Krave Kobe Burger

Ordered a kobe burger with lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, and I added cheddar cheese. Beef had a good char-​grilled flavor to it and not overly seasoned. The aioli on the burger was good. Overall, the burger was really good, I could tell all burger ingredients were of high quality, however, it was not one of my favorites. It didn’t compare to Green2Go, Hoppdoddy or Eureka. So, I guess I would say it was fourth of my list of natural burgers.
As for sides, I had the fries, and they’re shoestring fries and I’m not a fan of those, blah. They reminded me of In N Out and hate those fries! Tried one of my friend’s onion rings and they’re really good.
They have about six beers on tap and a handful of wines by the glass and bottle, which is great! Service was excellent. The restaurant was very clean. Prices are very reasonable.
Get off the In N Out! If you’re in your teens or 20s I get it. I ate nothing but In N Out when I was young. But seriously, there is a difference between a salty/​cheesy cheap burger, and a good quality burger. The Habit yes! But they are not all-​natural. So, you have to weigh your options. Don’t compare In N Out to Krave. They are not in the same class. It’s like comparing a Kia to a BMW. It just doesn’t make sense.

I had the grilled chicken sandwich no tomatoes no avocado. It was off the hook. One of the best chicken sandwiches ever! The only complaint would be more chicken on the sandwich. Did not try the fries but they spelled good. Enjoy!

I was so excited to come here but there’s absolutely nothing to it.
I got the kobe burger with swiss cheese instead of getting the cheeseburger, which comes with cheddar instead. The ingredients, according to the board, were identical minus the cheese. Apparently not! My friend’s cheeseburger came with onions and pickles and looked so much tastier.
The first bite I took was definitely good. However, the more I ate, the more I realized that even the Habit or Five Guys tasted better. Kobe beef or not, there was no way of identifying it by taste. To top it off (pun intended), the bread was the worst bun you could possibly use in a burger: it kept breaking apart into pieces.
I would have been okay if the fries or onion rings were at least good. Don’t bother. Both had no flavor and even the ketchup or ranch couldn’t save them.
Happy Hour M-​F 3−5pm MIGHT be worth it for the price. Otherwise, don’t waste $ 10+ for a burger meal here.

Looks like another customer had to review (Paula of NB) before I did tonight and had the same experience…
Disappointed after driving about 30 min each way just to try this place and could have saved $ 40 (for two) and gas by having a better burger at a Habit Burger. Service was cordial tho, and clean dining room…
Asked for medium, got closer to well done. Meat not seasoned as another Unilocaler noticed tonight, lacked flavor. Maybe an off night, but my teen and I regretted coming.

Great place ! Loved the burgers and the different type of beers that they have .
The cashier Diana was extremely nice and attentive. Speed is great! Diana was smiling the whole time and showed excellent customer service skills. I would definitely come here again, the cashier Diana made it a great first experience.

Krave makes an incredibly delicious burger, no argument here.
I ventured into the Newport Coast Shopping Center (jacket not required) to experience Krave’s kobe burger. I walked up to the counter and was so excited about trying this burger that one patty didn’t seem enough; I ordered the Kolossal Kobe Burger (2 patties) which comes with caramelized onions, tomatoes, lettuce and garlic aioli (I added on cheddar cheese as well). Willing to go all out on this burger adventure, I also ordered fries and a peanut butter cup milkshake.
They have a beautiful patio and a couple of seating areas indoors. I stayed inside and my order was brought to me within 5 minutes.
The flavor of the beef was exceptional. The taste of the burger was not lost but enhanced by the toppings. I remembered Aaron E.‘s review which said this was not a burger to pick up but to eat with a knife and fork. Initially I ignored his advice but after one bite realized I was inviting disaster so reverted to the silverware which did not diminish my enjoyment at all (but I agree, burgers were meant to be held in the hand).
The fries were fresh but very oily. The milkshake (tin included which really makes it 1 ½ milkshakes) was made with real ice cream and had a strong peanut butter taste and was full of chocolate pieces which easily sucked up through the wide straw provided. Superb shake!
While the burger was fairly priced — more expensive than most burger places but the quality of the beef warrants it — the milkshake was definitely pricey at $ 7. My meal here was double what I’d normally pay for lunch but I’m sure Newport Coast residents don’t even flinch at the prices.

Krave is located in the shopping center located in Newport Coast.
I ordered the Colossal Kobe burger that came with two five ounce patties topped with caramelized onions, tomatoes, lettuce and garlic aioli priced at $ 10.99. The version of the burger with just one patty is about three bucks cheaper. But, being the carnivore that I am, I had to get an extra patty. I didn’t order any other toppings because I wanted to taste the burger in its intended simplest and purest form. The burger patties were moist and had a good beefy flavor. They were served medium rare to order. Above average in quality and flavor of the meat. The bun did not overpower the burger patty. It was moist, with a slight perfect sweet bready flavor. As you can see from my photo, the burger is fairly substantially sized. Overall, the burger was nicely assembled providing a balanced burger package.
The side order of fries priced at $ 2.25 were fresh and with a good fresh potato flavor. They had a nice crisp exterior and were moist on the inside. Also, they were sliced with the skin on. I ordered their horseradish mayo dipping sauce (complimentary) which was an excellent compliment/​counterpoint to the fries. The fries were very good.
All-​in-​all, the food is good quality with great flavors.

I am loving the gourmet burger explosion. This place is hands down the best I have had in the area.

A Good Burger and Great Setting.3.5 Stars!
~Ambiance/​Setting 5 Stars!
The inside and outdoor seating really make me a fan of the restaurant itself. I like that they have different rooms or you can take your food outside to the patio. The restaurant and patio are super clean. If I lived closer, I would probably be back to try more things. Parking was easy!
~The Burger-3.0 Stars
Overall, the burger is good. My meat was a little too well done. It tasted good. The restaurant is new and perhaps the crafting of the sandwich will get better as time goes on.
~Service-​2 Stars
The person who helped us was not very familiar with the menu. I have had many jobs in my history and anything in retail means that you have to be familiar with the products and services. That would be the first thing to master. I guess these days, things might be different. Again, a newer restaurant and this may improve over time.
~Prices-​Great!
Prices were very reasonable!
Again, if I was closer I would likely give this place another try. I still have it bookmarked in my Unilocal bin. Hopefully, I will be in the area again before the new year. I am almost a fan!

People, realize there is a difference between real Japanese Kobe beef and American Kobe style beef. They are not the same. I find this sort of advertising to be slightly disingenuous because, really, what’s being sold isn’t the exact thing being marketed. It’s still very good, don’t get me wrong, but top-​shelf Wagyu beef it is not.
Having said that… this is a damn good burger.
My buddy & I had just finished up a 10-​mile bike ride along the coast and a refuel was direly needed. I had spotted this joint on my way to the trail, so we decided to give it a shot because after pedaling your ass off nothing hits the spot quite like a hearty burger.
The owner rang us up. Nice guy. Maybe espoused the advantages of his burgers a bit more than I wanted to hear, but I can’t fault the guy for being affable.
I got the regular Kobe burger, topped with blue cheese and all the usual vegetation, minus the garlic aioli because I generally like my burgers sauce-​free. Yes, that includes ketchup and/​or mustard.
This is definitely a big burger, bursting with juiciness and flavor. I’m of the opinion that nothing can beat In-​n-​Out in terms of flavor, freshness and (most importantly) price. A good burger doesn’t have to cost as much as a movie ticket. This one does, but it certainly packs in enough bulk and flavor to justify the high cost.
I’m still not 100% on board with all these overpriced burger spots popping up, because I think every buzz word that’s boasted around the place — Organic! Free-​range! Grass-​fed! — only adds another dollar to the bottom line. I enjoyed my meal here, outside under the warm So Cal sun, and have no qualms with having spent more than usual on a burger. But it’s not the kind of thing I’d make a habit out of doing. There’s a sweet spot between $ 3 burgers and $ 14 burgers that isn’t being exploited, but maybe it doesn’t exist, either. I don’t know. I’m no burger expert.

A righteous Burger experience is to be had in… Newport Coast?!?
It is true, the pretension capital of OC now has a delicious local Burger spot to offer the poorly behaved children and adults of south Newport Beach! Crave has recently (and almost secretly) opened at the Newport Coast center in the old haunts of a seldom missed Pasta Pomodoro. The environment is exceptionally clean, open air and the acoustics are incredibly bright (read: you will be hearing screaming spoiled brats in stereo). The staff is incredibly friendly and the bar area with dual televisions beg for NFL Sunday sessions. Oh, they also offer several craft beers on tap for very reasonable prices when location is considered.
As for the namesake product, well it is a great one. The Kobe Burger is 5 ounce of medium rare seared Waygu quality beef with caramelized sweet onions, a Beefsteak tomato slice, green leaf lettuce and a house made garlic aioli. The quality of the beef shines in each bite and now that I think about it, no ingredient was served before its time. This is the best Burger you will find outside of CdM, of that there is no question. The fact that it is under $ 10.00 is miraculous. We are talking Waygu here folks!
That said, I do think the meat to bun ratio sides with the bun in the single patty iteration so if you are a beef lover (or just want to punch through the bun) you ought to try their «Kolossal Kobe Burger“which is the same group of components with a second 5 ounce patty. The Kolossal is a madman of meat flavor and would be Krave perfection if only it was edible by hand, which it is not. If you finished this beast sans silverware you would walk out looking like a surgeon after a terrible day in the ER. Another issue with two patties in that keeping the Burger together is impossible.
So which do I recommend? Probably the single patty as two was a hassle.
Oh –the Fries are also noteworthy and thanks to several house made sauces, they can be interesting on each bite. The Sriracha aioli really sets the Fries off. No complaints at all in the Fry department.
To close, Krave Kobe Burger is legitimate Burger experience and a most welcome addition to the Newport Coast food scene.

Tasty burgers… variety of shakes including red velvet… maple bacon… peanut butter cup.
They have kids menu too.

Amazing! The Kobe burger was juicy, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. This is American wagyu beef; not some cheap meat, so please educate yourself before bashing quality/​price.
The fries were so good! They are fresh cut which is a huge plus. Also, they have a variety of dipping sauces to try. Habanero ketchup was awesome with the fries. I’ll definitely be back when I’m in the area again.

Came here for the first time this evening and actually had a pretty good experience. Very friendly cashier who genuinely seemed interested in making sure I was happy with my meal. I got the onion rings (which were outstanding) and a Kobe burger. The meat was phenomenal, but I kept getting a very slight strange taste that I couldn’t put my finger on (reason for 4 stars instead of 5). It might have been some strange spice or herb they cooked with. Not a deal breaker though, food was good. Now, to everyone complaining about the price, this restaurant is in NEWPORT COAST!!! not to mention, $ 8 for a Kobe burger is a solid deal. If you have an issue with spending $ 8 on a burger, hop on the 73N and exit 55S. Get onto harbor Blvd and next to all the tweaker motels there is a McDonalds. You can get a $ 2 burger there.
Overall good restaurant good value and I will return.

3.5 stars.
PARKING: Located in a plaza with Pavilions and Mustard Grill, there are plenty of spaces, it’s in a corner of the plaza so just park in the middle.
ATMOSPHERE: It seems small once you walk in but there is actually another seating area further in with another TV. It was a nice day outside so we sat in the outside areas. The seats were kind of dirty but a nice area.
FOOD: My boyfriend got the kobe burger and I got the steak sandwich. For a side we got the onion rings, and they give you all the sauces to try on the side for free.
KOBE BURGER — got it medium rare but it came out more medium. I was slightly disappointed with the meat because I was expecting something crumbly, juicy and very flavorful. Don’t get me wrong it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t anything compared to Father’s Office, Umami or Bachi Burger. The bun was pretty good, soft on the inside but substantial and firm on the outside. It’s also a little smaller than I was imagining.
STEAK SANDWICH — this was definitely better in my opinion. Again I got medium rare, but some of the pieces were more medium. The steak was fairly tender and seasoned well, yeah there were times when I got some tougher pieces and it was hard to bite it in half without the entire piece coming in my mouth but for the most part it was tender. The horseradish sauce wasn’t that overpowering. The bread is like a soft french baguette. I wish it was a little crustier and crispier, but maybe the softness made it easier to eat.
ONION RINGS — maui onions that had a crunchy, crispy outer layer. Not overly fried or heavy tasting, it was pretty light and good.
Overall, it was good and if I were in the area or craving a steak sandwich I would come here or recommend it. But for the burger itself, I’d probably go somewhere else.

Please read the owners response to my review and try to find what’s wrong with it. Let me make it easier and just tell you.
You really believe that your customers are that stupid and believe your sales pitch?!?
Your business must be losing a lot of money by selling wagyu beef and other locally sourced ingredients below cost.
What kind of idiot would believe that or even write such a thing? Really confused how you expect to make money? Selling soda and beer?
Quite insulting…
Food is just ok, nothing special about this joint. Food is on the pricier side for a burger joint, they got 3 out of 4 orders wrong. The service is horrible, employees don’t seem very bright or customer service friendly.
Me: «One kids chicken finger combo meal please»
Cashier: «with or without cheese»
Me: «where do you want to put the cheese on?»
Cashier: «I don’t know»
Do yourself a favor and avoid this establishment.

I have only had the kobe burger here. It isnt bad at all, but it also isnt very special. If you like around the area, this could be the place to go when you’re craving a burger and a pint of beer… In short, this could just be a new place for you and your buddies to hang out.
Nonetheless, this place deserves a 4 star for its exceptional service. I asked them for wi-​fi and an outlet for my laptop, and they did more than enough work to get those two things for me. The people who came by to check up on me were extremely nice as well.
I could definitely come back here again if I get hungry at night and need a burger. I would probably come here too to lunch with some friends on their patio.
Come for the ambiance.

The best burger I’ve ever had. The marshmallow dipping sauce was a perfect complement. Manager Melvin, Head Chef Gary and shake maker Jovana were all Awesome! Get here NOW!

We visited last night for the first time and won’t be going back, very disappointed.
Ordered the «Kolossal Kobe Burger» and the owner shamelessly sold us on the «Ultimate Kolossal.» With bacon, avo and blue cheese. Note, we could barely find the bacon in the burger, only one piece. Burger was fine, but expensive. He also stated that the Kobe was below market price and they were essentially taking a loss. Not a good sales pitch or business model. We also ordered onion rings and fries. The fries are fresh and delicious. The onion rings were $ 3.95 and we got a total of SIX small-​medium sized rings. What a rip!
Most disturbingly, we ordered two light beers. He filled the first one up and left a good 1−2″ empty with no foam. We were perplexed, but we were even more perplexed when he filled the second one up about 2/​3rds full and gave it to my friend and said he would refill it later. Beer menu also the lists the beers on draft as «bottles.» He (note this is the owner who stated he has 35 franchisees in the wings, but he is too busy to approve any of them) then disappeared and never offered to fill the beer up that he never filled up in the first place.
Space is nice, the TV with MNF on had a picture issue that the owners were oblivious to. Hopefully, Krave will not last long and another burger joint will take it over as it would be a nice addition to the area.

Updating my review as I’m back for the second time. $ 11 Kobe burger combo (include fries and drink) is a great deal for Natural American Waygu beef. Doesn’t compare to hormone fed, processed burgers for cheap. Look at the pictures and decide for yourself. With four people in the kitchen and two at the counter plus two mangers floating around it shows they are working hard to get things perfect. Ordered the Kolossal burger, medium well with Sarahi ranch & jalapeño dipping sauce & onion rings. Only $ 15 Freakin delicious!!!