This was my second time here, the first time I went for lunch and this time for dinner. I must say it's a lot more packed than the previous restaurant. To start we ordered some drinks, they were out of most all the white wines so I ordered something I didn't particularly love. The food was amazing portioned nicely and the sides were nice so you can share. The sauces to dip in are yummy too, but they charge .50 per dip so beware, I don't put much on my burger and prefer it on the side . It's best to eat outside when it's nice out but if you request to watch a specific sport they don't change it even if others are not watching tv, our waitress didn't know where the remote was? Overall this place is pretty good and we will return. read more

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

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

We ate at the Ladera Ranch location for the first time Saturday night and had a wonderful experience. We sat on the lovely patio under amble shade. The menu offers many choices for burgers sandwiches and salads, with an option for creating your own preferences. Husband had a traditional burger and said it was the best burger he's eaten in a very long time. I choose to build my own salad adding mahi as protein. It was delicious tender tasty and cooked perfectly I wish I had taken notice of our waitstaff's names. One was training a young woman with such patience and kindness. The same way he interacted with us. He was attentive and friendly and the trio of them made our experience even better We will be back. Even though we vehemently refrain from chains this felt more like a small establishment. read more

Food poisoning!!! My Mother got food poisoning and had to go to ER for fluids/treatment! She ordered a build your own burger! Called to let them know but they were aloof and did not want to be bothered.Will not be back read more

A nice spot for a quick burger! Service was good, the Manager Felix is a great guy, burger was fresh and delicious! Would recommend! Especially the tots! read more

Disappointing experience. Ordered the build your own burger, and half the toppings I ordered did not make it onto the burger. Service was quite slow and when I asked the server questions about the menu, she did not know the answer. Burger places are a dime a dozen in Orange County, so if burgers are the main offering on your menu, you really need to knock it out of the park. My wife's burger came out just the way she ordered it, but in her words, it was "just okay". read more

My wife and I have been aiming to try this place for a couple months now since we live in the neighborhood. We finally made it a point to come out on a Friday night and grab some dinner. The ambiance of the place was really nice as we sat in the outdoor patio which was clean with heat lamps throughout to ensure everyone was comfortable. The service of the staff was 100 stars - with the staff consistently checking on us, having a great attitude, and even moving around lamps to make my wife comfortable in the freezing California winter (70 degrees) I ordered the bison burger with parm fries while she ordered the BLT w sweet potato fries and the food came out 15 minutes after we ordered it. Very timely. My bison burger was amazingly good - cooked to order and flavorful. My wife loved her BLT. The fries were great but the sweet potato fries were definitely the fav. While at the table, I checked their yelp page and was shocked at some of the bad experiences some users had reported and wonder if those were just the kinks of a new restaurant because we had a perfect visit and will definitely be back. read more

The Counter - BLT With Sweet Potato Fries - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

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I love the cozy feel of this place. We sat at the counter and had wonderful service from the bartender. The beers are ice cold, and the mixed drinks are crafted with generous pours. I appreciate how I was able to customize my burger just the way I like it. The food was fresh and tasty, and the chocolate shake is a must! The bartender let me sample a bit, and it tasted just like a Wendy's frosty. There were many people relaxing on the heated outdoor patio. If we lived closer, I'd definitely put this place on repeat. read more

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I tried the counter years ago in Irvine. The BYO burger model is never a bad thing. From what I've heard this new location has been tough to get into but on the evening we visited, it was late enough that we could just walk in and sit. We ordered burgers off the menu rather than designing our own. I got the jalapeño burger which was yummy at first but got a bit salty towards the end from the bacon. Overall the flavor was good once you get past the salt. Can't remember exactly what wifey got but she didn't complain lol. I know she got sweet potato fries! Those were good! Definitely worth another visit once the hysteria dies down though rainy day seating will be a problem. The indoor seating is limited. Their patio space is really cool tho. Service was nice and friendly. No complaints there either. read more

I had a great first meal at the Counter, and have been here 4 times since. Rochelle is an amazing bartender. The atmosphere is very welcoming and relaxing. read more

Overall we wanted to like this place, as the last burger place here was a bust. Gave them two tries, but this just isn't the place for me. First try, waited over 30 minutes for two drinks, followed by over 75 minutes without our appetizer or anyone checking in on us. Got the appetizer, it was cold, looked good if it was fresh. 30 more minutes go by before we walk over to ask someone if we'd be getting our burgers soon(2 hours there so far), about 15 min later we get out burgers, cold and not what we ordered. Didn't want to wait any longer so we tried them. Salad was fresh and the dressing was good. I'm sure the fries would've been good when they were hot and crispy. Ordered an impossible burger and ate a few bites before realizing it was real meat, made me very sick that night. Other burgers all came out bleeding and pink in the middle. One bottom bun was soaked with blood and soggy. No one really apologized for the service or food. Second try, go for happy hour. Seems like good deals. Ordered two margaritas, took 30 min, while sitting at the bar before we had one of them made and this was around 4pm, so no busy dinner rush. Ordered fries and they came out cold and soggy. Friends ordered a burger, came out super rare and pink again. Servers and bartenders were super nice, despite not having any help from their managers who seemed annoyed the whole time. Too bad food and service are inconsistent and making people sick. Definitely just not the place for me. read more

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Food was Great, Service was great, ambiance was lovely! The chili is so tasty, so were the sweet potato fries and I did a build your own burger which was tasty too! I would come back read more

The Counter - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

*This is a super new restaurant in their soft-opening so hopefully this helps the restaurant improve!* We were super excited to try The Counter! We ordered the Counter burger, the Bacon BBQ burger, and the kids burger! We also got sides and shakes. The sides and shakes were delicious! The burgers were good too, but the kids burger is advertised as cooked well-done and it was raw. I made my kid spit it out once I realized she was eating raw meat!! It's hamburger meat so it needs to be cooked a little bit! Crossing our fingers we don't get sick! So yeah, train the cooks to leave the burgers on the grill for a few more minutes at least and all should be good! read more

The Counter - Kids burger is basically rare! Almost moo'ing! - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

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I am giving three stars because of the manager. We are regulars there and order food all the time to take out. And the food is very good and we love eating there. However, the manager refuses to allow us to order "to go' for happy hour and insist that we have to dine in the store to get the happy hour prices . She told me over the phone that I can come to the store and place the order and they'll give it to me on a plate and then she'll hand me a box and I can box it myself this way I satisfy the happy hour requirement of having to dine in the store. I would not lose a customer who is regular because you want to have them dine in instead of having to order takeout and honor the happy hour prices. Not very good business decision on the manager's behalf now I will order takeout somewhere else. read more

I went in with high expectations of The Counter, and while I wasn't completely disappointed, I also wasn't thrilled. You can expect great customer service, that's for sure! From the host to the server and i think I even the manager was roaming around to make sure everything was good. I liked the ambiance as well, with lots of seating and just a cozy setting in general. We ordered off the lunch menu, which I thought was fairly priced, but still on the higher end. My daughter ordered a burger, which she loved but I thought it was just a burger. Nothing ordinarily special with taste. The tater tots were cooked to perfection and had a crispy texture but not overcooked. My sister ordered the patty melt, and again, it was ok, it was smaller than I would have expected and their sauce needed to be better flavored. I love shoestring fries and they were good, but a tiny bit overcooked. I ordered a Cesar salad with chicken and I will say that was my favorite dish on the table. I like the shredded lettuce, the Cesar dressing was good and the chicken was good. This place wouldn't be on the top of my list to return too, however, I am glad I tried it. read more

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We tried this new place and the burgers were amazing and so was the server, she did a great job taking care of us her name is Rochelle. Next time you come here make sure she is helping you. read more

Great food, good prices, good service. We like sitting outside, and the heaters worked well when it cooled down. It is the place to go for a casual dinner out. read more

I'm really not sure why this place has such a low rating. I love this place! The burgers are really fresh and well made. You can choose how you want your burgers cooked, which is pretty cool. They also offer different types of meat and not just beef. I can't recall if they had a vegan option or not. You can also choose your choice of bread, veggies, and fries. Some of the veggies cost extra (such as the mushrooms). The location is right at the corner of the mall and most of the seating is outside. It's really pleasant as there are a lot of trees for a pleasant view. The staff seems to be friendly as well. If you ever get a chance, you should check this place out! read more

My husband and I were excited to try The Counter for take out because their menu looked delicious. Unfortunately our shakes came half full and we weren't given the sides to either of our orders. We ended up with 1/3 of our order missing. Very disappointing. Only positive is that the burgers and half shake we received were very good. read more

Haven't been to the restaurant, only delivery, but the food is bomb every time. Chili is amazing and their banana split shake if so delicious! Highly recommend and will be visiting again soon. read more

We love this place for its excellent service and food. Building a burger is so much fun as there are so many yummy options that you select from a check sheet. The patio area has cozy seating and screens to watch your favorite game. Try their happy hour, and trust me, you will be back again. read more

About 15 of us dropped in for a late lunch. The burgers and the chili and the wings were really good. Their fries are great. I had the tri tip salad. I was very disappointed. Not much flavor and everything was unexciting. I got asked for a balsamic dressing, which improved the dish quite a bit. Stick to their core menu. The service was very good. The patio was lovely. I'll be back. read more

Fantastic food and Rochelle was an amazing bartender! Made me feel so welcome and explained the menu in detail. Looking forward to going back again soon. Deven read more

Good build your own burgers & beers. Friendly servers & hosts. Large shaded patio. Decent burger place & will come again.

What a lovely afternoon we spent on the patio! The friendly servers, delicious food, excellent draft choices, and lovely environment made our Monday feel like a Friday afternoon!. Thank you, Rochelle, for your friendly demeanor and excellent service! read more

Great food and a great vibe. I had the BLT&A and my wife and kids had their burgers. We'll definitely be going back often.

Great burgers. You can custom any burger you'd like. Great service too. Perfect spot for the family. Will be back

We got there around 6:30 and the place was packed. We were fortunate that a table opened up near where there was music being played by Clif Miller. We were equally fortunate with our server. Rochelle M could not have been more attentive and helpful in placing our order and following up to be sure we were happy with our selection and beverages. Her suggestion of the brussels sprouts ended up being a great choice. We'll order it again next time and hope Rochelle can take care of us as well. All around nice meal and entertainment. read more

We enjoy sitting at the bar. Service is always great, food fresh and warm. Love their sweet potato fries. They have an amazing selection of delicious milk shakes. read more

I would have loved to come here for dinner. I linked to the website just to see what to expect as far as menu and pricing. They don't list pricing on the menu and are instructed to go to the order online link. When you do that you are notified that they will not take orders from 6-7;15. When you finally find a way to navigate around that just to see the prices you must click a drop down with options of pick up, etc. next drop down states when you want your food and where you are located just to see pricing. Total BS. When you finally get to this point on my phone screen I could not even find out if dries come with your burger. They make this so hard just to find pricing and menu items that I will never go to this place . Just have pricing on your website and you might get more customers, you lost me! read more

Very good burger in Ladera, would definitely recommend. Location is cool and the outdoor seating is nice.

I believe in supporting local businesses, but this place is making it difficult. I've dined in the restaurant a couple of times and it was fine. The problems arise when you order food for delivery, such as doordash. We've ordered from here at least a dozen times since The Counter opened in Ladera Ranch. The first year I made excuses for them when items were wrong or missing - "They're a new business, they have new staff in training, they're going through growing pains." The second year the issues continued - "They probably need just a little more time." Now that the restaurant is in its third year things should be running much more smoothly, but unfortunately it seems like nothing has improved. Items are still missing and/or incorrect on almost every order. If you order for delivery the one thing that they'll mess up 90% of the time is leaving out the sauce. They won't put sauce on the burger (and perhaps that's because they don't want the bun to get soggy during delivery). That's fine, but then the sauce should be included on the side. However, there's no sauce at all - none on the burger and none on the side. I've even tried ordering and paying for extra sauces to trick them into actually including some sauce with my order. Nope, they still won't include any sauce with the order. It's an odd way to scam an extra profit out of the customers. I imagine them in the back room wringing their hands and plotting like evil geniuses, "If we don't give them any sauce we can profit an extra 5 cents per burger! We'll be billionaires in no time!" So tonight again no sauce and also no bacon on the bacon cheeseburger. My suggestion to you, Counter owners and management, would be to have a staff member double check and fix the orders before they go out. Actually caring a little bit about the customer's orders and getting them right can go a long way in the restaurant business, FYI. read more

I would go 2.5 but I'm not sure that's possible. Even 3 stars is better than middle of the road. And this place teeters on subpar. Food kinda is only ok. Service is kinda only ok. Ambiance is kinda only ok. And the bathroom is gross. And the beer is expensive. Probably wouldn't come back. And would never recommend it. How's it that the jalapeño burger comes with a jalepeno on the side and no jalepeno on the burger. read more

Tasty burger made exactly how I asked. Quick and friendly service. Loved the outdoor seating.

Loved it here! The burgers were yummy and the siracha wings are definitely my favorite. The waitress is really nice! The Bloody Mary was so good too. Coming back for sure. read more

The Counter - Bloody Mary with Tito's Vodka. - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

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Please do not come here. The food is terrible. The prices are ridiculous for the amount of food and quality of the food. I ordered two dishes and each were awful. Chicken tenders burned to a crisp and a dried up sourdough BLT. The tater tots taste like frozen potatoes they got at the market. There is nothing authentic about this place. The food is disgusting with no flavor whatsoever. Please save your money unless you like dry burnt flavorless food. read more

The Counter - Burnt kids chicken tenders with frozen tater tots. - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

$8.50 for side order of tots this is what we got when we picked up. An actual rip off for the price read more

The Counter - $8.50 side order of tots - Burgers Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

We love The Counter! We've been enjoying their food for 10 years at other locations! And met my husband there! Reading some other reviews- I just wanted to share... Their beef is top quality so you can order it blue (literally raw with a sear). Their burgers are larger than what most places offer (they are 1/3 most places offer 1/4) so they cook their burgers to true temps like you would a steak and because the meat is thicker, you're going to see more color. However, I do know they are just now opening so they need to work out some kinks just like any other restaurant. Let them make mistakes so they can be better. And maybe just tell them in person so they can correct it. Definitely give this restaurant a chance. The food is amazing and very versatile! It's great if you want a gluttonous burger or if you want something healthy. And it's a great place to take the kiddos. read more

We went there today for lunch and sat outside next to building. I am giving 1 star not because of food or service but because of the FLYS. Can't say anything about the food as we lost our appetite trying to cover our food and drinks from the flys and took food home. Too bad as we wanted to like this place, One and done. To owners -clean this mess up, and to patrons DO NOT SIT NEXT TO BUILDING. read more

So excited to finally have The Counter open near us. The food here is AMAZING!!!! Chili cheese fries are an absolute must. Build your own southern fried chicken sandwich, cooked to perfection every time. The chicken is so tender and juicy. So many options here for all likes and wants. Service is great. Outdoor patio is so nice and cozy. We come here at least once a week. You must go try it! read more

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