These are archived reviews of Burgers and Brew from 2008. For more recent comments, please visit the entry.
2008-01-01 09:43:36 Finally got a chance to go here a few nights ago. I don't know what people are talking about as far as ambiance — on the patio, it was loud and I felt like the other diners were practically sitting on top of me. It took a long time to get seated, but once we were seated our waitress was attentive. I wasn't overly impressed with their selection of draft beers (pretty boring, and none of my faves — why is it so hard to find Newcastle on tap?). I ordered the jalapeno cheeseburger since everyone here said it was good, along with the curly fries since everyone said avoid the garlic fries. The burger was fantastic! However, by the time it got to my table, the bottom bun was already getting soggy due to sitting in it's own juices. However, it was salvageable by wiping the excess juice off the plate with a napkin and eating the rest of the burger upside-down. The curly fries were very good as well. Overall, despite some deficiencies, I was left with a pretty favorable impression, and will return. So overall: Ambience: D | Service: C | Beer: B | Food: A- | Value (quality/price): A —AlexPomeranz
2008-01-01 10:23:59 I finally went back for dinner during the holidays. No crowds. The waiter accommodated our switching tables 3 times until we found one the let the cold people sit directly under a heater and the warm people to sit away from it. The food was really very good. One burger order was messed up and came with chicken on it. The waiter offered to have it re-made, but the diner said it was delicious and ate it. One person thought the garlic fries were just fine. Another wanted more garlic, which was quickly fixed. In the end, the incorrect burger was comp'd by the restaurant, even though it was eaten. We all agreed that the place was a hit and will be coming back again and again. —SharlaDaly
2008-01-03 19:26:11 Really good red meat is the highlight of this restaurant. The turkey burger was not very good, and somewhat undercooked for pultry. One tip if you dont like iceberg lettuce, have one person at your table get the mixed greens and use those in your burger. Then split the frys. —MattHh
2008-01-03 23:01:40 This new bar/grill was brought to my attention by a work related acquaintance and i am, of that, truly fortunate. First impression (aesthetically): overwhelmingly different from the previous occupying restaurant. Wonderful fireplace on the patio seating area, a lovely romantic ambiance and not to mention the selection of beverage. Being vegetarian, the selection, being a popular-styled burger joint, was more accommodating than most. The servers/host are all very warm and friendly, and the atmosphere, at most, is rather inviting. I give this place a grade 'A' for an all around breath of fresh air for this community in general :]
2008-01-04 00:00:05 Went here for lunch a week or so ago, it was busy even at 11:30. The outdoor patio area is nice: warm, but not stifling and humid like Sophia's outdoor tent always used to be. I had the new england clam chowder in a bread bowl. I was expecting a small serving, so I got an order of chili cheese fries too. Wow, the portions here are enormous! I could barely finish the chowder, which was excellent. Huge pieces of clam, no grit. Great texture and flavor. The bread was nice, crispy on the outside, and nice and soft inside, a perfect bread bowl. This was on par with some of the best chowders I've had in Seattle, Georgetown, and SF. The chili cheese fries were very good, but nothing to write home about. I would not order them as a side for myself, as they were huge. They'd be great for a couple people (or more) to share. —ChrisLambertus
2008-01-07 10:17:08 Food is decent. Got the cheeseburger, which is ordinary. Curly fries are crispy. Ambiance is good. But biggest downfall is their service. Seriously took 15 minutes for our server to come bring us water. Another 15 to order. And she forgot to bring all the condiments we asked for- ketchup for the fries and ranch. She even forgot my beer until I asked her for my check. The check in itself took 15 minutes to come.
I hate to skimp people on their tips, but when the place is not busy, you should be on top of your customers. I saw other tables complaining about their servers as well. A group of 5 got so fed up after sitting with their menu for 20 minutes, they left. I would have done the same if I did not get my food after 20 minutes. But impolite to dine and dash.
Overall, if the service was better I think this place could easily be a 3…or 4 star.
2008-01-07 17:14:47 I've eaten there twice. The first time, the burger was outstanding, the salad was ok, the service was good (although the waiter came over to check on me WAY too often), and I got an upset stomach a short time later. The second time, the burger was not as good, the salad was the same, and the service was non-existent, although my stomach did much better with it. —IDoNotExist
2008-01-08 11:46:16 I have been in twice, and I really like the atmosphere, but the service has been bad both times.
The first time I was in, I mentioned that I had read on the Wiki that the shakes were runny. I said I wanted a shake on the thicker side, and the guy at the register got really bent out of shape. He said the Wiki is really unreliable because people just make things up. He mentioned that he was really upset about the accusation of the buns being from Safeway... FYI, they are from Village Bakery. My problem began when I ordered one of the burgers with a veggie patty instead of meat. My assumption was that this would be a simple substitution and the price would be the same. Evidently I was wrong. They charged me for a veggie burger plus the extra items the regular burger comes with. It ended up costing me more! The cashier didn't tell me that, and I didn't study my receipt, so I didn't figure this out until my food came out. At that point, I decided to make a mental note to make sure my order was done correctly next time. The burger was good, the garlic fries were too salty, and my shake was not as thick as I like it, but not runny.
The second time I came in, I ordered the same burger with a veggie patty. I had the same cashier. He started to ring my order in the same way as before, and the burger came to $10.00. I told him that I wanted him to ring it in as the regular burger I wanted and sub the meat with a veggie patty. It would be $7.75 that way. He got really upset and said the way he was doing it was the way he had been taught. At that point, another employee came over and asked what was going on. The cashier told him not to worry about it, and he pounded something into the register that added up to $7.75. It turned out to be the regular burger, and the cashier explained to the cooks what I wanted. He was irritated and pretty rude about the whole thing. The burger was good, the curly fries were good, but my shake was very runny.
Overall, I don't think the menu is very vegetarian-friendly if you can't order any burger with a veggie patty for the same price. I also think something needs to be done about the shakes. —Shelly
- Im a little confused. The menu says the garden burger is 6.95 and the regular burger is 6.25. Both come with the same condiments except red pepper mayo is added to the garden burger. Are you saying that you wanted one of those special burgers and then sub the meat for an extra 70 cents, but he ran it as a garden burger with a bunch of expensive toppings? —MattHh
2008-01-08 17:09:32 You can now substitute a veggie patty on any non-veggie burger without charging more. —davistudent
2008-01-09 16:41:46 I was trying to order a fancy burger (I said regular, but that just meant non-veggie to me). The cashier did ring up my order as a veggie burger plus a bunch of expensive toppings. The fancy burger was $7.75; my veggie burger plus the fancy toppings was $10.00. My issue with the cashier was his attitude, which really is separate from whether he was correct. I posted here, because I don't think the menu is vegetarian friendly (most places that serve veggie burgers will substitute a veggie patty on any non-veggie burger without charging more. Really it should be less, as the veggie patty is cheaper than the beef, but I'm willing to let that one go.) Perhaps I will talk to Derar if I go back. —Shelly
- I was the cashier you had and I'm sorry if I was rude, they changed the policy on substituting garden patties with any burger, it now doesn't cost extra and is easier for the cashiers. —MattFrantz
2008-01-10 16:54:02 Best burger is still Tommy J's (if it still exists), but Burgers and Brew is a close second. Too bad B&B has ass service, although you can tell that it's not entirely due to the staff. I've found the staff to be generally pretty good, but the overall layout of the restaurant and waiting system is pretty whack. They were nice enough to give me a free Nutella Cheesecake on my birthday though. —SeatonTsai
2008-01-14 16:27:34 I was very excited for this place to open when I saw the sign come up one day when I was going to Crepeville. I have been really into craft brew and great Belgian beers for some time and really hoped for a unique beer selection topped with excellent burgers. So a few weekends ago, I finally got over to Burgers and Brew, and was satisfied, but somewhat disappointed. First I will start off with the food; the burgers are probably some of the best burgers I have ever had. It is always nice to order a burger medium-rare and to not have the waiter say "how about medium" because they do not cook their burgers that way. The fries and salads were also very excellent, and to wash it down with a goblet of Duvel was pretty amazing.
Now onto the beer selection. I really think that the selection is a start, the bottle list is pretty impressive, but mostly its beer I feel I can easily find somewhere else in Davis. There is such a good microbrew scene in Northern and even Southern California, and I think it would be really cool to feature a lot of California breweries; right now I especially feel like their tap selection is really weak. Some rare Belgians and sour beers would also be a great addition to their bottle list. I guess it would be a risk to get some of these beers in a college town where people may just stick to their Fat Tire or Blue Moon (don't get me wrong, these are great beers, but I can find them at the gas station), but maybe they could host some beer appreciation classes or something to get people really into these tasty beers.
Overall, this is surely a place to check out, I just hope their beer list improves with time. —JohnSanatar
2008-01-19 11:48:29 Went there last night (2008-01-18); great service, great beer selection. I was very disappointed that I ordered my burger medium rare and it came out closer to medium well. Based on other comments they are usually good about this. In fact I was very excited when the waiter said they would even cook it rare if I wanted. I will definitely try it again. —Gol
2008-01-21 17:01:16 The food is delicious; the no split-check policy is ridiculous. —BobReinhardt
2008-01-23 09:18:01 Went there last night with the gf after waiting a few weeks for the crowds to die down and things to settle. The place looks really nice inside and on the deck. Even though it was quite chilly last night, the deck actually seemed warmer than the tables located inside. The burgers were excellent and flavorful and cooked as we intended. Service was fine and the burgers arrived quickly even though the place was busy. Plates were dressed nicely and portions were great. My only complaint would be the fries were a bit undercooked for my liking. The GF agreed that they could have been cooked a bit longer, next time I'm trying the onion rings. —loneshark
2008-01-25 13:11:59 Recently visited B&B with friends. 1) My cheeseburger and fries were realllly good and I was so excited that the prices are so low for such great quality food and big portioning. 2) I liked the classy bathroom. Cleanliness and fancy faucet knobs are always appreciated. =) —EliseKane
2008-01-25 15:26:06 Everything I've had here (two visits) has been good so far. Complaints: when I went around lunchtime the inside was smoky and hard to breathe, as well as really loud making it hard to get the orders right. I felt sorry for the staff. It wasn't so bad as when I went around dinnertime. I do appreciate the cider on tap. —AllisonEriksen
2008-01-26 10:46:29 Anyone find it odd that when you upgrade to garlic fries or curly fries you add 75 cents, but the difference al la carte is only 55 cents. Considering the recently resolved veggie burger issue, above, maybe it would be a good idea for them to look through their menu for all the pricing inconsistencies. —MattHh
2008-01-26 20:54:10 They should start serving magic hat, a delicious little east coast beer. —KenichiSan
2008-01-29 02:24:17 I've been to Burgers and Brew twice now and really enjoy the restaurant. The beef is delicious, and, unlike most other people on here, I rather enjoy the buns as well. The turkey burger I ordered the second time I came was decent, but the beef patty on my avocado cheeseburger was fantastic. It hasn't been too busy when I've been there and the service was fine both times. My only real complaint is that it seems unnecessary to have a burger joint, albeit an upscale one, waited on, especially when there is limited seating. It should just be like crepeville where you pay at the counter all day long. That said, I am very thankful that it does something crepeville doesn't do, which is accept plastic. —JakeJames
2008-02-09 09:11:46 i went thursday night with a group of friends, even though the place was packed, we had a great waiter. actually, waiterS. which is nice to experience. milkshakes are good, fries are alright, the grilled chicken has that great cibatta bread. and they were nice enough to return something that i lost the next day. —mikam
2008-02-11 09:21:34 i went here for the second time last night. i had phoned in a to go order, and was told it would be ready in about 15-20 minutes. i arrived 20 minutes later, and was told it would be just a few minutes longer, and that i was welcome to sit down and wait. i proceded to wait 20 more minutes before i overheard one of the waitstaff telling the cook that he needed to make my order first, because they apparently forgot it. i ended up waiting almost 30 minutes longer that what i was told on the phone, and when i finally got my order, i asked the cashier what had been the holdup. before he could respond, another person horned in and said that they were very busy and that they lost my order, sorry. needless to say, the manner in which he "apologized" was nothing short of rude and offensive. i asked the cashier if that was the owner, and he said yes it is and gave me a more sincere apology. i can look past slow service, even if it is a chronic problem, as evidenced by all the other comments, but blatant rudeness is unacceptable, especially from one of the owners. it really is a shame, because the burgers were delicious, and my fiancee and i were planning on making this our normal burger place. i wont be returning, and since it was the owner that i have a problem with, i wont return to crepeville either. —JeffIto
2008-02-11 11:17:25 My husband and I went there on Friday at around 4:30. It was great! The burgers were delish and the shke we shared was awesome. We had no problems with the service, everyone was really friendly and prompt. We got our food in 10 minutes. I like how they put pepper on the fries! —MyaBrn
2008-02-11 12:19:56 Its totally yummy. Great idea, super tasting burgers. Fries are consistently a bit undercooked in my opinion and given how busy they are I'm a bit nervous to ask for them double fried or darker. Hope the owner's realize attitude is important and begin to offer a more consistent experience for their customers. —loneshark
2008-02-15 07:39:09 Wen there again because we liked it so much! The service was great again and so was the food. However- to the person responsible for making the shakes: the choco shakes are perfect without Hershey's syrup poured on top. —MyaBrn
2008-02-21 00:53:14 I tried this place for the first time tonight. The place was packed! And understandably so. . .the food is delicious and it's a fun spot to hang out, chat and have a beer. I ordered their avocado + cheese burger w/ garlic fries. The burger was tasty. I liked the garlic fries. I've had better, but these were fine. The best part is that they're open late. Overall, it was great experience and I'll definitely be going back. —CurlyGirl26
2008-02-23 13:06:23 2nd time there this morning with my brother. The last time I really enjoyed the burger but the fries could have been cooked a bit more for my liking. Today ordered the onion rings and they were just awesome. Golden brown and yummy. Bacon Cheeseburger was excellent. My brother enjoyed his cheeseburger and also the rings. Sat on the deck this time and those heaters are great. Very toasty and was able to take off my jacket and actually warm up. Not at all crowded at 11:30 on Saturday morning and I really enjoyed it. —loneshark
2008-02-26 21:54:09 Took the family here a second time and we're hooked. On the positive side: delicious cheeseburger; my wife loves the turkey burger with wheat bun; I like the salt & pepper fries; the delicious mixed greens salad comes with every burger (but ask for dressing on the side because otherwise it's swimming); delicious pear cider. On the negative side: very loud on Friday night (like lean over the table to hear what your spouse is saying); uncomfortably hot heaters if you're right under it. Overall it's great and we'll be back many times. Can't say the same for Crepeville though, so I'm pleasantly surprised by it. —EdHenn
2008-02-28 12:51:29 so just because you open a restaurant that serves beer and wine does not automatically make you a connoisser! I went into burgers and brew last weekend for a beer with my buddy and the manager( atleast he acted like he owned the place) tried to convince us that the Corona beers that we ordered were made in Pittsburgh, Penn. WHAT???? corona is OBVIOUSLY a mexican beer..... it says so right there on the damn bottle. and he was a total jerk about it. I have never liked these guys whether at crepeville here in davis or the crepeville in sacramento. I agree with the comment that everybody should boycott this place as well as the crepevilles. HEY FRENCHY........ CORONA IS HECHO IN MEXICO!!!!! —JoMama
2008-02-28 18:22:41 The burgers are awesome, although the bacon on the bacon cheeseburger tends to be more soggy than crispy and that might bother some people. Another warning, the chili on the chili cheese fries tastes exactly like canned chili (not that tasty). On a busy evening, I had finished my entire burger before someone refilled my water glass. On both busy and slow nights, they failed to take the onions off of my burger. In general, I think they have problems with customizing orders. The service is not fantastic, but the burgers are worth it, and definitely good for the price. —Kiran
2008-03-18 01:00:51 Their chicken philly sandwich is excellent, their cheeseburger is okay, their fries are fine, and their service is satisfactory. The side salad they offer with sandwiches and burgers is a spring mix, much better than the iceberg mix other sit down places serve. Watch out for the malt shakes—they're more flavorful than the milkshakes but that extra flavor can taste like Fat Tire amber ale. Has anyone else noticed the owner pacing around here some evenings and watching everyone like a hawk? —StephenUy
2008-03-18 19:38:48 OMG! I love this place. Hooray meat! Blue Moon on tap. Yum! Bacon cheese burger that I had for dinner was amazing! —JamesThomas
2008-03-20 15:59:57 so im not a big fan of meat. but i decided to get their philly and cheese sandwich and it was deliciously amazing! their prices are pretty good. this place looks so cozy too. i recommend this place to everyone! —jentruong
2008-03-20 21:48:09 Had lunch there the first week of March. The burger was OK, but it came with a salad that overcame the plate. Since I had not been there before I and two buddies got 3 burgers and 3 brews...$38 are you kidding me. Wait till my parents get the credit card bill, they will shoot me. I need to find a more resonable priced place to eat nearby...I guess back to the CoHo. Overall not impressed with the food for the $$$ spent. —davisdan
- i think $38 for 3 meals + 3 beers is pretty reasonable, especially since the portions here could feed two people at a time (the burgers are 1/2 lb of meat). it's also nice that your parents pay your credit card.
- I think it's nice that his parents pay for his friends' meals. I can't see how you were surprised by the prices. Did you not look at the menu prices before you ordered? Or can you not add? I bet mom and dad are glad to see that education being used. —AllisonEriksen
2008-03-21 23:13:59 Ok Ok this place is not the best just average at best Habit is much better or for a quick good burger go to Carls JR
WHAT DO YOU CALL A COW WITH NO LEGS
GROUND BEEF —Brians
2008-03-21 23:44:33 To the comment above this, all the burgers here are made from Niman Ranch beef, a high quality meat processor and distributor. It's quality you can taste as long as you don't get your burger well-done. I'm pretty sure the meat here is much higher quality than what they use at the Habit or Carl's Jr. Also, B & B is a much nicer placer to have a meal (decor & full service). I'm confused by anyone who complains about beer selection here. What other restaurant/bar in Davis has HALF as many options? Plus, the Guinness/Newcastle is the same price ($4) as the other beers on tap, both of which I'm pretty sure are $5 on tap at places like Sophia's. Anyway, I think the burgers here are great (the philly steak too) & love the Delirium Tremens. —davistudent
2008-03-23 15:33:48 The best restaurant in Davis, period. You simply cannot get food of this quality for under ten dollars anywhere else. For dollar value, places such as Hometown are close, but the atmosphere and service set this place apart. The portions are large enough that two people should split a regular burger and fries, making it an even better deal. Never had a problem with the service... always prompt and courteous. Big bonus points for being open late. I like to head over to cap off a long poker night. —tombrokaw
2008-03-29 02:00:31 Table service seems awkward and could really use a few more side options (wings maybe nachos with their chili). Grilled cheese off of the kids menu is a rocking deal. Beer selection is great, but some more craft brews would be nice. —stevie13
2008-03-29 11:11:23 I too got a bad stomach ache after eating here. I ordered the philly which was very sad and pathetic, I agree the decor is nice, but that's meaningless as far as me being a returning customer. I also don't understand how most people have commented that their food was good but still had problems with it...so your saying is it wasn't good then?? I feel like this place is surviving on the fact that's it's new and trendy. Like people keep going there because everyone else keeps going there?? idk, i won't be one of them —MargieVanHealy
2008-04-02 17:03:43 I went there a few days ago with the fam. I ordered a cheeseburger with blue cheese cooked rare. Another one at our table ordered a medium rare. Yet all of our burgers came out very well done, no redness or pinkness. Then they let people come in and wait right around our table, pretty much hovering over us as we ate. I found the onion rings to be pretty good. The burger besides not begin made to order like they stated and having way too much mayonnaise was ok. I agree that the only reason there's a line is because its new and trendy. Would I go back there? probably. I just hope that they can give a quality product instead of dishing out as many as they can. —mickey
2008-04-02 17:32:28 I went there yesterday and had Fish & Chips and a Fat Tire beer from the tap. They offered malt vinegar. Honestly, I didn't really know for sure what it was for, but I dipped the fish in it and it was interesting-tasting. I thought everything was pretty good...the fish was tasty, the beer was yummy, the service was friendly...and the price was reasonable for what I got. I'd take a friend there in the future. —RonB
2008-04-11 01:32:51 their food is awesome. i got a stomach ache after, but thats what i get for having a man's meal when im clearly just a boy. or it might've been that i ordered the bacon and jalapeño burger. anywho, my managers are friends with the servers and managers, so the service is always awesome. sorry, cant speak for the regular folk out there that have eaten there though. haha —echelon
2008-04-11 16:51:51 I went here a few weeks ago. I thought I wrote a review, but I guess not. Anyway, the food was good. I had a bacon and jalapeno burger, or whatever. It was served fairly quick. My girlfriend got a chocolate shake that I sampled and it was good too. The staff seemed friendly and attentive. The bill was very reasonable. I haven't read all of the other reviews, so I don't know if it's been a problem for anybody else, but it was HOT in there. I felt like I was under a heat lamp. It was also really dark. We had to read the menu by the little tea candle on the table. It was really crowded too. The tables were spaced too close together. We had to rub against people eating to get to our table. Fortunately we didn't have anybody have to rub against us when we were eating, but I was uncomfortably close to the person behind me. I do plan on going back, but I'm going to try to make it during the day and hopefully it'll be less crowded. —BradBenedict
2008-04-16 20:48:00 Visited for the first time today and had the Bacon Cheeseburger with a Newcastle, which went well together. After consulting with Adam, my server, about what wine might make a good pairing with this burger, we agreed on the Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel after he brought out a taster. Reminded me of the final scene in Sideways where Paul Giamatti's character downs the Château Cheval Blanc with his burger! The executive chef recommended one of the Rieslings, but I think that might be better with an avocado-jack burger instead. —MattJurach
2008-04-16 22:40:57 Zac had some superb service last night, jalap/bacon cheeseburger was good —StevenDaubert
2008-04-16 23:46:27 Most of the seating is outside, and although they have several heating elements in the ceiling, as well as a fireplace, I haven't seen anything resembling air conditioning there. I'm wondering how they plan to keep the place cool when it gets hot... —IDoNotExist
2008-04-18 08:09:40 I've been there several times since their opening, and have been quite impressed every time. I haven't had any trouble with the service, except for things being a little slow when the place is completely packed, and there aren't many places that won't slow down when they're completely full. The food is excellent, I think they're the best burgers in Davis by far - this is the only place that seems to actually know what a medium rare hamburger is and is willing to serve one to me. —BrianWilliams
2008-04-18 11:37:03 Rumor is theyre going to be opening up another one in Sacramento, next to Zocalo's where the restaurant Dragonfly now sits. —JamesSchwab
2008-04-18 21:03:11 I got major food poisoning here. —DavidShapowski
2008-04-22 00:51:33 In termes of tase, I think Burgers and Brew is just decent. Not the best burger I've had, but far from the worst. On the other had, if you include atmosphere and their late night hours, I really start to appreciate this place and its workers. Having work in a restaurant that was part bar, I can understand the challenges of serving buzzed/drunk people and I've never seen a server here lose it or less than polite. The Brother Thelonious beer that they carry is really tasty. —AlvinTsao
2008-05-07 14:17:30 Does anyone know if they take reservations for the weekends? —MyaBrn
2008-05-10 18:01:02 As I am a dietitian, I should say this place should be bulldozed into the ground for serving such gigantic, greasy, heart-attack burgers, salty fries, and creamy thick whole-fat milkshakes. However I am also a human, therefore this place seriously rocks! Its sooo good. The best indulgence anyone could ever ask for. Thank you Burgers and Brew for being awesomely delicious. I <3 you. —JuliePalmer
2008-05-10 18:41:01 Overall I like this place, but my feelings are a little mixed. The service can be really annoying at times. For example, the other day I went there with a few other people and we got there at 11:10am, just after they'd opened. I had never been there for lunch before (only dinner) and there was nothing to indicate to me that we were supposed to seat ourselves. Two employees were opening up the windows but they didn't seem to feel that it was necessary to help us understand what to do. Finally we figured it out and sat down at a table, waiting for our waiter. Again, we waited, and again we realized that we were supposed to order at the counter. At the end of our meal I saw a sign by the door that said please order at the counter, but that had been put up after I got there. They should make it clearer to their customers what kind of serving style they are operating (because at night it is the complete opposite, you are seated by a host and you are waited on by a waiter).
NONETHELESS, the food here is amazing! I absolutely love the avocado cheeseburger. So juicy and tasty and greasy and delicious. I've also had the turkey avocado melt, which is also very tasty and great if you're looking for something a little lighter than a burger for lunch. And this sounds silly but the salad they serve on the side is also really good. If you're looking for some really good food Burgers & Brew is the place to be, just don't expect the service to be perfect. —OscarSabino
2008-05-11 01:15:46 I generally have a good time here, but we found out last time we went at 1:45 in the morning that they pull your drink at 1:50, as in they actually take your drink away from you whether you're done or not and charge you full price no matter how much is left. Which is fine if that's their policy, but I feel that if you order alcohol at 1:20ish as my friend did they should tell you about it before you have just five minutes left to try to finish off a 750ml beer. Not cool. —yzheng
- That's the policy of every establishment not only in Davis, but every City where they cannot serve drinks or have people drinking after 2AM. You probably arrived after they called last call. If you order an alcoholic drink at 1:45AM you can expect to have to drink it very fast. -JimSchwab
2008-05-11 11:42:55 If you're looking for a place to have a good burger, and a good beer this is a great place to be. I have never had a problem with the service as many others have had. This not the kind of place you'd want to order a Bud Light...try something new that you have never had before, their selection is top notch. Sure, I have had to wait in-line 10-15 minutes for a table during the evening rush. Their onion rings are good, but your really don't get a whole lot, but their burgers are fantastic. I haven't even considered ordering anything off the right page of their menu (the left side has their selection of burgers). It is small, they don't have a ton of room to work with, so it can get noisy on the pation. I'm glad they have a little outdoor section available....the heaters in the patio was definately a smart decision by management. —JasonA
2008-05-11 14:21:14 Anyone know if its true that they use garlic powder to make their garlic fries? Or is it that they do use real garlic and then add the powder to ensure its "garlicy-ness?" Cause if its the former, then why would I want to pay $0.75 for powder? I have yet to go here, so I'm basing this all on hearsay. —SunjeetBaadkar
- They certainly use real garlic chunks on the fries. —PenguiN42
- Definitely real garlic on the fries. You can tell because your fingers will smell for a while unless scrubbed thoroughly! I love their garlic fries.
2008-05-12 21:25:56 People who eat red meat seem to enjoy this place most - no surprise there. The fish and chips is a truly sad affair (they need to look at Tower cafe's model for this) - not much better than a frozen fish stick stuck in the toaster oven. Their garlic fries are abysmal - even Pluto's does better. And I keep waiting for them to make this place more friendly to the late night crowd - they need fried zucchini, maybe some sweet potato fries, maybe some mac and cheese, maybe a grilled cheese sandwich, maybe a tuna melt on the menu - give it that rounded out, comfort food feeling. As is, it feels more limited to me than most really nice burger joints, most of which have some really nice alternatives. Overall, I enjoy eating here - it's definitely a nice spot - but I feel like this place is going to get really old really fast unless they start surprising us. —calvin2
2008-05-14 18:27:08 This is our first time here, I had the Turkey and Avocado melt, with salad, and a coke today, and got a major food poisoning which lasted 7 hours. My companion ordered a cheeseburger and is ok, but needless to say, this will be the first and last time I will go there. The place looks clean so there must be something going on either with the handling or the food. Very disappointed.—youkai
- when did you get the food poisoning, it often starts at least 6 hours after the meal. immediate Nausea can be just a response to eating greasy food. I have also found that soda with greasy food increases the likelihood you would feel sick afterward. Other possibilities include a food poisoning anytime in the past 48 hours. -MattHh
- No no soda and greasy food only makes you feel sick (very rarely for me, and I've grown up with fries and coke), not throwing up and having diarrheas that lasted several hours. According to VDACS, it looks like staph for me. The onset of food poisioning can be from 1 hour to several days after eating the affected food, depending on age, health and the organizm responsiable -youkai
- Yep, it could definitely be Staph. Aureus. Normally I would agree with Matt, but the key here is that the symptoms only lasted for 7 hours, indicating a food intoxication, and not a food infection. Food intoxications generally present themselves farely soon because the pathogen produces the toxin on the food and does not need time to colonize the intestine to have an effect.—jbh
- Food poisoning symptoms can occur in as little as 30 minutes after consuming food here -jess&will
- I never said that it always occurs later, i said it often does. I am not saying that youkai was not food poisoned by burgers and brew, but many people jump to that type of conclusion just because they got sick immediately after. It is also possible that the food poisoning occurred from food that was consumed within a 48 hour period from the incident (or even the a strain of the flu, probably unlikely here due to the short duration of the symptoms), and it is unfair to automatically blame the place you last ate at (obviously this is not true if there is some other evidence, like the food tasted like it was at ambient temperature for a long period of time, or you notice undercooked poultry). It is important to note that the type of symptoms you mention is usually a result of improper food handling and not undercooked meat. While walking by once, i noticed one of the waiters petting a customer's dog. I sure hope he washed his hands afterwards. —MattHh
2008-05-18 11:46:55 I was irritated to find all the political propaganda for city council elections around B&B yesterday. I'll have the BLT, no politics please. —DanXie
- Some people aren't apathetic about the fate of their town. I think that's a good thing. —JimEvans
- Its a good thing if the signs are outside your house, but outside of a restaurant is pretty tacky. And did you notice they have 8 signs up, from all angles, for 4 council members. Um last time i checked you can only vote for 3. This means that they are advertising for council members they are not even voting for. It almost looks like they are trying to gain favors with the council (this is probably not their intention but it looks silly, perhaps they don't know how to count). —MattHh
2008-05-22 00:50:09 delicious food. i love their garlic fries and just about everything on their menu. but they have horrible waiters and service at night time. extremely rude, and disrespectful to certain groups. —film
2008-06-02 08:16:37 I made one of my frequent trips to Davis two weeks ago, and had dinner at Burgers and Brew (for the firat time) with a friend who lives in Davis. We both had burgers, he had onion rings and I had fries. This was one of the worst meals I've had in years. The burgers were dry, cold, tasteless, and overcooked. They were supposed to be medium and medium rare, instead they were both well done and tough as shoe leather. They came out to the table in less than two minutes after we placed our order. There's no way that burgers can be prepared that quickly, unless they had been pre-cooked, and sitting around waiting to be served. The fries and onion rings were cold. To make matters worse, my friend got violently ill several hours later. This could well have been food poisoning. I will never eat at Burgers and Brew again. DavidTheDiner. —dsagal
2008-06-03 10:27:08 My wife and I have eaten lunch here several times. Fortunately we didn't dine here soon after their opening - as evidenced by the wildly negative reviews of the service during that period. We have always enjoyed the beer and brew here. The service here, at worst, has been just a tad bit irritating, but we have been there at the peak of lunchtime when you would expect it to be at its worst.
I find the complaints of a supposed limited beer selection rather risible - c'mon we're eating burgers and fries here.
The food here is rather disgusting and over the top - red meat, potatoes, fat and salt. All in excess. One is essentially eating the equivalent of the daily protein and fat requirements of two people in one "meal". Disgusting, but, hmmmmm.... so good. —MartinKing
2008-06-06 23:28:20 smokers smoke outside the restaurant frequently, causing cigarette smoke to enter the open air covered seating area. Gross. —IDoNotExist
- I find it annoying how there patrons always wait outside on the sidewalk blocking the path for walkers by. They need to direct them to some sort of waiting area. Interestingly enough it is illegal to smoke while standing still for a prolonged period of time in public (davis law only) so you may be able to get them to stop by pointing it out. —MattHh
2008-06-08 22:43:59 The restaurant seems to suffer from several space limitations - there is no place for people to wait inside, and because they built it in what apparently used to be a house, the seating area gets heat and smoke from the outside. They've said that they plan to use misters in the summer (water mist sprayers, not formally addressed men) to cool the air. But given the heat, I'm not sure that the restaurant will be a nice place to sit and eat in the summer. It's ok in the winter, since they have the overhead heaters. —IDoNotExist
2008-06-09 14:42:36 I enjoyed the mushroom burger I ate for dinner. The place was very busy; only the counters along the side of the patio were empty. Therefore, I was really surprised by how fast my meal was served (~7 minutes), which worried me a little bit. Also, I'm curious to know if they normally ask how you want your ground beef cooked because my server didn't ask at the time. I believe this place will be amazing to relax at especially on the patio during the warm summer nights ahead of us. —RichardTrendall
2008-06-09 17:58:35 I've been here twice so far, and had good experiences on both occassions. The place is very crowded; I almost tripped over someone getting to my table. The service is friendly, though a bit rushed. The food is great, though a little expensive.
On my first visit here, I had the philly cheesesteak sandwich with onion rings and a Blue Moon. The sandwich was delicious, though a bit small. Not too much, but not too little cheese, and the meat was adequately juicy while also very tender. The onion rings were also very good, with batter that was well-cooked, though slightly on the heavier side - not a problem for me!
On my second visit, I had the jalapeno bacon cheeseburger, and I was even more impressed. I ordered the patty medium well, and it came out pretty and very tasty. The jalapenos were slightly weak and didn't quite add enough to warrant the price for them, but the bacon was well-cooked and delicious. —BrandonWong
2008-06-12 20:00:58 I just returned from a terrible dining experience at Burgers and Brew. We were seated on the patio where it felt like a sauna. There was also about a million flies landing everywhere, including my food. I was given my burger and right after I had taken a bite, my friend pointed out that there was a hair(about the length of a pubic hair) baked into the cheese on my burger. I wasn't mad about this, just a bit disgusted. When I called the waitress over, she apologized and said that I would "definitely be refunded" and then she asked if I wanted "anything else". I thought she was offering something else complimentary, but I didn't want to make a big deal out of it so I said it would be ok to just replace the burger. She once again said that I would be refunded. The man who works at the front basically dropped my replacement burger in front of me with the briefest apology I have ever heard. He did not even make eye contact. When we got the bill, I saw that I was still charged for my burger. I would have been fine paying for it, but the waitress had told me that I would recieve a refund. I was going to give her a large tip for that generosity. I asked the man at the front why my burger was still on the bill and the waitress approached as I was doing so. He said "you have to understand that people make mistakes." I said that I knew that and I had no hard feelings about the mistake, but I said that I was told TWICE that I would get a refund. The waitress then said that I was not given a refund because I had received another burger. I understand this, but I don't understand what she was doing by offering me a refund in the first place. Would I have only been given a free meal if I had eaten the burger with the pubic hair on it? Sometimes at restaurants they simply replace the burger, while still keeping it on the bill and I am definitely ok with that, but her saying that I would receive a refund only confused me because she was basically saying that they would not charge me for the first burger with the hair on it, which shouldn't have been charged anyways. I don't know, the way they talked to me was very demeaning which was undeserved because everyone in my party was equally confused about what had happened. All of my friends have agreed that Burgers and Brew is not worth it. —PBoyd
2008-06-13 02:54:32 I have been here many times. When eating late, this is the best place in davis. The service is always hit or miss, as is the temperature of the food. I have had some of the worst service here, with the server not making eye contact once, and treating us like we were imposing on him by ordering. I have also had great service here though, and Cailyn is the best! —BradKern
2008-06-13 10:36:41 Fourth visit last night and I left pretty darn happy. Zac was our server and he was incredibly attentive and refilled waters, came by to check and overall provided excellent service. It was packed at 10:20pm and still he did a great job. The burger was great, the onion rings were a bit cool but not cold. Its a great place and while there are a ton of comments here both positive and negative I would say that's par for the course given the number of customers they serve each day. Would be nice if management dealt with customer issues better but given how busy they are day and day out I'd say they don't have a large vested interest at this time. My friend who ate with me made the comment that I agree with, "this place would have never survived in Davis 15 years ago" when the town was a bit smaller and more earthy. —loneshark
2008-06-16 11:32:02 Food Poisoning here. A friend and I ate here Sunday 8th of June for lunch and that night we both had major food poisoning symptoms. I had the fish and chips and he had some chicken thing. I ate nothing else that whole day. —PhillipC
- Maybe you felt sick because you ate nothing all day and then ate really greasy food?
2008-06-23 17:12:27 I personally think the food here is amazing, however it is "hit or miss." If you go at off times, the service and quality of food are great, but during the rush hours then you get poor quality like the previous posters have mentioned.
Additionally, the owner mistreats his workers. I have personally on numerous occasions seen him yell and insult his employees in plain view of the customers. —TheDavisMarine
2008-06-30 14:16:49 I ate here on 6/26 and had a pleasant experience. There were 8 of us and it took about only 20 minutes to be seated despite a rather long line. After being seated we immediately took our orders and the food arrived in about 15 minutes. The burger itself was good (mmm bacon), but the service was just alright. The waters were continually replenished but we had to keep asking to get our other beverages refilled. Overall it was a good experience, they definitely score some points for atmosphere: we sat on the sidewalk right next to a guy playing his guitar who was accompanied by a saxophonist, which was enjoyable, but not too loud such that we couldn't enjoy our conversations. I will go back. —JordanJohnson
2008-06-30 14:51:43 I had dinner at Burgers and Brew almost a fortnight ago and I have to say I was rather impressed. Food was great (Fish and curly chips, yum!), service was impeccable, and the beer list was out of this world. But the shining star in this gastronomical solar system was our busboy, Wilbur. From his Robert Smith-esque quaff to his delectably appointed eyeliner, he stunned me with his sense of urgency and colorful take on the English language. Bravo Wilbur! I will be back. ;) —russelldeepskin
2008-07-08 17:47:24 Although the service is lacking (better during college breaks though), the food is really good. The tofu burger is super delicious. —aml0515
2008-07-14 19:26:54 Chimay on tap. What else could you want? —ScottMiller
2008-07-16 16:25:22 I went to B&B soon after it opened and was unimpressed by my dry turkey burger, but the problem had been fixed by my second trip — a big, flat, wonderfully greasy patty (the small/thick ones are the real culprit re: dryness), great bun, great fries, and exactly what I was looking for. It might even be better than Murder Burger's. I also enjoyed the fish n' chips I got the next time (the tangy sauce is great), and am sorry I'm leaving Davis just a few months after it opened. Crowded, yes, and the seating conditions aren't ideal (I really didn't like the high tables inside), but the food's good enough to overlook it. Also, the various water pitches with mint or lemon are awesome. —Maren
2008-07-16 17:05:58 Anyone know when this place isn't busy? I've always wanted to go but don't have time to wait 20 minutes for seating. —SunjeetBaadkar
- Both times I've gone (12:30 at night and 11:00 in the morning, both on weekdays) it wasn't busy and I didn't have to wait for a seat. —JeremyOgul
2008-07-16 19:37:00 The onions rings are delicious, but they've been pretty lukewarm on one or two occasions. —AnnaJones
2008-07-20 10:24:53 Best burgers in town, hands down! But the highlight of my visit was the live music playing out front as we waited in line and during our meal. We heard the it while we were over at the farmers market and decided to eat there where we could listen some more. It was a saxophone and a guitarist and every song they played was beautiful and something I recognized. It really was a fantastic atmosphere for a dinner out. —GeorgeGlekas
2008-07-22 22:42:48 I love the Avacado Burger and the chili fries the most, and the portions they give are totally worth it! But the nutella cheesecake sucks. I can't taste the nutella, the top coat is supposed to be lime but I'm not even sure. And the cheesecake itself doesn't even taste like cheesecake. And for $4.00 that piece is really small. After one bite I didn't even want to eat any of it anymore, and there's a weird after taste as well. —lemonstar1314
2008-08-03 00:10:33 Update: The food here continues to be good. Very tasty. Prices appear to have increased somewhat (although this has happened at restaurants throughout Davis, most likely a side effect of higher oil prices and a greatly devalued dollar.) Unfortunately, the experience of eating here continues to be marred by smokers who like to stand close to the entrance to the restaurant whilst they smoke (in violation of Davis antismoking laws). The smoke comes in to the restaurant, and makes it rather unpleasant to be there. It's not really the restaurant's fault, but it does detract... —IDoNotExist
2008-08-05 19:14:16 the waiters/waitresses and bussers are rude and perverted. they either hit on you or completely ignore you —jordansparks
2008-08-10 11:54:19 We've been to Burgers and Brew quite a few times since opening and the place hasn't disappointed in maintaining its path on its steep downhill trajectory. The food started off great but has since deteriorated to the extent that any fast food place in Davis will serve you a better burger. They are clearly using cheaper and cheaper ingredients each time and, last week, our burgers had more grease than burger. If any of the serving staff has ever been trained, they do a good job of hiding it. They are brusque, rude and certainly do not enhance the atmosphere. The place is busy, but that's no excuse for taking your plate away whilst you're practically still taking a bite of food! The exception to this is the prompt service when it comes to presenting the bill - last time they dropped it off soon after our main courses had arrived. Initially, the lack of service could be attributed to opening wrinkles, but it's far from cute by now. It's quite amazing that the sister establishment - Crepeville - continues to be great. Burgers and Brew really has become the ugly sister of this pairing. —Mazzle
2008-08-10 16:18:48 I didn't see any comments on the late night crowd yet (I'm talking 1-3am), so I'll add my experiences on that since it's a big aspect of the restaurant.
I think the only time worth eating here is on the way back from parties/bars at 2am when you're starving for a turkey avacado melt or something equally stomach ache inducing. But that happens to be the time when the service is at its worst in terms of employee attitude. I have never before experienced employees that so obviously express their boredom and hatred for their job toward/around their customers. The only decent restaurant downtown open til 3am is bound to draw a partially intoxicated crowd. True, working with that doesn't sound like a job I would want, but it's unnecessary for them to show attitude toward customers who are still trying to be polite and will probably end up "absentmindedly" leaving a 25% tip (despite being ignored by their server who spent the whole time standing in front smoking or complaining to your group about how you're the "last table of the night at 2:45am sighhh"). That said, and several similar late night experiences later, I'm over going to B&B. —SRB
2008-08-10 17:47:25 I recently went there at night, it was cold and they seated us next to the fireplace which was nice. I had the clam chowder in a bread bowl which was pretty tasty. I can't remember what anyone else I was with had, but the shakes are also pretty good. —MichelleAccurso
2008-08-11 08:46:39 This is probably the best restaurant in Davis I have had experience with. The menu is simple American burgers, salads, and soup selections. I personally recommend the Clam Chowder Bread Bowl. One of my favorite dishes and this place knows how to make a great chowder.
Burgers are very good and you get your money's worth with no skimping on the size or the quality. Service was slow, but they were very busy when I went so no harm done. Not sure if they bake their own buns but it seems like it to me. Very tasty all around.
Beer selection is small, but with satisfying options outside of the typical Budweiser and such.
Atmosphere is warm and friendly.
4.5 of 5 stars.
2008-08-12 19:30:16 Just returned from our our 6th time here and I must say I'm totally satisfied. Gisella was our server and she was awesome. Remembered us from Starbucks, filled our water 3 times and the food was well prepared, served timely and tasted wonderful. Both my lady friend and I were extremely pleased with the entire experience. Still a great burger place in my opinion and extremely better than any fast food place in town. Fries and onion rings were cooked wonderfully. —loneshark
2008-08-14 22:55:40 before I was a vegetarian, I loved burgers and brew. Now as a vegetarian...I love burgers and brew. During it's peak hours, things can get pretty hairy (not much indoor seating, and it's rough outside on a hot day), but late night there is no other place that beats B&B. —ArianeMetz
2008-08-23 00:00:30 Burgers and brew steadily forgot to submit my to go order so when I arrived at the time it would be ready it wasn't, and they tried to play it off with little a little whispered convo right in front of me... Good BLT thought —StevenDaubert
2008-08-28 21:02:27 This place is incredible. I'm addicted, straight-up...it's actually kinda bad. I wish I could stop going, I really really do. Wow. —ucd2000golfer
2008-09-20 23:57:09 Last week was my first time visiting burgers and brew during a dinner rush and I was actually quite pleased with the service, especially after reading about some service horror stories during the restaurant's busy hours . There was a decent line of people outside waiting to get in when I arrived and either the owner or a server was asking people how big their parties were and keeping good communication with the crowd. Because I was in a party of just two, I was seated ahead of some much larger parties and all in all the wait was just about 10 minutes, if not under. The food service was just as fast as it had been in my previous trips during non-busy hours, and the waiter was just as attentive as well. Maybe I've just had good luck, but I continue to be impressed with all aspects of this place. —JakeJames
2008-09-29 13:50:31 I ate here recently with a couple of friends and the food was horrible. One of my dining mates had a burger that was way undercooked and in the 6 dollar burger from CJ's is better than this place. —Dean
2008-09-30 20:21:59 To offer table service and refuse to split checks, particularly in a college town, is simply unforgivable-particularly when a computer-based ordering system is used. From someone who's worked in several restaurants, splitting checks on a computer takes a matter of seconds. It's not that you can't split checks, it's that you won't. You're not fooling anyone. Way to put the customer first. —CameronYoung
-CameronYoung, I think they don't allow split-checks because they'd risk having a table of 12 each pay with their credit card, meaning they'd lose a butt-load of money with VISA/Master/etc. *service charges* PER TRANSACTION. I worked in retail and know this as a fact.
"2008-10-20 20:39:30" That may be the case; however, restaurants fall within the auspices of the hospitality industry, whereas retail generally does not. "Hospitality" is defined as "the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers". Must I continue? —CameronYoung
2008-10-01 02:08:15 Along with not being friendly to split checks, their staff even took a hostile attitude when I asked if they could at least tell us what each person's meal came out to (so that we could reimburse the guy paying). I would eat here again, but as I'm pretty much always with friends when I eat their non-split check policy makes that impossible. Their loss, I guess. —JoseBleckman
2008-10-03 10:24:34 You guys are lame. There is no way Carl's Juniors is better than this. Are you delusional? You guys are a bunch of stingy bastards about split checks. —ChrisWaterstraat
- Your right, CJ's can actually cook a burger. -Dean
- Wanting to get split checks so we can pay implies not stingy, one would think. -JB
2008-10-04 22:09:26 Tonight I went to to Burgers and Brew with my wife, my sister-in-law, a friend of my wife's from high school, and said friend's 2.5 year old son. We were seated immediately and the waitress was very friendly. The food was delivered very promptly. The burger I got was good and my wife was very impressed by her jalapeño garden burger. The fries were okay—kinda boring but not bad. (I like fries with a bit of a zip to them.) We asked for ranch for our fries and it was... strange. It was rather thick and almost sweet—I wouldn't recommend getting it if you like ranch with your fries. Price came to $40 for the "4.5" of us. Overall, I would say Burgers and Brew was good. I would probably go there again if I were in the mood for burgers. —RobertM525
2008-10-05 16:00:22 I have eaten here 4 or 5 times in the last month. The food is good and I love sitting on the patio for dinner/drinks. But they sure do hammer you over the head with their "no split-checks" policy. They tell you immediately after seating you and then there is a reminder printed on the menu and then you get to listen to the staff repeat the "no-split checks" policy 400 times during your visit. Normally, something like this would bother me, but somehow, I like the place so I let it slide. It's like the 'cash-only" rule at Crepeville. Inconvenient, yes. But you are put on notice so it is foreseeable and you can either work it out with your companions in advance—or go someplace else if it is that big of an issue. Although, I would fix that if I were them. As many others have pointed out, this is a university town. In general, it's a bunch of individuals going out and eating together. It would be a different story if only couples and families that have no need for fee-splitting ate there. —CurlyGirl26
2008-10-06 13:10:31 The burgers here are AWFUL! I went here with a couple of friends. We kept hearing good things about the place so we decided to try it. We each ordered a burger and were pretty amped since the menu described them as pretty tasty. When we got them, they looked great but when we started to eat them, we realized we were deceived. The meat was RAW and POORLY seasoned. It was like they didn't mix the seasoning through the meat but just dusted on top. The inside of the burger was pink and chewing on it felt like chewing on overcooked pasta! My friend's burger was not only pink, it was red! We were seriously DISGUSTED. We weren't being harsh but we each had way better burgers before but this place is so far below the mark. We made the best of the evening, paid for the overpriced pile of meat and left. We are never going back again and we would NEVER recommend this place to anyone. —sweetsoni
- In an effort to cater to the particular taste of each guest, temperature specifications are included on each order that goes to the kitchen. This ensures that burgers are cooked exactly how they are ordered. I guess you shouldn't have ordered a burger medium or medium rare if u did not foresee yourself enjoying a burger the inside of which was pink. THAT WOULD BE YOUR BAD SON —Ashbobash
*They never asked us how to cook our meat you condescending louse, and don't call me son. And from experience if you ask them to recook the burger, they bring it back pink anyways!
- Classically burgers are pink in the middle for medium and red in the middle for rare. How did you guys order them? In these days of "you don't have a choice" fast food burgers, I've noticed some people expect medium burgers to be gray throughout the patty, something only needed if it is cheap meat. —Evan 'JabberWokky' Edwards
- Color isn't really a universal indicator of whether the meat was properly cooked to 160 degrees or not (which is counter-intuitive, as most people would expect it to be). It depends on the burger and the contents - how much meat, how much fat, frozen/fresh, etc. However, color can be pretty decent, and if it's overly pink (or especially if red) and juicy in the center, I wouldn't eat it. I'd doubt it did a full internal cook thrrough. Ground meats are at a much higher risk for bacterial pathogens (due to it, you know, being ground up together..), and it's highly recommended not to eat them rare. Steaks on the other hand, are a different scenario....yum. -ES
- Depends on who grinds it. If it's a serious burger place, they have ground beef that has been ground in freshly cleaned or dedicated meat grinders (even many of the big chain burger places like Ruby Tuesdays do this). Even many nicer grocery stores can sell you first ground beef if you request it (meaning they grind it for you right after they clean the grinder... plus you pick out the cut you want ground). The big problem with the prepacked stuff out in the coolers is that many grocery stores will run pork, turkey or even chicken through the grinder followed by beef without a full break down and cleaning between the two (a lesser problem specific to grocery stores is that they also run cuts through that have failed to sell as steaks or roasts). It takes a quick query across the counter to see if they can run your beef through right after the full cleaning, and you'll tend to get really good cuts of beef ground for you if you're specifically requesting them. I get the idea that it's also a common request from people who come from ethnic backgrounds that forbid the consumption of pork. I have no idea if Burgers and Brew is getting clean ground beef, but it's pretty durn easy to find (even for the average home cook), and pretty much every restaurant serious about their burgers gets clean ground beef. Restaurants that serve rare burgers as an entry anyone? —jw
- I had a long response here, but I decided not to post most of it. A big discussion isn't relevant. The most common causes of illness are typically improper storage/handling. Cross-contam is definitely an issue of it, but not the biggest fear (nor cause). A short blurb from some random food safety site, posted for other people reading this, is "Ground meats must be cooked thoroughly to kill harmful bacteria. Unlike whole muscle meat, which is sterile inside, the grinding process exposes the interior meat to bacteria on the surface, in the air, on equipment or on people’s hands." If tainted meat goes into it, it gets all mixed up together. Even if it's fine and clean, it takes just one line cook with a dirty hand forming patties.... Which is why California state law requires ground meat to hit ~160ish F for 15 seconds in the middle, to kill off most pathogenic bacteria. Like I said above, if it's overly pink or red, I'd question it too regardless of the meat's supposed quality. -ES
2008-10-08 23:23:08 DELICIOUS burgers, strait off the grill. The salad isn't my favorite, but I don't like fruity tasting salads. Very good service. —fountain-hopper
2008-10-13 19:22:23 I had the portobella mushroom burger (no meat, just mushroom) and it was great! Good quality bread and really flavorful. But, the server gave my husband a dirty beer glass (greasy smudges all over it), and the wait staff seemed really impatient. —EGrace
2008-10-15 12:52:23 Thank you for deleting my comment. I like this establishment and think some people on here could complain about perfection itself —ChrisWaterstraat
2008-10-28 17:07:41 Burgers are damn good. Milk shakes were awesome too! Very pricey though! I still prefer making my own burgers. —BenLee
2008-11-03 19:59:09 I love it! There's good atmosphere, and reasonable prices. My main gripe is that they don't let you split the bill. Not splitting bills or letting you walk up to the bar and buy your own beer is a bad for business! —Selby
2008-11-03 21:08:41 I ate a cheese burger with avocados and mushroom. The burger was good and I appreciated the fact that the beef comes from non-industrial cows. The fries were just okay, nothing too special. The bill, which included a coke, came out to around $10, so it is for the richer segment of the student population. Despite the high price, I will be back in the future when I want a burger.
- Reading some of the above comments, I don't get the fuss over the no splitting policy. I actually preferred the no splitting policy because my friends and I usually order different foods of different prices, so it is alot easier for us to pay individually then trying to fairly split the bill later. —justinhu
- I thought that splitting the bill meant that each person at the table can pay individually on the same bill. Not splitting the bill means that everyone at the table has to pay on a single bill. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding something here... —SunjeetBaadkar
2008-11-09 01:41:21 I'm not normally a burger person, but I love the burgers here. They also make killer milkshakes. Burgers and Brew is always top of the list when I'm going out to dinner with a group of friends and we're trying to decide where to go. Unfortunately, it's also immediately vetoed because of their policy on not splitting checks. I really like the food, atmosphere, and beer selection here, but I prefer to come for lunch when you order at the counter and can take care of your own bill. —WhitneySharp
2008-11-09 08:39:50 One of the best burgers I've had anywhere. For a cheap good burger, I go to Habit Burger. When I don't mind spending a bit more, I go to Burgers and Brew. The bacon jalapeno burger is to die for. Along with their strawberry shake. Love their regular fries, too. Have always had good service, although the indoor seating is pretty small. —DiLane
2008-11-13 20:37:16 this establishment should be shut down. this establishment is a lawsuit waiting to happen (we can only hope) for starters the owner allows people who are under 21 to pour beer and alcohol which is illegal.
. violating labor laws such as required resting period of 15 minutes.
often tax paperwork is not provided , which should always be provided at the start of employment. The owner constantly sexually harasses his employees with sexual comments and touching. this is no surprise considering his reputation and actions with young women around the community, upon the opening of this establishment the owner fired dozens of employees disposing of them like garbage for no reason.
provided no training for employees which in turn has accounted for the terrible service customers receive.
establishments like this monopolize off the youth of this town and get away with it and turn large profits. boycott burgers and brew and all crapvilles. I know im not the only one who feels this way... so speak out! —achilipepper
2008-11-18 23:23:29 Burgers and Brew is without a doubt the WORST restaurant in Davis. I had I hopes for this joint when I heard of their business plan and location. Late night beer and burgers downtown? Awesome! However this place has been progressively declining in quality since its opening day. The service is very inconsistent. I don't want to generalize and say it is atrocious, which it has been, because there are those wait staff who do do a good job. If you like frozen ubiquitous Sysco foods brand food–which means you lack any inkling of culinary refinement what-so-ever– then you will like most of the food at this place. The seasoned curly fries, which are identical to those served at Jack in the Box... are WORSE than those served at Jack in the Box. AND THEY COME FROM THE SAME PLACE! The burgers, which are supposed to be the highlight of this place, do not taste like hamburgers. The meat is soft and under seasoned. The buns are stale. And the choice of condiments is underwhelming. I used to go this place all the time after in opened. But each successive time I went I was treated to a dinner that was just a little worse than the previous. Now when I order a milkshake all I get is a warm glass of milk. DO NOT ORDER THE MILKSHAKES! I hate this place with a passion. It exploits the one aspect that it has that is actually worthwhile, its ambiance and late hours. Please, I beg anyone with a conscience to boycott this place. You are being manipulated and exploited into thinking you are having a good time. Please put this place out of business as it is an insult to our sensibility. —DJF
- How can you be exploited into thinking your are having a good time if you feel like you are having a good time? Is the value of a good time at one restaurant worth less than that of another if the feeling of having a good time is the same though the food may be worse? But really, I'm just being pedantic. I've never actually dined here cause it doesn't really appeal to me enough to wait through the crowds. And btw, don't they get their bread from Village Bakery? —SunjeetBaadkar
2008-12-02 17:55:56 this place has the best burgers and beer battered prawns in town... yummie! —naichangas
2008-12-03 23:59:39 Best Burgers in town —Smithhammond
2008-12-04 09:42:55 I find it disconcerting when a wiki user like cameronyoung implies that splitting a check while using a "computer system" takes moments to split said check. If he (or she) has ever truly worked at a restaurant in a "college town", while using a standard micros system, and has overseen the volume that an extremely popular restaurant like burgers and brew generates in a given evening, they would know that this is simply not true. Trying to give sit-down service to a boisterous, generally 10-15% gratuitous college-age crowd is challenging enough without the added headache of delivering an itemized receipt to every party of 8 while dealing with 7 other tables. The service might not be as refined as one would expect from a fine dining restaurant, but one must remember that one is spending at the most $11 dollars for a fulfilling meal. The no split-check policy has been in place since the restaurant's inception. If you and your friends can not foresee the immense problems that the policy will cause you come payment time, take your business elsewhere (except for the late night, post-bar crowd... take it or leave it.) From my experience, however over-flexed and stressed the waitstaff may be, if you respond to them with general kindness and respect, they are more than happy to reciprocate. One must remember, they are (for the most part) UCD students as well, paying their rent and utilities with your tip money. Imagine doing sidework until 4 a.m. on a Thursday night and then getting up for your 10:30 class. I would foresee that you might not be as chipper as some on daviswiki might demand you to be dealing with a bunch of your drunk peers. Just food for thought... —wilburrito
2008-12-05 18:52:20 They take aggie cash —AnnaF
2008-12-07 22:39:37 Oh man! Their portobella burger is amazing! The onion rings were good too, but I thought there could have been more of them on the plate... Pretty good beer selection too. —TimMatthiessen
2008-12-14 19:59:47 Quite expensive. First time I ordered the jalepeño burger and strawberry milkshake, and they were amazing and worthy of its price. Second time I ordered a turkey avocado sandwich, which was tasty, but definitely not worth its price tag. —BenLee
