Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

The Counter: East Village's littlest burger?

The Counter has a deal of a meal…uh, might bring your microscope

This is so typical.

I’d been watching this corner – 6th and G – for months, waiting for these guys to open.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38750/

Then when it happened, I blinked, got distracted. It’s only t’other day, when I’m wandering, lonely as a cloud, that I notice an arresting face at the, well, counter.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38753/

Sarah. Says they’re open. Have been since October.

It’s in a brand new building, but it’s all gray-blue industrial, with roll-up streetside windows and a big U-shaped counter in the middle. Guess I'm going to sit down, 'cause now I'm curious.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38755/

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38754/

The idea is like Which Wich sandwich places: you get a chart on a clipboard and you check off exactly what kinda burger you want, Like 1/3lb? 2/3lbs? Beef? Turkey? Blue? Feta? Baby spinach? Pineapple?

The basic seems to cost around $9.

Hadn’t intended to eat right now, but as they say, a burger in hand’s worth two in the bush, and besides, Sarah has already handed me the menu and - hey! – a happy hour menu.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38752/

Turns out this place is party of a mighty chain. Dozens and dozens. Like, over two dozen outlets in California, more in half a dozen other states, plus still more in a dozen other countries, including the UK and half the Middle East. Dozen get bigger than that, heh heh.

They have two in San Diego, at Del Mar (De Mar Highlands Town Center, 12873 El Camino Real, Suite M4, 858-481-9821), and here (695 6th Avenue, downtown, 619-810-1850) and another coming at Lindbergh Field.

So big chain, but turns out it has the smallest boiger I’ve ever eaten.

I’m here around five at night, and feeling more snack-seeker than mastodon hunter. I keep my eyes on the happy hour menu. And first thing that pops out: wow.

“$2 mini cheeseburger.”

They also have a rack of deals with half off appetizers (this HH is from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday). So a bowl of chili would be $2.50, sweet potato fries would be less than a buck for a single order, and hey: chili cheese fries would be $2.75, -and that’s for the larger size.

I go for the mini-burger, just to see how mini it is. Also an iced tea. It costs more than the boiger, $2.75. (Kick myself on that, because now I see they have draft Arrogant Bastard for $4, just $1.25 more. Sigh.)

Okay, so when it comes, this little burger...

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38762/

...is on a little plate but, well, actually it’s not so little. It’s thick, nicely grilled, with golden melted cheddar, looks like, on top, plus chopped red onions, and a pot of sweet red relish.

Nice crunchy toasted bun too.

I thought it was gonna be gone in one gulp. But nope. Actually I stretch it out to quite a few scrumptious chomps. And by the time I’m done, I could leave satisfied. Best two bucks I’ve spent in ages.

’Course, never could leave well enough alone. The menu’s still standing in front of me, and next time Sarah comes by, I order the chili cheese fries.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38756/

I mean, $2.75, not even Job in the Old Testament could resist that.

And yes, it’s big, the thin fries are crunchy and there’s plenty of chili. This would’ve more than done it as a meal on its own. But once I’m back on the street, it’s the thought of that beautiful little burger that stays with me, that I’d come back for.

Whole lot cost me $8.10. If I’d just had water it would’ve been $6.35. If I’d stuck with the burger, $2.16.

Maybe that’s why these guys are spreading like kudzu all over da woild.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38757/

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38758/

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

San Diego's Uptown Planners challenged by renters from Vibrant Uptown

Two La Jolla planning groups fight for predominance

This is so typical.

I’d been watching this corner – 6th and G – for months, waiting for these guys to open.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38750/

Then when it happened, I blinked, got distracted. It’s only t’other day, when I’m wandering, lonely as a cloud, that I notice an arresting face at the, well, counter.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38753/

Sarah. Says they’re open. Have been since October.

It’s in a brand new building, but it’s all gray-blue industrial, with roll-up streetside windows and a big U-shaped counter in the middle. Guess I'm going to sit down, 'cause now I'm curious.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38755/

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38754/

The idea is like Which Wich sandwich places: you get a chart on a clipboard and you check off exactly what kinda burger you want, Like 1/3lb? 2/3lbs? Beef? Turkey? Blue? Feta? Baby spinach? Pineapple?

The basic seems to cost around $9.

Hadn’t intended to eat right now, but as they say, a burger in hand’s worth two in the bush, and besides, Sarah has already handed me the menu and - hey! – a happy hour menu.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38752/

Turns out this place is party of a mighty chain. Dozens and dozens. Like, over two dozen outlets in California, more in half a dozen other states, plus still more in a dozen other countries, including the UK and half the Middle East. Dozen get bigger than that, heh heh.

They have two in San Diego, at Del Mar (De Mar Highlands Town Center, 12873 El Camino Real, Suite M4, 858-481-9821), and here (695 6th Avenue, downtown, 619-810-1850) and another coming at Lindbergh Field.

So big chain, but turns out it has the smallest boiger I’ve ever eaten.

I’m here around five at night, and feeling more snack-seeker than mastodon hunter. I keep my eyes on the happy hour menu. And first thing that pops out: wow.

“$2 mini cheeseburger.”

They also have a rack of deals with half off appetizers (this HH is from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday). So a bowl of chili would be $2.50, sweet potato fries would be less than a buck for a single order, and hey: chili cheese fries would be $2.75, -and that’s for the larger size.

I go for the mini-burger, just to see how mini it is. Also an iced tea. It costs more than the boiger, $2.75. (Kick myself on that, because now I see they have draft Arrogant Bastard for $4, just $1.25 more. Sigh.)

Okay, so when it comes, this little burger...

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38762/

...is on a little plate but, well, actually it’s not so little. It’s thick, nicely grilled, with golden melted cheddar, looks like, on top, plus chopped red onions, and a pot of sweet red relish.

Nice crunchy toasted bun too.

I thought it was gonna be gone in one gulp. But nope. Actually I stretch it out to quite a few scrumptious chomps. And by the time I’m done, I could leave satisfied. Best two bucks I’ve spent in ages.

’Course, never could leave well enough alone. The menu’s still standing in front of me, and next time Sarah comes by, I order the chili cheese fries.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38756/

I mean, $2.75, not even Job in the Old Testament could resist that.

And yes, it’s big, the thin fries are crunchy and there’s plenty of chili. This would’ve more than done it as a meal on its own. But once I’m back on the street, it’s the thought of that beautiful little burger that stays with me, that I’d come back for.

Whole lot cost me $8.10. If I’d just had water it would’ve been $6.35. If I’d stuck with the burger, $2.16.

Maybe that’s why these guys are spreading like kudzu all over da woild.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38757/

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/21/38758/

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.