UPDATE October 30, 2013 – Per Tablehopper Chris Kronner is closing up Kronnerburger on November 22nd because he’s found a permanent location in the Oakland.
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Hidden behind an almost unmarked door underthe Bruno’s marquee on Mission St, 2389 Mission St. to be exact, you’ll find a dark cave encompassing bar and burger restaurant that has hosted many a great show in its previous incarnation as Bruno’s music stage but now the thin bar that bookends the ageless naugahyde Mission stalwart hosts Chris Kronner‘s semi-permanent pop up.
And, it is dark in there. You’ll strain to read the menu. But the environment is convivial enough that concerns about vision quickly recede. While you acclimate to the environment the complete design of the pop-up concept takes over. The menuis conjunction adverse, preferring to compress space in the hand lettered menu. Plus there’s a reminder to “Call the Burgerphone for take out, to chat” which is something I’ve always forgotten to do.
Kronner Burger offers the most hipsterized and quirkily conceptual cocktail list in the city. Start with a Buck Yeah (mezcal, ginger, lemon) or a Carbonated Motherfucking Margarita (tequila, lime, agave, bitters) among other treats that lean in to the flavor spectrum. Dine with a can of the Highlife or Firestone DBA just to make sure that your tastebuds are thoroughly awash in the major keys. There’s also a full bar if you need something more subtle or traditional.
The waitstaff’s breezily effective insouciance will round out any details about the food but the menu is pretty clear. The featured item is the eponymous Kronner Burger which can be doubled and served with marrow. For variety Kronner filters the core class of Americana through his sensibility to offer the Seasurprise Sandwich (one day this was Shrimp Louie on a roll), Falafel Burger, and Patty Melts as mains. No need to nibble around the edges with something that looks like a side listed as “fries w/ beef cheek gravy & cheddar cheese curds” when it’s actually a Poutine. That is, a full dinner in its own right but if you feel light on calories then add a marrow bone. There are plenty of other items to nibble through or feast on whether a side of Pimento Cheese or a full on plate of still more marrow bones with toast but it’s best to keep it simple. If you love burgers go for that, if not stay for the patty melt and the poutine and you’ll leave satisfied and ready for the gym.
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