Johnny B's Burgers, Brew & Spirits — Restaurant in La Mesa

I've been coming here since the beginning. Not daily but have been here many, many times over the years. I'm starting to wonder why. The last few visits have been o.k to terrible. With the terrible being this last weekend. Mom wanted a patty melt for her birthday so let's give it another chance.

Apparently they were having an event in the village so there was lots of people in the streets. We thought that it would be a wait but once inside it wasn't bad at all and we walked back to patio and sat. It started off good, the waiter seemed polite and was quick to get our drinks. I noticed we had no menus so asked if we could have some. He pointed to the plastic thing on table with a small menu on it. "That's all?" him: "yep, that's all" then silence. No explanation or any kind of rapport..blank stare. Because of the event it seemed they only had a limited menu. Bummer. Oh well, they had several burgers, sandwiches, salad, so we would have no problem finding something.

I always get burgers when here so I went with a buffalo chicken sandwich this time. Bad decision. It arrived, ON A PAPER PLATE, and was the most pathetic little chicken breast I've seen in a while. Seriously, it looked like the frozen breasts that the sell at supermarket in the big bags. Maybe 5 ounces with a little slather of sauce on top. Bland, tasteless, unsatisfying in every way. I also got a side salad as well which was just a $6 plate of lettuce with a few slivers of onion and a pale tomato. My mother got the patty melt and it was fine but again, 6 ounces maybe. Very small (somehow I blanked out the size of their sandwiches or they have gotten smaller. I'm leaning towards the latter). Small portions are fine, we eat too much anyway but when you are charging $12-13 for just a sandwich with no fries? Come on. Did I mention the paper plates, plastic forks and solo cups for the drinks? Embarrassing. I could go to most fast food joints and get 2 sandwiches for $7 that taste better and are larger. The waiter disappeared pretty much for the rest of the meal, I think he checked on us once (and that was to pull more drink orders out of us). Never once asked how it was, if we needed anything, etc. Granted they got pretty busy but, like most restaurants now days (even before wit staff started quitting their jobs) they under staff to save a buck so it stresses everything out. 2 waiter/waitresses for 15 tables?

So, all in all, 3 stars is being generous. It's based on what this place used to be and not what it's become. This visit was one star. 2 people, 2 bloody mary's, 2 plastic cups of wine, food with no appetizers = $70. As it has grown, service and food have declined. It's sad that is always the case.

It's average, overpriced food. With more expensive drinks. Maybe to come and just drink but the restaurant has really gone down hill. As one commenter said, you can do better many other places. Come on Johnny, you're...

One of the most disappointing meals I have ever had and for thirty dollars. First of all I ordered an old fashioned cocktail, pretty simple and they put a whole orange with the skin in my drink. I couldn't even drink from the straw due to the orange. What gets worse it's that my burger was one of the most bland burgers I have ever had, I ordered a Hickory bbq burger. There was barely any sauce on the burger and they added lettuce and tomato when it's a bbq burger! The ingredients were very low quality and they charge $14 for it with no fries, they cost extra 4.50 to be exact! For fries we ordered the fries and onion ring platter to share, there was barely and fries and onion rings, the fries were not seasoned either and the onion rings didn't taste great. Then we ordered some "nachos" and we got potato weddings with blue cheese and some of the most dry chicken I have ever had, those were not nachos. Worse of it I saw a guy walk thru the back with frozen onion rings from the grocery store, and they charge 6 dollars for them when you can buy a whole bag for 10. For 30 dollars you can walk down the street to Boss Bird get a good chicken burger with fries and a good cocktail for $30 and tastes amazing. The only redeeming factor was that our waiter was really nice and quick to assist our big group, the back patio seating was nice also but that is it. Can't believe they been established since 1999 and haven't changed up their menu and are greedy with their portions, there needs to be a change of management since they seem to be stuck in 1999. I have no photos to add since the food was an insult to my taste buds I rather forgot about...

I have gone to Johnny B's numerous times for take out lunch. The food is always excellent and I have always been given the lunch special burger and fries with a soda for somewhere around $12. Today I went in and ordered for myself and my boss like I usually do. I got myself a cheeseburger fries and a coke and I ordered him a cheeseburger, add bacon, fries and an ice tea. I fully expected to pay extra for the bacon. I had a beer while I waited which was pretty flat and not like a normal IPA flat. Waitress was very nice. My to go came out and my total was $45. I was shocked and went in to ask the young guy if they did the lunch special anymore. I was informed only for dine-in. I wish I would have been told that when I ordered the lunch special to go. To be charged 10.45 for a burger 2.95 for bacon 3.25 for fries when on the menu it says add fries for 2.95 and 3.25 for ice tea? That is just insane. There needs to be some more clarity when it comes to menu prices and maybe let people know you do not offer the lunch special to go anymore. I've ordered it at least 3 times to go over the course of 2 years. Again, the food and service is good, the prices...not so much. I was so excited to eat here again today. For these prices I definitely will not be going back. They should also check their menu because the one I was given with my to go order, the prices did not...