Nation's Giant Hamburgers & Great Pies

Nation's is a small regional chain with outposts in downtown oakland (broadway), El Cerrito (san pablo), and recently Berkeley (University). The food has gotten better recently, but it's a simple burger joint of uneven quality, and a far step up from Giant Burgers or Kwik Way. All of these places make you yearn for the quality control, fast service, low prices, and wide menu of a McDonald's or Jack in the Box. Which is kind of scary, but at 3am, a nice homey touch is a fine thing. Your other option around that time is Nikko's, which is right across the 23rd street bridge, and open 24 hours. more

Nations is one of the only two places in Alameda open after 10, the other being La Pinata. Both are opened until 3 am. This is especially useful when you and your friends find yourselves getting hungry while hanging out late during the weekend. When it's too late to be cooking (or if your kitchen is pretty bare), and out of the island is too far to drive, Nation's large, juicy burgers are appetite satisfying. They also have a breakfast menu (served all day), and PIES! I highly recommend their banana cream pie. You can walk in and order, which sometimes you'll have to wait for a while. But when it's late and you don't have much other options, well, you have to wait. You can also call in your order. Nation's has comfortable booths to sit in and eat at, or you can take out. Their burgers are large and will fill you up, probably before you finish the last bite. Their milkshakes are rich and thick, and their pies are amazing. more