Fare, PDQ

Wow. Gourmet fast food done right. The milkshakes here are insane. I’ve tried most of their menu and have yet to be disappointed.

Both the burgers and chicken sandwiches are delicious. Fries came out crisp and tasty, made as if on demand. Overall a great place and I’ll be back again!

if i could give them –5 stars I would. I ordered food for delivery and the order was missing several key items and it was overcooked and inedible. I cannot believe a restaurant could send out this poor quality of food to someone. They should be embarassed

I’ll start by saying that I like their food. I’m not sure I can call them «pdq» though.
I showed up today right before they opened for lunch, thinking I’d grab something on my way in to the office. They were a little late opening as they assembled a large order for a delivery service, but that was fine.
So I walked in and was the first to order. I was warned that it would take 12 minutes for fried stuff, but I figured it was worth waiting to get what I wanted. I ordered a fried sandwich, fries, and a salad. Then I sat down to wait at 11:08. Several other customers showed up right after I did, so they had a decent immediate rush.
So I waited. And watched the clock. And watched several other parties get served. And wondered wtf happened. Then I finally received my order at 11:34.
26 minutes just isn’t reasonable for anything that calls itself fast food. I’m willing to give a place a break when I catch them just as they open, but this was too slow regardless, and that was exacerbated by telling me 12 minutes and then taking more than twice that.
Will this make me not go back? No, I wouldn’t say that. But if someone asks me for a place to grab a quick bite, this won’t be a place that I’ll be able to suggest.

First of all, the sweet potato fries are on point. Perfectly crisp and flavorful without extra grease.
I also got the veggie burger which had good flavor. However, the patty was a bit mushy (like the texture of mashed potatoes) and I would have preferred a more solid patty.
The size of the classic burgers are on the small side so get the big size if you’re looking for a burger comparable to other burger joints.
Overall, I would come try their other sandwiches if I am in the area but I wouldn’t make a special trip.

Awesome service and delicious food! First off, the owner is super friendly and always greet you with a friendly smile. Then, the food is prepared to your order and tastes great. Always fresh ingredients, always tasty! The portions are sized just right with many combination options. From burgers to salads and to their homemade chips… you can’t go wrong!

we first went to Godfather, but while waiting I scoped this place and read on Unilocal that although it looks fast foody — its of a better caliber. Anyway, we bailed Godfather and popped in here — 20 minutes later we had ordered, waited, ate, cleaned up and left a delicious, filling burger experience. Definitely my go to — I don’t want a $ 20 burger meal, I want it quick and easy and dirty and these guys deliver. Reminds me of how I felt about 5 guys before the price jack. Big fan and those fries are on

The worst (best?) thing you can offer to someone like myself who is oft plagued with indecision is a menu of tantalizing-​sounding, just-​a-​little-​larger-​than-​a-​slider sliders. A friend and I ordered all of them. All. Even the vegetarian one. Plus chicken strips, a full sized «Big Fare» tri-​tip sammich and the sweet potato fries. THEN WE WENT HAM ON THE WHOLE ORDER LIKE WE NEVER NEEDED OUT JEANS TO FIT AGAIN*. hashtagsomethingfattysomethingstillsingle
There are some stand out winners on that menu. Among the Classic Fare «feed a petite, tease an ogre» sized sammiches, the Carolina Pulled Pork was tops, with an earthy sweetness from a root beer braising, crispness of sliced apple, and a vinegary slaw. A close — close — second was the Sioux City Sloppy Joe, made with herbaceous inflections of chorizo, cumin (?), and jalapeño. It’s like your childhood Sloppy Joe, but grown & sexy. Honorable mention has to go to the Belmont Veggie sammich — while the housemade veggie patty isn’t out of the ordinary, the addition of crispy mushrooms add a nice texture and that pepper relish sets it apart from the usual veggie «burger» one might find elsewhere.
I’m a little over sweet potato fries, but they’re cooked & seasoned well, served hot and a nice compliment to the burgers.
The Santa Maria Tri-​Tip sammich is an alright, by-​the-​book steak sammich, sure, BUT it’s a moderate portioned tri-​tip sammich under $ 7. Lettuce, tomato, tri-​tip. I’d get it again, but first I need to try the chicken sammich… (Yeah, chicken from a burger joint. I’m one of those weirdos that tries all the proteins aside from the one a place is known for.) The panko-​crusted chicken Fare Strips were surprisingly moist and have a good texture that I imagine adds a nice crunch to the appropriately named CRUNCHY ATLANTA Fried Chicken Sandwich. I’mma have to get me one of those next time I’m in the area.
All these items ordered by two wide-​eyed, ravenous rock climbers a half-​hour before closing and they took good care of us like we were their first customers of the day — offering us tastes of their Fare Blend (Blood Orange Lemonade blended with Passion Fruit Ice Tea) and sangria… oh, damnit. Now I remember that we also had the butterscotch milkshake. It was good, too. Guiltily good. EAT ALL OF YOUR FEELINGS!!!
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After writing this review, it is little wonder why I can’t send certain routes at the rock climbing gym now. FAT FATTY McFATTERSON!

This is hands down my new favorite burger joint. I love the different portion sizes they have to offer and don’t let me get started on the variety! From burgers to chicken strips and salad, you honestly can’t go wrong with which ever one you decide to get. I was surprised that they even offer dessert! The chocolate milkshake is simply divine, it is so rich.
The service was super fast and everyone I encountered was very polite, I appreciate the fact that they have online order service.
I can’t easily say that I will be a returning customer :)

Admittedly, the restaurant initially is confusing. The building outside makes it look fairly fast food-​y, while the option to «make reservations» on Unilocal evokes a full service restaurant. Rest assured, however, this is an excellent fast casual restaurant. It is now our «go-​to» burger joint.
It is immediately apparent the owner and chef greatly cares about the food. Regular special burgers rotate through, along with different salads and sides. The flavors you get here are unique and bold, with burgers and salad «designs» which would feel right at home at a specialized full service burger restaurant. The salads are excellent and fresh, with, as mentioned earlier, bold flavors and unique ingredients. The fries are fresh and prepared masterfully.
The pictures here on Unilocal… don’t do their food justice. I’m not sure what’s going on, perhaps it’s because many people are ripping open their burgers and taking a picture which makes it look weird, but the quality of these burgers are on par with, if not exceed, other local burger-​specialized restaurants in the area.
So at the moment, my wife and I consider this to be a somewhat «secret» locals burger joint. While I’d love to keep it that way, by the same token this establishment deserves to take off, they’re doing excellent work here.

«No lie, these are the best fries!»
My wife and I decided to grab a burger for dinner and we were so glad we came to Fare. The burger is nothing short of gourmet, but at a fast food price. I’ve seen some people complain about the lack of size in the burger, but to us it’s just right, maybe a little on the larger side too. We got the Atlanta, new cheeseburger, FRIES, and onion rings. The burgers were so fresh, you can taste and feel the chicken in the ATL and the bun on both of the burgers are top notch. I would just eat the buns if I could order it that way. But on to the main event! The French fries! It’s light and crispy on the outside, but ridiculously soft on the inside. It comes in a cup, so I was afraid that may make the fries on the bottom soggy, but it didn’t! It’s magic! Bottom line is, this place is delicious, friendly, reasonable and inviting. Give it a shot! You won’t be disappointed.
P.s: if you’re a quantity over quality type of person, this might be for you.

A new favorite burger place! The menu is simple but very fresh & tasty. Had the New Haven classic, its suit me perfectly! The size is great for someone who’s can’t eat a larger burger, yet wants to feel satisfied. Fries and shake were delish, which was promised. I love that when I walked in; the folks behind the counter were very helpful and made ordering easy. Everything is very fresh and made to order, so if you looking for a greasy spoon, might need to look elsewhere. Like that they have a spare sink to wash up before chowing down, very nice touch!

Amazing veggie sandwich. Tastes good, patty is little soft/​mashed but not terrible. The secret goodness sauce makes it awesome. Also ordered house made chips which were good and not oily. Parking was easy with a private lot and place was clean. The only con I have is that the sandwich is too small. There is no way it will ever make me full. I will need atleast two. Considering the taste and everything else rating it 4 stars. I will be back but for atleast 2 veggie sandwiches!

How have I passed this restaurant up in all the 4 years of me working so close to this area?
FARE PDQ is the latest departure from fast food, and they’ve done an amazing thing! There gourmet burgers are served with fresh quality ingredients, and exciting flavors and seasoning. Together with house made super thin chips. There dipping sauce also known as «pomme fritz» is DE-​LISH as well.
This place is good! It’s located right on El Camino near the border of Belmont/​San Carlos in a remodeled 1960’s fast food joint. They offer a small parking lot, a few indoor and outdoor tables, so I assume many people just do a take.
The menu is short and simple, but the choices are interesting and tasty. Food is made to order you’re your name appears on a large flat panel screen as your order is prepared which is located on the far right of the menu. They have replaced their cash registers with iPads replaced. (Fancy huh?)
I got the New Haven and it was awesome! I didn’t think their fare fries were anything special though, next time I’ll get their homemade chips.
They have great attention to details, clean bright interior, nice outdoor seating at the front. Staff wear classic kitchen ‘whites’.
Please note: The buns are smaller than you might expect (not your ordinary Five Guys burgers) but are satisfying and didn’t leave me «over stuffed» after a full meal including fries.
All together my food was less than $ 7 and a good portion for that price.
This restaurant is also known to be vegetarian friendly.

So many great things to say about this place. Quaint, cozy, trendy atmosphere. Food was delicious and, as the name suggests, PDQ (pretty darn quick!). Outstanding customer service (shout out to Steve who gave us a warm welcome, walked us through the menu, made suggestions, offered tips on how to optimize our order to save $$, and checked in to make sure we were enjoying our meal).
They ALSO have a restroom area with a sink inside AND outside! Brilliant. I was able to wash my hands immediately before eating without waiting for the restroom occupant to emerge. That was my favorite amenity by far… I wish more restaurants did this!
I’ve been texting my family and friends raving about this place & I only just left this place an hour ago. Will definitely be back for more soon.
Highly recommend:
— the BLT sandwich (light and crispy)
— the NorCal salad (the apples & vinaigrette are delicious)
— the Fare Fries (their trademark «extra secret goodness sauce» paired with it is amazing!!)

Just went to lunch here at the recommendation of a friend. The whole concept is to do healthy, locally sourced food in reasonable portions. You can take your pick of regular sized, perfectly portioned dishes, or get their big bites which are more of a portion that you would expect to get at a restaurant.
The sweet potato fries were good, but the regular fries were better. They are better seasoned. Pay the extra 10 cents to get their house made lemonade or passion iced tea!
I got the salad with grilled chicken, beets, arugula, goat cheese, and house made apple cider vinegar. It was so delicious! This will be my new go to spot for a healthy lunch!

Woah. Such an excellent restaurant. The menus are straight up and to the point, nothing too fancy to throw you off. The burgers here are OUT OF THIS WORLD. I had a Crunchy Atlanta Fried Chicken sandwich, which turned out to be absolutely amazing. They put Avocado on it. Absolutely changed the game when it comes to the chicken sandwich.
The in house chips are nothing to write home about. I want to love them but they left me with a meh feeling.
Other than that the whole experience was truly delightful and I’d recommend them to anyone.

I would give two stars based on my experience but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt since they might just not do fried chicken sandwiches or veggie burgers very well. Maybe the beef burgers are better.
I got the Crispy Atlanta which was not crispy at all. The bacon made up must of the character of the burger and the «secret goodness» just tastes like buttery mayo. Not very interesting.
There wasn’t much chicken in the sandwich and the avocado left the bun kinda soggy in the middle. The tomato was also very disappointing and distracting.
I also tried the wife’s veggie slider and it was soft to the point of most of it oozing out of the burger with even the most careful of bites. Taste-​wise, this one was about average.
The descriptions all sound amazing but at least these two items were let-​downs.

SLOWER fast food joint, but it’s worth it to know the food is fresh!
sliders are $ 4-​$ 5 but even though they are «slider» sized, one was perfect for me
—belmont veggie burger: TASTY with a nice spicy sauce! i like the soft bun & love sprouts in any of my sandwiches so i’m glad they offer this
—haven burger: a cheese burger that was also yummy
they have indoor & patio seating, PLUS free WIFI
NOTE: they have a very small private parking lot

Giving them 2 Stars only for taste– it was FAIR — no pun intended
First of all my burger was the size of a slider A little bitty slider– NOT as advertised in the photos they have displayed all over the restaurant
Second of all, there is no where on the menu that says what exactly «Fare fries» are, it would have been nice to know that they are spicy and have parsley all over them (like garlic fries but no garlic)
So very disappointed in the size of the burger, for the price I paid I could have had a GIANT burger from The Godfather next door
Overall — NOT WORTH THE PRICE :(