Kirk's SteakBurgers - Palo Alto

Bay Area burger institution grinding USDA choice steak in-house daily for thick patties and a devoted following for over 40 years.

Kirk's SteakBurgers keeps the open-flame burger at the center of its appeal. The Palo Alto restaurant belongs to a Bay Area burger tradition dating to 1948, with burgers made fresh daily and cooked over fire. We like that straightforward foundation, which gives the menu a clear identity even as the topping combinations become more elaborate. The Smokehouse adds bacon, cheddar, crispy onions, and barbecue sauce, while the Pineapple Bacon burger brings grilled fruit and pepper jack into the mix. Mushroom Swiss offers another classic direction with grilled mushrooms and onions. Original steakburgers keep things simpler, and shakes, sides, sandwiches, and salads broaden the choices around them. Kirk's is appealing when the idea of a casual meal starts with a charbroiled burger and lets each person choose how much to build on it.