Top 5 Hamburgers

A great hamburger needs beetroot!
This is an Aussie thing.
Beetroot and grated mature cheddar is a great combination.

A couple of others I remember from growing up in L.A.
Fat Jack's
The Great Grill
They may still be around in name; but are shells of their former selves.
BTW, The Original Tommy's was so popular in the Seventies that it spawned a bunch of ripoffs (Tommie's; Tomy's etc.), some of which were pretty good; but none of them got the chili right. Some did have that one topping that I deem, after grilled onions and sharp cheddar, to be indespensible to a good burger: Avocado!

D Mob, Tvad, Byegolly: great string so far. I have lived in LA for 51 years. My favorite hole in the wall places around town include Vince's Spaghetti in Ontario, a classic red sauce joint; Maria's in Glendora for guacamole smothered beef enchiladas; Donut Man in Glendora for strawberry doughnuts (always has at least six cop cars); Let's Be Frank for hot dogs at the Helm Building in Culver City; The Local Place in Gardena for Hawaiian style Kalbi Ribs; Din Tai Fung for dim sum in Arcadia; D'Elia's grinders in Riveside (best bread EVER); La Sirena in Laguna Beach for anything Mexican; and Memphis Soul House for gumbo in Costa Mesa.

What I have not found in LA is killer pizza and BBQ. Any recommendations? Gonna check out Phillips.

03-11-10: Bongofury
What I have not found in LA is killer pizza and BBQ. Any recommendations? Gonna check out Phillips.

As I mentioned above:

J & J Burger Shack (barbecue)
5754 West Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles
just East of Farifax & Adams Blvd.

There are two separate parts to J & J, yet the same shack. One is a burger joint, the other is just barbecue. Their barbecue is pretty damned good. Their beef ribs a big and meaty, pork falls off the bone, brisket & chicken is good, and hot links rock. I also like all their side dishes. They do real wood smoking and it split logs are stacked high just outside the patio.

Tasty Q Bar-B-Cue
2959 Crenshaw Blvd. (one block south of Jefferson)
Los Angeles, CA 90016

Good BBQ & sides and great prices. BTW, bring your own turkey and they'll deep fry it for you while you eat.

Somehow, it always end up being Phillips or J & J for me, depending on where I am in town at the time.