San Diego’s Best Burger: Balboa Bar and Grill
Along with Rocky’s Crown Pub, Balboa Bar and Grill is a leader in burgers for the 21+ crowd. Our kids have not tried it, but Balboa Bar and Grill definitely deserves a spot on Fun Diego Family’s top burger list.
UPDATE JULY 2021: The Balboa is back open after being closed temporarily during COVID.
WEBSITE: https://www.thebalboabarandgrill.com/
WEBSITE: https://the-balboa-south.business.site/
UPDATE FEBRUARY 2020: A new location in Chula Vista has opened The Balboa South. We visited this location in 2022 and will update after we can try it a second time.
Balboa Bar and Grill is located just north of downtown, across from Balboa Park. From first glance, it looks like it has been around for a while. However, unlike Rocky’s, Balboa Bar & Grill is new to the scene, opening in 2015.
The burger at Balboa Bar & Grill has quickly soared to many best of San Diego lists. We have to agree and right now actually like it better than Rocky’s. Of course, we have yet to get our kids’ opinion.
Both Rocky’s and Balboa Bar are similar in that they have a dive bar ambiance that also serves burgers. At both places, you will definitely get carded. We saw a person in their 30s turned away because they didn’t have ID. They thought Balboa Bar and Grill was a restaurant and didn’t even want alcohol!
The menu at Balboa Bar and Grill is basic: hamburgers, a chicken sandwich, and pastrami. For sides, there are french fries. The french fries are a highlight. If you like garlic the garlic fries are a must at $3.50.
The two basic burgers at Balboa are the Balboa Burger and the Classic Burger. Both are $8.75. The Balboa features an aioli sauce while the Classic has mustard. There is a BBQ Bacon Burger ($9.75) and a Pastrami Burger ($10.75). The Centennial Burger is a double patty with bacon and cheese for $13.25 (Balboa Bar and Grill opened around the 100th anniversary of Balboa Park).
My personal favorite is the California Burgito at $9.25. This burger features avocado, mozzarella cheese, salsa, and french fries. This is one of my favorite burgers in San Diego.
Happy hour is a great time to come as a basic Balboa Burger is only $5. Balboa is known for their high-end cocktails. However, don’t expect a fancy cocktail lounge. This is a true dive bar and we saw several surprised tourists.
The team behind Balboa Bar and Grill is expanding. In 2019 they opened Sister Ray’s in Sherman Heights. This restaurant features chili and burgers. It was opened in partnership with Luigi of Pizzeria Luigi. Pizzeria Luigi is one of our favorite pizza places so that is a great sign.
Sister Ray’s allows those under 21 and is definitely on our list to try. It has received excellent reviews. However, the ambiance definitely looks toward the edgy, dive-bar style. We bring our kids to these places but realize many families may have issues.
UPDATE DECEMBER 2020: Sister Ray’s had awesome chili burgers but unfortunately closed down as another victim of COVID
Balboa Bar and Grill is all about a great burger in a setting that will turn some people off. At Fun Diego Family we love this type of ambiance. This is a friendly place for those of age. The burgers make Balboa Bar and Grill a top new San Diego joint.
UPDATE: Balboa Bar made our list of San Diego’s Top 10 Burgers
Go here for more of Fun Diego Family’s best burgers in San Diego.
If you want to see another great burger bar joint check out Rocky’s Crown Pub.
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