Place: Garibaldi’s Restaurant (Oakland)
5356 College Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 595-4000
garibaldisrestaurant.com
Date: 7/26/2010
Eater: Charlie
Price: $10 ($8 for the burger; $1 for white cheddar; $1 caramelized onions)
Review: I recently patronized Garibaldi’s (Oakland branch) during their most excellent happy hour (4:00 – 6:30) where the burger, and most everything else, is $8 and under. The burger was very juicy. Dare I say, too juicy? Perhaps. The burger was literally sliding around between the bun like a greased pig. Regardless, the the burger was large, well cooked (although I like my medium-rare more on the medium-rare-rare side) and well flavored . Additionally, the ever important bun-to-meat ratio was just about perfect…while the shoestring fries soaked up the burger juice nicely.
Size: 7 ozs. (ALWAYS medium rare unless noted)
Accouterments: The burger was topped with iceberg lettuce, red onions, and 2 nice slices of heirloom tomatoes (seasonal) all on an Acme bun. The friendly barkeep provided ramekins of Ketchup and mustard, on the side. Crispy shoestring fries rounded out the meal nicely.
Type of meat: Cow
Ranch: USDA Choice
Beer with Burger: Indica IPA (Eureka, CA); Draft; $6
Beer Selection: Limited but nice selection. All beers were between $4-$7 dollars.
Ambiance: When I dine out with my Domestic Life Partner (DLP), I like sitting at the bar; I’m closer to my best girl and it seems easier to hold conversations. Luckily 2 spots were available! Garibaldi’s isn’t your typical ‘burger joint’ it’s a much more upscale, but during the happy hour things are pretty chill. The wait staff is friendly and knowledgeable.
Rating: 1 standard deviation above the mean
