The Burger House, 171 W. 2nd St. (at Thomas), Pomona; closed Sundays.

Burger House is the latest occupant of the onetime 2nd Street Bistro space in Pomona’s downtown Arts Colony, opening in late 2012. The interior is much the same as before, with wood flooring, exposed brick and a pressed tin ceiling. They’ve gone gourmet burgers with more than 40-plus beers and a few hand-crafted milkshakes. I had lunch there in January with a friend.

He had the Bistro Burger ($9), the standard burger; I had the Caprese Burger ($11), with mozzarella, mixed greens and tomatoes. Both very good, and accompanied by fresh-cut fries, good and crispy. I also got a Reese’s milkshake ($5), very chocolate-y.

Service was accommodating, and with the sun pouring in through the storefront windows, it was a pleasant experience. The menu is almost all burgers and sandwiches, with a few salads and starters.

It’s not Eureka or Back Abbey, with their exacting standards, but even with a somewhat slapdash feel, Burger House was better than expected. “I like this better than the Rookery,” my friend confided concerning the similar burgers-and-beer spot a block to the east.

* Update, February 2014: Friends and I ate here for dinner before a concert. The place was packed. They got a turkey burger and wings, I had a pulled pork sandwich. The wings were good, the burger okay, the pulled pork over-sauced and disappointing. Also, I saw a soft-serve ice cream machine in the kitchen, meaning the shakes they’re so proud of aren’t hand-scooped. In another demerit, the menus (these are not the menus I saw at lunchtime) were riddled with typos, the worst, but funniest, being a “pare and bree” salad, which does not inspire confidence. So, be wary of anything that’s not a burger (or wings).