The Habit Burger Grill

Great food and super-nice staff. I'm never disappointed here.

THE HABIT BURGER GRILL,*, part of the Santa Barbara chain, is much more than a burger "Joint." Their charbroiled burgers are elegantly constructed and a joy to devour. Building a burger is not complex. So, to impress an epicurean pallet, each element must stand tall and, at the same time, complement the whole. The patty (beef or soy) should radiate freshness, while the lightly toasted bun maintains the strength to hold the patty proud. Then consider the complexity of the condiments: rich ketchup, American cheese, mayo, fried or fresh minced onions, avocado, tomato slice, shredded iceberg lettuce, and the cool, stringent flavor of pickled dill slices. There she stands, strong and true, patently anticipating your first intoxicating bite. Adding Julienne potatoes and crusted onion rings complete the feast. The potatoes and onions are deep fried to order, and delivered as requested, crisp or very crisp. The tempura (breaded) green beans and cauliflower are surprisingly rewarding pleasures. The menu also offers chicken sandwiches, tuna sandwiches, BLTs, and salads. There is a selection of buns or, if you prefer, a lettuce wrap. Pepperoncini, Banana, and Jalapeno peppers are available from the self-serve pepper bar. Enjoy the Jalapenos carefully. Fill or refill, as often as you like, at the soft drink bar. Create something different by mixing flavors: Diet Coke with lemonade, topped with a lemon wedge, for example. A large cup, lid, and straw are supplied when you order. Orders come quickly from their open kitchen even at the busiest time. Watching the cooks' complex ballet is fascinating. A supplied "beeper" informs when your order is ready for pickup. The friendly and knowledgeable counter staff double-checks your order, then carefully places it on a tray or packs your meal for take-a-way. Indoor and patio seating are offered. The entrance to the patio is along the East wall in the center of the eatery. Everything is wheelchair accessible including the two, gender neutral bathrooms. The free parking is ADA compatible. * The Habit Burger Grill was founded in 1969. There are currently 358 locations in 14 states. California has 250. It is owned by Yum Brands which also owns KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell.

The burgers are really good. My all time favorite is the portobello mushroom burger. Next to that would be the steak sandwich. But, lately I have been on a cheese melt binge , quite simply can't get enough! The ladies at service are the best! I come here quite a bit. I feel right at home.

Staff were nice, food was good. The ordering kiosks are a dumb idea. There isn’t enough space for 2 lines so you stand there looking like a doorknob till one opens up. If someone doesn’t want to wait in person in line they should order with the app

Habit Well, there is nothing better than good old habit. With many different locations, this one is pretty close to us which is located on a huge plaza right next to petsmart, so you can always find yourself a spot. We have ordered for pickup before and our order was always made on time. Eating in is always great as well, they are usually busy but we somehow managed to get a seat most of the time. They have large variety of soda and iced tea so something for every taste. When you come in, you will order at the register and they will give you a buzzer to pickup when ready. We have never tied their burgers however I heard they are really good. I just love love love their ahi tuna sandwich. It is absolutely amaZing, paired with some sourdough bread, either their teriyaki sauce or sometimes I like to just put ranch on it. It does gets a little messy, but who cares! Most of the time we get well done tuna instead of regular medium rare(personal preference and wife doesn't like raw fish at all) with yummy buttery bread, lettuce , tomatoes....ahhh heaven... their fried are regular but good. Really, it is inexpensive, fresh and delicious fast food place but you can taste good quality. I would prefer this place over any other fast food anytime.

The fries were delicious cooked just right. Smooth operation good management. Most of the stores are a train wreck. This is coming from a customer of the original habit in Santa Barbara.