Umami Burger Reviews

I went to Umami Burger at the prompting of my adult kids (one who is Vegan) to try the Impossible Burger. None of us had tried it, but heard it was like real beef in texture and taste, yet was vegan. The kids really wanted to go - - so I went along with it. I will try almost anything once, and I had my doubts on this one, as " I''ve heard that tune before". I was pleasantly surprised that it was very much like beef in texture and taste. Impossible foods has a wonderful product. Be prepared, it is not cheap. One burger costs $18. Our server was attentive, but Umami Burger needs to work on serving the WHOLE meal AND the WHOLE table at the same time. None of us were happy with the serving of parts of each meal separately. First they brought out drinks and a few minutes later the appetizer. A few minutes later, half the fries and other sides. Then half the burgers. Then the other half the sides. Followed by the rest of the burgers a few minutes later. When dining out in a group, I do not like eating while the rest of the group is waiting to be served.

Good burgers - they even have a Slider Trio of three of their burgers. They were all good, especially the Hatch Burger, with hatch chilis. The fries are really good - thin and crispy. The brussels sprout were ok, but not quite as good as other places we have been recently. The reason for the average rating is twofold: they really don't have a menu that expands beyond burgers, which is a bit limiting to a group who may not all want burgers. More importantly, as a restaurant very near the Giants ballpark, they did not have good crowd control. We had a reservation for 4 at 5:45 prior to a 7:30 James Taylor/Bonnie Raitt concert at the ballpark. We waited until 7 for a table, then were given beers and finally, at 7:40 got our burgers (which we couldn't take into the ball park), so we stood on the sidewalk at 7:50 pm, gobbling our burgers so we could go in (late) to the concert. They apologized and comped us our beers, but it just wasn't worth the endless wait. Don't go on a night with anything going on at ATT park - they simply don't have their ability to deal with crowds (even those with reservations!) figured out!

They have awesome burgers and sweet potato fries. Our waitress, Mookie was wonderful! Conveniently located near A T & T park. Great comfortable place for an informal meal before or after a Giants game.

We have a great meal tonight. The burgers were juicy and succulent, great with a beer. Yummy! We will try again later for sure.

I went to this joint on King Street to meet up with a friend who was craving for the Truffle Burger. Well, she got me at "TRUFFLE", since I'm an obsessed fan of this flavor. I don't usually order medium rare unless the beef was high quality - well, this one was. I also ordered sweet potato fries to go with it, along with a Caesar Salad. All of it was pretty good, the Caesar salad had what I think were white anchovies, I really liked it. They only serve beer, wine and soda and their sauvignon blanc was drinkable. The location is directly across AT&T park so, since there was a game, I had to swim my way through lots of people. Maybe I'll try the other locations next time, the burger was good, even if it had thousands of calories.

The three of us went for a quick burger and a beer and it was excellent. The service was fast and friendly; the local beer selection was good; and the food was very good. Our salads were light and tasty, the truffle cheese fries were delicious and the burger was cooked right and very tasty.

Ok, after my last visit, Umami Burger asked me to try the restaurant again (and gave me some incentive) so I went again. This time the burgers weren't cold and they came out with the fries so that was good. The food wasn't super hot, but acceptable in temperature. The place was busy before a Giants game unlike last time when it was dead. The server was friendly and brought our beers promptly. It took a decent amount of time to get our food. Not as quick as one might expect, but it was busy. The burgers were very good. Tasty and cooked to order. The fries are of the shoestring variety but were fine. So, bottom line for me. The burgers were tasty, Server was very friendly. The speed was on the slow side. Beers were good. I'd like to give it a 3.5, but that's not an option. I guess I'll give it a four to balance out the 2 I gave it before.

Truffle burger FTW Fries and union rings could be skipped, they have some spicy sauces too. Real sugar soda available here.

I had the K-BBQ, which featured a delicious patty with kim chee. The kim chee wasn't the best I've ever had but the burger patty and bun were insanely juicy, light and fluffy and delicious. Definitely worth a try. Most of the people in my group got the manly and loved the bacon.

went here for dinner before attending a concert at AT&T park. It was close, a couple of blocks away, and the wait was not too bad - we figured on a 6 PM dinner for an 8 PM show. The wait was about 35 minutes for two people as there was a bit of a crowd. The hostesses were frantically running back to help clear and set the tables as well as seat people - they may have been short-staffed. We were seated and the waiter came fairly promptly to take our orders. The drinks came pretty quickly, but then there was about a 20 minute wait for the food - we saw our order sitting on the counter ready for us, but the waiter did not seem to recognize the ahi tuna burger and so both our orders were left sitting for about 10 minutes on a cold counter. Finally the manager/hostess realized the order had been sitting for a while and brought it to us (the waiter had told us it would be a few more minutes). So our burgers were cold (my husband had the umami burger, very tasty, I had the ahi tuna burger which did not have the expected flavor from the wasabi flakes and wasabi spread), but since we were on a time crunch we did not mention it. I would come here again, but maybe for lunch when it is calmer, and will order a different burger.

If you're craving a REALLY GOOD burger, I highly recommend Umami Burger in the City. Burgers are cooked to order; our medium rare sandwiches were juicy and very flavorful. The fries are crisp and come with great sauces.

They don't customise much. I guess its a policy not to and thats probably fair enough. But its a bit hard, specially if you're vegetarian, even the ketchup has some fish sauce in it and they don't have an option! But at least they are kind enough to tell you ;)

Went here after a Giants game, actually about an hour after the game ended. Place was half full. Our orders were taken promptly, but it took awhile to get the first food. I say first because the fries came out first and the burgers not until 15 minutes later. I think they forgot about them because the burgers were luke warm. Pretty sure they just sat there all that time. Hard to judge the burgers because they weren't hot. The salad my wife ordered was good. People were nice and they seemed under-staffed even though the place was only half full. Potential was there, but... Prices were OK for SF. $13-14 for burgers.

The locals liked this one so I tried it for a light dinner. Not at all crowded for dinner; no game that day either. The others in my group all had burgers and they enjoyed them although somewhat underwhelming. I opted for the roasted beet and herb salad. Nice, but I should have gone for the beef. Too many other similar places to try; go at least once.

Not the first time I've been to this place. The burgers are very tasty and comes with great service. Tonight I had a double stack with white cheddar and onion. Simple but good. They had a special on their fries with truffle which add a nice tang. Plenty of sauces, water kept coming and and decent drinks menu meant plenty of variety for all. It's not just burgers but that is the main part of the menu.

We went to try the Impossible Burger, which my partner said did taste and 'feel' like a real hamburger (he has been vegetarian for 4 years now). It was a bit odd to offer it wish fish-sauce, as I think it kind of defeats the point of the Impossible Burger, but obviously the waiters ask if you would like it or not. I had the chicken burger, which I was able to customize to my liking. It had a nice vibe overall, and we were served quickly. It was a fairly quiet night though as we went on a Monday, it probably gets a lot busier than what we experienced. It is a bit expensive for what it is, but the ingredients seemed to be of high quality.

I paid my tab with two credit cards due to business and they added an extra $10 to my $40 tab which I called about and never received a call back. Disputed with my CC as I have a copy of the receipt. Due to this cannot recommend at this time.

It was late evening and I was in a hurry to catch a train when I found this restaurant. I had the best burger that I ever had over here. The decor is good and the service is great. You should really try the Umami burger (original burger). It will make you a fan of this place forever!

What can I say?.... stopped in prior to watching the Gigantes beat up on the Padres and ended up with a party in my mouth! Hatch Burger? Forgetaboutit! Umami burger? Sublime! Matched with a Sculpin IPA and I was in heaven! Great service, great location near the park...$5 dollar drafts.... amazing. Thanks for making my day!

I always go here when I'm in SF. The Ahi Tuna Burger is the best burger I've ever had. It's also across the road from AT&T so perfect to grad something to eat before a game.

Staff were obviously trained and instructed. At times this sounded a bit like a monologue. But service generally good.

The fries come in a huge portion but were not really anything special. Burguer was well prepared but not exceptional.

We went here because of all the hype we've heard and we don't have any where we live. My husband loved it (and he lives on burgers), I thought it was good. The flavors were good. The truffle fries were awesome! But my burger fell apart. I just don't want a burger that falls off the bun, breaks apart, etc. Definitely better than In-N-Out, but not the best I've ever had.

Enjoyed a vegan burger lunch. Good selection for folks that do not eat meat. Two of us shared two burgers: one with truffle and the other with BBQ sauce.

It may be a bit hipster, but their burgers, sides and beverages are top notch. We had the Manly burger & sweet potato fries and the Hatch with onion rings washed down with lemonade & Bunderburg Ginger Beer (from Australia) and all was excellent, hot fresh and delicious. Strong recommend for a burger hungry customer.

The food is okay although I got disappointed with the sweet potatoes fries. They tasted like cinnamon and we're full of sugar

Even though they've opened in NYC, I never miss hitting this place when in town. Great friendly service and fabulous food.

This place was amazing. Had the truffle fries which are covered in cheese and so tasty. Small but quality beer selection. The burgers are out of control. High end meat in the burger, excellent toppings, hot toasted bun. I mean what else do you want in a burger joint? I would go again without even thinking about it. Loved this place.

Visited this location on a business trip. Nice outdoor seating on a beautiful weather day. AT&T park in view. Burger was tasty and good (albeit small) beer choices. I'm surprised there's a number of bad reviews on here. I thought this place was well worth the stop. Pricey for what it is - but that's generally the case in SF no matter where you end up. My colleague and I had worse meals in the Financial District, that's for sure.

One of the best gourmet burger we ever had. Fries are tasty and crispy and accompanying sauces are to die for. Would definitely visit the place again if in Bay Area

Went to this place with a friend before a game at AT&T Park. There used to be a hamburger joint in this location that we had been to before, but now it's Umami Burger. The burgers on the menu are are about $12, so we expected something special. What we got did not impress and we felt we way over paid for what we got. Two burgers, a shared order of fries and two drinks plus tip and we were over $42. We tried it, but we won't be back. We could have had a real dinner for that price. Sorry, but it was a total rip off!!!

The burgers in this restaurant is delicous! one of the best burger i've ever eat. Totally recommended if you ever travel or visiting San Fransisco.

Very welcoming atmosphere, there was no sense of urgency at all and we were able to take our time. The owner walked around to each table to make sure all the guests were happy. Staff members were friendly and helpful. GREAT FOOD: fresh burgers and homemade ketchup-like sauce.

Booked this restaurant for 8 people and travelled across town on a recommendation from friend. One of us I celiac so needs gluten free options which was clearly stated as available on website. When we sat down and asked the waiter to tell us about the gluten free options, it was clear that nothing was on offer. we were met with indifference to try to find solutions for something to eat. He said they don’t have gluten free things anymore but they now have vegan instead. I realise that this year it’s trendier with veganism above gluten free, but allergies don’t follow trends! Wonder if we would have had the same response about a nut allergy? Anyways what a daft, vacant unprofessional hipster response.

We went to Umami Burger on a recommendation from a friend, as they knew that I am a vegetarian and so might want to try an Impossible Burger for the first time. The service is slick (I come to expect this as standard as a Brit when I am in the USA as service is normally of a high standard there) and the atmosphere is pretty good. As mentioned I ordered the Impossible Burger, which is a completely plant-based burger that is supposed to taste like a beef burger, due to curiosity rather than actually craving meat (I have been vegetarian for a number of years). The burger was actually very good, and did actually have a taste and texture very close to a beef burger. I would definitely have one again. The only slightly strange thing was that they would offer fish sauce on a burger that is completely plant -based (they do give you the option of having it without fish sauce if you are vegetarian or vegan. Recommended!

Came here just to try the Impossible Burger from Impossible foods. We have been vegetarian for 20 years. The burger was probably a little too like meat. Very tasty. Service was excellent here. Would visit here again.

We had this recommended to us and it was great!!!! It is simply burgers but if you have a hankering for a great burger, good fries this is your place. We really enjoyed it. We are plain burger people but this place has all kinds of varieties. Our burger was very good, servers were good. We enjoyed the experience and it hit the spot but for those creative burger people...you will love it!

Umami has grown on me over the years. Being an LA kid, I knew of it long before it migrated up here to SF. At first, I wasn't sure about the asian-inspired burgers. I like mine classic. But, as my food horizons have expanded, I appreciate more of the flavor combinations Umami offers. The fries are great - thin cut and offered as sweet potato, regular, or truffle. There's also onion rings, which are wonderfully crisp. As for the burgers themselves, I like the classic and truffle. What I'm super digging right now, though, is the impossible burger. I swear, it's a meaty veggie burger! It doesn't have the weird bean texture that other veggie burgers have, and cuts and eats like a true burger. Very savory and well-paired. Now, Umami even has 4 ways to try the impossible burger. There's a pretty decent wine/beer/liquor selection available and the cocktails sound scrumptious. Service at this particular location is always stellar, with waiters super friendly, accommodating, and nice. TL;DR If you like gourmet burgers and/or veggie burgers, this is your jam.

We stopped into this place after a Giants game. It was a little suspicious that even with hordes of people going by, it was almost empty, but the reviews were good, so we decided to give it a try. The place was ridiculously disorganized. There were three people cooking and two or three waiters for a handful of tables, but they were still completely overwhelmed. There were three of us. My wife ordered a salad, I ordered a "manly" with fries, and our friend ordered an "umami". The salad and my fries came first, then my burger came five or ten minutes later, then by the time our friend's burger came, mine was cold. The thing was, I saw it sitting at the station for several minutes while they argued over *which* waiting customer would get it. We could see all the tables around us were going through the same or worse. As for the food, it was OK, but if you're paying $12-$15 for just the burger (sides were extra), it should be something really memorable, and it wasn't. I've gotten much better gourmet burgers for less money. This is San Francisco we're talking about. There's no shortage of better offers.

Tried the Umami Burger for the first time two weeks ago. It was decent and toppings were good but nothing that made me say out loud - "this is a dupe burger and I'm coming back." Would have expected more for the price. Got three burgers, no fries, and four drinks (non-alcoholic) and total was $52.

Today my husband, daughter and myself stopped here for lunch on a whim. Angels were guiding our steps since this was the best lunch decision I have ever made. While my ahi salad was amazing and my husband claimed his burger was the stuff of fantasy, the real headliner were the onion rings. Now I know what comes after death because I have seen heaven. My life is now complete through the miracle of these onion rings and the house ketchup.

My wife and I were visiting San Francisco for a few days and wanted to try something closer to where we were staying rather than travel in to the city proper. We had seen a few restaurants on this street whenever we had travelled in to the city. So on our last night we took a walk along here and found Umami Burger and decided to give it a try. What a find! There was a big San Francisco Giants game on that night so it was quite busy when we went in but thinned out not long after. We ordered their burgers with fries and a couple of ciders. The burgers were the best that we have tasted.....ever. You can choose from a variety of fries, skinny or thick. A great choice of beers but we opted for the Angry Orchard cider and my wife is not a cider drinker but she loved it. Coupled with the fact that the staff were cheerful and helpful it was an all round great experience. Go! You won't be disappointed.

Typically American Burgers made with love and fresh ingredients. I had the Cali burger and it was delicious. Good meat and just one amazing experience in your mouth when you have the first bite.

Stopped by for a casual dinner -- there was something for everyone on the menu. I had a trio of Impossible (meat-free) sliders, my daughter had a trio of sliders, and hubby had a big burger. I thought the Impossible sliders were quite tasty -- although the Korean BBQ was too spicy for me, so I passed that one on. Otherwise the burgers had a lovely flavor and texture. Wings were tasty. Brussels sprouts were tasty but would have benefited from a tad more time on the stove. I would definitely come back, and would probably just go for a single Impossible burger next time.

Amazing location Amazing food Amazing staff Amazing price The best hamburger in San Francisco. You can refill your drink for free and also the water of restroom has the right temperature.

Love their burgers, hate you have to buy your meal piecemeal and I'm not sure they're good enough to justify the hefty price tag. They have several locations in the city, and this one gets crowded on game days since it's basically across the street from AT&T Park. If I'm going to splurge on a burger, I'd go to Marlowe or Cockscomb, just a couple more blocks away.

This was a follow up visit, my wife and daughter having been previously and raved about it (they had been to a cocktail evening though and may not have been reliable). It is well decorated and the staff are very nice, even the front of house, although she did seem to get through a large portion of "The Catcher in the Rye" in between customers. Some of our burgers seemed to have an aniseed flavour which was a little unexpected, one certainly didn't and that was was very good. Overall just a little uneven, but it will no doubt improve. I would certainly give it another chance.

While Umami Burger still puts out still a fine hamburger, others in The City far surpass it. In this Umami Burger location, rustic wooden walls, iron work, and vintage signs, take what would have been an overly antiseptic modern venue and make it much more comfortable. However, too-loud music bounces off all the hard, flat surfaces, making it difficult to have a conversation. While the burgers are undoubtedly the star, Umami Burger offers other interesting dishes. The market salad, an array of multi-colored baby lettuces, carrots, sprouts, and slivers of pickled cucumber with fresh Asian peanut dressing, balances sweet, acid, and spicy in just the right proportions. With a mixture of kale and baby butter lettuce, white anchovy, fresh parmesan, lemon zest, and umami Caesar dressing, the Umami Caesar ($8) is non-traditional and, because of the size of the kale leaves, difficult to eat. Toppings like a combination of truffle cheese and truffle salt (add $2), beer-cheddar, bacon, and onion strings (add $3), or vegetarian "sloppy mami" mix with crema, cheddar cheese, onion strings, and jalapeños (add $3), are available to cover up the slightly greasy thin fries ($3.50). On the other hand, tempura onion rings ($4.50) are delicate and not greasy at all. Aptly named, the umami burger ($12) with shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, and roasted tomato is topped with a parmesan crisp and umami ketchup, embodies the essence of the "fifth taste." Served medium-rare, it was juicy and delicious with just the right balance of sweet, savory, salt, and acid. The manly burger, with beer-cheddar cheese, smoked salt-onion strings, and bacon lardon was too salty to enjoy. There Is no soda fountain: all soft drinks are in bottles. There is a good selection of craft brews, including Allagash Curieux and Double Daddy IPA in bottles and at least six offerings on tap. Service was upbeat, friendly, and attentive, a most unexpected pleasure in a casual burger joint. All in all, Umami Burger puts out a good umami-packed burger, but for real burger heaven there are others in The City that do it better.

It's been about 4 years since I been to Umami Burger. I used to go to the one in the Marina district and I never been to this location. The workers are really nice and helpful but I was extremely disappointed in the quality of the food. This brand/chain used to be my favorite but the burgers do not taste the same anymore. The portions are smaller and $12-$15 for a burger from Umami was not worth it for me. Bring the 2015 quality back please. Other than that, the restaurant is really clean and it's only a block away from Oracle Park.

My friend and I visited Umami burger for dinner! I ordered this scallop bacon burger (I forgot the exact name) and my friend ordered one of the truffle burger called The Royale! My scallop burger just sent me to the moon with its unique combination of scallop and pork belly (a little bit of fat but that was what made it soooo sinfully delicious). The Royale was great as well with the beef done medium! Dont forget to try their special ketchup, apparently it tastes different from the other ketchup that I tried before. The staffs were friendly, we didnt have to wait for a table and the food came out pretty fast! So yuppppp I would say its a must eat in SF!

Stopped at Umami Burger before a Giants game - food was great. We had Truffle Fries and various burgers - from the Umami Burger to the Slider Trio - everyone loved what they got. Beer selection plentiful and good too. Service was fantastic!

If you like burgers and are interested in trying something different, then you should go here. A number of burger combinations with flavours to make your mouth water. I like the umami burger with a delicious Parmesan crisp on it. Fries also excellent, service extremely friendly! Will definitely be going back

Amazing food you expect from these upscale burger restaurants plus fast efficient service that knows you're on a time crunch

Very marginal place for eating. This place is like to be opening soon type, the greeting awkward, the furniture have seen better days, the menu is oddly layout, the staff looks like trying, but they are not with it. Service takes too long, the hamburger is below average and taste, poorly presented! Our visit ended in error in the bill so that the end!

Food is average for what it is but that's ok I guess. Service is nonexistent which is OK too I guess thought it was painful to tip.

I loved the place, the people and especially the food. Is next to AT&T Park,go watch the game and then enjoy some good food.

My friend and I ate here before a Giants game as it is right down the street from Oracle Park. There is a little patio outside and large seating area inside. I got the impossible truffle burger (vegan) which was unbelievable! It had a truffle fondue on top! The fries even had a vegan garlic dip. There are meat options as well for the carnivores. Our server was really friendly and fun to chat with. Good selection of beers and other drinks. I would love to come back and eat the truffle burger again, only wish I lived closer than Canada!

Needless to say I've consumed many a good burger in my day but the Umami Burger @ Umami may in fact be the tastiest. Order medium rare and you really experience an almost buttery flavorful mouth pleasing taste with every bite. It comes on a delicious bun. What I especially appreciate is the focus on quality (mind you it was a quite substantial patty) & not serving some mammoth burger. The sweet potato fries were also prepared to perfection. All in all I highly recommend this place for the perfect burger experience!

If you wanna have a burger that is different and fresh make sure to check out this place. Max the General Manager is a great guy, took care of me personally.

My recent trip to San Francisco (all the way from my home in New Zealand) included a burger tour of this wonderful city. Without a doubt, the tastiest burger I had from the many I sampled at various gourmet burger joints was my Umami Burger. Wow, we're talking next-level flavour, texture and overall yummyness. The element that made this my fave San Fran burger was the thin round wafer of grilled Parmesan cheese sitting on top of the meat patty. It added a divine salty sweetness. The meat patty itself was cooked to medium-rare perfection. The buns had a subtle crispiness inside where they'd been grilled on the hot plate. And the size of the burger was perfect - not too big, not too small. All-in-all, this is quite possibly the best burger this burgervore has experienced to date. Highly recommended.

I was told that Umami Burger was a MUST have, so I went and I wasn't disappointed at all! What a great Burger, great fries and three home made sauces. Definitely worth it's money and I'll be back!

Try one of the impossible burger combinations. I loved the bun, not sure what they do to them but they are very good. We also enjoyed the skinny fries. We didn't expect much as it was right by the ballpark and we were pleasantly surprised.

We didn't have time to eat, so a quick beer was appreciated. It's close to the ballpark and the train station. We intend to come back and try their burgers. Our friends highly recommend them. A friendly waitress provided great service. We will be back again.

We went to this place after a very good experience in the same chain in Los Angeles. Our experience was very bad with the service, although the food was ok. First of all, the place was almost empty, which was already strange. We ordered some burgers and fries, and after several minutes the waiter come back to us asking for the order again because I had forgotten everything. After a few more minutes, he came back saying they did not have French fries (!!!!!) and proposed a different fries which were not so good. After still some other minutes, he came back again saying that also chicken was not available (!!!) and I had to change the order. Not very acceptable, especially because the place was empty.

Ok...so you put the culinary term " umami" in your name and you better live up to it....big flavor...salty, sweet, savory, bitter, etc. i we t with friends for lunch midweek. I got the burger with the portobello mushroom and caramelized onion on a brioche bun. Ordered it my usual medium well...it came medium rare, fine, whatever. The french fries with garlic were outstanding, but come on....its a burger joint so why on earth are the fries ala carte?? you literally get a hamburger...on a small plate...for $12-15, as i recall. The fries are added expense. Soda is served in a small glass soda bottle, not in a glass with ice. Maybe that's a SF " thing". Was the burger good? yes, it was fabulous.

Very good burgers with a host of different options. I chose the turkey bugle with sprouts and the Diablo sauce. Food was great. The staff was ok not the most professional in the world. I had a side of sweet potato fries. They were cooked well. All in all good food but very costly. 20 bucks for a turkey burger and fries is over priced.