The Counter

This place is confusing and pricy. Burgers should be simple and economical. After all, it’s only ground beef, right?

The idea of this place is good. I drove up and saw one of the cooks smoking. That was the first strike. The second strike was the turkey burger was incredibly salty. The third strike is they didnt have half their cocktails available.

My wife and I love eating at the Counter. This was unfortunately our fist time at the Hermosa Beach location. We ordered fries and the obnoxious waiter brought them out cold it tasted like they made them a day before. The waiter was no where to be found so we flagged the hostess to help us replace the fries. So the waiter finally comes out of the kitchen with our burgers and then 15 minutes later the fries shows up.
Aside from the food which we are used to being good… this location has one of the worst service ever. Try a different location.

I love that there are so many burger options and toppings. Some things I have learned over the years:
— Don’t get the onion bun. It’s terrible and dry. The English Muffin is my favorite.
— Beef patty is the best, veggie patty is ok and the turkey patty is always dry.
— All sauces come on the side, but with so many toppings I find I never end up using the sauce.
— Dried cranberries really compliment the veggie patty.
— Parmesan fries are amazing!
— Birthday shake is delicious. You get one free on your birthday if you join their rewards program (The List).
Service at this location is excellent! Fast and very friendly! Alittle pricey, but the one of a kind experience is worth it!
My go-​to is: ¹⁄₃ lb beef patty, on an English Muffin, soft ripened brie, carrot strings, dried cranberries, roasted red pepers, sauteed onions, and avocado. :)

It’s a cool concept, but every time I go to the counter, I leave just a little disappointed. Tried two new things this time I was not a fan of– chili fries (chili is way too watery, also doesn’t go well with the thin fries) and the onion bun which is dry and tasteless.
The burger was good, but very greasy, and I just always feel like the meal isn’t quite worth the cost. Might be my last visit to the counter…

Unilocal CHECK IN ALERT!!! You get 15% off you bill if you check in.
I never thought that getting a burger would be as much fun as the Counter. My boyfriend took me there on a nice breezy day so we took advantage of their outdoor seating… and the laughs started. We brought our puppy with us and we were able to sit outside, the staff there was really friendly and they brought Toto some water, they actually got creative and cut their cardboard togo containers in half to give him water.
I can’t really review the inside experience since we were outdoors.
The concept of the Counter is basically build our own burger, they have signature burgers but you might as well make one your way: you start by selecting your size patty ¹⁄₃ lb., ²⁄₃ lb., and 1 lb. All their patties are weighted after cooking. *Side note: I’m not one to buy ground beef at the market and when I do it’s usually to make tacos, that being said the meat is cooked differently* so I ordered the the ¹⁄₃ lb. and my boyfriend got the full 1 lb. not knowing how big the burgers would actually come to be. We each selected our cheese, toppings, sauces and grain of bun. In addition to burgers, The Counter offers sandwiches, smaller mini burgers, burger in a bowl (aka their version of a salad?) and desserts.
We got a starter which we selected onion strings and sweet potato fries. It was plenty to share and very filling. Their portions are very reasonable (aka shareable). We got our burgers and the turnaround time from when we orders, received our starter and then received the burger was relatively quick but not rushed. The burgers are HUGE! I got the smallest one and it was very filling! Their burgers are restaurant size and quality. They have great presentation, your burger arrives open-​faced so you can add the amount of spread to your liking which is served on the side. As mentioned, my boyfriend ordered the full 1 lb, it was ENORMOUS! Size wise, it was taller than his iPhone 4! Immediately I started cracking jokes of the size. (Photo Uploaded!)
We weren’t able to enjoy any dessert after our burgers because it was so filling but I heard great things about their Birthday Cake shake. If you read the menu all the desserts sound delicious.
The Counter is located in the same shopping center of as VONS so parking is definitely not an issue. there’s ample seating inside and large patio seating available.

This Counter is definitely one of my favorite to go to. It’s located up the hill from Hermosa Pier and the crowd is definitely representative of that. It’s just a bunch of people (young, older, families, etc.) out having a good time with some good food, the atmosphere is always cheerful and pleasant. Their seating setup is very practical, plenty of tables inside and outside as well as a decent sized bar area with TV’s nearby.
The seating outdoors is perfect for the summer time, even at night if it does get a little chilly they have heaters so you can be comfortable. Most of the time people shy away from outdoor seating because they don’t know if they will get the same service as they would inside but here that is definitely not something to be concerned about. I’ve never once felt ignored or forgotten about, I think the staff does a really good job of splitting their time amongst themselves.
The parking situation is fantastic because it’s in the same lot as Vons so there’s PLENTY of parking to be claimed. It’s a little bit of a walk if you’re coming from the beach since it’s uphill but it’s definitely nothing strenuous to keep people away.
The menu is the standard Counter rundown: build your own burger or choose a pre-​made option. I have only eaten the 1/​3lb vegan veggie patty and it’s one of the best veggie patties I’ve had. My friend has gotten it a few times also after trying mine and she is not a fan of any kind of meat substitutes.
If you do go, I recommend saving room for dessert. The Birthday Cake Shake is one of my all time favorite dessert items. They serve it in a tall cup and put sprinkles in it and add whip cream on top. It’s perfect but definitely filling so save room or get it to go.

The Counter in Hermosa is dangerously close to my work, and my apartment.
Coming from Portland, I’m used to having high quality food at a decent price. Yes, my standards are ridiculously high. This place meets all of them. Their pre-​made menu is off the charts, but when I also have the ability to build my own sandwich (have you seen the selection of sauces?! YES APRICOT YES!) I am over the moon. I don’t know where they get their bison from, but it’s delicious.
It’s super clean, the parking situation is great, and the staff* is small and personable without being overbearing and obnoxious.
*Zack. Great server.
That is all. Go there. Eat. Drink. Be merry.

I like the counter… but I really do not like this one. Sure. it has free parking.
First. I’d like to suggest that you never order the bison burger. Not good… not worth the extra money. And may I also suggest you order something medium or medium well at this spot. They tend to make their burgers rare. I didn’t get sick. but it was really really rare. I don’t believe this as the case at the other counters… but this one definitely.
The service here was horrendous. Mine did not come with all my toppings. Look. if I am paying $ 10+ for a burger, get the burger right with all my toppings. So my friend was horrified with her burger. so she sent it back. They took about 25 – 30 minutes to come out with a new burger. Seriously? What are you doing back there. And when it came back out. wrong bun and toppings. At that point we were like, no… it will take another 30 minutes for them to maybe get it right.
The sweet potato fries are not as good as the regular ones.
Skip this counter… try another one.

The counter is a fantastic burger joint. It’s even better that it’s a bike ride away from my apartment. You can customize your burger to fit your desired taste. You get to choose from an array of sauces also. We ordered the fries ⁵⁰⁄₅₀; half regular, half sweet potato. We LOVED the fries.
Our waiter Zach was awesome. He was knowledgeable, attentive, and very respectful.

You almost have to give high marks to any restaurant who can accommodate a customer’s request to have a hamburger cooked to order, Medium Rare.
I love fresh, juicy, tender, moist… wait for it… Hamburgers!!!
It’s disheartening when some restaurants proclaim policies to only be able to cook medium well and nothing less, and you end up with a dried hockey puck patty.
So, I’m glad The Counter does things right! I’ve been to the Santa Monica and El Segundo locations and this is my 1^st time to the Hermosa one. It’s clean, convenient and nice.
Their fries are okay, they’re the shoe string variety. They also offer sweet potato variants. I’m not a huge fan of their fries (but if you like the fries at In and Out and Hillstones /​Houston’s, you’ll like these) since I like the thick fresh cut style.
Their onion strings are good., not greasy for fried food either.
You can order «Frings» so to speak, meaning half half, O’s and F’s, which is a great combo to share and easy no-​brainer if you can’t make up your mind — — but if on your own on that, it may be too much for one person to eat on top of a burger too.
The counter allows you to basically build your own burger.
You choose your own:
1) Weight (size)
2) Meat (type) — they do have Turkey Burgers for those who like that
3) Bun (as well as a bunless option)
4) Cheese options
5) Toppings options — I recommend the Pineapple, even if you don’t like it on your burger, but like it as a fruit, kick it to the side and eat it separate
6) Premium Toppings — like Bacon or a Fried Egg or Chili
7) Sauces — which comes on the side, so don’t have a fear of commitment here.
In reading the other reviews, I recommend both checking the boxes and CIRCLING your selection to ensure your order is seen accurately, since its in your own best interest.
They do provide FREE REFILLS on the Soda, but for those who want to save money as well as calories, I’d say get water, then you don’t feel so guilty. Personally, a soda goes so well with a burger, it’s hard to resist, and you can always walk down Hermosa Beach to burn it off afterwards too.
A burger, fries and drink will set you back about $ 15 after tax and tip.
It’s located in the same big lot with Jamba Juice, Well’s Fargo, Von’s, CVS and a bunch of other stores, so parking is free and plentiful.

Yummmm… delicious burgers. I love that you can build them yourself with your favorite toppings. Very cool. Sweet potato fries are delicious, but the parmesan fries not so much. those were a little greasy and messy to eat. The burgers are BIG and I definitely think their smallest size (¹⁄₃ pound) is PLENTY, even if you are super hungry. Seriously — these are big burgers. Very friendly service at this location. Not crazy about the location itself, in the little strip mall plaza… not great views even if you eat outside… the atmosphere is so-​so, and the beers are way overpriced, but the burgers and sweet potato fries are definitely a treat.

Upon stepping foot inside The Counter, you are overwhelmed by the smell of douchebaggery. Grown men wearing tank tops, muscle tees and plaid shorts hoot & holler at one of the many tv’s playing the most douchey of all sports, baseball. Even the workers follow the douchebag dress code with their shaved heads and neck tattoos.
We all know that douchebags love burgers. After all, burgers are the mainstay and official food of ‘Merica. However, to my delight and surprise, the burgers that this douchey restaurant serves are justifiably delicious! Who knew that these troglodytes had such impeccable skills for creating juicy burgers.
While the food is quite good, you must make sure to tell your brosive waiter to go easy on the jalepenos, because every dish comes packed full of them. Must be a douchebag thing.

Great food. Good service. Highly recommended.
We went with a party of 8 on a Saturday evening and were seated promptly. We ordered a range of different burgers and salads. My Unilocal app had a check-​in special for free sweet potato fries. so make sure you check-​in to take advantage of this yummy deal!
If you want to be spontaneous, try their Bison Burger. I had a bite from my friend’s and it was pretty tasty.

This is the 2^nd The Counter location I’ve eaten at in less than a week. I guess that makes me a fan: D
The food is totally consistently perfect every time I go to any of the locations. I get exactly what I want, and even get my picky critera catered to:
Bunless ²⁄₃ lb beef, served on baby field greens, made rare with no salt, cheddar cheese, add more baby field greens, garlic aioli, mayo, sauteed onions, red onions
Tonight we tried the grilled veggie appetizer plate. A pretty array of thinly sliced carrots and zucchini, plus chunks of red bell peppers and corn kernels — all nicely charred, shiny with oil, and made salt free as requested.
The skinny Parmesan Garlic fries sprinkled with herbs were YUM.
Friendly service (by cute boys that CG could flirt with), easy parking in the huge free lot they share with CVS and Vons, and a 15% off check-​in offer all made this yet another awesome Counter experience!

I enjoyed the burger I built. so it was ALL me.
ha, just kidding.
for a whopping $ 9, the size of the burger really measures up. not to mention its gourmet. all components are really fresh and well seasoned. and a good selections of each category to choose from. this is definitely one of the current artisan burger scenes comparable to father’s office, and umami burgers. but slightly kinder to your
wallet. your experience only applies to what you order. mine was ¹⁄₃ lb angus w/​melted Gruyère, grilled onions, pepporcini, dried cranberries with mix organic greens & spicy horseradish on a multigrain bun. the combo was yummy!
if you know your own pallet well, then most likely you’ll enjoy your burger. this place is also vegetarian friendly, too. and with multiple locations.

Where do you go when you have 2 vegetarians and a total of 5 hungry adults? I don’t know, so we ended up here. I ordered a turkey burger patty on a salad, and collectively we ordered parmesan fries.
The fries were SUPER oily, but my family gobbled them down because our orders took foreverrrrrrr to come out! Seriously! Ridiculous! And my burger was under-​seasoned. But the pesto my brother got for his burger was quite good– and my mom said the brie and grilled onion vegetarian burger she had was delicious. With all the other better cheaper places to get a burger, I recommend those.

Good meat, good burger.
Service just ok… a bit long.

The first time I went to the Counter, I vowed to never go back. It was a different location and the food was bad and service was worse. However, I was at an event in Hermosa Beach and needed to eat quickly. The server at the bar told me she liked their chicken better than anything on the menu. I went for the chicken salad, an she’s correct! Their chicken is way better than the burger I remember. So, if you like burger with a lot of fat, try their’s. If you want something leaner, the chicken is excellent.
Good service and parking!

Been waiting for weeks for this place to open and I was not disappointed. Same awesome food I’ve had at other Counter locations and top-​notch service.
Plus they carry beers made by The Strand brewery (24^th Street Pale Ale).