21 Best Burger Restaurants in Los Angeles You Absolutely Have to Try
Hamburgers are pretty much the global definition of American cuisine so why should you settle for anything less than stellar? Here are twenty-one top-notch places in LA so you can always get the tastiest options around.
When you think about it, burgers seem so simple. They’re practically just sandwiches but with some rounded bread and beef patties. Surprisingly, it’s also very easy to get them wrong so not all burgers are the same. Some are infinitely better than others.
Luckily, there are lots of great places for burgers, especially in LA. Some are truly worth venturing out of the house for as they’re truly amazing. Many can be considered as essentials from a foodie to cultural perspectives.
With the pandemic upon us and numerous restaurants struggling to survive, we recommend grabbing a bite from these places the next time you crave some burgers.
Best Burger Restaurants in Los Angeles
1. Bill’s Burgers
A classic burger stand in the Valley, Bill’s Burgers is definitely something you should sample if you’re a burger fan and a foodie. This place has been serving burgers since 1965 and not much has changed there in terms of food and people. The owner, Bill Elwell, is still the one flipping burgers even after all these decades and him being 93 years of age already.
As an institution with great food and a long legacy, it’s definitely worth checking out. It’s best to do it soon, though, as the owner already put up a ‘for sale’ sign outside his shop. Yelp
Location: 14742 Oxnard St Van Nuys, CA 91411 Van Nuys
2. Everson Royce Bar
Located in the Arts District of the city of LA, the ERB is a nice cocktail spot that you’d expect to serve some gimmicky burgers. You’d be surprised, however, that they employ a very simplistic approach in their burgers and that makes it so amazing. The recipe is straightforward with just a prime beef chuck in an egg brioche bun with Tillamook cheddar and pickles. There are no other extras but it’s still perfect. Yelp
Location: 1936 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021
3. Honeybee Burger
This vegan burger place, Honeybee Burger, at Los Feliz may be relatively new but it has already been hailed by Goop as the plant-based version of In-n-Out. Such a bold claim, we know, but with rave reviews describing their food to taste like how you want fast food to taste, it can certainly be a nice place to try if you want something different. Yelp
Location: 2764 Rowena Ave Los Angeles, CA 90039 – Silver Lake
4. Goldburger
Goldburger takeaway burger joint seems to have one of the most fitting names as they offer what lots of experts and foodies deem as the best burgers in LA. The concept (smashed burger) may not be the most unique but their execution is top-notch. So much so that they’ve won the Los Angeles Food & Wine Epic Burger Throwdown in 2019. And if that award doesn’t convince you of their offerings’ greatness, maybe biting down into their bestsellers will do the trick for you. Yelp
Location: 5623 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042
5. Yuca’s
Famous for their Yucatan-style cuisine and tacos, Yuca’s burgers are also big hits among diners. This takes a lot of people by surprise, really, as their go-to orders here are the cochinita pibil and carnitas asada tacos. But LA Times hailed their burgers as one of the best in town, so you might want to check it out as well. Yelp
Location: 1075 S Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105
6. Burgerlords
Vegan burgers are all the rage right now as more and more people try to do away with red meat and for variety. However, most places that offer it feature manufactured patties. While there’s nothing wrong about that, Burgerlords make their own in-store so you’ll definitely get a different experience from this joint.
Location: 943 N Broadway Ste 102 Los Angeles, CA 90012
7. The Oinkster
Heavily Filipino-inspired, The Oinkster serves up a rather unique menu to its patrons. However, with its burgers, they decided to stick to tradition by featuring Angus beef patties with a few notable extras: pastrami, bacon, and house-made chili. The result? A magnificent monstrosity that you’ll want more of. Yelp
Location: 2005 Colorado Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90041
8. Daglas Drive-In
The Daglas Drive-In is another institution, this time in the San Fernando Valley. This burger and fries stand has been around since 1979 and is known for its hefty servings. Some may think that servings are smaller nowadays but even if that’s the case, it’s still a lot and will still fill you up like nobody’s business. Their burgers are hailed to have that unique-to-LA style with their white buns, shredded lettuce, griddled patties, and a good deal of American cheese. Yelp
Location: 20036 Vanowen St, Canoga Park, CA 91306
9. Pie ‘n Burger
Another old-timey diner that you shouldn’t miss is Pasadena’s Pie ‘n Burger. They’ve been serving delicious pies and burgers since 1963 and continue to win people’s hearts and tummies with their offerings. Unlike lots of the items on this list, their burgers consistently show up in the best burgers of LA lists so you definitely should give this place a shot. Yelp
Location: 913 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91106
10. Burgers 99
Burgers 99 is a rookie brand that celebrates the burgers and fries restaurant concept which makes it very interesting and quite hip. But they offer more than just nostalgia to diners as their burgers are also exquisite. They have quite a few burger options but their sides and beverages offer an elevated experience so you can definitely say that this place is very inspired. Yelp
Location: 131 South La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA
11. Burgers Never Say Die
Nex to In-N-Out, Burgers Never Say Die in Silver Lake may just be one of the most popular burger joints in LA. With the daily queues that can lead to 2-hour waits for burgers, it might just be one of the most fashionable places to grab food from in the city. The burgers are great but make sure to follow their tip to always get two. You also shouldn’t miss their fries and soft serve as they’re equally amazing. Yelp
Location: 2388 Glendale Blvd Unit A, Los Angeles, CA
12. The Apple Pan
A true LA icon and institution, the Apple Pan has been famous for its hamburgers and apple pies since they opened shop in 1947. It’s often compared to Pasadena’s Pie ‘n Burger since they offer the same things and are classic diners that are well-loved by their own neighborhoods. The burger here is just as popular, with its thick patties and hickory sauce. They’re great with or without cheese and are perfect whether you eat them inside the restaurant or out of a paper bag. Yelp
Location: 10801 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
13. Amboy Quality Meats
From the same culinary genius behind Eggslut, it’s not surprising that Amboy Quality Meats is now making waves for its burgers and fries. Part-burger stand, part-butcher shop, this eatery has a lot to offer, especially since the guy at the helm, Alvin Cailan is quite a burger expert. So with his knowledge combined with his expertise in cooking and high-quality meats, you can be sure to get a tasty burger meal from this new joint. Yelp
Location: 727 N Broadway No. 117, Los Angeles, CA
14. HiHo Cheeseburger
HiHo Cheeseburger is one of those places that proved to the world that simplicity is beauty, especially for burgers. Their recipe for success is very straightforward and no-frills that many are surprised with how great their burgers are. Their only ingredients are wagyu beef patties, cheese, lettuce, pickles, onions, and bun and that’s it. They keep on opening new branches all over the city, however, so it’s a very good sign that lots of folks are enjoying what they serve. Yelp
Location: 1320 2nd St Ste B Santa Monica, CA 90401
15. Father’s Office
Since Father’s Office is a gastropub, you can expect their offerings to not be of the run-of-the-mill variety. It can be said that they’re a cut above from the rest of the items here in terms of ingredients and execution. Featuring dry-aged beef, Maytag blue cheese, and heaps of arugula, this burger may not be for everyone but those who enjoy these ingredients will surely find themselves wanting a bite again and again. Some think it’s overhyped but as soon as they give the burger a try, they understand what the fuss is all about and why those who love it do not shut up about it. Just don’t attempt to put any ketchup on your burger, though, as that’s a no-no for this joint. Yelp
Location: 3229 Helms Ave Los Angeles, CA 90034
16. Tripp Burgers
Tripp Burgers is one of the many purveyors of smashed burgers that entered the scene just recently. However, lots of diners, foodies, and experts are convinced that they are smashing the game with their very simple standout characteristics: juiciness and crispiness. While the competition is as stiff as it can be with lots of fancy ingredients involved, Tripp Burgers feature grass-fed beef that is cooked to perfection. Yelp
Location: 3458 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034
17. The Standing Room
LA folks are no strangers to odd origin stories so the very humble beginnings of the Standing Room might not make them bat an eyelash. It’s still quite interesting that it’s located at the back of a liquor store, though, as it seems to perfectly match the attached establishments’ offerings pretty well. Their burgers are very juicy, messy, and squishy – exactly what you’ll want with some alcohol.
The original location also seemed to add to the charm of the burger stand as it seems exclusive without intending to. Luckily, you can now also enjoy their burgers without feeling like you’re some sleazeball lurking at the back of a liquor store as they already have a restaurant in Hermosa Beach. Yelp
Location: 144 N Catalina Ave Redondo Beach, CA 90277
18. The Win-Dow at American Beauty
American Beauty’s The Win-Dow takes a lot of folks by surprise as it surprisingly offers amazing takeaway dishes at fantastic prices. While the steakhouse is rather fancy, the Win-Dow offers $4 burgers – an astounding bargain for the place it’s connected to. The quality of the food will never drag the steakhouse down, too, so many are wondering why the eatery is doing such a thing. Yelp
Location: 425 Rose Ave, Venice, CA 90291
19. Hinano Cafe
When you see the frontage of the iconic Hinano Cafe, you might not exactly expect the tastiest burgers ever but that’s actually the case. This dive bar serves quite a fantastic burger that you might miss out on if you did not know that they serve such menu items. It’s flavorful and messy – the perfect burger for a place that serves drinks and some laid back fun. Yelp
Location: 15 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292
20. Hawkins House of Burgers
With such a name, Hawkins House of Burgers, you should know right away that this place specializes in amazing burgers. They actually claim to have the best burgers in Los Angeles, painted in massive red bold letters in their storefront. And to be fair, they truly are in the running for the title. It’s just that there are so many amazing options in the area that one might find it hard to make a definite pick.
How is their burger, you ask? Packed with high-grade Angus beef, fresh produce, and lots of flavors. The patty tends to crumble, however, so expect things to get quite messy and handle your burger with care. Also, expect long lines as this spot is well-loved by locals. Yelp
Location: 11603 Slater St, Los Angeles, CA 90059
21. In-N-Out
With how big In-N-Out got in recent years, lots of LA locals may already find their stores too touristy and unappealing but their burgers will always be some of the finest there is, without a doubt. If you’re from LA and have not tried them once, what are you doing with your life? If you’re from out of state and you’re visiting the city, make sure to grab some and experience what everyone is raving about.
There are so many In-N-Out locations around SoCal, Yelp for the nearest spot in your area.
Founder, Editor-In-Chief // A native Angeleno. John studied engineering at UCLA; founded Schmoozd, an offline social tech networking event in LA with 30,000 subs; ran a startup accelerator (StartEngine). Worked for several major brands like Toyota, DIRECTV, Hitachi, ICANN, and Raytheon. A mentor at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Entrepreneur School, Dr. David Choi. And advises a dozen local LA startups building amazing tech in various industries; and invested in some. // Let's Connect: john@lastartups.com
