Long before today’s Palo Alto High School students walked the campus, a restaurant nestled inside of Town and Country became a staple for students and families in the Palo Alto and Stanford communities. Last month, Kirks Steak Burgers officially moved locations away from Paly, now open in Midtown replacing Mike’s Diner.
According to owner and Paly alumni Maurice Carruba, the move was motivated by the larger size and accessible location that the new location holds.
“Our motivation [to move] was to move into a larger space that not only is right down the street,” Carruba said. “But that also allows us the space to accommodate all of our Kirks customers in a more comfortable setting and really immerse ourselves in the residential community. This particular area [Midtown Palo Alto] is one of the most densely populated areas, but there’s not a lot of food choices, and we’re still close to all of our regulars just being down the street from Paly, it’s another option for students to have.”
Additionally, Carruba mentioned that they plan on continuing and expanding their special discounts for Paly students.
“We’re working on some promotions for Palo Alto High School kids,” Carruba said. “So we’re going to be working on discounts. Show your ID, and you’ll receive, you know, 10% or 15%, we’re still working out the numbers. We might even do some rewards cards as well.”
According to Carruba, the motivation to take the lead of the Kirk’s brand about one year ago comes from his childhood roots in Palo Alto.
“Kirk’s brand was going to close,” Carruba said. “So we [Carruba and his team] decided that with me being a guy that’s been going to Kirk since I was a little kid, we figured that at least with the Campbell location, that we would keep the brand alive. The opportunity then came for Palo Alto, so we made that happen.”
Carruba told us that he plans on building on what Kirk’s has had going over the years, focusing on adding rather than replacing. Fan-favorite items like onion rings, fries, and milkshakes aren’t going anywhere.
“Kirk’s has been around since the 40s,” Carruba said. “They have a great burger recipe. What we do is kind of continue the tradition, but add a few things.
As a part of their move, the Kirks team of chefs have worked towards menu expansion featuring appetizers, New York-Style Pizza, rice bowls (including a size for dogs), and multiple fried chicken items.
“Our pickle fries are great,” Carruba said. “The chicken wings here are phenomenal. The pizza by the slice is great. I think there’s so many good things.”
Beyond the menu, the larger interior of the new location builds off of what the old location held with its sports culture. With local sports memorabilia covering the walls and multiple televisions running the games, Carruba wants to retain and strengthen the Bay Area sports ties Kirks has. He also wishes to add Paly merchandise to further connect with the students.
Carruba says that he hopes the branch can expand beyond the Midtown and Campbell locations, eventually giving many other parts of the bay a chance to try Kirk’s Burgers. Rather than just a place to eat, he envisions Kirk’s becoming a community spot.
“The whole thing with this brand is just a community place,” Carruba said. “It’s [Kirk’s] a great place to come meet after school, catch a game, grab a piece of pizza or burger and study with friends. There’s a little bit of something for everyone while we’re not a bar, we’re just a community hub. Our goal is going to be to continue to open Kirk’s locations in really nice communities to kind of share the tradition”
