Maillards — Restaurant in San Francisco

I wanted to hate this place and say it was just hype, but I couldn’t. I tried it twice and each time it was delicious. Sure, the lines can get long, but it took me an acceptable 30-40 minutes from lining to eating both times (I wouldn’t wait much longer than that). It was a very well balanced burger, from cheese, pickles, shallots, patty width, buns, etc. The fries here are pretty good and the sauces are interesting. The patties are smashed very well and the meat quality is better than your standard smash burger. You can see the chefs doing their thing live.

I actually have a theory for why Maillards smash burgers are smashier and better Maillard reaction’ed than others. It’s the wind.

Ok, hear me out. I make smash burgers at home and always wanted to try this. When you smash your cold patty on a hot pan, the water content in the patty evaporates rapidly and tries to escape from below the patty to the sides, which decreases the potential to have lacier edges and better Maillard reactions because of the water content. I always thought to myself: “what if I could blow away or vacuum this vapor?” That way, I could achieve a crispier, lacier, more Maillard’ed patty with minimal water interference. So, maybe this is what’s happening here? I have a weird and unjustified level of confidence in my (full of hot air) theory. For those who tried it at the bar, where was it smashier? I’d bet it was smashier at this outdoor location.

One thing about Maillards that I would appreciate seeing is a cleaner, more organized workspace, but I understand if it’s a bit chaotic since this is not a brick-and-mortar store and it’s Sundays only. Still, they should have a good understanding of how things...

THE best in SF--jucy patties with crisp exterior, creamy burger sauce with that pickle tang which melts perfectly into the American cheese. On par or better than Burgers Never Say Die in LA. Got a double and the fries. Jalapeno aioli for the fries was perfectly balanced with a kick.

Amazing staff too! They handled orders and food with careful efficiency + were communicative about when they were about to sell out so that people weren't left hanging. Loved supporting a good group of kind, hardworking people, guy working the blacktop like a pro especially so.

Drove more than an hour from East Bay and waited for about 30-40 minutes in line; so glad it was very worth it. Praying they franchise something closer to the bridge or even on in Oakland.

Warning they sell out every time so try to get there...

I think it's a tad bit expensive for a stall at a farmer's market with no seating. I'm patiently waiting for them to open a brick and mortar. I spent $34 on two burgers, 1 fry, and 1 drink and I had to wait 30-40minutes. Then I had to sit on the sidewalk. But wow I hate that this is my favorite stall at the farmer's market. I feel bad for not trying the other delicious food because I keep coming back to Maillards. Their burger is what I think a smashburger should taste like. Crispy patty in a burger that's not too greasy. The flavors of the spicy burger is also...