The Counter

I have a couple bones to pick with this restaurant.
First of all, I really wish they would add a smaller burger option to the menu. The ¹⁄₃ pound burger would be fine by itself but then why would you go to the counter to eat a plain burger. You go to the counter for the millions of toppings combinations. Sad thing is that once you add these delicious customizations you’re left with a gigantic fork and knife burger that most women can’t finish. I’ve been here with several girlfriends and we’ve all complained about the size of the burger. What do you know– they’ve closed!

Gonna Miss this exceptional burger joint. Quality healthy meats and toppings. Expensive for burgers, maybe, but try and finish one of their big ones ! …Well worth it compared to other $ 9−10−12 burgers in most decent cafes, and way better than Umami. They just redid the interior too .
I wonder what went wrong? Does anyone know?

We came here a couple of months ago when they were still open. My friend, who lives in the area, always thought The Counter wouldn’t last very long out here not because the food was bad (it wasn’t), but because she thought folks in this area wouldn’t like paying so much for a burger. Guess she was right after all.
I’ve been a fan of The Counter for a long time. We enjoyed a really good meal. I had the RED EYE burger, which has all of my favorite toppings: tillamook cheddar, applewood smoked bacon and a sunny side up egg in a english muffin. Thankfully I got the sweet Sriracha sauce on the side because I wasn’t so fond of it. We split the PARMESAN FRIES, a large platter of shoestring fries topped with a serious amount of parmesan, parsley, rosemary and a roasted garlic aioli.
I’ll miss having a location near my work! Now I wonder how long Umami Burger will last…

We hadn’t been to The Counter for a long time, but when we got coupons for a free ¹⁄₃ pound burger, we decided to give it a try again. Boy, what a difference a few years can make.
Got there about 11:15 on a Sunday and it wasn’t crowded yet. The inside of the restaurant had been completely redone. The tables weren’t all squished together and the décor was very nice. We were seated quickly and started going over the menu. So many more options than they had had before, including Bison and Ahi burgers, create your own grilled cheese and so many toppings to decide from.
My husband and I decided to get Burgers in a Bowl and they didn’t disappoint. Very generous with the toppings, very fresh and the burgers came out perfect! Love the fact that they use beef that is hormone and antibiotic free. It’s also nice to see a place that knows how to cook a burger that is medium when medium is requested.
We also got something new on their menu: Loaded Spuds. Tasted just like loaded potato skins. Fries with cheddar, sour cream, green onions and bacon. The best part is that they didn’t just put the toppings on the top, but they were layered throughout the dish.
They also have, now, a very good selection of beers, wines and a make your own shake or malt selection in their menu. Will definitely be coming back to sample those as well.
If you haven’t been to The Counter in awhile, it is definitely worth the trip and the taste. Ask for Alicia. She was our server, really on the ball and everyone there was very nice.

Horrible service. My wife waited 45 minutes for a salad that never appeared. My burger was dry. Staff is confused, inefficient and inattentive. After an hour of torment among screaming kids, sloppy service and no food, we left. Never again.

The fries were delicious but my burger was just «meh». The peach Bellini I ordered was about 99 percent peach juice and 1% champagne. Definitely not worth the price!
The tables were sticky and the highchairs were covered in old food.
I definitely wouldn’t come here for a meal again but I could see myself coming for some fries and a few beers.

Went to this Burger place on vacation with the GF, and had a wonderful experience.
We were one of the last customers before closing but the folks working that night treated us wonderfully.
I had a fantastic burger on a bed of mixed greens, grilled onions, red peppers, and chipotle aioli while the GF had a spicy grilled cheese sandwich. The food was great, and the staff was particularly great at handling the GFs many specific requests.
Special shoutout to Scott, who was the main person waiting on us.
Definitely a gem out in Malibu. I can only hope the other locations are as good as this one.

We were driving home from the valley back to Camarillo and I had to Unilocal ahead of where we were on the freeway since I was riding with speed racer when this little gem popped up.
They have a vast menu with a ton of options which defiantly pushes you to the build-​your-​own burger by filling out a menu with a pencil.
I didn’t realize there was gonna be a test!
here we go…
STEP #1
Choose a Burger: I order ½lb. Hormone & Antibiotic Free Beef ($ 12.00)
STEP #2
Choose a Cheese (Extra Cheese +$ 1.00)
Spicy Jalapeño Jack for me
STEP #3
Choose a Sauce (Extra Sauce +$ 0.50)
I got a flight of 3 sauces for $.75 i had Roasted Garlic Aioli, Smoky Chipotle Aioli and Hickory BBQ Sauce
STEP #4
Premium Toppings (+$ 1.00 — $ 3.00 Per Selection)
I added Applewood Smoked Bacon here
STEP #5
Choose a Bun
for me it was the Brioche Style Bun
STEP #6
Choose a Side (+$ 3.00)
Parmesan fries and they were delightful!
whew! i need a burger after all this work… wait.
here is the online build your own menu if you want to follow along;
Each step adds up $$ nice maneuver.
Also at my table was
one 100% Natural Ground Turkey burger
Brioche Style Bun with baby spinach avocado grilled onions and roasted tomatoes
next was ½lb. Beef burger with Applewood Smoked Bacon with Herb Goat Cheese Spread and Crispy Onion Strings on a Brioche Style Bun
Lastly was ½lb. Beef burger with brie red onions and roasted red peppers on a Brioche Style Bun
When the food came out it was cooked right, looked right and eaten right… which means we didn’t leave any on the plate for the dishwasher.
Washed it down with some very tasty in house lemonade.
All in all a good meal, fatty patties and tasty fries we did the The Fifty-​Fifty deal for $ 7.00 you get to spit two types of fries in one basket! ours were, Parsley + rosemary + garlic aioli fries and loaded fries which are basically potato skins toppings on the fries messy but tasty.

The first time I came here everything was delicious this last visit just wasn’t the same there’s a definite decline in freshness and customer service. Your not getting your money’s worth especially when u can go to hook burger and get basically the same thing for half the price.

I recently revisited this place and the renovations were a much need touch for this establishment. Arrived for a late lunch, it was only filled with a few guest, and staffed as one would expect. The waiter was a tad slow to greet us, but that was fine as there was no rush for me and my ladylove (as a Unilocaler you always have to include you’re not dining alone, cos thats embarrassing).
We started out with the «Fried Dill Pickle Chips,» generous cuts of pickle, but the «Apricot Sauce» is less than desirable… the waiter agreed with our assessments and brought us out some chubby ranch. When he returned we order up two veggie burgers to cater to our individual taste and a «50−50.» During delivery of the food I inquired about the Happy Hour specials, which would’ve been nice to be informed beforehand, but I don’t fault as I hate talking as well.
Overall great improvements on the facility and the food still lives up to «The Counter» of the past.

I remember many years ago when The Counter was one of the hottest places in So Cal. Friends and I used to come here often. Since, a dozen new burger chains have opened and taken much of the flare away from The Counter. The reality is it’s no longer a chore to find an awesome burger. There’s a ton of Habits (no where near as good as The Counter). Hook Burger is around now. Way overpriced Unami Burgers exist. There’s competition everywhere, and that’s not even including cheap stuff like In N Out.
Does this discount what The Counter offers? No. It’s still the best burger around when it comes to quality meat, turkey, etc, but the competition has thinned the crowd and taken the hype away. We still consider this the pinnacle of burgers in the area, but with so many choices come here less.
Whether coming for lunch, dinner or grabbing a bite while on the way to the beach the perfect burger exists here. In fact, the turkey burgers are amazing, too. The fresh, hand padded meats and exceptional sides are top-​notch. Service is excellent, but for me if I’m heading in this parking lot, I’m going to Lure! Expect to pay a premium for the food here, but you’ll realize it’s worth with every bite.

My order: Turkey Burger, NO BUN. Chipotle aioli, grilled red onions, avocado, feta cheese, tomatoes, dill pickle chips and artichoke hearts.
Price: 13+ 1.25 for the avocado +3 for a side of corn
The turkey patty was probably one of the most flavorful I have had. It could have been more moist, but it wasn’t terribly dry. The portion of my meal was generous (I think it was because all of the lettuce for the subbed bun). My toppings were all fresh and ripe. There was only one server for the late lunch shift and he was overwhelmed, but did his best. I would definitely eat here again, but I would not order the corn on the cob side as it was dry and not very flavorful.
Ambiance is casual, so come as you are. Outside seating is also available. I noticed specials and happy hour offerings written on the wall, so I would call ahead to see what those are.

The restaurant was almost empty when we arrived at 5:30. Still we stood In the entry way about 4 minutes waiting to be seated, as the lone waiter took an order from another table. We received a mailer. for a free ‘new item ’ on the burger menu so we thought to give it a try.
It was unclear which items were designated as new since the menu had no indications. The waiter told us one menu was marked’ with pencil dots ’ and we could choose from those for a free item. You would think it would be very clear since a mailer went out, good thing we could see the tiny pencil markings in one of the menus.
We ordered the Tuna Tataki, 13.50 value and a ½ lb burger with assorted toppings, 12.00 value. We waited a reasonable period of time and unfortunately only the tuna burger appeared on our table. We were told the there had been a problem with the turkey burger and it had to be redone.
We cut the tuna burger in half and decided to share. The tuna was tasty though a tad salty for our liking. The burger was presented nicely, although it was not accompanied by any sides, all the food is a la carte.
We finished the tuna burger and waited. And waited. And waited. The waiter brought the check and we reminded him we never received the turkey burger. He went back into the kitchen and came out followed by another person who explained that the original burger had fallen into the grill and they had had to start all over again.
So we waited. And waited. And waited. And we were hungry, and no one offered anything. Eventually, after another 15 minutes the turkey burger finally arrived and it was presented nicely and was good, but not worth the time we spent waiting.
Seems to me that The Counter needs work dealing with their customers. I understand mistakes can happen, and if so, you gotta make good and make hungry customers happy. You also need to adjust your menus to make special offerings clearly visible to the diners. There’s a lot of competition in the area so if The Counter wants to survive they better up their game.

Great food great service. Can’t go wrong with Parmesan fries!!! I tend to skip the bun and load up my plate with the veggies and extras. Lunch service varies by day, this last day the service was really quick and perfect. The restrooms are always clean and stocked with TP and soap. It’s a minor thing but makes a difference. If you feel like splurging try the peanut butter shake. It’s insane.

I will never ever eat here again. Had dinner here on Friday and made my own custom burger which I thought was great. My boyfriend did the same thing as well and we took our food home to eat.
Now the burger itself I thought was fine. Tasted good and the order came out how I asked. My boyfriend didn’t care for his burger, but they did get the order correct and we were fine with that.
The reason why I can never come back here is because how sick him and I both are. Our stomachs are both in knots and I will spare you the rest of the details. This is the only food we both ate together that day and haven’t felt right since. One meal ruined our entire weekend.
I give them 1 star because the burger was made right and they were friendly there. But I have to swear off burgers forever now so I really want to give them half a star. Sorry.

I am not a big fan of The Counter. It is a burger place where you get to custom make your burger. You choose the meat, the bun, the toppings, and the sauces, and they will make it to your specifications. The burgers are good but not anything spectacular in my opinion. It is a fine to visit once in a while, but I am just as happy with The Habit or even In-​n-​Out.
One thing I do like here are the fries and onion rings. Does not matter which ones you order, they are all good. They are cooked to perfection and seasoned just right. I particularly like the sweet potato fries. I could come just for the fries and be happy.
A newer item on the menu that I like is the Burger in a Bowl. This is basically a salad with your choice of toppings with a burger on top. A nice way to eat a burger without the bun and lower your carb intake. They do have some pre-​made selections to choose from which sound pretty good, but be warned, if you want to switch out the meat, you have to fill out a form with all of the specifications just changing the meat. Their computer system does not make the substitutions which is kind of a pain. I had the Mediterranean burger in a bowl but switched the turkey patty for beef and it was pretty good.
This location in Westlake is clean and well kept. The service is good and they are usually attentive. On this particular visit (on a Saturday, late afternoon), we did get the bartender as our server and he had a little trouble keeping up with his tables and the bar, but he did okay.
Parking is plentiful in the adjacent lot.

I had placed an order for pickup and when I got home I found out that they had made my burger incorrectly and forgotten cheese and toppings. Sure, mistakes happen, no big deal. So I drove back and told them there was a mistake and their first question was «Do you want me to just add the cheese and put it back on the grill?» I told them no, that I paid for a rare bison burger and I would like it prepared how I ordered it. It shocked me that it was even a consideration of theirs. I’m waiting and the rude manager on shift walks past me about 3 times with a sour look on her face but still doesn’t even think to address the fact that there was an order issue or that I was back in there 20 minutes later waiting for another burger! When I got the burger it had all the toppings but it was over cooked and chewy.
I love the counter and I have never had a problem at the Westlake location until last night. Their customer service really needs work.

If you are a burger person, The Counter is probably one of the best burgers you will ever have. Go. Please go.
If you like a custom built burger, the counter do it the best. You get a sheet of paper and a pencil to check off everything from patty size, to protein, to bun, to toppings, to sauces, to cheese. There are actually millions of combinations because the array of options are so deep. Everything is good. Be creative, be fun. The meat is always orgasmic and actually cooked how you asked for it to be, which for me is a huge plus.
Seriously, they have the best burgers. You are doing yourself a disservice if you like burgers, and not going here.

The regular menu prices are on the spendy side for a burger joint, but they have some amazing deals for happy hour!
My group arrived on a weekday afternoon after hiking in the Santa Monica mountains, and found the restaurant nearly empty and happy hour in effect. There’s a pleasant outdoor patio area here, so we had a seat in the shade and rehydrated with tall glasses of ice water while waiting for our food to arrive. As for the food, WOW!
We tried the beef sliders, green salad, fried pickles, regular, garlic, and sweet potato fries… quite a few items from the HH menu. All of it was delicious, the portions were huge, and the (discounted happy hour) price was right! Our server was really on top of things too– making sure that our drinks were refilled and any additional sauces, napkins, etc. we requested were brought out promptly. Would definitely stop here again!

Service was ok. Kinda felt rushed even though there were only 2 – 3 tables occupied in the entire restaurant. I had the make-​your-​own ½ lb. beef burger plus all the toppings included but was disappointed that a lot of toppings I actually wanted were $ 1 more each. It already started with $ 12 and if I added more toppings it would just be way too expensive. I don’t really think the price was worth it and for 2 burgers plus some fries, we spent $ 45.
My parents also ordered the pretzel bun and they accidentally gave them the brioche bun. So what our waiter did was just give them the pretzel bun on a plate and it just looked unappetizing and not worth the extra cost. Probably would’ve been better to take the entire burger back and replace the bun to make it seem worth it.