Bill's Hamburgers

This weekday-only retro burger counter has been serving the Valley since 1965. While eponymous founder Bill Elwell may no longer walk among us, the late legend’s iconic burger joint in Sherman Oaks continues to churn out backyard-style burgers that will transport you to the 1960s, when Elwell first fired up the same flat top. “You can’t have it your way, this is not Burger King” is the slogan at the top of the menu—but when the house preparation is this good, you don’t need much in the way of mods and customization. What you see is what you get, and the bacon cheeseburger is exactly that: griddled patty, American cheese, crispy bacon. There’s also iceberg lettuce, sliced tomato and a few pickles. You can (and probably should) add grilled onion, but don’t get too crazy; the idea here is simplicity.