This post was really hard to make. I mean, I had to eat all those delicious burgers one after the other and rate them and take pictures and .. ughh it was so hard. Ever since I came here I’ve basically been eating burgers more than anything else (it is ‘murica, after all). This is a short, probably very biased and non-conclusive review of what I deem to be the best burgers in LA (SO FAR).

This list starts with the number 6, because I have only visited 6 places worth mentioning and you should really stop complaining and skip to the burger porn below.

6. Backyard Burger (Go Burger)
Description: It is so harsh that this burger is at the back of the list because it was very delicious, but such is life. Because its easily better than a lot of burgers I had back home. It was just missing a few small pointers. The burger was a bit greasy. OK, all burgers are greasy, but this one was … somehow too greasy. The place is located in a touristy place and it was very packed.

The burger comes with a black angus beef patty (all the places below offer USDA AA+ grade beef) with American cheese (maybe this was the problem) and served on a standard white bread bun.

Not the worst place you can go to, but I wouldn’t get the burger there again. They have some really good spiked shakes and some impressive tacos!

5. Ida’s Oldschool Burger (Short Order)
Description: This place is located in a parking lot behind the Grove, a very big mall where you will find the Kuwaiti and Saudi population of LA. It is very hip, it has cool cafeteria like tables and some really friendly staff. The burger on the other hand was in the not bad category. It had really good ingredients, as you would expect from an expensive place like this, but the burger really was .. umm ok. Nothing special to report.

If I had to go there again, I’d probably order sandwich melts they had, those actually looked really good. Also they serve their drinks in mason jars! so it gets a special extra star from me.

4. Lucky Burger (Fuku Burger)
Description: There are hundreds of burger joints in LA, its ridiculous, and this place looked like just another cash-in, pretentious, look at me I am Japanese and stylish and I have seaweed in my burgers kind of place. And yes, I was very wrong.

This place is amazing, they actually started out as a food truck! Their burgers are the most creative I’ve seen thus far. Your milage might vary, but depending on what you get, you are in for a really satisfying meal.

The burger comes topped with pickled fried red onion (YES), special fuku sauce (Sweet) and wasabi mayo (delicious).

3. Cheese Burger (In-n-Out)
Description: This has to be on every list that talks about burgers in the west side, its kind of the law. The place is ALWAYS PACKED, its like Bader Al Bedour on a weekend, only every day. Its so packed that they need a police officer on duty. The burger I had, which was my first, was burnt and was rushed and not made with love and was not impressed at all. This week I had it again on my lunch break and I have to say “wow” thats all I am going to say really. This burger really has no secret its just really good ground beef with fresh ingredients.

If you are in the mood for a standard, really tasty, burger. You really can’t go wrong. Just don’t go after 10pm, its not a pretty sight.

2. Crack Bacon (Grub)
Description: This burger was better, in many ways then number one. It was actually, close to perfect. It was super juicy and it was crafted very well. The minced meat ratio was perfect and very complimentary to what ever spices (if any) they mixed it with. The amazing chefs, Betty Fraser and Denise DeCarlo are not just any chefs. I was thoroughly impressed with EVERYTHING on the menu, but the burger really takes the cake. It was tasty and well balanced flavors (They were many).

Each bite had a different taste to it. The burger had avocado, siracha sauce mixed with something else I couldnt put my finger on and of course, the glazed bacon. The sweet bacon were something else, I actually wanted to have them on the side, but thought they worked really well with the burger.

The chips that it came with were unlike any chips I had, period. They were the most delicious chips I had, period. End of story, the show is over. If this were about chips, this is where the fat lady would sing. They were UNBELIEVABLY delicious.

Why isn’t this burger number 1 you ask? Well it was a bit hard to eat, it was HUGE, and it was really rich, thats it. Which really weren’t bad things, I just think a burger should come in the right size, this one didn’t. Some people want more and if you do, then this will be your number one burger, no question about it. To me really, both burgers are worthy of number one for part 1, but for now…

1. Shu Burger (Stout Burger)
Description: This burger started out as someone’s prayer. The prayer was “dear god please help me find the juiciest burger out there” and thy wish was granted by the amazing people of Stout.

This burger comes with pepper jack, light bell spread and home made chipotle sauce, THATS IT. I just wanted a simple lunch burger, and boy was I in for a treat. This is the juiciest burger I had that struck a perfect balance between being succulent and meaty. The fries were a meal on their own, but they were just delicious. They came topped with herbs such as thyme and umm misc. (I really don’t know herbs very well).

I’ve had the burger more than once and I have to say, the style and quality is constant and its always cooked perfectly at medium well. It doesn’t matter which burger you choose, they all have that amazing patty, so choose which ever burger you prefer from their menu with out fear.

Listen, it all boils down to this: this is a consistently tasty burger that will always taste like an amazing burger, at all times. Unless you are dead inside.