tl;dr the rich and crispy smash burgers are the best in the neighborhood, worthy of the premium price; I'm sad to see the Silver Lake location shutter The broad Los Angeles burger scene is equal parts vast and contentious, and many of the most popular spots began amidst the pandemic. Such is the case with Heavy Handed, which debuted as a backyard pop-up just before the shutdown. Heavy Handed distinguishes itself on the basis of its short rib burger base and meme-filled marketing. Heavy Handed transitioned to a food truck in 2021 and now operates two brick-and-mortar locations across LA (this Silver Lake location just closed its doors). The Silver Lake outpost took over the space of beloved diner All Day Baby on a bustling strip of Sunset. The exterior combined HH's signature sunset-orange color palette with psychedelic, LA- and burger-themed murals designed by local artist DJ Neff. The spacious dining room was warmly lit by a red neon strip running the length of the ceiling. Seating options ranged from upholstered half-booths to standard wooden tables and chairs to the bar counter around the corner. Classic rock echoed around the room. My partner and I visited for weekend lunch. We ordered immediately, and our food was available within minutes. We opted to split a Double Short Rib Burger. Immediately, I was impressed by the crispy, slightly charred edges around the circumference. Meanwhile, the center bites were addictively rich and juicy. The thick-cut pickles added a vinegary snap, while the diced onions were caramelized to a jam-like consistency. The service was friendly and efficient. At first, we raised our eyebrows at the $13 pricetag, but we were satisfied with the generous portion and delicious taste. In a busy, burger-heavy neighborhood (including wildly popular peer smash burgers at The Win-Down and Goldburger), this was our favorite one. read more

Heavy Handed - Double Short Rib Burger - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Double Smash Burger and Fries -- 8/10. the better smash burger against ftw. but $19 for fries and a burger, i was expecting just a bit more of a wow factor. It is very reminiscent of a bigger, more expensive, white castle slider. read more

Heavy Handed - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

First time trying out Heavy Handed and personally I thought It was good but at this point there's so many smash burgers places around LA these days. They all kinda taste the same now at this point. I ordered the Double combo and upgraded my drink to and IPA. The double cheeseburger was good, moist and tasty. Great caramelized crust patties, sauce, onions and pickles. The fries also came out nice and hot. Service was nice and friendly All and all good smash burger place. read more

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Stopped by for a burger and a beer since I happened to be in the area. I got a single combo which came with fries and I subbed the drink for a double hazy beer. The young lady at the counter was helpful and very pleasant. The restaurant is located in a nice area, it's designed nicely, and there is plenty parking. I paid $30 for what you see here in the photo. The burger was good but it wasn't crazy good which is what I was expecting. The fries are regular fries, no real seasoning or salt added to them. The star of the show here was the beer. For the price, I would expect much more but it was a decent bite. The meat on the burger was lightly crisped, especially on the borders which I liked but nothing else really popped imo. Had the price been more reasonable, it would likely get an extra star. read more

Heavy Handed - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Pretty great experience. Had an appointment in the area, so I swung by on my way home. Good prompt service. Got a single patty w cheese, extra pickles ($.50 charge but worth it), and side of fries $4. - The burger was tasty - The side of fries was too big I should have ordered their combo. But they didn't have any drinks without sugar like iced tea (only diet soda YUCK). Anyhow enjoyed myself. Their little parking lot gets packed really quick so be wise about what time you go. read more

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Super average, overpriced and limited menu. The meat had little to no flavor and the fries tasted stale. In-and-Out is so much better in flavor, price, and variety. The Counter down the street is also better with more variety and better pricing. Save your money. read more

This spot is definitely on the pricier side, but I really loved the vibe. The colors and overall aesthetic are what pulled me in. I live less than 10 minutes away and happened to drive by, so I stopped in. The service was great. Everyone at the register was fun, helpful, and super knowledgeable about the menu. The space was clean, energetic, and has a cool sports-forward and street fashion feel, which I'm always into. They have really cool merch available for purchase. I grabbed a beer, wasn't my favorite selection, but it was still good enough. The burger itself was good, just smaller than I expected for the price. You can add extra patties, but the total cost starts climbing fast. Fries were solid, sauce was okay, and the ice cream was actually really good. Overall, my friend and I enjoyed the experience, but we both agreed we wouldn't return for the food simply because the value didn't match the price. For a smash burger and fries, it just felt a bit too expensive for what you get. That said, I would absolutely meet a friend here for a beer and to watch a game. The vibe and service make it a great hangout spot, even if the food isn't quite worth the splurge for us. read more

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I've had Heavy Handed delivered a few times and always love it! The burgers are tasty and delicious, 5 stars for this smash burger. Fries are good, but probably much better in person. 4 stars for the delivery edition. Love the packaging and the classic nature of this cool hamburger shop. read more

Heavy Handed - French fries, 4 stars - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Other than the bomb burgers and fries, I came one night for dessert. I had one of their dipped cones -- which was the butterscotch dipped cone. I wished I only got vanilla cause the swirl was a little too much but the serving is huge. Like it's a big serving. For 8$ it was worth the serving. I would love to come back and try out their other flavors. I'm so glad I've finally tried it. The place is clean, a little bit on the pricier side but good food overall. There's also a parking space. Service was fast and the staff was so patient with me. I couldn't decide what I wanted so she explained to me most of the flavors and what was popular. read more

Heavy Handed - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We just wrapped up a family feast from Heavy Handed, and wow--this spot lives up to the name in the best way possible. From the moment we placed our pickup order to the last fry devoured, everything was smooth, fast, and seriously satisfying. We went with: * 2x Single burgers * 1x Single * 1x Double * 1x Fries Each burger was a flavor bomb--crispy-edged patties, melty cheese, and that signature sauce that hits all the right notes. The Double was a beast (in a good way), and even the Singles packed a punch. Fries were golden, salty, and perfect for sharing--or hoarding, depending on your mood. Pickup was a breeze at their Ventura Blvd location--ready in under 15 minutes, just as promised. The staff was friendly, and the whole vibe felt like a modern twist on classic burger joints. If you're craving bold flavors and no-nonsense comfort food, Heavy Handed delivers. We'll definitely be back for round two. read more

Heavy Handed - Double burger pickles sauce and onions - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Great burger and fries. Love that they serve beer. Great service and vibes. Large parking space. read more

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I loved this restaurant! Great concept turning the smash burger experience into a trendy restaurant scene with beer, wine and dipped soft serve serve ice cream for dessert!! It takes a couple of visits to try it all! 1st visit you must try the burgers with their special sauce -delicious with or without a bun, single or double! The animal fries are amazing and good for sharing if you are eating a burger too. If you have room for dessert, the soft serve ice cream is so tasty with different flavor dipping sauces Not just a delicious smash burger, an experience! read more

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This place is a big large bowl of "meh." The prices are pretty high for what it is. The burger is cooked well but it's nothing special. The "heavy handed" fries are just sopping wet. I get it right? That's the whole meme of this place. If you order heavy handed fries they should at least chop up ground beef and put it on top too. Pickles and a bucket of sauce is so silly. But the sauce isn't good enough to warrant the fry slop mess it creates. It's just nothing special. Overpriced slop. I think the inside of this place looks cool. It's weird that they have cool movie posters but use 6 out of 6 tvs to play sports games. Even one or two tvs playing a film would be such a vibe. Overall I found it pretty average especially considering how pricy it is. Service was fine. Will not be returning. You can get better burgers and fries at better prices at so many other places! read more

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Burger spot located in Studio City that serves smash burgers, fries, soft serve, and a really great selection of craft beers. I'm a big fan of all those things! This is the second location I've been to. I was already a fan when I went to their Santa Monica locations. This spot has more of a traditional restaurant vibe since there's a lot of inside seating as well as some outdoor seating whereas the SM location is mostly if not all outside in a nook along a main street. Everyone I interacted at this location was really helpful and great overall. I came here for a Poker Face promotional day/ Emmy awards campaign. Poker Face is my favorite show at the moment, so I was excited to learn of this event (BLSH*T Day 6/7/25). At this particular location, the car or a replica was in the parking lot for picture ops. GaTa also made an appearance at this location. I couldn't figure out the connection at the time, but after watching the episode that aired 6/12/25, I had the 'a-ha' moment. He was on the show. The promo was a BLS*T burger and a 'side of lies' - basically a smash burger and fries combo. I ordered a pils from one of my favorite local craft breweries to wash it all down. The burger was great and the fries were perfectly crispy. I actually got here a little early to beat the crowd/line and since I love a good soft serve dipped cone, I ordered the cookies n cream dipped cone to enjoy while I waited in line. Delish. There's a lot of street parking in the area, but it is a high traffic area so it can get tricky. There's also a small lot, but that was off limits during the event, so I'm not sure how hard it is to park there during normal business hours. read more

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Our meal was delicious! The fries fried in beef tallow are just out of this world. Nice, tasty, just the right amount of crisp and saltiness. Smash burgers are super duper yummy. I enjoyed mine without cheese and liked the beefy flavor of short-rib ground beef. The feeling of the place is super chill and fun with cool music playing in the background. All the workers are super cool and pros at what they're doing! read more

Heavy Handed - Fries are fried in beef tallow! - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Spot is great, especially if you're a fan of Smashburger's but want that SAUCEY sensation that the big burger spots have. The buns are super flavorful, the meat has good flavor and the cheese keeps it all together. I was a little sad to see that there isn't lettuce, onions or tomatoes on their burgers as I think they need a little fresh bite to their heavy burger. The basket of fries is pretty big. It's like 2 orders if not 3 orders of their side fries and plenty amount to share. I got the heavy hand fries that's drowned in toppings. I actually wasn't big on how much was on there but I appreciate the generosity. The pickles are killer. You can actually buy some but I suggest getting extra on your order because they're super enjoyable. Burgers are a little small for my appetite so I recommend really embracing the HEAVY on your visits.. Very casual spot that can be cool for burger heads since there's a ton of novelties around the spot. Nonetheless, its delicious and I'd come back. read more

Great atmosphere and cool decor. 1st time at this location in Studio City. Parking is limited. Ordered a double smash combo with chopped chili's. My niece's Ordered a single and double combo as well. I also ordered soft serve cone with cookies and cream dip. Didn't care to much for the cookies and cream probably should have stuck with chocolate . The actual soft serve swirl was good though. Burger was good as well as the fries. Service was excellent both from cashier and person at counter giving food and ice cream. read more

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Great burger, delicious dipped soft serve, and tasty fries! Plenty of seating inside and out. Easy parking, friendly service and a laid-back vibe!! If you enjoy smash burgers and soft-serve then this is the spot!!! read more

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Lots of energy, lots of tv's, and sometimes loud. The colors are vibrant. There is a lot of seating. Great for family groups, with adult beverages. There is outside seating. This would be a decent place to see a game. The Celtics were playing the Heat when I was there. The short rib burger combo was good. The smash style is always deceiving, it just doesn't appear to be a lot yet it is filling. The fries were ok, not much seasoning, the beer choices are plenty. I chose an IPA , DOPE, tasty with a hoppy flavor. Total bill was $70 for two short rib combos and a pitcher. This is a cool local place. read more

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Hamburger was a bit greasy The package although cute seemed wasteful The small/regular fries were such a huge amount. Enough for 3-4 people. Value over all was good. read more

Heavy Handed - So much - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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With a heavy heart, I must hand them two stars. Yuk yuk yuk. Heavy Handed is a trendy, Instagrammable spot with pretty good food, but it is grossly overpriced. We paid over $60 for two burgers, one basket of fries, and two beers. The burgers were small and felt very light - the buns were quite airy. The fries were plentiful, and perfectly cooked and seasoned - but we weren't there for the fries. We chose the Get Off My Lawn! IPA, served in a can. You order at the counter and pick up at the bar. They crammed both our burgers into one basket - after what we paid, we couldn't have the convenience of two baskets? Ketchup is available in tiny paper cups at a self-serve condiment station, just like Arby's. When my boyfriend told me what he paid (food + drinks + tip), I asked why he tipped so much, if at all - this was simply a flashier fast food experience. I would not recommend this place. There are much better smashburgers to be found, notably Bun & Blanket in Glendale and Smashed AF in Burbank. read more

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Large space, loud music, hip-hop and expensive. Cool space for burgers, fries, ice cream, beer, and wine. I appreciate the name Heavy Handed as I noticed the soft fluffy light bread packed with good size heavy patties, really made the burger feel heavy. The burgers were overall tasty and good. I could not taste the difference between shortrib and regular patties. They looked and tasted the same. The fries were crispy, hot and well seasoned. I definitely appreciated the wide range of beer. We loved our Luna Especial very much! Three stars is for quality and price. Not only did the burgers feel heavy in our hands, but also in our stomach. I'm not sure if it was the sauce, cheese or patties, but we were not able to differentiate the taste of our double beef patties which blended with all the other ingredients. read more

Heavy Handed - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I was excited to try the burger here because I love smash burgers and I heard good things! Pros: We called in an order and it was prepared pretty quickly. I also liked how colorful/creative the restaurant is. The ambiance is casual with colorful art. Cons: There wasn't enough flavor for me. I was hoping there would be a lot more with there being short rib in the burger patty. We ordered a Single burger meal (with beef tallow fries and drink) & a Double, added chopped chilis on both. One order of fries is plenty for 2 people! I do like that their fries are the shape of McDonald's fries, but they were a bit too salty. With the burger I couldn't really taste any difference from a regular decent burger. We spent $30 on a meal and additional Double burger. That said, probably wouldn't revisit, but it wasn't bad. read more

Heavy Handed - Single burger with beef tallow fries - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Another pop-up smash burger stand finds it's way to the valley. Heavy Handed open this 2nd location this year, and business seems to be booming. This spot used to be Mister O's, (which was a very cool place); but it's a Smash Burger World right now so here I am. The menu is simple - cheese burgers and fries. They also have soft serve ice cream and beer. The burgers (single, double, triple) come with cheese, caramelized onions, pickles and secret sauce. I've been here twice and both times I got the Double Combo. They give a large portion of fries with the combos. There is a mild level of grease on the burgers and fries, but it wasn't too much for me. The flavor of the meat is good and overall, nothing was too salty. The decor is a cartoonish orange (not necessarily a bad thing) and air conditioning is set to 'freezing", so bring a sweater. Credit Card only, no cash, but they don't add any extra fees to the bill. If you like smash burgers, Heavy Handed is worth a visit. read more

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The burger was so good! It's a prime rib smash burger and the triple was off the chain. Jefferson was extremely courteous and made our first time here a genuine pleasure. Highly recommended! read more

Heavy Handed - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Located on the south side of Ventura blvd, customer parking available ( small spaces) as well as street parking ( free on weekend & after 6pm. Ordered up (4) $15 Double Meat Smash Burger Comes with Short rib meat, American cheese, caramelized onion, pickles and home made sauce. Ice cream available as well Service is good, nice and attentive. Interior is nice looking, lots of indoor seating as well as outdoor. Music is playing, even in the restroom. Only 2 gender mutual restrooms with no kid changing station. This is a problem considering if a guest or employees wants to drop a hot one, need more stalls please because if I'm waiting to use the restroom, even to just wash my hands... then I'm standing right where people are eating. Restrooms are clean read more

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They have parking next to the restaurant, as it's located on busy Ventura Blvd. When I came by, I easily found a spot. Lots of orange inside, fun pop art, and TVs playing sport games. The menu is fairly limited, they're obviously known for their burgers. Smashburgers to be exact. They also have soft serve and beer. I was a little surprised at how expensive the burgers are; sure, it's less money than going to a fancy restaurant in LA, but it's far more than the cost of a fast food burger. It's $9 for a single patty burger, $11 for a double, $13 for triple. You can't add lettuce or tomato to it, but you can get it lettuce wrapped. I was craving a lighter meal so I opted to get a double burger lettuce wrapped, no cheese. Probably the only place I've ever been to where it actually costs money to get a burger lettuce wrapped... an additional $2. I found that a little obscene but went ahead anyways with the order. Also got some fries (+$4). You get a buzzer and collect your food when it's ready. Don't make the mistake of getting your burger lettuce wrapped like I did. Not only is it obscene that they charge for lettuce wrap but they include an obscene amount of lettuce. I had to remove multiple layers of it in order to balance out the ratio of meat to lettuce. The fries were okay, they do give a generous portion. It's a cool spot, but when I'm feeling a burger, I think I'd opt to go elsewhere. read more

Heavy Handed - Fries, double burger lettuce wrap, double burger - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I like Heavy Handed! Simple menu. Yummy burgers. My fav is the soft serve ice cream with hard shell! They have a few different flavors. Atmosphere is upbeat and fast paced. read more

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Decent juicy smash burgers, although mine was a bit too salty. The combo portions are huge, I left more than half of my fries behind, but it was tasty. Would be willing to try it again, but they gotta go easy on the salt. The ambiance is Brooklyn-hipster, if I had to name it. 2000's hip-hop is playing in the background, fun orange color walls with cool industrial-style light fixtures. The service is good and friendly. read more

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Ok, this is going to be kind of lengthy, but stick with me. Let me start this off by saying I think I'm over smash burgers. I think at this point, if you've had 1, you've had them all. I honestly can't tell the difference between Heavy Handed, Win-Dow, Easy Street, etc. The only standout I had was SMACKBURGER, and it stands out against all the other places. Now that I got that out of the way, the ordering system sucks. We ordered from the Studio City location online, but once we completed the order, it sent it to the Silverlake location, which was 30 minutes away. So we figured we could explain that to THIS location, and they said NOPE, you have to go through the toast app. And then had the nerve to tell us, "this happens all the time". Well how about you f***king fix that? So we basically paid twice. We are still trying to get our money back from Toast, but you can't even talk to a human. Now to the actual food, it was good, it just wasnt standout. We got a basket of Heavy Fries, and again, they were good, but they could've been way crispier. If you're going to load up fries with all that sauce and toppings, they have to be able to hold up, and these didnt. For $60, everything should be AMAZING. I like my burgers like I like my women, THICC. So I'll stick to Amboy, Smackburger, Oh My Burger, Storm Burger, Hen & Heifer, and Super Burger. read more

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The smash burgers at Heavy Handed ALWAYS hit! They're one of my tried-and-true spots that never disappoints when I'm craving some good burgers and fries. You likely are aware that LA has become quite the hot spot for smash burgers. And while there's a lot of solid options out there, a lot of them don't quuiteee measure up to the hype from social media around them. That's not true when it comes to Heavy Handed, however. I legitimately LOVE this burgers and find them both the perfect quintessential smash burger while also having just enough of their own extra flair to make it unique. The sauce is perfect, and I don't know what it is about the pickles, but their flavor and crunch here is better than just about anywhere else that I've been. Other options include fries, soft serve, and draft beers. I love all of them here - the fries are simple but beer battered to perfection. I also find the prices here to be quite reasonable and comparable to most of the other smash burger spots in the LA area - and the burgers themselves always hit. Parking can be a little tight, but there is plenty of street parking options. There's also a nice outdoor patio space to relax on after placing your order. Heavy Handed is legit, and I most certainly recommend! read more

Heavy Handed - The Single Smash Burger - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This is a fun burger spot with a limited menu and offers beer as well. I like the style, it's fun and edgy and also has a ton of seating to hangout. The menu is simple, burgers and fries with ice cream for dessert. The service was quick and to the point. My boyfriend and I ordered two single burgers and a basket of fries. The burgers were good, I wish we got doubles though. The fry basket was huge and plenty to split between us. Overall I'd get it again when craving a burger. read more

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The service is fast and efficient. I only tried the ice cream and fries. The soft serve was okay. It tasted more like a malt versus soft serve. The fries were overcooked. It was crowded and loud inside and there was a lot of parking in their lot. Their burgers looked okay, but on the small side. read more

I don't know wtf is wrong with your team tonight but I specified no pickles on my order and it seems like they put extra in the damn burgers. I ordered a sprite too and didn't get it. I'm not surprised you guys are below 4 stars. Hire some better people who pay attention to your customers orders. Lame read more

Heavy Handed - Pickles I had to take out of my burger when I specified no pickles. - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I've been on the hunt for amazing soft serve and this place definitely hits the mark! I can't speak to the other food on the menu since we just got a chocolate soft serve to go but this was truly phenomenal. They have a lot of really interesting toppings options as well which I'll definitely try next time! Parking is a bit tricky but they do have a small lot out front if you're able to get a spot. read more

Heavy Handed - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Ok you might think this is a bit wild. But I came here initially for the dipped cones. I love, love, love a good dipped cone. The burger, sure yeah it's a great smash burger. But let me tell you about the dipped cone with some rotating dips? Good soft serve. Great chocolate dip. A+ dessert. The other thing very much worth shouting out is actually the fries. Great, crispy, golden, warm, well above average fries! read more

The Service: Efficient! They don't accept cash. The Food: Order at the counter. Pick up at the bar. Basically one type of burger, single, double or triple patties. Sorry.... no lettuce no tomato & no raw onion in their burgers. Maybe because no vege in the burger, it tastes too greasy with meat & melted cheese. However, huge portion of crispy fries! BTW, they sell beers here! Dessert they have on the menu is ice cream (3 different flavors). Tons of TV for sports in the restaurant. The Parking: Private parking lot (free) and street metered parking. read more

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A friend of ours recommended this spot since he's been following and eating their delicious smash burgers for years! He mentioned that they were a food truck at some point (if I remember correctly) and opened a shop in Santa Monica and now Studio City! Almost everything in Studio City has the absolute worst parking. Either you get lucky at a meter or you pay for valet. However, this place has their own little parking lot but it's a one way in/out situation. We got lucky and found ONE spot after pulling in, all the way in the back. The line was basically out the door when we arrived shortly after 1pm. The line went quick and there were a bunch of open tables to sit and enjoy at. We sat down and waited maybe 15 minutes for our food. They have cute movie posters with their own take and had smash burgers and ice cream in each of the posters which was hilarious. The music was loud and poppin but not blasting to the point where you can't hear anything. I was SHOCKED at how much grilled onion they put in their burgers. Not a bad thing, I typically have to ask for extra but they loaded it up and I was extremely satisfied!! I got a single smash burger and my bf got a triple combo and we shared fries and a drink. They give you a TON of fries so definitely worth sharing! Wish they had a better soda selection though. They basically have coke, diet, sprite, Dr Pepper, and I think a blue Powerade? Very random and not even cherry coke or orange soda. I think more places need to just invest in that Coca Cola fountain with all the different options with touch screen, way more worth it! The food was amazing! Super delicious and again, love how much grilled onion they put. The only weird thing I found about it all was their pickles. Not sure what kind it is but it is VERY sweet. Like basically relish sweet? It was throwing it off a bit but other than that, simple and delicious smash burger joint. We ended with sharing a swirl cone and it was perfection. Definitely hit the spot and worth trying! We didn't get it dipped, that would've been overdoing it and we were already pretty full by the time we got it. Will definitely be coming back! IG: @ammysalamii read more

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The burger is so flavorful! And The cheese, the sauce and pickles - the perfect combination! Fries are good too - I order them without salt, otherwise too "heavy handed" in the salt department. And I would have rated 5 stars, but the music is way too loud. read more

Heavy Handed - Double with no bun - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Heavy Pricing with a weird taste... that just about sums up this place. Nice idea, fresh design, but food not worth the money. And the burger just tasted weird. Like rotten. Hard to describe but our tastebuds were like NOPE. And it wasn't just me. It was rancid. Like something died in there. It was coming from the meat for sure. Now it may have been burned or old cooking oil or some crazy seasoning but it was just wrong. Suffice to say we ate it all, complained to each other, and vowed never to return. In & Out is half the price and twice the delicious every time. read more

Heavy Handed - Fries were good, burger tasted weird. Maybe it was the short rib short circuiting? - Burgers Near Me - Los Angeles, California