While doing some research on restaurants outside of my coastal bubble, which has been long overdue, Fallbrook was mentioned, so I set my sights on a worthy adventure.
I mentioned this to a co-worker who lives there, and he quickly responded, “Oh, you have to go to Nessy Burgers.” So that made it easy. A lunchtime feast was on the calendar.
Co-founded by Sandy Webster of Fallbrook, Nessy Burgers began as a hamburger trailer operating on Caltrans property on Highway 76 near Interstate 15. Nessy’s delicious burger and other hearty menu items became a regular stop for truckers who frequented the I-15 between San Diego and Riverside County.
Like with anything good, the word got out, and people started traveling from all over Southern California to try Nessy’s legendary hamburgers.
I should also say that for North County coastal dwellers, it’s an easy and scenic drive out the SR-76 to Nessy. The restaurant was named Nessy Burgers as an homage to Scotland’s famous and mysterious Loch Ness Monster. Of course, the folks at Nessy put their own spin on that, as their unique blend of spices remains a secret today.
I showed up around 11:30 a.m. on a Wednesday, and the line had already formed around the building. These were serious eaters, construction workers and the like with big-time lunch appetites to feed. That’s always a good sign. I was with my regular LTP eater and co-worker Alec, and we decided to split three items between us: the Nessy Burger, the Moon Dog and the Top Sirloin Steak Sandwich.
I must say that the Nessy half-pounder is a sizable burger and definitely food coma material if eaten solo. The appeal of Nessy Burgers’ flavor goes beyond having a largish burger patty and secret spice mix. Nessy serves its burgers with a special sauce recipe, complemented by a mighty fine sesame seed bun delivered daily.
The burgers are topped with slices of ripe, juicy jumbo tomatoes, crisp sweet onions (grilled upon request) and Iceberg lettuce — really, the only lettuce that belongs on a burger, in my opinion. For the final touch, every Nessy burger comes with American cheese, sliced jalapeno peppers and pickles on the side. It was perfect to split.
The Moon Dog (I love that name) was up next, and I can’t say I’ve had a hot dog sliced in half on a toasted round or sesame seed bun served with lettuce, onion and Nessy sauce, but it worked.
We wrapped it up with the giant Top Sirloin Steak Sandwich served on a French roll with thickish slices of steak cooked to your desired doneness, topped with tomato, onion, mayo and A1 sauce. This sandwich was right up there with the burger on the yum scale, and even though I had just half, I had leftovers that I chopped up for some steak and eggs the following morning.
Speaking of breakfast, Nessy offers a full lineup of breakfast sandwiches, including their famous burger with eggs, Polish sausage with eggs, and more standard ham and bacon with egg sandwiches.
Other lunch offerings include a BLT, Turkey Burger, Chicken Breast Sandwich and Grilled Cheese Sandwich, all of which are available protein-style to lighten their impact.
Being from Michigan, the land of chili dogs, I was excited to see a nice selection of them on the Nessy menu, along with a Chili Bowl, Chili Cheese Fries and Chili Nachos. Given that they are open until 7 p.m., I would probably save my foray into these heavier menu items until later in the day.
According to some regulars, the Nessy Shake, in vanilla, chocolate or strawberry, is worth saving some room for. They mix it up the old-fashioned way, and it gets rave reviews all around.
I should mention there are a couple of other joints worth checking out at this roadside stop, including Pala Mesa Market and the Ribshack. The latter was producing the sweet scent of burning wood, smoking meats low and slow. I think both of these places will be worth coming back to on their own.
For me, the joy in a place like Nessy Burger is how it started from such humble beginnings in 1989 and has evolved into a thriving business based on value, quality and portions. That is a long run in the restaurant world and a testament to the fact that they have found a formula that works kept things simple and has consistently served good stuff for over 30 years.
Finding a niche in the competitive restaurant world is tough, but Nessy has done just that. If you are a fan of classic diner food with an original twist, I’d suggest a mini road trip to Fallbrook to check them out.
The menu and more are at www.nessyburgers.com. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
