A year and a half ago, a real estate agent took Off The Menu app founder Lawrence Longo to the former Irv’s Burgers space on Route 66 when he was exploring venues for another restaurant concept. “As soon as I walked in, I instantly felt like Irv’s should never have closed down in the first place,” says Longo, who considers the West Hollywood institution which shuttered in 2018 to be part of American burger culture. “I immediately called [previous owner] Sonia Hong and offered to help bring back Irv’s Burgers.”
Established in 1946 as Queen’s Burgers and beloved for its roadside-style double cheeseburger, Irv’s was a favorite among celebrities like Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Seth Rogen and Drew Barrymore, and appeared on Linda Ronstadt’s Living in the USA album cover. The new stand at 7998 Santa Monica Blvd., which debuted in June, maintains original elements like the off-white tiled counter and red take-out windows. Says Longo, “We wanted the design and feel of the new Irv’s to really embody the casual and relaxed roadside burger stand experience, but with a modern twist.”
He also wanted to honor the stand’s iconic cheeseburger—a “greasy, juicy patty on a bed of fresh produce and a white squishy bun”—which is accompanied by new menu items like sandwiches, hot dogs and chili cheese fries. “Our goal was to keep the ethos and integrity of a roadside burger stand, but elevate the experience with quality ingredients and a simplified menu the whole family can enjoy,” notes Longo, who teased the opening with a pop-up on National Burger Day. Fans can also expect the return of Hong’s infamous doodles of the diners on their paper plates. Says Longo, “We hope we can give Angelenos a taste of nostalgia while also creating new memories.” irvsburgers.com
“The chance to rescue one of America’s most famous hot dog stands is a dream come true,” says The 1933 Group co-owner and lead designer Bobby Green, who first saw the giant hot dog-shaped stand Tail o’ the Pup at nine years old and relished passing it over the years. He wasn’t alone—the iconic 75-year-old stand established in 1946 on La Cienega and Beverly Blvd. found fans in Hollywood stars from Sigourney Weaver to Betty White, and appeared in Jim Henson’s The Muppet Show and Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour. Polaroids of famous Pup supporters were taped around the ordering windows. “On any given day you’d catch anyone from Devo and The Go-Go’s to Aaron Spelling to Andy Warhol,” recalls Green of the beloved 18-foot-wide by 9-foot-tall eatery that was moved into storage in 2005.
The 1933 Group—which has been restoring Hollywood institutions like Idle Hour, Highland Park Bowl and Formosa Café—acquired The Pup in 2018 and after years of searching for an ideal location near the original, reinstated it at 8512 Santa Monica Blvd. The new 2,700-square-foot outpost—at a historical former music studio where The Doors recorded “L.A. Woman”—includes al fresco dining areas and a beer garden. The food program will likewise be a throwback to the stand which implored people to try their “tasty hot pups.” “The menu created in 1946 changed drastically around 1970 with new owners, so we’ve spent time researching both menus and are incorporating the best of all decades,” says Green, who hopes people see this comeback as a love letter to Los Angeles. “I can’t think of a better way to put a smile on another’s face than to bring back the whimsical, giant hot dog that people would go out of their way to see as much as the they would search for the Hollywood sign.” tailothepup.com
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