Papa Mak's Burgers

Solid spot for a nice big burger in the sunset! This place is totally casual and gives off beachy vibes even though it is a ways up from the ocean. They serve up burgers, a variety of fries, and some other sandwiches. We've come to enjoy a beer and fries on their outdoor picnic tables, and also for burgers. While burgers are their namesake, they aren't messing around on the fries either. I've had both the regular and curry fries and have loved how crispy each of them are, they also don't skimp on the serving. Burgers are big and juicy and come loaded with all the toppings you'd want. I've had the mushroom deluxe and papa burger, both were really good and I'd order either one again. Prices have gone up since the start of the year, we came in January and burgers were all about $3 more when we came back in June, but the prices aren't absurd for what you get. The burgers are rather large and filling, plus with the cost of food going up it makes sense.

The Sunset has plenty of pho places but not too many burger joints. Just an observation from an interloper from the other side of the city. The Mission has Whiz Burgers and WesBurger, the Richmond has Bill's Place and Hamburger Haven, North Beach has Sam's, Ingleside has Beep Burgers. I could go on, but what about the Sunset?Well, while strolling eastward on Noriega, I noticed this spot just as I was having a hankering for a burger. It's been around for nearly a decade, so it isn't a fly-by-night operation. I decided to have the $15.50 Mushroom Deluxe which was meaty enhanced by the addition of Swiss cheese, sautéed mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, and red onion.That all helped, including a Kosher pickle slice, but I just found the burger hard to eat because it was quite juicy and turned the bun into more of a sponge. Of course I added the $6 French Fries, which were a bit on the soggy side (photo: https://yelp.to/3JFJqYpU9E). However, I'm not without hope because they offer enticing options like patty melts, BLTs, and truffle fries.FOOD - 3 stars...hefty and meaty but too wet for meAMBIANCE - 4 stars...plenty of space in hereSERVICE - 3 stars...honestly not much interactionTOTAL - 3 stars...well, the Sunset has its own burger jointRELATED - Exploring the Sunset? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2EI8eIJ

Pretty good burger place with huge portions near the beach. This little pocket on Noriega is really nice.Papa Mak has a lot of burger options. Burgers come with fries or salad, or you can upgrade to tots, onion rings, etc. The portions are pretty large and the burgers are quite juicy, so expect a messy time.

Feels like we came here too late. We were hearing the table behind us commenting on how great this place used to be. The menu seems to be stripped down because I didn't see options for shakes or anything. I'd say the service can be better. The menu didn't specify veggies on the burger and the lady behind the cash register didn't mention it either. The food is also pretty pricey but the patties are huge compared to most burger joints. Try to avoid ordering the patties medium rare cuz it will be super juicy. The buns couldn't handle it.. so messy experience for me. Anyway, I recommend sitting outside and enjoying SF's micro-climates.

Great burger in a laid back location. Ordering is easy via a digital kiosk.Al burgers come with fries that are double fried and perfect. My wife had the fish and chips. Also very good!The burgers are big 1/2 pound all beef, juicy and served with pickle, onion, lettuce and tomatoes. Seating is inside and outside. Kinda chilly outside, but the neighborhood is chill and the people are cool.Loved the atmosphere, the menu and the service.

I don't know why this place doesn't have better reviews! We go almost once a week for the tasty burgers, draft beer, and decent prices. They recently updated their patio so it's even more lovely to sit outside.

I went for a late morning walk and decided to stop by somewhere to grab something to eat, so I cruised through the Sunset District here in San Francisco and stopped by one of my favorite hamburger joints to see if they had any healthy choices for lunch. I saw they offered salads and side options, not only hamburgers and fries, so I ordered the chopped (Chicken) salad and a cup of chili. The service was very welcoming, and the cashier went around the restaurant, offering all the guests in the dining area with tall glasses of water. The ambiance is that of a modern diner, a friendly atmosphere that reflects this beautiful San Francisco neighborhood. I can honestly say that the quality of food and service have always been consistent since I first came here for a burger in 2017, which is simply amazing. 5 stars

Great spot to come and enjoy a burger near Ocean beach. If you check into Yelp, then you can get a free canned soda or fountain drink.I enjoyed the Mushroom burger with truffle fries. I was really interested in the curried beer cheese so ordered that as well. The curry flavor was amazing in the beer cheese. I would definitely order that next time with an order of fries. Seems like a great place to come after burning up a ton of calories surfing. I would totally come back to try the lamb burger next time.

Over the years, there have been plenty of occasions where I was super torn on how many stars to give a place. However, I don't think there have been many, if any, that took me as long to figure out as Papa Mak. It took me so long, in fact, that they actually overhauled a good portion of their menu before I could finally decide. Which is actually kind of amazing, but for all of the wrong reasons, as it essentially meant having to start all over again since what I had ordered before is no longer offered. Not that I necessarily minded coming back, but it backfired when I needed to come back a third time to finally decide...ha!Given that the restaurant looks mostly the same as the first time I came here, I'm not sure if a change in ownership is what drove the menu change or if it was simply a desire to refresh things. Either way, some aspects of it look largely the same, though part of their burger lineup have changed. Gone are the likes of the Duck Duck Goose Burger (duck patty, duck bacon, and goose pate) that I had tried before, bison patties, kettle chips, and diverse salads. In their place is a slightly slimmer menu that's still filled with some unique offerings, including a Fried Chicken Sandwich, Pizza Burger, Lamb Burger, Mac n Cheese Burger, and Impossible patties. Different in its own way, but still just as enticing!-- BLUE BURGER - Blue Cheese Stuffed Burger, Caramelized Onions, and Mak Sauce with Fries(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/papa-maks-burgers-san-francisco?select=Hw-npLtoB9Ab4UdFa53VqQ)Pretty decent, though a little uneven. The patty was great with the blue cheese, and I liked the bun, but the caramelized onions and the Mak Sauce made gave everything a slick, greasy-ish texture. As for the fries, they were great - super crispy and just straight up delicious!-- HOUSE FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH - Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Jalapeno Slaw, Spicy Aioli, and Crinkle Cut Pickles on Sesame Brioche Bun with Fries(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/papa-maks-burgers-san-francisco?select=WFkNr4ZiVuVgm3Z612wijg)As with the Blue Burger, this had some good and bad. The fried chicken wasn't the biggest, but it was fairly thick. In terms of taste, it was fine - the meat was moist and seasoned nicely, but the batter got soft quickly from the slaw and lettuce.-- SWEET POTATO TATER TOTS(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/papa-maks-burgers-san-francisco?select=OQYo1eCcSdvNah6_aA3hgg)Not bad, but not as good as regular tots. While I liked the taste of the sweet potatoes, it didn't have the same texture or crispiness I'm used to. That said, I might have enjoyed this more if I wasn't so full from the chicken sandwich and fries.Beyond the food, the other thing about Papa Mak that I really like is just how friendly and accommodating everyone is. One of the times we were here, the guy working the register even saved us from overordering on fries, as my friend didn't realize they were already included with his meal. Plus, I love how they have picnic tables outside (from even before COVID!). Although the weather isn't always the warmest out here, it's still really nice to be able to sit outdoors and eat when the sun is out.Despite all of those added benefits beyond the food, it's hard for me to say Papa Mak is as good as some of the other burgers joint I've been to recently in SF. That's certainly not to say they're bad though and I know I'll be back again to try some of the newest additions to their menu. For the time being, THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded down feels about right for now. I think...

The chicken sandwich is pretty good! The staff and owner are all always really nice. The fries are also delicious.