4505 Meats

It’s really hard to turn down a visit to Roli Roti for its scarce resource, the famed Porchetta Sandwich. But I had seen 4505’s «best damn» burger on multiple «best burger alive» lists, and so the detour was warranted.
First of all, the best burger alive exists, and it’s located in Chicago at the corner of Randolph and Halsted. Anyone who says differently is selling something.
Second of all, 4505’s burger is very good, but I’m almost positive there’s better in the Bay Area (it’s a burgeoning search, so I haven’t pinpointed a winner yet). Everything about the burger is good. Toasty, soft bun. Well played fried egg. A salty-​seasoned quarter pounder.
It compares well to counter-​casual, thin patty type burgers like Shake Shack, Super Duper, or Smashburger. But if you’re making the trek on Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market, you might as well put in the additional legwork and wait for that porchetta sandwich.
However, I will offer you one very good reason to visit 4505, and that’s for their insanely good chicharrones. They’re insanely airy and light. It’s not your favorite Mexican hole in the wall joint’s chicharrones. Instead, their texture and complexity more closely resembles Asian-​style prawn crackers, only with a spicy, porky taste. They’re also insanely expensive and don’t offer much bang for the buck, but they are so, so good.

Delicious BBQ!!! Awesome outdoor seating selection. Kinda long, obnoxious line, but it moved semi-​quickly.
If they served drinks in line or handed you a menu it would of really speed up the service.
I had the brisket –awesomesauce, nice and tender. Good cut, but not a huge portion. Baked beans were delicious. Side– some fried mac and cheese –I’d skip that as it was a small portion and it really hits you hard. The fries looked good.
If they had some corn on the cob, I would have been in heaven. Solid place, great for lunch or a nice casual dinner.
Great beers on tap!

Their tiny «best damn cheeseburger», which comes with a piece of iceberg lettuce and a slice of red onion, at $ 11 is just a disappointment. Super Duper at $ 5 at least has real lettuce and a fresh tomato slice and tastes hell of a lot better. The service at the market is very poor too, I asked for extra lettuce, and was told we don’t do mods. Come on guys, you can do a lot better than this.

The trend of truly fantastic food continued during my weekend in San Francisco thanks largely in part to 4505 Meats, which dished up one of the better breakfast sandwiches I’ve had in recent memory.
Star 1: How were the service and atmosphere?
4505 Meats is a bit like a farmer’s market stand of sorts mornings outside of the ferry building, but the service is fast and the faces friendly thanks to a crew who are as happy to dish up your food quickly as they are to explain their menu to you and the admirable ethical message behind it. Star Granted.
Star 2: How were the portions relative to the cost?
Alas! The one downfall! So here’s the thing about breakfast sandwiches — they aren’t overly difficult to get wrong, but they’re also difficult to truly make stand out. As you’ll find here, the breakfast sandwich at 4505 Meats really does stand shoulders above the rest, which deserves a premium price tag, but $ 10 for a regular sized breakfast sandwich? Yikes. Yes, there are premium ingredients in the mix here, but in my opinion that should push the price up maybe to $ 7 or $ 8 tops. Double digits? Chipotle burrito prices? Nay. No Star Granted.
Stars 3 and 4: How was the food?
Goodness me was this a bomb sandwich though. I could have honestly eaten the scallion bun plain, and the bacon maple sausage patty was truly out of this world. While on other sandwiches toppings like an egg, gruyère and peppercress may have been written off, they added to the glory here, and the result was, again, one of the better breakfast sandwiches I’ve had. Dual Stars Granted.
Star 5: Would you eat here every day if you could?
Without question or hesitation I would eat here daily if I could. Star Granted.

Why has it taken this long for me to try 4505’s Maple Bacon Breakfast Sandwich is beyond me. But it’s somewhat understandable because it’s hard to resist their Best Damn Cheeseburger which I reviewed before (
). But after having that I didn’t think the breakfast sandwich would be able to top that. I was dead wrong. This sandwich is incredible!
Maple Bacon Breakfast Sandwich –
Bacon sausage patty, fried egg, gruyère cheese, peppercress, housemade bun.
It’s essentially a delicious pork belly burger full of awesomeness. The Bacon Sausage Patty is both sweet and savory so it’s hard to comprehend the explosion of flavor you get with every bite. The bun is the same one they use for their Best Damn Cheeseburger so you already know from my last review that it’s seedy and flavorful as well. Add to that the melted gruyère, peppercress, and runny egg and that is serious food porn. So good! Yes, I am declaring this the best breakfast sandwich I ever had!
The only problem now is that I’ll be reaching a dilemma when I visit their booth at the Ferry Building Farmers Market. Should I get their epic Maple Bacon Breakfast Sandwich or their Best Damn Cheeseburger? I’m wondering if it might be possible to combine the two like Voltron and create the ultimate burger of the universe. I’ll ask next time!

Had the «best damn cheeseburger» which tasted alright. I asked for a rare which they did just right so I was happy about that.
However, the burger itself just tasted like a normal burger. Not exactly fast food but diner quality with better meat. It basically tasted exactly like Super Duper burger but double the price.
11 $ for a small ass burger and it was just alright… 3 star for food but 2 stars for price. Would not come back.

Just an okay BBQ place. Was hard to find at first — ATTN Unilocalers: It’s located to the RIGHT of the main ferry building entrance near all of the other food stands.
Got the Combo Plate because they ran out of fries, but that’s partially my fault for coming at 12:30pm instead of opening. Chicken was drier than what I’ve had before, and overall wasn’t as good as it’s hyped up to be. Might try a sandwich or something next time I guess.
Satisfying, but not anything special.

I’m not sure what to think about the bbq at 4505. The first time I had their brisket someone had brought it to a potluck and I was blown away. I’d never had brisket that good outside of Texas. It was tender, smokey and had a nice bark. I couldn’t wait to try it again. But then I saw it was $ 26/​lb and I hesitated. I mean, it’s like half the price in Texas for something just as good. Yeah, I know, this ain’t Texas so I shouldn’t expect the same deal.
Yesterday I went to the Ferry Bldg to try out their hot dogs which unfortunately weren’t on the menu so I decided this was the perfect opportunity to try the brisket again. I got the ½ brisket (I requested «fatty») for $ 13 (+ sales tax + 4% health SF surcharge!). It wasn’t worth it. They sliced it super thick, like almost 1″ slices of brisket. The meat was dry, tasteless and chewy with a layer of fat then smokey kinda bark on the outside. I was so disappointed! My oven smoked brisket has a lot more flavor not to mention it’s tender and juicy. This stuff was a chore to chew.
I’m not sure why it’s so hit and miss but I’m not taking any chances with them again.

Tasty burger but kinda small. Chicharrones are so legit they melt in your mouth but I prefer them crunchier but they taste well made.
Ran out of these good looking fries. :(

Long line on a Saturday around 1pm, but the line moves quickly.
$ 12.41 for one sandwich plus tax and a 10% tip.
My Breakfast Sandwich was great (see my photos for details): 4 stars! The sesame bun was lightly toasted, the patty full of flavor (though the texture is a little rubbery), and the bacon nice and crispy. The egg’s yolk is very runny so it’s great to bite into that and let it run through the sandwich.

Chicharonnes are listed as $ 7.50 on their menu, but they charged me $ 9. The cashier said they raised the prices but didn’t update the menu yet. She didn’t seem to care much.
1 star for the horrible service and value.

Finally making it to 4505 on a Saturday morning, I was very much looking forward to trying the last item on my 4505 checklist, the maple bacon sausage breakfast sandwich. As mentioned previously, I’ve been rather disappointed in my previous visits to both the food stand (burger) and divisadero joint (bbq) despite being a big fan of their butcher shop. I am happy to say that this time around was not such a letdown.
This particular farmer’s market Saturday also coincided with the goat festival so there were more people than usual here. In addition, many of the food stands had extra specials on the menu for the occasion. As we were ordering the breakfast sandwich, the cashier asked if we were interested in the special sandwich of the day, a beef brisket croquette. It sounded interesting so we went with it.
Maple Bacon Breakfast Sausage Sandwich — This was a little different than I expected as there were no actual bacon strips on it. Instead, I’m fairly certain the bacon was mixed in to the sausage patty. The sausage patty was decent and had a nicely cooked egg topping it (unlike my previous burger). The maple flavor dominated the sandwich as a whole, but in a good way. However, I think there are better breakfast sandwiches out there, including one right next door at Il Cane Rosso.
Beef Brisket Croquette Sandwich (Special) — WOW. Just wow. I could not be happier that we made this impulse order. This is one of the most unique sandwiches I’ve had and I enjoyed every bit of it. I don’t know how they did it, but somehow they made a patty out of chopped up brisket which they breaded and deep fried. Having a fried egg on top made this an amazing sandwich. How is this not a regular item on the menu? It’s not like they don’t make brisket every day. If this were a normal option on their restaurant menu I would definitely be making frequent visits there. It saddens me that the best meal I’ve had from 4505 was a one time special.
Overall, I’d like to give this update a ⁵⁄₅ because that brisket croquette was damn near perfect. I’m almost upset that I’ll probably never get to have this again. 4505, you’ve redeemed yourself and I can now say that it is «A-​OK» if only for your potential for future delicious specials.

I came here yesterday for the Saturday Farmer’s Market. The smell of this place was very tempting, so I had to stop by.
4505 Hot Dog «Zilla» Style (Topped with Namu Kimchi and Chicharrones) (⁴⁄₅) — The meat itself was very good, as expected, but kind of salty (also as expected though, so I didn’t mind). The Kimchi had a nice flavor and wasn’t too spicy for the hot dog. The chicharrones on top were crispy and the perfect topping. I only wish that there was more bun for the very long hot dog, but a lot of people probably prefer it the way it is.
Iced Tea (Earl Grey with Lime and Mint) (⁵⁄₅) — This drink was the perfect blend of refreshing and not too sweet. I love Earl Grey tea, and the addition of the lime and mint was very nice for the sunny day.

Stopped by the Ferry building for some lunch. Had a few to choose from and I opted for 4505 this go round.
Many reviews pointed to the pulled pork shoulder sandwich, which also happened to be the pick of the day.
Very unhealthy, but very tasty
Pulled pork, moist and flavorful
Cole slaw, providing for some cool contrast to the hot buns and meat
Bbq sauce a bunch, spicy kick, but oily
Buttery bread yum

Wowzers! I had their BBQ sandwich of the day — which happened to be pulled pork — and I was blown away.
The bun is soft and kinda crispy. Sort of reminded me of savory Asian donut. The coleslaw they use is vinegar based and has a little kick. The pork was tender and overall, the sandwich was on the sweet side of savory. Oh, and I really really loved the pickle.
Can’t wait to try their other fares.

Wow!
I had the breakfast sandwich during the Saturday Farmers Market. Just awesome. with a sunnyside-​egg, sausage, bacon, and a touch of maple syrup.
Delicious for a chilly Saturday morning.

Maybe it was because I was starving and hungover, but 4505 Meats served a delicious burger. The size looked small, but it packs a hefty punch, and in the end I was happy with the portion. The bun was unique and sprinkled with delicious seeds. Meat was cooked just right, with a nice juicy center.
The special spicy fries weren’t out of this world, and not worth the extra dollars. Maybe try them just once? I wouldn’t get them again, if that’s of any help.
At the end of the day, 4505 Meats yields a solid delicious burger, especially if you find yourself starving and hungover at the Ferry Building on a weekend. Credit card accepted. Grab your food and find a bench or a big wooden log to sit on. Just watch out for the seagulls!

I ordered the cheeseburger with egg and bought 4 bags of chicharrones.
Be patient when it’s busy on the Saturday Farmers Market. The line was pretty long when I placed my order. The bags of chicharrones were $ 7ish each small bag. Yup pretty pricey if you ask me!!!
The wait for the burger was long since they were trying to accommodate as many orders as possible. Kinda hard to see if your order is up since so many people are also waiting.
The burger was good, flavorful and juicy. The portion was just right for me as I decided to split the burger with my friend.
Service was friendly and efficient. This booth is located on the far side of the market next to a building facing the bridge. You won’t miss it since there will be a long line.

4505 Meats is decent. If you love salt, you’ll LOVE this place. They literally drop the salt bomb on everything!
SPICY GARLIC CHIMICHURRI FRIES W/​LEMON AIOLI ~ 3 stars: This is made with salt on sodium on salt! Oh my god. Fries were salty, the chimichurri was salty and well, the aioli was salty. The first bite was excellent, great flavor. However, you better get ready to withstand a major salt bomb after that. The fries, to my surprise, stood up very well. They stayed crispy all the way to the last bite. The chimichurri, although salty, had great heat. With the aioli giving a nice creamy texture, I couldn’t help but wonder how amazing this would taste if I was three sheets to the wind. Probably pretty BOMB. Make sure you have plenty of water on hand.
SAUSAGE DOG WITH KIMCHI AND CHICHARONNES ~ 3 stars: More sodium of course. However, just like the fries, the first bite of this drunk-​college-​kid-​made sausage dog was delicious. The sausage snapped like a dream as I bit down and the chicharonnes added a great crunchy texture. To my surprise, the kimchi wasn’t too overpowering. Instead, it delivered another layer of good flavor and a cooling element. It mixed very well with the hot sausage.
Would I ever go back to 4505 Meats? Probably not. However, I’m very happy I tried it. I like salt but too much will blow my face up, and 4505 packs on the sodium. If you go, it’s probably best to share some of their items. Don’t attempt to eat one thing by yourself. It’ll also be smart to get plenty of water.

The maple sausage sandwich was delicious. I shared with my son, but he loved the sausage so much, he ate most of mine too. The cheeseburger was very good. I could taste the quality of the meat. It has a sauce that’s similar to In N Out sauce but better. Would I say it’s the best burger ever? Not for me, but it’s definitely up there.
My kids loved the chicharrones – they tore them up! I only got to taste one and it was good. Very flavorful, fatty, slightly gamey, spicy, and sweet.
Service was friendly and the stand is only at the Ferry Building on Thursdays and Saturdays.
The people there are so nice too. As amazing as the food has been on my visit, the courtesy and friendliness of the people has been even more surprising.

Un bun un peu dure malgré qu’il fut grillé à l’aide de beurre. Une bonne viande cuite correctement. Bön mais pas à tomber. Mais attention c’est gras!
juste correcte.