REVIEW: Slater's 50/50 - San Diego, CA

Everyone who knows me knows that I take my burgers VERY seriously haha. I consider myself a burger connoisseur and am always out to find the best of the best. There have been plenty of burgers that have stood out and plenty that leave something to be desired. Either way, I don’t think there’s anything more American and traditional than a big, juicy burger and as I dive deeper and deeper into the world of burgers, I’ve come to a realization that there are more and more people out there that have started to take it as seriously as I do….YES! (Haha) On my quest to find that perfect burger, I’ve stumbled upon a place in San Diego that has been highly suggested I visit and check out. They’re known for something quite unique and flavorful, which I’ll get into during the review, but in the meantime, gather your ketchup and mustard bottles….THIS is Slater’s 50/50….

The Place –

It's been awhile since I've last been to San Diego, roughly nine years, and so it seemed as if everything was new and unfamiliar to me. I found the address where Slater’s 50/50 is located, hopped into my rental car, put it in my GPS, and off I went. After driving on the 5 for awhile, I found myself driving through what seemed to be an old naval base. Even for those unfamiliar with the territory, you can tell there is just something about where you’re at that screamed “Naval Base” or “Military Base” and I was right. The buildings were old barracks units and several other military installations that had been repurposed for commercial use. Coming from a military family, seeing this was actually kind of sad to me. I’m sure the walls of those buildings had TONS of stories to tell and I wouldn’t mind listening to them at all. Needless to say, the tenants that now occupied these buildings were stores such as ACE Hardware, Subway, Five Guys, and several other “chain” stores. I finally got to Slater’s and the place, from the outside, just seemed really cozy. Following the same theme as the other stores, Slater’s has occupied an old military building but has noticeable signage on it to let everyone know the treasure they had just found or stumbled upon. There are plenty of parking spaces in the parking lot so finding a place to leave your car as you enjoy the food is not a problem. As you walk towards Slater’s you notice that the hostess stand is located outside and underneath a tent. Surrounding the tent is Slater’s outdoor patio, which has quite a bit of seating to accommodate for those that may want to take advantage of the always-beautiful San Diego/SoCal weather or switch it up from the norm and sit outside. As I walked through the outdoor patio with its decoration, I couldn’t help but think I was in somebody’s backyard and it was a good feeling…very inviting. The first thing you notice when you step inside is the impressive bar with its ample amount of draft selections and the second thing you notice is the theme they have throughout the restaurant. I didn’t get a chance to walk through the entire place; however, there seems to be quite a bit of table tops to satisfy a lunch time rush or weekend dinner party. Whether it be during the Winter months or Summer vacation, Slater’s provides everyone with a very welcoming feeling; however, I would DEFINITELY try coming back here during the Summer months to enjoy the outdoor seating and environment. Pretty impressive, Slater’s!

The Service –

Being in town for a conference and not having been in San Diego for quite some time, I’m sure people were able to pick up right away that I was new to Slater’s and they would be right haha. I approached the hostess stand, was greeted very warmly by the hostess there and was told that the bar was open seating, which I gladly took advantage of. When I sat down, I was immediately greeted by the bartender, Dave, and was given a menu and drink list. I started off with a water, took a quick look at what was offered, saw the Petrus Aged Pale and went with that one cause as you all will soon realize, I’m a sucker for “sour/barrel-aged” beers. By the way, hopefully Dave gets around to reading this, shout out to him for being such an awesome guy, really helpful, and a fellow Chiver! Chive on! (Don’t know what theChive is? Check it out…www.thechive.com!! I’m sure some of you will enjoy it and can relate to the Random Acts of Kindness, promotion of Charity programs, and just living life one day at a time with a “Hakuna Matata” attitude! **End shameless plug of theChive haha**). Needless to say, I was VERY satisfied with the service Dave provided and truly felt I was a regular that had been coming there for years, which, as a foodie and frequent restaurant visitor, is HUGE in my book. Thanks, Dave! (And I hope you found my credit card… =P haha)

The Food –

Man, oh man, the food….where do I begin? I know! I’ll start with why the place is called “Slater’s 50/50” and more importantly, where the “50/50″ comes from. As you know, Slater’s is famous for their burgers; however, the reason that makes them famous is why the place is called “50/50″. For their burger patties, Slater's uses a mixture of 50% ground beef and 50% ground bacon….yes….ground bacon. I don’t know about you, but me personally, you put bacon in anything and it’s great, you infuse bacon into a burger and that’s just downright magical! Every burger patty is made this way and there are a lot of burger creations you can get that just magnify this unique combination even more. None, more than, the B’B’B Burger, which I indulged myself with. After reading several different posts and reviews as to what burger one needs to get, the B’B’B Burger was at the top of the list. The B’B’B Burger is a burger that starts off with one of Slater’s signature patties offered in various different sizes (1/3, 2/3, or 1 lb **weight AFTER cooked**), topped with American cheese, thick cut BACON, BACON Island Dressing, and sunny side up egg, all sandwiched between a BACON pretzel bun….needless to say, it’s A LOT of bacon and I couldn’t be more happy! The burger itself was cooked to my liking (Medium-Well); however, it’s worth noting that because the patties are infused with bacon, the patty, although thoroughly cooked to your desire, can look to be pink and that’s because of the bacon infusion. The patty was juicy, flavorful, and just all-around delicious, the bacon island dressing was a great accommodating sauce to the burger and gave it that missing flavor profile. The bacon was crisp and the pretzel bun was soft and warm, everything you’re looking for in a burger that utilizes a bun different from the norm. I ordered onion rings with my burger and although nothing special, the house-made BBQ sauce that gets served with them is what makes the onion rings worth getting. The crisp was perfect, the batter was flavorful, and the onion didn't have a raw taste to it. There are plenty of other burgers on the menu that I wish I could have gotten, but I look forward to visiting again when I have the chance to and sample those other delicious creations. Great, great job, Slater’s!

Overall –

When it comes to burgers, there are plenty of places that people can choose to go to; however, I wouldn’t be doing my due diligence if I didn’t try and steer you towards Slater’s. Being in San Diego, the focus is generally centered around Mexican cuisine and/or Japanese food and for good reason, the San Diego area has some of the best Mexican and Japanese places in the country; however, for those that are looking for a good burger, and I know there are a lot of you out there, Slater’s is DEFINITELY a place worth trying. Give it a shot, try it out, enjoy the bar, the TVs, the atmosphere and a DELICIOUS burger! You won’t be sorry! Thanks for a great experience, Slater’s!

Slater's 50/50 - Burgers By Design

2750 Dewey Rd. #193 San Diego, CA 92106

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