By 
This post was originally published in November 2022.
The first brick-and-mortar smash burger joint in LA was Burgers Never Say Die, opened in 2019. When Shawn Nee started selling burgers out of his driveway in East Hollywood in 2017, the line went around the block. It’s going to be almost ten years and boy, have smash burgers come a long way. It’s becoming harder not to drive around LA and see at least one smash burger joint or a pop-up tent.
During the pandemic, the underground smash burger scene continued to grow in LA. Regular folks with no business background took to their grills and posted their smash burgers on social media — which has been key in spreading the smash burger phenomenon.
As of 2026, many of the pandemic pop-ups have turned into brick-and-mortars, and some of them have taken the city by storm by opening multiple locations.
So, how does a smash burger differ from a regular burger? In the smash burger, you take a ball of beef and smash it with a smasher on the hot griddle.
I highly recommend reading the 2018 article, “Why Smash Burgers Are the Best Burgers and How to Make Them” by ourmodernkitchen.com.
When you smash a patty, you intensify the crust and allow the meat to fry in its own fat. Another factor that makes smash burgers so good is the Maillard reaction, which gives the patty its crispy brown color and complex flavors.
However, making a smash burger is not as easy as it seems!
While preparing it, you don’t want the patty to be too thin. There has to be a perfect balance of fat, temperature and pressure. You don’t just flip the patty like you do with a regular burger. Additionally, rather than just using ground beef, with smash burgers, it is so important to use a custom blend of different cuts of meat in order to get the best flavor.
The smash burger trend has also extended to other countries like the UK and Australia. I was also dumbfounded when I saw at least 8 smash burger places in my hometown of Madrid.
Here’s another shining example of how smash burgers in LA have made an impact around the globe.
Before the pandemic, Jay Gordon from Australia traveled to LA and immersed himself in the LA burger scene. He obviously tried California’s burger landmark, In-N-Out, but he also tried the smash burger pop-up Tripp Burgers (included on this list). He loved it so much that when he came back to Australia, he started making smash burgers from scratch, attempting to recreate Tripp Burger’s delicious smash burgers. After a lot of trial and error, he perfected the recipe. Today, he’s the owner of Broken Hearts Burgers Club in Brisbane, Australia.
I want to thank the business owners who enriched this article by providing their fascinating backstories. I will continue to update this article as I keep trying new ones.
Here are some of the essential smash burgers in Los Angeles!
Burger 3000
🏠 Chatsworth, West Hollywood and North Hollywood
In March 2024, David Sarian, who grew up in Glendale, started grilling burgers with his friends in a parking lot in Northridge. Although Burger 3000 is relatively new to the smash burger scene, they have created the perfect trifecta: eye-catching branding, mouthwatering photos, and an engaging social media presence. Their valley pop-up in Northridge became a viral sensation on TikTok and today, they have three locations across LA.
In December 2025, I went to their West Hollywood location on Sunset Blvd.
When I asked David about the oversaturation of smash burgers in LA, he said something very important. They’re not trying to be the best smash burger in LA, but rather, knowing their product from the inside and out and having an meticulous emphasis on quality. “We focus on ourselves by making the best possible product. Then our audience will find us. And if people don’t like it, it’s perfectly fine!”, he said.
And boy have they succeeded. For the beef, they use a special blend of Australian Wagyu and ground beef, which yields the perfect medium of fat and flavor.
The Oklahoma burger has become one of my all-time favorite smash burgers in LA: a generous amount of well-seasoned beef, crispy edges and an impossibly soft bun. Incredible.
David also shared that although the Double Oklahoma burger was a good smash burger, what really pushed their virality was the Space Jam burger – which features raspberry bacon jam and soft, ripe avocados. I was very surprised because I ended up loving it! Had I not ordered the Oklahoma, I would have probably come back for a second one!
I know how it sounds, raspberry jam on a burger? But the great thing about the Space Jam is that the jam does not overpower the beef in the slightest. It’s this very light touch of raspberry and perfect beef blend that makes this combination so irresistible. I would have forgone the avocados, but the cashier said that the sourness of the pickles would have clashed with the jam, so they added avocados to help counteract the sweet flavor and add more texture.
David is extremely business-oriented. From the unique branding to the pop-up location, deep in the San Fernando Valley, he said: “We chose to do the pop-up in Northridge because if you Googled smash burgers in LA, that specific area of the San Fernando Valley was void of smash burgers. With almost two million people living in the San Fernando Valley, we wanted to bring high-quality smash burgers.”
If you’re looking to try a new smash burger place, I can’t recommend Burger 3000 enough! As an homage to the San Fernando Valley, they opened their location in Chatsworth, not too far from their former pop-up location.
Burger 3000: Website and Instagram
Burgers Never Say Die
🏠 2388 Glendale Blvd Unit A, Los Angeles, CA 90039
This is where it all started! Burgers Never Say Die was founded by Shawn Nee. After a few years operating out of his driveway and doing wildly successful pop-ups, he opened his brick-and-mortar in Silver Lake in the beginning of 2019.
I wrote a review about them, which you can read here. It’s crazy how fast time goes by! Their burgers are very reminiscent of McDonald’s Quarter Pounder.
Burgers Never Say Die: Instagram
Hammy’s Smash Burger
🏠 West LA and Downtown
The Westside already has some stiff competition when it comes to smash burgers, like The Window, Heavy Handed and For The Win – all of which are featured on this list.
I didn’t want to add Hammy’s just because they’re new, but after trying their smash burger on a whim as I was driving on Olympic Blvd, they rightfully deserve a spot here. Not only was the patty jam-packed with flavor and cooked with those crispy lacy edges, but the pillowy soft bun was extra buttery, which I personally loved. The Thousand Island sauce was on the tangier side, providing a creamy contrast that cut through the richness of the beef.
I didn’t try the fries, but people have highly praised them, which is a huge bonus because most smash burger places don’t get them right. If you’re looking to try a new smash burger joint on the Westside, this is it!
Hammy’s Smash Burger is also conveniently located right across the street from The Bigg Chill, which makes for a perfect refreshing treat afterward!
Hammy’s Smash Burger: Website and Instagram
Heavy Handed
🏠 Santa Monica, Studio City and Silver Lake
Heavy Handed was launched in April 2020 by LA natives Danny Gordon and Max Miller, and just like Burgers Never Say Die, they started selling burgers out of their driveway in Mar Vista.
Note: I wrote this review before they opened their first location in Santa Monica in October 2022.
I have to say that the hype is completely justified: their flavorful signature sauce, the exceptional taste of the patty, the fluffiness of the bun… it was ridiculously delicious, and by the time I tried it, I’d had my fair share of smash burgers. Heavy Handed uses short rib beef for their patties, which has a deeper and richer beef flavor. I was taken aback by how tasty it was!
In 2022, Heavy Handed found its first permanent home on Main Street in Santa Monica. The first opening days caused a frenzy among Angelenos with seemingly-never ending lines. Their menu is the same as the one they offered at their pop-ups, plus new additions, like Straus Creamery soft serve ice creams, canned beers and natural wines.
Heavy Handed: Website and Instagram
Proudly Serving
🏠 136 International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, CA 90277 – THIS LOCATION IS NOW CLOSED
🏠 110 2nd St, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 (NEW LOCATION)
Matthew McIvor from New Jersey is the founder of Proudly Serving. He was nice enough to comp me one double smash burger with fries, which came in a giant cup!
Matt said that they only do double smash burgers. When they started, they also offered singles, but people kept coming back to order another one, so they simply stopped serving them.
After I had the burger, Matt jokingly said that I didn’t have to say it was good. But man… it truly was. It was one of the best smash burgers I’ve had. Every single ingredient was executed perfectly. Look at the gooey cheese! The bun was toasted to perfection, the beef was beautifully seasoned, the secret sauce was light and creamy, and I loved the crunch of their fresh pickles.
In 2024, I went to the smash burger contest at Smorgasburg’s food market in DTLA, where many of the smash burger vendors you see on this list were also in attendance. The winner was… drumroll please, Proudly Serving! Matthew’s burger is a masterclass in how a simple burger should be made.
I knew that I’d be thinking of the burger all day long if I didn’t get another one, so I did. I don’t know if any of the people there noticed how much I was enjoying every bite. I can’t wait to go back. If enjoying Proudly Serving’s delicious burgers is not enough, you’re right by the marina (old location) inhaling fresh sea air. What more could you ask for?
What is the backstory of Proudly Serving?
Proudly Serving started during the height of the pandemic. I lost my other hospitality based business and began thinking of my next chapter. A goal of mine was always to have my own restaurant, so that’s exactly what I did.
I began making burgers in my driveway and it took off rather quickly. From there, I brought on a partner and chef friend of mine, Kevin Malone, who helped me get to the next level.
We soon gained the attention of the media, investors but most of all, a rabid fan base. In late 2021, we were offered a restaurant space and knew it was an offer we could not refuse.
Now we are in the process of expanding into different areas of Los Angeles.
What makes a great smash burger?
In my opinion, a great smash burger should be simple. You don’t have to overthink it. But, however you choose to make your signature burger, the ingredients must all work well together. No ingredient should overpower another, so getting that flavor profile correct is key.
What’s your earliest memory of eating burgers?
Obviously as a child, we all ate at places like McDonald’s and Burger King, but my fondest memories are eating burgers from the shack after my little league baseball games. The burger was just meat, cheese and ketchup, but after a long game that burger was heaven.
What’s your favorite burger? It can be in LA or it can be anywhere!
My favorite burger is from a place where our Proudly Serving Burger is modeled after, White Manna in New Jersey. But if we are talking LA, Pie ‘N Burger is one of my favorites simply because of the nostalgia — and any burger from Chef Ernesto Uchimura in Electric Owl (West Hollywood).
Proudly Serving: Website and Instagram
For the Win
🏠 Multiple locations
With multiple locations across LA, this smash burger checked off all the boxes. Many people love it, but it didn’t stand out to me like some of the places on this list. However, if you live near any of their locations, it’s a great place to go when the smash burger cravings kick in and you don’t want to drive too far.
For the Win: Website and Instagram
The Win~Dow
🏠 Multiple locations
Founded by chefs Anthony Goodwin and Elisha Ben in 2019, The Window’s mission was to offer the community of Venice Beach affordable and delicious burgers. During the pandemic, The Window only continued to rise in popularity. Since then, they have expanded to multiple outposts: Venice Beach Boardwalk, Silver Lake, Hollywood, The Grove, and even Santa Barbara!
Not only was I impressed by the quality of the burger, but given the reasonable price, they’re giving Shake Shack a run for their money. The burger was an absolute joy to eat. I cannot believe for the life of me that it was only $4.50!! I highly recommend ordering two.
The beef-to-bun ratio was perfect, and so was their Thousand Island sauce, which added the perfect kick. They’ll give you small ketchup packets, but to be honest, the burger was already so juicy and bursting with so much flavor that it wasn’t necessary to add any condiments. The Window is available through food delivery apps, but I highly recommend picking up your burger and eating it while it’s still hot off the grill.
The Window: Website and Instagram
Love Hour
🏠 532 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Love Hour is located in a tiny walk-up window in Koreatown, and they serve some of the best smash burgers in LA! I ordered a double. The signature sauce they use in their burgers was tangy and very light. It didn’t overpower the rest of the ingredients and frankly, I didn’t expect to love this burger so much! The beef was perfection and so was their fluffy bread and juicy pickles. Overall, Love Hour’s burger is yet another perfect example of what a good smash burger should be: simple and no fuss.
I had the chance to meet Jimmy, the owner, in passing at the Long Beach Food Market in November. I told him how much I enjoyed his burger that day, and he answered my questions on the spot!
What’s the backstory of Love Hour?
My friends started Koreatown Love Club. I had another bar in Koreatown called Beer Deli. That’s what we were running. We always had a passion for the Koreatown community and decided to work together. So we decided to do a smash burger pop-up in the parking lot. It kind of took off and we kept on with it.
In your opinion, what makes a great smash burger?
Of course the beef. Good quality beef. Then, it’s all about the smash. Getting a crispy edge, but still making sure there’s a little of a chew in the middle. We make our Love Hour sauce in-house, it’s our secret recipe. We also make our pickles. They’re Bread and Butter Pickles, but not so sweet like the other ones. They’re also a little bit spicy, but not too much.
Besides Love Hour, do you have any other favorite burger spots in LA?
Of course, there’s so many great ones – and we’re all good friends. Some of my favorite ones are Goldburger, it’s very very good. Hamburgers Nice is really fun and really delicious.
Love Hour: Website and Instagram
Goldburger
🏠 Multiple locations
I first visited Goldburger in 2020, the same year they opened their walk-up window in Highland Park. Since then, they have expanded to locations in Los Feliz and Granada Hills.
Unfortunately, their signature ‘Goldburger’ smash burger failed to make a lasting impression on me. After trying it again a second time a few weeks before this post went live, I was able to pinpoint my reason for not liking it: their award-winning garlic-mustard aioli sauce. In my opinion, the sauce overpowered the rest of the ingredients by a long shot.
At places like Love Hour, Proudly Serving, Hangaburs or Heavy Handed, the sauce is flavorful yet light enough to allow the rest of the ingredients shine through. Goldburger’s sauce is very prominent and very reminiscent of a classic Dijon mustard sauce, which I would personally pair with a Bratwurst sausage, not with a smash burger patty. Like you read above, smash burgers are all about balance, and in this case, the sauce overpowers the burger. In every bite, all I could taste was the grainy sauce — the ingredients came second. Different strokes for different folks!
Goldburger: Website and Instagram
Hangaburs
📍Pop-up
Just like Heavy Handed, I got to try Hangaburs at Spoke Bicycle cafe in Frogtown. “Good” is a huge understatement. It was so delicious that I had to go back for a second one! My goodness, besides the patty, the standouts were the thinly shaved pickles and the sauce.
In an interview with LA Taco, Alicia said that their sauce is similar to In-N-Out sauce, but with a twist.
If this is not enough, Hangaburs also offers the Tepic burger, which pays homage to the ones you can find in this area of Mexico. Alicia, co-founder of Hangaburs, gave me very thorough answers regarding their background and their love of burgers!
What’s the backstory of Hangaburs?
My wife and I are burger lovers, so much so that we chose that as our food for our wedding. During a family trip to Tepic, Nayarit, we tried a burger made with panela cheese, ham and a mustard salsa that inspired us to make our own version. We worked on recipes for both of our burgers, but for years we set our burger dream aside as we were busy with our respective careers. Then the pandemic hit and I was furloughed from my graphic design job. So I no longer had the excuses to not do it. After the encouragement from my wife, Hangaburs had its first pop-up in June of 2020 — It has been an awesome ride ever since.
In your opinion, what makes a great smash burger?
The main reason for smashing is to expose more meat to the hot grill, creating a nice sear that forms a crust. We personally prefer a juicy and meatier burger, so for us, a great smash burger has the crust, but it isn’t so smashed flat that it no longer has a meaty center. Also, even seasoning is crucial for flavor balance. Toppings can vary, but in the end, if the burger is good with just meat, cheese and bun, then it’s a winner.
What’s your earliest memory of eating burgers?
It seems crazy, but I remember being about 3 or 4 years old eating burgers. I think there is even and old home video of me at about that age preparing my burger toppings before walking over to my dad, who was grilling some on the bbq.
For me, burger time was associated with happy memories. My grandma would treat me for burgers as a reward after sitting through hours of her bowling time with her friends hahaha. My dad, who was always working and tired, would still say yes to me when I asked for us to go get some burgers together. I think he also knew it was some of the only quality time we had together.
Besides Hangaburs, do you have any other favorite burger joints?
LA is a burger lover’s paradise, so it’s impossible to name a favorite.
What are your future plans? Are you going to keep doing pop-ups?
For now, we plan to continue doing pop-ups as we both still have full-time jobs. But our hope is for Hangaburs to continue to grow and eventually find a permanent home.
Hangaburs: Website and Instagram
Tripp Burgers
📍Pop-up (West LA)
Mark Tripp is the founder of Tripp Burgers, a smash burger pop-up that started in 2019. Mark’s story was an inspiration for Jay Gordon to open his smash burger shop in Brisbane, Australia!
Mark has been an LA resident since 1984 and spent 35 years working in advertising. About a decade ago, he watched a movie called Hamburger America: One Man’s Cross-Country Odyssey to Find the Best Burgers in the Nation by George Motz. That’s what got the ball rolling, and soon after that, he began to develop his own blend. In May 2019, he was laid off from his job, which served as an opportunity to work on his love for making burgers full-time. While the location varies, you will find Tripp Burgers most of the time on Sepulveda Blvd. in West LA.
I went to one of their pop-ups at a brewery in El Segundo on a Friday. Unfortunately, I did not get to meet Mark in person because he was doing a catering event that day.
I got two singles. His burger is very straightforward: American cheese, beef and a soft bun.
Once you get it, you add the toppings yourself, which are laid out on the side and include packets of ketchup and mustard, as well as minced onions and pickles.
After trying out so many smash burgers that already come with condiments, I found it odd to add them myself. I picked onions, pickles, and ketchup. What stood out to me the most was the beef —- it was very flavorful and excellently seasoned. Mark shared with VoyageLA that he gets his blended beef batches from award-winning butcher Richard Schwartzberg at Bob’s Market in Santa Monica.
Just by looking at the pictures, I think you can get an idea of the caliber of the beef. Mark also said in the interview that he encouraged first-timers to try the burger without any condiments because what sets Tripp Burgers apart from other smash burger places is the meat blend he spent 10 years working on.
In your opinion, what makes a great smash burger?
For me, what makes a great smash burger is the meat. Meat comes first in my opinion. My blend is unique. I use USDA prime cuts of chuck, top sirloin and bacon and I serve it on a toasted potato roll with American cheese. No sauce. Just meat, cheese and bun. Burgers have been a passion of mine for years.
Besides your place, do you have any other favorite burger joints?
Other favorite burgers here in LA are Yellow Paper, Hamburgers Nice, Hangaburs, Hap’s, Hinano’s and Fatburger.
Any future plans to open a brick-and-mortar?
Sticking with the pop-up. No interest in a brick-and-mortar at this time. I like the freedom of being mobile.
Instagram @trippburgers
Hamburgers Nice
📍Pop-up
Jairo Bogarín is the founder of this Long Beach-based burger pop-up that has been around since 2019. Although they do occasional pop-ups in the greater LA area, you can find them every week at Sala Coffee and Wine in Long Beach. I like that their menu changes weekly. The base is the smashed patty, but they add their own tweaks and that’s what makes them stand out from the crowd big time!
Their signature smash burger is called the Lunch Burger and it’s a permanent menu item. Please note that it comes with jalapeños, which you can take off upon request. Below you can see a few of their insanely creative menu offerings!
Hamburgers Nice: Instagram
Burger She Wrote
🏠 Beverly Grove and Venice
This is the place that disappointed me the most. Burger She Wrote is considered one of the best smash burgers in LA, but it didn’t live up to my expectations. After seeing how popular they were on Instagram, I decided to give them a try when they opened in 2021. I remember driving there straight after work and ordering their double smash burger with fries. In hindsight, I should have skipped the fries altogether because they were nothing to rave about and my total came to a whopping $23.
The patty on the smash burger was way too thin. I would have given them a pass had the meat been better seasoned — but even in the picture below, the patty looks dry. 😬
The beef, cheese, pickles, onions and bun — everything was average at best.
After took a few bites in my car, I vividly remember my disappointment as I drove back home. Maybe I’ll go back and share my updated review in the future.
Burger She Wrote: Website and Instagram
Easy Street
🏠 4143 Lankershim Boulevard, Studio City, CA 91602
My first time at Easy Street was in late 2020 for the burger article I was working on. I met co-founder Alfred in the East Hollywood parking lot they were operating out of at the time.
My first impression was the top-notch quality of the beef.
Alfred shared his story with me:
“The idea came up simply because we loved making burgers and eating them too! Growing up, we happened to live by In-N-Out burger and we frequented it fairly often, along with other popular burger chains.”
“In 2017 and 2018 the street food scene really expanded in the greater Los Angeles area. More people were able to exercise their creative capabilities with food. Upon seeing this opportunity, we decided to start doing test cooks.”
We went from store to store, buying different beef cuts of various quality and prices. Then, we had to test out various cheese products. We chose to experiment with American Cheese. Reason being is that American Cheese is a favorite among the highest rated burger chains, and also.. it’s so damn good. A personal favorite 🙂
“We went through at least 7-8 different brands, just so we can find the cheese that has the perfect melt and taste. Believe it or not, they’re not the same! Some are saltier, some melt much easier while others are able to withstand high heat and hold up on their own.”
“Next, the hamburger bun. We chose Martins Potato Rolls. This product was EXTREMELY hard to find as 99 percent of the food vendors don’t carry it. Martins Potato Rolls is an East Coast product. Very hard to find here on the West Coast unless it’s ordered via Amazon. You can check it out for yourself. =) “
“Where there’s a will there’s a way, we searched near and far and finally, one day ran into a small company who happened to carry the martins potato rolls. It was very exciting!”
“Finally, our sauce. Surprisingly, the sauce actually didn’t take much trial and error. One day we took a custom mix of food seasoning along with some mayo, ketchup, relish and mustard and boom!”
“Our wild sauce was an amazing accident to say the least because it complimented our burgers and fries perfectly! Sometimes it just works out perfectly. The sauce was one of those instances.”
“We began our journey in February of 2020. But after gaining momentum and lots of support, we had to come to a halt because of Covid 19.”
“It was very difficult to stop operating with all the momentum and support, but it had to be done. We waited until things cooled down, and decided to give it another go on May 28th, 2020. Coincidentally, without our knowledge, we happened to re-open on National Hamburger Day. It was very cool. People were walking up to us saying, ‘Its amazing how you re-opened on this day.’ And we had no idea! Ever since then, we’ve been working every Thursday through Sunday. There’s more to come from Easy Street!”
And now, they have found a permanent home in Studio City!
Easy Street: Website and Insatgram
Chris N Eddy’s
🏠 5539 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (East Hollywood)
What’s the backstory of Chris N’ Eddys?
We began as a pop-up during the pandemic era, after a year of practicing the recipe at our home, we began selling the sliders on the street. After a year of street sales we opened our first brick-and-mortar and have been here for over a year now.
In your opinion, what makes a great smash burger?
All the love and care that’s invested in the craft make a great smash burger.
What’s your earliest memory of eating burgers?
As a kid, going to Mcdonald’s and getting the big mac.
Besides your business, do you have any other favorite burger joints?
No other favorites, but In-N-Out is definitely the brand we look up to.
Chris N Eddie’s: Website and Instagram
Amboy Quality Meats & Delicious Burgers
727 N Broadway No. 117, Los Angeles, CA 90012
This butchery, owned by chef, author and TV host Alvin Cailan, has been featured multiple times on ‘LA’s Best Burgers’ lists!
I ordered the Ordinaire burger, which is your classic smash burger with all the condiments: cheese, pickles, grilled onions and their mayo-based dressing.
I really don’t know what kind of sorcery they did, but that bun was like biting into a cloud. The rest of the ingredients were good, but the main star? The beef!! I was struck by the abundance of flavor in just one bite. The patty wasn’t overly greasy and the seasoning was pure perfection.
Please note that you have to tell them to add their magical sauce if you want it on the burger. The Ordinaire already comes with a side of fries, which is a plus. Amboys’ fries are considered to be the best fries in town. I’m going to be honest, they crispy and well-done, but paled in comparison to the burger.
Amboy Quality Meats: Website and Instagram
Lowboy
🏠 1540 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
If, on the other hand, you wish to enjoy delicious smash burgers while sipping cocktails in LA’s perennial hipster neighborhood of Echo Park, look no further than Lowboy.
Here concludes my smash burger post! Let me know if you’ve been to any of these places.
