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Rocklin, CA is home to one of the best burger restaurants in Placer County, and... perhaps California? I'm talking about Moo Moo's Burger Barn, where you'll find a wide array of some of the best burgers that you've ever had the pleasure to enjoy! As with all restaurant reviews I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: It's just past the 11:00 o'clock in the morning opening time on a beautiful, spring-like Tuesday, March 01, 2022, and I've arrived at Moo Moo's Burger Barn, located in Rocklin, CA, to enjoy one of the best burgers in Placer County, after a six-year absence. I lament that there are so many burgers... and so little time...
Photo: The small outside patio is brilliantly lit by the late morning sun, and in the current 50-degree temperature would make for pleasant dining, but it's not open on this late Tuesday morning. The outside patio helped to keep the restaurant in business, during the recent COVID pandemic, that has mostly ended.
Photo: As you enter the restaurant, you'll be greeted and seated at a table, booth or counter of your choice. Moo Moo's specializes in burger and sandwiches, but it's a full-service restaurant, complete with a friendly server and a menu. Take-out menus are placed on the counter, which you can take home with you if you want to enjoy your meal elsewhere. All items are the menu are available to-go, as the restaurant serves a large to-go clientele who prefer to order online, or by phone.
Photo: The dining room is very large, spotlessly clean, decorated in a contemporary decor, and will make you feel comfortable and at home. The furniture is a mixture of tables and booths, and there is counter seating around the kitchen. There are also several large television monitors that were tuned to news programs. Today I "opened up" the restaurant, and during the first fifteen minutes of my visit, I had the entire dining room to myself, which made for great photo-taking so as not to annoy other diners.
Photo: When you sit at the counter, you'll get to enjoy the true ambience of the restaurant, including chatting with the friendly staff, checking out the old fashioned milkshake blender, and a view of the kitchen, and the talented chef Martina, through the diner-like window to the kitchen.
Photo: This is only a portion of the burger menu, as burgers and sandwiches are the specialty at Moo Moo's. I went with the "Moo'na Lisa" burger, which proved to be a "game changer" in the line of burgers. Click on the menu image to see all SIX PAGES of amazing choices the menu at Rocklin's Moo Moo's Burger Barn offers.
Photo: This small blackboard of breakfast choices was listed behind the cashier's station at the counter, but I neglected to ask if the restaurant was serving waffles or burritos today. No worries, as I was in the mood for a burger.
Photo: Wine selection at Moo Moo's is very limited, but the restaurant offers a great selection of bottled beer.
Photo: When you order a milkshake at Moo Moo's, you get a REAL milkshake, and it's made by the staff, by hand, as you watch. The milkshake is "old school diner" and is made a the way a REAL milkshake used to be made, and should always be made... fresh! My friendly hostess, Nina, is making a milkshake the way milkshakes are supposed to be made.
Photo: Meet Nina, my amazingly friendly server who brought my "Moo'na Lisa" burger, along with "Beer Battered Fries" to me with a smile. Nina and I had met during my previous visit six years prior to today, and she welcomed me, and treated me like family.
Photo: Thanks, Nina, for taking my photo, as I get ready to enjoy one of the tastiest and unique burgers EVER! Oh... you can't forget the fries... talk about DELICIOUS!
Photo: From the "Burgers" section of the menu, I went with "Moo'na Lisa," and my choice of side was "Beer Battered Fries," which turned out to be an amazing choice of fries. All burgers on the menu come with sides, and the choices include, Regular Fries, Beer Battered Fries, Onion Rings, Sweet Potato Fries, Coleslaw and either a Green or Caesar Salad. Note Moo Moo's doesn't charge extra for "premium" sides, such as Sweet Potato Fries and Onion Rings. Nina was a sweetheart to include a cup of house-made Ranch and Thousand Island dressing for my dipping pleasure. As with all burgers, a slice of crispy dill pickle was included to enhance the amazing plate of burger goodness. The menu generically describes burgers as "Fresh 1/3 pound all-beef hamburger patties. Our burgers are seasoned to perfection, cooked to order, dressed with the freshest ingredients, and served on a grilled bun." The menu goes on to describe the "Moo'na Lisa" burger as, "Created by guest Lisa H. Kaiser bun, jack cheese, bacon, avocado, fried egg, battered sliced jalapenos and veggies." Wow! I would love to meet the creator and inspiration of this amazing burger, Lisa H., as the lady possesses culinary talent in the first degree. My choice of side was the "Beer Battered Fries," which turned out to almost "flatline" me, as they were so delicious. As I ordered my burger, Nina asked me how I wanted my meat cooked, as she explained that burger patties cooked "medium well" are the standard. As I "sit on the fence," I simply ordered my meat cooked medium, and my amazing 1/3 pound of choice beef arrived on my burger, lightly seasoned, juicy, and cooked medium, as per my order. Chef Martina, who was taking care of business in the kitchen, has talent! The amazing patty of choice beef was sandwiched on a grilled Kaiser roll, which was fresh, tasty, held together well for an amazing burger experience. Veggies included fresh Romaine lettuce, tomato slices, avocado slices, dill pickle slices, and a couple rings of red onion. The veggies were fresh and added to the taste of this fine burger. "Moo sauce" - a Thousand Island knock-off - covered the burger, which made this burger to taste very "old school" and made adding mayonnaise, mustard or ketchup simply unnecessary. Here's where things got interesting, and put the "moo" into the "Moo'na Lisa" burger... Jack cheese, bacon slices, battered sliced jalapenos, and an egg, fried medium, topping off the burger! I have no idea what inspired the creator of this one-of-a-kind burger, Lisa H., but the lady has genius, and will go down in history with the likes of Shakespeare, Beethoven and Monet for pure genius. All ingredients blended together for a burger, the likes of, I'd never enjoyed before, and made today's lunch a BURGER SENSATION! The "Moo'na Lisa" burger is the "stuff" burger legends are made of, and should make any burger connoisseur swoon. By the way... I chose "Beer Battered Fries" as my side dish. The menu lists the fries as a "side dish," but it seemed more like a small mountain of beer battered fries. I picked one of them up, hot and juicy from the kitchen, dipped it into a cup of house-created "Ranch Dressing," bit into it and nearly "flatlined!" I have NEVER enjoyed such an amazing side of fries during my 70 years of enjoying burgers and fries! The fries were on the large side, very similar in size and texture to steak fries, which I love, as there are few things better in life then biting into a large fry. Each large fry was lightly coated in beer batter, and fried just right to a beautiful golden brown. When I bit into each fry, I noted they were light and airy, and thanks to the light coating of crispy batter, I was rewarded with a "CRUNCH" with each bite. Oh my!! I've NEVER enjoyed fries like these before! These may be the best fries that I've ever eaten! My friendly hostess Nina mentioned the "Beer Battered Fries" are an "excellent choice" but she said the "Onion Rings" are the most popular. All I can say is that the "Onion Rings" are on my "to-do" list... The combination of the "Moo'na Lisa" burger and the "Beer Battered Fries" make for one of the best lunches that I could ever dream of savoring in Rocklin, and maybe all of Placer County. Between the burger, and the small "mountain" of fries, you'll leave the restaurant happy, contented and full.
Photo: Moo Moo's "Moo'na Lisa" burger was the centerpiece of my amazing lunch! This burger is unique, and if you're a "foodie," and a lover of fine burgers, you owe it to yourself to check out this burger.
Photo: I cut my "Moo'na Lisa" burger in half, so I could look at, and admire, all the layers of burger "goodness" in this unique burger. If you look really closely, you can see the battered jalapeno slices, along with the egg, which help to make the "moo'na Lisa" a truly premium burger. It's hard to believe it's been SIX YEARS to my last visit to Moo Moo's, but time flies when you're a "foodie" and a lover of great burgers. But I'm thinking ... how many burgers have I eaten in the past six years? Whatever the case, when you're in the mood for one of the best burgers on the planet, lovingly prepared to order, and perhaps the best fries EVER, look to Moo Moo's Burger Barn, located in Rocklin, CA. Let's go back to Tuesday, February 02, 2016 and to my first visit to Moo Moo's... Finding a great burger is like finding a good woman, as women and burgers are everywhere. Like finding the perfect wife, finding a great burger isn't the easiest thing to do, and you have to sample a lot of hamburgers before you find the one that suits your taste. Like women, burgers come in al shapes, sizes and varieties, and when you find the perfect burger, you know you've truly achieved the dream of a lifetime. Today, Tuesday, February 02, 2016, I just may have found the perfect burger when I stopped into Moo Moo's Burger Barn in Rocklin.
Photo: Moo Moo's Burger Barn is the only Placer County link in the chain of four restaurants, with the other three outlets located to the south of us, in San Joaquin County. Moo Moo's is located in beautiful Rocklin, in the Stanford Ranch Plaza, which offers plenty of convenient parking, and as the photo shows. beautiful landscaping. You can dine outdoors if you prefer, but on this rainy, late Tuesday morning, dining outside wasn't an option.
Photo: Unlike many restaurants that specialize in burgers, Moo Moo's is actually a sit-down restaurant, and as you enter the door, you're greeted with a friendly "Please Wait to be Seated" sign. The restaurant is arranged in an "L-shape," centered around the kitchen, which can be seen in the photo. Centered around the kitchen are counters, with bar stools, which is a feature that I absolutely love. The dining room is clean, comfortable, inviting, and is a great place to enjoy what is, perhaps, Rocklin's best burger.
Photo: I chose to sit at the counter, nearest to the cash register, so I could get a good view of what was going on in the restaurant. The "L-shape" configuration of Moo Moo's divides the dining room into two sections. From my seat at the counter, I'm looking into the main dining room, where my gracious hostess, Nina, is serving customers.
Photo: Meet Nina, my friendly and charming server. After introducing myself, and telling her my mission - to eat a great burger, take photos, and post a write-up on this web site - she came over to me, and showed me the orders she was bringing to a couple of other customers, and asked if I was interested in a photo. You bet I was interested! Such a charming young lady! She's holding a Reuben sandwich and fries, and a "Farm House" breakfast; yes, Moo Moo's serves breakfast until 11:30. Burgers are available anytime the restaurant is open, so if you're in the "moo-d" for one of their 20+ varieties of burgers at 07:30 in the morning, you're in business!
Photo: Friendly Nina delivers my fantastic, "old school" burger with a smile. More on the burger in the next couple of photos... I arrived a little after 10 in the morning - before the lunch crowd - to a lightly-seated restaurant, which is the way I like it, when I plan to take photos and post a write-up. No, I'm not anti-social, but photo-taking activities sometimes annoy other customers, and I don't want my passion to interfere with anybody else's experience, nor to I want to hinder the staff going about their business. Describing Nina as friendly is an understatement, as she is blessed with a very charming, outgoing personality, and a smile that radiates warmth, and it's very apparent that she truly loves her job. How refreshing! She is efficient, friendly, talkative, but she isn't just another pretty face, as she's an outstanding server, who makes you feel welcome. As she was performing her duties, she and I chatted about Moo Moo's, other restaurants, and food in general. Like me, she's a "foodie," and she told me that she's sampled everything on Moo Moo's menu, and it's all good. I believe her!
Photo: On my request, Nina took my photo, as I'm ready to enjoy a delicious burger and fries. I was driving, so a beer was out of the question, anyway it was too early for a beer, and I wasn't in the mood for a soft drink, so upon Nina's suggestion, she brought a glass of water, complete with shaved ice and lemon slices. That's service! As an aside, the "stock" burger is cooked medium, and is garnished with "Moo Sauce," which is similar to Thousand Island dressing. (I knew that, as I'd surfed their web site before visiting this fantastic restaurant.) I found it heartwarming as I ordered my burger that Nina told me about the "Moo Sauce," and that if I wanted I could have it omitted, or served on the side, and that you could have your meat cooked any way you wanted. Since this was my first visit to Moo Moo's, I wanted my burger "stock."
Photo: Since today was my first visit to Moo Moo's Burger Barn, I decided to order their "signature" burger, and regular fries, so I could start with the basics, in order to post a review on the restaurant. This is the "Classic Moo," which is the lead burger on their burger menu. The menu describes the classic as, "On a sesame seed bun with "Moo Sauce," lettuce, tomato and red onions." Gee, what an understatement in describing such a wonderful burger! Allow me to elaborate... First, "Moo Sauce" is nearly identical to Thousand Island dressing, which makes this an "old school" burger. If you're not a fan of "Moo Sauce," you can have it omitted, or served on the side, and dress your burger with ketchup, mustard, or Tabasco sauce, which inhabit the counter everywhere, in plastic squeeze bottles. You have a fresh, sesame seed bun, stuffed with a third-pound, perfectly-cooked beef patty, along with fresh lettuce, tomato and onion. The burger is garnished with "Moo Sauce," and - surprise! - includes a fresh dill pickle slice. You can order your burger a-la-carte, or you can choose sides, including "regular" fries - which I chose today - beer battered fries, onion rings, sweet potato fries, coleslaw or a house garden salad. Moo Moo's Burger Barn specializes in burgers, and their menu features over 20 versions of burgers - including a vegetarian burger - along with many add on-s, but if you're not in the "moo-d" for a burger, there are an nearly endless variety of salads, sandwiches, hot dogs to choose from. Fish and chips too! The restaurant opens at 07:30 in the morning, and offers breakfast and burgers until 11:30, but burgers are served anytime the restaurant is open.
Photo: Burger perfection is personified in this close-up photo of my "Classic Moo." The burger was perfectly cooked, and is probably the best burger that I've eaten in Western Placer County. The fries were salted with sea salt, which absolutely sends me to Heaven! This is truly a memorable burger and fries meal, and at only $8.30, it was an absolute bargain. Now that you've read this article, you know that I'm simply amazed at Moo Moo's Burger Barn! Since I'm always in the mood, or perhaps I should say "moo-d..." for a great burger, and after today's visit to Moo Moo's Burger Barn, I believe that I have found my new favorite burger restaurant in Western Placer County. Check them out, and I know you'll agree that a superior burger is found at Moo Moo's. Moo Moo's Burger Barn Copyright(c) 2022 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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