The Top 3 Best Burger Joints in Los Angeles, California
Father's Office is One of the Top 3 Best Burger Restaurants in L.A.
There’s a battle in Los Angeles, and it has nothing to do with gang warfare. This longstanding debate is about where to get the best hamburger in LA. I figure that, culinary expert that I am, it’s time to throw my my discriminating picks out there. Anyone traveling to Los Angeles who wants to take a break from classy high-end restaurants, would be happy to grab a burger and fries at these joints.
Top 3 Best Burger Joints in L.A.
In-N-Out Burger - Sure, Fatburgers’ got their proponents (my daughter among them), but burger gourmands know in their hearts that IN-N-Out is really the superior hamburger chain restaurant. It’s got many locations throughout Southern California, not just Los Angeles – but each In-N-Out Burger I’ve been to has been tops. They’re in West LA, Culver City, Westwood and Hollywood here in Los Angeles, as well as a few in the Valley and a couple just south of LAX. The Fatburgers vs. In-N-Out battle is an ongoing one, but take it from me; In-N-Out wins, hands down. Get the Double-Double and real ice cream shake for lunch (pass on the fries, they come out soggy sometimes), and you won’t have to eat until tomorrow.
The Apple Pan for the Best Burger and Crankiest Service in Los Angeles (Richard Kaszeta)
The Apple Pan - It looks a little questionable from the outside, what with the shack-like appearance and stools (no tables, no frills). But The Apple Pan is a Los Angeles landmark for foodies, and for good reason. The burgers are perfect and messy, the service is hilariously grumpy (but always on hand with the extra napkins you’ll need) and the crowd well mannered. Well mannered for a burger joint, anyway. This restaurant is at 10801 Pico Blvd, right across the street from a popular mall with its own food court, but it’s worth your time to cross the street and eat your lunch here. Get the hickory burger and fries, and if you can manage it, a slice of banana cream pie for dessert. Lots of people will tell you to get the apple pie, of course (after all, the restaurant IS named for it), but I recommend the banana cream. As for the burgers, well, they’re steak burgers, get it with all the fixings. The burgers at The Apple Pan are as good as they get.
Father’s Office - This restaurant is the cleanest of the bunch, but still very comfortable and relaxed – the way a great burger joint should be. It’s at 1018 Montana Ave, in one of LA’s priciest parts of town (Montana Ave in Santa Monica is somewhat akin to Rodeo Drive, but a bit more child-friendly). This is the only best restaurant on this extremely selective list that serves beer. Like its neighborhood, Father’s Office is pricey. it’s worth it, though, and the quotient of “beautiful” people is pretty high here compared to In-N-Out and Apple Pan. Come to Father’s Office for dinner: Eat one of the best burgers in LA, do some people watching, and don’t forget to order fries – they come in cute little shopping carts, a real crowd-pleaser. By the way, a second Father’s Office recently opened in the Helms Bakery area of LA (this is where there are a lot of big furniture stores, not a travel destination at all). This new high-end burger joint also offers wine and spirits.
The Top 3 Best Burger Joints in Los Angeles simply can’t be beat. I’ve been very, very picky with this list – no Johnny Rockets here! Do you have a favorite hamburger spot in LA? If so, I’d love to hear about it.
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11 Responses
I am such a fan of In-N-Out burger! When I first moved to California I did not understand the craze for what looked like your average fast food burger joint. But, there is just something about it! I know I owe at least 5 pounds of flesh to this establishment (literally)!
Glad to know about some of these lesser known spots as well.
Ohhh… I’d forgotten about the Apple Pan. Thank you. I’ll remember to try The Office. We’re so lucky to have In-N-Out Burger’s everywhere. We really missed them living in Florida for 13 years. Joy~
Jeanette
So what exactly makes In-N-Out Burger better than Fatboys? I had a Fatboy last time I was in LA on business and I was pretty impressed!
I’ve eaten more than my share of In-N-Out (probably hundreds, which isn’t bad for someone that lives in New England), and I do like their burgers. They aren’t the paragon of burger perfect (i.e. there are a lot of places I can get a better burger), but they do make a solidly good and reliably burger every time. I’ve always got to respect a place that can churn out that many burgers, and still have most every burger not only look good, but actually *look* like a good burger as well.
Father’s Office has been on my list for a long time… maybe next time I swing through LA.
kaszetas last blog post..Uncle Bill’s Pancake House (Manhattan Beach, CA)
FYI, Apple Pan is where Johnny Rocket’s stole their menu from. Also, if you get soggy In-N-Out fries and you don’t start ordering them “well done” you’re doing it wrong.
Kaszeta, tell me the next time you’re in LA, I’ll treat you at Father’s. (I don’t need much of an excuse to go there as it is!) And Phill – you are so right. I don’t like Johnny Rocket’s though because it tries too hard with it’s fake ’50’s kitsch.
Jennifers last blog post..Best Undiscovered Mexican Restaurant, Daly City, California
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In N Out is a classic drive through kind of place and found everywhere! Even where I am now, in San Diego. The Apple Pan is OK, bad service but good burgers in a small joint in West La…not to much of a fan though! Love the Father’s Office – great place overall! Here in San Diego, the best place is the Burger Lounge in La Jolla. That’s where i go to get my burger fix when I am not in LA….burgerlounge.com if you are in San Diego look them up!
Jake’s! Also known as Jakes dinner & Billiard Hall. Technically it is not in the City of LA but not far from it. Jakes is located at 38 W. Colorado Blvd in Old Town Pasadena. It has and old school dinner feel down stairs and a Billiard Hall upstairs. The burgers here are excellent and you can even build your own burger. It is also relitively inexpensive. It is a must whenever in Pasadena.
“25 Degrees” is by far the best burger joint in Los Angeles. The cheeses are great, onion rings/fries are divine, and let’s not get started on the Guiness Milk Shake.
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