Checked it out for lunch this afternoon.
1) Prices are high. Original Burger + basic thin fries + ginger beer was $18.
2) Portions are small / reasonable. I would call the burger a light lunch, like the portion size I should be eating.
3) Original burger is pretty good. The bun is a very light brioche kind of thing, the umami toppings add quite a bit without overwhelming. The meat itself is the weak point. The burger is simply on the smaller side (not thick), and the sample I had was truly rare (dark red). At that level of rare, the fat hasn't melted and the taste isn't there.
4) Service was aggressively friendly. When they asked about my meal I showed them the burger (which I had ordered "default", no statement as to done-ness). After a few defensive statements, then offering a new burger (which I declined because two would be too much) the manager-type said "thanks for letting us now" and came back a few minutes later to let me know she comped my burger.
5) It's fair to compare this burger to In-n-out. INO has a certain single taste in the primary burger, and you're a fool to mess with that too much. INO also has a smaller burger. Umami also has a particular taste, and although they have more variants, sticking closer to the original seems safe.
Compared to the local food scene, the burgers are superior to Slider Bar, but I'll still give the nod to Palo Alto Creamery ($10 w/fries). The Mayfield burger is only $3 more, and far more substantial. Another sample - properly cooked - might change my mind, but the price tag is staggering enough to keep me away as a regular.
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