Review: Great Hamburgers: Boulevard Burgers in Castro Valley, Ca.
Burgers at newly opened Boulevard Burgers in Castro Valley are not just your ordinary hamburgers. When Boulevard Burger says "have it your way", they literally mean it. With a basic hamburger starting at $4.95, this burger place literally encourages you to have your hamburger made exactly how you want it.
At my first excursion to this fun looking retro style diner, my partner and I decided to eat in and we came in with an appetite. We were not disappointed!
Boulevard Burgers Review
A classic hamburger place
At Boulevard Burgers, you stand in line when you first come in, pick up a menu and decide what you want to order. The menu is versatile, offering everything from build your own hamburgers to shakes, malts, beer, wine and even sweet potato fries. Employees are numerous and all willing to answer questions about how to build your burger and order it to your specifications.
I ordered the Avocado Burger, which came on a fresh bun (made by Boulevard Burgers and one of the best things I encountered - nothing like fresh baked bread) and my partner ordered the Boulevard Burger single patty burger. As a side, we had cheese fries and sodas.
After you order, you can have them make it to eat there (they will bring it to you) or to take out. Inside the dining room, there is a classic retro ambiance to the dining area, and on nice days, you can even sit outside on the patio (the day we were there it was raining, or we would have sat outside)
The dining room has plenty of room when they get busy, and there are lots of seating options outside on those nice days. That's a good thing, because I hear this place gets pretty packed around lunchtime, with locals and employees grabbing a fast hamburger from near-by local businesses.
When we received our order, the staff was courteous and polite and asked if we needed anything else (which we didn't) and we proceeded to chow down on our lunch. We were not disappointed. The burgers were fresh, not greasy and the buns were fantastic. The slices of avocado tasted newly cut and fresh, and the french fries were smothered in what tasted like sharp cheddar cheese, my favorite.
Besides the newest Castro Valley store, Boulevard Burger also has a location in San Leandro, Ca, which I hear is just as popular as their newest store.
Poll on your hamburger habits
How far would you travel for a great hamburger?
What makes Boulevard Burgers special?
As in any business, a successful business has things that stand out about them. With Boulevard Burgers, there are many things that make them stand out:
- Their beef is grass-fed and grain-finished meat from local BN Ranch in Bolina.
- They make their own fresh buns (and boy are they good) The sign on their window even proclaims "We've Got Fresh Buns!"
- The hamburger meat is cooked to order (if you like medium rare, you can ask and they deliver)
- The ingredients to build your burgers are fresh (the avocados tasted like they'd just been picked and sliced, literally)
- They offer beer and wine if you'd like with your lunch and dinner (not too many burger places do this - it requires a special beverage license)
- They offer alternative menu items and vegetarian burgers like the grilled portobello mushroom with roasted peppers and pesto on a whole wheat bun. They also make chicken sandwiches for those that don't eat red meat.
- Servings are generous (the single serving of cheesy fries was enough for both me and my partner)
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They have reasonable prices for a custom made hamburger (burgers start at $4.95 and a big serving of fresh fries is very reasonable at $1.95)
Boulevard Burgers is located at 3714 Castro Valley Blvd (between Cato Ct & Maria Ct) in Castro Valley, CA 94546.
Look for the big BLVD sign in lights, you can't miss it!
Boulevard Burger in Castro Valley, Ca
Boulevard Burgers newest location in Castro Valley, California