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    Project Burger

    4.8 (274 reviews)
    ModerateBurgers
    Closed • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Recommended Reviews - Project Burger

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    My outstanding Project Smashburger
    Scott K.

    *This Burger Project Gets An A+ & 100%* I've known about Project Burger since they opened and been following their reviews of all the satisfied customers, and words of happy mouths who keep professing to me "it's the best burger." Once I found out the 3 Cousins/Owners of Project Burger are from the family who brought the Coachella Valley, Oceana, Salsa's and Cupps Cafe, I knew it was only a matter of time for me to check it out and indulge. My Mom & I like to have burger lunches together...after all, she's the originator of my very first favorite burger, she'd cook and make for me at home, that I simply called Momma Burgers. I could and can go on & on about how incredible Project Burger truly is...but I'll try to simplify this review and express that it was & is the best Smashburger ensemble I've had. Seriously. Now keep in mind, I usually enjoy my burgers simple, without all the bells & whistles. I like the meat quality to speak for itself. Being my first time here, I wanted to have a smashburger their way -- not mine. And now I believe all the hype. This place is 100% legit. The burgers are cooked perfectly -- flavorful & juicy period. Just like a great burger should be -- quality meat/beef. The buns are fresh, soft & pillowy, yet hold up well, while keeping everything in place -- without anything falling apart and the bottom bun not getting too soggy. Yes, napkins are required. But sometimes it's more fun that way. Their American Cheese is creamy and pleased me. The sautéed onions are perfecto. Their bacon jam is out of this world and has a little bourbon added to give it that extra special kick. Their aioli is simple yet delicious. Their sweet potato fries are more like a treat. Because the fresh potatoes are excellent quality and served very unique -- thick crinkle & waffle cut. Their "secret sauce" is subtle yet very impressive. It's light and not overly sweet from ketchup nor too thick with mayo -- like most 1000 Island types of sauces seem to be. Diego, one of the cousins, warmly greeted us upon arrival. Mario, was our friendly waiter and did not miss a beat from beginning to end. I'm generally a h2o dude when I eat, so I love how they keep chilled water in glass bottles on every table. More restaurants need to offer this. Tho the restaurant isn't large, it's cozy, clean & sleek...the chairs are padded and very comfortable. Most tables inside are booths and there's counter seating too. There's also a few tables outside. I know a good thing when I see & taste one. They've won me over. And then some. I rarely express this, but I can see Project Burger expanding to more of the desert cities and being extremely successful. I also love their name, Project Burger, and would like to see them brand & franchise one day and give places like Shake Shack and Five Guys, a serious run for their money. If that's their intentions and dream. Dream big, Cousins. Looking forward to future visits.... {{{Big~High~5's}}} Walk-off Grandslam New Fan for Life

    There awesome PROJECT burger
    Edan D.

    ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT I've never done this "ALERT" before but this place deserves it. * Ambiance - Great decor, seating and welcomig * Service - Very polite and welcoming * Dress Attire - Professional, and Matching * Food Presentation- The best I've seen * Flavor is Scrumptious and a MUST to Try! The only down side, but worth the hit is the cost. A bit pricy, but I would still go again and again. Don't let the outside fool you! It's very drab and I even expressed it to one of the servers saying the outside needs the same attention!

    Carla R.

    RUN, Don't Walk to Project Burger! What an incredible find! We drove from Anaheim to spend a relaxing week in La Quinta and found Project Burger on Yelp while looking for a quick burger and breakfast. Yelp did not disappoint! My husband ordered the Blackened Smashed Burger with sweet potato fries and declared both the BEST he's ever had! The fries were perfectly crispy and lightly salted on the outside, yet soft and tender inside. I couldn't decide between Nora's Breakfast and the tacos, so our wonderful waitress, Verania, recommended her two favorites--the Al Pastor and De Cameron tacos. I took her advice, and WOW! Hands down, the BEST tacos I've ever had! The restaurant has a cozy, home-like atmosphere, and the two waitresses were absolutely amazing handling a nonstop packed house. At one point, it was standing room only, yet they kept everything moving with great service and a smile. We came looking for a quick meal and found one of the best meals of our entire trip! Project Burger is a Palm Desert gem. Great food, great service, great atmosphere--we will DEFINITELY be back!

    Pika Pika Burger
    Jason S.

    These burgers were full of flavor. I was actually shocked at the affordability of a craft burger spot, so I was beyond grateful to see the prices on the menu. The service was very nice and attentive as well. The place is pretty small so it can feel a little crammed, but it gets crammed because it's good.

    Javier A.

    I know everyone says the same: (one of the best burgers I've had) ,but it's truly incredible the flavor of the burgers. So worth the trip and everything was incredibly delicious. I got the Pika Pika burger and a hazy IPA was a great pairing. The staff were amazing and always checking in on us. The place is beautiful and cozy to just chill and enjoy a cold beer. Highly recommend coming here,

    Loaded fries; sweet potato with pork belly
    Saima M.

    Okayyyy, I have to say... I'm not usually a smashed burger kind of girl, but this one completely changed my mind! It wasn't greasy at all, and the bun was perfectly fluffy with just the right amount of crisp. I seriously enjoyed every single bite! OMG... the loaded fries with pork belly absolutely blew my mind!! The pork belly was so crispy, flavorful, and just chef's kiss. Of course, the Caesar salad was perfect. No notes, it was fresh, delicious, and I wouldn't change a thing. For my drink, I got the El Dragon, and I loved it! It was super refreshing with the perfect energy drink kick. If you're a Red Bull lover like me, you'll definitely appreciate this one. Overall, this place did not disappoint! As a local, I approve. I already know I'll be back because I need to try everything else on the menu. If you're in the area and haven't been yet, do yourself a favor and check it out!

    Blackened Burger
    Ryan B.

    This will probably be a staple of my visits to the desert now. Everyone's burger was excellent and one of our group even said "best burger he's ever had." Staff was so nice and helpful at every turn and the burgers are all unique and excellent. The shake was the perfect thickness where it wasn't hard to drink but still thick and creamy. The blackened burger had a great presentation and balanced with all of the aioli and onions. The Caesar salad also outshined the fries in my opinion so definitely getting that again. Lastly it was only about $150 for six of us so the price was very reasonable.

    blackened burger and shrimp burger
    Karla G.

    i always enjoy their shrimp burger with caesar salad. the shrimp patty falls apart sometimes but i enjoy that! the ingredients and flavors pair really well together! i took my husband here and he enjoyed his burger as well. we got an oreo milkshake that we finished before our burgers even came! the location can be easy to miss as it's in an industrial area but the place itself is cute and modern. the servers are always so kind

    Chicken Pesto Sandwich with crinkle fries.
    Krista Lou ..

    WOW!!! Not only is the menu and food spot on the staff there are amazing! We stopped by during a rush hour. They were all calm, getting people seated and served as quick as able, friendly, and worked so well together! TV for the games, good lighting, clean and nice vibe. There was not anything on the menu that did not sound good.

    Project Burger w/cesar salad
    Irma A.

    I went back and had the short rib Cobb salad and it did not disappoint. Very good flavor and service was great.

    Straight Project Burger
    William C.

    Continuing the search for the best half pound cheeseburger in the Valley. The Project Burger was as good as I've had so far. Two patty smash burger with many choices for cheese and additions. Perfect. Seems really popular. I had to wait at the bar for a table. Service was quick and friendly once seated. Only downside is finding the place. That strip of Country Club can be really confusing and any place not fronting the street can be a challenge. Once you find it though, you'll want to come back.

    Blackened Burger with Caesar Salad + Build Your Own Burger
    Angelica L.

    Overall: 4.5/5 [dine in] Wow, this is like an elevated smash burger joint with great service and a unique vibe. They even serve water in a tequila bottle which was unique. Blackened Smash Burger ($18): I had to get this for the black bun. It came with 2 smashed patties, caramelized onions, mushroom, and provolone truffle cream. It was good but the truffle flavor wasn't as strong as I would have liked and I would have preferred it in a sauce rather than a cream. I paired it with a Caesar salad to balance out the heavy meal and that was a great call. Build Your Own Burger ($10) + Pork Belly ($7) + Additional Toppings ($2 each): My husband built his own burger with 2 smash patties, 3 toppings, and house aioli. He went with onions, scrambled eggs, mushroom, and bacon. The pork belly was amazing and the star of the show. The burger was very filling and umami and honestly tasted better than my blackened burger. No side needed. If you love burgers, this is the place for you!

    Sylvia C.

    Small place with a bar and a few tables. Friendly employees. Portions are not huge, and they don't give you a lot of fries, but it's enough. I ordered the chicken garlic prosciutto sandwich with fries. And my husband had a burger. My sandwich was good, but a little greasy. Fries were good, and my husband really liked his burger!

    The Project 16 Burger w/sweet potato fries

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    Project Burger Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Project Burger

    How do I get there from Del Web and Washington?

    From the north side of Washington (Sun City), go toward the 10 and stay in the right lane as if to turn right onto Country Club at Wendy's, westbound. Stay in the right lane… 

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Gastro Grind Burgers

    4.5(729 reviews)
    4.6 mi
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    Casual dining
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    The best smash burgers. Quality cuts of meat are used to…read moremake the most delicious burgers.

    Disclaimer, this review will be based off a dining in experience on Aug 8th…read more The restaurant was a bit warm as we arrived, we almost debated leaving! Given the weather, we decided to still give it a shot since this location was on our must try list. We were greeted immediately by friendly staff who offered us to seat anywhere we'd like. Cold beer on summer special ($5-$6) fixed my partner back up for a moment until we felt the AC kick back on. lol. We had the Bistro Burger with Truffle Fries and the Oinker with Tater Tots. I was excited to try the Oinker after seeing they had fresh pork belly posted on their instagram that day. The Bistro was DELICIOUS! Unfortunately, I wasn't a huge fan of the Oinker after trying my partner's Bistro burger. The combination of ingredients felt dry, the burger wasn't as hot, and I realized there was no cheese in this either. What's a burger without cheese? :( I wish the server forewarned me! Maybe a grilled onion would also be better suited? I also asked for a side of their lemon aioli for my fries, and ended up adding this to my burger to add some extra sauce. The tater tots and fries were perfectly crisp. And I usually don't finish my fries, but we ate every last bite of these plates. Overall, great! I would return to try more of their various burger offerings.

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    Shake Shack El Paseo

    Shake Shack El Paseo

    3.1(100 reviews)
    5.2 mi

    SHORT ANSWER: I just review for what I experience, not necessarily anything to do with my…read morepreferences for taste. Yes worth a visit if you want a burger and you're on El Paseo, but I will not go back only for my own reasons, I am sure others love the food here. LOCATION: Incredibly nice location on El Paseo, usually good parking and the place is easy to find but also you can spend the afternoon shopping maxing out the credit cards on El Paseo. FACILITY: Very nice model, bright, and not noisy. I am usually not a fan of ordering kiosks but at this location, the Shake Shake logic on this was the best I have seen. So well thought out. MENU: There is a lot, easy to read and see photos on the kiosk and the delivered food kind of looks like the photos. FOOD PREP: Not great. Burgers dropped in and stuck in a wrapper bag, did not look great, and not easy to eat but we made it with a ton of napkins. FOOD QUALITY: Ok, we had a burger and a chicken burger but I just don't enjoy the tase of their food. I reviewed another location a few years ago and had a bad experience, this visit was much better just based on the location, same taste takeaway. WAITSTAFF: AMAZING, wow very professional which is not a word I use often in fast food reviews. In N Out is professional and that is about it, so well done so much have a great manager. OVERALL VALUE: $27.00 with tip for a single burger and a chicken burger and a soda. If that is chump change for you then fine. I get the location is ridiculously expensive as are quality California employees, so yes food here cost a bit more and maybe standard pricing I don't know. We visited, I ordered, I paid, and we ate all was good. TIP: I am not here to bash Shake Shack, this was an amazing location and very well managed on my visit. Don't let the prices scare you off this location is worth a visit.

    Service is great. Unfortunately, this location has some of the greasiest burgers at a shake shack…read morethat I've ever had. This is by far my favorite burger (at other locations). I sincerely hope they implement better quality control. Nothing worse than a wet greasy burger :( from a chain that should have the best one in town!

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    Inside

    Shake Shack El Paseo - 2 bites in

    2 bites in

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    Tony's Burgers

    Tony's Burgers

    4.3(1.2k reviews)
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    I guess the first thing to note is the vibe, because it's very cool. The place feels like the…read morerestaurant version of Cheers. The servers might not know your name, but I've never had a server that wasn't helpful and nice. Parking can be busy, but never difficult. So now the food. I've eaten here a lot over the years and I've never had a bad meal. The garlic fries are awesome and everything from burgers to salads and tacos, delicious. My sole complaint, some burgers are so tall it's impossible to eat them like a regular burger. So, this spot is a solid 5/5. Not crazy expensive, nice staff, good food, easy in and out. Give it a try.

    *Tony the Burger Tiger*…read more In case you didn't know, Tony used to be the chef at Grill-A-Burger in Palm Desert...then 14 years ago, Antonio followed his dream & ambition to open up his own burger joint. Tho I haven't dined here before, I've made my presence known, and previously checked out the place to inquire ~~ more than once. I was blown away when Edgar remembered me...and thanked me & wifey for finally coming in for a little late-night dinner/snack. Wifey was craving onion rings...so whatever she wants she gets ~~ with limits that is ;) Since her favorite onion rings are 130 miles away in LA (Culver City) at Johnnie's Pastrami, we've been searching for a good back-up. Heard & read a lot of great things about their beer battered onion rings. We were not disappointed. Make sure to splurge and spend the extra 2 bucks for a full order instead of a half. Wifey enjoyed her mini burger...and it was the perfect size. The bun was fresh and held up well, which is always important. I went off the board and wanted just a simple plain burger patty, because I wasn't too hungry. But that's one of the best ways to judge quality. No bells no whistles. Just the beef...and a knife & fork. Like a good steak. It was tender & juicy and I was a very happy camper. h2O was all we needed on this night...and refills were fulfilled voluntarily. As expected, Edgar provided excellent customer service...and we all shared some playful banter throughout our dining experience. Tony's Burgers is a very chill & cozy place. It's darkly lit. There's lots of booths to sit comfortably...and lots of flatscreen tvs on the walls showing sports. There's a large bar area too with stools. I can see why this place is so popular with the locals. Looking forward to our next visit. {{{Big~High~5}}}

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    Tony's Burgers - My shrimp tacos were ok.

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    The half way mark

    Islands Restaurant - Classic Fish Tacos

    Islands Restaurant

    4.0(497 reviews)
    5.8 mi
    •$$

    Came here on Monday evening an hour before closing- which is something my family and I make a point…read moreto NEVER do. But after a long day of shopping and driving, this islands is usually our go to for our first day of vacation and was the only thing we could agree on to eat. Despite coming in an hour before closing, we were treated with so much respect and kindness. No cold shoulders, no dirty looks or anybody making it seem like we were inconveniencing them, even though we were. Our server, Daniel was SO kind, attentive, and just over all amazing. One of the best servers we've ever had. He made it a point to let us know we were no trouble at all, and had an overall positive attitude that made us feel so welcome and comfortable. Our food came out very fast and was hot and delicious. Daniel made sure to refill our drinks, had no trouble getting some containers to go, and didn't rush us to pay by bringing the check early, he waited until we asked for it to bring it. We made it out just after closing, I believe closer to 9:10, and although our consciouses felt guilty, none of the staff made us feel this way. Establishment was clean, staff was doing side work, but that's normal for a restaurant almost closing. I was so pleased with this experience. We won't be going In an hour before closing again, but thank you to this islands and most of all, Daniel, for making us feel welcome. With 4 adults and a baby, we were just ready to get some food in us after a long day. And we were not disappointed. Five stars all day long!

    Great food selection over the years Happy hour a great plus…read more Quick easy service Staff super friendly Family friendly for kids

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    Outside

    Project Burger - burgers - Updated September 2026

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