Cuisines: Burgers, American, Take Out, Hot Dogs, Fast Food
Price Range: Below Average
A local teen started a hamburger joint called The Habit --- now with numerous locations --- and it became a Santa Barbara institution. Smoke from the charbroiler beckons the lunch crowd, from high school kids to blue collar workers and the suit-and-tie set. Though burgers, tasty and basic, known as charburgers because they are cooked over an open flame, are the Habit's claim to fame, healthier alternatives such as a veggie burger, fish sandwiches (made with hand-cut and filleted tuna steaks) and crisp salads are available as well. The simple menu sticks to a time-honored formula that regulars have come to know and love since 1969. Desserts are limited to traditional burger stand offerings: shakes, malts, ice cream cones and sundaes. There are three locations in Santa Barbara, plus one in Goleta.