HiHo, HiHO..it's off to cheeseburger land I go: The fast food burgers of Los Angeles
This month's restaurant reviews are a bit different. Earlier in March, I spent a week in Los Angeles. Over the last five days, my lunch or dinner featured a cheeseburger. It was more than a bit surprising because I’m not a big burger guy. Yeah, I like them but I’m far from a fanatic.
Four of the cheeseburgers came from fast-food establishments, including one I had never been to before. So let's take a look at the fast-food cheeseburgers of LA.
Carney’s is a legendary spot in the LA area. Their brick-and-mortar stores are basically a train caboose car. They have two locations; the most famous one is on Sunset but there’s a second store on Ventura in Studio City.
They're known for their chili dogs. I was tempted to relive my youth by getting one but I decided to play it safe with a cheeseburger. It turned out I might have been better off with a chill dog.
I'd tell you that the burger was bland but that would mean there would be some taste at all. I took two bites and was ready to throw it out.
The last time I ate at Carney’s was probably thirty-five years ago. It'll be at least that long until I go back. It rates as the worst of my fast-food burgers in LA.
When I moved to Southern California back in 1982, I saw this fast-food restaurant that I had never heard of before. Carl’s Jr. thought of themselves as a better choice than McDonald's—and they were—but they also were more expensive.
I didn't eat at Carl’s often during my thirteen years living in the Southland and have never thought of going there in my many visits since leaving. But when I was at the Los Angeles airport on the way home, I didn't have much choice.
Our gate was in a section of the airport where there was a lack of food choices. There were only two: Carl’s Junior and Panda Express. Ugh! It was time for another cheeseburger.
This wasn't as bad as the burger at Carney’s but it was close. It reminded me of why I rarely went to Carl’s when I lived there. The other reminder was the price—almost ten bucks. Sure it was inflated some by being at the airport but even considering that, it's too much money for what you get. That's why Carl’s Jr. rates as the third spot in my fast-food burgers of LA.
People talk about In-N-Out Burger in iconic terms. Those who love it will constantly tell you how great it is. People from out of town who have never been there always want to try it.
I never really got it. I always thought it was okay but never went out of my way to go there. Even when one was built a minute's walk from my home in Tustin, I never considered going there. There were better choices.
I'm sure one of my issues is I never got my burger ‘animal style.’ It was supposedly an off-the-menu secret that everyone knew about. Animal style is Thousand Island dressing—BFD!!
On our last full day in LA, it was lunchtime and I was kind of bored. My partner was one of those folks who had never been to an In-N-Out. I grabbed her and it was off to get another cheeseburger. OY!
Over the last ten years, I've been to In-N-Out multiple times. I've had lunch there a couple of times plus I even broke in a New Year by having a midnight burger there. Yes, I do realize how sad that sounds.
But, at least I knew what to expect— and that's exactly what we got. It wasn't the greatest burger in the world but it was far from the worst. It's not a bad value for the money. In-N-Out was far better than the bottom two spots, but not nearly as good as the top spot.
My excursion into the Los Angeles cheeseburger world began in Santa Monica. I went down to the pier to hang out with a friend. I know it’s touristy but looking out at the Pacific Ocean is so peaceful, even with all of the noise surrounding you. From there, we took a walk around the 3rd Street Promenade. I used to love this place, too, but many of the stores and food places have closed. But, while we were walking around, we found this burger shop—HiHo Cheeseburger.
Here are some of the details:
There are four locations. Besides the one in Santa Monica, there are restaurants in Marina Del Rey, the mid-Wilshire district and in Studio City. HiHo says they are the only burger shop that serves 100% grass-fed and 100 % grass-finished Wagyu. Their explanation for this is they think it simply tastes better. Go figure, right?
But guess what, they’re right! Who would have guessed?
Their double cheeseburger was by far the best fast-food burger I’ve ever had in LA and maybe anywhere. My one issue is it was a little greasy but that’s a minor complaint. And as good as the cheeseburger is, the star of the show is their french fries. They’re fresh cut and come out steaming hot. Plus, you get a huge helping of them.
As if this isn’t enough, the service is top-notch. They bring the food out to your table and four or five more times, someone will check with you to make sure everything is satisfactory.
Great food, great service—what more could you ask for? Well, maybe a little cheaper. The price of two cheeseburgers, one order of fries and a diet coke—thirty-one bucks. Yeah, it’s a little much, but you get what you pay for!
That’s the story of my burger journey in Los Angeles. Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger! When off to cheeseburger land you go, skip all the rest and head to HiHo.