Darla's

I go here at least once a week for brunch with my roommates and friends. Darla is like the fun aunt, always making us laugh. I always get a veggie scrambled omelette that comes with toast and home fries and the coffee is delicious! The portabella mushroom sandwich and the veggie burger is amazing too for my fellow vegetarians. And of course, after being completely stuffed in food coma heaven, your check comes with a brownie. A very very yummy brownie.

Posted 06/06/08

We just went there for the first time in a couple of months. We're so glad that Darla hasn't changed it too much. She keeps the best burgers in town on the menu and keeps adding interesting and new omelettes and other dishes to keep your attention. The place is small (about 50 total seats inside and outside) but the service is really good. Local beer from Berkeley was really fresh, good and cold. My burger had the best bacon I've ever had. My girlfriend had the chicken apple sausage omelette and raved about it all the way home. Darla changes the artwork from local artists all the time. The newest is from a local quilter that uses some very bright colors and patterns that really catch the eye. The restaurant is clean and well kept and a nice place to bring even kids. We paid $25 for two (one breakfast and and one lunch) so it's somewhere in the middle for pricing. WELL WORTH THE MONEY FOLKS. Don't take my word for it. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, drop in. You'll be pleased.

Pros: Great Burger Great Breakfast

Cons: Parking Sucked

Posted 05/30/08

Very good place..... sausage for breakfast are patties ... tasted like they were home-made.... great french toast with bananas and strawberries... even had two kinds of syrup. The crab benedict was tastey as well. Our server was one of the nicest people to ever work in a restaurant... she was a pleasure. Lastly they give you free tasters of brownies when you are done.... everything there was done right!

Posted 05/03/08

OK the reason I went in was cause the sign sold me, "possibly the best burger around"! what a crock of (please add appropriate word here). The food was edible and mediocre but not great like the sign says. very misleading. the service was poor...everyone from the server to the cooks looked like they hated their job. poor ambiance. I would not recommend.

Posted 02/12/08

there's several breakfast/burger/lunch places in this area and it feels like i've tried them all. Nothing to me stood out about Darla's, but i wouldn't advise you not to go there. try it if you're feelin the menu.

Posted 12/12/07

we've been in san francisco for a couple days and hadn't found a great place to eat yet. we've heard about all the good food in the city, but weren't really impressed with the places we'd been to UNTIL we headed over to golden gate park and ate lunch at darla's. awesome! we felt like we were home... colorado. the burgers were pretty darn good and the breakfast was delish as well. we told the waiter we were going to the cliff house for dinner, he didn't recommend the place, but we loved the food there and the VIEW! he was super friendly tho. darla's is pretty darn good. worth checking out!

Posted 09/18/07

We called to see if they could handle 28 people and they said they could. Our group took awhile to all arrive, but the owner and staff were friendly and patient. We had a number of kids and they were great about getting those orders in, and served, first. Everybody was happy with their food and many raved about their burgers. Mine was fantastic and seved sans bun just as requested. The total bill came out to be less than $10 a person, which was a pleasant surprise. My sister wanted something friendly, inexpensive, and good for her rehersal dinner....and that's just what she got. It's too bad most of us were from out of town, otherwise I know we'd all be back.

Pros: Service, food and price

Cons: Parking, but hey...it's San Francisco!

Posted 08/31/07

Darla's Crab Benedict is the best breakfast I've had in any restaurant anywhere. This is what motivated me to submit my first-ever restaurant review.

Poached eggs had an elegant swirl from the way they were placed into the water. Fresh Dungeness crab is a San Francisco specialty that always appeals to me. The English muffins were toasted just right, and the hollandaise had just the right balance. It was served with fresh fruit and real potatoes. Weekend brunch on the patio on a sunny day couldn't be better.

The rest of the menu is very good (fresh blueberry pancakes, for example), but the Crab Benedict was outstanding. I was only disappointed twice--once when they ran out of crab because I arrived around noon, and once when they said it was only available on weekends (that might depend on the season).

Darla's is where we take guests to show them what we like about San Francisco.

Posted 08/22/07

I've eaten at all the other breakfast/burger places in the Sunset and find Darla's to be my restaurant of choice. Darla's has the tastiest burger(other places didn't cook the burger right), tasty fries, delicious breakfasts and good coffee. Other breakfast places may be cheaper(but gross and greasy) but Darla's has great service, it feels clean, the food is yummy and fresh and it's consistent. The prices are reasonable and having Darla serving you is priceless. I love the free brownie they serve you at the end of the meal!

EAT HERE!

Pros: Good food & Good Service

Posted 06/16/07

Although the waitress was very friendly and the little brownie on the tab was cute and not bad itself, the rest of the food was well below what I would consider good. I ordered the house burger, and it was flavorless and very thin. The vegetables on the burger didn't taste fresh and the potato salad that came with the meal had too much mayonnaise and not enough potato. Needless to say, I was disappointed.

Posted 03/23/07

Deeeelicious burgers! Wow! My family and I go to Darla's every time we are in SF, and Darla's never disappoints! Literally the best burgers I have ever had. The green chile and Monterey Jack burger is my favorite - and is always served to me the way I request - medium rare. And if the burgers are fabulous, the fries are perfect - never greasy and always delivered nice and hot. Great lemonade too - and the refills on the lemonade are free! Service is efficient and Darla is very friendly. And of course everybody loves the little bite-sized brownies that come with the check. A great place for a tasty, inexpensive meal in a relaxing, casual, family (i.e., kids are more than welcome) atmosphere. LOVE it!

Pros: Great burgers, great service, casual atmosphere

Cons: None!

Posted 12/26/06

Darla's was really worth going to especially since I don't live on that part of the city. Anyone with kids should really try this place. It wasn't packed when I had went the other night. Service was quick and the food was delicious. Try the southern fried chicken. It was so good and it comes with mashed potatoes & vegetables. If you're like me and likes going to restaurants that has kids' menus, they do have a variety of options to choose from for your kids. And if you didn't know already, Tuesday nights is the night to go. As long as you order one adult entree & a soda, you can get up to two kids' meals free! And when Darla gave us our check, she also gave us some brownies. That was really good too. I'll be sure to be back!

Pros: affordable, good food, kid's menu

Cons: none

Posted 12/20/06

Darla's is the kind of restaurant that you take for granted and if it's not around anymore you will feel a pang of loss. Everything they serve tastes good and is excellent value. Go on a sunny day and seat in the back patio. Or go during Sunday brunch - you can always find a seat, and it's just as good as the other diners on the block. Homemade muffins are a plus, and I love the free bite of brownie they include with the bill. If they revamped the main dining room, they might be a roaring success - there is something about the fengshui of that place that is not right.

Posted 09/08/06

Darla was wonderful. She's friendly and the place is very homey.
The omlettes are good, and the red potatoes were fantastic. Sausage was tasty, so was the lemonade. The place was nice and quiet at 11AM and the service was fast. Prices are good, with two people we spent about $24 with tip.

Posted 08/28/06

Whenever you're in the mood for comfort food, Darla's is the place to go. Her burgers really are wonderful. But they do other things well also, including her delicious fried chicken and omelettes. I also love the fact that you get a little brownie for free at the end of each meal. I always leave Darla's satisfied

Pros: Tasty food, yummy brownies, service

Cons: Parking

Posted 08/26/06

While wandering along Irving street, looking for a place to eat lunch, we decided to try Darla's. We walked in and found a table right away, it was 1pm on a Friday. The dining room was welcoming, there are also a few tables outside in a rear patio, but today was too chilly to sit there. Neither of us wanted a burger, but there are plenty of other delicious items on the menu. I decided to try the clam chowder and a cheesesteak sandwich. My friend ordered the California sandwich with a small ceasar salad. The clam chowder is absolutely the best I have tasted. My first spoonful tasted of butter, cream and clams with just the right amount of seasonings. I couldn't put my spoon down until I finished off my cup of soup. Next I started in on the sandwich. It was also very delicious. My friend said the ceasar salad dressing was the best, it is homemade by Darla. She needs to market this dressing for sale! To top the meal off, a small brownie bit was brought with the bill. The brownie was also fantastic, very rich and moist.
This was my first trip to Darla's but it will certainly not be my last! Thank you Darla for a delicious lunch served with a wonderful smile.

Pros: food, service

Cons: none

Posted 07/27/06

Service was not great but food was good.
Some of people commented that the food was greasy but it wasn't.
There was a big tree and I think it should be removed to somewhere else.

Pros: soup, french fries

Cons: service, ambience

Posted 06/04/06

We had our first and last experience with Darla's today. Though the staff was reasonably nice and service quick, the food that arrived on the table was, well, just lousy.

Beef burgers were undercooked. Turkey burgers had strong, odd spicing - way overspiced with something like Tarragon. The fries were greasy to the point of being disgusting, and the kids chicken nuggets made no pretense of being prepared in the restaurant - they were clearly a common store brand of frozen, dinosaur-shaped things.

And to top it all off, this was way overpriced for a meal no better than the average McDonald's.

Cons: Expensive, Sub-par food, Lousy ambience

Posted 05/04/06

Run by Darla herself, the place is infused with her love, sweat and tears. Not to mention, the food is fantastic. And Darla is, well, darling.

Posted 04/19/06

Darla's serves up the best eggs, the best potatoes and the best coffee for and all around never-dissapointing breakfast. I live around the corner and whenever family come to visit, they request we go to Darla's for her potatoes! Service is quick! Love this place

Posted 04/15/06

I was only in San Francisco for 3 days, but I came very close to trying everything on the menu. A group of 6 of us stumbled in for a late lunch, never having been to San Franciso, and we couldn't have been happier that we did!!! The service was incredible...the food was as good as it gets...and the bloody mary's were fabulous. I only wish we could have gone one more time before we left (and we went twice)!

Posted 02/22/06

I went to this hamburger joint and could not have had a worse experience. The servers ignored us for several minutes, then the woman who attended my group was rude and sarcastic. The food was oily beyond belief, such that the bread was soaked through and fell away when you picked up your sandwich. The fries were limp, oil-soaked and stale. We threw our sandwiches in the trash.
Utterly indedible.

Posted 02/10/06

love the food service is fast and friendly, the french fries are sooo good too! And it's loud so you can bring in the kids.

Pros: good food, fast service

Cons: no parking

Posted 02/05/06

Since I started dating my boyfriend, we have been back to Darla's innumerable times (one condition of staying at his place on the weekends is that we get breakfast). I love the burgers and the bacon, tomato, avocado and cheddar omelette so much that I have not been able to order anything else. Value is excellent and all the patrons - adults as well as kids - love the free brownie bonus with the check. Now if only we can convince her to stay open late on the weekends so the post-drinking munchies are tended to! There is also something to be said about the owner and real life cutie from the menu cover serving you with a smile!

Pros: great food, smiling service, brownies!

Posted 09/11/05

We live in the Inner Sunset and eat at Darla's at least once a week. Fresh, quality ingredients, prompt and friendly service (often by Darla herself), reasonable prices and a low-key atmosphere make Darla's our favorite for weeknight dining on the cheap - feels like eating at home. On weekends, brunch is fantastic - fluffy omeletes with super fresh fruit on the side, or the veggie sandwich which is my favorite, with the cream of tomato basil soup. The burgers are all good. On Thursday nights they offer a complimentary glass of wine. Oh, and the brownies are possibly the best around. It is a family-friendly place so occasionally there is a crying baby or squirrely little kid running around which can be a drawback if you're tired and/or hung over. Otherwise, Darla's is pretty quiet and low-key and the perfect place for a relaxing meal.

Pros: Fresh food, Friendly service, Reasonable prices

Posted 08/19/05

My fiancee and I go to Darla's all the time! We moved away from SF for a year (2004-2005). Every time we came back to visit, we would HAVE TO get a burger at Darla's. The food is great and Darla is precious. It is MUST to go to Darla's while in SF.

Pros: Darla, Burgers, Milkshakes

Cons: N/A, N/A, N/A

Posted 07/20/05

not the best burger around or even in the running

Posted 03/20/05

Wow! My husband and I had given up on finding a nice breakfast place near our home. We'd tried so many restaurants over the last five years and all ranged between inconsistently good to downright awful. We both like to cook, and couldn't believe that no restaurant around knew how to prepare a decent omelet.

We just tried Darla's for the first time last weekend after seeing the good ratings here and were AMAZED. Fantastic omelets! Fantastic service (with personality, too)! Excellent and varied menu selection! Nice ambiance! Rock bottom prices! The beautiful plants everywhere are a nice touch, too.

Posted 02/23/05

I've tried the burgers at the other top places noted on this site, with the exception of the
one at Original Joe's. (I'll have to try that next time!) However, the burgers at Darla's
are GREAT! Grilled to order, (I like medium-rare), and it's always perfect. The service
is great, and they throw in a little brownie for you to sample! Kid friendly, and great for
lunch or take out! I've called in a few times and go to pick up and it's always ready to go
right on time. The portion is good (on the big side), and ingredients are fresh. The fries
are good, too. Overall, I think it is the best burger in town. The only one better, is the one I make at home, and that would win, -just barely! -Thanks Darla for a great burger!
The ambiance is nice, too!

Pros: Portion, Service, Ambiance

Cons: No Parking, Crowded Str. parking

Posted 02/21/05

The service is quick and the staff is very friendly, especially Darla herself. The hamburgers are wonderful!!

Posted 02/06/05

Went there for brunch on a Sunday morning and there was no wait for a party of three. Nice little place that didn't smell greasy like some other breakfast places. We ordered an apple-sausage omelette, a bacon omelette, and a mushroom swiss cheeseburger medium rare. The omelettes were nice and fluffy but that burger was AWESOME! The bun was grilled and the burger was juicy and had just the right amount of seasoning. We finished the burger and if we weren't so full from the other plates, I swear I would have ordered another one.

Pros: burger

Posted 11/08/04

I lived at 12th and Irving back when Darla's just opened, and my friend and I were very impressed. However, I didn't have high hopes for it simply because the other restaurants that had occupied that spot were hardly successful. I'm glad to see that Darla's is not only still around, but getting good reviews. Their burgers truly are incredible -- I love the rolls they use, and they're cooked perfectly to order. Their breakfast is also excellent, the prices are beyond fair, and the service is prompt. Give it a try if you're hungry near 9th and Irving and Park Chow's just too busy.

Pros: Great value, Great Burgers, Prompt Service

Posted 08/15/04

Went to Darla's for breakfast with a friend after seeing the glowing rating on Citysearch. I have to say I wasn't impressed.

We were seated quickly, and our waitron took our order and served us rather quickly. The food, however, was nothing to get excited about. It was slightly below-average breakfast/brunch fare.

Here's the real kicker - When it came time to pay the busboy took my credit card and returned a moment later waving my card in the air and said, loudly, from several feet away, "Your card is no good!" He stood their smirking as I look confused (as I knew this shouldn't be the case). Fortunately, my friend quickly paid with her card. Well, a quick trip to the Bank of America next door showed that their computers were all down and that all their cards were being rejected.

I'll never go back.

Posted 08/13/04

My family goes to Darla's everyweek, we each have our favorites on the menu. Darla's serves the best bacon in the whole world! Thank goodness there is such a great restaurant in my neighborhood!

Pros: great service, quality food, brownies w/the bill

Posted 05/25/04

My husband and I recently moved to the Sunset and were directed to Darlas for breakfast. We walked out spending 16 bucks and we both had quite content bellies. The breakfast burrito was super delicious and filling. We have been back twice since, and will be patrons for a long time to come.

Pros: Inexpensive, Friendly, Good Portions

Cons: , Parking

Posted 05/25/04

Tried the Turkey Burger and the Veggie Burger. Both were juicy and full of flavor. Orders came with salad and a big side of fries which were good and the milk shake was the best (they use real ice cream!). The staff (i think it was Darla herself) was very friendly and the food and service were excellent. To top it off, we get some free brownies for dessert. What more could you ask for.

Pros: Quality, Value, Friendly

Posted 09/05/03

Possibly the best bleu cheese salad dressing I've had. Made from scratch at the restaurant, along with all but one of the other salad dressings. Great overall comfort food, esp. the fish and chips. Seasoned steak fries, fantastic soups, overall a great neighborhood-y spot.

Pros: Friendly, Homemade dressings, Great value

Posted 04/28/03

om wanted to go out. Sure, I'm in the mood for some good eats tonight. How about Darla's? I love Darla's! It's so cutesy. Okay, lets go. After ordering, I knew I had to tell my mother. I didn't need to tell her, but I wanted to tell her - about the girl for whom I adored and cared. Yvonne. As we ate our scrumptious meal, we talked of other things but when the brownies came, I knew the signs were all telling me to do it, even the music alluded. Good food, good music, good vibes. Mom stopped for a while to wipe her developing tears of joy. Some weekend later, I took Yvonne there for lunch, and as I pointed out the table where I sat with Mom, I remembered and was content. And then the food came, and I hopped from Cloud 9 to Cloud 10.

Pros: Quality Price-matched, Waiters and Service

Cons: Next door competition

Posted 04/11/03

As always, I'll disclose that I know no one who works at this restaurant, but I do live in the neighborhood. While I won't necessarily say that a fabulous burger is worth a trip across town to ANY neighborhood, if you're anywhere nearby, even Haight Street, I'd recommend Darla's burgers highly. The meat itself is superb, with sourdough buns, and the shoestring fries are excellent, too. They even have "kids eat free" specials. I also am partial to patronizing independent places like this. Give them a try. You'll be glad you did.

Posted 03/06/03

Not the best burger, but pretty damn good. I especially like the portobello mushroom burger. The place tries to be cool with its lower lighting and colors, but it kind of clashes with it's skater boy host and server. The service took a little bit long even thought the place was not quite full. Also, the place ran out of salad dressing that they usually have.

Posted 01/29/03

I always felt bad for Darla's, since I had never seen them busy, at the most 3 tables full, so I decided to stop in one night. The burgers were decent, the salad that came with was fair, but the fries were phenominal! crisp, buttery fries, with just enough salt. Definitely worth it for the fries alone.

Pros: Friendly, Fries!, usually empty

Cons: parking

Posted 01/16/03

I've eaten here several times and brought friends who will try anything and friends who are very picky and Darla's has come through every time. Their burgers are big and juicy and don't make you feel like your arteries are clogging from grease afterwards. Their Rib Eye was a healthy slabs that I ate half and has the rest for lunch the next day. I'd be more inclined to try a dessert, but Darla gives you a brownie with the check and after all the food that was all I could eat! The only thing that would make it better is if the parking was easier.

Pros: Food is great, Service is great, Price is good

Cons: Parking sucks

Posted 12/12/02

Have frequented Darla's for quite awhile now (since right after she opened). This is definitely an up and coming spot...and she is building staff and menu as she goes. We told her she should have Mimosa's on Sunday's...and sure enough - there they were! She is open and receptive. The food - it's cheap and it's good. If you want glamour and glitz - go elsewhere...but you get what you go for. She is always sweet and nice and just a pleasure to joke with and be friendly to. The chicken sandwich is excellent - and the omelettes - goodness they are big...and chock full of what the menu says will be in it. A good bang for your buck

Pros: Price, Comfort, Food

Cons: Location

Posted 10/24/02

They are suppose to have the best caesar salad. The portion was small, lettuce was limp, and to top it off the service was bad. After not getting some of the items that were ordered, we reminded her that we had some additional. And she replied OH?..and acted like it was our fault. The waitress with the brown short hair was very rude. I would not go back again for the limp salad and rude waitperson.

Pros: not crowded

Cons: rude service, limp salad, small portions

Posted 09/12/02

The sign outside says possibly the best burgers around and the food lived up to the name. I had a burger with cheese and green chile and it was very good.

Pros: good food, good value, good service

Posted 08/25/02

I stepped into Darla's for brunch and had a nice peppy server. I ordered the vegetarian omelet with avocado. The food was adequate not generous portions (understandable during recession) HOWEVER the potatoes were undercooked and cold, english muffin (a default choice since they didn't have "homemade muffins" as stated on menu) was cold, the server never returned with hot sauce(only the tabasco brand) and ketchup (I got it myself). THE WORST PART:There were bits of bacon hidden in the veggie topping (of half raw mushrooms and poorly cut tomatoes) on my omelet-- it was supposed to be vegetarian!@ Basically a problem with their brunch cooks-- but a problem nonetheless. Haven't tried them for dinner, but now probably won't.

Pros: friendly servers, good location

Cons: slim picks 4 vegetari, small portions

Posted 08/18/02

Great food, especially the burgers! Inexpensive, fun staff, beautiful heated garden/patio, great location! Try it!!

Pros: Patio, Staff, Inexpensive

Posted 07/31/02