Grub Burger Bar’s warm environment, hefty portions, unique drink variety and friendly servers all make it a welcoming hangout spot.
The restaurant and bar opened its Santa Clara location two years ago in August 2018. Grub Burger Bar has two other California locations in Los Angeles and San Diego counties.
The restaurant is nestled within Lawrence Station Shopping Center, about 10 minutes down Interstate 280 from Downtown San Jose and has plenty of parking.
Myself and two friends were pleasantly surprised by its friendly atmosphere and delectable burgers when we went two weeks ago.
Customers order at the front counter or the bar immediately after entering the restaurant and are given a table number to pick where they would like to sit.
Outdoor socially distanced seating is available and pathways are clearly marked inside the restaurant, directing customers to enter and exit through different doors.
I ordered at the bar while my friend ordered at the front counter. Celyne Carlet, a bartender who has worked at Grub Burger Bar since its opening, attentively helped us order by pointing out popular dishes and suggesting which alcoholic drinks to try.
I ordered a Golden Gate Sourdough sandwich with onion rings and a Patrón Mango Rita while my friend ordered a Lockhart Legend Burger before we received our table number and sat down.
The Golden Gate Sourdough was $16.50 while the Lockhart Legend Burger was $12.50.
The Patrón Mango Rita is made with Patrón Silver Tequila, lime juice and Patrón Citrónge Mango, which is a mango liqueur.
I was pleasantly met with the sweet fruity flavors of the mango and lime juice on my first sip and the familiar taste of the tequila was present but not overpowering.
Our food arrived after about 10 minutes and the delicious smell of crispy bacon, grilled beef and salty, fried food wafted around the restaurant. Both the sourdough sandwich and burger were prepared with an onion ring on top and stabbed through the center with a large knife.
The Lockhart Legend burger my friend ordered was an enormous creation that included onion rings inside of the burger. Height wise, the burger was so large, she jokingly held it up next to her head to compare the size.
The burger was composed of smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, and pickles and was oozing with the restaurant’s homemade Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce, a sweet, dark sauce with a hint of vanilla.
The Golden Gate Sourdough sandwich with onion rings included avocado, bacon, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and a house-made Thousand Island relish.
The bread was beautifully golden brown and was brushed with herb butter on the top. True to its name, the sandwich called to the inner Californian in me with its generous layer of avocado in between the bacon and cheese.
We had to cut the orders in half with the knife provided to handle the size of the portions, and then we enthusiastically dug into our food.
Our table soon descended into a calm, quiet atmosphere that is only brought on by a massive serving of delectable food.
The food was warm and comforting and the cherry on top of the order was the small silver plate of the restaurant’s signature sauces. The sauces included honey mustard, the Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce and chipotle ketchup, which was typical ketchup with a kick of spice and cool jalapeño ranch, which was a regular ranch dressing with a subtle added taste of green jalapeño pepper.
The unique sauces each made for a richer, more flavorful meal. My favorite was the cool jalapeño ranch that had the classic creamy ranch dressing with an added bit of spice that nicely complimented my salty onion rings.
Satisfied, well fed and slightly comatose, we decided to get two more drinks to-go for us to enjoy at home. We ordered a Back Porch Punch, which is a sweet rum punch made with Bacardi rum and a mix of fruit juices and a Berries From The West, which has blueberry vodka, fresh lemon juice and a splash of Pinot Noir.
The drinks were served in plastic takeaway cups with a strip of orange tape sealing the top as the bartender reminded us not to drink and drive. Both drinks were very fruity and sweet, which was a nice touch for a post-burger drink following our savory meal.
I had a fantastic experience devouring Grub Burger Bar’s delectable food and drinks that were served by a welcoming staff.
I 100% plan on returning to the restaurant to try more of the mouth-watering burgers and hang out with friends while sipping some juicy cocktails.
