Buddies Burgers - San Diego, California

Buddies Burgers opened near San Diego State University earlier this year. My friends were pretty excited about Buddies when it opened but my first visit was this month. After having eaten there I'm not disappointed that I waited so long. I probably won't be going back anytime soon.

Buddies is very similar to In-N-Out but they don't have a drive through, the service is slower and the food is more expensive. The restaurant is very well kept on the inside with lots of family photographs from the guys who started the restaurant. However, the atmosphere doesn't make up for the overpriced food and slow service. After ordering we waited for probably 10 minutes before getting our food. Unfortunately my roommate's order was taken down incorrectly so we had to wait another 15 minutes for them to get her what she wanted.

This is the first review that I've written where I wouldn't recommend the restaurant to friends/family. I want to be as objective as possible so that you can decide for yourself but that is how I feel. I ordered a Double-Buddie with Pepper Jack cheese.The beef patties were well cooked and the vegetables were fresh. By the way the burger tasted I could tell they used quality ingredients. The burger was good but it wasn't great.

Along with the burger I also ordered fries and a chocolate milkshake. The fries were beer-battered and were pretty good. My milkshake review may be biased because I'm used to having Burgerville shakes from the Northwest. That being said I thought that the milkshake at Buddies was mediocre. It was small, too sweet and was not very chocolaty. 

My biggest beef with Buddies, pun intended, was the price. My meal came out to be $10.40 before tax for a Double Buddie, Fries and a Chocolate Milkshake. The food was good but was undeserving of the high price tag. The discrepancy between price and quality is what puts Buddies at the bottom of my list of places to eat near campus.

State Street Grill - San Diego, California

State Street Grill is located across the street from San Diego State University. Their location is great for students living on or near campus. It isn't a very big restaurant, which is emphasized by the lack of available parking.

We went to State Street at dusk and sat outside. They have a nice enclosed patio which is great for the beautiful San Diego weather.

State Street has an interesting menu. They mix diner classics like burgers, sandwiches and salads with an Asian-American menu. Although I'm not a big fan of sushi my friends say that State Street's sushi is pretty good.

This was my first visit to State Street and my friends told me that I had to have fries. There weren't any other recommendations so I decided to get a burger. The "Hall of Flame" burger was what I ultimately decided to get. The burger had bacon, pepper jack cheese, avocados, lettuce, tomato, Frank's hot sauce and habanero lime mayo.

If you don't like spicy food, don't get this burger. It was hot and left my mouth a little tender afterwards. However, despite the heat the burger was great. I really enjoyed the combination of flavors. After the burger I  dove into the fries. They tasted really good and had a nice crispness to them which many places do not get right.

Overall State Street Grill is a good place to eat if you're at San Diego State and you're looking for a casual sit down meal. The relaxed atmosphere makes it a good place to hang out if you want to get appetizers and drinks with friends while watching a game.

5131 College Avenue
Suite F
San Diego, California 92115