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The Habit Burger Grill, A Popular Local Hamburger Chain, Based in Irvine and Founded in Santa Barbara in 1969


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Enjoyed roughly my 10th (or so) visit to Habit Burger a few days ago, and it was its same sensational fast-food experience. I think Habit Burger would be a hit if it were to expand to the east coast, but with the distinct disadvantage that outdoor eating would not be the same....all year around in Los Angeles, but only a few months a year in most east coast locations.

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Enjoyed roughly my 10th (or so) visit to Habit Burger a few days ago, and it was its same sensational fast-food experience. I think Habit Burger would be a hit if it were to expand to the east coast, but with the distinct disadvantage that outdoor eating would not be the same....all year around in Los Angeles, but only a few months a year in most east coast locations.

The Habit is my favorite of the local burger chains. The Santa Barbara style (2 patties w/ cheese and avocado slices on well-buttered, grilled sourdough) is a calorie bomb but is so so so good. The onion rings are hearty and crunchy and they also have malts (not as strong, but still good)! It's where I had my last meal before my scheduled induction and I knew I wouldn't be able to eat for a couple days...

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Got my usual Santa Barbara style burger and forgot to omit the onions and pickles and: 1) WOW, the caramelized onions are legit! I don't usually like them but they are genuinely soft and sweet. They are chopped, not in rings, but quite delightful. 2) It makes the burger quite a bit taller!!! Too tall for my tiny baby mouth! 3) Consequently, I got a few bites without meat and, honestly, the sandwich doesn't really need it. The grilled, buttery sourdough and shredded iceberg lettuce crunch nicely, the avocado, cheese, and mayo are rich and creamy, the tomato isn't mushy, and the pickles are a normal jar pickle but provides a bit of tart contrast. It's actually a pretty delicious vegetarian sandwich. Given that they actually have a veggie burger and tuna filet on the menu, there are some good non-salad options for vegetarians/pescetarians here.

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I do like the tempura green beans here - makes me feel more virtuous than my typical side order of fries though they're probably just as bad.  I like the concept of the grilled tuna, but in the 4-5 times I've ordered it at the Ashburn location, it is consistently cooked below the requested temp.  A decent sear is fine, but I find the completely (or nearly so) raw doesn't work as well on the sandwich.  

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On October 25, 2016 at 5:18 AM, genericeric said:

I do like the tempura green beans here - makes me feel more virtuous than my typical side order of fries though they're probably just as bad.  I like the concept of the grilled tuna, but in the 4-5 times I've ordered it at the Ashburn location, it is consistently cooked below the requested temp.  A decent sear is fine, but I find the completely (or nearly so) raw doesn't work as well on the sandwich.  

I…never noticed tempura green beans on the menu!!! Must try, thanks!! (I think) :) 

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The tempura green beans are great! Lightly seasoned, crispy, tempura coating, without too much batter, makes for a tasty, lower-carb choice than fries or onion rings (which have a much heavier batter). The steak salad (sub tri-tip in for chicken - I think the price differential is about $0.50 and that specific option is not on the menu) is decent (they ask how you would like your steak cooked!) but obviously doesn't compare with getting a burger.

OK, this line of thought piqued my curiosity and all the nutritional info is online so here are the calorie and carb breakdowns for the sides:

french fries w/ salt: 440 calories and 60g total carbs

onion rings w/ salt: 500 calories and 62g total carbs

sweet potato fries: 374 calories and 50g total carbs

tempura green beans w/ salt: 250 calories and 34g total carbs

Interesting, right??!! So onion rings are actually the worst choice for both calories and carbs by a little bit and the green beans are a more virtuous treat, though they still have a significant carb load (so I was right to get the salad instead of trying to eat a burger with half the bread, like I was contemplating) and having them with the ranch sauce obviously doesn't help the calorie count (120 calories, 2g carbs). I wonder how the fried stuff at other chains/meals compare with these #s.

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THE HABIT BURGER GRILL SPICES UP FAN-FAVORITE WITH NEW SRIRACHA LIME SPICY GREEN BEANS

This article has a picture of them.

Don't know if you have them at your local Habit, but mine does!!!! And they are GOOD, especially if you like the crunchy, spicy, mayo-ey, ridiculousness of an over-topped sushi roll.  They say it is a limited-time item but I hope it sticks around for a while. 

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On 7/6/2018 at 5:20 PM, Sundae in the Park said:

THE HABIT BURGER GRILL SPICES UP FAN-FAVORITE WITH NEW SRIRACHA LIME SPICY GREEN BEANS

This article has a picture of them.

Don't know if you have them at your local Habit, but mine does!!!! And they are GOOD, especially if you like the crunchy, spicy, mayo-ey, ridiculousness of an over-topped sushi roll.  They say it is a limited-time item but I hope it sticks around for a while. 

The sriracha lime spicy green beans were gone for a while, but are (at least temporarily) back at our Habit (Camarillo location).  Since they are not being promoted on the company's main website this time, I think/hope that they will occasionally show up without the fanfare from the first time.  Worth trying if it sounds at all interesting to you!! My husband just had two orders of them last time we were there instead of ordering any of the burgers.

BTW, at least around here, they have food trucks that can be rented to cater for special occasions.  Our friends had the Habit truck serve at their wedding!!! <swoon>

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11 hours ago, Kibbee Nayee said:

Big fan of Habit Burger here. No visit out west is complete without a Habit Burger meal. While it’s trickling eastward, the Habit Burger outposts around LA are the best of the California fast food burger experiences.

Yes, I have eaten at In-N-Out in many occasions. But give me a choice and it’s Habit every time.

Agreed, at least compared to Five Guys (I’ve never eaten at In-and-Out).  Onion rings are really good, especially dipped with ranch dressing.  Also Five Guys prices seem steep in comparison.

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