The Oinkster

06/01/2008 Posted by victoratomic

It was pretty good in the beg. but the last 2 times I have gone the service was bad and the food (Burger and Pulled pork) was not as tasty as before. The pulled pork barely had any well pulled pork and the burger was bland and over cooked when it should of ben med rare. Hope the restaurant picks up its act as no one wants to pay their prices if the foods quality is not going to match.

Pros: homemade

Cons: falling quality

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful

05/17/2008 Posted by ralphdufus

We've been there 3 times in the past 2 years. The "kids" behind the counter could care less. The pastrami, which has a great flavor is very fatty. When you ask if they can trim it, they just say no because it's all been sliced and is in a steam table behind the counter. Most places trim that huge hunk of fat off the brisket before slicing it, but not here. The ketchup containers were almost empty, so my son encountered an air pocket and got covered with ketchup when trying to get some out. The crew behind the counter were too busy talking to notice the ketchup mess, or that the iced tea container was empty. I read good reviews for the roasted chicken so I figured the chicken salad sandwich would be a good bet, but I was SO wrong. The chicken was tiny cubes and shreds of chicken. My sandwich also had a dime sized small bone, some gristle, and some skin in it. It was served on a dry crumbly roll with a large nest of strong onion, old tomato and mayo. The chicken had no way of staying on the roll since there was nothing holding the chunks together. It didn't help that the chicken tasted like the fridge. 3 of us, $32.00 later and never again. it's funky, which is fine, but the lack of consistent quality coupled with the attitude of the kids working there takes it over the top. I know somebody tried very hard to do something different here, which it admirable, but they only got 30% of the concept and then gave up. You need to establish the quality, train the cooks and train the counter help. Somebody needs to ask the customers how the experience was. Nobody wants to ask that question of the customers leaving. Sorry.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful

05/16/2008 Posted by isabellapup

it's not that cheap and the bbq is far below pat and oscars (which i consider pretty bad). did someone pay for this review? there is never a crowd there for a reason...it's just not that good compared to the selection you have all around that area.

03/31/2008 Posted by pats1958

I have to admit, when Oinkster first opened, we were somewhat disappointed, but over the last 6 months or so, the food has just gotten better and better. The pastrami is made from high quality meat and is moist and very spicy. The cheese burgers are fabulous and you can even choose from a variety of cheeses. While I'd prefer thicker-cut french fries, the garlic-mayonaise dip is wonderful. They also have added a selection of beers on tap. And, if you even have room, their desserts are fun. It's one of our favorite "special-treat" places.

03/30/2008 Posted by rckero3

Pastrami was not all that. (very dry) The Hat is much better for pastrami. Fries were like In-n-out fries, nothing too special. Place is okay but not worth the steap prices for a city search "Cheap Eats" pick. The Chef has a restaurant called Max that's in the Valley. That's an upscale restaurant that is pricey however worth every penny. Not so much with the Oinkster.

03/21/2008 Posted by mselain912

The first time I came here I almost cried b/c the fries were soo good. Now as Ive broadened my selections Im still happy. The rotisserie chicken is really good (but I'd ask to make sure it is fresh out of the oven, its been dry a couple times) and so are there black beans. The pulled pork is of course the best, though. Yum!

03/17/2008 Posted by broseph

Living only a couple miles away from Oinkster, I regret waiting so long to finally try it. Their burgers are the best burgers I've had from a fastfood restaurant and their garlic sauce perfectly complements their amazing belgian fries. I have to say it is a bit pricey, as you'll have to spend about $10 for a burger combo, so try going in between the 3-6pm M-F for their happy hour special. You can get their burger and fries for $4 which is a bargain. Their costumer service is excellent and the outdoor patio is a perfect area to sit and eat with the California weather.

Pros: Service, Happy hour special, Quality of food

Cons: Pricey (non happy hour)

03/06/2008 Posted by RoscoeBixby

So, I registered here just so I can proclaim the Oinkster has the best burgers in this damn city. I'm born and raised in Los Angeles and have been to my fair share of burger places, but this takes the cake. The meat is absolutely perfect, and filling. One burger with an order of fries will fill you up for at least the whole day. If that isn't enough, the customer service here is beyond amazing. Everyone here is the nicest person in the world. Customer service does make a big deal to me, and here the people are always happy, but not phony Coldstones or Jamba Juice happy. Finally, I must say, the garlic dip they give with their fries is incredibly tasty. So, I'm happy a place like this is nearby where I live, and I don't have to travel anywhere ridiculous far for good burgers.

Pros: Everything

Cons: The seating may be a little small, but at least they have a patio

03/05/2008 Posted by kkurman

Since we lost 'Jay's' on Santa Monica and Virgil I have been on the hunt for that perfect burger experience. I LOVE a good cheeseburger, but they are not so easy to find, Too big, too greasy, wrong kind of bread, its always something! But at Oinkster's its just purrrfect! Just the meat alone is tasty but you can get it with Grueyer cheese. The fries are good as well and they come with a yummy garlic aioli. I know the place is primarily BBQ and my friend always tries something different and has never been dissappointed. I've tried the pulled pork and it bares comparison with any I've had in North Carolina (the judgement standard!) but I just can't help it, if I'm there (and I will go out of my way to go there) there's no question, I'll have a cheeseburger, please!

Pros: the perfect cheeseburger, you can sit outside and smoke, the UBE SHAKE!

Cons: classic rock gets on my nerves, the proximity of CO BLVD

03/05/2008 Posted by DirtyNeez

They have excellent food, staff and service! Met my family there for dinner, order up our food, I realized I was short one Pastrami and they immediately place another order for us, and we didn't even have to leave our table. You couldn’t ask for better service than this and you have to try the Belgian Fries! I wish they could build one in Monrovia.