Best pineapple shake ever! And the burgers are delish! Hometown good, remember to bring cash only.

I'm crushed to write this as I have been going to The Spot for over 25 years and that run is over today. They have become disjointed in operations, lacking in seasoning/quality, and the staff has lost their pride in service. They are no longer able to produce good tasting food in an efficient manner. Examples - Fries and burgers with limited/no seasoning, tasteless breakfast burritos with dry old tortillas, delays in service with simple orders taking excessive time even when they aren't busy, cheap and limited ingredients. The location has been under construction for over 5 years with no end in sight. The best part, they make you pay cash so they can avoid proper taxation. It's a real shame as they used to be a must lunch spot in Carpinteria. No more and it breaks my heart. read more

HORRIBLE SERVICE. We ordered 6 turkey burgers with cheese. When we got home there was no cheese. We called and asked for new burgers with cheese, they agreed. Then we drove back, instead of giving us new turkey burgers they proceeded to put our burgers back on the grill and add cheese. MIND YOU, they did not even ask if we took a bite of any of them, so they definitely cross contaminated on their grill. Disgusting. We have been coming here for years, it must be under new management or something because their service is awful! read more

Went on a day trip by Amtrak to Carpateria and wanted to try this famous surfer burger joint. Close to the beach and not far from the Amtrak station. I ordered the chili cheese burger with fries and a mug root beer. Price was reasonable..service is fast and plenty of seating to view the beach. Burger was juicy and the chili made it that much better. Fries were perfectly cooked..I paid 17 dollars for my meal and was filling for me. read more

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I experienced extremely poor service. They told us they would add cheese to our burgers, but when they returned, we received the same burgers again--clearly bitten off--expecting us to accept them as if they were new. Not to mention roaches around the door huge disappointment read more

The food is very good. It is consistently prepared beachside burger and fries or onion rings that make me want to stop in each time while at the beach. There is no inside seating. Its the vibe of an outdoor burgers tandem that you want to visit again and again. Just wish they had a drive up area with car hops and shaded parking! read more

Love this tiny burger shack. Burgers and fries are solid. Onion rings and other stuff not so much. Service is ok and can be slow on packed hours. CASH ONLY spot and they only serve Pepsi products so just go down to the liquor store for a Coke. Outdoor only seating with umbrellas which is nice to enjoy the beautiful weather. Their bathrooms deserve a re-do. Felt like it was about to collapse on me. read more

Solid beach burger, no frills. Good bun and toppings. Nice staff and clean outdoor seating. Large fry is a massive serving of thick cut and would ask for well done next time. Overall everything needs more salt and seasoning, but they do have salt packets. read more

The Spot - menu - American Near Me - Carpinteria, California

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According to staff they use Soy oil to cook in. NOT healthy. I previously ran a couple burger shops and was well known for our "famous fries" We cooked exclusively in Tallow. The only way to serve humanity. Safe. Non toxic. and a lot healthier than seed oils. read more

The food is alright. Nothing fancy. I ordered a burger there so I could take it across the street to have with a beer. The place was busy, probably because it's the closest eatery to the beach. However, the food was so plain that everything about the experience was forgettable. read more

I'm a born and raised local, this place has really gone downhill. Fries and onion rings have a weird flavor and no salt to speak of. Flavorless food. read more

Love this park, Love this Park, I'm here every year for this event!!! VIP BABY the vendors her are awesome read more

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This burgers and fries joint is right up the beach and the closest food place besides the snow cone/hot dog cart right by the beach. It's a classic with greasy burgers, hot fries, and cold milkshakes. Unfortunately I think the burgers have gone downhill recently. My burger was dry and crispy in not a good way. The fries are huge and delicious, my favorite part of my meal -with a large being big enough for 2-3 people. Service is fine, my order was ready fast because not too many people were in line. The rusty shake beach vibe is classic and will never go out do style but it would be nice for construction (?) to be done one of these years read more

The over priced rude and lack of customer service at restaurants with exactly the same menu further from the beach. Makes me wonder why put up with rude people . Oh and the Spot was 7:53 pm the closing time is 8. They fulfilled three orders and we All talked while waiting. read more

The cheeseburger, red onions tomatos and lettuce, all very fresh and priced 8.99 for a double, the vanilla malt shake was worth the calories

I had a cheeseburger and chili fries. The burger was ok. The chili fries were phenomenal. They put all your stuff in a standard brown lunch bag. I thought that was an important detail. I guess all burger-stand-type places do that anyway. So yeah. Get the chili fries! read more

Ehh...I don't doubt the cozy, vintage feel of the spot, but the food is certainly lacking. Me and my friend decided to try The Spot for a lunch date on the weekend. We came around 11:30, it was a little busy, but nothing too bad! We ordered, and then sat down at one of the patio tables. There is only outside seating, and they do not accept card, only cash. Our food came about 15 minutes after ordering. A little long for the type of environment we were in, but it's okay. I ordered a cheeseburger and a root beer float. The burger was juicy and loaded with delicious ingredients, but a LOT of sauce! It was a bit soggy on the bottom. My friend got a chocolate chip shake, and all the chocolate chunks were on the bottom. The location of this restaurant and the root beer float are the saving graces. You can't really go wrong with eating by the beach, but I will certainly suggest going to an alternative when it comes to the overall quality of your food. read more

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Less than adequate. Over hyped. Cafeteria burgers. Disorganized. Overall this place was a complete clown show this weekend from seating, to no PA, to disorganization, to completely unsatisfying food. I will never come back here and suggest you do the same. 1 star is generous. read more

A hold out from vintage Cali, this place is a winner. Everything is fresh, so yes there may be a wait for your food. Yes it's really cash only- there's an ATM inside though. The menu is delightfully limited to burgers, burritos & the expected sides. I love a double cheeseburger, lettuce wrapped with a side of fries. Add in a chocolate milkshake for the win. Enjoy! read more

Super yummy burgers and tasty onion rings! People working couldn't care less if we were there but their food is worth it. Outdoor seating which means dog friendly!! read more

The Spot - Double cheeseburger, double chili cheeseburger, large onion rings - American Near Me - Carpinteria, California

3.5 stars? Hard tack has more flavor. The petrified fries under the seat of my car have more flavor and moisture. The staff is sullen and doesn't care. The experience up the street at Esau's is quite the opposite read more

This place used to be one of my favorite spots to visit on a drive up the coast, and it still is as delicious as it used to be! We had just landed in Santa Barbara for a little midweek vacation and were heading down the coast with beer and burgers on our mind. We pulled into the little town of Carpinteria and, after a beer at Island Brewing, walked over to The Spot for dinner. About ten minutes after ordering, we grabbed our white paper bag and walked to the beach to inhale our burgers. They're so simple, but so well done - cooked through without being dry, crisp lettuce, bright red tomatoes, zippy onions, a healthy dose of cheese and a generous dollop of their special sauce. The ambience of the ocean was nothing to sneeze at, either. If we hadn't had the beers beforehand, I would've opted to get the rest of my usual order - the Chocolate Chip Shake! Already looking forward to my next trip back to hit this precious little dive and enjoy another burger on the shore! read more

The Spot - Cheeseburger in Paradise - American Near Me - Carpinteria, California

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If I'm going to splurge on caloric decadence, I'm glad places like The Spot have survived Covid and can still provide. Fish and chips and a thick milkshake made the blustery drive back to LA a joy. read more

The Spot - American Near Me - Carpinteria, California

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Lived up to the name...is the spot for a quick burger pretty juicy Surprised when my sis in law ordered a patty melt n the young lady did not know what that was. It wasn't on menu but you know young gen z/millennial Had our own beer n chowed in rear patio when we arrived for a few days camping with fam...an annual occurrence read more

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Adorable little beach town burger shack. Perfect lunch for a beach day. Old school feel. Nothing special in terms of food, but satisfies the craving for a burger and fries. Reasonable prices, but cash only. Cute and casual as can be. read more

The Spot - American Near Me - Carpinteria, California

Simple but great food. The fried fish sandwich is so good. Strawberry smoothie is made with real strawberries. Can taste the strawberries. Perfect meal after beach fun. read more

Sadly, "The Spot" is not anywhere near what it used to be. Once the favorite of "Presidents and Residents," it is now the watering hole for tourists who don't know how much better the food is a block away or how much worse The Spot is than it used to be. In Yelp, change the review setting from "Yelp Sort" to "Newest First" and you will see how truly awful the reviews have been for the past year. Upper management/ownership is asleep at the switch and, as a result, The Spot is living off its reputation... not making a new one. Esau's, Dang, Teddy, Zooker, Rincon Brewery and even Padaro are far better. I have been coming to Carpinteria for decades and it has been sad watching both the food quantity and quality at The Spot go down and down and down. Half our orders for 4 people were wrong. The single burger is now puny... The double burger is barely filling... The fish in chips is either frozen on the inside or burned on the outside... $3.75 for a bottle of water??? The French fries and the root beer floats are about the only menu items as good as they used to be. Cash only... While The Spot is the closest food to the beach... far, far better food is at max a minute walk further. read more

A rustic beach hamburger joint. Fit's the beach scene. Great people, great food, lots umbrellas over their outside seating. One note: cash only. read more

I've been coming to this place since I was a kid. I always order the double cheeseburger and chili fries...yummy!!! Food for the soul!! The Spot brings me back to my childhood. Another thing to remember before you come here...they only accept cash, so no credit cards or IOUs! lol read more

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This is the first time we were back in a few years. The place looks the same and the food is great. We always make it a point to stop in when we are in town. read more

Been going here my whole life and am always happy and full. The burgers and Mexican food are both great

best spot in the state great food and the Frosty's are so good and the staff are amazing too I can't believe they have the time and energy for all the people there read more

GREAT burger place! You don't go to The Spot for elegant ambience, you go because it's a fun beach joint with good burgers, some Mex, and excellent fries and rings. They take cash only so be aware of that. Reviewers complaining about that apparently didn't see the sign that says Cash Only right where you order, or the ATM. ‍ read more

This is a great local spot that has a convenient location of being by the beach. They are also always busy just a heads up! I have been coming here for many years and have always only gotten a classic cheeseburger and fries. You can never go wrong with that order. It tastes very delicious! They have outdoor seating and some indoors but you can also go to the beach. read more

Great little spot, right by the beach. Quality food for fair prices. Everything I've had has been great and the milkshakes are next level. 10/10 will eat here again read more

Food is delicious. Been coming since kids were born 2021. Services is, very unhappy young people that do not like their job. Ambience is outside close to beach. read more

The Spot - Extra seating by the parking lot area. - American Near Me - Carpinteria, California

Well known for one of Julia Childs favorite places to eat along the Central Coast, The Spot remains a historic treasure. Expect typical burger beach fare with Mexican food options. The onion rings are my favorite and the soft serve ice cream is a must. Lots of outdoor seating, but skip it and take it to the beach. Work off the burgers by playing ping pong after. Beach Day! read more

The Spot - Burgers and onion rings - American Near Me - Carpinteria, California

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Always need to visit the Spot when visiting Carpinteria. Old school diner food sitting right on the walkway to the beach. Great burgers and delicious onion rings and shakes. Been coming here for 30 years. Sit outside, take it home or take it to the beach and eat. Remember bring cash. read more

Been here a couple more times since my bad review. They stepped up their quality. The chicken stripes and hotdogs were much improved over a year ago. read more

The Spot is a small burger joint located near the end of Carpinteria's main street, not far from the beach and the campground. The ambiance is pretty basic - clean outdoor tables with umbrellas near the side of the building. The place has a pretty good selection of the usual burger joint fare, with a choice of burgers and sandwiches and some fried foods. The restaurant accepts cash only, but there's an ATM on premises. I ordered a cheeseburger that was OK - not good, but not bad either. My wife tried to order the same without a bun, which thoroughly confused the person at the counter; she just kind of stood there for a moment stunned at her request. After a short period of dead silence, my wife ordered a grilled cheese sandwich and fries. The food was ready within a few minutes; the fries were extra crispy as we had ordered them, but the grilled cheese was undercooked, and after the "cheeseburger without a bun" debacle, we didn't want to push our luck by taking it back to the counter, so we left our not-so-grilled cheese sandwich behind. Overall, it was a so-so meal with indifferent service for a fairly high price - $24 for a burger, sandwich, fries, and two bottled waters. We gave it a shot based on reputation, but we most likely won't be back; there are other places in town that are better choices. read more