The Counter Irvine – WoodburyTC

I’ve been to this Counter twice for some lovely lunch breaks, and its always an A+ experience. Counter never fails to impress** with its many options for both veggie and meat loovers. I always enjoy making my own salad with a mix of items that probably should never be eaten together, but they’ve got their own signature salads/​burgers for those who make smart decisions and let the professionals handle the creations. Ingredients are always fresh and flavorful, service was top-​notch and friendly, and food comes out in a timely manner. I wish there was one closer to my house, but until then, I know the Counter is a safe and tasty option if I’m lost and hungers out in the wilderness of Irvine.

Ok this time, no good. Let’s go down the list:
–Hamburger in the salad, way over cooked.
–Quinoa in the other salad, very not present had to ask for more
–grilled cheese was weak weak weak!!! I can make way better on my panini maker.
–ordered a makers and ginger. They did not have ginger ale. The waitress did not know how to make ‘fake’ ginger ale (Sprite and a shot of Coke). I had to tell her how to make it.
Manager comped one of our meals, but that isn’t going to matter. We have money, just need quality.
Something here has changed. Hard to put a finger on it, but there is a distinct lack of quality that was once there. We are 1 mile away and eat out regularly. It won’t be here.

So it was my first time eating at the counter and our server Eddie was amazing! He took the time to explain everything to us and was extremely patient with us since I had never been. Great place! Keep up the amazing work!

Knocked down to 2 stars for an otherwise 5 star burger place because of service. They left out/​got my order wrong 5 of the ingredients in my customized burger, and Dawn, the server, carelessly brushed it off and did not fix it.
I always get a customized burger with my usual combination of ingredients and did not have any issues with it until today. Today, my burger was missing 4 ingredients and mixed up 1. When the waitress, Dawn, stopped by to check on our table, I let her know that it was missing cole slaw, grilled pineapple, black bean and cole salsa, crushed peanuts, and that I did not get onion confit (it was grilled just chopped, slightly grilled onions). She looked over our order sheets and brought the pineapple and peanuts. But she insisted that she saw the cole slaw and black bean and corn salsa in my burger and that the onions were indeed confit. One, I took apart my whole burger and did not see a trace of corn or black bean or cole slaw. Shame on her for lying about it. Two, the servers should know the difference between chopped grilled onions and onion confit. The appearance itself is drastically different.
Long story short, (1) do not lie to a customer about what they did or did not get and (2) servers need to learn the menu and know what each topping is and how each item is supposed to look like.
Getting 40% of my order wrong and insisting that it isn’t wrong is not acceptable.

I usually go with the build your own salads and they are amazing. They pile on the ingredients and all taste very fresh. Two suggestions though. 1: they need a better wine list/​menu as they have a very limited selection 2: upgrade the happy hour menu to something better. Currently they have a very limited menu and its just $ 1 or $ 2 off a few things. Place is always empty during normal happy hour times. Maybe they should switch things up a bit and be a happy hour destination at the WTC

First time back after a long absence. The Anaheim Jack chicken burger ($ 10) was only OK; the Parmesan Fries were attractive, but not as good as they used to be (soggy under the top layer and too garlic-​y; I’d checked if I’d perhaps accidentally ordered Garlic Fries); I excitedly ordered their Mango Iced Tea ($ 3.50, $.50 refills) — expecting the mild tropical flavors that I love about another restaurant’s iced tea, but this beverage was cloudy (as though iced tea and an opaque mango juice were mixed together) and not impressive (so I question why I ordered a refill — for another 50-​cents). They no longer waive their corkage fee. Best part about The Counter is the option to dine outside, and they have a wonderfully welcoming staff and nice service.

Good burgers and good fries. It’s just way too expensive $ 100 for a family of 4 for burgers! I think we will go to the Habit next time!

One of the best burger places I’ve been to yet. I can’t go to In n Out anymore because The Counter blows them away!
Plus I love the fact that they’re meats are all hormone free and the organic bison is my absolute favorite. They use quality ingredients and well worth the wait. You end up waiting at In n Out anyways for half the flavor and quality.
My favorite is the bison on the brioche bun with sweet potato fries. Amazing taste and cooked to order so you will always get a fresh burger.
The staff is very friendly as well and the place is clean. Thumbs up!

They have the best french fries in town.
I order ahead and everything is ready in 15 – 20 minutes for the take out orders.(My child’s favorite hamburger place.) Friendly staff and love their take out boxes. I recycle them to organize small stuff.
Thank you~

Being new to the neighborhood I wasn’t sure where to go on a Saturday night that wouldn’t be an hour wait or a slew of drunk people. Came to The Counter and so happy that I did. From your first step the staff is both welcoming and inviting. With the exceptional service; STRONG drinks and great burgers (not to mention you can build your own burger with a plethora of topping options) this is going to be my go to burger joint.
I got the chili cheese burger and it was pretty great. I’m looking forward to coming back and trying the many other burgers they offer.

Returned to Counter a year later since I ate there last. It was ok, but no particular purpose to return as there are better burgers elsewhere. Food is decent. Service is good.
Then on this Monday, I found out they had happy hour all day on Mondays. Pretty good deal. You could be full with sliders and a beer and it would cost around $ 10. Not a bad deal. I opted for the beer sampler because I am just indecisive. $ 5– sweet.
Looked around and I saw their Tuesday special– kids eat free. Texted my friends ASAP. So take advantage of their specials.

Lazy to cook on a Sunday night, my husband and I decided to eat at The Counter. Fair enough that it is only a 5 minute walk from home and wanting to try something new.
It’s a family friendly environment that you could bring your kids in, enjoy a beer, and watch football (since is it football season currently).
The service was great, our sweet potato fries came right away complimented with horse radish aoli, which was amazing. At this burger joint, you could build your own burger but I decided to just pick from the menu. The grilled chicken burger was again amazing. The chicken breast was tender, fresh greens in the insides and top it off with a soft sweet bun.
Overall, my husband and I enjoyed our time here and enjoyed the food. Definitely will be coming back with friends and family.

I get excited every time I go to The Counter. Why you ask?
When I go, its typically a Friday with co-​workers. What better time/​place to to enjoy a cold beer (or two) than lunch on a Friday?! If you’re looking for a burger and a beer, you’ve chosen a great place.
The food? I’ve had every type of custom burger — from the Bison Burger, Chicken, Turkey, Regular burgers, burger salads, and countless add-​ons. The verdict — the burgers are just decent.
Note, there is ONE burger there that I think is fantastic — the Red Eye. Its a burger on an english muffin with sweet sriracha, an egg, bacon, and cheese. The Counter hit a home run with this burger.
To go with the burgers I’ve had the shoestring fries, onion rings, and sweet potato fries. They’re okay. Not great, not bad.
So yes, I will go back. Happily

It’s definitely been ages since I’ve returned to The Counter. However, it’s been a recent discovery at how close it is to work, so it’s been on top of mind. I rarely crave a burger, but with The Counter allowing custom options, there’s some fun and thought behind your creation.
Chances are, it may not always be the best, but at least you get to try new things. Hey, I’m just trying to look at the bright side of things for you. Luckily, I haven’t made any missteps!
For my first visit in a long time, I was indecisive so I stuck with a classic. Mini cheeseburger sliders on Hawaiian bread. Super simple! It Actually felt like a kid’s meal since they were so bite sized and the portion was small, but ended up being pretty filling.
On the next visit the following week, I decided to go with a custom option. Brioche bun, Gruyère, sautéed onions, sprouts, mixed greens and grilled green chiles. Patty was cooked medium rare and it was a beautiful pink center. They really took medium rare seriously! For sides, got the fries and we asked for them to come out first, which is a great idea if it’s a work week! You get something to munch on before your burger comes out, which may take some time to build depending on how much you pile on.
New to the menu is their Southern chicken option, either in a salad or burger. I didn’t get to try it, but they sure looked nice, so maybe I’ll give them a try. If you tried it, is it worth it? Help a friend out and let me know haha

I was reviewing another place and I remembered this place. I got a burger and fries here and I loved it. It was very, very excellent burger, I would say it is competitive for one of the best restaurant burgers I’ve ever had.
Sure, it is southern california high prices, over $ 10. But unlike other places, at The Counter I felt it truly lived up to the prices. Not only was the food excellent, but so were the portion sizes.
I got so much food, this huge delectable and very well-​presented burger which looked as good as it tasted, and the fries were so good! There were so many fries I could not eat them all!
The presentation was also superb, the burger looked like it came out of an advertising photoshoot, and the dishware was solid and made me feel like I was eating at home. Even the bread was superb!
But not only were the portion sizes excellent, but the food very superb. I left after my meal thinking «now this is what a $ 10 meal is supposed to be like!» I would give this place 6 stars if I could! Highly recommended.

Didn’t know this location existed but came for a buy 1 get 1 coupon. Which by the way, makes this restaurant more than worth it!
Lots of indoor and outdoor seating and a large full bar, similar to the other locations. The plaza that it is in is gorgeous. Lots of trees and fountains, good for after dinner walks.
Tip: If ordering fries, go ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ style with shoestring and sweet potato! The sweet & salty combo is out of this world good!
Normally I pay the steep extra cost for the ahi (it costs about 40% more to upgrade to ahi) and am usually disappointed in the bland taste. Sure, it may be healthy, but it makes for a lousy meal that I end up only eating about ½ of anyway. Took home the leftovers once but they were almost inedible.
This time I went with the turkey patty and had a much more pleasant culinary experience! This place was definitely a hit from its grilling process. Best turkey patty I have ever had. Now that I think of it, instead of the usually seared ahi, just ask for them to grill it, although I don’t know if its worth paying the extra cost to eat fish solely because it is the ‘healthier’ meat option. I think the grilling levels out the health factor for the meats. But good to know there is an option to have a grilled ahi burger!

Great idea for build your own burger! With so many choices of topping make dining here so much more fun. For about $ 10 you get to choose what you like; from meat, toppings, sauce, bread. Very good value for a yummy burger.
I’ll try different combination each visit.

It had been awhile since I’ve eaten at The Counter. Many years… so I was happy to try this spot again needing a good lunch/​brunch on a Saturday.
You’re coming here for burgers, pretty exotic/​creative and dare I say fancy burgers. There are many signature burgers to choose from but what’s neat about The Counter is you can create your own burger. Look for the checklist form and start checking off how big a patty you want (1/​3lb, ½lb, 1lb) and choose your bread and then choose things like cheese, sauce, toppings. Some toppings will cost you additional. And if you want like 2 cheeses or 2 sauces that will cost extra. Oh, you also get to choose your type of bread.
It’s fun to create your own burger with ingredients you know your’e going to enjoy. Our group also ordered one of the shakes (pretzel and nutella) and it was pretty good.
Our waitress wasn’t very good though, she didn’t really have much hospitality and seemed to just want to take our order and run, never sticking around to see if we needed anything else or caring about how we were. The wait is also going to take awhile, I think we waited 20 – 25 minutes for the food to come out.
Food will be fresh and burgers can come out very big and cooked well. I ate all of my food, I had a custom burger and although I had items I enjoy in it, overall the burger didn’t blow my mind and I didn’t care for the service. You will also pay a little bit more for your burger here.
Overall decent place for a fancy burger and something to try, just not sure if I will crave it in the future.

Service was friendly. Burgers were just «okay».
Pros:
— They offer a wide variety ranging from meats/​buns/​veggies etc
— everything was cooked to perfection (especially the eggs)
— SHOE STRING FRIES ARE EVERYTHING. Over salted a bit but delicious. I loved the subtle crunchy texture.
Con:
— overpriced for a tasteless burger
— patty (got an antibiotic-​free cow patty); it was underseasoned and boring. They gave you sauce to add to your burger on the side but even with the sauce it didn’t taste much better.
Overall, might come again to introduce the boyfriend to it and to have another go at the shoe string fries. In my opinion, I prefer red robin over The Counter. Just as pricey but more flavorful in many ways.

* Tip: If you are headed here for lunch on a weekday, plan to get there at 11am when they open to beat the lunch crowd. You’re are almost guaranteed a table and be the first of the day to get your order in.
Chili Cheese Fries are topped with house made chili, shredded cheddar, chopped red onion, and sour cream. The fries were expertly fried with crisp exterior and tender interior. The chili was meaty and thick, deliciously coating the fries. The cheese was melted onto the fries before the topping were put on so it had a «cheese paper» effect on the fries. The sour cream and onions were a nice touch. Rating: 4.5÷5
Parmesan Fries are shoestring fries topped with parsley, rosemary, parmesan, and roasted garlic aioli. The fries were topped and put under the salamander so the cheese melts, aioli caramelizes, and the herbs start to give out their aromatics. When it comes to the table, it is like foodie crack, everyone digs in and can’t stop until the plate is empty. It’s a good item to share so you’ll have room for your burger. Rating: ⁵⁄₅
Here are some Build Your Own Burger combinations I’ve tried:
Build Your Own Burger with a ²⁄₃ lb. beef patty atop organic mixed greens bowl with horseradish cheddar, black olives, grilled onions, hard boiled eggs, roasted green chiles, and roasted garlic aioli. It was an amazing burger salad! The burger was cooked just how I like it, medium rare. Even though it was a ²⁄₃ lb. patty, it didn’t seem heavy with the mixed greens. The horseradish cheddar had a little bit of kick and paired well with the beefy patty. The grilled onions and green chiles gave it a tad of sweetness. The garlic aioli was a little thick as a dressing but tasted so good. It paired really well with the hard boiled eggs. Rating: 4.5÷5
Build Your Own Burger with a ¹⁄₃ lb. turkey patty on a multigrain bun topped with Tillamook cheddar, dill pickle chips, hard boiled eggs, organic mixed greens, tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce. The cheddar wrapped this turkey burger like a blanket, encasing the surprisingly juicy burger inside. The hardboiled egg gave it a richness without a runny yolk all over your hands. The tzatziki sauce gave the burger a Greek flare yet paired well with the ingredients. Rating: ⁵⁄₅
Build Your Own Burger with a ²⁄₃ lb. beef patty atop organic mixed greens with soft ripened brie, black olives, grilled onions, sliced cucumber, sprouts, and country buttermilk ranch. This beautiful piece of art belongs in a museum! Cooked medium rare, the beef patty was reminiscent of a steak with creamy brie and sweet grilled onions on top. Like a steak dinner, my salad greens were catching the meaty juices as I cut through the burger. The country buttermilk ranch dressing is to die for! On my salad, on my burger, on my fries, oh my! Rating: ⁵⁄₅
Build Your Own Burger with ¹⁄₃ lb. beef patty atop organic mixed greens with soft ripened brie, olives, grilled pineapple, and country buttermilk ranch. My mom is more of a minimalist when it comes to food and she definitely picked a nice combination. The burger patty was cooked to her liking. The pineapple and brie became a play of creamy, sweet, and acidic which paired well with the beef. This was her first visit and she absolutely loved it. Rating: ⁵⁄₅
Build Your Own Burger with ¹⁄₃ lb. beef patty atop organic mixed greens with artichoke hearts, grilled onions, roasted green chiles, sprouts, provolone, and sunny side egg. I felt a bit home sick that day and wanted something close to a Loco Moco. The sunny side egg made my day. The creamy rich yolk turned into a luscious sauce coating my burger and veggies. Although there wasn’t any sticky rice underneath, it did its job of fulfilling my comfort food urge. Rating: ⁵⁄₅
Build Your Own Burger with a house made vegan veggie patty on a multigrain bun topped with herbed goat cheese spread, hard boiled eggs, organic mixed green, and roasted garlic aioli. This is a great take on a veggie burger. You can see the chopped vegetables inside the patty. It’s a great option for your vegetarian friends. If they are vegan, they can forgo the cheese, eggs, and add toppings like grilled pineapple, sun-​dried tomatoes, or dried cranberries for a twist. Rating: ⁴⁄₅