Surf City Smash in
Surf City (NC)

Everyone knows the burgers are good. I had a Philadelphia eagles sweatshirt on and the guy asked me why I wasn't getting the Philly. Being from philly I said I don't trust cheeesteaks outside of Philadelphia. He convinced me to try it. It was delicious! Tons of meat and cheese. Gotta love that cooper sharp. It's not Angelo's but it makes my heart happy. Only suggestion is to get some long hots for it. Go Birds!

Visited recently, got the Surf Philly (Cheesesteak ?) and the "Sara" which is a burger without a bun ?. Price was ~ $35, with a drink and two entrees. You order at the counter and then grab a seat inside or outside. Tight seating ?, but GREAT food ?️, and atmosphere and the staff could not have been friendlier ?. Great experience, highly recommend ?, we will be returning! ? ? ? ?

EVERYTHING is absolutely delicious!!! All of the ingredients are perfectly mixed for every selection on the menu including the sides. The house lager pairs well with everything as well. I try to dine in once a week. Best burger in all towns around Topsail Island.

Very good burger. You can tell the difference in the quality of the meat. Little pricey but definitely worth it. Best part is you can scan the QR code at the brewery next door the salty turtle and they will bring it directly to your seat... I WILL BE BACK!!!!!! Great job guys.

I stopped in and ordered the Double Surf City Smashburger, and it did not disappoint. It had incredible flavor — juicy, perfectly smashed patties with crispy edges — and the bun was super soft and held everything together great. It was a little on the greasy side, but honestly that just added to the classic smashburger experience. What really stood out was the speed. I placed my order, made my drink, sat down, and someone was already handing me my burger. There was literally no wait time. The owner was on-site and even came out to check on us, which was awesome to see. He joked that he’d never seen someone eat a burger so fast — I told him I’ve never had a burger this good. That pretty much says it all. Great food, fast service, and a place that clearly cares about its customers. I’ll definitely be back. ??

My whole family loved the food! The service was excellent and my little dude was dancing to the jams. He loved watching them cook all the food through the glass on the countertop. We even had a donut! Their countertops were stunning as well. We will definitely be coming back! Thank you for being awesome!

Surf City Smash is a must-try! I’ve been here a few times and I think I’ve tried almost everything on the menu—burger, Philly cheesesteak, chicken sandwich—and it’s all been delicious. The menu’s small, but that’s what makes it great; they focus on doing a few things really well. The smash burger is my favorite, and that’s saying a lot as a non-burger person! It’s got that perfect crispy edge, super flavorful, and just the right size to fill you up. If you’re extra hungry, you can add extra patties. And those pita chips that come with it? So good—crispy, fresh, and kind of addicting. Fries and tots are so crispy and perfect as well to add on to your meal. The staff is always friendly, and the owners are some of the nicest folks you’ll meet. You can tell they really care about what they’re serving and who they’re serving it to. I can’t recommend this place enough!

Excellent food, excellent staff. Got to chat with the owner, who was super nice. I highly recommend this place. And it was super clean too! (((do not miss out on the onion jam on your burger or in the Philly cheesesteak. True awesomeness!)))

A++++ Surf City Smash absolutely lives up to the hype—and then some. I’ve been hearing about this place for the past year and knew I had to try it the next time we came down to Surf City, where we have a vacation home on the island. After reading all the glowing reviews and drooling over the photos, my expectations were high… and they were completely met. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by a lovely young lady with a big, welcoming smile—such a great first impression. We ordered the double smash burger with fries and the Surf Philly with tater tots, and wow. Omgeee. The food here is fresh, cooked perfectly, and ridiculously yummy. The smash burger was juicy with that perfect crispy edge, the fries were hot and seasoned just right, and the Surf Philly was packed with flavor. The tater tots? Golden, crispy perfection. You can tell real care goes into the food here—from quality ingredients to thoughtful preparation. Surf City Smash is the kind of place that turns a casual meal into a must-visit spot every time you’re on the island. We’ll 100% be back, and I’ll be recommending it to everyone we know. If you’re in Surf City and haven’t tried it yet, you’re missing out. ??

Absolutely have to try this burger! Simply put, it’s the best burger on the NC coastline that I’ve ever had. A proper definition of a smash burger can be found here. Add to that, the staff is super friendly and hospitable. This place is a well oiled machine that cranks out very consistent food. The menu is very simple and streamlined without any unnecessary fluff. Everything down to the branding is thoughtful and well executed. Every burger restaurateur should take notes directly from Surf City Smash. Always looking forward to swinging by whenever im any where near the vicinity.

Had a door dash pickup a month or so ago here. I've wanted to come back and get a burger for myself. Today, I took the opportunity. No regrets. Customer service was on point, burger was next level, the pita chips are addicting, and I still feel the softness of the donut lingering on my taste buds. Will be coming back next opportunity. Don't skip this place.

I really wanted to like it more. I just can’t swallow that they are charging as much as it costs to eat at Five Guys when their burgers are much smaller, their drinks are much smaller, and their orders of tater tots are small. I think the value is not great. Those tortilla chips are excellent, but even with that, it just doesn’t quite do it for me. I love that you guys are doing the local thing. Tasty burgers. But please, lower your prices or give better value. You can taste the chlorine in the soda from the city unfiltered water. That’s a big no-no in my opinion. The tater tots were also luke warm. I’ll try again in a month and see how it goes. Could have just been a fluke.

Not a smash unfortunately from my perspective? if you were craving a thick juicy hamburger with all the fixings, this is not the place for you. I have not had a Smashburger before and was curious what all the hype was about and frankly still remain mystified. The patty is so thin you can literally see through it and is extremely dry. You cannot get tomatoes, lettuce, or other fixings on it. It comes as is with cheese and some caramelized onions and a sauce. Strange pieces of fried pita are included on the plate. They’re just plain. I’m not sure the purpose? The fries were tasty and hot/fresh overall it’s very pricey for a minimal amount of burger and would not be someplace I would tell my guest to go if they were craving a hamburger. They do have a good location next to shopping and bars ample parking with a parking lot that is well lit and roomy and has wheelchair access spot as well. The employee on the cash register was neither rude nor welcoming, the employee that brought our food to the table had a very pleasant attitude.

I walked into Surf City Smash expecting a solid burger and walked out questioning every other burger I’ve ever trusted. Crispy, edges, juicy center, and caramelized onions so perfectly sweet they deserved their own Yelp account. This wasn’t just a burger it was a personality. Now let’s talk tots. These weren’t just crispy. These were Napoleon Dynamit's-level I felt fully transported, like I should’ve been wearing moon boots and aggressively nodding in approval after every bite. Just when I thought I understood the menu, along came the flour tortilla chips, which were brand new to me and immediately unlocked a core memory. Fair-food vibes in the best way; warm, nostalgic, a little salty, a little sweet, like something you’d eat while wandering past questionable rides and thinking about funnel cake (I need a funnel cake now). Service? Impeccable. The owner (I’m guessing, but the energy was very “I care deeply about your happiness”) gently placed napkins on our table like a benevolent food fairy. Then helped my husband procure ice for my drink, not just any ice, but the best ice I’ve ever encountered. Crunchy. Clean. Hydrating excellence. Five stars just for the ice alone. Food came out fast, the place was spotless, and just when I thought I’d peaked… donuts. In conclusion: elite smash burger, god-tier tots, world-class ice, kind humans, great donuts, and a clean space to emotionally process how good everything was. I will be back.

My new favorite burger spot! The food is always fresh and they have the best customer service. You’ll love the fried tortilla chips that come with your meal

Smash Philly is well worth it. I spent half my life in Philthadelphia (not a misspelling, just being real). While I may not be considered a connoisseur of sandwiches, I have been searching for places that can live up to the use of the words ‘Philly steak’. I was sceptical when I learned about the ‘carmelized onion bacon jam’ and the fact the rolls weren’t Amoroso brand. I can honestly report that I was pleased with the whole entree. The way George trained his staff to mix all listed ingredients together before putting it in the (BETTER than Amoroso) roll to be served piping hot was eye-opening and mouth watering. I can rate the sandwich a 10 out of 10 and understand why Birds games command a lot of to go orders from here. It’s hard to find a place that meets the ‘Philly steak sandwich’ exceptions, let alone exceeds them. The owner is personable and engaging. He knows what it takes to have a successful business and acts on it. I plan to return to this establishment several times in the near future. It should speak volumes that, on a December Sunday night in a tourist/vacation/beach town, this place was open AND busy with plenty of very good employees working.

Starting off great from the moment you step through the doors, the amazing smell of freshly grilled beef and spices fill the air. The service was very friendly, we sat at the bar and they kept us entertained. The food arrived in about less than 5 minutes. The staff was very fast paced and on top of everything and their food is worth the try especially on their grilled potato roll (which I have never heard of or tried but it was fantastic) and their sanitation rating is at a fantastic 98.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Surf City Smash is easily one of our family’s favorite spots — not just because of how insanely good their burgers are, but because of the people behind it. Every meal is fresh, juicy, and full of flavor — truly one of a kind! But what makes this place stand out even more is the customer service. Everyone there is so kind, welcoming, and genuinely cares about their customers. They’re absolutely amazing with kids, too. Our three-year-old begs to go there, and it’s always the highlight of his week. He especially loves George, the owner, who goes above and beyond to make everyone feel welcome. He takes time to talk to each customer that walks in, and it really shows how much he cares about his community and the people who come through his doors. It’s rare to find a place with that kind of heart. Even our 7-month-old daughter gave her approval — she loved every bite of her first burger (and made sure not a crumb went to waste!). Surf City Smash isn’t just a restaurant — it’s an experience. Great food, great people, and a true family-friendly atmosphere. If you haven’t tried it yet, you’re missing out on one of the best spots around! ?❤️

Ok place. The burger was meh. The tortilla pieces were good. The tater tots were great. The menu was a crack up-the ‘no bun’ was $11 but if you just bought the parts ala-cart and added a full order of the tortilla chips it would $10.25 and you would get way more tortilla chips. See the picture of the menu. We decided somebody was high when the made the menu ?

Absolutely not worth the price if the food. The burger was dry and definitely overcooked. Looked like a value menu burger from McDonald’s that got sat on. The drink price is what got me first fountain drink $2.95 for the kiddie cup. Do your self a favor for the price you pay at this place just go to HWY 55. $16 dollars for a $9 McDonald’s happy meal.

UPDATE: I had to go back and edit it. The more food I ate this week rhe more I realized that this was EXTREMELY OVERRATED. Here’s my review: I’ll be honest was it good yes. Was it the best smash burger I’ve ever had far far from it. When they say smash burgers. They mean SMASHED. Patties are super thin honestly thinner than a McDonald’s Patty. Burger I had was missing the crispness too. Thought was pretty salty too. Fries and tots were good but the tortilla chips they have are much much better than both and probably the best part of the meal in my eyes. Atmosphere was nice. Cute restaurant and decorated very well Overall good yes. Best ever no. I’ll take a 5 guys instead any day as they are basically the same cost.

MAKE A SMASH BURGER! (NO GRILL TASTE) I make better burgers on my blackstone at home. (See pics.) Just disappointed. Burgers didn’t have lettuces or tomato. Or bacon strips? Come on Philly tasted like it was cooked in a microwave. Tater tots were good.

Price was kinda high for a burger that doesn't come with fries. The burger did come with fried flour tortilla chips which werent bad. I got the surf city smash burger, I LOVED the caramelized onion bacon jam. It was absolutely delicious. The cups for soda were $3 but half the size of a small from mcdonalds. I did like that they were free refills and you could take them with you but $3 is pretty steep. Overall really good though!

FAST and utterly DELICIOUS! I’m going to come out and say that Philly steak sandwich with cooper cheese is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten - holy cow. The tots were nice and crispy, I like their soft homemade tortilla chips. Service is crazy fast!!

Had really good reviews so we couldn’t wait to try it! Unfortunately this was a one timer for us. It’s the lack of options - and the price. Don’t get me wrong - we aren’t expecting mcvalue menu prices - but 18.00 for a cheesesteak was insane. And 4 bucks for about 12 tots? Stop it. Now onto the food. The cheesesteak though pricey was tasty. I enjoyed the flavor. Though it was more bread (which was fabulous- really good bread, toasted up etc) but it could’ve used more meat. The burgers were ok. They were nice thin smash burgers- but where they mess up is the flavor. It just didn’t work. I would’ve enjoyed it more if you offered some shredded lettuce, tomato, mayo as an option. The flavor with the sauce and the bacon jam- doin too much. And not in a good way. Now- the tortilla chips- or are they pita chips? Like it said tortilla but they were soft like pita- so idk- but I liked them as odd as it was. And like do you dip them in something? I didn’t know what to do! Please don’t say surf sauce because I’m not sure what it was but I can describe it as spicy shrimp sauce. It was not good. IMO. The entire time we were eating we just kept thinking how much better our burger at island delights had been. The seating - very limited. Don’t go with a group. I also asked for a box for the rest of my sandwich and the waitress just looked at me and said “ for what” and not in a friendly way. Like dang, I didn’t know I needed to tell her what I wanted to take out with me ??‍♀️ like no hint of friendliness. I was bothering her by asking I guess. Anyway- if you love it- I love that for you. It just wasn’t for us. The lager was good.

We stopped in on our trip. This place has some amazing burgers and Philly steaks. I tried the smash burger with bacon jam. The burger was flavorful and the bacon jam was so good! This is a must anytime we come through this area from now on!

Alas! You have come to the right place. Don't question it, just do it. You WILL NOT be disappointed! All things considered, this place is the absolute BEST to indulge in a top notch cheesesteak and a grass fed burger. You want some tots? They've got 'em. You want some fries? Got those too. Behold your eyes, a glorious cheesesteak is waiting for you. Cooper Sharp cheese, the signature from Philly; the roll, a solid, but soft and chewy interior of an Italian roll, with a perfectly crispy exterior. The durability holds those decadent and dense slivers of steak while absorbing all of the juicy goodness from the meat. I hope you like bacon too because their 3 hour caramelized bacon jam is good enough to make you think about ordering another. Did I mention that the bacon jam is also on the burgers? Well, it is. The crispy flour tortilla chips that you can order for a side, well, I think I could indulge in a pound at once. Not saying I've ever possibly done that..... anyways, crisp fountain sodas with the classic foggy cups, even desserts like donuts and cookies. Just do it!! Another thing that makes this place even better even with everything you've already read? They've got a dog friendly menu item of their signature grass fed patty with no seasoning to keep those pups safe and make sure that they get to eat REAL foods just like we do. The owner George is easily one of the most down to earth human beings I've ever met. His passion for what he does and the values that Surf City Smash holds are such an asset to the Surf City community. The staff enjoy their jobs and greet you with a smile and their clear understanding of your hunger. Family, friends, heck, even people you just met while waiting on line there, come on down and enjoy it with the Surf City Smash fam. All are welcome and the environment is truly one of a kind! :) Can't wait to come back 100000 more times!! :)