The Burger Rundown

Fancy burgers are everywhere these days. What father’s office started, other people have built on, so who has the best gourmet burger now? Here’s our rundown:

Umami Burger: Delicious, well-proportioned, interesting combinations. I’ve only had the SoCal burger with butter lettuce, oven dried tomato, spread, house made American cheese, and carmelized onions, but it’s so good I don’t want to try anything else. Although I’m very curious about the Port and Stilton burger as well. They have three locations, the Hollywood at Cahuenga and Los Feliz on Hollywood have the best ambiance.

The Counter – I’d heard great things about this place, so I had high expectations. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a let down. The atmosphere in the restaurant is nothing great. The burger itself was good, but not amazing. I will say though that I liked how you could decide everything that went on your burger, and that they have the healthy alternative of burger salads (no bun), since girls in this city shouldn’t be eating, especially not burgers, in the first place.

8 oz Burger Bar – This was one of my favorites. The design of the place is nice, just a low-key gastropub with some yummy unhealthy food, beer, and cocktails. I had the Melrose , with wild baby arugula, garlic roasted tomatoes, red onion marmalade, and Bel paese cheese added to it. Here you also have the option to make your own burger, and there are a few non-burger options too (try the short rib melt – amazing). Plus they have a great cocktail list, because sometimes a beer just won’t cut it.

Father’s Office – This is the original go-to burger place in Los Angeles , and it doesn’t disappoint. Their burger (and the only burger, at that) has caramelized onion, applewood bacon compote, gruyere, matag blue cheese and arugula on a brioche bun. But with something that good, you really don’t need any other options. They have both regular shoestring fries and sweet potatoes fries, each with their own aioli, and no ketchup or substitutions are allowed. This place has a massive beer list, some classic cocktails, and tapa options to go with your burger – I’ve had the duck salad and steamed mussels, and both were great. The scene here is always busy and filled with cute guys getting after-work drinks and dinner. Just try to snag a table before you order, because that can be a hassle. Go to the Culver City location on a warm summer evening to have your burger and beer on the huge outdoor deck.

Stout – This new Cahuenga corridor gastropub has dark lighting, wood walls, and pretty bare interior design, considering it was done by Kristofer Keith. There are nine burgers to choose from, all of which sound interesting and flavorful. I had the Six Weeker, with camembert, fig jam, mild jack, arugula, and carmelized onions. With ingredients like that, you really can’t go wrong, and my burger was awesome. You can also try out different beers by the shot to see if you like it before ordering, which is fun and appreciated if you’re like me and don’t know much about beer. However, the atmosphere wasn’t anything special, and the burgers, while good, don’t hold up to those at Umami, 8 oz., or Father’s Office.

In-N-Out – When you’re poor, but not McDonald’s poor, or drunk and too hungry to wait for your gourmet burger to arrive, just head down to your local In-N-Out. You might be on the floor all night with stomach cramps but you’ll still have cash in your wallet when you wake up.