A while ago, me and my friend ate at
Umami Palo Alto only to have a bizarre but disappointing experience. We felt they had good burgers but an empty presentation and an out of touch atmosphere.
However when telling the story I always get the response, "
It's Palo Alto so they have to be fancy and overpriced." I disagree, a burger joint could have a sense of class while keeping the traditional atmosphere. The Workshop is such an establishment that proves my point.
I came to The Workshop with my friend Refugio Garcia, a local freelance writer and avid burger enthusiast, for their happy hour special. We started with an order of garlic fries followed by a 2x2 Burger with a side of onion rings and an American Burger with a side of onion rings along with a few beers.
The garlic fries had the right blend of seasoning while the onion rings were exceptionally crispy. The burger exceeded my standards with the use of quality meat that was properly marinated and grilled. Helping the flavor was the bacon, cheese and veggies that took me to burger nirvana after one bite.
Adding to the burger experience is the excellent presentation of our dishes. The burger is the main attraction of the plate with the onion rings next to it and the veggies on the corner. Bonus kudos have to be given for not making the plate look cluttered.
Finally credit needs to be given to the the staff. They were very attentive to our needs and would regularly check up on us for feedback and to see if we wanted more beers.
With good burgers and a traditional atmosphere, the Workshop is an excellent burger joint were anyone can go with a few friends for a good time.
Final Score: 5/5