The best burgers in Los Angeles in 2026 are the hickory burger at The Apple Pan, the Office Burger at Father's Office, the wagyu double at HiHo Cheeseburger, the smash burgers at Burgers Never Say Die and the giant burgers at Hawkins House of Burgers in Watts. Original Tommy's chili burger and In-N-Out by LAX are the late-night classics.
LA invented a lot of burger culture, from drive-ins to chili burgers to the smash-burger revival. This list mixes counter classics that have barely changed with newer smash-burger spots, across the city.
A 1947 counter that serves the hickory burger and banana cream pie.
The Apple Pan is a tiny white house on Pico with a U-shaped counter and no tables. Order the hickory burger (with a smoky sauce) or the steakburger, fries and a slice of pie.
Service is fast and old-fashioned, and the menu has barely changed in decades.
Good to know: You wait behind the stools for a seat to open. Small lot and street parking.
10801 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
The Office Burger: dry-aged beef, caramelized onions and blue cheese.
Father's Office is a gastropub that put the Office Burger on the map: dry-aged beef on a roll with caramelized onions, Gruyère and Maytag blue cheese, and arugula. It comes as served, with no substitutions.
There is a strong craft beer list. The Santa Monica original is 21+; the Culver City location is at 3229 Helms Ave.
Good to know: Order at the bar and grab any open seat. Bring ID.
1018 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Grass-fed wagyu double cheeseburgers in a retro counter room.
HiHo makes a double cheeseburger with grass-fed wagyu, American cheese and a house sauce, plus fries and shakes. It is simple and consistent, with a short menu.
It has a few LA locations; Santa Monica is a block from the Promenade.
Good to know: Pair with a walk on the Promenade. Use the city parking structures on 2nd St.
1320 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Crispy-edged smash burgers from a walk-up counter.
Burgers Never Say Die makes smash burgers with lacy, crisp edges, American cheese and grilled onions on a potato bun. The menu is short: singles, doubles, fries and a few drinks.
It became one of the most talked-about burger counters in LA soon after opening.
Good to know: Expect a short line at peak hours. Street parking on Glendale Blvd.
2388 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Huge, messy burgers from a family-run Watts institution.
Hawkins House of Burgers has been feeding Watts for decades. The burgers are enormous, with towers like the Whipper loaded with pastrami, hot links and chili.
It is a neighborhood institution and worth the drive for burger fans.
Good to know: Come hungry and share the larger burgers. There is a small lot.
11603 Slater St, Los Angeles, CA 90059
The 24-hour chili burger stand that started in 1946.
Original Tommy's is the shack at Beverly and Rampart where the chili cheeseburger became an LA staple. The burger comes with a thick chili, mustard, onion, pickle and tomato, eaten standing at the counter outside.
There are other Tommy's around Southern California, but the original stand is the one to visit.
Good to know: Open 24 hours. Grab plenty of napkins.
2575 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057
The In-N-Out where planes land overhead on the way into LAX.
In-N-Out is California's cult burger chain, and the Westchester branch is the one people visit on purpose: it sits under the approach path to LAX, so planes pass low overhead.
Order a Double-Double Animal Style with fries well-done.
Good to know: Eat outside in the small park across the street to watch planes land.
9149 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045
A small family-run griddle stand on Santa Monica Blvd.
Irv's Burgers is a family-run counter with classic griddle burgers, fries and a menu written on paper plates. It has been a West Hollywood fixture for decades.
It is a cheap, friendly stop for a quick lunch.
Good to know: Small parking lot in front. Lunch is the best time.
7998 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046
Smash burgers and beef-tallow fries near the beach.
Heavy Handed is a small smash-burger counter on Main Street in Santa Monica. The menu is a few burgers, fries and shakes, done with care.
It is close to the beach, so it works for a post-surf lunch.
Good to know: Mostly takeout and a few outdoor seats.
2912 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
A beach dive bar with cheap burgers, pool tables and sawdust floors.
Hinano Café is a dive bar a few steps from the Venice Pier, known for cheap griddle burgers served on paper plates. Pool tables, a jukebox and beach regulars set the tone.
It is a bar, so it is 21+.
Good to know: Cash was traditional here; bring some just in case. Park in the beach lots.
15 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292
The Apple Pan's hickory burger is the most famous old-school burger, served at a U-shaped counter since 1947. Father's Office's Office Burger, with caramelized onions and blue cheese, is the best-known gastropub burger.
The Westchester In-N-Out at 9149 S Sepulveda Blvd is the most visited because planes land right over it on the way into LAX. Order off the not-so-secret menu: Animal Style or a Double-Double.
No. Father's Office is known for serving the Office Burger as the kitchen makes it, with no ketchup and no changes. The Santa Monica bar is 21+, and the Culver City location also has a bar-only policy, so check the rules before bringing kids.
Burgers Never Say Die in Silver Lake and Heavy Handed in Santa Monica are two of the best smash-burger counters. Irv's Burgers in West Hollywood is a classic griddle burger stand.
Original Tommy's on Beverly Boulevard is open 24 hours. Many In-N-Out locations stay open until 1 a.m. or later on weekends.