North Shore Burgers

FOOD POISONING. Went there with my family on June 17 and suffered food poisoning from a salad. Never going back.

Food was good but the service was awful.
Nobody came to greet us. The drink guy looked my dead in the eye and ignored me. Eventually came over to take our drink order and told us he couldn’t take our food order. The food server came (about 20 minutes after we arrived) and didn’t apologize for the wait.
We were probably there about an hour and a half for lunch. Arrived around 1:30. What!!!

I’m a little mystified at some of the reviews trashing this place, because in regular visits since NSB opened at this location, I’ve never had anything other than spectacular experiences. The only negative I can mention — and it’s a minor one, a problem at virtually every restaurant in the United States — is that the wait for the check, then for the return of your card, is sometimes longer than it should be. But… minor. There’s a lady named Dierdre — maybe a manager? — who’s one of the funniest, friendliest and most competent people I’ve ever met. On occasion you may catch her trading trash-​talk with the bartenders — often hilarious, but always professional and as efficient in their teamwork as a well-​oiled engine.
One of the fundamental truths of life is that no matter how many impressive condiments and sauces you may stack on top of it, any hamburger is only ever going to be as good as the beef at its core. I grew up on a Midwest cattle ranch, and I can identify substandard beef at first bite, if not by scent alone just on picking the thing up. What absolutely stuns me with NSB is that they use the best, freshest beef I’ve tasted this side of high-​end steakhouses — or the pastures outside of our Midwest ranch.
The first time I visited this location my server turned out to be one of the owners. I commented on the excellent beef, and he replied that it was just regular choice beef. I think he was being modest, Every single beef dish I’ve had at NSB, over a number of years, has been uniformly excellent — stunningly so. Their burgers are consistently amazing.
Something connoisseurs of chili dishes know all too well is that disappointing thing where something billed as «chili» turns out to be: «kidney-​bean soup with mild beef flavoring.» Chili purists — I’m one of them — consider kidney beans to be an instant disqualifier even for calling a dish «chili.» (Even the otherwise-​excellent Zeke’s Smokehouse down the street on Honolulu puts kidney beans in its chili.)
Not North Shore Burgers. As with everything else at NSB, their chili is nothing short of perfect — easily, and consistently, one of the best bowls of chili I’ve ever had. It’s 100% beef and mildly-​spiced — and as noted above, NSB’s beef is truly outstanding. I could eat NSB chili every day and never get tired of it. My only complaint is that they don’t offer a large size option. Then again, given that overeating is an American «epidemic,» (particularly since the advent of the internet and the resulting daily inertia,) that’s maybe a good thing, because NSB chili is certifiable «goldfish mode» material: You’ll want to keep going until a.) it runs out or b.) you explode, whichever comes first.
Another dish at NSB that’s nothing short of phenomenal is their Surfshack Fish Tacos with the seared ahi option at $ 1 extra. The combination of the lightly-​seared ahi, the soft taco shells, and an amazing, spicy chipotle aioli sauce, is culinary heaven — one of the best dishes, of any kind, that I’ve ever tasted. Just spectacular.
This North Shore Burgers location is fairly small — maybe twenty tables and booths inside plus six or eight seats at the bar, and a similar number of tables on the outside patio behind wood-​and-​plexiglas walls — but I’ve never had to wait for seating. It’s sandwiched between a Starbucks and another restaurant that changes hands every couple of years — awhile back it was Chinese, now it’s Italian — just across the parking lot from the UA La Canada multiplex theater.
The North Shore Burgers location on Verdugo Road at the La Canada UA theater complex is a guaranteed excellent meal at an agreeable price, and the surrounding parking lot and close proximity to the 210 and 2 freeways make it an easy stop. And no, nobody is paying me to say that. I just know excellent beef and excellent, fresh food when I taste it. This place is a culinary gold mine.

Food — mediocre and didn’t sit well with me!
Service — horrible!
Not worth your time or money!

The service is horrible, the manager is rude and clueless, prices are high, and the food is mediocre at best. Go next door to the Italian restaurant!

FOOD POISONING WARNING
DO NOT EAT HERE
I got severe food poisoning from eating here this week. I’m still sick because of this disgusting spot.
NEVER AGAIN

I’ve frequented this place as its close to my house. It’s always just been «okay». Service is constantly bad. Last week I placed an order to go. About ½ way through my wife’s salad she noticed there was a dead fly in it. I called the restaurant and spoke to the manager. Her response was «Are you sure it didn’t land on it while you were eating?». I was surprised with her approach and asked «how often do customers call to tell you that a fly landed in their food??». Then she said it was because she couldn’t hear me good. Anyways, if her lack of concern is any indication of how the kitchen operates then I feel that I have a responsibility to ask the public to use caution when dinning here.

Worst customer service! The children that work there have no direction or common courtesy. An hour wait for a f***ing hotdog are you kidding me. Not once did anyone come out to apologize or explain what was taking so long. Food is usually good but very disorganized and slow. It is just a burger joint, it shouldn’t be that difficult. Maybe that was the issue don’t order a hotdog at a place called northshore burger. I guess I will take partial blame. NOT!

The food is ok, nothing special. This time I ordered their Caesar salad with chicken (the total was over $ 10).
For that price I expect little more chicken than just only few pieces of chicken. I’ve tried their burgers before, but again I think they can to better job and with few mini tweaks to the menu they should be able to make this place great.

Just had this on sunday, I gotta say… not bad. I ordered the kailua burger, very tasty. I’ve always passed by here and seen the place but never stopped by until yesterday. The fries don’t come with the burger, I believe it’s seperate but they’re pretty good too. I liked this place, will return!

My best lunchout was, when I was with my boyfriend lastweek. We look for someplace else that we could have lunch together and out of nowhere we found this place called North Shore Burgers. Great atmosphere, excellent beer and fantastic
boyfriend AND i, got the Five-​O burger with bacon and cheese, I loved how they served it fresh and warm! And packed with flavorful Blackberry
was Delish! The beer was served cold and
bf and I will definitely be coming back!!!

Good food and great service they set up the outdoor deck we had great time and the food was hot and fresh and very tasty

Love this place!!! Service was quick and friendly. Really like the food! Definitely will be back!

DINER BEWARE-​while the food can be tasty on a good day, the service is poor and the management of the tables shows disorganized or non-​existent leadership. I am a local and have been here many times. It’s often easy to overlook the service issue because of the fact it is your local burger place but this has to be said.
Take, for example, our most recent visit… our order was taken and then nothing. We observed several tables be seated after us, receive their food, eat, receive their check, pay and then leave before our food even arrived. We politely inquired and while the staff were apologetic, it still took another 15 minutes before our food arrived! One would expect that maybe (a) they n otified us about delays, and (b) after about an hour long wait they would apologize and also comp the meal because of the horrible inconvenience… but alas, NO. Other examples exist from my experiences but were overlooked because it is my local joint. Don’t do the same!

Very conveniently placed next to the movie theatre and has generally nice staff. However the food doesnt leave you particular satisfied, and that is coming from a farely skinny guy.

My wife and I eat here often when we’re going to the UA theaters next door. Great burgers at great prices. We always get great service too! Thanks North Shore!

I ordered the burger bowl and the burger was burnt and way overdone. the French fries were way over cooked. first time eating there and last time

We ate at North Shore Burgers for the first time on Friday, January 29^th. We went here right before going to the movie theater next door.
We went in and sat down. Our server was very friendly and I like the casual laid back atmosphere.
I thought the food was just ok to be honest. I had the Volcano burger and I upgraded to the combo that came with a drink and some chili cheese onion rings. I found the upgrade charge of $ 6.50 to be high considering it was only 5 onion rings.
Again, I thought the service was good and the food met expectations. I would probably return again, if I was seeing a movie next door.

Not bad, a bit small inside but the staff was friendly and the food was good, not stellar but quite decent. I also appreciated the wine special they have, I love getting wine when I go out but I hate the price gauging! If my BF wouldn’t look at me crazy, I’d sneak in my own to some places! But yes, the burgers were tasty and satisfied my voracious hunger. We were starving when we went in so i’m not sure how much of that was a factor!

I wanted to like this place alot. I love Hawaii and was hoping for the best. Went in before a Movie and sat at the bar. To the left and right of me were leftover plates and empty beer pints from previous diners that were not cleaned up until ¾ through my meal. I couldn’t believe I was eating next to ½ eaten burgers.
All in all the burger was basically what you would get at any sub par Airport burger place, overly cooked and not tender. The fries however were amazing — some of the best fries I’ve ever had. The service was not good and I overheard some of the employees talking rudely about another co-​worker and how they hated working with her. And how everyone hates this employee because she is bossy. Glad they talk about this stuff directly in front of customers.
The basic vibe is this is a TOTAL knock off of Island’s. Even down to the décor. The food is sub par and the music (bad 80’s playlist) was a joke. Did I mention it’s expensive too? Burgers and Fries are Seperate and the beers are more expensive than the movie theater next door.
I paid 27 dollars for 2 beers, fries and a burger which was totally not worth it.
Next time find your closest Islands Or In N Out and go there instead.

Came here on a whim before a movie. Our experience started off terribly– we should have just left. On the menu, it lists «add-​ons on us» so I asked for onions, pickles and Dijon mustard. Our server interrupts me with «you have to pay for those!» «Ok– how much per item?» She responds with «I don’t know– it says it right there on the menu!» I am confused because it clearly says «on us» implying that the topping listed are free and surprised that I would be interrupted and argued with. After she leaves, I go get another menu to see if I am crazy or not– surprise! I can read. I seethe for the rest of our meal and the service improves (perhaps she overheard my complaints?) substantially after she realizes that they charge for additional sauces not toppings. I’m even more upset that she would argue with a customer over a menu that she apparently isn’t even familiar with.
The other employees seemed nice enough and the food was good but I don’t think I will return.

We don’t live near-​by, but seem to be hanging out at Descanso Gardens a lot this year. This is very convenient to the Gardens.
Went in March when our 16 year old nephew was in town. 11 year old grandson was also with us that day. Sat outside on their cute patio and ate yummy burgers. I recall the service was a tad slow — especially the food coming out of the kitchen. But it was a gorgeous spring day, and we soaked up the sunshine and enjoyed visiting with each other. The boys were happy with their dose of protein and carbs. All good!
Then we were there two weeks ago to attend The RISE of the Jack o’ Lanterns at Descanso. Met our friends there, and Dearest Daughter joined up. Turned out to be about $ 16 per person for burgers, «lava rings», regular onion rings, beverages, tax and tip. Not too bad, actually.
My Kailua turkey burger with sauteed mushrooms (at no extra charge) was a gooey, juicy, batch of deliciousness. :-)
Service was quick and friendly. Everyone reported being happy with the food.

Waited 8 – 10 minutes to be asked what we wanted to drink. We both just wanted water with lemon and went ahead and put in our orders.
Water is brought out without lemon. Not a big deal at all. Ask again for lemons and they are brought out soon after.
Over 30 minutes later our 2 salads and 6 piece wings are brought out. One salad specifically was supposed to have no dressing and wings were supposed to come with ranch.
Mind you there were maybe 3 tables. Definitely not busy. Even if we and the other tables had shown up all at the same time it shouldn’t have taken that long. Salad that wasn’t supposed have dressing was taken back. Had to go inside (we were seated outside) to get ranch for wings and silverware. Chicken from top of original salad was taken off and replated on some greens.
Waitress compted whole meal and apologized.

We wandered in here before a movie at neighboring AMC theaters. North Shore is just steps from the AMC 8 and it was a convenient if not very satisfying way to grab lunch before the movie. Once seated and if I didn’t know better I could easily mistake this place for a Red Robin on a very small scale.
I must admit this would be a 2 star experience based solely on the food. Since burgers are their star attraction the expectation was set when I looked at the sign and walked through the front door. Would this be like Cheeseburger in Paradise in Maui? Sadly no and nothing in the experience co-​notated an island burger vibe.
All of the buzz words and cute explanations are there on the menu but the star ingredient was difficult to wrestle. A very tough and well done chain style patty with non of the boutique nuances and touches that make a specialty burger satisfying. The bun had a day old vibe and or it was left out to long. The fries were a highlight along with the service.
This was their Volcano burger, well done and grizzly, not a good combo. I wonder if this was cooked on a lava bed and flown over?
Give them an A for service and attentiveness even thought they were quite busy, ditto for convenience. I cannot see myself going back for one of their burgers even being so close to the theater. I would rather make the short drive down to Honolulu street (Yep) just down the road in Montrose and dine there in lieu of North Shore.

I would give it 5 Stars if it wasn’t so expensive.
The service is AWESOME! My sons and I enjoy coming here for great food and even better service. You never have to ask for a refill or extra napkin. The crew does a great job working as a «team,» bringing appetizers, drinks, refills and the main course.
MEGHAN is our Favorite waitress!!! She always greets you with a genuine smile! We have never had to send food back for an incorrect order. Meghan is always checking on her customers to make sure they are happy and well taken care of!
My boys all love the bacon burgers. (Be ready to pay for these burgers though– $ 16 for a double bacon cheeseburger.) At least they offer a large portion of meat for their burgers.
I usually order the «baja style» fish tacos! Very tasty!!!
Good beer selection.
Unlimited refills on fountain drinks.
Nice patio seating with views of the tv’s inside. There is always a game on to watch.
Again, it would be a 5+ star review if the prices were a little more reasonable.

Foods good but don’t order the onion rings, only 5 come with your meal. Other wise food is great

Overall pretty good for a burger place. They want you to be happy so just send stuff back if not satisfied.

Really like the food but the service isn’t what it used to be. Lazy, indifferent, three things wrong with the order and zero apologies. Servers were more interested in flirting with each other than paying attention to customers. Sucked.

North Shore works better as a take out place, but it is serviceable as a dine-​in restaurant.
I am definitely a fan of their burgers, onion rings, and sweet potato fries. The Hawaiian theme is fun, and refreshing. The outdoor patio is a nice element to have, and it is right next to the only theater in La Canada, United Artists, so it often serves as a perfect pre-​movie meal, especially if you’re short on time.
The beer and wine list is not extensive, but again, decent. And the burgers are a good size. Even the 3 sliders are filling when paired with fries and drinks. The prices are also very amenable, being just a dollar or two more than a fast food restaurant. I would certainly recommend North Shore :)

My bf and I just got back from Hawaii and we’re missing it soooooo we came here. The burgers are very tasty as are the sweet potato fries and onion rings. The regular fries taste normal and bland. The drink menu is small but can be dealt with.
The server on the other hand must have been having a bad day. I felt bad because she was the only waitress with atleast 5 tables at lunch. But her body language was giving off bad signals.
Overall the food was ok. Give it a try and see what you think :)

Good burgers good fries good onion rings lava onion rings not so good.
My wife loved the milk shake

I’m usually not in this area but I just so happened to stumble upon this place. Great tasting appetizers and burgers. You can pretty much custom make any type of burger you would like. Check out my pictures below to get a better idea!
Service was quick and attentive. Very friendly atmosphere that reminds be of Islands burger restaurants. Located right next to the theaters.

1 Star. Only because they serve beer. My kids chicken tenders was as thin as a homemade pancake (and that included the breading). Poor quality meat for burgers. Poor waitress service.
I believe they only reason they are still there is that all the elderly people that go there.
I did my fair share of complaining to who was there, and they did take the meal off the bill. But still, who would actually feel good about serving that kinda food, AND TO A KID NO LESS.
For what they charge and what you get, you can go anywhere else, pay the same and get better food and service… and beer.

Overall experience was OKAY. Nothing really stood out to me in terms of flavor, atmosphere, or service. Upon walking in there’s a big «seat yourself» sign. We sat ourselves and were approached for drink orders. Our waiter was prompt and our drinks were brought out in a timely manner. From the appetizer list, we ordered the «off the wall» which is sweet potato fries, regular fries, and onion rings to share. This was just okay, I can pretty much 99.9% guarantee that the fries were frozen and not fresh. I ordered the Dani’s burger (a portobello burger with veggies and goat cheese) and asked if I can have it in a wrap. Instead, I received my order protein style (I guess there was a miscommunication between the waiter and the kitchen staff) but I wasn’t extremely disappointed. I saved on calories and the sauce and goat cheese on the burger were tasty. My brothers ordered the five O burger add bacon and the sunset burger with grilled chicken in place of the beef patty. They both enjoyed their meals, but not enough to return without a cause.
All in all, this burger joint is okay if you are in the area and are in the mood for a decent burger. The pros are the location (right next to the movie theater and Starbucks), huge parking structure, and beer on tap. The cons are the lack of flavor, lack of enthusiasm from staff, and lack of the «ta-​dah» effect. This place could be great if they work on some of these things!

Was in the area so I stopped in this place after looking up burger joints.
The restaurant was cute Hawaiian theme. Food was delicious and fresh and the waitress was very nice. Only thing is they don’t have a happy hour other than that everything’s great!