Best Steakhouses in San Francisco to Celebrate National Hamburger Day
National Hamburger Day is May 28…but you probably already knew that, right?
Although seafood might be what comes to mind when you think of dinner in San Francisco – with the ocean right there, and all – the City by the Bay is also home to many superb steakhouses.
Steakhouses may be the very best places to get a good hamburger because those burgers will be made with some of the best meat trimmings around. And where else can you eat a hamburger in such refined surroundings as you’ll usually find at a low-light, white tablecloth, dark wood space like a steakhouse? The ambiance, the service, the quality of the food, everything at a steakhouse is usually top notch. And that applies to the hamburgers as well.
So, what else would you eat on National Hamburger Day if not a hamburger. And we’re here to help you make your choice of the best San Francisco steakhouses for a big beautiful hamburger.
Here are six of San Francisco’s very best steakhouses, all of which serve some of the best hamburgers you’re likely to find anywhere, perfect places to celebrate National Hamburger Day.
Morton’s The Steakhouse. At a superior restaurant like Morton’s The Steakhouse, you can expect that when the streaks are trimmed, a lot of excellent meat trimmings will be left on the cutting room table – and all that excellent meat will be turned into exceptional hamburgers. The Morton’s Prime Burger is, indeed, a thing of beauty, expertly prepared and mounted with a tomato, red onion, lettuce and cheese, nothing fancy because when you have meat this good, you don’t need to dress it up much.
Alfred’s Steakhouse. At lunchtime, you can get a Steak Burger at Alfred’s Steakhouse. The Steak Burger is dressed with cheddar broccoli sauce, fried onion, and pickle, and it comes with a side of fries, as is usually the case with The Great American Hamburger. Alfred’s Steakhouse is a classic place, with a homey feel and a philosophy of serving good food in a super comfortable space.
Press. In casually elegant surroundings, Press serves a prime chopped steak (i.e., hamburger) with sautéed mushrooms, and grilled onions, topped with an egg, sunny-side up. A hamburger of this quality demands to be paired with a good wine, which you can certainly find at Press, located near the wine-rich Sonoma Coast.
The Grill on the Alley. Another top-shelf restaurant that offers burgers only at lunchtime, The Grill on the Alley makes up for it with two spectacular examples of the beef patty on a bun. Fresh ground, 100% USDA chuck goes into both their hamburger offerings: the Grilled Cheeseburger with LTO (lettuce, tomato and onion), pickle and Thousand Island dressing and the Pepper Bacon with cheddar cheese.
LB Steak. LB Steak serves several different burgers, including the Royale with Cheese (for you “Pulp Fiction” fans) but the standout is, undeniably, the Wagyu Burger, with smoked onion marmalade and foraged mushrooms. All the meat is fresh ground and served in half-pound portions, big and beautiful, just as you’d want your hamburger to be.
Osso’s Steakhouse. At Osso’s Steakhouse, they serve beautiful renditions of the classic hamburger. The Four Square Kobe Hamburger is served with catsup and onions on signature Kettle bread. You can also expect that same signature bread will be served with Joe’s Special Burger, which includes, somewhat idiosyncratically, chopped spinach.