My experience was very great, good customer service. Loved that the workers can recommend any good items. Travelled about 2hrs 30mins and decided to try they amazing burgers right by the Santa Monica beach highly recommend!! Simple yet soooo flavorful :) read more

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Fave fries I've had at a burger joint in a MIN! The burger was good too-- loved the sauce and the crispiness of the burger! Parking out back for about $3 for 3 hours! Will be back! $18 for a double patty combo read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Simple menu, outdoor seating, pretty busy, great playlist & good food.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Ordered a single combo & double combo, both came with a side of heavy sauce which is nice. Portion size is good. Cheeseburgers were good but only had 2 slivers of grilled onions on both, which was a bummer. However fries were well seasoned, ice cream was pretty standard in flavor but better dipped in my opinion. It was a bit chaotic at the pick up window, it's near steps so the line goes down the steps as well. As we patiently waited our turn at the pick up window, quite a bit of rude customers just push thru and stick their hand/face in front of others for pick up. Wish there was an employee to keep rude people in line. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It is a busy place, you do get a good amount of food & if you're lucky you can grab a table to enjoy your meal w/a good playlist (90's '00 hip hop at the time) on a nice day.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Heavy Handed - Vanilla cone & Swirl dipped in cookies & cream cone - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Been a loyal follower so I say this with peace and love but please go back to your old food supplier. Your burger, fries and sauce are just not what they used to be with what new ingredients you're using. read more

I've had their smash burgers and love them! This time we stopped by for the funnest soft serve which was yummy but definitely a bit sweet after a while. The soft serve itself is great but the funfetti dip does make it much sweeter. I think it's a great dessert to share! [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's an outdoor space so it's always packed but perfect for a smashburger.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Heavy Handed - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

heavy-handed is really good! It has only a few option for burgers and soft serve , which makes it better to perfect! i also think the fries are a must get . i wish they wrote what they had in their burgers because my brother is a picky eater and all of the toppings came on it, so he had to re order . but definitely should try if you are near it!! read more

We were recommended this area since we were hear by and needed food. It's a more hip "Inn& Out" almost but smashed burger style. They have burgers, fries, and soft serve. A little pricey but the food was good. I got the combo but they charge you $1 for protein style which I thought was not warranted. But that's just me. Lettuce cannot be more then a bun price. The fries were crispy. Comes with a packet of sauce. I didn't end up trying the soft service since I thought It was a bit on the pricier side. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great patio to sit and people watch.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Heavy Handed - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

This place had a solid smash burger that was filling and the combo was a good price! The single patty was more than enough a d adding the chopped chilies just gave it that extra kick! Fries were perfect and we were given a generous amount for the combo. Service was fast and friendly when we had any questions about the menu and modifications. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The vibe was also very relaxing and all outdoor seating but the weather was great for it.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Perfect place for a quick bite to eat if you're craving a burger! read more

Heavy Handed - Single patty combo with chopped chilis added - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Cruising around Venice on my bike soaking up the sun & hippie culture. Decided to stop by Heavy Handed after hearing some buzz and my stomach grumble. Glad I did. [[HIGHLIGHT]]This place was popping on a sunny day, which is always a good sign. It's got that slightly artsy, Venice vibe on the outside, but still feels laid-back and fun.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The burger delivered. Soft bun, gooey melted cheese, and those crispy edges on the patty that give it that smash burger magic. Nothing overly complicated, just done right. Exactly what you want when you're hungry after riding around. They've also got tallow fries and ice cream, which makes it feel a little more fun than your standard burger stop. Overall, really solid experience. Good food, good energy, and worth a stop if you're in the area. read more

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We checked out this spot while in the area and it was good! We tried the double and single cheeseburger. Both burgers had a soft bun and the perfect amount of cheese, pickles and sauce. The fries had a very good flavor, not too salty and a good crunch. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The spot had good music playing but could definitely use more umbrellas to keep the sun and tree seeds from hitting you.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Give this spot a try if you're craving a good burger! read more

Heavy Handed - Single & double combo - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Rachel and I have been chasing smash burgers around LA for the past year. We shared a double burger, Fries and an ice cream cone.. spoiler, she let me eat the cone! Love the with all the works. Worth noting we made no changes to any of the order. We came around 2 today and waited on a short line. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The weathers been pretty bad[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Yum! I love this spot their burgers always hit the spot. I am such a smash burger fan and this burger is hard to beat. Also if you're in the mood for a sweet treat try their ice cream! read more

Heavy Handed - Outside - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Consider that we visited around noon on a summer's day, Friday. The good: The smash burger was tasty, crisp, very good. Also, they have Coke products with fountain service. Too many places around here, including Heavy Handed's competitor, HiHo, sell you a can of Coke for $3.50 or more. The not-so-good: The fries were nothing special, just frozen fries in vast quantity, on the order of Shake Shack's fries, in no way competitive with HiHo's fresh fries or even In-n-Out's fresh fries. The dining experience: Remember it was a summer's day. The sun was bright and I couldn't see inside the ordering or pick-up windows, to the extent that I couldn't even tell if someone was there. I'm hard of hearing and do a lot of lip reading, so not being able to see my server was a trial. Also, I couldn't see the Toast screen for the charge card in the glare. The outdoor seating was either in the sun, under trees that dropped some kind of berry into your food, or, if you wanted covered seating, street adjacent, so there's traffic noise and exhaust smell. Speaking of noise: Sorry, but hip-hop music doesn't do it for me. There is a lettuce wrap available, which my friend had, and soft serve ice cream that I didn't try but which my friend enjoyed. Someone mentioned parking in the back. It's $5 ($5.15 if you use a card) for two hours as of 7-31-26. Good luck reading the screen on the parking kiosk in the sunlight. read more

Hands down the best Hamburgers in LA. The burgers are meaty and fresh, and they serve copious amounts of french fries that are cooked in tallow. Huge plus! read more

Heavy Handed - Double cheeseburger and fries - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Hit it again. Ordered a Double Cheese Regular Fry and a Cookies N Crème Cone with Chocolate. The service was friendly and professional. Had my Ice Cream as I waited (that was delish) and soon after my order came up hot and ready to go. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was a lively atmosphere with plenty of people coming and going.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My food tapped all markers and was a satisfying bite all the way round. I am a fan and surely appreciate the professional service and great flavor of the Fries and Burgers. Gratitude and give thanks Heavy Handed Staff and Cooks for the well roundedness of your offerings and will surely be back soon. read more

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Really glad I found this place as its been awhile since have had a really solid hamburger. Service is fast - they buzz you when ready. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Dig the outdoor seating too and the vibe is fine.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Heavy Handed - Half eaten and want more! - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Quick service. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Uncovered and covered outdoor seating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Food came out really quick, even though they were pretty busy. The food was really tasty and everything came out piping hot. If you love a great smash burger, then this is a great spot for you. Their special sauce seems to be their signature which comes on the burger with an extra packet serving included. Nice size portion on the side of French fries. read more

Heavy Handed - Single combo - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Unfortunately, I got food poisoned after eating here. The food was OK at best. The fries were very very saucy. A regular basket of fries is more than enough for 2 people to share. Burgers were okay. Everything was quite pricey. Even to add chilies was a few dollars extra. The soft serve was a let down. The dip was not dipped properly. The chocolate coating was not even. There was really thick areas, and then some that were barely coated in chocolate. The cookies and cream dip didn't really taste like Oreo. Just tasted sweet. There's a paid parking lot behind the store with limited spots. read more

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Located on Main Street, Heavy Handed often lands on "best burger" lists--but it didn't live up to the hype for me. I ordered the single cheeseburger with regular fries. The portion of fries was massive--way too many--but quantity didn't make up for the lack of flavor. The burger itself was just okay. The heavy sauce and over-seasoning masked the short rib blend, and I couldn't really taste the beef at all. Flavor overall was lacking, and while the in-house sauce is interesting, it's overpowering and runny . Service was also just okay. The front cashier seemed distracted and not particularly friendly. The space was clean, though. When people have to talk up the soft serve instead of the burger, that's a miss. Overall, it felt like an overpriced hipster burger spot--nowhere near the quality of In-N-Out, HiHo, or Yellow Paper, and not worth a return visit. read more

Heavy Handed - Regular fries. HUGE!!! - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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It's a burger stand in between Santa Monica and Venice. Food was hot, but it lacked a lot of flavor. The meat patty had a nice texture, and edges, fries were okay they were just generic. Heavy handed sauce that was okay too again lacked flavor. Soft serve was good I was just expecting the cookies and cream dip to have more flavor, like be a little sweeter at least. The soda fountain is also watered down. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Heavy homeless population for those that get bugged by that.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]A tweaker was sitting across from us but again that doesn't bother me maybe for others, and only street parking.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Only outside tables.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Personally wouldn't go back. read more

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This is tough ... basing this on my personal taste (of course.) My perspective is the cheeseburger was too sweet. It had caramelized onion and sweet pickles. I tasted more sweet than savory, for sure. On that note, I couldn't taste the beef patty at all. Probably not enough salt, or the sugar overpowered the salt, masking the flavor of the beef. The fries were so-so. Flavor was lacking there too. The only thing I loved was the vanilla soft serve. Now that was probably the best soft serve I've had yet. The vibe of the place is really cool, open, laid back and beach-chill. I'd return for the ice cream. read more

Heavy Handed - My cheeseburger meal. Over all 4/10. Cheeseburger was too sweet and fries weren't very flavorful. IMO. - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Super chill place for a quick bite in the summer. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice outdoor seating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We got the ice creams only. The dipped flavors are so good! read more

Heavy Handed - Soft serve ice cream dipped in butterscotch and cookies n cream - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Good burger spot along Main Street. Got the double and enjoyed it. Burger had good lacing but wish it was a bit bigger. Pro Tip: add ok chopped chilis for an extra kick! read more

Heavy Handed - Double - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Heavy Handed is up to three local locations now, but this was the OG spot in Santa Monica's popular Main Street strip In my personal opinion, to properly judge a smashburger you must get a double and so that's my go to at Heavy Handed. Solid burgers with the magic in their special sauce and fries which are equally special thanks to being fried in beef tallow. They actually have a great craft beer list at this location full of good local brews. Pair that with their awesome sidewalk seating and you could easily chill out with a laptop & people watching for an afternoon with good eats & food. Plus from 4-6pm it's happy hour with $1 off suds, score! Alternatively to the aforementioned sidewalk seating, you could also choose to sit in their bright and colorful little dining patio area. It's fun and cute, with two families there wilding out while my friend and I dined today. Plus, they have a big TV outside. Bonus: The ice cream is HUGE and they do dips on the cones. With not just chocolate, butterscotch and strawberry dips but cookies and cream!? What in tarnation! The ice cream cones are a big hidden bonus of Heavy Handed! read more

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May 25 & June 10, 2025 | Santa Monica | Friends & I discovered Heavy Handed while on Main Street! What a tasty burger/grilled cheese find! Grilled Cheese: Yum! I enjoyed the perfectly grilled butter- toasted potato bun, cheese and loved the grilled onions! Yum! The grilled cheese is very flavorful, as well as memorable! I believe the sauce really adds that something special too! Swirl Ice Cream: A delicious combo of vanilla and chocolate! Easily shareable, as it's plenty of ice-cream! Vibe: Loved the music here, very upbeat... And they played 2Pac; perfect!! I enjoyed the colorful & interesting wall art! Overall: I will definitely return, especially for the grilled cheese & upbeat vibe! read more

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What We Ordered: -1 Double Combo $18 -1 Double $12 -Dipped Ice Cream Cone After spending the day at the beach, we wanted a late lunch and decided on Heavy Handed for smash burgers and ice cream. In my opinion, they serve some of the better smash burgers in LA. The homemade pickles and crispy smash patties are great. I enjoyed the sweet bun, though my wife thought it was a bit salty. My son loved the fries! The dipped ice cream cones were okay; the soft serve was basic, but I appreciated the various dipping options. The service was excellent, especially Stephen, who was very helpful. I would definitely return for the smash burgers. read more

Heavy Handed - 1 Double Combo $18 - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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My friend and I were in the Santa Monica area and wanted to try and find a spot we've never been to to eat. Heavy Handed was a top-rated spot, so we checked it out on a Sunday afternoon. You have to pay to park in the back, of course, but it wasn't too bad. You can either take out or eat on the front patio--we ate on the patio. We each got a single smashburger combo. For 15 dollars (includes fries and a drink), I didn't think it was bad for LA pricing. We were super surprised! The burger was flavorful and we also received a side of sauce (it was kind of like thousand island but better) for the fries. We also grabbed some soft serve to go and it was FIRE. Will definitely come back when I'm in the area. read more

Heavy Handed - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

SO SO GOOD. The fries are ehh? They're good and crispy but to be in beef tallow, I expected more flavor? But that may be a me issue! As for the burgers, TO DIE FOR. Also, their set up is SO cool? I really enjoyed eating there! They only have one bathroom stall though and they're busy so the line does get rather long! Otherwise, we were very happy here! Will definitely be back! read more

Heavy Handed - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I may not be the most well-versed, but this is my favorite smash burger in LA! It's the perfect mix of greasy but not too greasy and high-quality, simple ingredients. The defining characteristic here is that they make their burger patties using short rib and their shoestring fries are fried in beef tallow. Say less! You also HAVE to get the soft serve, if only because it's so hard to find good soft serve in LA. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The whole experience here is 5 stars and I love being able to enjoy the meal outside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Heavy Handed is legit. Delicious burgers with awesome cheese, lacy smashed patties and unctuous sauce. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The vibes are chill as you'll walk up to the window, order and take a buzzer to an outdoor table.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] See menu photo for prices (Combo double burger @ $18) they are well worth it! Next time I'll try the soft serve too as I hear it's great. read more

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Great smash burgers and easy casual dinner spot! I always get the double with fries and don't forget a side of the sauce! read more

Heavy Handed - Burger + fries - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

So quick and easy since they serve everything from the order window. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Patio was very comfortable and roomy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The Burgers were fantastic and very meaty. You can stack up to 4 burgers if you'd like!!!!! read more

Double burgers on deck! Flavor on point, the buns are juicy, the pickles are flavorful and the sauce that comes along was delicious. Went with a friend Friday afternoon, sat in the seats across the sidewalk and loved every minute of it. Service was nice. Off the street don't expect anything nice. Just a quick bite to eat. read more

Heavy Handed - Double burger - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Came here looking for a good burger with some pretty high hopes. In a very interesting area. It's definitely very stand out and bright compared to everything else in the area. Well lit. As for the actual food, it was decent. Nothing exceptional but nothing really lacking either. They use short rib meat for their patties, which again was solid, but again not too noticeable in beef patties. Fries were also solid. The service was pretty subpar, or at least the front cashier was both online and not that friendly. I also find it strange when establishments charge for their signature sauces, and at a pretty unreasonable cost. Should be readily available, especially if they're trying to represent their flavors and have the intent of serving well flavored burgers. read more

Heavy Handed - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Delish smashburgers. Fries were good too. Sauce is a bit runny wish it were thicker. Plenty of outdoor seating. Paid parking lot behind. Service was fast and friendly. read more

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Tried Heavy Handed thanks to Peacock promoting their TV show Poker Face, 2nd season! The promotion giveaway included a burger, a side of lies (fries), and a soda! These burgers did not include lettuce or tomatoes! Heavy handed for sure! I missed my veggies! Fries were solid! Crispy fries for sure :) Soft drinks were self serve. Friendly and nice staff :) read more

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Walked here on a weekday for lunch and there was plenty of outdoor seating. A handful of patrons here at the time. Got their single cheeseburger and basket of fries. Cheeseburger was good - plenty of sauce, acid from pickles helped cut the grease, soft buns. For the hefty price, unsure if it's worth it. Basket of fries - TONS of crispy fries. Think in n out light well done crispiness. Not too salty (I don't even know if they added salt) so it's not as unhealthy, right? It's a nice option if you're in the area and craving a burger and fries. read more

First timer and definitely coming back!! Service was great, fast, clean environment. Loved the vibes. Some more TVs would be amazing to watch football, baseball, basketball, etc. Top 5 burgers I've had in my entire life. We ordered the double short rib burger with the heavy sauce and cut chilis! Amazing 10/10 Perfect temperate. Melted cheese. Great amount of heavy sauce, pickles and heavy sauce. Topped it off with a Double Dobis Hazy IPA! read more

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Comfort outdoor patio seating for smash burgers, soft serve ice cream, and a large selection of beer. Kitchen is pretty quick, and even middle of the day they're busy. Can't say the burgers are exceptional but they are very good - not too thin and smashed, appropriately meaty. With such a competitive landscape for smash burgers, very good is honestly still doing quite well. read more

Heavy Handed - Outside seating. - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Heavy Handed is a fun, reliable stop on Main Street and an easy place to meet up with friends when you're in the Santa Monica area. While they're known for their burgers, my personal favorite thing on the menu is actually the ice cream soft serve. It's creamy, nostalgic, and the shells really take it over the top. I've had both the chocolate shell and the butterscotch shell, and honestly you can't go wrong with either. It's the kind of dessert you end up thinking about after you leave. I also really love the outdoor seating on Main Street. It has a great neighborhood feel, is perfect for people watching, and makes it an especially nice stop on a sunny day or casual evening out. My main feedback is around menu variety. I wish they offered a veggie burger or a chicken option. That addition would make this a more frequent choice for me and also easier when dining with people who are not always in the mood for a traditional beef burger. Overall, Heavy Handed delivers on vibe, consistency, and dessert. A solid 4-star spot that I'm always happy to revisit. read more

Heavy Handed - Butterscotch shell soft serve - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California