The short answer
The best all-around restaurant burger in LA is Father's Office in Culver City, the gastropub Office Burger that started the city's serious-burger obsession. For a classic diner patty, go old-school at The Apple Pan. For build-your-own since 1948, it's Cassell's Hamburgers in Koreatown. For the best smash burger, For The Win. And for something you won't find anywhere else, Badmaash's Spiced Lamb Burger.
LA's burger scene keeps moving. Badmaash, the Indian-Canadian gastropub already on this list for its Spiced Lamb Burger, opened a third LA location on Abbot Kinney in Venice in 2026, joining its original Downtown LA spot and a Fairfax outpost. Meanwhile Slater's 50/50, the bacon-obsessed chain that used to hold a spot here, has quietly closed its Torrance, Pasadena, and San Jose locations within the same year, with its founder pushed out of the company. We pulled it and swapped in Cassell's Hamburgers, a Koreatown build-your-own institution that's been doing the same "load it up yourself" idea since 1948.
Everything below is a restaurant burger, not a fast-food one, so no In-N-Out or Shake Shack here (those get their own list). We rechecked every address and menu status in July 2026.
01Father’s Office
3229 Helms Ave, Culver City
$$ · The Office BurgerGastropubBest for the reference burger
The burger that arguably started LA's whole gourmet-burger movement: a dry-aged beef patty piled with caramelized onions, applewood bacon, Gruyere, Maytag blue cheese, and arugula on a toasted roll. It comes exactly one way, no substitutions, no ketchup.
Good to knowAsking for ketchup, or a bun swap, is a running joke here and the staff will say no. Order the way it's built and you'll understand why.
02The Apple Pan
10801 W Pico Blvd, West LA
$ · SteakburgerDiner classicSince 1947
A U-shaped lunch counter with about two dozen stools, unchanged in spirit since 1947. The Steakburger and Hickoryburger are the two orders that matter, both simple, both consistent. Irving and Shelli Azoff bought the restaurant in 2019, which set off years of “is it closing” chatter online, but the menu and the counter are exactly as they were.
Good to knowNo reservations and no waiting area beyond the sidewalk, so weekend lunch means a real line. Save room for a slice of the pie case by the register.
03Cassell’s Hamburgers
3600 W 6th St, Koreatown
$ · build-your-ownSince 1948Build-your-own
A Koreatown institution since 1948, built around hand-formed thick patties and a full toppings bar you assemble yourself, a rarity in a city where most burger counters hand you a fixed build. It's the replacement for Slater's 50/50 on this list: same spirit of piling on your own extras, minus a chain that's been shutting locations across Southern California.
Good to knowThe topping bar is the whole point. Go heavier than you think you want, that's how regulars order it.
04Badmaash LA
108 W 2nd St, Downtown LA
$$ · Spiced Lamb BurgerIndian-Canadian fusion3 LA locations
An Indian-Canadian gastropub that mashes together flavor profiles you won't find paired anywhere else in the city. The Spiced Lamb Burger has been called out by national food outlets as one of the country's best, and the Chicken Masala Poutine on the side is not optional.
NewsBadmaash opened a third LA location on Abbot Kinney in Venice in 2026, joining the original Downtown spot and one on Fairfax.
05For The Win
6221 Franklin Ave, Franklin Village
$ · Smash BurgerSmash burgerBest cheap thrill
A thin, crispy-edged smash patty on a soft toasted bun, no frills, no long menu to sort through. It started as a single counter in Franklin Village and has since expanded to San Diego, real proof this one built a genuine following rather than riding a trend.
Good to knowIt's counter service in a small, laid-back space. Go for the classic smash before you try the specials.
06The Local Peasant
14058 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks
$$ · Wagyu Smash BurgerUpscale smashWagyu
An unassuming Ventura Boulevard storefront that hides a genuinely upscale smash burger program, Wagyu beef, a proper sit-down room, and a weekend brunch with red velvet pancakes. A second location has since opened in Woodland Hills.
Good to knowAsk for the “Adult Happy Meal” pairing, burger, fries, and a beer, if you want the full experience in one order.
07HiHo Cheeseburger
1320 2nd St, Santa Monica
$ · HiHo DoubleAll grass-fed WagyuScratch shakes
One of the only burger counters in LA built entirely around 100 percent grass-fed Wagyu beef, no other protein on the menu. Scratch-made shakes and a fried chicken sandwich round things out for anyone who isn't in a burger mood.
Good to knowThe Willie Mae fried chicken sandwich is the one non-burger order regulars actually get, worth trying if you're splitting a table order.
08Hinano Cafe
15 Washington Blvd, Venice
$ · World Famous CheeseburgerDive bar since 1962Near the pier
A cash-friendly dive bar steps from the Venice Beach pier, open since 1962 and looking every bit its age in the best way. The World Famous Cheeseburger is exactly what the name promises, no reinvention needed. It's reportedly Jim Morrison's old Venice haunt.
Good to knowIt's a bar first, a burger counter second. Expect a wait for a table on weekends and cash tips appreciated.
09King’s Burgers Got Sushi?
9345 Reseda Blvd, Northridge
$ · Pastrami BurgerBurgers + sushiOnly-in-LA novelty
A genuinely only-in-LA combination: a burger counter and a sushi counter under one roof, both taken seriously rather than played as a gimmick. The Pastrami Burger is the order that put it on this list, and the sushi side has its own local following.
Good to knowDon't sleep on the sushi menu just because you came for the burger, it's a real second reason to visit.
A few more worth knowing
- Slater’s 50/50 has closed across Southern California, Torrance, Pasadena, and San Jose all shut within the same year, with founder Scott Slater pushed out of the company. If you loved the loaded, over-the-top burger format, Cassell’s build-your-own bar above is the closer analog now.
- Weekend lunch lines at Father’s Office and The Apple Pan are real. Go on a weekday or right at open if you want to skip the wait.
Frequently asked
What's the best smash burger in LA right now?
For The Win in Franklin Village is the standout, a thin, crispy-edged smash patty that built a following strong enough to expand to San Diego in 2026. The Local Peasant's Wagyu smash burger in Sherman Oaks is the upscale, sit-down alternative.
Where's a good sit-down restaurant burger in LA, not fast food?
Father's Office in Culver City is the reference point, a gastropub with a full beer list built around one legendary burger (caramelized onion, bacon, Gruyere, blue cheese, arugula). Just don't ask for ketchup, it's a house rule, not a joke.
What's an old-school, classic diner burger in LA?
The Apple Pan on Pico Boulevard is the answer, a 1947 U-shaped lunch counter serving the same Steakburger and Hickoryburger it always has, now under new ownership (the Azoff family since 2019) but unchanged in menu and vibe.
Is there a fusion or non-traditional burger worth trying in LA?
Badmaash's Spiced Lamb Burger blends Indian and Canadian flavors at their Indian gastropub, and it's been called out by national outlets as one of the best burgers in the country. Badmaash added a third LA location on Abbot Kinney in Venice in 2026.
What's a good casual burger spot near Venice Beach?
Hinano Cafe, a dive bar steps from the Venice pier since 1962, is the local answer, the World Famous Cheeseburger and a cold beer, with a side of Jim Morrison lore.
Where can I get a grass-fed or all-natural burger in LA?
HiHo Cheeseburger in Santa Monica is one of the only spots in the city built entirely around 100 percent grass-fed Wagyu beef, with scratch-made shakes to match.
What happened to Slater's 50/50 in LA?
The bacon-heavy burger chain has been shutting down across Southern California, with its Torrance, Pasadena, and San Jose locations all closing within the same year and founder Scott Slater pushed out of the company. It's no longer a reliable pick, which is why it's off this list.
