The Apple Pan
The best burgers you’ll find across Los Angeles reflect the larger greatness of the city’s dining scene; both are eclectic, vibrant and individualized. A quintessentially American dish, you can find the city’s finest burgers in Michelin-starred restaurants, longtime local-favorite diners and sidewalk stands alike. Read on for a narrowed-down list of Modern Luxury’s top picks for burgers in Los Angeles.
Website/ 10801 W Pico Blvd 90064
Since 1947, The Apple Pan has posed Angelenos with the ultimate question: hickory or steakburger? You’ll be satisfied either way at the West L.A. restaurant, which loads up each burger with its signature sauce, pickles, lettuce and mayonnaise. Be sure to also leave room for fries and its other renowned menu item, fresh apple pie, which you may remember Riley Keough ordering as the eponymous star of 2023’s Daisy Jones & The Six.
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Website/ 3600 W 6th St 90020
Cassell’s history also goes back to the ‘40s when it first opened as a lunch counter. Now, the team grinds fresh beef daily within Hotel Normandie in Koreatown. All eaters will be satisfied here with menu options like the vegan burger with a house-made patty and the Cassell’s Classic, a seven-ounce premium ground beef patty topped by melted cheese.
Website/ Various
At Heavy Handed, you can taste the commitment to perfection. The Santa Monica-original establishment promises the perfect burger, which is proven with each succulent bite of its ground beef short rib burgers packed with homemade bread and butter pickles and the beef-tallow-fried fries.
Website/ Various
First established over 75 years ago, Irv’s Burgers has made roadside dining a seamless, favored experience. The burger stand—which now is in West Hollywood, Malibu and Mid City—has attracted the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Drew Barrymore for its welcoming atmosphere, fresh-baked buns and impressively sized pressed-to-order patties.
Website/ Various
The French may be known for perfectly flaky pastries and escargot, but Petit Trois proves they should also be renowned for their burgers. The Parisian bistro, which has locations in Hollywood and Sherman Oaks, has a standout burger that tips its hat to another American institution. Called the Big Mec, the double cheeseburger drips in bordelaise and special sauce, which you can scoop up via bites of exquisitely crispy fries.
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Website/ 122 S Beverly Dr 90212
A bar-and-grill escape from the hubbub of Beverly Hills, The Honor Bar is a haven just on the outskirts of the world’s most famous shopping district. It's made even better by its burger, which stands out for its inclusion of coleslaw among the traditional cheddar, tomato and patty lineup.
Website/ Various
At Father’s Office, chef Sang Yoon turned gastropub dining into a Michelin Guide-approved experience. You can see why with just one bite of any of its burgers, which are composed of organic, non-GMO, hormone-free and ethically raised ingredients. In particular, The Office Burger is a zesty balance of flavors and is piled with bacon, arugula, caramelized onion, gruyére and Maytag Blue cheese.
Website/ 440 N Fairfax Ave 90036
Tucked inside Cofax Coffee in the Fairfax District, The Golden State has every kind of burger you could hope for. Still, the menu remains sharp and to the point, allowing eaters to either elect a smash, impossible, lamb or beef burger for their meal. Be sure not to skip out on an order of fries and the top-notch house fry sauce.
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Website/ Various
For The Win is the go-to spot for a smash burger. Opened during the onset of the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, it beat the notoriously difficult odds of the ‘biz and now has multiple locations across the city. Keeping the menu simple, For The Win lets you decide between a hamburger and cheeseburger, both of which manifest as an ultra-wide beef patty between a toasted Martin’s potato bun. It’s completed with pickles, grilled onions and a healthy dousing of fry sauce.
Website/ 923 E 3rd St 90013
Camphor in the Arts District earned a Michelin star for its creative cocktails and crafty approach to French cuisine. However, you should also flock here for its version of America’s favorite sandwich. Its juicy Le Double Cheeseburger is stacked high with layers of cheese and duck-beef patties and finished with caramelized onions and the house remoulade.
Website/ 9 Dudley Ave 90291
Dudley Market has become a Venice gem for its excellent seafood and equally great natural wine selection. But don’t let that stop you from venturing elsewhere on the menu. You’ll be thinking about the Dudley Burger long after the last bite of wagyu beef enriched by its ingredient compatriots: cheddar cheese, fresh arugula, dill aioli and bacon caramelized onion jam.
Website/ 15 Washington Blvd 90292
Also in Venice, Hinano Cafe pairs its burger with the archetypal beachside dining experience. A beachside establishment with a local dive spirit and views of the shore, the World Famous Cheeseburger is an exemplary morsel whether you stop in after a surf session or a late-night snack. It comes packed with lettuce, tomato, onion, mayonnaise, mustard and relish on either an egg or bakery-fresh sesame seed bun.
Photography by: Meghan Reardon; Courtesy Heavy Handed; Emma Gabay/Guiscene Studio; Capra Photography; Dominique Ellis; Courtesy Camphor; Courtesy Dudley Market; Courtesy Hinano
