Umami Burger Costa Mesa @ 2981 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa

It's now become our mission to eat at every Umami Burger and takes notes comparing each outpost, based on the location, the feel, and of course, the Burgers!!!

Located in a shopping enclave called, 'The Camp' Umami Burger Costa Mesa definitely has the O.C. Beach feel, with a casual, local feel, it a friendly departure from the LA venues.  AND this time, we actually departed from our mainstay-the Umami Burger!!!!!


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Dun dun dunnnn...........but not too far away!  We didn't totally go off the rails, just a little diversion...  But onto the interior..
























The place is definitely smaller that most of the Umami venues, so during the rush hours, there can be a wait.  The interior is a modern and minimal, so clean lines and just a hint of Asian aesthetic so as not to spill into cheesy Asian Disneyland...

So one of us had to have the Umami Burger, it's just such a classic. You know, it's definitely hard to live up to that first Umami Burger we had on Vine in LA, it had such a powerful first impression that we feel like we're always 'Chasing the Dragon'....forever on the hunt for that first hit...like an addict we bop from one dealer to another, never satisfied...mostly exhausted...

Okay so back to the comparisons, we felt that this Umami Burger didn't have the right flavor consistency to the ones that marked higher on our list, the Burger meat itself didn't have the signature 'Umami' flavor and the condiments felt sparse.  But in a pinch, it'll do

Our first departure from our regular staple was the Sweet Potatoes Fries; I thought thy were First Class Fries-highly addictive and a great substitute for our normal Burger accompaniment: the Cheesy Tots!!

NOW the real departure was the second Burger: the 'Manly Burger' - and Umami Patty with Beer-Cheddar Cheese, Smoked-Salt Onion Strings with Bacon Lardons (Bacon Strips).
WOW!!! Well if there was any way to stray from our favorite, this would be it!!! Probably the best Bacon Cheeseburger We've had in a long longtime!  The flavors were oozing with confidence, components of this sandwich came together beautifully in my mouth and made me smile!!

And of course, we had to get the Cheesy Tots!  We thought Costa Mesa brought out the best plate of these little starchy nuggets ever! Kudos!

In the end, our quest for the best continues, and no matter how many they build, we will be at every door doorstep of and Umami Outpost, one Burger at a time!!!




Ratings (Out of Five Stars)
Food:           4
Ambience:   3

Service:       2.75