Score 87/100 on this list's criteria · Order: Notorious burger · $15–19
North County's best. Thick patties, creative toppings, and a strong beer list. The move after a morning at Swami's.
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Encinitas · $15–19 · Ranked in 1 list
Last updated
Notorious Burger is a Encinitas spot ranked #4 of 10 in our Best Burgers in San Diego list, scoring 87/100 in our Best Burgers in San Diego. Order the notorious burger. North County's best. Thick patties, creative toppings, and a strong beer list. The move after a morning at Swami's.
We scored Notorious Burger 87/100 in our full editorial review.
Read the full Notorious Burger reviewNotorious Burger is in Encinitas, San Diego. Give yourself a few extra minutes for parking on weekends — Encinitas fills up early on sunny days.
Explore EncinitasOn our Best Burgers in San Diego list, Notorious Burger lands at #4 of 10, just behind The Balboa (88/100) and ahead of Slater's 50/50 (86/100). Hodad's holds #1 with 92/100, so the gap is 5 points.
See the full Best Burgers in San Diego rankingNotorious Burger scores 87/100 against a best burgers in san diego field that averages 86.1, running from 82 at the bottom to 92 at the top. That puts it 0.9 points above the category average and ahead of 6 of the 9 other places we scored. It lands 4th of 10, and the category leader is 5 points clear.
Judged criterion by criterion, Notorious Burger separates itself most on atmosphere (88/100 versus a 83.9 category average). Its softest showing is value at 82, 0.3 points over the field. Those two numbers are the honest summary: this is a place you pick for atmosphere, not for a clean sweep of every category.
| Criterion | Notorious Burger | Category avg. | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taste | 90 | 88.4 | +1.6 |
| Value | 82 | 81.7 | +0.3 |
| Consistency | 86 | 85.7 | +0.3 |
| Atmosphere | 88 | 83.9 | +4.1 |
| Uniqueness | 90 | 88.7 | +1.3 |
Scores are Sandi Spots editorial judgments, compared against every other place we ranked in best burgers in san diego.
Encinitas is dense enough that Notorious Burger rarely needs to be a standalone trip. We have scored at least six other ranked spots in the same neighborhood, so it is easy to stack a visit with Herb & Sea (89/100 in our best seafood restaurants in san diego list) or Q'ero Restaurant (89/100) and turn one stop into an afternoon.
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Yes, if you are in the neighborhood or nearby.
Notorious Burger scores 87/100 in our Best Burgers in San Diego list (#4 of 10). It is strongest on taste (90) and uniqueness (90). North County's best. Thick patties, creative toppings, and a strong beer list. The move after a morning at Swami's.
Skip it if value matters most to you — that is its weakest category (82/100).
Notorious Burger is a good fit for burgers. Because it ranks #4 on our best burgers in san diego list, it makes the most sense to pair it with nearby stops in Encinitas rather than build a day around a long cross-town drive. Check live hours and availability before leaving, especially for a weekend visit.
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Score 87/100 on this list's criteria · Order: Notorious burger · $15–19
North County's best. Thick patties, creative toppings, and a strong beer list. The move after a morning at Swami's.
Scored with our ranking methodology — burgers.
Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking.