Los Angeles has been a burger town for decades. Local chains like Original Tommy’s (1946), Fatburger (1947) and In-N-Out (1948) have captured millions of imaginations. Patrick McDonald originally debuted The Airdrome on Route 66 in 1937 in Monrovia before his sons Mac and Dick moved the building to San Bernardino in 1940 and rebranded the business as McDonald’s. If you’ve watched “The Founder,” the 2016 movie starring Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc, you know what happened next. Actually, you should watch the movie, but what happened to McDonald’s isn’t much of a mystery.
L.A. has been instrumental in burger history in other ways. At 1500 W Colorado Boulevard in east Pasadena, not far from where I live, a plaque on the sidewalk in front of the Firefighters First Credit Union marks where 16-year-old employee Lionel Sternberger sold the “first” cheeseburger at a bygone restaurant called Rite Spot that operated at this location.
Los Angeles also gifted us the patty melt. Tiny Naylor founded an eponymous restaurant and first served a burger on rye bread with caramelized onions and melted Swiss cheese in 1932. Du-par’s, a restaurant that Tiny’s son Biff Naylor runs at The Original Farmers Market, which has a Las Vegas outpost at Suncoast Hotel & Casino, still serves Tiny’s patty melt.
Pie ‘N Burger, The Apple Pan and In-N-Out have aficionados, but Bill’s Burgers represents my ultimate L.A. style burger. R.I.P. to Bill Elwell, who manned the flattop at this Van Nuys stand starting in 1965 until his passing in July at age 98.
Considering Los Angeles is an innovation hub and has so many immigrants, our burger selection naturally evolved. We seemingly have more smash burgers than birds, substantial steakhouse-style burgers, and thickness level in-between. Burgers are by no means limited to beef or buns. International influences from countries like Japan, Lebanon, and Thailand have also kept burgers interesting. So have a plethora of regional U.S. burger styles, including Oklahoma style onion burgers (Burger She Wrote), New Mexico inspired green chile cheeseburgers (Panxa Cocina) and fritas Cubanas (Gigi’s Bakery & Cafe). In the past, I also enjoyed Minneapolis style Juicy Lucys filled with molten cheese. Now all we need are Wisconsin style butter burgers and possibly Connecticut style steamed cheeseburgers (which reminds me of the “steamed hams” on “The Simpsons”) and we should be all set. In the meantime, find my favorite L.A. burgers since 2022.
UPDATES SINCE DECEMBER 26, 2025
Additions: Blondie, Darling, HiHo Cheeseburger (Pastrami Heat)
Subtractions: Rita’s Deluxe (CLOSED)
Amboy Quality Meats & Delicious Burgers Assorted Styles – Chinatown + West Covina ↓
Ban Ban Burger Wagyu Laab Smash – Sawtelle Japantown ↓
Blair’s Cheeseburger – Eagle Rock + Silver Lake ↓
Blondie Burger – West Hollywood ↓
Botanica Burger – Silver Lake ↓
Burger She Wrote Oklahoma Double – Mid-City + Venice ↓
Butchr Bar Burger – Echo Park ↓
Camphor Le Burger – Arts District ↓
Dante Beverly Hills Dante’s Signature Burger – Beverly Hills ↓
Darling Dry-Aged Steak Burger – West Hollywood ↓
Doubting Thomas Burger – Historic Filipinotown ↓
Father’s Office The Office Burger – Culver City + Santa Monica ↓
Found Oyster Steak Tartare Burger – East Hollywood ↓
Hangaburs Tepic Hamburger – Pop-Up ↓
Heavy Handed Short Rib Burger – Santa Monica, Silver Lake + Studio City ↓
Hermon’s Ode To Chez Cheeseburger – Hermon ↓
HiHo Cheeseburger Pastrami Heat + HiHo Double – Calabasas, Marina del Rey, Mid-Wilshire, Pasadena, Santa Monica + Studio City ↓
Love Hour Double Burger – Koreatown ↓
Manuela Venison Burger – Arts District ↓
Moo’s Craft Barbecue Chili Burger – Lincoln Heights ↓
Mr. T Burger – Hollywood ↓
Panxa Cocina Green Chile Burger – Long Beach ↓
Proudly Serving PS Burger – Hermosa Beach, Long Beach + Redondo Beach ↓
Skaf’s On York Burger – Eagle Rock ↓
Softies Aji Burger + Steak Frites – Pop-Up ↓
Trophies Burger Club Grilled Cheese Double Cheeseburger (Add Bacon) – Fairfax ↓
Yellow Paper Burger Double – Eagle Rock ↓
Fingers Crossed For A Comeback (These Burgers Aren’t Currently Available)
Kali Steak Burger – Melrose ↓
PLEASE COME BACK! (OTHER GREAT BURGERS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE)
Bridgetown Roti Lamb Burger – East Hollywood ↓
Dunsmoor Burger – Glassell Park ↓
Saffy’s Coffee & Tea Lamb Burger – East Hollywood ↓
Blog Comments
PalworldHub
September 9, 2026 at 6:07 AM
What a fantastic tribute to L.A.’s burger legacy! I love how you connected the dots from the early drive-ins to today’s innovative smash and fusion styles. The history alone is mouthwatering—especially the Rite Spot cheeseburger plaque and Tiny Naylor’s patty melt. It’s amazing how this city keeps reinventing something as simple as a burger while respecting its roots. Since I’m always exploring new flavor combinations, I also enjoy finding unexpected pairings elsewhere—like discovering an electric water pal in Palworld. That same spirit of mixing unlikely elements feels very L.A. Here’s to the old stands still flipping patties and the new wave of burger artisans keeping things exciting. Thanks for the delicious history lesson!