The Friendly Tavern — Restaurant in San Diego

The Friendly Tavern is one of those places that looks completely unassuming from the outside. You have to walk past an odd, almost nondescript entrance before making your way to the real heart of the place—an open-air back patio with plenty of picnic tables. Inside, the setup is minimal, with only about five or six bar seats, but the real draw here isn’t the seating—it’s the food.

Let’s talk about the Smashburger, which, no exaggeration, ranks in my top three in San Diego. The crispy, golden-brown edges of the patty contrast beautifully with the juicy, flavor-packed center, creating that perfect balance of crunch and tenderness. The bun is just the right amount of soft and toasty, hugging the patty and melted cheese in a way that makes every bite ridiculously satisfying. The price? Shockingly affordable for the quality, making it easy to justify ordering two if you’re feeling extra hungry.

The bar itself is straightforward—no frills, no extensive spirit selection. They stick to their well liquors, so if you're planning on having a few cocktails, just be aware that some of those mixed drinks might leave you with a next-day headache. They do batch their cocktails, which is convenient, but they can run out at times. Your best bet? Stick with the beers. They’ve got old-school classics like Hamm’s, keeping things simple and nostalgic. Just a heads-up—nothing on draft here.

One of the best things about this spot is the laid-back, friendly vibe. The bartenders are super chill, the kind of guys who remember your face after a couple of visits and make you feel like a regular. It’s the kind of place where you settle in, grab a beer, and just enjoy the atmosphere without any pretension.

Bonus points for being dog-friendly! They even offer a pup patty, so your four-legged friend won’t feel left out while you’re indulging in one of the best burgers in town.

One downside? Parking. But that’s just North Park life—expect to circle the block a few times before finding a spot.

All in all, The Friendly Tavern is exactly what the name suggests: welcoming, unpretentious, and serving up some of the best Smashburgers in San Diego. Definitely worth...

I was really excited to try out The Friendly Tavern after hearing my friends rave about it and reading the glowing reviews. I should've done a little more research.

My husband and I ate there with our friends last night, and the nicest way I can put it is that it was a big letdown.

Our friends let us order first, which became an ordeal when I asked for the Bacon, Mushroom & Swiss burger without onions and the woman at the window told me they don't allow any modifications, pointed to a little chalkboard sign, and then said "It's not me, it's the owner." Oh, and every burger on their menu has onions on it. Wonderful! I said fine, I'll just get the burger and scrape the onions off, at which point she informs me that the mushrooms are cooked with shallots and garlic, and for good measure decides she should school me about how shallots are onions. Really lady? At this point I'm beyond ready to move on, so I get the burger as is with a Purple Drank and my husband orders the OG with a coke.

We find a table around back, and while we're chatting and waiting for our orders, our friends' drinks arrive. About 10 minutes later their food arrives. My husband asks the server about our order because we're sitting there with nothing in front of us while our friends - who ordered after us - already have their drinks and food. She confirms the name on our order and then tells me they're out of Purple Drank. Of course they are. I take a margarita instead because at this point I just need booze.

Finally our drinks and food arrive, and I'm looking at a burger that looks like someone sat on it. People, I seriously have no idea what all the hype is about. The burger was a mess, I couldn't taste the mushrooms, and there was no bacon in sight. I ate half of it before just giving up on the whole experience. My husband was able to at least finish his OG, but told me afterward that it was the saltiest burger he'd ever eaten.

So all in all, between the lackluster food and the terrible service, this one is a hard pass for me.

*I gave it 2 stars because the margarita got me a little bit tipsy, which was better...

Right, listen up. This one’s long overdue, yeah? I’ve been rockin’ up to The Friendly for donkey’s years now. I used to live about a stone’s throw away from this gaff — which, let’s be honest, is a blessin’ and a bleedin’ curse. Soon as they fired up that grill, I’d catch a whiff and boom — I’m over there faster than you can say “smash burger.”

Ain’t no poncy table bookings here. Nah, this is proper casual — picnic benches, cheap and cheerful, none of that la-di-da nonsense. Burgers, fries, cold beer, and good vibes. The geezers behind the counter? Salt of the earth, they are. Always got a grin, bit of banter, and they treat ya like one of their own.

Couple years back, my mate Alistair flies over from Manchester. He falls for the place hard. He’s in there so much, the crew know him by name. Goes back home and he’s givin’ it the big sell all over town. Me? I do the same here in San Diego. Any mate asks where to get a proper burger, I point ‘em straight to The Friendly.

The OG is the one — no muckin’ about. Simple, done right, every box ticked. Fridays and Saturdays, you’ll get a bit of a queue ‘cause the locals know what’s what. But midweek? Stroll in, grab your grub, job done.

The lads runnin’ the gaff are proper legends. And get this — they knock a quid off if you shotgun a beer. Little touches like that make it. San Diego’s got a fair few burger joints, but The Friendly’s the guv’nor. I probably pop in here more than I see me own family. Already got my next...