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The Downlow Burger, Love & Salt

22 Essential Los Angeles Burgers

From classic to new school, the best places to get burgers in Los Angeles

by Farley Elliott Updated Dec 6, 2016, 12:15pm PST

18 comments / new

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The Downlow Burger, Love & Salt

| Love & Salt

by Farley Elliott Updated Dec 6, 2016, 12:15pm PST

18 comments / new

Hamburgers are truly America's food, born of the country's fascination with beef amidst the 1950's commoditization of farming. Those same mid-century decades also spawned the rise of the nation's modern highway systems and LA's fast food culture in general, making the lowly hamburger something to be sought out as a destination or grabbed quickly on the way home.

Today's Los Angeles hamburger landscape is no longer necessarily focused around freeway exits and major thoroughfares. You'll find amazing burgers available off-menu at South Bay dinnertime hotspots, tucked away in Valley parking lots, or hiding right under the nose of some of the city's best chefs.

There's also no convenient diagram for what makes a perfect Los Angeles burger. Some hew close to the Southern California standard, with thin griddled patties, fresh toppings, American cheese, and a slightly tangy spread. Others stack multiple massive patties together for a bit of primal indulgence, while still more trade in mayonnaise for foie gras-inflected bordelaise sauce. Whatever your pleasure, there's an essential burger in Los Angeles for you.

Removed: Ledlow, The Standing Room, The Hat, Capitol Burger, Badmaash

Added: Grill 'Em All, ERB, Love & Salt, Republique, Shake Shack

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If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Belcampo Meat Co.

Belcampo’s $5 fast burger shows what’s possible when good people control every level of a process. Because the team behind Belcampo raises their own beef and owns the humane production line process, a reduced-price fast food-style burger is possible from their multiple LA locations — and it’s one that doesn’t skimp on flavor in the least.

317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Bills Burgers

This Van Nuys staple continues to impress with its roadside flair and lovable crank of an owner. Fresh meat is brought in daily and patties are griddled in front of customers (mostly because there’s nowhere to hide inside the tiny shack), which means all you’ve got to do is belly up to a stool with a friend and enjoy the show.

14742 Oxnard St, Sherman Oaks, CA 91411

Also featured in:

Cassell's Hamburgers

Koreatown’s Cassell’s is a history lesson in real time. Hanging signage recalls the longtime former location not far away, though today’s iteration inside the Hotel Normandie is a glossy reminder that times change. Thankfully the well-griddles burgers are as sturdy as ever, lovingly overseen by burger whisperer Christian Page.

3600 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Everson Royce Bar

This new Arts District favorite is among the most talked-about beef and bun options anywhere in Los Angeles. Former Mozza lead Matt Molina has turned up the seemingly simple burger to 11, showing that it’s not always about stacking ingredients — sometimes you just have to work with really great product, and not mess with it too much.

1936 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Fatburger

On the other end of the fast food spectrum from the likes of In-N-Out is Fatburger, a beloved local institution with franchise locations worldwide. This is a maximalist place for hearty, hefty burgers that come loosely packed with well-browned beef, and routinely include an egg on top.

Open in Google Maps

11275 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066

Visit Website

Father's Office

Who knew a burger could be so polarizing? Yet here is the Father’s Office burger, a no-ketchup-allowed option served on a split roll and topped with jammy onions and lots of arugula. It’s Sang Yoon’s modern burger, and one that has spawned a thousand think pieces.

Open in Google Maps

3229 Helms Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Visit Website

Grill 'Em All

Formerly running a food truck, the Grill ‘Em All guys now sling massive burgs (their word) from an unassuming space in Alhambra. They’ve got legions of fans who show up for their overclocked concoctions, and with a full slate of craft beer, heavy metal on the playlist, and wrestling on the TV, you’re guaranteed to have a great time.

19 E Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801

Visit Website

Also featured in:

The Burger Heatmap: 15 New Burgers to Eat Right Now

Hawkins House Of Burgers

Watts’ most beloved meal is Hawkins, where the loosely formed beef patties arrive thick and impressive from their time on the griddle. Service is perilously slow, but in the end that just builds your hunger — which is exactly what you’ll need when tackling these behemoths.

Open in Google Maps

11603 Slater St, Watts, CA 90059

Visit Website

Hinano Cafe

This Venice staple is a must for anyone heading to the beach. There’s nothing fancy about the burger or the dive bar digs, but that’s the point: this is an everyman’s burger joint, complete with the smoking flattop griddle at the end of the bar.

15 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292

Visit Website

Also featured in:

In-N-Out Burger

Picture one LA burger in your mind, and it's likely to be from In-N-Out. That's how embedded the locally-based burger chain is in the minds of Los Angeles, and speaks volumes of the enduring deliciousness of the Double Double. In short, it's one of the best, most important burgers on the planet.

Open in Google Maps

7009 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Visit Website

Irv's Burgers

Once a quaint roadside stand tucked onto the near-end of Route 66, today’s Irv’s Burgers is a different sort of success story. Run for decades now by Sonia Hong and her clan, the new location just down Santa Monica Boulevard keeps the personal charm of the original location without sacrificing the quality of the burgers themselves.

Open in Google Maps

7998 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

Visit Website

LocoL

Roy Choi and Daniel Patterson are trying to topple the fast food experience, one burger at a time. Cut with grains and tofu and using a special bun from Tartine founder Chad Robertson, this $4 option is a lesson in restraint and revolution.

1950 E 103rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90002

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Love & Salt

Available off-menu most nights and on-menu during brunch, chef Michael Fiorelli’s so-called Downlow burger is a South Bay mainstay. Folks have been clamoring for the twin-pattied star to make a return ever since chef’s Mar’sel days, and now here it is.

317 Manhattan Beach Blvd, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Original Tommy's Hamburgers

If you consider chili to be a mains staple on any burger — or even just an occasional indulgence — you have Tommy's to thank. The chain is now 70 years into a long run marrying beef, bun, chili, and cheese, and shows absolutely no signs of slowing down any time soon. That's a good thing.

2575 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Petit Trois

Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s Big Mec is the stuff of legend, with its near-$20 price tag (sans fries) and shimmering photo-worthiness. Double-stacked patties drop with a foie gras-spiked Bordelaise sauce and melted cheddar, an ode to the sloppy burger favorite found at Chicago’s Au Cheval.

716 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Pie 'n Burger

Pasadena notoriously claims to be the birthplace of the cheeseburger, and while the truth of such things are lost to history, there is no denying the enduring prominence of Pie N Burger. A legend since 1963, this diner turned ode to all things burger continues to turn out impeccable California classics, complete with special sauce and lightly melted American cheese.

Open in Google Maps

913 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91106

Visit Website

Plan Check Kitchen + Bar

Plan Check has grown from a single location on Sawtelle to destination points all across the city, largely on the strength of his umami-rich burgers. Dense, satisfying, and always well balanced, a Plan Check burger remains one of the better casual dining options — complete with a full bar and one killer fried chicken sandwich sidekick — anywhere in Los Angeles.

1800 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Visit Website

Also featured in:

République

Chef Walter Manzke’s La Brea restaurant Republique can seemingly do no wrong, as his massive dry-aged lunch-only burger can attest. Loaded with Thousand Island dressing on a housemade poppy-seed bun, this is considered by many to be a true new classic in the burger genre.

624 S LA Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Shake Shack

With tons of anticipation built up before they even opened, Shake Shack has delivered on just about every promise with their three LA-area locations in West Hollywood, Hollywood, and Glendale. Sporting long lines, awesome service, and the sort of quality product you’ve come to expect from this booming chain.

Open in Google Maps

252 S Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91204

Visit Website

The Apple Pan

There is nothing in LA so iconic as a burger from Apple Pan. Wrapped in Formica counter seating and manned by occasionally gruff old men, the restaurant itself is a throwback to a different time. But it’s those burgers, especially the smoked hickory option with a mass of crunchy lettuce and strong pickles, that remain as timeless as ever.

10801 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Visit Website

Also featured in:

The Golden State

As one of the burger destinations that started the modern upscale craze, Golden State deserves a spot on this list. Their classic Harris Ranch beef burger with bacon and arugula is a timeless look at the early days of a thoughtful burger renaissance.

426 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Visit Website

Also featured in:

The Oinkster

Andre Guerrero’s Filipino-inflected menu at Oinkster is a reflection of the man himself: colorful, filled with purpose, and open to all. The Eagle Rock location spawned the pastrami-toped Royale burger, and still plays spiritual home to LA’s annual Burger Week.

2005 Colorado Blvd, Eagle Rock, CA 90041

Visit Website

Also featured in:

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Belcampo Meat Co.

317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Belcampo’s $5 fast burger shows what’s possible when good people control every level of a process. Because the team behind Belcampo raises their own beef and owns the humane production line process, a reduced-price fast food-style burger is possible from their multiple LA locations — and it’s one that doesn’t skimp on flavor in the least.

317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Visit Website

Bills Burgers

14742 Oxnard St, Sherman Oaks, CA 91411

This Van Nuys staple continues to impress with its roadside flair and lovable crank of an owner. Fresh meat is brought in daily and patties are griddled in front of customers (mostly because there’s nowhere to hide inside the tiny shack), which means all you’ve got to do is belly up to a stool with a friend and enjoy the show.

14742 Oxnard St, Sherman Oaks, CA 91411

Cassell's Hamburgers

3600 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020

Koreatown’s Cassell’s is a history lesson in real time. Hanging signage recalls the longtime former location not far away, though today’s iteration inside the Hotel Normandie is a glossy reminder that times change. Thankfully the well-griddles burgers are as sturdy as ever, lovingly overseen by burger whisperer Christian Page.

3600 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020

Visit Website

Everson Royce Bar

1936 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021

This new Arts District favorite is among the most talked-about beef and bun options anywhere in Los Angeles. Former Mozza lead Matt Molina has turned up the seemingly simple burger to 11, showing that it’s not always about stacking ingredients — sometimes you just have to work with really great product, and not mess with it too much.

1936 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Visit Website

Fatburger

11275 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066

On the other end of the fast food spectrum from the likes of In-N-Out is Fatburger, a beloved local institution with franchise locations worldwide. This is a maximalist place for hearty, hefty burgers that come loosely packed with well-browned beef, and routinely include an egg on top.

Open in Google Maps

11275 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066

Visit Website

Father's Office

3229 Helms Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Who knew a burger could be so polarizing? Yet here is the Father’s Office burger, a no-ketchup-allowed option served on a split roll and topped with jammy onions and lots of arugula. It’s Sang Yoon’s modern burger, and one that has spawned a thousand think pieces.

Open in Google Maps

3229 Helms Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Visit Website

Grill 'Em All

19 E Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801

Formerly running a food truck, the Grill ‘Em All guys now sling massive burgs (their word) from an unassuming space in Alhambra. They’ve got legions of fans who show up for their overclocked concoctions, and with a full slate of craft beer, heavy metal on the playlist, and wrestling on the TV, you’re guaranteed to have a great time.

19 E Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801

Visit Website

Hawkins House Of Burgers

11603 Slater St, Watts, CA 90059

Watts’ most beloved meal is Hawkins, where the loosely formed beef patties arrive thick and impressive from their time on the griddle. Service is perilously slow, but in the end that just builds your hunger — which is exactly what you’ll need when tackling these behemoths.

Open in Google Maps

11603 Slater St, Watts, CA 90059

Visit Website

Hinano Cafe

15 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292

This Venice staple is a must for anyone heading to the beach. There’s nothing fancy about the burger or the dive bar digs, but that’s the point: this is an everyman’s burger joint, complete with the smoking flattop griddle at the end of the bar.

15 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292

Visit Website

In-N-Out Burger

7009 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Picture one LA burger in your mind, and it's likely to be from In-N-Out. That's how embedded the locally-based burger chain is in the minds of Los Angeles, and speaks volumes of the enduring deliciousness of the Double Double. In short, it's one of the best, most important burgers on the planet.

Open in Google Maps

7009 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Visit Website

Irv's Burgers

7998 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

Once a quaint roadside stand tucked onto the near-end of Route 66, today’s Irv’s Burgers is a different sort of success story. Run for decades now by Sonia Hong and her clan, the new location just down Santa Monica Boulevard keeps the personal charm of the original location without sacrificing the quality of the burgers themselves.

Open in Google Maps

7998 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

Visit Website

LocoL

1950 E 103rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90002

Roy Choi and Daniel Patterson are trying to topple the fast food experience, one burger at a time. Cut with grains and tofu and using a special bun from Tartine founder Chad Robertson, this $4 option is a lesson in restraint and revolution.

1950 E 103rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90002

Visit Website

Love & Salt

317 Manhattan Beach Blvd, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Available off-menu most nights and on-menu during brunch, chef Michael Fiorelli’s so-called Downlow burger is a South Bay mainstay. Folks have been clamoring for the twin-pattied star to make a return ever since chef’s Mar’sel days, and now here it is.

317 Manhattan Beach Blvd, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Visit Website

Original Tommy's Hamburgers

2575 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057

If you consider chili to be a mains staple on any burger — or even just an occasional indulgence — you have Tommy's to thank. The chain is now 70 years into a long run marrying beef, bun, chili, and cheese, and shows absolutely no signs of slowing down any time soon. That's a good thing.

2575 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057

Visit Website

Petit Trois

716 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s Big Mec is the stuff of legend, with its near-$20 price tag (sans fries) and shimmering photo-worthiness. Double-stacked patties drop with a foie gras-spiked Bordelaise sauce and melted cheddar, an ode to the sloppy burger favorite found at Chicago’s Au Cheval.

716 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website