From left, OG Thicc burger from Thicc Burger, Colossal burger from Hawkins House of Burgers, “Holla-Peño” burger from Thicc Burger
These are the most iconic burgers in L.A.
What is the burger without Los Angeles? Along the historic Route 66 highway in Pasadena in 1924, 16-year-old Lionel Sternberger reportedly was the first to melt cheese on a burger patty at Rite Spot, his father’s sandwich stand where the teen worked as a short-order cook.
A little over a decade later in 1936, Bob Wian opened Bob’s Pantry in Glendale, where he created the “double-deck hamburger” with two beef patties and a middle bun in between. Renamed Bob’s Big Boy, Wian’s carhop drive-in opened a second, still-standing location in Burbank in 1938.
Rumored to have been inspired by Wian’s success, the first McDonald’s opened on Route 66 in San Bernardino in 1940.
One man’s opinion on the best (and worst) fast-food burger chains.
On the south side of town, James Henry Hawkins arrived in Watts from Arkansas and opened his eponymous Hawkins food stand in 1939. The joint quickly became known for its juicy, satiating burgers, and today Hawkins House of Burgers is run by Cynthia Hawkins, one of Hawkins’ 14 children.
In Jefferson Park, Lovie Yancey and her then-husband opened the first Fatburger in 1947, originally called Mr. Fatburger. When they divorced in 1952, she kept the burger stand and dropped the “Mr.,” popularizing burgers that could be customized with additional patties and ingredients.
And of course, one of the most recognizable names in L.A.’s burger history: In-N-Out opened its first drive-thru in Baldwin Park in 1948.
These restaurants are so defining of what it means to eat and live in Southern California — that they’ve earned a place of honor for all time.
“I grew up eating Fatburger, Master Burger, Best Burger — any little joint with a big, thick burger,” said Jay Wolfe, who opened Thicc Burger in the Original Farmers Market this September. “It’s super nostalgic for me and knowing the role that Black women have played in the history of Fatburger and Hawkins, I just want to keep that legacy going.”
Dennis Laray, left, and Gil Hoper bite into their hamburgers at Heavy Handed, a burger spot on Main St. in Santa Monica.
(Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Route 66 has since expanded into indomitable freeways, but the burger maintains its hold over Southern California, and arguably, the world. Today’s burgers take inspiration from this history and incorporate all the international flavors and diasporic flair that defines L.A’s eating.
In addition to bulky behemoths that tower with ingredients like bacon, chili, pastrami and more, smashburgers with thin griddled patties now dominate the scene, including Oklahoma-style renditions with thin-sliced onions that are seared into the burger and cooked in its juices. You’ll find fancy gourmet versions at some of L.A.’s best restaurants as well as worthy vegetarian contenders, often with house-made patties.
Some of the most noteworthy burgers require planning ahead, including a couple that are only offered on happy hour menus or one day a week. From South L.A. to Venice, West Hollywood, Koreatown, San Gabriel Valley and Orange County, here are 33 of our favorite burgers in Southern California. — Danielle Dorsey
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Steakburger at The Apple Pan
Cheviot Hills American $
Opened in 1947, the counter-service diner on West Pico Boulevard remains largely unchanged today. After 70 years as a family operation, Hollywood power couple Irving and Shelli Azoff bought the Apple Pan in 2019, and promised to keep everything intact when they purchased it from Sunny Sherman and her mother, Martha Gamble, including the longtime staff.
On the small menu that’s packed with long-held family recipes, find two of the best burgers in the city. The steakburger traces its roots to a 1927 recipe and still features the same lightly toasted white bun, thick beef patty, chunky wedge of lettuce, pickles, mayo and a slather of house-made sauce that combines ketchup and relish. The hickory burger dates back to 1945 and has many of the same ingredients, with a slightly thinner patty and a tangier house sauce. Order either with a slice of Tillamook cheddar for an additional $1 and ask them to add raw or fried onions. Don’t forget to order a slice of old-fashioned pie, like fresh apple or coconut cream piped with pure whipped cream.
On the small menu that’s packed with long-held family recipes, find two of the best burgers in the city. The steakburger traces its roots to a 1927 recipe and still features the same lightly toasted white bun, thick beef patty, chunky wedge of lettuce, pickles, mayo and a slather of house-made sauce that combines ketchup and relish. The hickory burger dates back to 1945 and has many of the same ingredients, with a slightly thinner patty and a tangier house sauce. Order either with a slice of Tillamook cheddar for an additional $1 and ask them to add raw or fried onions. Don’t forget to order a slice of old-fashioned pie, like fresh apple or coconut cream piped with pure whipped cream.
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Cheeseburger at Burger by Standing's
West Hollywood Burgers $
A worthy burger. If you want to be sure that yours is made with sustainably sourced beef, head to Standing’s Butchery near the corner of Melrose and La Brea for its Sunday-only cheeseburger. The butchers at Standing’s grind meat from pasture-raised, entirely grass-fed cows into a higher-fat blend (up to 30% fat) for its weekly beef-and-cheese sandwiches. Order inside the shop, then walk around to the parking lot out back where the burger action takes place. Patties are salted and griddled for a crusty sear, but these aren’t smashburgers: They don’t feature the required smash thinness (but aren’t particularly thick either), with no lacy edges. These are solid cheeseburgers with classic condiments on potato buns. Make sure to get those buns toasted.
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Vegan cheeseburger at Burgerlords
Chinatown Burgers $
Brothers Frederick and Maximilian Guerrero co-founded Burgerlords with Kevin Hockin in 2015, creating an impressive lineup of burgers that have become a community staple. As vegetarians, the Guerreros spent years perfecting their delicious vegan patties. Burgerlords has two house-made vegan patty options on its menu. The original veggie patty, composed of eggplant, mushrooms, chickpeas, barley and cashews, is an earthier, crumbly take on a veggie burger. The soy-based “beefy” patty is for those who prefer a tender, meat-like texture. Both come on a lightly toasted, spongy bun with iceberg lettuce, juicy red tomatoes, bright onions and pickles. Paired with Burgerlords’ delicious shoestring fries and silky tahini dairy-free shakes, it’s the perfect meal.
After going completely vegan in 2020, in January 2023, Burgerlords shifted to a hybrid menu, serving both premium grade beef and hearty veggie patties. Burgerlords has a second location in Highland Park.
After going completely vegan in 2020, in January 2023, Burgerlords shifted to a hybrid menu, serving both premium grade beef and hearty veggie patties. Burgerlords has a second location in Highland Park.
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Oklahoma burger at Burger She Wrote
Hancock Park Burgers $
The smashburgers at Burger She Wrote mean business. Wagyu patties are pressed to perfection, lacy edges fanning out past the plump King’s Hawaiian buns, American cheese melty on top. Each bite is meaty, nostalgic and a lesson in simplicity. The no-frills burger shop comes to us by way of pro skater Don Nguyen, restaurateur Steven Arroyo of Escuela Taqueria and L&E Oyster Bar vet chef Jules Crespy, who offer scant items beyond the single or double smashburger.
The burgers can be ordered classic with ketchup, raw onions, yellow mustard, mayo and pickles, or Oklahoma style in ode to Nguyen’s home state, piled with a small mountain of wispy grilled onions. Those who do want to venture beyond the pared-down classics can drop by on weekends for a rotation of specials such as western-style burgers, Swiss-and-mushroom varieties or a Cuban-inspired sandwich. Order with sides of twice-cooked hand-cut fries or fried-to-golden onion rings for best results.
The burgers can be ordered classic with ketchup, raw onions, yellow mustard, mayo and pickles, or Oklahoma style in ode to Nguyen’s home state, piled with a small mountain of wispy grilled onions. Those who do want to venture beyond the pared-down classics can drop by on weekends for a rotation of specials such as western-style burgers, Swiss-and-mushroom varieties or a Cuban-inspired sandwich. Order with sides of twice-cooked hand-cut fries or fried-to-golden onion rings for best results.
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Patty melt at Cassell's
Koreatown American $$
One bite of a Cassell’s patty melt and it’s hard to tell if you’re in the retro-inspired Koreatown restaurant or a rural diner anywhere in America, the year indistinguishable. A thing of simplicity nailed to perfection, this is a timeless burger. Then again, Cassell’s has been at this for a long time. The continuation of Al Cassell’s 1948-founded lunch counter bookends its thick, ⅓-pound patty that’s ground daily in-house with lightly toasted, golden slices of fragrant rye bread. Swiss cheese angles out from the edges, crisped along the sides but remaining gooey in the middle. Soft griddled onions and juices drip out with nearly every bite, and ditto the mustard-tinged mayo when smeared thick on the rye.
Cassell’s serves a lineup of classic burgers in addition to more modern options — such as breakfast burgers and a house-made vegan patty that blends farro with mushroom, zucchini, red onion, miso and flax — but for patty-melt purists, this is the ultimate order. It’s a burger that’s traditional and homey, the illusion of the anywhere-diner aided by Cassell’s glass pie shelves and neon-cursive signage. Finish with a Fosselman’s shake or some pie a la mode to complete the nostalgia trip.
Cassell’s serves a lineup of classic burgers in addition to more modern options — such as breakfast burgers and a house-made vegan patty that blends farro with mushroom, zucchini, red onion, miso and flax — but for patty-melt purists, this is the ultimate order. It’s a burger that’s traditional and homey, the illusion of the anywhere-diner aided by Cassell’s glass pie shelves and neon-cursive signage. Finish with a Fosselman’s shake or some pie a la mode to complete the nostalgia trip.
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Sooner Smash at Chi Spacca
West Hollywood Burgers $$
A burger first popped up in the otherwise-Italian repertoire of Nancy Silverton’s corner of restaurants as a takeout option late in 2020. Last year you’d likely see the woman herself working on the line for the lunchtime burger events that Chi Spacca held the first Saturday of every month. Its popularity has led to a regular happening: Burgers (and variations on Silverton’s famous grilled cheese) are available on Mondays and Tuesdays for customers seated at Chi Spacca’s chef’s counter. Among several options, all of them honestly first-rate and assembled with detail, start by trying the opulent take on a smashburger fashioned from dry-aged beef.
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Burger Americaine at Coucou
Venice French $$
New Venice bistro Coucou regularly walks the line between French and Californian cuisine, so when it came to building the restaurant’s burger, chef Jacob Wetherington wanted something that “speaks both languages.” What he designed is the playful Burger Americaine, a hearty take on classic flavor profiles from both cultures, piling rich ingredients such as cognac “everything sauce” and caramelized onions onto a grass-fed burger that’s all brightened with a tangle of frisée and a spearing of cornichons. The beefy Wagyu is the star here, intended to recall comforting and classic bistro flavors not unlike steak frites. The special sauce, too, is meant to riff on more traditional bistro fare, blending cognac into crème fraîche and aioli with cornichons, onions and ketchup for a gussied-up variant of classic Thousand Island. For extra decadence, add Coucou’s house-made cheese fondue, served dripping over the patty: The Emmental-style, California-made cheese gets cut with Dijon and spice and gives off a rich, velvety liquid texture.
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Dudley burger at Dudley Market
Venice Seafood $$
At Venice’s buzzy seafood and natural wine den that’s known for its rotating selection of fresh-caught fish, a burger is one of the most popular items. Visit for dinner and you’ll see servers zigzagging through the dim dining room, burgers on floral plates balanced on both arms. At least one goes out to every table.
You’ll need the steak knife that’s stabbed through the top. Use it to saw through the buttery brioche bun and seasoned, medium-rare Wagyu patty, exposing its juicy center and oozing jam that blends bacon, caramelized onion and melted cheddar. You’ll notice tendrils of arugula poking out of the bun, offering a peppery sharpness to contrast its utter decadence. The burger is big enough to share, but I tackled it solo, washing each bite down with a zippy orange wine. After, when you’re too full to move, order another glass to aid digestion and enjoy the classic hip-hop spinning on the record player.
You’ll need the steak knife that’s stabbed through the top. Use it to saw through the buttery brioche bun and seasoned, medium-rare Wagyu patty, exposing its juicy center and oozing jam that blends bacon, caramelized onion and melted cheddar. You’ll notice tendrils of arugula poking out of the bun, offering a peppery sharpness to contrast its utter decadence. The burger is big enough to share, but I tackled it solo, washing each bite down with a zippy orange wine. After, when you’re too full to move, order another glass to aid digestion and enjoy the classic hip-hop spinning on the record player.
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Single burger at Everson Royce Bar
Downtown L.A. Bar Bites $$
Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity. Thoreau was probably not talking about the burger at Everson Royce Bar, having preceded it by a couple of centuries, but there’s a small part of me that likes to believe he would have appreciated it.
Because the burger here is simple. And it is good. No bells or whistles. Well, maybe a whistle or two. There’s a properly seasoned meat patty. A smear of mustardy-mayo on a brioche bun. And a little bit of cheddar. And that’s it. I love a burger that resembles a small salad as much as anyone (See: the iceberg-heavy Apple Pan or In-N-Out) but sometimes minimalism is the way to go. At Everson Royce Bar, you get the essence of a burger: meat, grease and salt, with very little else getting in the way. It’s a good deal at $14 during happy hour, when you’ll also get a basket of good, if slightly stubby, French fries.
Because the burger here is simple. And it is good. No bells or whistles. Well, maybe a whistle or two. There’s a properly seasoned meat patty. A smear of mustardy-mayo on a brioche bun. And a little bit of cheddar. And that’s it. I love a burger that resembles a small salad as much as anyone (See: the iceberg-heavy Apple Pan or In-N-Out) but sometimes minimalism is the way to go. At Everson Royce Bar, you get the essence of a burger: meat, grease and salt, with very little else getting in the way. It’s a good deal at $14 during happy hour, when you’ll also get a basket of good, if slightly stubby, French fries.
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The Office burger® at Father's Office
Mid-City New American $$
You cannot have a discussion about burgers in Los Angeles without recognizing the importance of the Office burger at Sang Yoon’s decades-old gastropub in Santa Monica. It is the burger that broke all the conventional burger rules, swapping the pedestrian Heinz ketchup for a caramelized onion and dry-cured bacon compote, tossing aside a brioche or potato bun for a split French roll brushed with garlic butter, and sneaking in both Gruyère and Maytag blue to the party. There’s fresh arugula instead of iceberg. And if you ask for a substitution you’ll likely get an eye roll and a firm no. It’s a great burger at any of the Father’s Office locations around town, but I think it tastes even better from a bar stool at the original watering hole in Santa Monica.
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Double cheeseburger at For the Win
Hollywood Hills Burgers $
At the small local chain that Santos Uy founded during the summer of 2020, the smashburgers come griddled with onions and pressed so thin the textures become fine and lacy. A single patty doesn’t feel like quite enough, a triple feels like overkill … but the double is just right. Among its layers, American cheese and tangy fry sauce meld into oneness. Sometimes I ask for thin, crackling bacon strips as an addition, though their presence never feels critical. Among the growing locations, I’m partial to the original housed in a corner space of a Hollywood Hills strip mall; the burgers there always score as the finest examples of the For the Win template.
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Bar burger at Goldburger
Highland Park Burgers $
Burger aficionado and chef Allen Yelent knows his way around a smashburger, but his antithesis to the format might just be his best. At Goldburger, his pop-up turned walk-up window in Highland Park and Los Feliz, he sears a handful of grass-fed beef patty options with crisped, lacy edges — some simply smashed with cheese, others topped with ribbons of pastrami in an ode to L.A.’s love of the iconic pastrami burger — though the thick Bar Burger is a house favorite and far and away the standout. The 6-ounce patty drips with savory juices that meld with the slick of lightly mustardy house sauce and two squares of American cheese, while two forms of onions — house-pickled on top, raw below — yield brightness and mellow bite, respectively. There’s texture and contrast as you cut through the pillowy brioche bun and into the layers of hot and cold, gooey and raw, and the thicker patty provides less focus on the sear for the unmistakable flavor of perfectly seasoned ground meat.
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Veggie burger at Gjusta
Venice American Bakery $$
The last decade has seen big changes in the burger business, as witnessed in the rise of non-meat options dominated by Impossible and Beyond Meat patties. But if I can confess something — and I’ll even lower my voice conspiratorially to say this: I don’t really like when fake meat tries too hard to emulate meat. Can’t a well-made veggie patty stand on its own?
Gjusta, a place I cannot help but love, despite myself, knows this to be true and fully embraces the non-Impossible vegetarian burger. And it does so very well. Made with ingredients like farro, garbanzos, carrots and mushrooms, it’s got a crisp-edged exterior and mealy — but not too mealy — interior that tastes of warm, earthy spices. Simply dressed with sprouts and pickled red onions on a sesame seed bun, this burger is better than the vast majority of meatless varieties I’ve tried.
Gjusta, a place I cannot help but love, despite myself, knows this to be true and fully embraces the non-Impossible vegetarian burger. And it does so very well. Made with ingredients like farro, garbanzos, carrots and mushrooms, it’s got a crisp-edged exterior and mealy — but not too mealy — interior that tastes of warm, earthy spices. Simply dressed with sprouts and pickled red onions on a sesame seed bun, this burger is better than the vast majority of meatless varieties I’ve tried.
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Colossal burger from Hawkins House of Burgers
Willowbrook Burgers $
Head to the heart of Watts to try the hulking Colossal burger from Hawkins House of Burgers that stacks a thick, never-frozen Angus beef patty, juicy ringlets of pastrami, melted cheese, red onions, lettuce, pickles and two thick slabs of tomato between two toasted buns. This is a burger that requires your full attention: Slide down the checkered wrapping paper to reveal a crescent just large enough to bite — unveil anymore and you’re at risk of toppings bursting forth, thus requiring the use of additional utensils. However you decide to consume it, it likely will require multiple meals and possibly sharing with others in order to finish. Once you do, you’ll understand why this family-owned burger stand has been a favorite for more than eight decades, even turning Gov. Gavin Newsom into a fan. If you’re up for an even bigger challenge, try tackling the Leaning Tower of Watts that features three half-pound patties, a hot link, pastrami, a fried egg, chili, bacon and all of the regular toppings, plus French fries and two medium drinks because this is not a meal you should confront alone. Hawkins isn’t all indulgence; it also serves turkey, chicken, fish and veggie burgers, in addition to Southern dishes like salmon croquettes and fried chicken and waffles.
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Double burger from Heavy Handed
Santa Monica American $
It’s the small details that set Danny Gordon and Max Miller’s smashburgers apart from the rest of the pack. The pandemic driveway pop-up turned Santa Monica bricks-and-mortar walk-up makes single, double and triple cheeseburgers. The double offers the optimal ratio of meat and cheese to bun. The short rib and chuck patties are griddled with caramelized edges. The onions are cooked down for two to three hours until they’re nice and jammy. And the Thousand Island-adjacent “heavy sauce” features dill pickles made just for the condiment. It’s the little things, and the chocolate-dipped soft serve cones for dessert.
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Dry-aged cheeseburger at Here's Looking at You
Koreatown Global $$
There is a case to be made for indulging in multiple late-night Koreatown dinners simply to eat your way through the impeccable happy hour menu at Here’s Looking at You. All four food items are exclusive to the hours of 8:30 to 10 p.m., including steak tartare with fried anchovies; a croque madame with house-smoked pork loin; an 8-ounce baseball steak with curly frites; and a dry-aged cheeseburger that is so imposing and majestic, a hush falls over the usually lively dining room every time it leaves the kitchen. The size of a closed fist, the beef patty teeters on a house sesame seed bun and is dressed with au poivre mayo, double cheese and fried onions. It’s juicy, flavorful and well-seasoned, like eating a steak in burger form. Order it with a side of curly fries or Dad’s onion dip, a briny mess of salmon roe and fried shallots served with chips. Don’t disregard the seasonal cocktail program with tongue-in-cheek concoctions like *Slams Laptop Shut* with pisco, chaparral, elderflower, blueberry and lemon, plus tiki-inspired specials.
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Famous smoked burger at Heritage Barbecue
San Juan Capistrano Barbecue $$
The first to use legal offset grills in California, Heritage Barbecue owner Daniel Castillo has forged a unique barbecue style that blends local Indigenous and Texas technique on brisket, tri-tip, pulled pork and other smoked meats. The lines at Heritage, which opened in San Juan Capistrano in 2020, hold steady throughout the day, with customers grabbing a seat on a picnic table and ordering a beer while they wait for their orders. While we won’t discourage you from stocking up on sauce-slicked meats by the pound, we’d also encourage you to try the famous smoked burger that appears as a weekend special on the San Juan Capistrano menu and is a mainstay at the newer Oceanside brewery. After taking a bite of Heritage Barbecue’s juicy burger, you may question if the pink inside the half-pound patty of prime beef brisket is too raw. It’s not. It’s just perfectly smoked. The famous smoked burger is no joke. Topped with American cheese, shaved onions, pickles and a special sauce, it melts in your mouth. Check the restaurant’s Instagram to make sure it’s on the menu the day you plan to visit.
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Cheeseburger at Houston's
Pasadena American $$$
Though the Houston’s burger has been served in Los Angeles since the mid-’90s, it remains a bit of a sleeper hit. The Pasadena restaurant with outposts in Irvine and across the country is one of the Hillstone Restaurant Group’s many American-leaning chains beloved for reliability and stellar service, and one of the most reliable items to be found is its cheeseburger — a nostalgic, piled-high variety that tastes like the better version of a backyard burger on a summer day. The house-ground chuck patty is juicy and serves as a sturdy base for layers of tart pickles, a heap of shredded iceberg and slices of tomatoes and onions, with a thin smear of both mayonnaise and a tangy barbecue-like sauce. The buns — baked on-site — are tall and light as air, an ideal texture for the amount of squish they require to fit the amply stacked burger into biteable form. The house-made veggie patty also is worth noting, its secret blend of beets, carrots, onions and grains glazed with soy and smothered with Jack cheese. If you’re closer to the Westside, the Hillstone Group’s other restaurants — including Santa Monica’s Hillstone and R+D Kitchen — also serve the fan-favorite cheeseburger.
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Beef burger at Hugo's
Valley Village American $$
Like the rest of Hugo’s menu, the burgers here accommodate dietary preferences from carnivore to vegan as well as restrictions due to major food allergies such as dairy, nuts and eggs. The beef burger is always flavorful, tender and juicy and the standard fixings, including a slice of cheese, romaine lettuce and a slice of tomato, are fresh and crisp. In addition to typical bread offerings, there are three gluten-free options: house-made rye (the best gf burger bread in town), flatbread and a tortilla. Don’t want bread? They’ll wrap it in lettuce or serve it naked. Up to three toppings — cheeses, bacon, vegetables and sauces — are included. The composed burger tends to leave me wondering how I can get all of the flavors and textures in a single bite and how I will eat it all, because fries or a salad (house or Caesar) also come with (or choose one of 20 other sides).
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Just a Well-Made Cheeseburger at Irv's Burgers
West Hollywood Burgers $
Once a must-visit burger stand off Route 66, Irv’s Burgers returned to West Hollywood in 2022 after a four-year hiatus, with a similar menu featuring burgers, hot dogs, a tuna melt, French fries, milkshakes and birthday cookies with rainbow sprinkles and vanilla frosting. I’m here for the off-menu Just a Well-Made Cheeseburger, which was first introduced alongside the film “The Menu” that plays on the satirical horror of certain bespoke fine-dining experiences and features a burger by the same name. Just like the movie, the burger includes two griddled patties (a blend of chuck, short rib and brisket), razon-thin onions, two slices of melted American cheese and pickles on a toasted sesame seed bun, drizzled with Irv’s special sauce and served with crinkle-cut fries. Living up to its name, Irv’s secret menu item manages to meet my nostalgic drive-thru craving while living up to the movie’s hype. It’s no wonder the brand has expanded to two more locations since opening on Santa Monica Boulevard last year, including an outpost on the corner of Olympic and La Brea and a brand-new spot in Malibu.
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The Lingua Franca burger at Lingua Franca
Elysian Valley New American $$
This is a burger that may leave you scratching your head but satisfied. It comes on a crisp and chewy English muffin, something chef Peter Lemos tasked pastry chef Kirstin Bliss to create specifically for the burger. It’s lightly toasted and slathered in a peppery mayonnaise. Lemos cooks the ground brisket and 80/20 beef blend patty like a steak, basting it in butter in a hot cast iron pan. Point Reyes Toma cheese forms a layer of melted goo on top of the meat. It’s finished with a black garlic sherry brown butter and an entire slice of burnt onion dusted with salt and vinegar powder. It’s a lot going on in one burger, and it works.
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Single at Love Hour
Koreatown Burgers $
Available at the Love Hour smashburger-and-drinks spot in Koreatown after dark from Wednesday to Saturday, these superior smashburgers also make an appearance on Sundays at Smorgasburg. I love a single smashburger for weekend breakfast, and the Love Hour stand at Smorg opens as soon as the outdoor food fest starts at 10 a.m. A recent single there was an achievement of perfect smashness: thin all the way across until the Maillard reaction during griddling renders the edges lacy and crisp, just meaty enough and not at all greasy. Choose your own toppings, including pickles, raw diced onions, house special sauce à la Thousand Island, ketchup and yellow mustard. Yes, given the opportunity I will pile a lot of pickles on my burger, even if this one is as delicious without them.
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Mole con hongos at Macheen (Distrito Catorce)
Boyle Heights Mexican $
Leave it to the mad minds at Macheen to smother a burger in house-made, 23-ingredient mole poblano. Chef-founder Jonathan Perez continues to serve wildly creative tacos and breakfast burritos out of his residency at Milpa Grille, but last year he expanded Macheen’s reach to another Boyle Heights locale: Bar Distrito Catorce, where he and his team serve a more gastropub-leaning menu that involves five or more burgers. Perez continues to riff on the global but Latin-forward flavors that solidified him as one of L.A.’s best taqueros, but here Macheen’s dinner-only burgers are destinations, with options like the French-inspired D14, which smothers its 5-ounce patty in rich, thick-cut-bacon beurre blanc, or the mole con hongos: a burger ode to the neighborhood and Macheen’s past huitlacoche tacos. Here mushrooms are garlic-sautéed and top a burger patty along with garlic aioli, chives, manchego, an optional runny egg, and a house-made mole of tomatillo, tomato, star anise, thyme, chile morita, pepitas, serrano and more, all thinned with house vegetable stock. These are messy, complex and creative burgers that will have you sopping up every drop of sauce no matter which version you choose.
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Smashburger at Mario's Butcher Shop
Newport Beach Butcher Shop Sandwich Shop $
When we first started going to Mario’s Butcher Shop, my husband, daughter and I couldn’t get enough of their sandwiches, particularly the mortadella, Italian and meatball subs. But when we heard about chef-owner Mario Llamas’ smashburger, I had to give it a try. I’m glad I did. Between the bun, you have a 4-ounce patty crafted with house-ground meat. The mayo, mustard, ketchup, American cheese, pickles and onions make for a mouth-watering combination. If you’re more inclined toward a thick patty, try the Butcher Burger, which is pricier but worth it. Make sure to pair your burger with fries cooked in beef tallow and cut just thick enough to taste the fluff in the potato.
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Ode to the Mos burger at Ototo
Echo Park Japanese $$
Ototo, the Echo Park bar run by Courtney Kaplan and Charles Namba, is arguably the best place to drink sake on the West Coast. The food menu mostly runs to dishes like eggplant tempura, soy-glazed fried chicken wings and okonomiyaki with rock shrimp. From 5 to 7 p.m. daily, though, Namba and his kitchen team assemble their Ode to the Mos Burger, an unruly, soul-satisfying chili cheeseburger finished with a thick slice of tomato and crowned with a domed sesame seed bun. It’s an ode to the Japanese fast food chain Mos Burger, which, in turn, was originally inspired by founder Atsushi Sakurada’s trips to the Original Tommy’s in Los Angeles in the 1960s. View the knife plunged through the burger’s center as an invitation: You’ll probably be tackling this brute with utensils rather than hands.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Big Mec at Petit Trois
Hollywood French $$$
A lot of ink has been spilled over Ludo Lefebvre’s double-stacked, fork-and-knife Big Mec since its debut in 2015, and with good reason: Years in, it remains one of L.A.’s most decadent burgers, a feat of saucy engineering by one of the city’s most celebrated French chefs who does an American double cheeseburger his way. More of a nod to Au Cheval’s burger than its namesake from the golden arches, the Big Mec smothers two coarsely ground, seared-but-pink patties in drippy American cheese and two sauces, sandwiched with a fluffy brioche bun that can barely contain the titanic, meaty mess. The signature bordelaise no longer contains foie gras but is still so dense and rich with flavor it’s nothing short of drinkable, and is so generously plated it creates a kind of moat around the meal. You’re soaking fries in it, dredging the burger through it, asking for a spoon to catch every last drop. The Big Mec also drips with Lefebvre’s riff on Thousand Island, which falls somewhere between the classic dressing and a garlic aioli, here studded with diced pickles to provide potent, clear pops of bright acidity that help cut through the dish’s heavier tendencies. Nearly a decade in — and available in both Sherman Oaks and Hollywood — and it’s still an unstoppable burger. Hail to the king.
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(Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)
Big Ben at Pie 'N Burger
Pasadena American $
Customers have been filling Pie ’n Burger’s counter seats and booths in Pasadena since 1963. Current owner Michael Osborn named his most famous creation — a double cheeseburger stacked with all the quintessential Southern California garnishes — after the restaurant’s founder, Benny Foote. American cheese oozing into molten squares, iceberg lettuce rolled like a wad of cash, sliced tomato and pickle and a generous slick of Thousand Island dressing surround twin, medium-thick griddled patties. The wax paper wrapper is there as much for a clean grip as to help maintain Big Ben’s sound structure. As for the rest of the diner’s name: Nearly two dozen flavors of pie flow through rotation. Strawberry is a favorite during the season.
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(Betty Hallock)
Mash burger at Poltergeist
Echo Park Global $
Count on Diego Argoti, the chef behind pop-up Estrano Things who now heads Poltergeist inside of Echo Park barcade Button Mash, for a well-seasoned burger with fun flavors and textures. The Mash Burger is available only at the bar, along with a vegan mushroom burger, sticky chicken wings and fat, fat Parmesan fries. It’s a classic patty on a squishy white-bread bun smeared with Argoti’s version of an XO sauce and sprinkled with hand-ground spices (garam masala is noted). Layered in between the meat and top bun is a shower of crunchy shoestring fries. Pair it with a hazy IPA on tap, or a can of refreshing Radler. (Check out the bar menu specials: The fish sandwich, for example, features masa-battered fried dourade on a brioche bun, and it’s spectacular too.) Plenty of fuel for several rounds of Galaga.
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(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)
Pretzel smashburger at Rockenwägner Bakery
Culver City Bakery $$
I don’t know that I’ve had a better pretzel in Los Angeles than the ones Hans Rockenwägner serves at his cafe in Culver City. Beautifully glossy and russet brown, the pretzels are soft, chewy and wonderful on their own. He recently started making a pretzel smashburger, available only on Wednesdays, until they sell out. It’s an excellent burger, with a patty that’s smashed but not obliterated, crisp along the edges but still juicy in the middle. The American cheese melts down the sides as it should and the pickles are nice and tangy. The spicy Thousand Island dressing isn’t quite spicy, but it adds a nice zing. It would be a great burger on any bun, but Rockenwägner’s pretzel bun, created by the baker in the ’90s, imparts that distinct pretzel flavor that’s hard to resist.
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(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)
Quesaburger at Solrád
Montebello Mexican American $
The burgers at Solrád, a recent addition to the BLVD MRKT in Montebello, artfully merge Chicano themes with American diner nostalgia. My current favorite is the Quesaburger, mostly for chef Teo Montoya’s decision to use two kinds of cheese. He adds both a smoky queso sauce and a griddled queso, creating a layer of crispy cheese with the latter. He nestles in some pickled jalapeño and Tecate-braised onions. You end up with a gooey mess of melted cheese and jammy onions in the middle of the burger. I like to give the soft sesame seed bun a squeeze before each bite to really let everything gel together.
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(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Arthur J burger at the Arthur J
Manhattan Beach Steakhouse $$$
At Manhattan Beach’s retro-clubby chophouse, chef David LeFevre has engineered a hefty, luxe steakhouse-style burger that doesn’t sink too far into excess. He combines cuts of ground chuck, brisket and short rib into a generous patty, grilled over oak and crowned with Nueske’s applewood-smoked bacon (shipped from LeFevre’s home state, Wisconsin), shredded Emmental and caramelized onions warmed in the restaurant’s version of Pickapeppa sauce. The buttery, comfortingly squishy bun is made from a tweaked recipe for Parker House rolls. A must-order side: thick fries cooked in beef fat and served with malt vinegar and Dijon aioli. Note that the burger can only be ordered in the restaurant’s front lounge, or for takeout.
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(Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
OG Thicc burger at Thicc Burger
Fairfax Burgers $
For those who grew up on L.A.’s classic burger stands, Thicc Burger’s brightly decorated stall with ’90s-inspired art that recalls popular Black sitcoms like “Moesha” and “Living Single” will feel familiar. Chef-owner Jay Wolfe started selling dense burgers reminiscent of the ones you’d find at Fatburger or Hawkins House of Burgers from a food truck in 2020, eventually hosting pop-ups across the country. They returned to L.A. this past summer and shortly thereafter opened a storefront in the Original Farmers Market.
Start with the OG Thicc Burger featuring a well-seasoned beef patty that’s ground daily by Huntington Meats, topped with a melted square of cheese, shredded lettuce, crunchy pickles, caramelized onions and a ripe slice of tomato with special sauce that imparts a smoky, tangy flavor. There’s also a version that adds bacon, one that layers chopped cheeseburger into the mix, a spicy option with pepperjack cheese and charred jalapeños, a “Phatty” melt on buttered toast, and a vegetarian option that uses a grilled portobello mushroom as a patty. Open seven days a week, Thicc Burger also does breakfast, including a breakfast sandwich with house-made pork sausage on a pancake-battered English muffin. Round it out with an order of Thicc fries dusted with garlic powder or smothered with cheese and a milkshake, house-made lemonade or fruit punch.
Start with the OG Thicc Burger featuring a well-seasoned beef patty that’s ground daily by Huntington Meats, topped with a melted square of cheese, shredded lettuce, crunchy pickles, caramelized onions and a ripe slice of tomato with special sauce that imparts a smoky, tangy flavor. There’s also a version that adds bacon, one that layers chopped cheeseburger into the mix, a spicy option with pepperjack cheese and charred jalapeños, a “Phatty” melt on buttered toast, and a vegetarian option that uses a grilled portobello mushroom as a patty. Open seven days a week, Thicc Burger also does breakfast, including a breakfast sandwich with house-made pork sausage on a pancake-battered English muffin. Round it out with an order of Thicc fries dusted with garlic powder or smothered with cheese and a milkshake, house-made lemonade or fruit punch.
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(Lucas Kwan Peterson/Los Angeles Times)
Double cheeseburger at Yuca's
Pasadena Mexican $
Sure, we all like a burger with some hype every now and again. One that’s all over Instagram, is a bit too expensive and has a chef or, God forbid, a “concept” behind it. But sometimes you want something without pretense, without guile. Just a good burger, full stop.
And that’s when you head to Yuca’s. You may know its little hut on Hillhurst more for its tacos and burritos, but anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock knows not to sleep on the double cheeseburger. There are two thin patties with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and slivers of onion. There’s ketchup, mustard and a little mayo. And that’s it, no fuss, no muss. It’s like a burger you’d eat in someone’s backyard on the Fourth of July. Do you really need much more than that?
And that’s when you head to Yuca’s. You may know its little hut on Hillhurst more for its tacos and burritos, but anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock knows not to sleep on the double cheeseburger. There are two thin patties with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and slivers of onion. There’s ketchup, mustard and a little mayo. And that’s it, no fuss, no muss. It’s like a burger you’d eat in someone’s backyard on the Fourth of July. Do you really need much more than that?
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