Darla’s Restaurant

I used to love going to Darla for burgers and a java Chip shake. it was one of my favorite places down there just south of golden gate park off Irving around ninth. I loved it, used to go in there evenings, weekends, you name it. Darla is great and the people she employs are usually all the best. However one time I went in there, but because I’m a regular, but hadn’t since gone in there for a while after a breakup, the usually busboy, male waiter, recognized me, but not fully.
He took my order and served me my meal only after demanding I pay in full first right in front of other people, this place isnt big. and so curious as to why this was happening I asked and I was told that I had previously run out on a bill and that he would not serving my food until I paid at that time. so I paid and I told him I would never ever ever come back and then it was a shame because I love this place and I told him that it was wrong and that he was making a huge mistake so if you go to Darlas be careful and don’t look like me
Now i hear it closed

Posthumous review for no practical reason.
There was a period in my life once upon a time when I had a reason (former girlfriend or two) to be in this neighborhood. I visited a lot of restaurants here during those times. One of my favorites was Darla’s.
Why?
The House Burger.
Simple: a deliciously cooked burger on a soft, French roll, covered in grilled onions. I forget what condiments I may have added to it, but no matter what, that burger consistently melted in my mouth like no other. Weekend lunches could not have been better. Add a pint or three of draft beer, and the outdoor back patio on a nice day… heavenly.
I’m sad to see Darla’s is now gone. I hope she’s doing well.

In case you’re wondering, Darla and Eric have relocated to beautiful Lawrence, Kansas and have purchased a popular music venue — Jackpot Music Hall — with plans to add food of some kind.
I’m not sure what the menu will be.
In my first conversation with Darla, she asked me «where do you get a good burger in this town?» Now I’m gonna have to get her to make me one.
They’re both super nice, and I wish them luck as they dive into the live music world.

My roommate and I came by today excited to have some burgers, only to find out that after 9 ½ long years, Darla’s has closed its doors =(
A handwritten note on the door says: «We are now closed after 9 ½ years. Thank You so much for the memories and your business! — Darla»
We’re devastated to see this fine establishment close. It was definitely one of my favorite places in SF; from the staff, to the burgers, to the complimentary brownies. Darla, I will miss you dearly.

I’m somewhere between a 3 and 4 stars.
Burgers were pretty good. I had a Darla’s special and my bf had a old western burger. Mine had mushrooms (ew), grilled onions, and bacon. It was pretty good. Bf’s was pretty good too. His had a green chili on there and it was a bit spicy, but not amazingly so.
Brownie was pretty good. Ice cream and loads of whipped cream? My fave.
I also had a lemon sunrise; it was something like that. It was lemon and soju. I swear soju is one of my favorite alcohols. It’s sweet and doesnt really taste like alcohol.
Service is amazing though. The owner kept making fun of the bf and that’s why I like her. She seemed to had a lot of regular customers and that what makes like this fun.
I want to go back to try some of the sandwiches and maybe some of their other stuff too.

Best burger in town??? Not really. A good burger worth picking up on a nice day to enjoy in the park??? Without a doubt.
Love that the burgers come loaded with the fixins and the fries come covered with fry dust but the bonus is the little square of chocolate goodness, the brownie they thrown in with every order. Yummy. Enjoy!

Yummy yummy yummy good and slightly greasy oh yeah! Darla’s is the burger bomb!
If you crave a really juicy, tasty burger just about any way you could possibly order it or… you need to sop up some excess alcohol after doing a DYL at the neighborhood’s plentiful bars, Darla’s can deliver both: Sunday brunch at Darla’s offers bottomless Mimosas. It makes me wish — for just a day — I didn’t have a child to mind but I digress.
Darla’s has the best burger I’ve had in I can’t remember when it’s that good:
A huge ¹⁄₃ lb. of prime Angus beef, perfectly cooked to order, with very generous portions of condiments (mine was the house burger with plenty of cheese, mushrooms and bacon).
When the fries were bagged and super-​hot, Darla shook some «super-​secret» salt/​spice concoction on them that I swear must be crack. The onion rings were magical and crispy-​good.
I’ve sworn off sweets but I ddi get a micro-​sip of my little one’s half-​milkshake. Very vanilla, very delicious and home-​made. I immediately understood why he sucked it up like a vacuum on the ride home.
And awww… Darla knew it was my first time there and tucked in a free brownie. Like the milkshake, my little one made it disappear in a second so it must’ve been good.
Put Darla’s on your New Year’s Resolution list. It’ll be worth a couple of extra miles on the treadmill.
Yummy yum!

Darla’s tag line, «Possibly the Best Burger Around,» should have emphasis on «possibly.»
A classic hole in the wall in the Inner Sunset, Darla’s is a stalwart of good, inexpensive eating. Nothing fancy. Nothing over the top. No celebrity chefs. No hand-​massaged beef. Just reasonable prices, Formica topped tables, paper napkins, and food that fills a hole in your stomach without making too large a hole in your wallet.
The house burger (¹⁄₃ pound ground beef, fried onions, mozzarella, $ 9.25) is fine, but none of the establishments listed in the «10 Best Burgers in The City» in 7 X 7 Magazine need worry. No Acme roll, no brioche; the bun is Wonder Bread-​like: soft, tasteless, and chewy. No Niman Ranch beef, no kobe; while weighing in at ¹⁄₃ of a pound, the beef didn’t exhibit the full flavor profile that one would expect of «possibly the best burger around.» Not only were the fries frozen, rather than hand-​cut /​housemade, but they were also undercooked.
Service is friendly, if rushed. While not always attentive, the waitstaff was somehow likable – not unlike a puppy that doesn’t always do the right thing, but is just so lovable nonetheless.
Darla’s has at least seven beers on tap – always a good choice with a burger. From Stella to Sierra, everyone will find a brew they like.
If you have a hankering for _​definitely_​one of the best burgers in The City, go to Zuni, Spruce, or Serpentine. If you happen to be hungry and in the Inner Sunset, you could give Darla’s a try: you won’t be impressed, but neither will you be disappointed.

I got the $ 10 for $ 20 worth of food deal of
, and I’m so glad I did. The place is spacious but feels cozy and funky.
Nothing fancy, no frills, but the food was really good. I greatly enjoyed the Avocado Cheddar burger. My boyfriend and I split the Zucchini sticks and they were ooey gooey fried goodness. I just feel bad for the waitress, because she was the only person working and she looked really worn-​out, which meant a bit of a wait for everything.
It’s on a part of Irving that isn’t supremely busy, so it was easy for us to find street parking. Take advantage of one of the online deals and give this place a chance. We’ll definitely be returning!

First, no where near the best burger as the sign outside declared, especially after a trip to Gott’s on Pier 1 (again — not the best either but several notches above in taste and presentation).
The atmosphere is quaint and laid-​back. The waitress was nice and offered decent service.
And there was food — it was nothing to write home about. The burgers were well cooked, but that’s about it. OK, so it comes on a roll instead of a bun. Nothing special about that. We asked that one turkey burger be made in the style of one of their special burgers and it was, but something got lost in the presentation. It was a patty on a bun with some thin bacon strips and an Anaheim chile slapped on top.
Bottom line, we came, we tried, we’ll pass.

Why do my cheap friends keep making me spend my money on mediocre food when I could have spent the same amount on better food with more variety at Park Chow’s. News flash, burgers do not equal less money. I spent $ 15 on a blah burger and a flat Coke with chlorine-​tasting ice cubes.
Their menu pretty much consists of burgers, burgers and more burgers, and a few sandwiches. Which you would think would make they burger experts but no… the bread was soggy the lettuce blah, the tomatoes sad looking. Oh how I wish we had been closer to Roam.. . The service was friendly but really slow considering there was only one other table occupied when we arrived, and they were mostly done with their meal when we sat down.

Unilocalers, you got this restaurant’s rating right on the mark! I only came here b/​c I had a
coupon:
Make sure to use
coupon!!! I stock up on these coupons since they don’t expire, and use ebates!
Go here for ebates and sign up!
–15% rebate back!
Truly a 3.5 star!
Food: 3.5÷5
Service: ²⁄₅
Price: on the pricier side, but with the
coupon, it was a good deal.
Total paid: $ 23 (with tax and tip, including coupon!)
Ordered:
1)Rib eye steak: surprisingly good! Well seasoned and very tender! The entrée came with a side of mashed potatoes, salad, and steam veggie.
2) French toast: eh, it was okay… tasted like something I can make at home. If you order breakfast during dinner time (even though «breakfast is serve all day»), an additional dollar is applied! LAME!
3) A coke: free refill!
4) A custom burger with grilled onion, mushroom, and mozzarella cheese, avocado on a french roll. It was really good! The meat was really well flavored!
5) Complimentary brownie bite
Hm…i probably would return back just for their burgers.

I was quite disappointed. I was expecting fabulous burger options and deliciousness when I saw the words «Possibly the Best Burger Around», but ended up with your typical burger options with normal fix-​ins.
— Avocado & Cheddar Burger: came with french fries, soup, small green salad, or potato salad. I chose a small green salad and there was nothing special to note. Burger tasted normal, not dry though (plus!).
Highlight of my visit: At the end of my meal when the check arrived, I got a complementary small piece of brownie. :)

Even at 9am on an overcast Sunday morning, the lively strip of Irving Street between 7^th & 10^th Avenue is crowded. Most of the cafes and other businesses are busy as well. I thought I made a bad mistake in coming to the Inner Sunset for breakfast. But I thought wrong, when I saw this somewhat empty café with the famous red Unilocal-​sticker on the glass door.
When I walked in, I thought this was a Japanese restaurant with bamboo curtains and stool-​seatings in front of the kitchen. It is a café that serve your all-​American cuisine. Looking at the menu, I had the «The Kitchen Sink» Omelette. I believe the specialty omelette costs $ 9.00 and it has slices of ham, bacon, sausage, onion, mushroom and tomato in an egg blanket. I also get home fries and slices of toast. I was here on a weekend and the café also offer a muffin instead of the toast.
«Damn, I should’ve gotten the Strawberry Cream Muffin instead!»
My omelette:
Nevertheless, a pretty decent meal and definitely a 3 star meal.
I paid my meal in cash. Credit cards are also accepted.
I’m used to getting a fortune cookie and/​or sliced orange wedges after my meal. But here, the friendly waitress (maybe proprietor) gave me a slice of brownie after my meal. For that sweet treat, the café gets a solid 4-​star.
My brownie:

I ordered the vegetarian sandwich (wheat toast, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, and avocados) with a side of potato salad. It was okay; nothing special, and I could have made it better myself.
The place was clean, and the service was very friendly, so I may go back to try their breakfast items.

The food itself was only about 3 stars, but the service was pretty awesome so I added a star. And I probably should have ordered an actual burger instead of the salmon burger. It wasn’t anything great, although you can tell it’s a patty freshly made from real salmon, not the processed stuff.
I hope to come back and try to portabello burger soon, and perhaps and actual burger.

Darla’s slogan «possibly the best burger in town» is partly true in my opinion.
First thing u notice is that the burgers are not round, but oblong so they’re larger than most others.
In the past it was one of the best, but thru the years quality has not always remained consistent. Now there are dozens of other new good burger places in the city, and many that are better than Darla’s.
By now I’ve tried almost every item in the menu, including many specials. I LOVE their southern fried chicken ($ 11.95),
although the chicken pieces are somewhat small. The entrée plates comes with mashed potato and veggies.
It’s one of the few places left that sells affordable dinners (under $ 12 or $ 15) in this area. A favorite spot of neighborhood residents, specially families because kids eat free on Tuesdays. All dinner entrees include choice of soup or salad.
And the complimentary bite size brownies
that comes with the check, is always a real treat.
**Update for 2010: This old restaurant is for sale because owner Darla K. is moving to Kansas with his husband Eric.
**Update for 2011: Plans changed, so Darla is staying put.

3 ½ stars I have not yet had a burger from here
I have been more then a handful of times but I have never ordered any of their burgers yet, I have stuck with the breakfast specials which consist of there chicken fried steak and eggs and there steaks food all around is decent, portion wise lil small price wise decent for the area.
I’ve eaten on the outside in the back and in the inside during those late nite dinners with the wife each time I have come by they were more then happy to serve us, I see this place more of a breakfast joint then a burger spot even though on the sign it states best burger haha really got to try one now since reading the sign haha.
back to the food again portion wise lil slim the regular i get is the chicken fried steak with eggs the chicken fried steak has some flavor kinda taste like the rehydrated chicken fried steak you can get in a hungry man meal, sorry folks i’m a snob when it comes to that chicken fried steak haha. Their sausage gravy for their chicken fried steak is what makes the meal pop. The other dish I order is their steak Tbone or rib eye which i think is either an 8oz or 12oz thin and lil tough even when made med-​rare which as we all know steak is not to be tough when cooked med-​rare, the can’t really mess up eggs.
I have also tried there southern fried chicken pretty good lil dry in the middle but flavorful all around, wife usually orders an assortment of their omelettes each time she never walks away unsatisfied.
their browies the wifey loves!
food ***½ es ok in my book got to go back and have one of their burgers though «possibly best burger around» is a bold statement
service ***** excellent
price $ dinner menu is lil more expensive for the most part everything is under $ 15
ambiance **** outside huge umbrellas to sheild you from the sun on a hot day in side large bar or what looks like a bar area and in the front small tables made for couples and small groups

We decided to stop in this past weekend for some brunch– this was my first time but my bf visited before. Cute little spot with a back patio for extra seating.
I ordered some chicken strips and clam chowder which came with garlic bread– delicious! My BF ordered a bacon, mushroom and onion hamburger which came with french fries– he loved it. Darla was working along with another waitress and the service was excellent. My lemonade was refilled before I was completely finished. You also cant beat the free brownie bites at the end of your meal!

Ate here for the first time this past weekend. Cozy little spot tucked away next to the BofA on Irving & 9^th. Had a nice mini diner feel to it and to me it seemed like a perfect date spot… My boyfriend and I came here to eat after a visit to MoMA and I must say that I enjoyed eating here. Great spot for first dinner dates!
The menu isn’t too big or too small. Just enough that you’re able to have some variety and still be able to choose something without spending so much precious eating time trying to figure out what to order.
We were greeted warmly with a «Hi! Sit anywhere you’d like!» I think she was the owner. Very nice Asian woman who made you feel very comfortable eating there. She was kind enough to tell me where she had gotten one of her wooden sign decors saying «Live well. Love much. Laugh Often.» Gawd, I love that sign and it was from Target!
The burger was great and so was the french onion soup! It may not be the «best burgers yet», but it was cooked the way I wanted and the burgers were seasoned perfectly with just salt and pepper. The avocado was fresh! mmm… I was SO full… I couldn’t take any cocktails for a good hour because I was so full. lol.
Service was excellent (granted maybe because it was a little slow). Strawberry Fanta on tap?! +1!!! haha
omg. the free small brownies after every meal… savory and moist goodness… awesome for chocolate lovers! one of the best brownies I have ever had…
+1!!! Bathroom is CLEAN!!!
I’ll definitely come back here again.