Hole in the Wall Burger Joint

Every food-lover loves a place called "hole-in-the-wall." Maybe there's an allure to eating at a hidden gem or if you're like me, you simply like eating at, well, a hole in the wall burger joint. (Thank you J for the recommendation!)

Everyone, allow me to introduce to you, a fabulous burger shack in Westwood:

Make your own burger. All beef patties are cooked medium unless you order otherwise.

Medium beef burger on pretzel bun, tomato, cheddah cheese, bacon, and chipotle mayo. Oh, and perfectly flavored sweet potato fries

Hello friends: red onion and avocado

Medium beef burger on brioche bun with zucchini pickles, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions (was not a fan of the sauce it was grilled in), provolone, chipotle mayo with regular fries. 

Their condiment selection is great! Regular Heinz ketchup, which they call "Their Ketchup," house ketchup which they call "Our Ketchup," (tangy - eh) and a super kickin' Ranch dressing that is so great because it is sour cream and garlic based.

Turkey burger on honey wheat bun with cheddar and fried egg! Yes!

So after looking at all these tantalizing pictures, the question still remains: Is this the best burger in LA?

Hard to say, especially because what one will deem "best burger" will be another's "mediocre" or "sub-par." The fact of the matter is, there will possibly never be a "best burger in LA," but with that rather sobering news out of the way, I give Hole-in-the-Wall a solid 4/5.

Decor: It quite literally is a hole-in-the-wall, but it still remains its charm in a not-shabby deli kind of way.
Price: Like any make-your-own place, the price can skyrocket if you end up stock-piling tons of ingredients. But with a $7.95 base, this place is definitely reasonably priced.
Service: Friendly staff, bagged burgers brought to your table.
And most importantly, Taste: The way you cook a burger certainly affects the taste (and medium or medium-rare is the way to go with beef), but it's certainly not dispositive. It's really all about the ingredients and how they jive with one another. Well, rest assured, the ingredients in this hole-in-the-wall know how to party. They hand form their own Angus patties, which made the meat succulent, and they make their own pickles, spreads, and fries. The only thing that didn't work out too well for me was the grilled onions. They grilled it in some Worchester/BBQ/vinegar based sauce (which resembled "Our Ketchup"), which left an unusual aftertaste. I advise you either get them on the side or skip them altogether.

Yay, one less burger place to scratch off from my ultimate burger list.


View Larger Map


cuisine: Burger
location: West LA
hours: M-Sat: 11:00AM  - 9:00PM; closed Sun.
website: { website | yelp }
attire: Casual
parking: street or the little lot next to Winchell's Donuts
notes: Cash only! They have weekly specials (like Philly Cheese Burger).