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John's Char Burger

4.1 (483 reviews)
InexpensiveBurgers
Open • 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

Order John's Char Burger Takeout or Delivery

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JOHN'S CHAR BURGER ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Divey
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - John's Char Burger

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Kiddie burger, quarter pounder, fries, banana milkshake
Victoria R.

My bf and I come here very often! We love the food, it's always fresh and quick, (such delicious shakes) the service is kind and efficient, and the ambiance is relaxed, good smelling food and good music

1/8 burger
Veronica A.

The burgers and fries were fantastic. Clearly a hole-in-the-wall type of vibe, which oftentimes turns out to be THE best spot! Their customer service was friendly and prompt. Can't wait to return!

Leeza D.

My friend loves grabbing a shake from John's so we went for a walk and grabbed a shake. Happiness abound. Please come and create your own adventure.

Turkey burger
Reba Jane S.

Want an ol' fashioned delicious burger and fries? We did and that's what we got! Hubs and son had double cheeseburgers and I had a really good turkey burger. We all enjoyed thoroughly and if we come back to Livermore, we won't need to be asked to come back!

Char burger with jalapeño and bacon

Ordered a 1/3lb char burger with jalapeño and bacon. Delicious!!! It was great to visit again after 18 years. Cook and serving staff were so nice.

1/2 double burger was grilled to perfection
James R.

Came here before seeing a movie after seeing the reviews and it was a very enjoyable experience. Food was fresh, shake was delicious. I would definitely come back here! Loved the diner vibes of it all.

Chris M.

Before I visit an unfamiliar town or city, I like to find interesting sites and good restaurants. I was planning a shopping trip to the factory outlet stores in Livermore, so I searched Yelp for a good lunch spot. I found John's Char Burger. After a morning of shopping, I headed over for lunch. WOW! Just.....wow! John's Char Burger is one of those wonderful dining spots that you wish existed in every town. It's the type of food, location and ambiance that you see in various movies that just oozes with quintessential "Americana" vibes. The burgers here were really good. In fact, they reminded me of some of the burgers you get at a backyard barbecue or from a restaurant that specializes in char grilling. Unfortunately, most of the existing restaurants just don't really char them long enough to give that fantastic char flavor. Thankfully, John's Char Burger emphasizes that "char" experience. The burgers were cooked exactly as I like them -- and the flavor was fantastic. The fries were good too. However, the onion rings raised my elation for this place quite a bit! The location is a little difficult to find (as it was my first time driving through Livermore). In fact, the place was very busy -- even for a weekday lunch. Still, I found a parking space and ordered through the enclosed patio window. I could see the restaurant and counter inside. It just reminded me of seeing an old fashioned burger diner that you see in movies or TV shows. The staff was very patient and friendly too. The prices were surprisingly affordable too. My food arrived very quickly. I took the food to a local park in order to enjoy the nice weather. The food was just amazing! I'm looking for a reason to return to Livermore just so I can great another meal at John's Char Burger. It was one of the nicest culinary surprises that I've experienced in quite a while!

Oh, John's Char Burger, you had me at Onion Rings!  Nice big rings with the perfect crispy crunch & seasoning.
Stephanie D.

Oh, John's Char Burger, you had me at Onion Rings! Nice big rings with the perfect crispy crunch & seasoning. I ordered mine for takeout and mixed up a yogurt dipping sauce at home. If you enjoy really good onion rings without that pesky beer-batter-flavor, visit the friendly team at John's Char Burger.

Slow, poor service.
Pete F.

Been coming to John's for over 30 years. Always loved it. I've noticed a decrease in quality since ownership change. As I sat for my meal today, I saw no seasoning being applied to the meat. The cheese was tasteless, moved away from shredded lettuce to big chunks of iceberg. Seems like a move to make it as inexpensive to make as possible sacrificing quality. Service was very slow today as well. Food came out cold, and fries and onion rings arrive 20 minutes later and then we're burnt.

Alejandra D.

Their burgers are so good! They have that char broiled taste. Best burgers in Livermore :) I wish their fries were salted, then the meal would be perfect! Service, needs improvement still. We decided to dine-in to have our burger fresh. Staff wasn't that friendly. Our waters were forgotten and weren't checked on. Table felt sticky, ketchup bottle was sticky, I grabbed it with a napkin. The restroom is right next to a couple tables, I wouldn't want to sit there. Limited seating inside.

Single 1/3lb burger with mushrooms and a double 1/2lb on French bread
Karin H.

Please excuse the half eaten burger but I wanted to show how juicy this burger was. I got the 1/4 lb single with pepper jack, mushroom, grilled onions and jalapeños on the side. It was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I'm not a burger type of gal and probably only had 3 different burger joints in my life but this place takes the cake, hands down. Such a classic diner. The feel inside, the vibe and the food. Simple burgers but can add a lot to it and make it whatever you want. Fed myself, partner and dog, all for $32.

Car lunch today
Michael Z.

Burger was fresh and pretty good. $16.30 after tax for a small fry and the double char also not bad. Nothing spectacular just all pretty good from customer service, cleanliness and food. Fries weren't as crispy as they could be and they bag them right from the fryer so you have to salt them yourself. I will be back again I liked the burger and it wasn't messy at all to where I could eat in my car during my lunch break 100% better than other small burger joints in Livermore

a man standing in front of a restaurant
Chris D.

Updating my review as I've become more and more a regular. These are the best burgers in Livermore paired with the best service in town. I like to sub onions for bacon and jalapeños and the fries are crispy and come in a big quantity. I can't rave about the kindness of the owners enough: they're the kind of folks who recognize their repeat customers and seem so genuinely happy to see you arrive. And let me say they are incredibly generous and thoughtful (including doing things like gifting my toddler free ice cream). Great location right in downtown Livermore just steps from Livermore 13 Cinemas and the rest of First Street. Love this place. Great old school burger spot.

Strawberry shake

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2 years ago

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9 months ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

Great burgers, nice guy, pretty quick service. Prices have gone up like everything. Pretty good amount of seating and an old school vibe.

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2 years ago

Good burgers and fries, little mom and pop place. Very clean and good service. The prices are about average.

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4 years ago

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6 years ago

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2 years ago

Be careful, if they're out of veggie patties they give you turkey without knowledge. Not ideal if you're vegetarian or have allergies!

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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1 year ago

Excellent burger and fries. You won't be disappointed with this local Ma and Pa restaurant.

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

Food is tasty and not greasy service is quick . Small little old fashion type of restaurant .

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1 year ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

Good standard burger. Nothing fancy about this place, just a regular American burger place good burgers good fries good shakes.

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

Love eating here every time I come back into town! These spots are a dying breed. Burgers & shakes are a must have.

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3 years ago

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Page 2 of 13

Ask the Community - John's Char Burger

Can I order a plain hamburger with only ketchup and bun and meat (well done)? The menu says the "all burgers" come only with mayo and produce.

Yes my husband ordered only mustard and cheese and ketchup only for our kids

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Ben's Burgers

4.0(255 reviews)
1.0 mi
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The food itself was excellent. I ordered their burger accompanied by both onion rings and french…read morefries, and I must say the execution was superb. The flavors were robust and well-balanced, the kind of honest, satisfying fare that reminds one why certain establishments endure despite their shortcomings. However, I must note several deficiencies that prevented me from awarding a fifth star. The pricing structure seemed rather ambitious given the overall presentation. The location lacks any pretense of aesthetic appeal, though perhaps that's part of its unpretentious charm. More troubling was the staff's attitude, despite ordering at the counter and my leaving a gratuity (perhaps unnecessary in retrospect), I detected a certain coldness, even dismissiveness, that struck me as peculiar and unwelcoming. Most concerning from a hygiene perspective: I cycled through multiple tables before settling, each one bearing crumbs, residue, general uncleanliness suggesting the surfaces hadn't seen proper attention in quite some time. My considered recommendation? If you're seeking takeaway or can overlook the ambiance and sanitation lapses, the food alone merits the visit. Just perhaps don't linger too long at the tables.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

TL:DR - solid neighborhood joint…read more Parking - huge lot. Located in what looks like a partially closed strip mall in a neighborhood Service - Focused. What da ya want? LOL. Love it. Some may call it rude. It just is people. Ambiance - Man old school charm. Love places that are throwback burger joints Food - decent burger. Needed a bit more seasoning (salt and pepper) which is available on the counter. Fries freshly cooked!

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Americano - 4. Americano!

Americano

4.4(1.1k reviews)
1.2 mi
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Wow! I've been coming here for years & am constantly amazed by the food and people. Alexi & Frank…read moreare amazing. Lasagna, rigatoni, garlic bread, spaghetti, meatballs & meatball sandwich are all consistently good! I am looking forward to coming for years more. We drive all the way from Danville :)

Not gonna mess around with this review. This was simply one of the best sandwiches I've ever had…read more Driving through Livermore looking for a good sandwich, and yelp recommendations came through for me! This place (obviously) has great reviews so I decided to go. And it certainly meets the hype The staff was very friendly--I let them know it's my first time there so I needed a bit of time to look over the menu--and they were very helpful letting me know the options. I got the Friday I'm In Love and it was amazing. Great size, absolutely packed with meat, amazing flavor. This was a 10/10. The garlic spread was delicious, the slaw was seasoned very well, and everything was very fresh and flavorful. Dutch crunch also had great texture. My only possible complaint was that the meat wasn't very evenly distributed as you can see in the pic, but that's a very minor complaint. To reiterate, this was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. Unfortunately I'm not very close to Livermore, but anytime I'm close by in the future, I absolutely want to stop by again. I highly, highly recommend this place for a sandwich!

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Hops & Sessions - Grab a seat at any of our communal tables!

Hops & Sessions

4.1(289 reviews)
0.2 mi
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Family-owned & operated
Outdoor seating

Needed a nice meal on a patio with a beer after a long hike, and this is where we ended up. It…read morechecked every box. The inside and patio are both casual and open, similar to a brewery, and they have a self-serve tap wall, which is awesome. First time using one, and despite the self-service setup and ordering at the counter, the service we did get was great. Wait time for food wasn't long at all. I ordered the Sessions Burger, and it was lowkey one of the best burger's I've had in a while. I love blue cheese on a burger, and the caramelized onions had a deep, rich flavor. I also liked that it wasn't obnoxiously large for no reason. The fries were perfect, and the ranch was excellent. Honestly, ranch is a good way to judge a place like this, and theirs was rich and smooth. Also really enjoyed the beer I chose. Pouring it yourself is a fun experience, I could spend all day trying different beers. Great spot. Would definitely come back if I'm ever in town again. And no, it's not just the post-hike hunger talking, this place is serving seriously good food.

Just flat out good burgers. A little on the salty side perhaps, depends on your preference, but…read morethey're cooked perfectly (that's undeniable). Inviting outdoor space for those sunny days and plenty of TVs instead to watch sports. Friendly staff and no matter how busy they get, they always seem to deliver the food on time. Good spot in downtown Livermore no doubt.

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Hops & Sessions - 30 Taps. 28 beers and 2 white wines. Find the updated list on our website.

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Sons of Liberty Alehouse - Date Night Spot!

Sons of Liberty Alehouse

4.3(409 reviews)
0.2 mi
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Outdoor seating
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Came into Sons of Liberty Alehouse and had a really great experience from start to finish. You can…read moretell right away this place is well managed and runs smoothly. Service was honestly one of the highlights--everyone was friendly, attentive, and on top of things without being overbearing. Drinks and food came out in a timely manner, everything was accurate, and we never felt like we were waiting on anything. Huge shoutout to the General Manager, Zak. It's clear he takes pride in how the restaurant is run, and it shows through the staff and overall atmosphere. It's not easy to keep a place consistent, but they definitely have it dialed in here. Between the great service, solid atmosphere, and overall experience, this is definitely a spot I'll be coming back to. Highly recommend checking it out if you're in the area

Came here for an early dinner at 5:30 on a Saturday night and we were immediately seated. However,…read moreafter being seated we had to wait quite a while for anyone to come back. We ordered 2 drinks, a wedge salad, the deviled eggs, the duck tacos and the spring pasta ( I added shrimp). The decor inside is nice and the food is good; however we were disappointed in the service. It appears this restaurant places a priority on turning tables quickly which leaves much to be desired in their hospitality The food was good but unfortunately the whole experience didn't warrant the high prices

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Sauced BBQ & Spirits - Livermore - Brisket and Pork Belly Burnt Ends

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3.8(2.8k reviews)
0.2 mi
•$$

Sauced used to be the SPOT! I haven't been in around a year but decided to come watch the warriors…read moreplay today and enjoy some barbecue. I ordered a 3 meat combo and wasn't completely disappointed but noticed a decline in quality. The burnt ends felt rushed. Had a chewy dry texture. This is frustrating because it used to be the sole reason I'd stop by, rednexican nachos with burnt ends! The jalapeno cheddar sausage was ok but was missing that snap. However, The wings were stellar! Parking in downtown Livermore on a Friday night should be an Olympic sport. I'll be back as it is Still one of the better spots for barbecue out of the slime options in the area.

I want to start off by saying that I have been coming to Sauced for probably a decade now. The…read moreservice has always been great, the wait time and order to table time have never been bad. The ambience always is great, good music, good crowds, always something to watch for those who just want to kick it and have a drink. The reason for the three star review is that I cant help but notice that the quality and portioning of food has diminished from prior experiences i had here in the past years. To make it worse, prices have only gone up due to inflation. We had the rednexican nachos, burnt ends, sliced brisket ends and fried oreos. The nachos and the fried oreos were great as usual, but the entrees, not so much. The temps were off and the taste was not there, it has not been for the past two visits for us. Not sure if it's the product itself or the preparation of it, but it's just not the same quality i was used to. It's still a good spot to visit, but I wouldn't recommend it as a go to BBQ spot in the Livermore area.

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John's Char Burger - burgers - Updated May 2026

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