More than 60 restaurants across Orange County – including 15 in Newport Beach – are firing up the grills for the return of Burger Week, which runs Sunday, Sept. 20, through Saturday, Sept. 26.
Produced by the OC Restaurant Association, this year’s celebration invites diners to elevate their expectations with a seven-day flavor tour honoring the craft, creativity, and
For one week only, local restaurants will push the boundaries of the bun, from classic American beef burgers to inventive chicken, turkey, mushroom, and plant-based masterpieces.
Specially crafted menus are priced at $10, $15, $20, $25, $30 and $35 for Burger Week. New this year: diners can indulge in Luxury Burger Pairings, where premium burgers meet curated wine pairings and handcrafted cocktails, plus dedicated specialty and vegetarian/vegan menus.
No tickets or passes are required. Simply visit a participating restaurant and enjoy the menu. All participating restaurants, menus, and pairings are updated at BurgerWeek.com.
“The popularity of the burger is evident in the incredible number of restaurants participating in Burger Week,” commented Pamela Waitt, president of the OC Restaurant Association and founder of Burger Week. “Beyond celebrating the creativity of Orange County chefs, Burger Week is about getting out, gathering around the table and enjoying life together. Restaurants are where we connect, celebrate, and make memories, and this is one more delicious reason to dine out.”
Diners can search Burger Week menus by price point, browse Luxe pairings, and explore vegetarian and vegan offerings at BurgerWeek.com/restaurants.
Participating Newport Beach restaurants include A+O Restaurant | Bar, Bluewater Grill, Billys at the Beach, Champagnes Kitchen, Five Crowns & SideDoor, Great Maple, Lido Bottle Works, Lighthouse, Mariposa at Neiman Marcus in Fashion Island, Olea, Cellar. Craft. Cook, Sessions West Coast Deli Fashion Island, Tavern House kitchen+bar, The Mayor’s Table Pacific Pub and Kitchen, True Food Kitchen, Woody’s Wharf.
A Guide to Newport Burgers
I love burgers. I’ve had crazy burger concoctions at the OC Fair, including a peanut butter and jelly and bacon cheeseburger (a perfect combo of savory and sweet), and simpler versions that rely on the burger and accouterments to shine.
Having enjoyed burgers at many Newport restaurants, here are a few of my favorites plus several great deals:
A+O Restaurant & Bar has a nice $20 Burger Week deal featuring a grass-fed Angus burger with crispy portobello mushroom, leaf lettuce, blue cheese, truffle aioli, all packed inside a potato bun. Served with fries.
Billys at the Beach is offering a Smash Burger for $15 and a Double Smash Burger for $20, plus its classic Billy’s Burger for $25, served with fries and pickle spear. It’s a good burger.
Champagnes Kitchen is my go-to breakfast spot, but they also have a nice Backyard BBQ Burger for $25 thagt incudes a side of fries and a domestic draft—a great deal.
Five Crowns & SideDoor have a $25 menu featuring a mustard-seasoned, charred, double-patty chuck-and-short-rib burger served with truffle-spiced fries.
Great Maple in Fashion Island has a $25 steakhouse burger served with choice of fries or field greens plus a draft Stone Buenaveza lager or Moroccan iced tea.
Lido Bottle Works also has a $25 menu with a choice of LBW burger or double smash burger, both served with fries.
Lighthouse has a $29 burger menu that includes your choice of one craft beer or one glass of wine. Burger options are Wagyu Truffle Mushroom Burger, Wagyu Bacon Cheddar BBQ Burger, or Wagyu Pepper Jack Avocado Burger. And yes, they all come with fries.
Mariposa at Neiman Marcus in Fashion Island has a three-course menu for $30 that starts with a classic popover, followed by a Black Angus Cheeseburger with fries, and then ends with a chocolate chip cookie.
One of my favorite burgers in Orange County can be found at Olea for Burger Week: the American Wagyu Beef Burger with aged cheddar, butter lettuce, onion, house pickles, heirloom tomato, chef’s secret sauce, challah bun, and house-cut herb fries. The burger is $35 and comes with your choice of premium beverage: a glass of Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon or Louis Jadot Chardonnay, or a “Whiskey Peach” craft cocktail.
By the way, Olea Chef Jared Cook told me the fries are soaked, fried, cooled, and then fried again. The result: crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and so addicting you’ll wonder how you managed to eat them all.
Sessions West Coast Deli in Fashion Island has a $20 burger deal: choice of “The Perfect Burger” with two smash patties, or their bacon cheeseburger. The burger comes with your choice of rosemary skinny fries or Peruvian tater tots.
Another of my favorite burgers is at Tavern House Kitchen + Bar, which is offering a choice of five burgers for $25 each during Burger Week. My favorites are the cheeseburger with 1/2 pound wagyu beef, aged cheddar, lettuce, tomato and onion with 1000 Island dressing, and the Cowboy Burger with aged cheddar, roasted green chile, crispy onions, pecan wood smoked bacon, and bourbon-chipotle BBQ sauce ((Tavern House restaurateur David Wilhelm suggested asking for extra BBQ sauce on the side). The burger deal includes fries and a choice of well cocktail, draft beer, or a glass of wine (choice of three whites and three reds).
Another favorite is The Mayor’s Table Pacific Pub and Kitchen at Lido House Hotel. They have a $25 burger that features 1/2 lb. of wagyu beef, cheddar, umami grilled onions, garlic aioli, and heritage bacon.
True Food Kitchen in Fashion Island offers a choice of four burgers for $25, including a turkey burger and a vegan burger, all served with True Crisp’d Air-Fried French Fries and a choice of seasonal tea or lemonade.
And finally, Woody’s Wharf has a $25 burger week menu with a choice of five burgers (including a shrimp burger!) that come with fries or salad, and a choice of house wine by the glass or a draft beer selection.
As usual, so many burgers, so little time! For a complete list of participating restaurants and menus, visit www.burgerweek.com.
Sponsors and media partners for this year’s event include OCfoodies, Melissa’s Produce, and Orange Coast Magazine.
Burger Week is part of the OC Restaurant Association’s House of Hospitality brands and experiences, which also include OC Restaurant Week, Margarita Week, Taco Tuesday, OCfoodies, imbibe Week, Whiskey Wednesday, Mixology Masters, and Wine Vibing.
