making! We opted for the little bacon cheeseburgers with one side of fries and the other, onion rings. Our burgers came out about 15 minutes later, piled hiiiiiiiiiigh with fixings (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mayo, ketchup and mustard) which made it hard to see our little burger patty. Lesson learned - order the regular sized burger if you're looking for a more meat taste. The burgers were fresh, delicious and huge - despite being "little". Solid burger! The wedge fries were a nice touch, lump and aplenty. The onion rings were perfectly fried, not heavily breaded and SO good as well! YUM! STAR #3: Pricing is decent for these massive babies in that it was under $40 for two - yay! Worth it! I'll knock 2 stars off for the following: Service. I hate to say it, but this location was massively understaffed. We were greeted right away, but with the dirty tables, it took a bit to clean the space for us to be seated. Our server was friendly but also taking care of the entire dining space and pouring drinks behind the bar. A few others came in and out - bussing tables, saying hello and giving refills, but the overall vibe was kind of chaotic in that everyone was doing everything for every table. BAH. Cleanliness. When we entered, tables were strewn with dirty baskets, napkins and just overall unkept. The floors were sticky; the bathrooms were messy with an overflowing trash can and I got the overall impression of yikes. Otherwise, I'd return to this spot for a burger again!

    Inside
    Jean T.

    I arrived for a pretty late lunch since I was in the area for a conference and have been meaning to try out Hodads. I came around 3 PM on a Monday and there was no one else in the shop but me which meant I got super quick service. I opted for the single cheeseburger with onion rings and a Dr. Pepper. The burger was pretty good and the onion rings were amazing. It was definitely worth the 20 minute walk that it took to get there. I'd go back in the future just for the onion rings alone! The best part is that they give you 2 stickers at the end of your meal! I'm pretty sure you're supposed to stick the stickers on the walls of the establishment somewhere but I wanted to take mine.

    Yep! That's a chocolate shake fit for a family. I did eat it all by myself.
    Amy R.

    What can I say? HUMONGOUS chocolate shake! Egads, enormous burgers, piles of fries or onion rings anyone? Popular and full of eager eaters waiting for a table in this very small and well known eatery, this is a must try if you are into any of those items I mentioned. Funky interior of stickers, license plates and even part of a VW Van used as seating, greet you as you walk in. Come and enjoy a meal at a historic establishment in the Golden State

    Busy and not easy to get to BUT worth ir if you can get here.
    Vincent G.

    Great juicy messy burgers but that is the way it should be. Got the Guido burger and fries and it did not disappoint. Went to the Ocean Beach location and it's not easy to park there. BUT worth the effort to go and enjoy the food there.

    Bacon cheese burger with all the fixings
    E H.

    Only one way to describe Hoodads...Fantastic!!! If you craving a burger then Hoodads should be your go to...I ordered the bacon cheese burger and side basket of fries which me and my buddy split...plus a root beer soda to wash it done. We give it 9 out of 10

    Mini Cheeseburger (bottom) GUIDO (top)
    Victoria R.

    Bf and I wanted to try this burger spot after seeing 3.k reviews, it was an absolutely excellent decision, we enjoyed our meal very much!! The ambiance is wonderful; different mix of music playing, from alternative to rock to indie and even 2000's. The service was excellent, there was a single server working and I was very impressed! The food was absolutely delicious, especially the ranch, I need their ranch recipe!! I highly Recommend trying Hodad's

    Inside
    Kara M.

    We saw that this place was listed as a recommended place by Food Network. Although it was hard to find parking and expensive to park in a parking lot, this place was definitely worth the trip. The ambience of the place was fun and the workers were casual. Our server was great. I ordered a single burger and my fiancé ordered a double with bacon both burgers or massive. We also ordered onion rings. It goes without saying it took us forever to make our way through our burgers, but we had so much fun doing it and trying the different beers on tab. The beef was fresh and everything was amazing if your burger lover I highly recommend this as a regular stop.

    BLUE JAY
    JJ W.

    Hodad's is an American burger restaurant that has been around for quite sometime in San Diego, CA. I've been to the location in OB, but I decided to try this location on Broadway for the first time and unfortunately, it was okay at best. The restaurant itself is located on a corner in the city of San Diego and for it being a Saturday night, it wasn't that busy at all. Parking is kind of hard to find, but there are paid lots nearby to park in. The restaurant had a nice atmosphere of being that "beach" vibe and felt very welcoming. Everything seemed pretty cleaned and well-maintained, but I do wish the bathrooms were kept more clean. The service was great. The workers were nice, professional, and had a positive attitude. Our waiter didn't do his full job however and we found ourselves being assisted by another waiter throughout most of our stay. The restaurant wasn't busy either, but it wasn't that big of a deal. I ordered the Blue Jay burger with a side of fries and onion rings. Everything came out pretty fast which is sometimes a bad sign. The burger itself, as shown in the photos, was smothered in blue cheese. I'm a fan of blue cheese but that is all I tasted when eating the burger. I asked for medium rare and the patty was medium rare. The patty itself lacked seasoning and just tasted like straight beef. The other additions of the burger such as the bacon, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and more were just shadowed by the sheer amount of blue cheese. The entire burger itself was very greasy and I had to down the burger fast to avoid it all from just falling apart. I realized this only happened to my burger, probably because it had more in it than the classic burger options; however, if the restaurant can't properly serve a burger other than their classics, then they should reconsider serving it all. Then again, it could've just been an off day. My party ordered the classic burgers and theirs came out fine and they enjoyed their meals. The fries, more like wedges, were not that appetizing since they were obviously frozen wedges that you can get at deli from Albertsons or Stater Bros. The wedges had good seasoning and weren't dried out on the inside. The onion rings were not the best I've had and were obviously frozen prior to being served. The batter was dry and thin. The onion ring itself lacked flavor and the onion on the inside was dry. I had to rely on the ranch and BBQ sauce to help out. Overall, I probably won't come back to this location again or even any Hodad's location for a while. For the limited options on their menu and for what you get, the price is absurd. I would recommend going to In N Out for the same, if not better quality, for a much cheaper price. To my knowledge, no military nor first responder discounts offered.

    Cheeseburger with pastrami and onion rings

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    Page 1 of 79

    Hodad's Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Hodad's

    Does Hodad's accept ebt (food stamps) for meals?

    No they don't

    Do they provide nutritional info?

    Not that I saw

    Where is the best place to park at the Downtown location?

    The best place to park for Hodads downtown is the parking lot on the southwest corner of 11th ave and broadway, just around the block from the restaurant.

    Do you do Lettuce Wraps instead of a Bun?

    Yes

    Can you dine in?

    Right now, Yes. We do have indoor dining at our Downtown San Diego location. This could change if the County goes to the more restrictive Purple tier in the coming weeks

    Do the bacon burgers still come with a patty of bacon or is it in strips now?

    They still come with bacon patties.

    When are the least busy times to go?

    Weekdays M-Th opening and mid day after lunch. Depends on what's going on in DT. Or gloomy days!

    Do they have gluten-free options, like gluten-free buns or lettuce-wrapped burgers? I'm assuming that the fries are cooked in the same fryer as the onion rings and therefore aren't gluten-free?

    I don't know honestly. Just call the restaurant. I am sure they will be happy to tell you

    What's in the veggie burger?

    Hi Hana. We are offering a new Vegan Patty in addition to our Veggie Patty (mostly brown rice, bulgur, mushrooms & cheese)… Read more

    Is this place baby friendly? High chairs available?

    They do offer high chairs, but the place tends to be loud.... my guess is it's fine with kids/toddlers, but would depend on parent preferences :)

    Is it dog friendly here?

    No, no patio in OB or downtown

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    This spot HITS. The workers are chill and the have a pretty straight forward menu - pizza, burgers,…read moreand bevies. The Pizza is pretty solid - thin, crispy, and the toppings are tasty. I've gotten the mushroom ricotta slice and the cheeseburger and boy is it's greasy and scrumptious all in one. A nice spot to stop by for a quiet bite and you don't have to wait too long. Definitely a spot to check out for a beer and slice.

    Short story: service sucks and the food was meh…read more Long story: I've been really looking forward to eating here for a long time. It's always popping up as one of the best burgers in San Diego. The vibe in the place was cool. Bustling and music blasting. I look around for the menu. Not easy to find. I guess it's one of those "if you know you know" but then I saw a small chalkboard that listed the burger and a tiny printout pizza menu way in the back. I order a burger and coke. So pumped to try it. I ask for no onions and the guy at the register immediately cops a huge attitude like I ruined his day. He points at the chalkboard and says "no substitutions". I reply "no biggie! I can scrape em off or something" dude looks pissed and says "they're hard to scrape off" I know reading this I may sound unreasonable. Maybe dude was having a bad day. But the way he was looking and speaking to me made me want to walk away from the counter not bother ordering. If you are great at burgers but not customer service maybe stay off the register and stick to the grill. My friend with me goes "not very friendly for a place called the friendly" so it wasn't just me. The burger comes out. Honestly I'd bet on a good day it's great. But today it wasn't. Overly greasy. Ironically all of the onions slid right off so I'm not sure why he feels it would be too difficult for me to remove myself. The burger could barely stay in the bun it was so greasy. The aioli spread was all on one side of the burger and it was a mess. I'm not sure if maybe this place used to be great and since has declined, or if the staff was just having such an off day that it reflected in the effort of the food. Or if the guy just had some issue and felt like taking it out on us today. But needless to say. There's plenty of amazing smash burger places in San Diego. Excited to try somewhere else.

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    4.3(1.2k reviews)
    6.2 mi
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    Shout out to Dulce for helping us grab some tables for our large party of almost 20 people, and to…read moreAlejandro for being such a great server! Stopped in last night to celebrate my husband's birthday. Although Del's doesn't take reservations, we were able to snag a few tables right next to the kids play area. It was perfect since we had so many kids in our party. All the food was delicious -- from their baked beans, corn bread, onion rings, and to their barbecue selection. We ordered the 12 party meal plus some appetizers for the kids such as the Mac & cheese and chicken tenders. Everyone was commenting on how good everything was. Honestly, this has become one of our favorite barbecue spots! Their bbq sauce is also really good, it had the right amount of sweetness and slight tang without being too thick. Would definitely recommend to anyone who just wants to watch the game by themselves or bring a large party. Thank you Del's for making it a memorable night!

    I was looking for a spot to eat to satisfy all of us. Del's Hideout kept popping up over and over…read morein all my searches so I decided that's THE spot. It did not disappoint. All of us left happy and full! Parking is easy. Easy to be there. Our server was amazing. 10/10 for Maki!!! Food was exactly what we hoped for!! Got the brisket 10/10 Ribs 10/10 Deviled Eggs 9/10 Mac and Cheese 10/10 Just go, don't second guess it!! You're welcome!

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    Hodad's - burgers - Updated May 2026

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