2025 Surf City USA® Foodie Awards Best Burger Winner: The Pocket Burger Shack
2025 Surf City USA® Foodie Awards Best Family-Friendly Winner: The Pocket Burger Shack
They came for a burger and left with a shop. On a handshake deal, Daniel and Lori Preszler bought The Pocket Burger Shack in 2021 from its original owner who wanted to return, and the rest is history. Winner of two honors in the 2025 Surf City USA® Foodie Awards, this Sunset Beach gem is beloved for its hearty handhelds that don't skimp on toppings.
Along with being crowned the Best Burger in Huntington Beach, The Pocket Burger Shack was named a family favorite in 2025. With a location off Pacific Coast Highway, across from a kayak and paddleboard rental shop, it's an easy spot to grab a post-beach meal with your whole crew. There are options for little ones along with all-day breakfast and, of course, burgers galore.
The Main Dish
The namesake burger here is a menu mainstay for good reason, and the secret may just be in the sauce. A house-made Pocket Sauce adds a touch of welcome sweetness in the Pocket Burger, which is balanced by savory bacon, provolone cheese, and a fried egg along with other fixings like tomato, avocado, and lettuce.
Pocket Burger Shack's signature burgers begin with a third-pound Wagyu mixed beef patty, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and a buttered potato brioche bun, but that's where the similarities end. Unique flavor combos make for unforgettable meals. The tri-tip option adds slices of meat to the perfect burger base, then tops it with grilled bell pepper and onions for a sweet and smoky mouthful.
While these are clear favorites, don’t sleep on other interesting takes like the OC Burger with pepper jack and jalapeños or the Aloha Burger featuring grilled pineapple and the signature sauce.
For those with dietary restrictions or preferences, Pocket Burger Shack offers a lettuce-wrapped option along with the vegan or vegetarian Impossible Burger. There’s also a salmon burger or chicken satay, which is served on a roll with an aromatic peanut sauce that adds a tiny kick to an otherwise simple sandwich.
Sides, Sips & More
Three words: homemade agua frescas. Made fresh every morning, you can check out the daily offerings as soon as you step into the small restaurant. With mouthwatering flavors that have included watermelon, banana cream, pineapple, and more, there’s something for every member of your group. You’ll also love the shake selection, which includes simple favorites such as strawberry as well as decadent concoctions like banana date.
Though burgers are certainly the main dish, you can also opt for healthier meals like the Thai chicken bowl. A rice dish with fresh veggies topped with a generous helping of seasoned chicken, this menu item was a staple under the previous owner.
As the best family friendly restaurant in Surf City USA®, there’s plenty of options for kids, too. Corn dogs, grilled cheese, hot dogs, and cheese quesadillas all go great with fries, which are served with adult entrees as well. Upgrading to garlic fries is highly recommended, but there’s also onion rings, sweet potato fries, and even mozzarella sticks.
For the morning crew, breakfast burritos are a must. It comes stuffed with proteins like chorizo, sausage, bacon, ham, spam, or soyrizo along with three eggs, your choice of potatoes, cheese, sour cream, onions, bell peppers, and pico de gallo. Best of all? It’s available all day ’til the restaurant closes at 3 p.m.
