A San Clemente instituion... They have burgers, burritos & breakfast.
Bathroom is a bit scary and the restaurant area is a bit "old school", but the Zucchini fries are AWESOME! Definitely get the small because you get a lot for your money.
This is my favorite place to stop for a snack when driving to & from San Diego and LA. It's a good thing that I don't live too close to here otherwise I'd be getting the Zucchini Fries a few times a week!
We just moved to San Clemente 5 months ago and have been trying alot of the burger places and just got around to Mr. Petes! Let me say this, we should have started here and we most likely would have not tried anywhere else! Just had two burgers and the awesome fried zucchini, but they were REALLY good! We did the drive thru, and the kid that helped us did'nt seem very friendly, but the food more then made up for it! We will be back again and again! BTW, it does not look like much from the outside, but I really suggest you try the food!
Review Source:This place has rude staff. I ordered and when the food came out I realized I wanted ranch with my fries. They charge 50¢ for ranch but wouldn't take a card and wouldn't give me ranch. Had they said something in the beginning there wouldn't be an issue. Ranch doesn't cost that much and instead of me coming here again and spending another 10$ on a burger they decided to refuse my future service over 50¢. Great ownership guys!
Review Source:Like the food, but my recent visit caused me to just walk out of the store. The owner has never had a problem taking my burger order with extra mustard and pickles, but the young guy behind the counter today did not acknowledge I was at the counter for some time, then when I ordered he was basically rude and told me to look up the menu to see what came on the burgers. He could not have cared less when walked out the door without ordering. Unfortunately, good help is hard to come by these days. I wonder how many others were run off on this day? Burgers are great, but on this day, the burger I enjoyed was at the joint a block away.
Review Source:Stumbled upon this place looking for a quick lunch on our way from oc to San Diego. The owner is very friendly and accommodating. Even though the board said breakfast only served until eleven, he said my daughter could order breakfast if she wished. We all ended up with burgers. Their fried zucchini was delicious! We sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine and ocean breeze. Classic diner blocks from the beach...we will be back.
Review Source:I've been here several times, but always ordered at the drive-thru. Â However, this time my family and I went in to eat. Â The food is still amazing, the service this day was average, not as friendly as it usually is, but my big complaint is this place needs a good cleaning. Â The floors were disgusting, they were sticky and you could see the build up of dirt around the table and chair legs. Â This was a real turn off. Â I think I will stick to the drive-thru and just hope the kitchen is kept cleaner than the dining area.
Review Source:Ugh not a fan.
Only was here once and tried the breakfast burrito. Everything sounds good on paper. Eggs, hash browns, cheese, and bacon all wrapped up in a tortilla. But something about my burrito was off... It was watery and kinda gross.
I die for breakfast burritos and I couldn't even finish this one. I'm actually glad I didn't finish it, because I felt sick afterward.
Maybe their burgers are good? That's the only reason it's not getting one star from me.
After 3 unsuccessful attempts to find a Fatburger using my GPS, I got off the freeway and found this joint. Â It turned out to be pretty good.
Its a fat shack. Â It reminded me of one of my favorites in Hawthorne (Piggies). Â I ordered a cheeseburger and small fried zucchini. Â Total was almost $6.00.
Burger was a thin patty with lettuce, tomato, onion and thousand island. Â It had a good char taste. Â I liked it. Â The fried zucchini was great. Â They give it to you with some ranch and it was delicious. Â
If I lived around here I would probably come back often.
I feel I must redeem Mr. Pete's after the awful reviews some kooks left. The burgers are bomb! This is not a breakfast joint people, the locals come here for burgers, fries, and the infamous zuccinni fries. Â I wasn't even aware they served breakfast. Their ranch is amazing as well, not the cheap kind like most fast food joints. Zuccinni fry lovers should deffs check this place out :)
Review Source:The food is good. Â Really good -- especially considering the place is so nasty. Â
my husband always gets his haircut at Ray's and we always see people at Mr. Pete's but I never wanted to go because it just looked ghetto and run-down. Â (which it is) but despite that fact, i can't deny that the food here isn't good and decently priced. Â don't get me wrong, the food wasn't AMAZING, but coming from the south, my husband was happy because he says it's the closest thing he's had to WHATABURGER since he's been in california. Â personally, i'd rather go to slaters 50/50 and spend the extra money for a nicer location but for a quick bite, if you're in the area, i'd recommend it. Â
(i also recommend taking it to-go because the tables and chairs are nasty)
Mr. Pete's is like so many of these burger joints I have been coming across lately. You got Toms # whatever and Angelo's and whatever and I think these Greek guys are all related if you ask me but what do I know.
Is this burger better than McDonalds or some other fast food corporate joint? Absolutely. Its fresh off the grill and it just has that kind of backyard taste to it in a sense.
Not a bad place to run through the drive through for some road burgers if you get off on El Camino Real in San Clemente and head North. Then just keep on trucking and you can get back on the freeway. Easy off and easy on - quick and fast burgers to go.
The owner himself is always there to take your order and plays a really active role in his business. The location always seems empty when I have went there for breakfast and lunch but the service is always friendly and the food good.
This is no "best burger in the county" place but good for a quick bite. If you don't have cash, be prepared to pay an extra fee like most other small businesses in San Clemente.
If you're really looking to get the best this location has to offer, then stop by for breakfast and get a burrito. It'll kill most other places in town hands-down.
Yadda, yadda, yadda, it's okay. Â I had a bacon cheese burger and fried zucchini.
Maybe I'll hit the Mr Pete's burger next time I'm in San Clemente and starving and can't think of anything else to eat. Â I guess it'll be about seven years before that comes together.
Another place that is not as good as my local burger favorite: A's in Dana Point.
Blah.
Bf and I were in town with my parents for the weekend, and we went to breakfast here. Â Now, let me preface this review with the fact that my parents came here twice during the week they were here, so they liked it. Â But bf and I had a significantly lower opinion.
When we walked in, the decor was fast-food, beachy-keen, with beach murals and surfboards on the walls. Cute! Â You walk up to the counter and order and they bring your food to you.
Since we tried like 3 different tables before we settled on one (my parents are picky about the angle of the light coming in from the windows), we know for sure that more than one is sticky. Â
Sticky chairs, sticky tables - and not the kind of sticky that just wipes off either, it's the kind of sticky that STICKS.
Our food came up in 10-15 minutes, a little slower than what you'd expect from fast food - and considering we were one of only 3 tables that were occupied on this Saturday morning.
The food was really just meh - and we ordered a bunch o different things:
420 Burger - this burger with hash browns, a fried egg, cheese and ketchup was just ok. Â American cheese, thin fast foody patty, nice squishy bun. Â This - by the way - we did NOT order, but they charged us for it and brought it to us anyway. Â We chose to just keep it since we paid for it.
Cheeseburger, add fried egg - same as above, but with no hash browns or ketchup
Carnitas soft taco - seriously in need of flavor, even the salsa on it didn't give it enough punch. Â I did like that it was a little fatty, but it really needs some salt or other seasoning.
Sausage, scrambled eggs, toast, hash browns - your basic fast food breakfast, no frills, no whistles
Bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, hash browns - see above.
Bean and cheese burrito - my mom really liked this, but I think she was swayed by the $2 price tag more than the taste.
My parents like this place because it's cheap. I guess bf and I shouldn't really expect more than a fast-food level of food for the breakfast fare, but I was expecting a much better burger than the one I got.
Sorry Mr. Pete - you might see my parents again, but you won't see bf or me the next time we're in town!
GF, GF's parents and I went here for an early lunch after checkout. Â
I feel like I've been writing too many glowing reviews lately so the occasional Karate chop to the throat for a business that deserves it is quite refreshing. Â
Which brings me to Mr. Pete's. Â The food was OK but the ambiance was just hideous. Â Maybe it's my inner snob, but, and I am not making this one up, after I placed my order and walked towards where GF and her parents were sitting I caught a strong whiff of urine. Â Yes, the place actually smelled like piss. Â
It wasn't like an isolated puddle of piss on the floor type smell, but a pervasive odor that nearly made me pass out from its intensity. Â It came wafting from the ventilation system which blows cool air directly in your face as you walk into the main seating area. Â
So imagine this...you belly up to the counter, order your food, then on your way to go take a seat you get blasted in the face with cold air which smells like stale piss. Â Talk about an appetite suppressant. Â
The ambiance otherwise was unimpressive. Â In order to use the bathroom you had to ask for a key then go outside, kind of like an outhouse. Â The tables and chairs were sopping wet from where someone had washed them down with a rag. Â The interior looked like it hasn't been updated since the mid 70's. Â
When our food was brought out to us, mine was handed to me on a plate which looked like it came from Pic-N-Save. Â Our server also neglected to give me silverware, so apparently I was expected to eat my scrambled eggs and bacon with my hands? Â
Should I even bother reviewing the food? Â It was just bacon and eggs with a bit of cheese, some hash browns and toast. Â Nothing special. Â I make better bacon and eggs at home and without the pissy smell. Â The bread was likely store bought. Â
All in all, the food was so-so but ambiance and service were so gross and ghetto respectively I could not possibly recommend eating here.
Where the Hell is Gordon Ramsey when you need him?
Bacon & Eggs - 2 Stars (Nothing great, store bought bread for toast, ghetto presentation on cheap plates, etc.)
Ambiance - -5 Stars (urine-like smell coming from ventilation system; cleanliness was very poor; restroom located outside and downstairs; water all over tables and booths; outdated interior with uncomfortable seating, etc. etc. Â FAIL.)
Service - 2 Stars (server neglected to bring me silverware which was careless but otherwise the staff was OK)
Value - 2 Stars (pricing was good but you get what you pay for)
Parking - 3 Stars (private lot plus nearby street parking, but lot was strangely cramped given the few people in the place)
Overall - 4 Stars / 5 = .8 Stars AVG
Rounded up to 1 Star
Have had the Bacon Cheeseburger which was decent. The Pastrami Burger is pretty tasty and the combo with drink and fries is about 7.00 I believe. I would recommend that or if your feeling a little extravagent try the 420 burger. There fries are not amazing but the zuchinni is real good. Overall I like the place its pretty dirty and the food is decent and the service is a plus.
Make sure you dont have to go to the bathroom when you go here though. I went to wash my hands and almost had my day ruined just from stepping in the bathroom.
I would often eat here when I visited family in San Clemente. Everything on the menu is wonderful. Burgers, fries, chili fries, zucchini, onion rings and chicken strips. Other words finger foods. Only thing is that, if you live over a mile away eat there. Don't take it to-go, it won't be good.
Review Source:Way out of my usual comfort zone, cruising down the dreaded I-5 way too close to 5:00 PM. Â I remembered that I had seen some places to eat in San Clemente last summer. Â Mr Pete's is my new favorite burger spot N. of San Diego, S. of LA.
Had the bacon cheese combo, although the 420 sounded interesting. Â Plentiful fries, nice size burger. Â They have what sounds like a busy drive thru business. Â My only complaint? Â There was that weird "dishtowel used to wipe off the tables" smell. Â Now, don't tell me that it's a beach thing...I live in a beach community. Â Service was quick, place looked clean, Â burger was great. Â I'll have to take my teenager next time.
Not for the health conscious... Want a quick bite of burgers and fries while in San Clemente? Then Mr. Pete's is the place for you.
I like the bacon cheeseburger here. Good size. More than 2 slices of bacon is a must. Fries are good and plentiful. But when extra hungry, I get the Mr. Pete Burger. It's simply their cheeseburger with pastrami on it, as well. Enough oily goodness to make you think twice about ordering it but you know you need to. Yes, please... That, an order of fries and a root beer... I'm quite satisfied.
Ok...was wanting a burger late on a friday night and wanted to try something new. I've passed this place a million times so it was time to try it.
I decided on the bacon cheeseburger combo meal. The price was fine, a bit over 6 bucks and included fries and a drink. The burger was just so so. The beef just lacked flavor, but the bacon was great. It was decent and I gulped it quick because I was pretty damn hungry.
The fries however weren't so bad. Decent amount of salt and a ton to eat.
Overall it was ok to decent. The place was dead and I went thru the drive thru. I'll go again and try the burger everyone seems to rave about (the mr. pete's burger).
We had a play to go to in the San clamente area, and we didn't have much experience with restaurants in the area. So I decided to see what yelp had to offer.
Cheeseburger was good. Zuchini fries were good too. But we both got kind of sick shortly after eating there. It's a case of "went in rightl, came out very wrong."
2 1/2 stars, but I round up. Foods good, but beware the ending.
Well....my husband and I decided to spend the weekend in San Clemente. Pete's was close to our hotel and I like a good burger, so we thought we should give it a try. The food was mediocre. My burger had a juicy meat patty but it was lacking something. My husband ordered their famous pastrami-burger, but they forgot the pastrami so it was just a sad single patty burger. The fries were actually pretty good but the zuchini sticks were flavorless. Not to mention there was enough to feed an army. Â Who needs a five pound helping of gross grease sticks? BLECK.....
Review Source:Mr. Pete's Burgers is a good burger. Not the best burger in Orange County, but the best in San Clemente that is for sure. A decent serving of fries, a perfectly toasted bun, good cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, with a juicy just-the-right-thickness patty.
I will eat here again. In fact  I suggest going here if you are hungry in SC, because you wont find anything as satisfying in our city.
In a perfect world, In-N-Out Burgers would have a pastrami cheeseburger on their menu.
In our far-from-perfect world, fast food averages 35 seconds per customer, but at Mr Pete's, it takes about 10 minutes.
The holdups? First, the dilemma of whether to crack open new rolls of pennies to come up with 99 cents of change, vs. grabbing a penny from the tip jar and handing the customer a dollar bill (she chose the former).
Second, our order sat idle until someone from the drive thru wanted food too
Then, with one holler by the bottle-blonde Lucy, 4 workers outside jumped into the kitchen and our order of  [Two Mr. Pete's burger, two cheeseburgers, one fries and one zucchini fries] was ready after a few mexican minutes.
With my ass barely warming up the chair, my Mr. Pete's Burger was quickly hitting my stomach and filling out my ass. Â As the hamburger patty and pastrami mixed into delicious lumps of meat mash, my grubby fingers reached for the tall zucchini fries and shoved them in the cement mixer that is my mouth. Â The fries were good a few minutes ago, but quickly got cold and undesirable.
Props to Mr. Pete's for cutting down the portion of an order of fries/zucchini fries down. Â It was the perfect helping for 5 people.
For zucchini fries in LA, go to Big Tomy's on Pico and Sawtelle <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/big-tomys-los-angeles">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
4 stars for the pastrami cheeseburger (Mr. Pete's burger), though i would have liked to have received it sooner from the counter, and the buns toasted a little more.
see pics!
Ordered: Double-Cheeseburger w/o lettuce & tomato, w/ grilled-onions
D
E
L
I
C
I
O
U
S
No joke - simply delicious. It's taken the fifth or sixth visit to yelp, but: it's consistently scrumptious. Â
The fries could be a lil' tastier, but I can do w/o while stuffin' my face with a burger big enough for two.
If you're in the area - I'm down for one, too. :)
This is the best burger place i've ever been to. I've been considering going vegetarian the past month or so and after eating a double bacon cheese burger i don't know how anyone could be a vegetarian if they've ever had a Mr. Pete Burger. That thing was so great i couldn't wait for them to open again the following morning to get another one.
You can't pass this place up if you're looking for  a excellent burger place near north san diego county or south orange county.
I'm still on a quest for San Diego's best burger. I'm not sure that I'll ever find it, but I gotta say - I'm OK with this being one of those never-ending stories (cue movie soundtrack).
I found Pete's thanks to (of course) another Yelp review, and figured it would be a fun first stop on our little road trip to LA (little did I know this would be no *little* road trip, but I digress). We rolled in around 2pm on a Saturday afternoon and I initially had doubts about the place - it looks kind of old  and seedy, and there wasn't a clean table to be found, but I soldiered on and placed an order.
Anyone who's read my reviews or had the misfortune to watch me scour a menu searching for food I can eat knows about my allergies. However, I do (occasionally) eat stuff I'm allergic to because a) I have a craving or b) there's nothing else on the menu for me. So I ordered a regular burger and fries, no sauce, and dug in.
The presentation is pretty much exactly the same as In'n'Out - a burger and a heaping pile of fries in a box. The burger was delicious - juicy and flavourful - and the fries were fresh and crisp. The portions were generous and they did have a bacon option so the boyfriend was happy. In fact, he rates Pete's burgers higher than In'n'Out's burgers. Actually, I probably agree.
I dock a star only for the dinginess of the restaurant. I know it's been there for 50 years, but it wouldn't kill the staff to wipe down a table now and again, you know?
It's Monday night, and we're heading home from a grueling weekend in Hell-A. Â Thank goodness the rush hour traffic wasn't as horrific as I imagined it to be. Â In fact, we were making good time.
Halfway home, I needed to stop for a bathroom break and a meal - my typical trade show days throw off my eating schedule so I was well overdue for another meal at 7pm, when the last thing I ate was a Starbucks blueberry muffin and venti house coffee at 8am.
We got off of El Camino Real to look for a quick fast food burger joint. Â Jack in the Box, Burger King, In-N-Out... I didn't care, I just needed to order food and make a beeline for the bathroom. Â But as we're driving around, we see tons of taco shops and chicken places, but no familiar fast food chain burger joints. Â In this surfside community that I was very unfamiliar with, all we saw were mom and pop burger places. Â So as we drove past Mr. Pete's Burgers, we pulled into the parking lot and decided to give it a go, with fingers crossed. Â Because really, there isn't much room to screw up a burger.
I'm so glad we did!!! From the interior decor, we gathered that this place has been around for a few decades. Â The cheeseburger was fantastic, as were the fries. Â We noticed one of the cooks in the back peeling potatoes - which probably meant their fries were made in house. Â And you can certainly taste that. They actually tasted like potatoes instead of day old frying oil. Â But back to the burger - I would have to say it beats out the fresh tasting burgers you get at In-N-Out. Â And when they give you your side of fries, it's a heaping pile of 'em. Â The only complaint?? Â I would have to drive up the 5 for an hour to experience another Mr. Pete's Burger. Â
What an awesome find this was.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
