Charley’s Famous Hamburgers

Went today to Charley’s for lunch. The employees were just talking and playing around. Took 25 minutes to get my food. Food was cold.

I like this place, my husband and I always get bacon cheeseburgers, it’s better food then McDonald’s or Burger King and you will spend about the same for a meal. The guys working are always friendly and have great customer service. Have not tried one of their shakes yet just because I’m not a fan of shakes but it do like the food!

Best burgers in san diego to me. Better the the same Carl’s jr and burger king. Every sense my cousin told me about it I been going there only.

Love this place never disappointed, until today they change the fries. But other then that the food was excellent and of course the shakes was the bomb. Good job please change your fries back.

I’m surprised it took me so long to write a review for this place. When I’m in the Lemon Grove area and I want a decent burger and a pretty good shake then I come here. I will come here before I will go to In and Out.
Charley’s may not be the biggest or the best but in the area they’re the best. They have a small drive thru and a few tables to eat at which is outside. The food is pretty good and I usually get a bacon cheeseburger and an apple turnover milkshake. They also have some kabobs sandwiches that I haven’t tried yet.
I like Charley’s OK yes they are a little hole in the wall but the food and the prices are decent. I will continue to eat here because I will not eat at In and Out.

Chrley’s, Charley’s, Oh Charley’s… The best Famous Hamburgers ALWAYS NAILING IT! There are many reasons I love coming here WHY?! because they have great CUSTOMER SERVICE better than Mickey D’s (McDonald’s) the prices a very reasonable and affordable and give you TONS OF FRIES! Hint FOR CUSTOMERS IF YOU WANT MORE FRIES, BE NICE AND GENTLE WITH THEM or have a chat with them YOU FEEL ME?! Remember CUSTOMERS, don’t judge on how the exterior building looks, Judge on the FOOD, the Price, and of COURSE CUSTOMER SERVICE. I really recommend this place it is AWSOME.
Overall, for the owner of this place the building needs to be remodel in order to bring more customers.

My wife raves about this place so I decided to try it out for myself. what a mistake. Worst food and service I’ve ever had. We ordered 2 bacon cheeseburger meals an extra fry and 2 shakes… almost $ 40!!! I figured eh itll be really good for that price.wrong. When we got home the bag had almost ripped from the amount of grease. The «famous» apple pie milkshake was nothing more than cheap vanilla ice cream blended with what tasted like dollar store apple turnovers. It was disgusting.
The burger was super greasy and the onion rings were so gross I couldn’t finish them. I have no idea why people say this place is so amazing. It was total garbage and quite overpriced as well.

The kabob sandwich is fantastic-​wish they had yogurt sauce for it. Shakes are excellant.
Love the apple turnovers.

I’ve been eating at Charley’s Famous Hamburgers for over 20 years and I’m a huge fan of this place. They’re real consistent with their burgers. I’ve never had a bad meal here. It’s a tiny burger joint so you’ll drive right by it if you’re not paying attention but if you find yourself in lemon grove/​spring valley area around lunch time and you’re craving a burger, I’d recommend checking this place out. Good prices (most combos under $ 10). Drive-​thru for added convenience. Right across from RCP.

After reading a friends review of bacon cheeseburger while hungry, I had my husband pull over! Cute little random burger place — nothing fancy but I love a menu with photos! Decent prices but not a great burger at all. Dry and over cooked. Onions flavor-​less. Fries were good but not enough to bring me back.
Tried the banana shake — just eh… not exciting… not beef-​n-​bun in El cajon!
Customer service was really awesome though. Very helpful, friendly, and wiped the outside tables for us. Tons of pigeons hanging around — fat ones…

After reading Unilocal reviews about this place, I decided to check it out. Staff was really friendly and the service was fast. I got the kabob sandwich with bacon combo. It was pretty good. I’ve never had a kabob sandwich before, so I wouldn’t have anything to compare it to. It was a good size pita sandwich and it was stuffed (no skimping out on ingredients here!) It also came with a lot of fries, which were cooked perfectly. Also ordered the onion rings and nuggest, which seemed like they were the frozen ones you buy at the grocery store. But the star of my order had to be the apple turnovers, so crunchy and yummy. Not too sweet, and they were the perfect size.
I would come back again and would like to try the burgers, they look delicious.

Ah, Charley’s, a Lemon Grove staple. Burgers and shakes here are killer. Receiving half a bag of fries with your meal is a given. The bacon on their burgers, sandwiches and kabobs is actually crunchy, unlike many fast food places. Speaking of kabobs… if you’re tired of the usual fast food fare, they’re definitely worth a try. Flat bread pita, lettuce, tomatoes, bell pepper, radishes, onions, mayo… whatever meat it is I don’t care, it’s delicious. You should definitely add bacon to it. You can also add bacon to the grilled cheese, an inexpensive and satisfying little snack. In fact, you should just add bacon to everything. Lovely little apple pies and munchable corndogs mustn’t be ignored either. Sometimes the service seems a bit slow but it’s worth the wait. Just drink your chocolate peanut butter banana shake and suck it up.

Love these guys…
Listen, this place has been here forever. Not everything on the menu is great, all of the time (i.e. burgers) Their specialties are the BACON (incredible) and their SHAKES. Remember those two ingredients when you order.
Better yet, just get the BLT on sourdough and the apple turnover shake and lket your tastes buds enjoy the party… heaven on earth!

Really friendly workers. Great, fresh burgers. The fries were fresh, fluffy, & salted perfectly. At the risk of being ostracized I dare say this place is even better than in n out. Try it!

Pro: great bacon cheeseburgers and avocado spread
Apple turnover is good
Con: gross onion rings they are fake! Fries could of been cooked a little more. Staff unfriendly

Love going to Charley’s — it’s local, it’s fast, it’s good.
This isn’t just your ordinary burger joint. They have a wide variety of sizes and options, all very classic. It’s located in Lemon Grove, some may say across the street from the strip joint… well head over here for the bacon strip joint. They never seem to fail at hooking you up with french fries. You can order a small size, and you’re left with a full bottom half of a brown bag of french fries. You get a lot and the taste is delicious.
I don’t suggest getting salads, or anything off track the menu @ a classic burger spot! Thanks Charley’s for the good food and quick service! They do take credit card btw.

Frozen, well done burger patties topped with soggy shredded lettuce.
Picked up a burger combo and a shake to go. Burger was dry and forgettable, but the Peanut Butter Oreo shake was pretty good. I have previously had a Caramel Apple Turnover Shake here and it was a small revelation.
Worth a stop in if you are local and have a hankering for an other than norm milkshake flavor, but everyone else should keep it pushing down the line.

A solid 3.5 stars as a solid alternative to the big corp burger boys.
Got the Double Kabob Pita, with onion rings and peanut butter banana shake.
The kabob patties are like a souped up thin burger patty – extra spice and flavoring added. Tastes good, and the single patty won’t be enough for a big man.
The onion rings tasted good, & were hot & crispy, and not greasy.
Definitely try a shake here as a special treat. They will mix pretty much any flavors U want. But the apple turnover shake is their signature creation. Highly recommended. Beyond Yummy in your tummy.
The double bacon cheeseburger is also highly recommended. Compare it to In-​out. You’ll be pleased.
Cooking times are a bit extended, but your food is cooked to order so it’s worth it.
The young people working here seem to be well trained in regards to the owners vision and quality standards. Hopefully, a grandson works here, and therefore has a primary economic interest in seeing this place remain and succeed for another 40 yrs. cheers to Charley’s Hamburgers!

I stopped by Charley’s for a quick dinner before open house at my place of employment. Although they are famous for their burgers, I decided to go for their Kabob Wrap combo with fries and a drink for $ 7 and some change. (
)
The wrap was good, but a little on the small side. (
) The kabob was not the traditional herb filled Middle Eastern Kabob, filled with parsley, garlic, and tomatoes, but something more along their version that reminded me of a supped up hamburger patty. (
) I liked it, but it did not deliver that flavor I was looking for. You have to pay extra for cheese, and I did for Swiss. The greens, tomatoes, and peppers were all fresh and tasted good. The pita wrap was a very typical pita bread. It came warm and had good flavor and texture. More meat in the wrap would of been good.
The fries were more on the thinner side, and the were well seasoned and crisp. (
) Good fries. I liked the wrap, but I have to admit, it did not fill me and I was just not wowed about it. Nevertheless, it was a good meal.
The people who work here are pretty nice, perhaps a little ruff around the edges, but they get the job done. Next time, I will try a burger.

Charley’s has been around for a while. Way before people were able to make it rain at the strizzo down the road, there used to be an old school pueblo Taco Bell across the street which was demolished in the name of constructing the hwy 94 – 125 connection to South Bay hwy 54. Charley’s hasn’t changed very much, if at all, in that time. It has outdated curb appeal like some of the nearby businesses and homes that remained after the highway was completed.
I haven’t had everything on the menu, but what I’ve tried did hit the spot. Their version of kabobs are ok, but I prefer their bacon cheeseburgers with grilled onion. Greasy little gut bombs from the flattop, layered with beef, cheese, and crispy bacon. Guilty indulgence on a bun affordably priced to feed working blue-​collars, ramen-​budget students, and other local folks familiar with this neighborhood burger shack.
It’s a small crew working in the stand. Maybe 2 or 3 guys all together in that kitchen. The guy at the window is friendly as I put in the order. A few minutes pass by since it’s made to order before he lets me know the food is ready.
Not bad, for a little old spot in a seldom travelled part of town for me. Charley’s might be something to consider if I happen to be passing through, but I wouldn’t make a special trip just for it, and they would need exceptional upgrades to earn a ‘World Famous’ title.