Big Chico Burger — Restaurant in Chico

Chico has a lot of burger places. Some try to be innovative, others gimmicky, and some just want to be straightforward. Big Chico Burger, if anything, I think would be in the latter category.

I've been going here since they opened the year I graduated high school in 2005, I remember because my best friend's first job was in their kitchen and so my friends and I had extra cause to drop in and have lunch or dinner. A word of advice if you're new to Chico: think twice about going during a weekday lunch time while schools are in. The lunch rush from PV students, being across the street, is insane. But that's only a brief window from around noon to 1pm, outside of that it's very reasonable to get in and out of there.

What I appreciate about this place is the quality of all of their ingredients. They cook with Angus beef which has a good flavor and texture, and just the right amount of fat. It's seasoned just right when they cook it, and never burned. The ingredients you can add to it both on and off the grill are great too: you can add bacon or Ortega chile's or mushrooms or even guacamole to cook along with it, and then once the burger's cooked you can assemble everything else how you like at the condiment bar with the usual stuff like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, but also more exciting things like things like dill pickles, pepperoncinis, jalapenos, and their excellent house sauce that's equally good on the burger as it is on the side for dipping fries or onion rings.

The restaurant itself is a little on the small side, but seating has never really been an issue. They have maybe 6-7 tables inside and another 4-5 outside on their covered patio which is usually enough, especially if you manage to avoid the rush.

As burger places go this has actually surpassed Nobby's for me, which for years entertained an almost mythic status as the best burger place in Chico. But I find that where Big Chico Burger ("BCB" as my friends and I affectionately call it) wins out is in its consistency. In nearly 20 years I've always known what to expect and have never been surprised or disappointed by...

Big Chico Burger is officially my favorite burger spot in town. With endless options for customization (burger size, cook temp, grilled toppings, fresh toppings, and sauces) there's something here for everyone. Order time and prices do not align with fast food, because it's not fast food. You're getting grilled to order, all natural, California-grown, certified black angus beef on an artisan-style bun from local bakers. Last night, we ordered two 1/3 lb cheddar cheeseburgers, one 1/3 lb mushroom swiss cheeseburger, the Big Chico Platter (fries, seasoned fries, and onion rings), and 3 fountain beverages. It was ~$60 with tip. It was an all-lady crew last night, and they were working their tails off while still making time for friendly conversation. Aside from leaving with a full belly, I also left feeling like I had had a memorable customer encounter. We've definitely worked our way through burgers around town (Burgers & Brew, The Ranch Hand, etc.) and aside from a very different but equally as delicious burger experience from 5th Street Steakhouse, Big Chico Burger is a standout. They stay busy...

While this review took place during the COVID-19 lockdown, it didn't impact the experience I and a number of other patrons had. One guy taking phone orders and counter orders and five girls "working" the grill area including the manager. Phone orders put on hold for far too long. How do I know? I was one of them, gave up and drove over. Cashier was repeatedly asking for help, one girl said, "I'll do it after these fries are done", and proceeded to stare at the timer for another 3minutes. Once the fries were done, she didn't help. The manager showed an unwillingness to streamline the process leading to underdone fries, confusion in the kitchen and one employee on her phone while there was certainly a need for help. It appears the manager opted to give everyone more underdone fries while taking complaint calls. Food here isn't cheap but it's local and I'm trying to support a local Chico business. This isn't a shining example of what a local...