Ledlow - Los Angeles, CA

The magnificent tower of a burger at Ledlow in downtown Los Angeles.

Ledlow in downtown Los Angeles fires up an exquisite burger. Not a burger joint, but a very nice restaurant, Ludlow impresses with this magnificent concoction.

We love eating in downtown Los Angeles and have enjoyed the other restaurants in the Ludlow family like Baco Mercat and Bar Ama. So when I ordered the 8 ounce double burger ($16), I did so with high expectations. They also offer a triple 12 ounce burger. 

The burger boasts a toasted poppy-seed bun. The spicey garlic aoli mayo sauce is yummy and combines nicely with American cheese. The burger had the right amount or Lettuce, but a little too much raw onion for my taste. There were tasty pickles as well. The bacon added a smokey note. The two beef patties were thick and juicy - cooked medium well. They burst with a nice griddled peppery flavor. 

High ceilings and space create a nice atmosphere for burger munching at Ludlow in Los Angeles.

The fries were steak-sized with dill and salt. Hot and yummy. Not mealy in the middle like a lot of big fries.   

  

Make sure if you go to have the Parkerhouse rolls before the burger as an appetizer.  

Burger 4.5 spatulas our of 5

Fries 4 spatulas

Ledlow

400 S. Main St.

Los Angeles, CA 90013

213-687-7015

ledlowla.com

Plan Check Kitchen+Bar - Los Angeles, CA

The Plan Check Burger

Plan Check Kitchen+Bar in Los Angeles is the offspring of Umami Burger. We stopped in for a burger at the Sawtelle location. The place was already buzzing at 6 pm on a Friday night in this bustling neighborhood. 

We grabbed the last spot available at the “Chef’s Bar” facing the kitchen. We loved the fact that the place has a first class cocktail bar. I ordered a Little Osaka Sour ($12). Patricia ordered a glass of wine. In no time our drinks arrived and we placed our food order. 

I ordered the PCB - Plan Check Burger ($12.50) and she got the Short Rib Pot Roast ($16). We also got an order or the Sweet Potato Waffle Fries ($6).

We watched the busy kitchen assembly line making the food and talked to a friendly guest next to us. The food arrived. The burger sat handsomely on an iron mini skillet. The Americanized Dashi Cheese oozed over the sides of the patty. The mixed pickles stuck out and the sesame covered “crunch” bun was perfectly shaped and nicely toasted. The first bite made me think of seaweed. Not necessarily in a bad way, but it was an unusual sensation. Onions were grilled soft and flavorful. The ketchup leather added a rich note. The meat was juicy and tasty. 

Sweet Potato Waffle Fries at Plan Check Kitchen+Bar

Our neighbor cut me off a piece of his Chef’s Favorite Burger ($14) and I must say I preferred it. The bacon slices and bacon Thousand Island dressing combined with the two cheeses (melted Amercian and a cheese crisp) to make a really delightful, if more traditional tasting burger. 

The Sweet Potato Waffles were a good idea. Accompanied by peach ketchup and nicely salted, they had sat too long in the counter before reaching us and weren’t as hot as I would have liked. They stayed crunchy however. 

We ate dessert. The Cruller Donut is a misnomer. Basically it is a circular churro with cinnamon, custard, whipped cream and bananas. It is a creative idea. Once again, not hot when reaching us, but still tasty.  

Overall, I found Plan Check a fun experience and a lively setting. (We walked by a little later and it was packed.) But it does have the distinct feel of a chain-in-waiting, with not as much passion and soul as I would have liked. 

Burger 3.5 spatulas out of 5

Sweet Potato Waffle Fries 3 Spatulas

Plan Check Kitchen+Bar

1800 Sawtelle Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90025

1800 SAWTELLE BLVD

LOS ANGELES, CA 90025

(310) 444-1411

plancheck.com

Cruller Donut Dessert at Plan Check Kitche+Bar

Cassell's Hamburgers - Los Angeles, CA

The Patty Melt at Cassell's Hamburgers in Los Angeles' Koreatown.

Cassell’s Hamburgers in Los Angeles, CA is a fabulous spot in Koreatown for catching a burger after a drink. We had just finished a couple of rounds of cocktails at The Normandie Club and slid next door to check out Cassell’s. 

At night it feels like you are in an Edward Hopper painting sitting at the classic tables in the classic styled diner. We ordered burgers. Patricia got a plain 1/3 pound cheeseburger with cheddar ($9.99) and I ordered the 1/3 pound patty melt ($10.99). We also ordered fries ($3.50). 

The staff was a hoot. Our waitress was friendly and talkative. The young man who brought us our burgers was equally delightful. Patricia asked if he had won the lottery. He said no, but  friend in Chico Hills had posted a picture of the $1.5B winning ticket on Facebook. That would buy a lot of burgers. 

Cassell's Hamburgers has the classic diner look. 

The Patty Melt was awesome. Crisp rye. Sweet grilled onions. The swiss cheese squirted out from the bread to form a cheese skirt. The patty was loosely ground and juicy - not too tightly packed. The bread was nicely toasted and tasty. I liked the mustardy sauce on the side for dipping the burger. 

Patricia’s plain cheeseburger was yummy as well. The white bun was firm and spongy. Cheese melted perfectly over the tasty patty. 

The fries were just ok. Medium cut. Probably from frozen. Nothing special. ($3.50)  

We loved the atmosphere and the burgers. Swing by Cassell’s for a trip back in burger time. 

Burger 4 out of 5 spatulas

Fries 2.5 out of 5

Cassell’s Hamburgers

3600 W 6th St. 

Los Angeles, CA 90020

(213) 387-5502

http://www.cassellshamburgers.com

Smashburger - Thousand Oaks, CA

Smashburger in Thousand Oaks, CA presents a clean modern looking restaurant to have your hamburger. I liked the laminate wood grained tables and wood chairs.  No faux 50s aesthetic that has become a cliché in burger places. You walk right up to the counter and order from the flat screen menus behind the server. I ordered up a Classic Smash in the big size ($5.99). The regular ($4.99) is 5 ounces. The big is a half pound. They also offer a double, which is two quarter pound patties rather than one half pound ($5.99).

I barely sat down and my order was there. It is a nice looking burger. The yellow bun was left open with the burger on one side and all the veggies and condiments on the other. I assembled as served and took a bite. The patty was cooked through, but still plenty moist if not particularly juicy as billed. The theory on the "smash" in Smashburger is that they start with a ball of fresh Angus beef and then smash it onto a buttered griddle, searing in the flavor and juice. I have always thought that you compress the ground beef as little as possible to keep the patty light, juicy and soft. The thicker patty also allows more pink beef in the middle. Having said all that, this is a very high quality enjoyable burger. The meat tasted savory and flavorful. All the flavors had a nice balance with the very fresh veggies: pickle chips, green leaf lettuce, tomato slice and red onion. There is also mustard and ketchup.  The American cheese was mostly melted, although it could have been more so. 

The Haystack Onions ($2.29) were light, thin, peppery and flavorful. Served hot and crisp they were supposed to be served with a dipping sauce, which I did not get. I had to go back to the counter and ask for it. Turns out that they were out of the containers for it and had to improvise a french fry container for it. Not a big deal, but leaving that great sauce out of the order would have robbed me of the delightful concoction. The sauce stings the taste buds with a delightful, creamy horseradish mix. 

The Smash Fries were the best of the lot. For a chain, I really appreciate the creativity here. Smashburger rolls the thin, crisp fries in rosemary, olive oil and garlic. The subtle garlic didn't overpower like garlic fries. These fries would be great without the extra spices, but with them, they are a don't-miss addition to the burger. 

Smashburger is a worthy option against other burger chains. It compares well with In-N-Out and beats Five Guys in my opinion. The more substantial burger is a plus. It is more expensive than the previous mentions, but that is not unexpected given the quality of the items ordered.

Burger 4 out of 5 spatulas

Haystack Onions 3.5 spatulas (Get the sauce)

Fries 5 spatulas

Smashburger

650 North Moorpark Road

Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

805-409-3792

smashburger.com

Short Order - Los Angeles, CA

Short order in Los Angeles sits in the area at Third and Fairfax Original Farmer's Market, which is really a bunch of permanent food installations. The burger stand sits out in the open air. We were there on a lovely February Saturday and enjoyed the warm winter L.A. air. I ordered the Short Order Burger ($12) with Grass Fed Beef from Magruder Ranch. It comes with morbier cheese, griddled mushrooms, bibb lettuce and mustardy-mayo. I added bacon as well. We ordered the Short Order Spuds with sour cream dipping sauce with North Country Bacon ($6) rather than fries.

We chatted up our charming server, finding out about the neighborhood and admiring her tattoos. She was as relaxed and charming as the setting. Everyone was friendly and chatty and we felt at peace with the world. I had a beer as Pat and I chatted up our nearby patrons.

The burgers arrived along with the spuds. Wrapped neatly in yellow paper, they were a work of beefy art. The first bite did not disappoint. All the flavors blended so nicely wit the slightly spicy sauce. The beef had only the slightest pepper in it that really brought out the great taste of the juicy beef. The bun was firm and toasted perfectly. I must say, this is one of my favorite burgers in some time.

The spuds reminded me of how much I used to like TGI Friday's potato skins. These are the gourmet version. Popping wth flavor along with the dipping sauce.

Take a chill pill and visit Short Order, next time you are in L.A.

Burger 5 spatulas our of 5
Spuds 5 spatulas

Short Order
6333 W. 3rd St. Stall #110
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-761-7970
www.shortorderla.com

The Ivy - Los Angeles, CA

The Ivy in Los Angeles is the hang out for seeing stars and paying star prices for the privilege. I ate at the Ivy, Santa Monica a year or so ago, but lost the notes. This will pretty much cover it. Although the atmosphere is different the burger is the same.

We put our name in and were seated relatively quickly, about 10 minutes. We knew there were no stars there because out on the sidewalk on Robertson, there were no paparazzi.

Our table was in the back. Everyone in the restaurant seemed to be looking around to see if they recognized anyone. But if there were stars there, they were dim ones.

Our server took our order. I ordered the 10-ounce burger with fries for an astounding $23.75. It was served on a huge plate along with the fries. Amazingly, the fries were cold. I asked for warm ones. When they came they were thin and hot with the skins on. Pretty good.

The burger itself was okay, the meat was good with a mesquite charcoal flavor. It was nice and juicy. The toasted sesame bun was impressive looking. The jack cheese was nicely melted. All the side veggies were cold and fresh.

Overall, I would say the Ivy is okay for a burger and fun to hang out at. But maybe get a burger somewhere else for $18 less and set up a lawn chair out front and wait for the stars to appear.

Burger 3.5 spatulas out of 5
Fires 3 spatulas

The Ivy
113 N Robertson Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
310-274-8303
www.ivyrestaurantgroup.com

Fred 62 - Los Angeles, CA

Fred 62 in Los Angeles’ Los Feliz neighborhood is a great place to hang out with the hip crowd and have a burger. My family and I went south to Los Angeles for the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. We were excited to check out college campuses for my daughter and burgers for me. We had heard that one of the great burger places in L.A. is Fred 62.

We parked on Vermont Street a block from Fred 62. There are lots of vintage shops and places with unusual things. There is a great T-shirt shop Y-Que that has shirts for each neighborhood in L.A. Also, a great newsstand on the sidewalk with all the low-circulation magazines you can only find in L.A.

All the tables were taken at Fred. It is first-come, first-anarchy trying to get a table. It was an unusually crisp and sunny 75 degrees, so we took a bright yellow table outside. We had just enough of an awning that we didn’t roast in the sun. A lovely platinum-blonde young lady in fishnet stockings covered with red leg-warmers, took our order. Fred 62 likes it dark and goth from the workers to the lettering on its cards and menus. A nice change from the over-used 50s theme of so many burger places, Fred’s is more Rock-A-Billy and tattoos.

I ordered the Juicy Lucy Burger with Fries ($9.99), Chocolate Shake ($4.89), Onion rings ($4.10). The shake came first. The chocolate syrup was not stirred in giving it a pinto effect through the clear glass. Very cool. Also very tasty, creamy and cold.

The onion rings were battered and thin. They were too thin, a little soggy and not that flavorful. Just okay. Fries were medium cut with skins on. Hot and pretty good, but not exceptional. But I liked the presentation of the fries in a little brown bag cut and folded neatly.

The burger itself came on an impressive homemade bun nicely toasted. The 1/2-pound patty was cooked medium rare with Cheddar cheese. Lots of impressive toppings were piled on, all fresh and crisp with tomato, onions and lettuce. There was only a small dab of the promised Thousand Island dressing in the middle. I should have asked for more.

I enjoyed hanging out in Los Feliz and people watching from our sidewalk table. I wanted the food to be better. But I did feel hip for a brief time, so that is worth something. I should have had some ink done.

Burger 4 spatulas out of 5
Fries 3.5 Spatulas
Onion Rings 2.5 spatulas
Shake 4 spatulas

Fred 62
1850 N. Vermont Street
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-667-0062
www.fred62.com

Pie 'n Burger - Pasadena, CA

Pie ‘n Burger in Pasadena was recently voted best pie in L.A. We had also read the burger was very good as well. On our way out of L.A. my wife Pat and I swung through Pasadena to check it out.

Pie ‘n Burger’s interior is like a museum piece. Faux wood formica counter is the original from the restaurant opening in 1963. There were Oak chairs like those in my house when I was a kid, we. The current owner ate there as a kid and started working at Pie 'n Burger when he was a USC student in 1972. He never left. He has kept much of the original staff and the menu has barely changed.

When we walked in the U.S. Olympic basketball team was on the TV. I had to check that it wasn’t a game from the 70s when the U.S. was dominant in basketball. All the tables where packed, so we sat at the counter which wound around the grill.

We each ordered a Cheeseburger ($6.50), fries ($3.55), pecan pie ($3.65) and peach pie ($4.25). The burgers were 4 ounces of fresh beef, griddled with melted American cheese. They came with iceberg lettuce, crisp pickle chips and thousand-island dressing. The bun was crisply grilled on the griddle. This is a classic burger. Kind of like a big version of In-N-Out. Pat’s was plain. We both really liked our burgers.

The fries were medium cut, no skins form frozen potatoes. They were hot and salted perfectly. Very good.

I also liked the pecan pie. As I ate it, I was transported back to the 70s. Eating my grandmas pecan pie while watching the U.S. stomp the field in Olympic basketball on the Zenith console TV.

Burger 4.5 spatulas out of 5
Fries 3.5 spatulas
Pecan Pie 5 spatulas

Pie ‘n Burger
913 E. California Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91106
626-795-1123
www.pienburger.com

Father's Office - Santa Monica, CA

Father's Office in Santa Monica came with a formidable reputation as one of the best burgers in L.A. Pat and I steered in around noon to its shi-shi Montana Street location amongst the designer shops and restaurants. Its retro sign stands out along the block. Upon entering the greeter told us that it was open seating. The tiny place was already packed. A row of wood tables on each side of the restaurant led back to the bar where we grabbed two of the last three stools.

39 beer taps arrayed the wall behind the bar with no beers that I have ever heard of. It was obvious this wasn't just a burger bar, but a serious beer bar as well. Insistent as they are about "no substitutions", we each ordered the hamburger ($12). We also agreed to split a basket of fries ($5).

The fries came right out in a clever miniature grocery cart. They were matchstick small and crisp. Pat loves the "crispies" in any batch of fries, so she was very excited that these were all crispies. They came with an aioli for dunking, but didn't really need it. I didn't ask for a ketchup substitution out of fear of ejection before my burger arrived.

The burgers did arrive. A massive 1/2-pound, but seemingly bigger burger was stacked upon a french roll. The burger is made of organic, grass-fed beef. Ground from a combination of chuck, sirloin and New York strip according to our server. The roll was grilled, firm but fresh. The hamburger patty itself was covered with a thick concoction of bacon, gruyere, maytag blue cheese and grilled onions. Also on top was a stack of fresh arugula. The burger was red and moist medium and already cut in half when it arrived. It was superb. The onions were sweet but not overwhelming. Everything blended with the burger in one great taste.

As we ate, the local young and hip crowd continued to pour into the restaurant. They all seemed to know the beers, comparing their fruitfulness, bitterness and all the other subtleties that beer experts know. I don't know whether the beer came first or the burgers, but both seem to attract their crowd at Father's Office.

Burger 5 spatulas (out of 5)
Fries 4.5 spatulas

Father's Office
1018 Montana Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
310-393-BEER
www.fathersoffice.com

Ford's Filling Station - Culver City

Ford's Filling Station in Culver City was a back up choice when we discovered that Father's Office wasn't open during the week for lunch. It was a happy backup. We arrived early and got a great seat outside in the shade. Our table overlooked the Culver City Blvd. as the lunch crowd descended from the nearby studios.

I ordered a Pub Burger with Onion Rings ($16). The onion rings were lovely, large and crunchy. Made from red onions and beer-battered, they were very good.

The burger was also a treat. A half-pound patty, hand-ground on site from organic beef, it was very tasty indeed. It was prepared to a perfect medium. The grilled, sweet onions blended nicely with the blue cheese. Everything sat on an egg bun with onions baked in the top.

My wife Pat had read that the locals loved the burger and I can see why it was true. A definite winner.

Burger 4.5 spatulas out of 5
Onion Rings 4 spatulas

Ford's Filling Station
9531 Culver Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90232
310-202-1470
www.fordsfillingstation.net

Apple Pan - Los Angeles, CA

Apple Pan in Los Angeles is a well-known and long-standing burger institution. Pat, my wife, had read about it as a rival with Father's Office for the premier burger in L.A. Pat and I hoofed it over from our hotel in Westwood about two miles to Pico Blvd. Who says nobody walks in L.A.?

The place is nothing if not authentic. I mean, the chairs, the floor, the doors, even our waiter who had worked there 44 years was original material. I was licking my chops to try the Hickory Burger ($5.50), a recipe purported on the menu to be from 1945. We also ordered the French Fries ($2.45) and Pat had a Combination, ham and cheese, ($7.50) sandwich.

The fries and ham sandwich came out to the counter almost immediately. When my burger came out a few seconds later, it was placed in my hand by the cook, wrapped neatly in white paper.

The burger was obviously hot. It had a little more lettuce on it than I like. The quarter-pound patty was nicely cooked and did its best to stand out against the mayo, hickory sauce. There were also pickle chips. The white bun was nicely grilled. But the whole thing wasn't that impressive to me. Except for the hickory sauce which was basically smokey ketchup, it wasn't that unique.

The fries were hot and thin. A little greasy but crisp. Also not spectacular. Pat liked her ham sandwich which was piled high with ham they make right there.

We had to try some apple pie ($5.50) which our waiter nicely split for us on two plates. I liked it, Pat was indifferent.

I really wanted to fall in love with the charming little relic of a restaurant, but in the end, I found the burger to be good, not great. The restaurant itself though, is worth a visit and is a lot of fun.

Burger 3.5 spatulas out of 5
Fries 3 spatulas

Apple Pan
10801 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
310-475-3585