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Swagyu Imperial Beach

4.3 (279 reviews)
ModerateBurgers
Closed • 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

About Swagyu Imperial Beach

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SWAGYU IMPERIAL BEACH ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Swagyu Imperial Beach

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French Fries were good
Jennifer M.

Arrived at Swagyu around 3pm and we were the only customers there, which honestly should have been my first clue. I will say, the guy who took our order was very nice, so no complaints at all about the service. Unfortunately, the food was really disappointing. We both ordered the El Swagador burger and neither of us liked it. The meat lacked seasoning, and the pork belly tasted off to both of us. I ordered mine without the serrano chilies (thank goodness), because my boyfriend kept them on his and said it was way too spicy to even enjoy. I also ordered an Oreo milkshake, but it was pretty bland and lacked flavor. The only things we actually enjoyed were the onion rings and fries. For almost $100 total, we left feeling like we completely wasted our money -- especially paying $26 per burger and not even finishing half of them. The restaurant also didn't feel very clean and lacked any atmosphere or vibe. I really don't enjoy leaving negative reviews, but unfortunately this experience missed the mark for us and needs a lot of improvement. Sadly, we won't be back.

Yu S.

Delicious. The whole thing is unbelievably soft and the flavor of the meat is impeccable. It also has some extra depth to it that I can't place. I want to say it uses cumin also, but honestly I'm not sure. I guess it's not exactly cheap, but well, it is what it is. The sweet pickles also give it an extra counter that wouldn't be offered by regular pickles. For my personal preference, I might like a little of something else in it. Like a bit of onion maybe, but that's just me. Both the burger and fries use this secret yellow-ish sauce that I suspect contains honey mustard and maybe some other salad dressing. The sidewinder fries are less like fries and more like potato wedges to me in size, texture, and taste. But they're good though (but I think they could be even better) They have a corkscrew shape that I don't usually see, like a spiral staircase.

1/4LB Classic Smash Burger with Bacon
Heather F.

Multiple visits now and the food in amazing, the atmosphere relaxing. Best sweet potato fries i have ever had.

Kat L.

I have been wanting to try this place out for a very long time! This restaurant is In a little cute, yet comfortable shop in IB. Staff greeted us right away as we walked in and immediately gave us a menu. They explained their offers and what we could get. They have great deals for combos! Food came out very fresh. Although good, the burger to me was lack luster. I don't know, maybe because I was expecting a very tender and juicy meat because of the wagyu? The meat wasn't as tender and it did not have enough flavor. The star of the show was definitely the fries! Hubby said it was the best fries he's ever had!

Jharvis L.

Great first impression and really good grub! I added pork belly to my burger, and it was awesome! Service was great with Julieta, and I'll definitely come back! Great and chill vibes here. Cheers.

Tina C.

By far my fav burger shop. Flavorful meat and soft buttery bun. Staff are very professional and friendly. Inside was very clean and had a nice size bar. If you are looking for a top notch burger place, spend a little more money for quality this is the place. Can't wait to come back!

This is half of a $20 burger. Try to find the pickle.
Mike F.

Disappointed with this burger and fries. I live just a few minutes away. First I tried to call, but was asked to call back in 2 minutes, because they had to make a milkshake. Went to the website and ordered online. Had some confusion because the website says 1/2 off fries with any burger order on Fridays. No option for the discount online, or it wasn't obvious how to make that happen. Placed order. Went to pick up about 12 mins later. What a strange experience for to walk into a restaurant on a Friday night with a total of 5 diners inside and not a single person to greet you or assist in where to pick up the order. I waited a few minutes until a worker came out from the back. She asked if I was there for a different order and I said no. She said it would be a few minutes the. No big deal, I take a seat at the empty bar and watch her make a milkshake. The place is sparkling clean and the worker is nice, so I'm giving them credit there. I mentioned the confusion about ordering a that there is a special on the website for Fridays. She said that it must've been for another location because "they have so many locations now." I'm posting a pic of the website's home page in photos. About 5 minutes later I get my order and take it home. I feel a little ripped off that this was a $32 burger and fries. The burger is okay, but of the 5 ingredients (bun, burger, cheese, special sauce and pickles) it's missing pickles. The fries ($10!) were soggy and just meh. The pics were taken as soon as I got home and opened the bag. I live 3 minutes away. Maybe the ingredients are high quality, but who cares if the execution is half-assed? I can't believe that if my wife and I would've ordered together, our meal could easily have been almost $70. No thanks. Do better. 2 stars because the burger wasn't awful, the worker was nice (if only uninformed or untrained) and the dining room/bar was super clean. Please do something about those bright fluorescent box lights though, ambience killer. Disappointed with this burger and fries. I live just a few minutes away. First I tried to call, but was asked to call back in 2 minutes, because they had to make a milkshake. Went to the website and ordered online. Had some confusion because the website says 1/2 off fries with any burger order on Fridays. No option for the discount online, or it wasn't obvious how to make that happen. Placed order. Went to pick up about 12 mins later. What a strange experience for to walk into a restaurant on a Friday night with a total of 5 diners inside and not a single person to greet you or assist in where to pick up the order. I waited a few minutes until a worker came out from the back. She asked if I was there for a different order and I said no. She said it would be a few minutes the. No big deal, I take a seat at the empty bar and watch her make a milkshake. The place is sparkling clean and the worker is nice, so I'm giving them credit there. I mentioned the confusion about ordering a that there is a special on the website for Fridays. She said that it must've been for another location because "they have so many locations now." I'm posting a pic of the website's home page in photos. About 5 minutes later I get my order and take it home. I feel a little ripped off that this was a $32 burger and fries. The burger is okay, but of the 5 ingredients (bun, burger, cheese, special sauce and pickles) it's missing pickles. The fries ($10!) were soggy and just meh. The pics were taken as soon as I got home and opened the bag. I live 3 minutes away. Maybe the ingredients are high quality, but who cares if the execution is half-assed? I can't believe that if my wife and I would've ordered together, our meal could easily have been almost $70. No thanks. Do better. 2 stars because the burger wasn't awful, the worker was nice (if only uninformed or untrained) and the dining room/bar was super clean. Please do something about those bright fluorescent box lights though, ambience killer.

Outside
Kristine M.

I was craving meat so decided to come here for a burger. My husband and I were immediately seated and given a menu. The guy taking our order was very friendly and informative. The hospitality was really warm. I ordered the 1/4 lb japanese wagyu burger, wagyu fat fries, and wagyu fat brownie shake. Yes. That's right. A wagyu fat brownie shake! I was like wth is that?! I need to try it! It is thick and creamy and tastes like if you put an ice cream sandwich in a blender. It was yummy. the burger meat was smashed so it was sticking out of the burger. I looooved that. The burger was juicy and flavorful. It was so good that I devoured it really fast. The fries were crispy and didn't feel or taste oily. I loved this place so much. U better try it!

Swagyu Japanese Smash Burger
Sergio R.

Ok.. I wasn't sure about this place when I pulled up. It looked dark and not open for business. I peeked in and instantly got a whiff of something yummy. I ordered the Japanese Swagyu Burger and some Sidewinder fries. First and foremost, this is one of the best burgers that I've had in a very long time! It's juicy, flavorful and huge! The fries were puffy and flavored right. The fries could be a meal on their own! Unfortunately it took awhile to get seated and get service. The server was solo and working all stations. Slow service, but the wait was worth it. I'm sure when it's staffed right, things are flowing smoothly. I'm definitely happy I stopped and waited. Just WOW!!!

Sidewinder fries , cheese burger, secret sauce

First and foremost, this was my first time here and the girl who took orders didn't actually greet me when I walked in. Just kinda starred at me after taking an order. I sat down at the bar, and ordered a cheese burger and fries. While waiting for my order the girl who was working the front, by herself. Had to make milkshakes and I happened to be sitting right in front of where she was doing it. As I watched her just so many different things helping other customers, handling money, taking orders, wiping the counters, etc. She proceeded to make a milkshake in the most unsanitary way. She did not wash her hands once . Touching the ingredients that were going into the shake with her bare hands like the brownie and some something else she handled with her unclean hands . That alone made me not want to eat from here but I already ordered. As for the burger and fries, 3/10. The burger was slightly sweet and that threw me off. The patty was veryyy thin, wasn't enough meat for the bread and toppings. The secret sauce didn't have a pleasant taste to it. And the sidewinder fries were just okay,. I don't think I'd come back here.

Sidewinder fries
Jamie M.

Delicious!! Must come to try these burgers! We've seen all the other outposts in Little Italy and more are popping up, so having one close that doesn't have the tourist traffic is nice! We stopped by 7pm on a Tuesday, fairly empty and plenty of parking. Service was quick and friendly. We ordered the Classic and Swagador burgers and sidewinder fries and two 1-liter Mexican Cokes. Man, can I say the classic may be my current leader for a classic burger? It's quite pricey but man I was so happy eating it! The Swagador has a lot of flavors going on so definitely keep that in mind. And the sidewinder fries, I didn't know if I've ever seen that style before but they are like twisty wedges. Really crispy on the outside and nice and soft inside! They were playing some good music in the background too, we'll be coming here more to try the milkshakes!

Menu
Josue P.

Came to see the hype and the burger and the overall experience and it wasn't it. Had the 1/2 "OG burger" and the shoestring fries and paid $32. The burger is not bad but it isn't great. No drink. Five guys is not the best burger to me but a very fair burger and five guys was better. This burger was better than most other fast food burgers like Burger King and McDonald's but not by much. The fries were a little too oily. If the burger and fries cost $15-$20 then maybe I'd come again but for $32 no drink I felt I was cheated. The customer service was fair. I think the place has a lot of potential but I'd make the burger taste better or lower prices. The server maybe even cook had a large Viking like beard and I wondered about hygiene and hairs potentially falling in the burger

The El Swaganador

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Horrible service, raw flavorless patty, huge bun compared to patty. Felt like I was in the twilight zone.

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10 months ago

Underrated place! Worth trying because then you'll be a regular! Burgers are fantastic!!!

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Ask the Community - Swagyu Imperial Beach

Can I pay with the InKind app at this location? Your restaurant is on their website.

What are the ingredients in your Swagyu?

If your question is in regards to our Swagyu Smashburgers, they are made with 100% Wagyu we grind in house.

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4.4(37 reviews)
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I specifically came here for the lumpia but they no longer exist here. I wish they would bring them…read moreback! I will continue to push for them to return! I'm waiting for my OG double burger with no cheese and only raw onions l. My son Jordan is getting the fatty melt on Texas toast. French fries with mango habanero sauce on the side. In replacement of the no Lumpia I chose the Fried Pickles. They are still the same ownership so I will have to make a visit to their other location soon") I am not going to compare their burgers and just go with their own style and take. Fried pickles came out first and it was breaded and as I bite into it the pickle pulls away from the fried breading. It it well seasoned though ")! Waiting on our burgers for 30 minutes. They finally bring them to us. So the burger patties are like crumbled into the burger bun and doesn't hold up as well. There is a slight char going and patty is a little dry. I was not expecting the raw onions to just be cube cut and not round slices either. I don't know how how I feel yet but my son likes his Fatty Texas Toast Patty with the aoli sauce. Maybe try something else down the line. At least I tried it. Am not comparing to others l.

Scotty Burger is THE TRUTH! Meaty, greasy, cheesy, deliciousness. The garlic aioli compliments…read moreperfectly. Hand rolled Lumpia, what else do I need to say. Pork and vegetable filled crispy snacks. Loaded Fries have everything you want and need. Chopped burger patty with grilled onions, cheese, and all the condiments is a dive bar must. French Fries have crusty crispy bite to them. Super solid.

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Big Kahuna's

Big Kahuna's

3.8(428 reviews)
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Great restaurant. Excellent service and wonderful atmospher. The burgers are delicious, really good…read moremeat and big. Sweet potato fries are delicious.

Is this place gonna stay open? I came here on a Saturday night, and I was the only customer from…read morethe moment I entered to the moment I left. Well....if I said I thought closing this place would be a loss to the community, that would be a lie. I got the loco moco. I gotta say, you guys have some cajones calling yourself a Hawaiian joint and using bland ground meat for your loco moco, truly a courageous decision from the owner. Is it that difficult to afford or make a patty? For some reason, if I look up loco moco on Google images, I just can't seem to find one that looks like this. LMAO The macoroni salad is alright. I must've been living under a rock though because I didn't realize this macoroni salad was famous. Finally, the rice seems like a slightly shorter grain than you would normally use for loco moco maybe? Is this....rice for sushi? It's a tad too sticky for my preference. It both looks and tastes like cafeteria food. Although, to be fair, it'd be good cafeteria food. As someone in the military, I can report that I've had worse food than this in the galley. Lol Okay, the fried eggs are good. But I can make that. Actually, I could make this entire meal, but better. Well okay, I'd have to buy the macaroni salad.....but that's what you guys did too, right? You know, maybe it's my fault. The cashier did say that their teriyaki chicken was the most popular item, but I didn't order that. Although, my standards for any Asian-coded chicken is higher than most other food, so I somehow doubt I would've been satisfied. The OMG IPA is good I guess. In recent years, I dislike most IPAs. Like, I'm not categorically opposed to bitter beer, but I feel like most IPAs are just bitter without much other flavor. This one balances that with some strong fruitiness. I find the balance enticing. This could be a passable space to get a beer and socialize with other people......if there were any.

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Big Kahuna's - Interior

Interior

Big Kahuna's - The Kalbi

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IB Forum Sports Bar & Grill - On point!

IB Forum Sports Bar & Grill

3.7(590 reviews)
1.3 mi
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Full bar
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Came down here from Stockton, California to see the Padres game. Me and my friend had a hangover…read morefrom the night before so we decided to look for a brunch or breakfast spot along the Imperial Beach. It was a little cloudy that day but we finally found the place. They had a huge brunch menu. I didn't really have an appetite so I ordered the green pozole with tortilla chips and a side of biscuit and gravy. $10 was a reasonable price for the portion and the soup was very good. Helped out with the hangover! My other friends ordered other breakfast plates and it seems they give a lot for the bucks. Very cozy grill, we were situated near the entrance and we had the view of the beach and the streets. Very clean location! Server was extremely friendly and talented too. She was on roller skates while serving us, now that's dedication! I would recommend this spot!

Product itself: I ordered the half rack of baby back ribs, the potato chicken soup, upgraded the…read morefries to their garlic Parmesan fries and an avocado bacon burger. To drink, water and a 22oz Pacifico. The burger was good, tasted like it came from the grill and the bacon came extra crispy without even having to ask (I love crispy bacon!). The ribs were underwhelming :( I know it's a sports bar so food is expected to be fast (which it was) but they just lacked any flavor and had very minimal bbq sauce (I asked for extra). Customer service: I was served by Maria P and she was AMAZING! It seemed like she had a full section and was running around every which way and still have the best energy when she was serving us. She is the reason we ordered the soup and she did not fail us! It was very good. She seemed very hard working. Value: The bill total was $55 so overall I would give the value for what we ordered an 8/10. It was a big volume of food which I can appreciate, but the ribs were just underwhelming when it came to flavor. Atmosphere: I can say for atmosphere I give them a 10/10 because it gives entirely sports bar vibes, but clean. You don't feel dirty small town sports bar vibes like some of their competitors in the city and the vibe is very uplifting. Overall experience: I have been going to the IB forum ever since I was a little girl and I have ordered the fish and chips before (usually my go to), the wraps, and salads. Everything has always been decent that's why I'd I could go more detailed than 3 stars I would say 6.7.

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Rey TJ Burgers - What a wonderful establishment! It truly was the best burger I've ever had.

Rey TJ Burgers

4.4(31 reviews)
12.0 mi

Store front is still being built so there is only one picnic table under a canopy. Parking is…read morelimited with maybe 4 spots so you'll need to find parking in the neighborhood. The kitchen is also outside so it's similar to a farmer market set up. I ordered an onion bacon cheese burger and was surprised but how juicy the burger was. The caramelized union and crispy bacon paired well with the burger and gave great texture. Fries were covered in a Cajun seasoning was fried well done. Recommend you order ahead and pick up while the storefront is still being built.

My two hour workout probably didn't make much of a dent in the decadence of this meal, but it was…read moreworth it! I came down here because I have a friend from up north who's come down here a few times and suggested this place. He said it's one of his favorite places when he's in town, so that's saying a lot if it's a top place for him and the family. He was right. This was a juicy and incredibly tasty burger. I'd say it's up there with Amboy in Chinatown (Los Angeles) or the newer Amboy spot at Haven City Marketplace in Covina. This place is a gem. Ordering can be a little misleading; hence minus one star. This is a food court setup, and there are menus for each restaurant in these individual stands that are placed on top of a snack wall. If you're going to order from Rey TJ Burgers, it'll be to the left of the main restaurant/register that's directly in front of you when you enter. The main line is Mexican (and seafood I believe?), so I was standing for a while until a lady realized I was holding the Rey TJ burger and called me over. Ordering was easy. Rey TJ's didn't have drinks, so I hard to order from the Mexican food line. The cucumber aqua fresca was AMAZING. Definitely one of the best experiences since I've had since I've moved to the San Diego area. I'm loving it here more and more. I've also had the opportunity to practice a lot of Spanish which I absolutely appreciate. The people here are amazing and much warmer than many of the parts of Los Angeles. Buen dia!

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Swagyu Imperial Beach - burgers - Updated October 2026

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