Hodad’s

I was finally back in San Diego! So glad the conference found its way out here. It’s been years since I was here to visit family. After a cramped flight and an early check-in at the hotel, it was time for lunch. My coworker and I were staying downtown and I found out that the second location of the famous burger joint, Hodad’s, was not too far away.

Hodad’s opened at its first location on Ocean Beach’s main drag, Newport Avenue, back in 1991. In 2011, the second location opened at 10th & Broadway in beautiful downtown San Diego. They even expanded into Petco Park in 2012.

I remember seeing this place on television a couple times and wanting to try it the next time I made it to San Diego. The famous Burgermeister, Mike “Bossman” Hardin, seemed like such a cool and funny guy. Hodad’s is now in the hands of his son, Shane Hardin.

We walked in and only waited a couple minutes to be seated at a booth. I already knew what I wanted, but had to check the menu out anyway.

I loved the casual laid back atmosphere of the place. You’ll find bright and colorful stickers, posters, and license plates from every state covering the walls.

There’s a few choices for domestic and micro-brew drafts. I went with a local IPA and my coworker had a Shock Top.

So if there’s one thing you should know about this place, it’s that the portions are HUGE! We ordered a basket of Frings – fries and onion rings. The half order is more than enough for two people. I can only imagine how big the full order is. The fries were pretty good. They’re the thick wedge kind. The onion rings were great. Super crispy and tender.

The burgers came out a bit after the Frings. We were all set for our first meal in San Diego!

We both went with the Double Bacon Cheeseburger. I had it with all the fixings – mayo, mustard, onions, ketchup, pickles, lettuce, and tomato. You can order it any way you like. They do not skimp on the toppings! As you can see, it is massive!

I don’t know how you’re suppose to take a bite of this thing. Try your best! Even after taking some of the toppings out, it was still big. You’ll have a nice side salad to go along with your burger. It was huge, but it was also good. The bacon was crispy, the toppings were fresh, and the beef patties were juicy.

Throughout our meal, the servers checked on us several times. They were very laidback. I finished what I could of the humongous burger and felt like I was gonna slip into a food coma, but it was our first day in San Diego and we had some exploring to do. Hodad’s did not disappoint. Be sure to try their solid burgers and awesome onion rings while you’re in town!

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Hodad’s (Downtown)
945 Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 234-6323
Website