That's a mighty tasty burger.
Everyone knows about the usual "best hamburger" spots in L.A.; In-N-Out, Tommy's, and to a lesser extent, Fatburger, but that's just the beginning. My brother and his girlfriend decided to try out some of the lesser known spots and I tagged along. Here's the results:
The classic: Apple Pan
Directly across the street from the Westside Pavillion near UCLA, this place looks unchanged since it opened in 1947. If you're into the In-N-Out style burger, this is your place. It's just bun, meat, cheese, sauce. If you're going the fancy route, they even have a bbq sauce. Also not the best place if you're hoping to have a conversation with a group of people. There are no booths, just a U-shaped counter. They only take cash and there's usually a wait just to sit at the counter. You never know who you'll see in this town. The Friday night we went there, Jorge Garcia (Hurley) from "Lost" was sitting at the other end of the counter. Pies are excellent as well with a variety to choose from including banana cream, pecan, and chocolate cream.
The over-indulgent: Lucky Devils
Located on an un-Disneyfied section of Hollywood Blvd. just a few shops down from Ashton Kutcher's Geisha House, Lucky Devils has spared no expense on its menu. You only get two choices for meat patties: Angus beef and Kobe. Unlike Apple Pan, there is the option of vegetarian patty. Accompanying each burger is garlic aioli sauce, caramelized onions, and a generous helping of fresh french fries. For those not morally opposed to the consumption of animals, I highly recommend the Kobe burger with blue cheese and bacon. Their desserts are equally decadent. Their drinks include a chocolate cake shake (made with Scharffenberger chocolate), pecan shake, and a hot fudge malt (also made with Scharffenberger). Their brownie ala mode (made with Scharffenberger and Valrhona chocolate) is amazing and can easily feed you and three of your best friends.
The moderate: The Counter
The only one of the three that is actually a chain restaurant with three locations across California. The Santa Monica location is on the east side of the city on Ocean Park, far from the rush of the pier and Third Street. Despite its secluded location, there was a 30 minute wait on a Sunday evening. Upon entry of the Counter, the customer is given a form to custom design their burger with choices of meat (or non-meat), toppings, and sauces. They also have a variety of sides such as pickles, fries (with cheese and/or chili), sweet potato fries, and salad. In addition to their regular menu of burgers and drinks, they also feature a burger and shake of the month, this month's being mahi-mahi and churro, respectively. Their shake of the month was hands down the best milk shake I have ever had. Creamy, slightly sweet, with chunks of actual churro mixed in. Go to: http://www.thecounterburger.com/ for more info.
The classic: Apple Pan
Directly across the street from the Westside Pavillion near UCLA, this place looks unchanged since it opened in 1947. If you're into the In-N-Out style burger, this is your place. It's just bun, meat, cheese, sauce. If you're going the fancy route, they even have a bbq sauce. Also not the best place if you're hoping to have a conversation with a group of people. There are no booths, just a U-shaped counter. They only take cash and there's usually a wait just to sit at the counter. You never know who you'll see in this town. The Friday night we went there, Jorge Garcia (Hurley) from "Lost" was sitting at the other end of the counter. Pies are excellent as well with a variety to choose from including banana cream, pecan, and chocolate cream.
The over-indulgent: Lucky Devils
Located on an un-Disneyfied section of Hollywood Blvd. just a few shops down from Ashton Kutcher's Geisha House, Lucky Devils has spared no expense on its menu. You only get two choices for meat patties: Angus beef and Kobe. Unlike Apple Pan, there is the option of vegetarian patty. Accompanying each burger is garlic aioli sauce, caramelized onions, and a generous helping of fresh french fries. For those not morally opposed to the consumption of animals, I highly recommend the Kobe burger with blue cheese and bacon. Their desserts are equally decadent. Their drinks include a chocolate cake shake (made with Scharffenberger chocolate), pecan shake, and a hot fudge malt (also made with Scharffenberger). Their brownie ala mode (made with Scharffenberger and Valrhona chocolate) is amazing and can easily feed you and three of your best friends.
The moderate: The Counter
The only one of the three that is actually a chain restaurant with three locations across California. The Santa Monica location is on the east side of the city on Ocean Park, far from the rush of the pier and Third Street. Despite its secluded location, there was a 30 minute wait on a Sunday evening. Upon entry of the Counter, the customer is given a form to custom design their burger with choices of meat (or non-meat), toppings, and sauces. They also have a variety of sides such as pickles, fries (with cheese and/or chili), sweet potato fries, and salad. In addition to their regular menu of burgers and drinks, they also feature a burger and shake of the month, this month's being mahi-mahi and churro, respectively. Their shake of the month was hands down the best milk shake I have ever had. Creamy, slightly sweet, with chunks of actual churro mixed in. Go to: http://www.thecounterburger.com/ for more info.