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About this blog: I am a perpetually hungry twenty-something journalist, born and raised in Menlo Park and currently working at the Palo Alto Weekly as education and youth staff writer. I graduated from USC with a major in Spanish and a minor in jo... (More)

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Workshop Burger in Palo Alto looks to be shuttered

Uploaded: Jan 15, 2014

With old newspaper pages covering the windows, its phone number disconnected and website no longer operating, it seems like The Workshop Burger Bar & Grill in downtown Palo Alto has shut down.

Owners could not be reached for comment.

Workshop Burgers opened at 233 University Ave. in February 2011. The Palo Alto burger biz is a crowded one with SliderBar Café, Kirk's Steakburgers, The Counter and newcomers Umami Burger and Gott's Roadside.

A second location in Mountain View closed last year after less than two years of business. The Castro Street space is currently being transformed into the second location of Palo Alto-based Oren's Hummus Shop.

Anyone know what might have happened to the Palo Alto location?

Comments

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Posted by Haley, a resident of Downtown North,
on Jan 15, 2014 at 1:29 pm

This place has YOUNG inexperienced staff with so much turnover--it doesn't seem like a great place to work. Food is totally mediocre (or just plain bad) and the competition is stiff. I bet it's gone for good!

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Posted by Jay Park, a resident of Jackson Park,
on Jan 15, 2014 at 2:28 pm

The problem wasn't that the staff was so young: the problem was that THERE WAS NO MANAGER ON THE FLOOR TO TRAIN AND SUPERVISE THESE YOUNGSTERS. In that regard, McDonald's does a *superb* job in training new employees.

I tried both stores, the issue was the same and I'm not surprised that they went out of business. Once, I asked the bartender at the Palo Alto shop to change the TV to the Giants game (had gone to extra innings) and the kid couldn't operate the satellite receiver.

The Workshop burgers themselves were no better than Clarke's or Kirk's, but at least the service that those two spots is decent.

As to the Palo Alto location, I have heard vague rumors of the now-shuttered Rudy's Pub taking over the spot, but I have no idea if that's mere speculation, wishful thinking, or based on someone with a more serious knowledge of the situation.

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Posted by Anon, a resident of Mountain View,
on Dec 1, 2015 at 11:56 am

Used to work here. Hardly ever any management. Always new employees because people are constantly quitting. They took tips in the back and redistributed them to a mere few dollars. Would always take a few hours off every paycheck. Always serving old/expired food to penny pinch. Sometimes would drop food on floor and still serve to save more money. No heat lamps to keep the food at appropriate temperature. Hardly ever kept up with inventory for food, drinks, or general maintenance mainly to save money. Overall the worst place to work in.

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Workshop Burger in Palo Alto looks to be shuttered

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