Best Hamburger in SoCal??!!
Wednesday, January 18, 2006 23:37
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).
nealgardner says:
January 19th, 2006 at 8:50 am
you might’ve been better off going to the mcdonald’s across the street.
rainey says:
January 21st, 2006 at 12:38 pm
I have a different reaction to the Hamburger Habit in Woodland Hills. I think their burgers are swell, especially with grilled onions, and I really appreciate having an alternative like ahi tuna and ceasar salads along with the obligatory chicken. I also like that it’s real food that you can see prepared to order.
Sam D. says:
January 22nd, 2006 at 3:40 am
Hamburger Habit’s vote of “best hamburger in LA” from KABC took place at least 25 years ago. I wasn’t impressed either.
Marshall says:
January 23rd, 2006 at 12:14 pm
I’ve found the Habit to be a serviceable hamburger in the past. What you neglect to mention is that they are one of the few restaurants in Los Angeles to engage in the embarassment of re-naming French fries to “freedom fries”. After I noticed the change, I haven’t been back.
yoda says:
March 14th, 2006 at 7:24 pm
There burgers were very disappointing for the price! I thought that it was a ripoff. Fatburger is way better. I think that you should try Giant Burger in Torrance on PCH and Anza. That place has the best burgers that I’ve ever tasted. Do try the Texas burger with chilli! Like their name implies, they are humongous. Hope to see a review on them soon!
Jason says:
March 21st, 2006 at 12:16 am
Freedom fries? I’ve never seen that at the Habit. How lame! How about I go freedom kiss my girlfriend,
Best burger in So Cal?
IMHO:
In-N-Out
Apple Pan (West LA)
Tommy’s
Hungry Cat (Hollywood)
I haven’t tried Father’s Office (West LA) or Pie and Burger (Pasadena), although they are on many people ’s top lists as well.
Josh says:
December 8th, 2006 at 1:54 pm
Yes, not only is the KABC recognition 25 years old, but if you start reading all the stuff posted on the walls inside you discover that the last positive review dates back to the very early 1990’s. After that the only things posted are commendations for cleanliness and such.
I thought the burger was awful. Though they claim it is a 1/4lb burger, it looked barely bigger than a McD’s or BK regular burger. This may well be because of the horrific length of time that it was cooked. Our burgers were solid black on the outside and nearly so on the inside, and, (this is not exaggeration) they crunched!
The only benefit to this treatment that I can see is that they did give a griddle-fried burger (which can never be in the running for best burger in my view) some of the attributes of a flame-grilled burger.
The fries were pretty good, and the lentil soup was tasty. But I will not be repeating the experience.
tom says:
April 25th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
the best burger in all of los angeles ,is by far and away , LOUIS BURGERS,
they have 3 locations compton ,long beach, and a new store in torrance on the corner of carson st. and normandie….the best EVER!!!!!!
tim k says:
April 26th, 2007 at 11:51 am
They remind me of the better burgers from theme parks, museums, and other commissary type places.
adam green says:
September 6th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
The burger was mediocre at best and the service was offensive in its sexual overtones. Not something one expects or hopes for while trying to eat a meal.
Teri Layne says:
May 10th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Last night was my birthday & I wanted a GOOD burger. I discovered “Jacks Classic Burgers” and I was very impressed. It was DELICIOUS!! I finally found someplace out of the “same old” mainstream burgers! And it’s just a little stand in a 7-11 parking lot! DEFINITELY worth a try!! (I got a double bacon cheeseburger)….YUM!! :)
11375 Riverside Dr
North Hollywood, CA 91602
(818) 761-4599
*Check out these reviews!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/jacks-classic-hamburgers-north-hollywood
Josh says:
September 7th, 2008 at 4:04 am
I enjoyed your post. Some of my favorite burgers in LA reside at The Nook, Ford’s Filling Station and Father’s Office.
http://www.burgerfiles.com