4505 Burgers and BBQ Takes on the East Bay with Retro Oakland Spot

Following the success of his Divisadero restaurant, 4505 Burgers and BBQ, chef/owner Ryan Farr is taking his bestselling burgers across the bay to Oakland. The second location of the same name will take over an old school hot dog spot, Glenn’s Hot Dogs (3506 MacArthur Blvd), in the Laurel District, after the couple who owned it decided to retire.

The neighborhood has recently seen a slight uptick in restaurants, with the popularity of Sequoia Diner (a breakfast and brunch spot run by Camino and Duendo alums) and impending addition of a brewery. However, Farr says his goal is not to change the neighborhood, or even the restaurant itself, but to add to the community through the addition of barbecue.

As he told the Chron, “All we’re doing is adding the barbecue — they’ve been doing hot dogs and burgers here forever.” Farr will “open up the interior” a bit, and add some outdoor seating, but otherwise plans to preserve the old school architecture and vibe, which includes wood paneling and counter facing the grill. The menu will be the same as the Divisadero location, including a cooker for whole-hog barbecue out back.

The announcement of a second location also marks Farr’s decision to cease whole animal butchery at his restaurants, as well as the withdrawal of 4505 Meats from the Ferry Building Marketplace, after seven years of serving its famed burgers and dogs to throngs of market-goers. While the high cost of breaking down and selling whole animals was a consideration, Farr says the main reason is to streamline from seven various divisions (which at one time included a Mission butcher shop, commissary, and catering business, which shut down in 2015). That allows the focus to shift to the restaurant(s) and chicharrones retail business, where Farr says the goal is still to “bring high quality meat to a greater population” by utilizing whole animals from other sources.

Stay tuned for more details on when 4505 will hit the East Bay.

• Ryan Farr’s 4505 Meats Goes Old School in Oakland [SF Chronicle]
• All Coverage of 4505 Meats [ESF]