Nicky Rottens in Gaslamp Quarters: Rottensly Good Burgers

Nicky Rottens is one of the coolest locally owned sport bar & burger joints to hang out at in Gaslamp Quarters in Downtown San Diego. It has the look and the food (Angus beef burgers to die for), and the prime location (5th Avenue between Market and Island). The bar is well stocked and the bartender very friendly and efficient. The serving crew is a bit spotty, though. Sometimes good and sometimes too inattentive to earn more than a C+ grade. When the couple who owns the place is around is when it's B+ to A grade all around.

Their inventively composed menu isn't very large, being dominated by their 10 selections of specialties burgers of various plus friendly finger foods (sandwiches, hot dogs, ribs, and a few choices of salad). All using only organic products. With the sandwiches going for $8 and burgers for $9 (fries and pickles included), this isn't the cheapest eatery in town, though the quality of the food justifies the bill!

Portion size is big enough to satisfy a hungry Godzilla (which I am not, and so a burger there would actually last me two meals)... if one can even manage to fit the thing into its mouth. They do offer alternative choices of burger patty (basil turkey, chicken breast, chicken fritter, or vegetarian), but the real draw is the 1/2 lbs Angus beef patty cooked to your specification and dressed in inventive and tasty sauces! I can't quite get over how good the Rottens Mushroom Burger is. The big juicy Angus patty smoldered in sauteed mushrooms, onions, a teriyaki-ish sauce, and melted swiss cheese on the warm and soft buns literally haunts me for days afterward. The Rottens 'Grown Up' Grilled Cheese Sandwich literally overflows with honey ham and melted cheddar. The fries are good; well salted and crisp.

The first time I ate there I actually had a coupon for a free appetizer for the grand opening weeks (thanks, Jeff!). I went for the excellently crispy onion rings, which proved to be a meal in itself (and so the Rottens Grilled Hot Pastrami Sandwich had to come home intact in a to-go container... it was a meal that kept on giving for a while. The sandwich heated well the next day!).