#12 at Johnny Rockets, San Francisco CA

Johnny Rockets used to be one of my favorite burger joints for a long time whenever I visited San Francisco. Since then my eyes has opened and it has found it's place as pricey, above average burger joint.

Johnny Rockets was founded in 1986 by Ronn Teitelbaum in Los Angeles. The first restaurant was established in the Melrose District of LA. In February 2007 Daniel "Redskins/Six Flags" Snyder bought the chain through his Red Zone Capital equity firm. Snyder announced plans to expand the chain both within the United States and worldwide. And you can expect to see Johnny Rockets in all the Six Flags parks. Currently Johnny Rockets locations are in US, Canada, Mexico, middle-East and Australia.

Johnny Rockets concept is to recreate the American malt shops of the 1940s and 1950s. Their restaurant decor include jukeboxes blasting out golden oldies, chrome accents and red leather seats, and waiters and waitresses dressed in attire of the period. The staff are also known to sing and dance every half-hour, twirl straws and make smiley faces of ketchup. Well, the dancing and smiley faces are something what I have read but I've never actually seen it happening. At least this isn't hapenning at their San Francisco branch in Fisherman's Wharf. There the Mexican girls and boys handle it with their i'm-sick-of-this-job-attitude. And to tell the truth, who really can blame them if you need to work in the chaotic Wharf in the middle of tourist holabaloo day after day and listen those golden oldies, againg and again and again.

Johnny Rockets serve burger, sandwiches, shakes, malts and breakfast. Their shakes are one of the best I've tried. Johnny Rocket's hamburger patties are 1/3 of fresh ground beef, hand pressed and grilled to perfection. I've noticed that their perfection is medium well whatever you order, it's always the same. But I really don't want to complain too much about that since their patties are always tasty and juicy, that's a guarantee.

Usually I go with Rocket Double which is their most bodacious choice with two patties. This time I decided to try #12 and was pleasantly suprised. #12 is a cheeseburger with Tillamook Cheddar, fresh lettuce, onion slice, pickle, mayo and Johnny Rockets 'red red sauce'. The bun was nicely toasted from the inside and everything was piled to a nice and easy to eat stack. Basically #12 is just a basic cheeseburger with spicy, tangy sauce and it works for me. Try it.

Recommended, but try to avoid this Fisherman's Wharf location. The Wharf is always packed, it smells like shit and people act like idiots, so it equals to every tourist hell. And you can find better burgers in San Francisco.

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Johnny Rockets
81 Jefferson St
San Francisco, CA 94133
+1-415-693-9120
www.johnnyrockets.com


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