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We've mentioned burgers here countless times here at Slashfood, and we've mentioned The Counter at least a couple of times. The Counter is a burger joint that opened about three years ago in Santa Monica, CA, where you can "Build Your Own Burger," or BYOB. The restaurant has quite a loyal local following, and apparently, national fans as well. Alan Richman mentioned The Counter in GQ last summer as one of the Burgers You Must Eat Before You Die. And more recently, Oprah mentioned it.
In fact, it was this mention on Oprah's show back in February that launched The Counter from a $40,000 a month to a $245,000 a month operation. Let's just call it the Oprah effect. 31-year-old owner/founder Jeff Weinstein has already opened a location in Palo Alto, and has plans to open 60 location over the next three years. Let's just hope that The Counter doesn't go the way of Krispy Kreme.
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8-31-2006 @6:26AM Sean said... The Counter serves up giant gourmet burgers at a reasonable price. It can be hard to find a place it sit but it’s worth the wait. Apon arrival you should get in the order line as fast as possible. Just like California Chicken Cafe you order first then find your own table. If you have a party larger than two it helps to send some of them off to scout for tables of people finishing up. Ordering a starter is recommended as it takes time to custom make each burger. We did the 50/50, half fried onion strings and half fries, I would recommend you get the Sweet Potato fries, we tried both and the Sweet Potato won out. You order your burger by filling out a Burger form on these little clipboards. It makes it very easy and all four of our complex custom burgers came out perfect. I ordered a 1/3 lb Beef Burger with Imported Swiss Cheese, Grilled Onions, Grilled Pineapple, Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salsa toped with Roasted Garlic Aioli Sauce on a Honey Wheat Bun. Yes there are pictures. Between the four of us we managed to cover a lot of ground on the burger menu. The premium toppings are $1 and arrive in very health amounts. The Avocado was just ripe enough, the Honey Cured Bacon crisp but not charred, and the Onion Strings where fried to a perfect golden yellow. These where great burgers. They come with a steak knife and you are going to need it. I managed to get the first bite in traditionally before having to chop it up. The only thing I would not get again would be the Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salsa as it soaked into the bun and caused structural problems. Everyone cleaned there plate off, the best compliment a restaurant can get from us. It has earned a rightful place in the lunch rotation. It cost us $12 a head for food, soda, and tip. It was well worth it.
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8-31-2006 @11:32AM Santa Monica Residents said... I am SO tired of all of the praise The Counter gets. I live nearby, have been there a smattering of times since they opened, and every time the service has been ridiculously bad. The food is decent most of the time, but the waitresses are notoriously the worst in Los Angeles. If it wasn't around the corner, I would have gone ONCE.
The terribly apathetic waitstaff (exclusively young, pretty women) has been addressed at Chowhounds dozens of times and Jeff Weinstein has had the posts pulled every time. He REALLY doesn't want to hear that complaint. In fact, I'll bet Slashfood hears about this post...
I'm sorry Oprah's is pushing the place...lots of her fans are going to be very disappointed at how they will be treated.
I hope they DO go the way of KK. Keep expanding, Jeff! Try and reference Noah's Bagels and Boston Chicken as excellent models to follow. Perhaps Rosti as well. But Krispy Kreme, there's your expansion framework.
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9-01-2006 @12:42PM B said... There is a place called the Burger Bar in Vegas that has the same concept. I like to cook mine up at home but a great burger only place would be welcome in the Boston area.
http://saucesandstuff.blogspot.com/
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9-02-2006 @10:47PM Amy said... Ugh, the Counter. Went there for lunch today, hoping to be pleasantly surprised. But no. Food was subpar, waitstaff, except for the manager, was horrible. The onion rings and sweet potato fries are good but the burgers? Eh. I get better burgers at Big Jos on Broadway.
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