Lowboy burger Echo Park bar
Photograph: Stephanie Breijo for Time Out
Photograph: Stephanie Breijo for Time Out

The best smashburgers in Los Angeles

These pressed-thin patties have taken over Los Angeles, dripping with cheese and giving us full-on burger nostalgia.

Patricia Kelly Yeo
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There’s almost nothing more intoxicating that the smell of a smashburger—except, of course, the taste. Angelenos are learning this quickly, as pop-ups and even established neighborhood spots have made smashburgers a mainstay in practically every corner of L.A. You can also thank TikTok’s Keith Lee for prolonging the trend—but you won’t find Studio City’s Easy Streets Burgers on this list, because we think the highly hyped burgers are just plain ol’ mediocre.

The burger style is hardly new, but they harken back to a bygone era in food when patrons reveled in the novelty of dining in their cars and all a burger needed was a good sear and a squirt of ketchup. Seasoned vigorously to tenderize and flavor the almost pancake-flat beef patty, this variety of burger sizzles in its own juices—pressed out during cooktime—and fries on a flat-top grill, practically caramelizing a thin outer shell of crust on the meat. 

We’ve got to admit, the interest in simply-prepared and gloriously greasy smashburgers is getting a little tiresome, but if you’re dead set on finding the best frilly, paper-thin patties and melted American cheese, look no further than these spots down here.

RECOMMENDED: The best burgers in Los Angeles

The best smashburgers in L.A., ranked

  • Hamburgers
  • Silver Lake
  • price 1 of 4

Often imitated but never duplicated, backyard pop-up gone permanent restaurant Burgers Never Say Die can largely be credited with sparking L.A.’s smashburger frenzy. Over the last six years, these stacks have caused so much commotion that they’ve wrapped three-hour lines around the block and once caused a fan to hire a person to wait in line for them. That success probably has something to do with founder Shawn Nee’s quest for perfection, and it’s paid off. Now, fans line up at this walk-up Silver Lake brick-and-mortar for buttery, paper-thin patties pressed so hard, the crisp edges almost resemble lace. Topped with pickles, raw white onions and a drizzle of ketchup and mustard, it’s like the best fast-food burger you’ve ever tried. Supplement with some CVT soft serve and a styrofoam cup brimming with fries, and it’s hard to imagine a more quintessential smashburger meal in L.A.

  • Hamburgers
  • Santa Monica
  • price 2 of 4

This buzzy burger pop-up dates back to the early days of the pandemic, when owners Max Miller and Danny Gordon first began selling short rib smashburgers in the driveway of Gordon’s Mar Vista home. Now, Heavy Handed has gone fully brick-and-mortar on Santa Monica’s Main Street, where lines form daily for the pair’s juicy short rib patties topped with American cheese, beef tallow fries (no breaks for vegetarians here) and brand-new Straus Creamery soft-serve. A newer,  much larger location in Studio City brings smashburger excellence to the Valley plus more seating and the same craft beers on tap.

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  • Fast food spots
  • Silver Lake
  • price 1 of 4

American Beauty’s casual burger walk-up in Venice has become so popular it's spurred standalone locations in Silver Lake, Long Beach and Hollywood, and there’s good reason for it—it serves one of the best, most affordable smashburgers in town. For only $4.35 you can snag a straightforward, wholly satisfying single patty with American cheese, house sauce and grilled onions on a potato bun just a few blocks from Venice Beach. Really hungry? The double will only set you back $7.50. At the Silver Lake location, you can also pick up dipped soft-serve cones in flavors like mint chip and salted caramel.

  • Hamburgers
  • Hermosa Beach
  • price 1 of 4

The smashburger trend has likely hit its peak, but you wouldn’t know it at Hermosa Beach’s Proudly Serving, home to the South Bay’s best smashburgers. Chef-owner Matt McIvor offers a few customizations: plain, with cheese, “special” (Thousand Island-inspired) sauce and griddled onions, pastrami and Swiss or good ol’ ketchup and mustard, plus raw onions. In our honest opinion, we prefer the Founder (ketchup, mustard and raw onions) over the others. The burger's elements of crisp, sweet and tang complement the double beef patties and melted American cheese. Throw in the fries cooked in rendered duck fat and you’ve got yourself a helluva meal.

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  • Hamburgers
  • Highland Park
  • price 1 of 4

Goldburger’s Allen Yelent gives fans the best of both worlds: a still-juicy center but ample crust on the patty; the meat is more pressed around the edges than some of the city's other smashburgers, providing plenty of texture in every bite. The namesake Goldburger comes standard with American cheese, a garlic-mustard aioli, pickles and perfectly charred grilled onions, but everything here is worth a try—especially the L.A. special, which comes topped with pastrami (always add chilies to this one). You can also find Goldburger in Los Feliz, if Highland Park is too far of a trek.

  • Hamburgers
  • Chinatown
  • price 1 of 4

Alvin Cailan returned to Far East Plaza, but this time around, the chef’s Amboy restaurant isn’t serving Filipino food—it’s all about burgers. Reborn as Amboy Quality Meats & Delicious Burgers, Amboy now serves as a combination burger counter and butcher shop—and the shop now has a second Valley outpost within Westfield's Topanga Social, though we’ve heard quality varies widely at the upscale food court. In Chinatown, Amboy’s made-to-order burgers are available in more straightforward varieties, including a standout smashburger that offers juiciness despite of the inherent flatness of the patties. The toasted sesame buns are made by Breadbar in the South Bay, and the mild sauce lets the combination of beef and cheese shine brightly.

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  • Hamburgers
  • Koreatown

Michael Pak’s Love Hour has taken over the old Beer Belly, transforming the space into a one-stop shop for natural wine, beer and some of the city’s most popular smashburgers. The longtime pop-up is now a fully fledged brick-and-mortar, and the smashburgers are as good as ever, with its most unique feature being the customizable stack. Order singles, doubles, triples or more—someone’s even done a 10-patty burger. They come smashed on the flattop, then crowned with cheese, pickle, onion and the absolute slightest sprinkle of chopped onion. Unlike just about anyone else, Love Hour also offers a range of seasoned fries, tossed to order in flavors like BBQ, garlic parmesan, and sour cream and onion. On Sundays, you can also catch Love Hour at Smorgasburg.

  • Cocktail bars
  • Echo Park
  • price 1 of 4

This is a neighborhood bar, through and through—but that doesn’t mean there isn’t great food, too. The handful of cocktails lean classic, but not as classic as our favorite item on the menu: the Lowburger, one of the absolute best smashburgers anywhere in town (and available for under $10). The Lowburger’s patty is pressed so thin it practically disolves with a little crunch, the American cheese runneth over, the red pepper jam adds a hint of sugar and heat, and there’s a rich, salty-sweet pile of grilled onions nestled under the potato bun to diversify it from the onslaught of smashburgers popping up around town. Go wild here by adding an extra patty or opting for some of the newer versions or vegan options.

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  • Hamburgers
  • Hollywood

One of the city’s most popular smashburgers comes from this tiny bistro-turned-gourmet-burger-joint in Hollywood (with nine other outposts across the L.A. area). Whether you’re ordering a single, double or a triple, you’ll tear into crispy patties of grass-fed beef, plenty of griddled onions and a Thousand Island-esque sauce sandwiched between two halves of a Martin’s potato roll. Pair your burger with the delectable fries if you have room in your budget—For the Win's higher-quality take on a typical fast food meal comes with markedly premium prices. Our only quibble is that quality tends to vary widely; we’ve had less than stellar smashburgers when we’ve dropped into the GCM location, though the Hollywood outpost never fails to deliver.

10. Softies

It’s a shame that the only place you can regularly find this Oklahoma-style smashburger pop-up is the crowded urban heat island that is Smorgasburg LA. Started in 2022 by owners Sam Hong and Josh Kim, Softies serves a classic smashburger—the Cali—that I wouldn’t pick out of a lineup as my absolute favorite in a blind taste test. Where the duo distinguish themselves, however, is with their must-try Aji Verde. This unique smashburger pairs griddled onions and pickled jalapeños with a punchy cilantro mayo full of two of my favorite things: garlic and lime juice. While Softies’ only regular residency at the moment is Sundays at Smorgasburg (10am–4pm), you can also occasionally find them elsewhere around town—so follow them on Instagram to find out the next time they’re popping up near you.

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  • Breweries
  • Glendale
  • price 2 of 4

Founded by a classically trained chef and his childhood friend, this excellent food truck has an ongoing nightly residency at Glendale’s Paperback Brewing. While I enjoyed the juicier, thicker fusion-style burgers, I can’t deny that Bun + Blanket also makes a mean “smashed burger” (as it’s listed on the menu) seasoned with both grilled and raw onions, plus American cheese and the classic duo of ketchup and mustard. It’s so good, in fact, that I’d recommend coming from out of your way just to visit this black-and-neon food truck. The fact it’s mere yards away from one of L.A.’s coolest-looking breweries doesn’t hurt either, but make no mistake: This is one of L.A.’s best smashburgers.

  • Fast food spots
  • Fairfax District
  • price 2 of 4

Extra frilly edges and a tangle of grilled onions set apart the Oklahoma-style smashburgers at this Beverly Grove takeout joint with a satellite location along the Venice boardwalk. You can also order a classic single or double smashburger, which comes with diced raw onions and the classic combination of ketchup, mayo and mustard. While we wouldn’t ranked BSW’s classic smash in our top five smashburgers in L.A. by any means, the Oklahoma-style burger is unique enough to merit coming here, at least if you're in love with sweet grilled onions.

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  • Hamburgers
  • Van Nuys
  • price 2 of 4

The name of this Van Nuys smashburger operation makes me cringe, but if you can forgive the menu’s childish puns, Wanna Smash serves smashburgers made with ultra-lacey, thin patties that manage to stay juicy in the center. Plus, unlike other shops, you can opt for a sampler (“The Foursome”) that includes slider-sized versions of all four burger variants on their menu. Of the four I tried, my favorite is the Hot & Heavy, which adds bacon, sliced jalapeños and two kinds of sauce to a classic smash. Barbecue lovers will appreciate the Cowgirl (bacon, onion rings and housemade barbecue sauce), but even the classic option here will hit the spot the next time you’re driving through the deep San Fernando Valley and craving a smashburger.

  • Hamburgers
  • Sawtelle
  • price 2 of 4

Run by the sisters behind Tuk Tuk Thai next door, this fusion-style fast food joint along Sawtelle offers unique smashburgers and sandwiches inspired by classic Thai street food dishes. While I wouldn’t drive across the city (or more than 15 minutes, for that matter) for Ban Ban Burger, it’s a great option for anyone who lives, works or plays on the Westside. Those who love a messy, napkins-required burger will enjoy the grapow smash, which pairs the classic Thai seasoning with a three-ounce free-range Australian beef patty, housemade pickles, American cheese and garlic aioli, plus a runny egg on top. Personally, I preferred the larb smash, which offsets a three-ounce American Wagyu patty seasoned with lime, rice powder and bird’s eye chili with mint gremolata and makrut lime aioli. Don’t skip the fragrant pandan milkshake—the quintessentially Southeast Asian dessert flavor makes for a refreshing end to your meal.

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