Our excellent server was also the bartender. He made amazing margaritas. So good and refreshing on a hot day. The minis (four mini angus burgers) and the Nashville Hot were prepared perfectly and very tasty. Rated service and food 5 stars out of five. We will definitely return in the near future. read more

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Our office had The Counter Burger catering for lunch last week. I thought it came from one of the two locations in Irvine but I wasn't able to find those locations anywhere, not even on Yelp. So apparently it came from this location. I've dined at both Irvine locations before but have not been there in a while. So surprised to see them both disappeared. Not sure how long it has been since they've been gone. So apparently our lunch catering must have come from this location. The burgers were good. The tots were a bit overdone so a tad hard but okay otherwise. So sad to see them gone. Their hamburgers were good. read more

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Sorry. Walked in yesterday and after 20 minutes , walked out. Server was obviously in a bad mood. And working alone with 6 tables to care for. Prices seem a bit high. For the price and lack of customer service. No thank you Will never return. Please hire a server with a better attitude. Went to Corky's and she was working the tables alone with a smile and great personality. read more

We stopped by The Counter for a casual dinner and really enjoyed it. The build your own burger style is always fun and everything tasted fresh. We tried the beef and blue burger with onion strings on the side and the BBQ burger with bacon onion strings and fries. Both were really flavorful and cooked well. We also shared chicken tenders and a BBQ chicken salad which was fresh and filling. The drinks were a standout too especially the Baja blast hard cider and the mango margarita. Both were refreshing and a little different in a good way!! The outdoor patio is probably the best part. It is spacious has TVs and feels like a super easy spot to hang out with family or friends Overall just a solid casual go to in Ladera Ranch for burgers drinks and a relaxed vibe read more

The Counter - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

Such a great find! We walked in and were instantly greeted. The gentleman that sat us was warm and friendly. Our server Tammy was fantastic. She informed us of the specials and happy hour, was knowledgeable of the menu, and gave us wonderful service. The food runner was also nice and on top of it. It's rare to get such hospitality from start to finish these days so well done! The food was delicious and fresh. This is a nice place to watch some sports and relax. Definitely check it out. read more

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I visited this location of The Counter for lunch on a weekday. It's located in a plaza with plenty of parking. The interior has several tables and a counter as well as an enormous patio. This is a full-service restaurant where you'll be seated and order taken at the table. They have burgers, sandwiches, salads, and wings on the menu. I was brightly welcomed and seated by an energetic young woman. Various people attended to me at the table during my meal. I wanted to order from their lunch specials but I really wanted a chocolate mint milkshake, which couldn't be added to any of the specials. So I additionally ordered the old-school cheeseburger and tots. The burger, according to the menu, included Tillamook cheddar, lettuce blend, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, and relish between a brioche bun. I requested no onions and the burger cooked medium. As an aside, my first encounter with The Counter was probably 20 years ago at their Santa Monica location, where they introduced a new concept: providing pencil and paper with a long list of ingredients you could check off to build your burger to your specifications. They still have those sheets at the tables here or you can, as I did, just order off the menu. The milkshake was excellent, very chocolatey with a mild mint background flavor. I actually would have liked the mint a bit stronger but it was fine. The tots were superb! Crisp and crunchy outside and soft inside. The beef of the burger was very flavorful, obviously quality meat. I kept thinking the burger was bland though. After I was finished I checked the menu descriptions on their website. I realized my burger, which didn't have onions per my request, also didn't have pickles or relish. I didn't taste any tomato either, although I think there might have been a thin slice. My mind was distracted by other things as I ate so, spaced out as I was, I didn't add up that the lack of pizazz was the lack of ingredients. I had already scarfed the entire thing down so there was no point in complaining. I've always rolled my eyes over people who eat every bite of their meal and then complain and want it comped. I wasn't going to be THAT person. Still, I wonder what happened with the burger. Despite my disappointment I still liked my lunch "okay". read more

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Haven't been back to this location since it was BK's so my wife, our little Aussie, and I decided to give it a try since we're locals. Unfortunately, it was a disappointing experience. After being seated, we waited about 20 minutes without anyone coming to our table. My wife eventually checked with the hostess just to make sure we hadn't been forgotten, and she assured us that someone would be right over. About 10 more minutes passed, and the waitress came out--but attended to a table that had been seated several minutes after us. At that point, we decided to leave. It was a real bummer because we were looking forward to supporting a local business. Hopefully this was just an off day. read more

Went today for a bite to eat. Took longer than usual to get some service and acknowledge that we were there. Appearance of our server was not very appealing. Ordered a salad. Didn't seem fresh. Ranch dressing was thin and watery. Ordered fries with our burger. Gave us onion strings. Then the fries came out after telling them. Fries were cold. Attitude of workers seemed to be flippant . Would definitely not go back. read more

Ummm... five stars the first time I went, "meh" this past pick up experience. What's awesome? The ambiance! This is a place I would love to come dine at - from the ample outdoor space to the good vibes inside. The place is a lot larger than it looks on the outside. The food? First time.. everything was spot on. I love their shoestring fries... except on my recent visit, they were soggy and kinda cold (and I was even early to pick up my order). I like the idea of the create-your-own burgers... but even if you're getting something simple, it can get a little pricey quite quickly. I've over ever dined here twice - and was super excited to have another local dining option - but I'll have to see if there will be next time. 2026: 3/100 read more

Came on a Saturday night for dinner and the place was pretty busy. We opted to sit outside since they have a nice patio with lights. The build your own burgers are always a hit, and so are the fries. Food is 4/5. Service was not great, though. We ordered drinks and they didn't come until mid-way through the meal. We could never seem to find our waitress for anything we needed. read more

I got The Counter burger. I accidentally ordered the 1/3-pound patty--I didn't realize it until I had finished the burger. That aside, I'd say the burger I got was cooked medium, and they did a pretty good job. The whole patty was pink throughout, just as they described. I did notice that different bites had varying levels of saltiness, which I think might be due to uneven salt distribution when they seasoned it before cooking. The inside of the patty was pretty bland. If they had somehow salted the inside more evenly, I think it would've added more flavor. That said, the patty was quite juicy. I would say though the patty was on the leaner side and I would've preferred to be a bit fattier to add more flavor. Later on, I added another 1/3-pound patty to make up for not realizing they offered 1/2-pound and 1-pound options. That helped fill me up. I paired it with a side of guac, which added a nice, juicy touch to the burger. I got a salad as a side--it wasn't bad and was pretty fresh. I also shared some skinny fries. If you're into that style of fry, they're a solid choice. read more

The Counter - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

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The Counter is always a nice spot to sit outside and enjoy a burger. I really like the sheet where I can select my size and type of burger meat, all my different toppings, and whether I want it on a bun, in a lettuce wrap or on a salad. This time I was craving salad so I went with the burger salad. I covered it in all kinds of fun toppings, and then used some of the garlic aïoli on the side to dip it in. It was huge, and I had enough for lunch the next day too. For my side, I always go with the tater tots, as they make me feel like a kid. We will be back when we're in the area, and we need a bite. read more

The Counter - The Counter Burger - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

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Rochelle was an amazing server. She was so extremely attentive and quick with everything. She checked on us consistently and had such a positive attitude. Thank you, Rochelle!!! read more

The grilled sandwich was very fresh, savory, juicy, flavorful, and delicious with barbecue sauce, cheese, and avocado. Also, the French fries were super tasty, crispy, crunchy, salty, and perfectly served with tangy ketchup, and the lemonade was really sweet and refreshing, too. Good service, nice atmosphere with upbeat music, and I had an excellent experience here today. read more

The Counter - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

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Never disappoints, never fail & will be back for more! Good friendly service, great food and good vibes! read more

The Counter - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

This was our first time dining here. I ordered the Nashville hot chicken sandwich with a side salad. The chicken was perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I would have loved the hot sauce to pack a bit more of a punch, but the flavors were great! The side salad was fresh and balanced out the richness of the sandwich nicely. Our server was incredibly sweet and attentive, making us feel welcomed and well taken care of throughout the meal. All in all, it was a great experience from start to finish. read more

The Counter - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

I am updating my review to five stars because of the proactive way in which my concerns and recommendations were addressed. I really appreciate it Dennis the manager taking the time to not only call and email me but also to make changes to the website and also to the Doordash menu so that now there is the option to order a homemade veggie burger when you "build your own burger " that was so thoughtful and the type of customer experience that makes me want to be a repeat customer. I just am so grateful and cannot thank Dennis enough!!! So thoughtful of him!!! Now I can make counter burger, one of my starred places on DoorDash!! read more

The Counter - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

The burger was very good. The shakes were very good. My server at the bar was very friendly.

The Counter in Ladera is one of the few casual spots to go with your family where there is something for everybody. I am obsessed with the beautiful outdoor seating. The ambiance is perfect, casual, and fun. They also have events that make it fun, family friendly, and the service is amazing. Also, who can go wrong with building your own burgers and sides. I love that there is a salad option for the burgers in case you're feeling like something lighter. It is always a family favorite. read more

Great food and family friendly as well. Outdoor and indoor dinners available. Heaters and fireplaces at night if needed outside. Acoustic guitar entertainment outdoors. Excellent service read more

I've been here a dozen or so times, and service & food have alway been good, but it's been a minute. Based on my experience tonight, and the other recent reviews, quality has gone downhill for sure. Tonight: Host seemed untrained and unprepared for a slight crowd, but we got a table right away. We had a group of 5, he offered us a regular 4 seater table and said "you can grab a spare chair for your 5th"... I laughed it off and joked to group that afterwards I'll help at the bar or kitchen - boy was I right. 15 minutes of sitting around, no one came by with menus or to take orders (yes I actually knew the time, because my phone said how long ago I parked). I had to get back up and ask for menus and after a server brought us menus she said she'd "find out" who is serving us... but it ended up being her... don't you have predetermined areas? After order was placed, food took forever, at least 30ish minutes. Somehow all fries were cold, like they had been sitting. Both the sweet potato and regular. My burger was ordered "medium well" and it came out still mooing. No way - I had to send it back. The server said "uhhhhh should they regrill or remake?" I said, "well it'll probably take longer to take it all apart to regrill, plus probably should not put plated food back on your kitchen grill so I would say remake" Really?!? lol! The second attempt was much better and tasted good. The side of chili was really good. Or maybe I was just starving. read more

The Counter - Severely undercooked "medium well" burger. - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

Enjoyable outside seating and the very best burgers anywhere . I DO NOT appreciate you telling me how many characters my review REQUIRES!

Delicious food. Loved the jalapeño sauce that came with the burger. Will definitely order again read more

The Counter - Patty Melt - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

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The burger had good flavor but was cold unfortunately. They were really busy but at the very least, I expect warm food. I may or may not go here again. TBD. read more

The Counter - Create Your Own Burger - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

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Lunch specials are great! Good service, great hamburger, chicken sandwich and French fries plus drink. read more

Visited on Wednesday, 4/30/25, with my daughter. We arrived shortly after 7 PM and were warmly greeted by a gentleman who told us we could sit wherever we liked. We chose a table outside, and he mentioned he'd bring us menus shortly. A waitress came by and took our drink orders promptly, but more than 20 minutes passed without anyone returning with menus. My daughter eventually looked up the menu online out of frustration. When the waitress came back to take our order, we explained we had been waiting for about 25 minutes for menus. She was very kind, sincerely apologetic, and quickly brought them over. My daughter ordered the honey Dijon chicken sandwich, I ordered the Counter Burger cooked medium, and we shared the sweet sriracha Brussels sprouts. Thankfully, the food came out fairly quickly and looked great at first glance. However, I was disappointed to find my burger was cooked medium rare instead of medium. While everything tasted delicious, the incorrect preparation detracted from the overall experience. Given that it was a quiet midweek evening, there didn't seem to be a clear reason for the lack of attentiveness and the kitchen misstep. As a former General Manager of a similar-style restaurant, my daughter wasn't impressed. Unfortunately, this was our first visit to The Counter, and neither of us left feeling particularly satisfied. read more

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Delicious food and great service we came for happy hour the ambiance is nice for a casual meal outside

Amazing food and amazing staff! The manage Rochelle is amazing ! Highly recommend the food was fresh and delicious !

My wife and I enjoy a good burger from time to time. The Counter used to be a place we could count on for a great burger. No more. We have visited the location in Ladera Ranch for the last time. Was it the Residue (chocolate?) on my frosty beer mug?. Was it the moldy onion in the cole slaw? Was it the couple next to us feeding their dog on the table? This place is a dump, don't waste your effort here. read more

Really glad this place opened up. For some reason this shopping plaza just cannot keep a restaurant open at this spot. However, the Counter is always a solid choice. Great burgers and side dishes although at a premium price. But if you're looking for a high quality burger with customizable options, this is definitely the place. Also one of the few places that serves tater tots as a side! Absolutely unhealthy but worth the calorie/cholesterol splurge every now and then read more

Three star reviews are lame... I get it... I also know everything costs more now, but I don't have to like it or accept it. So this review is less about the service or quality of the food. Those are what earned the 2 stars. This is more of a warning on purchasing to-go sauces for your fries or burgers. I wanted anyone ordering to understand what you are paying for... and it's not a lot. When ordering to-go food just know if you want enough sauces for your burgers, to dip fries in, etc... you'll need to order a lot. At $0.50 it's not a lot of money individually, but for the portion size you get for that $0.50 you may need to order 10... so now your paying almost $5 in sauces. Just a warning read more

The Counter - Small sauce portion to charge customers for... visual comparison to a small regular spoon. So barely a teaspoon of sauce. - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

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Tons of options to create your own burger. It was fun filling the paper out. Most custom burger places have only a few options. There was also live music on the patio when I went on a Friday evening. read more

The Counter - Create Your Own Burger - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

Located in the Southmost corner of the Mercantile East Shopping Center of Ladera Ranch can find The Counter which is of the ever growing number of gourmet burger offerings. The ambience is usually pretty busy especially during game days as people will be setting up shop both inside and the even larger outside patio area. The service is better dining in than taking out as the former was solid but the latter was waiting around for a long while waiting for someone to actually come up and assist and even then there was a general confusion as how best to locate the order. As for the food the tater tots could use more seasoning but had a nice crunch, the sweet potato fries were better, and the custom burger was properly cooked and the ingredients/condiments were all fresh and made for a well balanced and assembled item. Price point is about on par with the competition but if they can find a more efficient way of handling the takeout aspect would be a more appealing option. read more

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The bartender was very nice. Tatar tots were good. Buffalo burger was overcooked and cold. Would maybe go back. Most likely not.

My family and I have eaten a few times at the Counter in Ladera Ranch, and we always enjoy the delicious burgers and shakes. I appreciated the server explaining how they cook their beef for the burgers, and that a "medium well" is actually more like "medium rare" in most places. Odd...but OK and she was right. I ordered medium well and it was pink in the center and not cold - they way I like it. I would have given more stars except for the fact that the staff was very anxious to shut down for the night. We finished our meal around 8:00 on a Sunday evening. Mind you, the restaurant is open until 9:00 pm! We should have still had an hour to sit together and socialize, but by 8:05 the team was stacking the chairs on the empty tables, turning off the TVs (we were watching Sunday Night Football), and seemed to rush us through paying the bill. Granted, no one else was in the restaurant, but they were still open for another 45 minutes...who's to say another customer wasn't going to come in? It felt a little offputting and like we were inconveniencing the team working that night. read more

I went for lunch a few months ago and I had a great experience. Decided to return last night for my birthday dinner and will not be back. I called around 4p to see if I could reserve an inside table due to the heat and the manager said they only do reservations for a minimum party of 6 (I had a party of 4). She was very kind on the phone and said she was happy to accommodate, just call when we are about 15/20 minutes out and she'll save a table inside, so we did. We arrived about 610p and it seemed packed. We were seated by 615p and ordered our drinks right away, along with an appetizer. Time goes by and we see less and less workers running around. Suddenly felt quiet behind the bar and in the kitchen. In the middle of chit chatting and waiting, we realize it is 655p. 40 minutes since we sat and ordered and we had not been looked at since! No drinks, Nothing. We gave it 10 more minutes of noticing nobody seemed to be working there and left to give our money to someone who could actually feed us. read more

Good burgers! We like that there are some redesigned meals/burgers, but you can also choose to design your own burger. We enjoy the food here. The seating is mostly outdoors, so not great if it's super hot or chilly (they do have some heaters). Patio has TVs, if you want to watch the game. Service is ok. The staff is very nice, but sometimes it seems like they need more help. And a few times we have had to wait a long time for someone to acknowledge us when we first walked in. We've eaten here several times and have enjoyed it, so we continue to come back. read more

We've been here three times in total. The first two visits were about a 7/10, but today was a 1/10. To start, we waited 15 minutes just to meet our server. We ordered sodas, which took another 20 minutes to arrive, and the food took an additional 20 minutes. My son's burger was raw, and the server never checked on us once. The bottom bun was soggy and inedible, and the staff was completely unwilling to fix anything, and had very poor attitudes.. The restaurant wasn't even full. Horrible experience -- we will never go back. read more

Our first time at the Counter last night and had a great experience! Rochelle was the bartender and made an awesome Mango Margarita and some good food suggestions. She was great and the food was awesome. We'll definitely be back! read more

This is a terrific place to eat. Due to my unique diet, I have gotten the "create your own" burger and it has always been correct! The the service is always very good to. I am very glad we found this great burger place. read more