Guilty pleasure for many, many years. Been camping in Carp for around 13 years or so and have always relied on The Spot as a go to staple of decadence. The burgers were pretty much the only thing my son would eat in the city, plain of course. We love the chili cheese dogs and fries. Their fried clams would stand up against the best anywhere. Banana malts are amazing goodness. Dogs are ok on the patio and that is a huge plus for campers. The workers are respectful and my son's little minion creature stared through the window for a decade. Don't miss the spot and don't be put off by the line. It goes pretty quickly. read more

I heard about The Spot in Carpinteria from a friend and when my boyfriend and I moved there we decided to check it out. It did not dissapoint - that's for sure. Great burgers and shakes...I have not tried the hot dogs or chicken but I did have a burrito once which I thought was weird for them to have on the menu but I wasn't really in the mood for a burger but had to order something so I thought I'd give it a try and it was awful! No flavor, dry, nothing good about it at all. I'll stick to burgers and shakes from now on. I don't like the fact that they only take cash because I rarely carry cash with me so that is a little annoying. There's probably an ATM near by bu I haven't bothered to check. read more

The Spot has about the best burgers and fries I've ever had. Maybe it's partly the sea air, but I swear by them. The portions are good and the prices are not too high. I would recommend staying with the standards though. Every time I deviate and try something new, like mexican food, I'm disappointed - there are way better places in Carp for Mexican food. But for burgers and fries . . . I give them a 6 out of 5 stars. read more

This is an awesome little burger place and right next to the beach! Not to mention I had GREAT reception!

I have different classes for burgers. old fashion restaurant fancy one of the best old fashion burgers I've had in a long time. read more

Great beach burger stand. Its kinda like carnival food though, delicious but so terrible for you. The lines were long when we went and the staff could be more friendly. But the service was fast and the food was yum. I got a cheeseburger with onion rings and a chocolate chip malt shake. Definitely a good "cheat" meal. read more

Wish I could give 4.5 stars. Thhhiiiss close to 5. amazing part of an amazing beach town, need to hit it up if you're ever there. only taking cash is the only thing holding them back for me personally. Really nice location too. Food is classic burger and fries with some mexican as well. Highly recommend. read more

The spot is a great burger and milk shake place but it is really expensive and only one small bathroom and doesn't accept credit card.but otherwise there burger, milk shakes and fries so if your at the beach i would defiantly suggest that as a good place to have lunch read more

My fiance and I went for lunch. We ordered chili cheese fries and chicken strips. Now we usually do not eat these types of foods because I cook at home, but we wanted to try this place out. There was nothing special about our food, perhaps we should have ordered something else but our food was okey. Other than this the service was good. The wait for the food was reasonable for the amount of customers they had and the location is awesome! Good little Spot! read more

Whatever you order you WILL NOT go wrong! ! Everything on the menu is amazing! The location is perfect-right on your way to the beach from downtown! It's a small burger joint and might not look too inviting, but I can guarantee you won't be disappointed! read more

Clam chowder is thick and creamy. Lots of potatoes and clams. Will fill you up.Not soupy at all! Best clam chowder by the beach! Beef taquitos are so tasty! guacamole is fresh and chunky! It's a small walk up shack! Very casual! Cash only, ATM inside. read more

The location is awesome, but the food is mediocre. If you are staying in Carpinteria, it is a convenient walk to the beach but you can do better if you are willing to drive. Padaro beach grill is much better if you are looking for burgers and go to Beach liquor or Reynaldo's if you want breakfast burritos. read more

Step aside "In and Out"! The "SPOT's" burger and fries are much tastier! Always has a line, but from order to take out with in 10 minutes.

The service and the food is always fantastic here. It's a small wait for your food but definitely worth it. My family has a saying that, "It's not vacation until we eat at The Spot, even if it's our last meal of our trip." I will drive 2.5 hours each way from North Orange County to have a double cheese burger and fries. read more

I have come to this burger joint for many years. I used to think of it as the perfect combination of burgers and beach. I was dismayed on my last visit. It was clear that the quality of the food had declined. I burped my burger all day. The onion rings were made from the tough outer rings. They were mostly inedible. I did not approach the server over the less than adequate fare because I had been dismissively treated during the order process. I couldn't imagine I would be well received. There are two other issues that are bothering me. 1. The front order window looks really messy and as if it hasn't been tended to in years. There is a difference between funky charm and just plain funk. 2. There was an order from the city to cease renovations on the indoor seating area until permits had been pulled. There was a guy working in there anyway. Not really a wise decision in earthquake prone California, nor legal. I really do wonder how much The Spot cares about it's patrons anymore. read more

I give The Spot Carpinteria 2 thumbs up! Killer burgers! I just tried The Spot on Tuesday with the boy I babysit. Fair prices for a delicious burger with all the toppings! I ordered him a cheeseburger and lemonade and I got a regular hamburger. Nice outside deck for sitting and indoor area to eat as well. I was able to keep him entertained by giving him a couple of quarters for the egg toy machines to get a sticky hand and a plastic domo ball. All in all, great location right by the beach after a day of playing in the small creative play area for kids right across the street! Satisfyingly delicious! Can't miss out! read more

I am not sure I understand the hype of this place. Coming from the bay area where we are saturated with chains, we always try to hit up local spots while on road trips. You can tell the Spot is local, however their prices and food just don't compute to amazingness. We shared a burger and a chocolate shake which came out to $8+. My other half was craving a chocolate chip shake and we were ready to be wow'd. There isn't much shade around on the patio which is dog friendly. The orders come pretty quick. We received our order a few minutes after placing it. Unfortunately the wow never happened. The shake tasted like melted vanilla ice cream and we couldn't find any chocolate chips until we drank all the shake. They sunk to the bottom. It seemed like they were dropped to the bottom of the cup before the shake was poured, and not blended in. The burger was not anything exceptional and at $4+ I found it to be quite expensive for something that didn't seem of high quality. While it's a decent place to go if there's nowhere else open, I don't think we'd come back to the spot. read more

Great shakes - good beach vibe. Cash only. Sometimes a line up. Wish they were open later.

I first went to the Spot in the early 70's as a wee lad. I know the management has changed since, but it has left an impression on me after all of these years. I take my family up there probably 6-8 times a year. I think they make a great buger, with all of the requisite juicyness and fresh ingredients you will need. Better than In N out in my opinion. Probably Shake Shack in NYC is the best of all, but The Spot has a sentimental "Spot" in this yelper's heart. read more

I had this dream last year that The Spot was only 30 minutes from my home. I believe it may have been the best dream I have ever had. Alas, it will remain only in the twice yearly Carp trips. Delicious cheeseburgers, even better onion rings, and the milkshakes, incredible. The clam chowder is going to leave you a bit disappointed, but if your the kind of person who orders clam chowder from a burger joint, maybe that's just how things are. read more

Best burgers in Carp. Remember to bring cash!

The Hamburgers are OKAY, nothing so special about the spot just that's it's close to the beach. The employees are rude, they screamed the order at me like if they were anoyyed or hated their job. I was at the pick up window because I needed straws I got no help, meanwhile they were all stading in a group by the cash register. read more

Went there after a day at the beach. Very disappointing, staff all had a bad attitude. They acted like they were doing us a favor by taking our order. We sat on the patio and the smell of bum piss was overwhelming. Don't recommend it and won't be back. read more

the food here is great, but i think the atmosphere is what keeps me coming back. good times

We went late January and food was as good as always. My only complaint is that the only cheese option is American. Blech. Always packed. Always delicious! Grab some food and then walk along the beach just 50 feet ahead. read more

Walking here on a hot summer's day, or walking up from the beach is wonderful. It's often packed, so we take our food to go and sit on the grass at the park across the street. The french fries are always crispty, and the burgers are pretty flipping fantastic. I was shocked to read all of the bad reviews, this place always has a lot of people..... read more

I don't get why people think this place is so great. I was very disappointed. One of the worst burgers I've had in years and I added bacon and avocado so how can you go wrong? The burger tasted really sweet, I don't even know how to describe it because "sweet" is not a word often associated with burgers. Yes, there are burgers you could call sweet, teriyaki pineapple burgers for instance, but this was not that. What was even worse was the hotdog, I took a bite after my boyfriend and immediately I thought it tasted like Christmas, I vocalized this and he thought it was an apt description, he said it tasted like nutmeg. I've never had a hotdog that tasted less like a hotdog. We got a salad which was worse than prepackaged ones you get at gas stations. BUT, I have to admit, the onion rings were excellent. So, if you have to drive to get here, don't even bother. If you're walking down the street however and have a craving for onion rings, maybe this is the spot for you. read more

Perfect place to eat with the kids after a day at the beach. Great burgers and fries and the thousand island on the burgers makes it even better. Minus one star for not accepting debit/credit-they have an atm inside the patio, but in this day and age where even the balloon artist at Chili's carries a card reader for tips, this could happen. Minus another star for having a non-working bathroom when I have kids. read more

Super grumpy staff and overpriced mediocre food. And, cash only with an overpriced ATM. Nice view but I'd keep biking into town for better food. read more

I've heard too many people tell me The Spot is the ultimate hamburger experience. Now I know. Don't know what it is but they have figured it out. Got to be one of the top burger stops around. read more

youre gonna have a long wait, but the burgers are OFF THE HOOK!!! YUMMMMMM!

If you are looking for a McDonalds done up in a beach shack motif then this is your place. Classic 1/4 inch thick gray and tasteless slab of what may be meat brought to life by a tomato slice, loads of lettuce and a sweet sauce, served on a soft bun. Yuk! Try Roge Tacos up the street for a fun and tasty cheap lunch but then cross to the other side of the street en route to the beach read more

Everytime I'm in Carpinteria, I have to visit the Spot. I love their hamburgers, special quesidias (pastrami), and their nachos. They are on a cash only basis. read more

This place will always remind me of summers at the beach when I was a kid. Nothing was better than walking up the street and grabbing a "Spot Burger". This is a Carp classic. Love this place. read more

Amazing burgers in this sleepy town outside of Santa Barbara! These might as well be homemade - they certainly don't taste like fast-food. Our family of four all had the cheeseburgers with bacon added as well as a side of fries, and we all loved the food! We were there on a Monday afternoon, so business wasn't too busy...we sat outside and watched the world go by as we enjoyed the terrific food. Definitely reasonably-priced for what you get. We are here for 4 more days and we will certainly be back! read more

Great burger and fun location for people and waitress watching. Burgers are drippy but tasty.

Have been coming here for years for what were great burgers. What has happened? The ranch dressing and the dressing in the burgers has changed and it's gross. Meat is thinner, onion rings are frozen. Won't bother with this again. We will opt for the clam chowder up the street. read more

My husband has been wanting to try this place forever. I've always talked him into something else b/c I was afraid this was just a greasy pit. Turns out it was everything I expected! If you're in the mood for grease, this is the place for you! read more

Yummy ice cream and cone! Great strawberry milkshake and fries!! Burgers were pretty good, would prefer more melty cheese! Great spot and great service. read more

This beach dive little place in right near the beach definitely a great place to stop after a motorcycle ride. There food is decent. Had there grilled chicken sandwhich. The chicken was great but a little to much sauce it made the bun all saggy. There fries are really good the perfect crunch and soft, they have a good combination. Onion rings make sure you ask to have them cooked a little longer because they just taste soggy. If you want Icecream or a shake I definitely have to say a hell yes. Chocolate taste is smooth almost like a whipped yogurt. The one thing I will say is they have the smallest restroom facility, if someone is suppose to fit in there I do not know how. Water is leaking all in there from the toilet to the floor and you feel like your in there kitchen because you can hear everything, Kinda gross if you think about it. They do really well for business I think they should upgrade there restroom already. Sanitary wise it's kinda gross. read more