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At least that is what Hamburger Habit has emblazoned all over its storefront. However, this is not a self-proclaimed exaggeration but rather the opinion of KABC. Having seen this place on many occasions, but never having eaten there, I finally forced myself to detour from my normal commute home to sample this so-called “best” hamburger.

The first thing I noticed was the almost cartoonish interior. Everything is red or white, which gives an old diner feel. Additionally, there are witty phrases posted in front of the prep station such as: “If you are nasty, irritable or just plain mean, we will charge you $10 to deal with you.” The menu itself is quite varied, but of course I went straight for the original hamburger, quaintly called The Naked Truth. Additionally, I had an order of chili fries and a strawberry shake.

After receiving my hamburger, I must say that I wasn’t that impressed. The meat didn’t seem like it was going to blow me away while the bun and toppings were quite plain. After my first bite, my feelings did not change. The meat lacked that strong beef flavor that I expect in the good hamburgers. Additionally, the meat seemed eerily similar to the patties you find at McDonalds, which created a “is this really beef?” reaction. I was also surprised at how thin the burger patty was, especially for the price that I paid for it. It’s size was much like those you find frozen in the supermarkets.

What was interesting was that they added a special sauce, just like at In-N-Out. Habit’s, however, is lighter sweet and tangy sauce that creates a much different type of burger. I’m not sure if there is a specific quantity that’s supposed to go on the burger, but I felt that I would have been happier with a more generous serving of the sauce.

The highlight of my meal, sadly enough (or not), were the chili fries. The chili was blisteringly hot and popping with flavor. The fries were freshly made and so they didn’t turn into the mashed-potatoes-with-chili combination until quite some time later. Rather, the mix of melting cheddar cheese along with the chili and fresh fries made for one of the best set of chili fries I’ve ever had.

The shake was very creamy and sweet, which I loved. It wasn’t too thick, which made it easy to drink along with my meal. Too many times, I find myself trying too hard to drink my milkshake when all I want to be doing is focusing on eating my meal. However, I found my heart racing from the sheer amount of suger in the shake so I had to leave it unfinished.

Overall, I cannot agree with KABC and say that Habit has the best hamburger in Southern California. But, this doesn’t detract from the fact that they offer great food and a friendly environment. It’s just that living up to the hype of being the “best” is a difficult task and one that Habit doesn’t reach.

Hamburger Habit
11223 National Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(corner of Sepulveda and National)

By Jeff (see more of his posts).