Raglan Public House

While Mike's Taco Club runs on assembly-line speed and Little Chef operates on takeout autopilot, Raglan slows down just enough to get the fundamentals right—which in this case means grass-fed beef cooked to temperature, not hockey-pucked into submission. The Kiwi ownership shows up in unexpected ways: lamb burgers appear alongside the expected California lineup, and the beer list skews craft-forward without tipping into beer-snob territory.

The OB Cheesesteak loads jalapeño cheese onto shaved beef in a way that actually registers as spicy, not just decorated. Steak fries come thick-cut and properly crisped, the kind that hold up to being dragged through aioli without going limp. If you're over burgers, the chicken kabob runs surprisingly tender for something that could easily be an afterthought—marinated long enough to matter, charred enough to show grill marks that aren't decorative.

The layout matters here: massive outdoor patio means you can bring the dog (they have a dedicated dog menu, which is very Ocean Beach), catch the evening breeze, and not feel trapped in a dining room when you just wanted a casual weeknight beer and burger. Cocktails exist but the move is the beer list—local IPAs, a legitimately good porter, things that pair better with beef fat than a fancy gin martini.

It's pricier than a drive-through but cheaper than trying to pretend you're fine-dining. Service runs friendly without hovering, the kind of place where your server will answer a dozen questions about the menu without making you feel like you're holding up the kitchen. Location sits just far enough from Newport's chaos that you can actually park without circling the block three times. For a neighborhood that runs heavy on tacos and pizza, this is the go-to when you want a burger that tastes like someone actually sourced the meat instead of just unpacking it from Sysco.