Insider tips from the guy who designed the menu
People walk into Big Mouth for the first time and freeze at the counter. The menu isn't huge, but every item has options, and nobody wants to pick wrong on their first visit. So here's my honest guide — what I'd tell a friend if they asked me what to get.
By Abraham Dababneh · April 2026
Half-pound patty, flame-grilled, American cheese melted on top. That's it. No fancy sauce, no truffle oil, no arugula. Just beef, cheese, bun. The patty is seasoned with salt and pepper only — the flavor comes from the flame and the quality of the meat. Order it medium so the center stays pink and juicy. Well-done dries it out and you lose half the point.
If you only try one thing, make it this. Everything else on the menu exists because this burger is good enough to bring you back.
I know sweet potato fries are trendy. Ours are good. But the regular fries are what we're known for — hand-cut from whole russets every morning, fried to order, seasoned with sea salt. The texture is different from any frozen fry you've had. Crispy outside, fluffy inside, all different shapes and sizes because they're cut by hand. Get these first. Sweet potato next time.
We use Mitchell's Ice Cream — a San Francisco institution since 1953. Their Madagascar vanilla is the base for our shakes, and it's exceptional. It doesn't taste like "vanilla flavor." It tastes like actual vanilla beans in real cream. The chocolate is great too (it's Mitchell's dark Dutch), but vanilla is the one that makes people close their eyes.
These aren't on the menu board, but anyone behind the counter knows them:
Big Mouth Burger + extra pickles + grilled onions + house sauce on the side for dipping fries. This is literally what I eat every day. The grilled onions caramelize on the flame and add this sweet char that balances the salt from the cheese. Dipping the fries in house sauce instead of ketchup is a game-changer.
Ask for two quarter-pound patties instead of one half-pound. Same amount of beef, but double the char surface area. Each patty gets its own cheese slice. It's a different texture experience — more crispy edges, more melted cheese, more of that flame-grilled crust. Costs $1 extra.
Order a vanilla shake and dip your fries in it. Yes, really. The salty-sweet combination is addictive. Abraham's kids invented this when they were six, and now half our regulars do it. We don't judge.
Nothing on our menu is bad. But if I'm being straight with you: the fish and chips are fine, not extraordinary. We're a burger place, not a fish place. The fish is good quality and it's cooked right, but it's not why people drive across town to eat here. Come for the beef. Come back for the fish if you want, but don't make it your first impression.
Vegetarian? The veggie burger is solid — better than most. Vegan? Beyond Burger on a lettuce wrap with all the veggies. Gluten-free? Any burger on a lettuce wrap, regular fries (dedicated fryer, no shared oil). We handle this stuff well because enough of our regulars have restrictions that we've dialed in the alternatives. Check our FAQ page for the full allergen matrix.
Come between 2 and 4 PM for the shortest wait. Saturday noon is our busiest hour — call ahead at (650) 871-5237 if you're bringing kids. Ask for extra napkins upfront. These burgers are juicy and you'll need them. If you're getting delivery, eat the burger the second it arrives — it doesn't reheat.