This place is so good. I get the big burger, grilled fresh on a bun with lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, and mayo. Good old- fashioned place with ketchup and mustard squirt bottles on the table. Fast, friendly service. My mom gets the BLT, served on a bun. The bacon is so crispy and good and you can order the crinkle-cut fries extra crispy. A great place for burgers. Try it! The hotdogs are served om a hamburger bun and are grilled and yummy

Charcoal grilled burgers! Yes.. CHARCOAL. Grandfathered in I guess but it's nice to be able to find it. Good, quality food. Fantastic service. Everything is made to order but the employees/ owner have food prep down so well that even when it's packed the wait is still very reasonable. Everyone here is very polite.... even the customers. Can't say that about very many places. By far this is the best burger around.

Great place! They just changed their fries and the new ones are much better seasoned and crispier. Now it’s perfect

Burger was amazing. Fries were amazing. Vibe of the place was great. We'll definitely be back. UPDATE: after eating here dozens of times, it's our favorite burger spot in the area. Quick, cheap, delicious. Everything you want in a casual burger spot. Try the fried zucchini!

Well balanced food. Juicy and tender with a good meat. Bread is wonderful for the burger.

The best burger in the Bay Area

Friendly staff. Ordered Mushrooms and Cheddar Burger oh and with onions, I don't bother with lettuce, tomatoes, or pickles. Delicious burger and very filling, I could only eat half. You have a few choices: eat in 2 tables that seat 4 and 4 or 5 2 seats, eat outside ( a couple of tables), or take to go. This is a small place burger joint. Give them a try....oh their PEANUT BUTTER SHAKE IS MY NEW FAVORITE SHAKE PLACE!

This is the best burger I've ever had and it doesn't come close

Honest family owned burger joint. Try the milkshakes!

Small burger joint, great flavor and an experience exactly what you would expect. No frills no gimmicks just good food. Also they kept the bathroom clean.

Big 1/3 lb charcoal grilled burgers, cooked after you order. My favorite is a bacon cheeseburger. Comes with 2 thick slices of crisp bacon, not the paper thin slice you get most other places. Waffle cut fries. Other toppings too.

Best burger in the east bay! Charbroiled over flames. Love the staff and family friendly atmosphere. Reasonable amount for a yummy burger. However, are you listening Al's. I think they changed from Coke to Pepsi and that a deal breaker

Been coming here since "BIG Al" ran the place. Was taken over by a lovely Asian family, then sold again. All the people that have owned it are very nice. Food has always been good and consistent.

For an old school fast-ish burger joint, very good turkey burgers and tasty fries. Cheerful staff, outside tables as well. Great for a yummy, decadent lunch when you just can't stand the idea of yet another kale salad!

This excellent family run burger joint is really quite a good place to go to the food is done to perfection and as much as they can as homemade I would recommend this to anyone it's a very enjoyable meal and you get what you pay for Today for some reason was the first time I learned they have hot dogs. Their hot dogs are perfect. Absolutely perfect. I always like mine extra crispy and they did a great job on that. Always a win to go here

I don't know how else to say this, and it might be a little confusing, but these burgers taste like the 90s! The food and atmosphere gave me so much nostalgia back to when everything was just simple and good. Reminded me of my childhood. You can taste the char from the grill and that signature mesquite charcoal. I don't even drink soda and I had to go back up and get a crispy ice cold coca cola to go with this food, it's just a timeless classic.

I always enjoy coming here with my partner. The service here is always nice and welcoming since we first started coming here. Sharing fries or onion rings is good enough for two, while we each get our own burger. The burger has a nice char taste which definitely sets it apart from other burger places. Personally, pairing it with a pineapple shake is the best. Haven’t been to a place like this that feels homey.

If you're looking for a really good burger you've found the spot. I've only tried the cheese burger and garlic fries and to be honest I don't know if I'll ever order anything else because it's that good. I love that every seat is a window seat so you can watch busy San Pablo Ave pass you by or you can choose to sit at the outdoor tables.

The food is DELICIOUS! We had burgers and fries and they were 10/10. The restaurant itself is a bit run down but we had ordered to-go anyways. Sometimes the run down looking places have the best food anyways! Would definitely recommend

Went here on a road trip back in 2020, food was pretty shmackin, my buddy Rueben couldn’t eat cuz he was on a weird water diet thing. But that didn’t stop us from eating still, the burgers were really good.

whoa. what a great burger. it had a nice smokey flavor and a good heft to it. it came piping hot and totally scratched my late night burger itch. the fried mushrooms and fried zucchini was pretty good too. the soda was kinda flat, though it was probably luck of the draw.

Good honest burger🙂👍 I highly recommend this place. 🍔👍.one of the best flame broiled burger around !! Also every one who works there is the best. 😀👍👍

Best charburger and peanut butter milkshake ever! Food is consistent, best to request for medium cooked for juiciness. My go to for burger cravings, love this place!

"Em-hm! This is a tasty burger!" Quoting a character from Pulp Fiction. And that says it all, pretty much.

Solid old school chah burger. They're Big too!

Takes you back to yester year. Parking is good friendly efficient staff. Good cheeseburger and fries with a peanut butter shake! I heard a pineapple shake delivered to a table. Yum! Al's has been a staple for many many years! Fried mushrooms and zucchini, onion rings, and chicken sandwiches and hot dog choices.

The burgers here are juicy and cooked well, the fries are crispy and golden, and the milkshakes are great to wash it all down. The menu is highly customizable and shows the prices of everything which is extremely helpful. The interior provides a fun classic burger/diner joint experience, and the service is fast. I like the fact that you can see the whole kitchen, and you can tell that effort and care is being put into what is produced, unlike some fast food places. The staff are helpful and fun to talk to. Pricing is average, not much to be said about that. Big Al's is quite comparable to a nicer In-N-Out, but the experience and hands on approach at Big Al's makes it more worth it to visit rather than a fast food place which would be slightly cheaper.

A gem of a neighborhood burger place! I had my favorite cheese burger! With onion rings. Perfect! So cozy and relaxed there. And the service is great. Friendly and prompt. Prices are very good, too!

The burgers, fries, and milkshakes are so legit. If you ask for medium rare that's what you are gonna get. The food is always fresh and served hot. I can't think of a single negative thing to say about this joint it's just GOOD.

Their burgers are excellent. But my new favorite is lattice wrap double with 10oz of tasty and fresh protein without any carbs.

So delicious, every single time. Our go-to local burger spot!

One of my favorite places when I'm out and get the urge for a basic burger and fries. Always support the local guys

This place is worth it! I usually stop at 1/4 lb or habit burger. But this is just as good!

Great food quality check it out and judge for yourself

Great location, a short walk from El Cerrito Plaza Bart Station & Plaza. When I'm passing through shopping or doing errands I make it a plan to visit Al's. It's run by a nice Korean-American family, it's an Albany hallmark. The prices are great for a great portion. Usually order the Fish 🍔 with Fries and a Large Sprite, today got the Cheeseburger with mushroom and the works. Man was I filled 😊, this place pulls folks from different walks of life, & everyone's polite, opening doors for others, saying excuse me, offering others their table (for me 2x). Once someone leaves their table someone quickly wipes down table. Your order isn't that far behind. I always make it a point to say thank you to my servers & once I depart. There's a restroom around the back, you'll need to ask for the 🔑. If you're in the area, doing errands or passing through it's a great 🍔 joint. They close @ 7/8 pm, forget.

I moved to the peninsula over 8 years ago and I still make the trek to get their burgers and fries! I personally love all their burgers but recently have been enjoying their fish burger. Fries are amazing too, though it seems they changed from their crinkle fries (it's been a little while since I was last here). Also, get their peanut butter shake!

Love coming here. Good local burger place to mix things up. Not cheap, but you get what you pay for, and that is good food. You can even sit outside with you dog and eat too. (Edit) Woah! i can see more people here! And for good reason! Parking may be a bit had to squeeze into sometimes, but it's worth it still! =)

I haven't been here in well over a decade. I'm sure it's still the definition of a classic east bay burger joint. Parking lot is kinda small and tricky, if you have a large vehicle it's easier to do street parking. Also this goes without saying, their shoestring fries are great, you must also get them.

Nayoung Lee

Albany’s best burger, for sure. Loved the smoky flavor on the patty.

Claudio Ignacio Fernández Espinosa

Had a triple cheeseburger today. Very good taste. One of the best in the whole area. Maybe the best.

M. Crouch

Stopped in on Christmas Eve and had amazing burgers, fried mushrooms, and some great shakes (the mocha was something else). While we wish the mushrooms had been been a larger order, the large fries were definitely large and worth it. It's a classic burger joint, sharing a parking lot with the tire center. When we were there, a flock of turkeys walked past. Friendly crew and we love supporting small businesses like this. We will definitely stop there again. Highly recommended.

James C

Love this place! This is the best hamburger! Also try their turkey burgers! Delicious! Even the fries are great.

Aleida Kasir

This is a great burger- it’s charred well and the fries are crispy. I always want to try other flavors of their milkshakes but their chocolate milk shake is my favorite compared to any other in the east bay- it’s not too sweet and I don’t taste any artificial syrup in them which almost every other shake around uses. This is also a cute place to take a kid since it has a diner feel.

Leslie Tanigawa

Went here recently and found out the owners sold the business. I ordered a burger and fries and corn dog onion rings. Burger and corn dog and onion rings were great but I miss the Crinkle fries. Hope new owners don't try to fix something that's not broken. Been coming here for years. The staff are great.

Darren Lobb

Great char broiled burger with thick bacon and grilled onions. Crispy thick fries. Waited maybe 5 minutes.

Rachel N

Walk down San Pablo without smelling the burgers and going inside to order early lunch challenge level: impossible. My favorite diner style burger in the East Bay. If you're in the area and about to grab some fast food, do your taste buds a favor and pop in here to support a fantastic family owned restaurant instead! The price is the same but the quality will be a world apart.

Cliff O'Malley

Service is top notch and burgers are char-grilled right in front of you. I brought my crew of groomsmen here after my wedding for a late lunch and they loved it. To this day, Big Al's serves the same high quality made-to-order burgers and sides. This place is a local treasure.

Tiffany Sun

A classic cheese burger and a large fry. A good charbroiled burger, very tasty and hits the spot. A large fry is good to share. I would come back again. They have some seating inside or outside. People are always coming or going.

kaylee

No matter how full I am, I can easily down an Al’s burger. My favorite item on the menu is most definitely the cheeseburger, with the fries following close behind. The food is made relatively quickly, which you can smell if you wait anywhere near the restaurant. I’ve been enjoying Al’s for many years and I’d definitely recommend you try it out! (The photo I’ve attached does not do the burger justice.)

Elaina Pitre

HOOOOOOLY COW!!!! ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!! I had the grilled chicken burger and they literally use an entire chicken breast! The flavour from the charcoal is amazing BUT it's the bun that makes it. They butter it up and toast it. It's PERFECT. the locals say this is the best place to eat, and they're not wrong. It's a lil mom'n pop place and everyone is friendly. It's small but big on flavour. OH AND OMGAAAAAWD they're ranch sauce is HOMEMADE!!!! it's absolutely the best I've ever had!!!! Git yourself 2 to dip them fries. Lol

Soiba Noorzay

Great little burger joint frozen in time from the 1960s. The burger was about 1/3 bigger than is standard and so good. If you are looking for an alternative to the corporate chains these days, this is a great option.

P. I.

NOTICE: I can no longer just "recommend" this place. THis place in my opinion is now THE NUMBER ONE BURGER SPOT IN THE EAST BAY. PERIOD. In a 10 mile radius, nothing even comes close to the freshness, and quality of this superior burger. And the family that runs this place and the workers they hire are GREAT. Real hamburgers are about the construction, perfectly layered, perfectly sized patties, onions tomatoes, buns, and condiments. This is an art form, and Kim is master. GREATEST East bay juicy custom burger joint, cheap, quality, great people! YUMMY BURGERS AND FRIES, GO ASAP AND GO OFTEN!!!! - PIERO

Rianne

Nice atmosphere at the diner, friendly staff and the food was perfect. We are 2 Europeans not used to the generally bigger American food portions, so we decided to both get a “baby burger” with cheddar cheese and share a portion of fries. It tasted delicious and was more than enough filling for us. We couldn’t finish all of the fries so they give us a bag for us to take it home. Overall an amazing experience!

Love the place 🤎. Some of the best burgers 🍔 😋 around. I had to learn that you can order a half order of French fries 🍟 because they give you so many 👍🏽. It's a small setting be the staff is wonderful. Oh and it's constantly busy.

Great naughty treat. I love they're Peanut butter and chocolate shakes. My son was also super impressed by the fried zucchini. He usually doesn't like zucchini, but I guess everything tastes better fried! I gotta be careful but to go too often

Been here a few times and the first few was okay, my order was correct. and the young ladies who are cashiering are alway nice. the last three times in a role the first mistake was they charged me 3 baby burgers when the Indian guy took our order by phone the second time they added mustard when we simply said no mayo no mustard the burger was wasted because the mustard was all over the burger and my husband can’t eat mustard. the 3rd time we asked for a double cheese burger with cheese and when my husband check his burger in the parking lot their was no cheese, the Asian lady who looked like the supervisor apologizes for the mistake and she put one piece of cheese on the double cheeseburger. On an order that they messed up and charged $45. 96 and said she won’t charge me for the cheese and yet still didn’t give me my receipt that I’ve asked for when I arrived. when my husband called to placed our order, the young Caucasian man who is answering the phone is always rushing to get off the phone (anything else anything else) that was his attitude every time and when I come to pick up my order is wrong. I have to keep asking for my receipt every time I go here and only once I was given my receipt on the night when they messed up my order and charged me for 3 baby burgers, my receipt was handed to me right away by the young ladies who were cashiering. I like this place it has a classic vibe to it and the burgers are good but is getting too expensive. We order the same thing every time only once we added zucchini fries but that’s it. Shouldn’t cost too much. my husband ordered a 2/3 Lb Double Burger With Cheese $14.50 and two 1/6 Ib Baby Burgers $6.75 with two orders of French Fries $4.75 our order stay the same unless we add a extra fries or zucchini fries and my order total change every time and since I have to keep asking for a receipt and never received it because they always seem to be busy or just ignoring my request. the simple fact that the cashier guy who placed my phone order doesn’t have to stand there and watch the burgers get grilled, he can simply assist me by getting me my receipt. I have to look at my bank statements. I just hope they take care of this nice classic place and take the time to pay attention to the customer order and give a receipt without the customer having to ask for one. put employees on the phone who don’t seem to be in a rush to get you off the phone because that’s how you mess up the customers order. I gave 4 ⭐️ because one star wouldn’t be fair to the people who are making the food they are doing a good job!.. below are my bank statements for the last 3 orders that I’ve placed. CHK PURCHASE AL'S BIG BURGER. ALBANY CA -$64.00 xxxx40 CHK PURCHASE AL'S BIG BURGER. ALBANY CA -$38.76 xxxx90 CHK PREAUTH AL'S CHK AL'S BIG BURGER. ALBANY CA -$45.96

Great place got a burger with American cheese and made it right before they shut the doors, and it was really good. 👌 I got a side of onion rings along with the burger, and I have to say they paired well together. I think next time I surely will take a few pics to post on here. But I must say this is a definite stop when in the area. I did see a father and daughter drive up in their truck about 20 after 8 and got the rude awakening that they just missed grabbing a tasty burger in time.

This spot has been around since I was a child and hasn't changed whatsoever. It's an experience to sit at the counter, and the burgers taste the same as they did 30 years ago. The value is still decent given the prices elsewhere, and while you're not going to lose weight eating here, it's a fun to do once in awhile after a big hike. Get it while you can, you never know when these businesses will close. However, to the reviews that are expecting "value meals", this isn't a corporate fast food place. Cleanliness can always be improved.

Great local burger spot. Had a filling BLT and fries. Burgers, fries, fried mushrooms, mozzarella sticks are always wonderful and the service is always friendly.

Burger patties are 1/3-pounds. I had the cheeseburger, fries and a soda. The burger was charbroiled with very fresh veggies and was very satisfying. The fries were crinkle-cut, crisp outside and fluffy inside. Also tasty. I wish they put more ice in the drink, though. Definitely a go to place now that I'm boycotting the other fast food joints that have shrunk the size of their burgers at the same time raising the prices (McD, BK, etc). Quick update 2/2026: Finally had their double cheeseburger. So satisfying if a bit indulgent. Burger was so thick I had smash it down a lot to bite into it. But it held firm and didn't disintegrate the way some overly sauced burgers do. Having the lettuce dry rather that wet also helped a lot. My hands stayed fairly clean and dry throughout the meal.

As others have said, it's priced kinda high for what it is. But I liked it! Good burger, fries, shake. Nice people. In an old fashioned spot. What else do you want?

Great!!burgers friendly family staff Definitely best in the east bay. 10/24 everything has changed!!! New owners Their French fries absolutely suck! They now have some frozen mass produced coated product and they are horrible!! No potatoes in the inside, dry and overly salty! The burgers are OK but only ok . Not sure what had transpired but seems to be for the worst! Week ago i ordered a cheddar cheese burger without Mayo. It came with mayonnaise, American cheese And fur some reason it had canned Jalapeños on it. Nasty!!

Good burger and grilled chicken but the lame fries stop me from coming back more often. They used to have better fries.

It's one of my favorite places! My Hubby's too! We've been going for years. This time, my Double Bacon Cheeseburger was a little dry. By that, I mean the patties. It was also a bit hard to eat the next day. The bottom bun kept sliding off, as well as the lettuce, tomato, and onion. But still DELICIOUS. I also got a Mocha Milkshake. Wow! Maybe the best shake I've ever had. Plus, I got the fried mushrooms, which were quite good as always. You MUST try this place!

Solid and satisfying each time. Everything you'd want and expect of a classic burger.

Delicious burgers. They don't look like anything special, but the ingredients are pretty good. Fries are the squiggly-cut ones, which I personally dislike (not crispy enough). That being said, I would come back for a convenient burger.

Randomly wandered in after catching a whiff of the grill from outside. Ordered a double cheeseburger, which was solid but nothing too special. The flavors were decent, but I expected something a bit fancier given the price point. It’s a good spot if you're craving a quick bite, but I’m not sure it fully justifies the cost.

Super good! I loved the burgers, onion rings and fries! It was amazing, the price is a little high though.

Rui Zhong

Tasty basic burger but not sure the price is justified! Bun was worse than cheap grocery store buns and wish there were more onion rings. $13+ for this feels a bit high. Fairly dirty space as well.

Iydo Vercy (Veron Pan)

Burgers are good nothing special but ok burgers, friendly service, outdoor dining inside is a little cramped. Not a bad spot to have a quick bite.

Been here about 50 times, used to be better. Last 4 visits our order was messed up. The food was definitely not the highest quality, but it had a classic vibe and a classic price and it hit the spot. Now things cost a lot more, the quality isn't better, and the service is worse.

This has been my spot in EC for decades, better back in the day when it was less known. Still good tho, but damn a dbl mshrm brgr and a coke is just under $20. I used to get that plus onion rings for the same price. But stuff changes and inflation is sinister. But they hook it up, still a grungy greasy eating room tho lol.

Our delivery order was completely wrong—they sent us something strange instead of the veggie burger, and a single burger instead of the double we ordered. The single burger didn’t taste good at all, and the "mocha milkshake" was overwhelmingly sweet. Wouldn’t recommend this place :(

The burger is tasty with fresh ingredients. The price is reasonable. The service is quick. It's a layback place to grab a quick bite.

The kind of place you want to be great...but the food isn't. Fries fried in old oil: That smell of cheap fried food from the boardwalk. My chili dog was a sliced, burnt dog with junky chili, very little onion and cheese served open face on an oily, grilled hot dog bun. The service is good and they work hard here. They are also very polite. Refreshing! Five stars for dedication. I ordered a milkshake, which was average. But the straws available are very thin- thinner than average and not usable for a shake. The flimsy plastic ware served with my chili dog was also of the very cheapest variety, making it very hard to eat. I didn't try the burger- perhaps it is great. I probably won't be back.

I brought my burger lover co-worker to try the burger here as I have been here a few times before the pandemic. This place is no longer the same as before. Quality of food is unsatisfying for its cost. I also ordered onion rings for $5.75 and I got 5 regular rings and a small one with just mostly crumbs, could hardly see and taste the onion. *THIS PLACE SMELLS LIKE OLD PEE INSIDE THE RESTAURANT. I couldn’t swallow my burger!!! So dirty!!!

This place used to have 1 of the best crunchy fries in neighborhood. But now a days they don’t serve crunchy fries anymore.,now it taste 1 of the worst . don’t know they changed chef or strategy . If possible bring back the crunchy fries.

Levent Soyarslan

I had to drive 20 minutes to get here with expectations due to the veryhigh ratings. Al's hamburger is mediocre at best. A special hamburger requires at least 3 specialties; a special bread and a juicy patty that you cant buy from Wall-mart; and a special sauce! At Al's you get neither of these and you pay over 20 dollars for that mediocre meal. One of the most overrated places in the area IMO. Note : French-fries were not good either. (I dint like the taste )

I love this place. I come here every day just one thing that I don’t like at what I saw today is there is a lady up there using her hand without gloves and she’s throwing the tomato throwing the meat everywhere and she’s being nasty while she’s doing it with no gloves, I got embarrassed to ask her but this needs to stop

I love this burger a lot with their french fries. It is so tasty . Unfortunately , I bought one tonight ( 1/16/24) while I was on half way thru I, I got a weird smell from the burger ... I can go on eating if ignored it but I certainly can't. I decided to dump it. So sad!😭

This place needs help. I order a Swiss burger with bacon, no onion no pickle. Then a normal Swiss burger. I had to tell the lady my order three times. Then I saw they were putting onion and pickle juice on my burger. I asked if that was my bacon Swiss burger. Yess. So I asked them please no onion and pickle on my Swiss burger. I get home bite in and it has cheddar on my burger. I’m allergic to cheddar and threw up after one bite. I can’t believe I paid 42 for two burgers one fries and two shakes only to throw up and throw most of it away. Check your order cause this place is clueless

This was one of My favorite burger place in town, today I decided to go back there , so the burger still the same ( good) But the the price I'm sorry ,they charged me $19 for regular cheese burger with fries and fountain drink

horrible customer service, hamburger fries shake $30 but says $10-$20 they won’t close the door. It’s so cold outside. I told them if I wanted to eat outside I would’ve gone somewhere else they still insisted on having the door open. I won’t be back very rude! Mediocre burger at best !

*Update 12/10/2024* This place is under new ownership. So sad the other owners sold. Fries, terrible. Bring back the crinkle cut and the malt vinegar. Service, terrible. Totally messed up my order and when I asked for my diet coke the lady put her finger up at me like to say one minute. Rating went from a 5 to a 1 super quick with one visit. *Old Rating* I've been here many times but have always failed to check in. If you want a great burger, this is a great burger! This place beats Red Onion and any other burger joint out there. Small place and gets packed quick. It just opened, right now, and already filling up. Should tell you something! Instagram @planefoodies

Staff are nice , but I ordered ribeye sandwiche , it came burnt! I couldn’t eat and very small piece of steak $18

I came here for a burger and it gave me food poisoning, made me throw up and be sick all day on Halloween. I used to come here all the time with family and friends but it’s just not the same. Burgers here are like frozen food now :(

This place smelled so good when we passed by I had to try it!! It was terrible the chilli was disgusting fries too, the burger was dry as the Mojave desert and tasteless. We spent $84.07 tip included. I will not be back. We should have just went with Wingstop or something. They have one star from me because I couldn't post without it. Step y'all game UP!! The veggies were fresh, ranch not so good.

So sad today but Al's was not on there shit today I have eaten here multiple times decided to try the fish sandwich and was HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED ☹️. The fish was mesh not fresh didn't taste like fish it was cod to be exact. Needed to be fried hard and seasoned better as well. The ball the relish they slap on there makes the bread soggy definitely not good just stick to tartar sauce as the base maybe. Then had onions they were the best even out of the drinks had a banana in milk shake that was nasty and a flat rootbeer soda. Just today was on a good day for Al's hoping this helps.

STIG STIG

They should always have somebody at the window ready to take your order. The cooks see you but don't do anything or call someone. No service at all. Disappointed. Other times they are very very VERY slow in making the food! Tables are always dirty. Parking is very limited.

Ruben Flores

Come here for mediocre food, Spent 35 for two burgers with tomatoes and onions bigger than the Pattie itself. The burger quality is literally no better than the frozen aisle, you can literally look at them throw on patties that speak for itself on quality. I asked for well done and my burger still came with pink in the middle. I never leave reviews but this was just unacceptable for the $20+ per person for a frozen meal. Fries were decent, not much salt.