Newport Avenue · Ocean Beach · Burgers & shakes
Hodad’s
An Ocean Beach burger joint since 1969, famous for its double bacon cheeseburger, license-plate walls and lines out the door.
Opens Hodad’s website. It’s open every day from 11 am, to eat in or take out.
Details checked November 2026
Featured photo
Hodad’s on Newport Avenue in 2011 · Photo: andreasivarsson on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Type
Burger joint and beer bar
Burgers, onion rings, shakes, beer and wine
Price range
Budget ($)
Tripadvisor lists $; Yelp lists $$
Hours
Daily 11 am–9 pm
Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Sept. 30
Time needed
About 1 hour
Our estimate, including a wait in line
Parking
Street and public lots
No lot of its own; leave the rig at camp
Since
1969
Run by the Hardin family’s third generation
On the menu
Bacon cheeseburgers, frings and frosty shakes
A short, all-burger menu: single, double and mini bacon cheeseburgers, the pastrami-topped Guido, the blue cheese Blue Jay and a veggie burger, with fries, onion rings or “frings,” plus shakes, malts and draft beer.
Photo: andreasivarsson on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Start here
Double bacon cheeseburger
It’s the most-reviewed dish on Yelp (330 reviews) and the burger Hodad’s is known for: fresh, never-frozen beef with bacon that’s boiled, chopped and seared, per Ocean Beach MainStreet.
RV tip: Campland on the Bay is about 14 minutes away. Hodad’s has no lot, so park the tow vehicle in a public lot nearby.
Also worth ordering
- Onion ringsThe top topic in Google reviews (260 mentions). Order “frings” for half fries, half rings.
- Guido BurgerPastrami and Swiss, named for Guy Fieri, whose show first featured Hodad’s in 2007.
- Chocolate maltShakes and malts come in the frosty metal mixing cup, per Ocean Beach MainStreet.
- Mini bacon cheeseburgerA smaller take on the classic, with 92 Yelp reviews.
Why go
An Ocean Beach classic since 1969
Byron and Virginia Hardin bought a beach burger stand in Ocean Beach in 1969. Hodad’s moved to Newport Avenue in 1991, and their grandchildren, Shane and Lexi Hardin, run it today.
It has 4.6 stars from more than 6,200 Google reviews, 4.5 on Tripadvisor and 4.1 on Yelp. Google’s review topics highlight the onion rings and bacon cheeseburger, and 40 reviews mention long lines.
Walls of license plates, surfboards and a booth made from half a surf van give it a look all its own. Campland on the Bay is about 14 minutes away.
Photo: andreasivarsson on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Why it made our list
- Open daily, 11 am to 9 pm
- Family run since 1969
- Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
- Beer, wine and frosty shakes
- 14 minutes from Campland on the Bay
For RVers
Taking the rig to Hodad’s
The practical stuff we wished someone had told us before we pulled in.
Leave the rig at camp
Hodad’s has no lot, and Newport Avenue is a busy, compact street. San Diego also bars RVs and oversized vehicles from city streets from 2 to 6 am.
Try the pier lot
The free Ocean Beach Pier lot at the foot of Newport Avenue has about 104 spaces and a 4-hour limit, per Parkopedia, but it fills fast on weekends.
Expect a line
Lines often run out the door, especially at lunch and on weekends, per Ocean Beach MainStreet. Arriving at the 11 am opening helps.
Walk to the beach
The beach is at the end of Newport Avenue, so plan a stroll after lunch. The pier itself is closed for storm repairs.
What visitors say about Hodad’s
The visitor report card
We don’t copy other sites’ reviews, but the published scores are worth reading together. Scores checked November 2, 2026.
No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem.
Hodad’s slogan, via Ocean Beach MainStreet · oceanbeachsandiego.com
What visitors often mention
Recurring themes in Google’s review topics
Onion ringsBacon cheeseburgerGuido burger
Google’s review topics put onion rings on top (260 reviews), then bacon cheeseburger (171), Guido burger (44), long lines (40) and blue cheese burger (19). Checked November 2, 2026.
What reviewers mention most
Number of Google reviews that mention each topic, checked November 2, 2026.
Good to know
Hours11 am–9 pm daily
ClosedSept. 30 and major holidays
BreweryIts own beer since 2018
Good forLunchFamiliesTakeout
Tripadvisor rates it $ and Yelp $$. We couldn’t verify current menu prices, so check the board when you order.
Know before you go
Plan your visit
Hodad’s
- Address5010 Newport Ave, San Diego, CA 92107
- HoursDaily 11 am–9 pm
Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Sept. 30 - Phone(619) 224-4623
- ReservationsWalk in; expect a line at busy times, per Ocean Beach MainStreet
- Getting thereHodad’s is on Newport Avenue, Ocean Beach’s main street, a short walk from the beach and about 4.8 miles from Campland on the Bay via Crown Point Drive.
- ParkingNo lot of its own. The free Ocean Beach Pier lot has a 4-hour limit, per Parkopedia, and paid lots are nearby. No RV parking is posted.
Ocean Beach MainStreet, Yelp and Tripadvisor all list 11 am to 9 pm daily. It closes on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and September 30. Call (619) 224-4623 to confirm.
Where to stay nearby
RV parks near Hodad’s
These are the San Diego RV parks we have visited and written up. Drive times are from Google Maps on a weekday morning and change with traffic.
Campland on the Bay
A big waterfront RV resort on Mission Bay with its own beach, a marina, pools and nonstop family activities.
Mission Bay RV Resort
A full-hookup RV resort on De Anza Cove in Mission Bay, next to Campland, with bayfront sites, a heated pool and lower winter rates.
Santa Fe Park RV Resort
A full-hookup RV park in Rose Canyon near Mission Bay with a heated pool and clubhouse; expect some train and I-5 noise.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
The questions RVers ask most before pulling in.
Daily 11 am–9 pm
Ready for a burger in Ocean Beach?
Order the double bacon cheeseburger with frings and a chocolate malt, then walk down to the beach.
Thank you to the people behind these photos. Please support them by giving their work a look. Photos via Wikimedia Commons: andreasivarsson (Hodad’s storefront, interior and burger, 2011; CC BY 2.0); the images were resized. Food photos marked “not taken at” show the dish, not this restaurant’s plate. Area photos show the neighborhood, not the restaurant. Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the places we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with Hodad’s unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including the restaurant’s published materials and publicly available sources. Hours, prices, menus and other details are set by the restaurant and may change at any time without notice. Before you travel, please confirm all details directly with Hodad’s at hodadsoceanbeach.com or (619) 224-4623. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
We will always do our best to keep this page up to date. Thank you to everyone who contributes; we truly appreciate your help and support.