What may be the coolest new hidden burger and drinks spot in West Hollywood is, ironically enough, calling itself Uncool on purpose. The incoming strip mall option offers a full bar and robust menu of burgers, fried chicken sandwiches, and sides, and comes from a very familiar face.
Uncool is the work of Joshua Pourgol’s Blurred Limes Hospitality. Pourgol is known for spots like Bardonna, Tu Madre, and Echo Park’s now-closed Counterpart Vegan, and he previously operated Uncool (then known as Uncool Burgers) over on Larchmont. Now he’s back with a corner location at Fairfax and Santa Monica Boulevard, sharing a parking lot with the always-busy Whole Foods in one of the more walkable parts of West Hollywood.
The new Uncool, having eschewed the Burger moniker, offers a lot beyond smashed patties, fries, and sides. There’s a whole slate of fried chicken sandwiches, wings, chicken tender boxes, salads, and vegan options as well, plus earlier options like a breakfast burrito — a dish that has earned Pourgol plenty of recognition under his Tu Madre banner, particularly in Los Feliz. What’s more, Uncool also comes with a full liquor license, meaning cocktails, boozy snow cones, and hours that run to 2 a.m. on weekends. Chef Jonathan Katz (previously the executive chef of Eataly in Los Angeles) crafted the opening menu, shown below.
Don’t expect a big, packed party scene though. Uncool’s idea is to keep things simple for the neighborhood, if only because the place itself — formerly a small taqueria — is pretty tiny. There’s a railing for on-site indoor eating and a few seats looking over the compact wood bar, but other than that expect to hang out on the redone patio in the front. It’s almost reminiscent of the small cocktail bar Pinky’s in Los Feliz, but with a very different vibe. Nic Albritton designed this more modern space.
Uncool opens at 7881 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood on Monday, February 21, with daily hours from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. There are plans for a grand opening party on Friday, February 26, complete with discount deals for burgers and drinks.