In the mad, hectic rush of Los Angeles, there is no meal more perfect than a cheeseburger. Fast, cheap, and tasty, the burger can easily satisfy the non-stop crowds like no other food can. Unsurprisingly, the city has developed a love affair with the burger, and a number of burger joints have arisen in recent years.

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Everything in LA, though, has to be just a little bit different. Forget the simple, low-key burger diners, as LA residents are more and more moving away from those relics of the past. Instead, it’s all about the glam and the gourmet, both necessary to capture the attention of the ever-capricious LA crowds. To compete in LA’s culinary scene, then, the newest wave of burger bars has begun to emphasize not just a “different,” even trendy burger, but just as importantly a trendy place in which to eat it.

No restaurant encapsulates that LA mentality better than 25 Degrees, conveniently located in the Hollywood Roosevelt, a hotel surrounded by the clubs and bars of the hottest part of Hollywood Blvd. Though it features the typical burger, fry, and shake combo, it kicks it up a notch, providing an endless list of gourmet toppings for your burger, including 13 types of cheeses, 13 sauces, and 15 toppings, in addition to a full list of draft beers, salads, and sandwiches. Even better, it stays open 24 hours a day, making it the only 24-hour gourmet burger bar in Los Angeles—a definite bonus in a city that never sleeps.

It’s not really the burger that captures your attention, though. As you step in, the restaurant immediately welcomes you with a bright red, warm, lively atmosphere, constantly popping with the sounds of the shifting crowds of Hollywood night owls and hotel residents. It’s rather small, and it tends to be packed, yet it doesn’t feel claustrophobic at all because it has just so much energy to it. It only helps that the tables are humungous, comfortable booths where you can lounge around. I also like that there is a ton of light and color, even though the color scheme is a very simple, intense red—and I mean literally everything in the restaurant, from the chairs to the walls, is red. The scene is trendy and nice enough to bring a date, but comfortable enough to chill with a group of friends. It definitely impresses for a simple burger joint, though it can at times get rowdy with all the hungry drunken crowds walking in from the local Hollywood club scene.

The service is also pretty solid, especially for a burger joint. Remember, this is a hotel restaurant, so you do have professional restaurant-quality service, even though you’re paying a relatively low price. Though the service wasn’t mind-blowing, it’s nice that, unlike other burger joints, 25 Degrees actually cares about the customer a bit and gives constant attention.

I wasn’t quite as impressed with the burgers, though. While they are very nicely cooked, with gigantic toasted buns that hold up incredibly well under the titanic bevy of toppings and cheeses, the house special Number One is a mass of confused flavors. I do appreciate the complexity, as it includes everything from sweet caramelized onions, to smoky bacon and gorgonzola, to tart crescenza and zesty arugula. Still, the synergy just doesn’t work, as the bitterness of the cheese wins out in the end, nor is the beef all that succulent. The sweet potato fries and milkshake don’t astound, either, with both coming off as bland, though the crunchy, oily onion rings help to compensate a bit.

As a final note, this place is an amazing value, especially for a gourmet burger joint in Los Angeles. $12 might seem like a lot for a burger, but this sucker is huge. Moreover, while there are only 3 burgers on the list, you can make your own customized burger with just about any type of cheese, sauce, veggies, and other toppings that you could want. The fries are an even better deal—$4 for a pile that is so big that you almost surely will not be able to finish it with your burger. You’re also paying partially for the fantastic atmosphere, which is a huge step up from most burger joints, even the nicest ones. Finally, and just as importantly, the gourmet burgers here are the only ones in the whole town that you can get at literally any time of the day.

25 Degrees, then, may not serve up the best food, but it is easily the nicest, tastiest 24-hour burger spot in Los Angeles. That may not be enough to recommend it on a daily basis, but it’s perfect for the wee hours of the night after partying in the local Hollywood scene.

What I Tasted

1. Number One (Caramelized onion, prelilbato gorgonzola, crescenza, bacon, arugula, and thousand island): This is a very complex burger, with many different, bold flavors. Unfortunately, the flavors can be misguided at times, with little synergy among them. The main problem comes from the contrast among the sweet, salty, bitter, smoky, and creamy flavors. The onions are meant to give some sweetness to the burger, but that sweetness is largely overshadowed by the cheeses. Combined with the bacon, the cheese gives a really nice smokiness to the dish, but that flavor can very easily turn into an overpowering bitterness, nor does the crescenza’s tartness really complement the other flavors too well. It might sound like a small complaint, but the burger has so much cheese (two different cheeses, both practically gushing over the burger) that the cheese can very easily become the dominant taste, even more so than the meat. That brings me to the second central complaint—the beef, while decent, isn’t anything special. I like that it’s cooked all the way through, even though it’s a huge, thick chunk. Unfortunately, it’s not seasoned very much at all, nor is it succulent or very savory, so it really needs to rely on the other flavors to compensate. Like I’ve said, though, those flavors don’t always come through in a balanced way. On the more positive side, this burger has a fantastic bun that reminds me of a focaccia roll. It’s enormous and extremely doughy, but it’s crisped/toasted on the outside, in addition to being oiled/buttered a bit for extra softness. It, moreover, holds up perfectly under the weight of all the ingredients, especially the gigantic meat. Finally, I like the crunch and smokiness of the bacon, especially with the arugula, which adds a great freshness to the whole dish. 3.5/5.0. The flavor’s all there. It just needs to be balanced.
2. Sweet Potato Fries: These fries are cooked well, but the seasoning is just so horrible that it’s difficult to enjoy them. The fries are literally crusted with salt and pepper, both of which come through so intensely that they completely overshadow the sweetness of the sweet potato. It’s nice that they are not mushy at all, and they do have a good crisp on the outside, but again the natural taste of the sweet potato is very downplayed. 2.0/5.0
3. Onion Rings: These are fantastic—that is, until the oil hits you. In fact, these onion rings are covered with gratuitous batter, and you can even see gigantic globs that practically have no onion in them. The batter comes off easily, too, often crumbling apart so much that a lot of the onion remains separate from the batter. The distribution is definitely off, then. But the batter is so generously provided and is so flavorful that it’s almost not a problem at all. It has a consistency that I’ve never actually tasted in an onion ring—it’s so crunchy that you can hear it cracking in every bite, yet it’s almost as chewy as calamari. It sounds odd, but it’s incredibly delicious, and because it’s so chewy, you can just savor it. The onions too are good, coming in large strands that are so oily that they practically slide down your mouth. The one problem, however, is that it’s just too much, both in being too heavy and too oily. It can get cloying very quickly. 4.3+/5.0
4. Vanilla Shake: I am not impressed by this shake at all, largely because it lacks a heavy vanilla flavor and because it’s so milky. In fact, it is so milky that it feels watered down, as though too little vanilla has been used. It is definitely easy to drink, and there is actually a layer of thick ice cream at the bottom of the refill cup (they bring you half an extra serving in the mixing cup), but it doesn’t really remind me of a milkshake because the vanilla and sugar are so downplayed. 2.0/5.0

As a side note, there are a variety of sauces to order as sides. The ketchup is a bit underwhelming, while the garlic aioli is excellently creamy and flavorful.

Scores

Ambience: 4.4/5.0
Service: 3.5/5.0
Taste: 3.1+/5.0
Value: 4.2+/5.0
Overall Score, for the burger: 3.5/5.0
Overall Score, for the whole experience: 3.7+/5.0

2 locations in Los Angeles

I’ve been to both locations, and both are the same experience, more or less, though the one in downtown LA is much larger.

The addresses are:

1018 Montana Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90403

3229 Helms Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90034

The other day, I was out with a good friend of mine, Brett, who had just returned from London. Brett is, what I would call, a “pub rat,” just obsessed with bars in general, and and he just kept harping on about the pub scene in London—about how much better it was, both in terms of drinks and food. Pubs actually served real food in London, he kept on affirming (as though he had just stumbled on some novel concept). You couldn’t find anything like that in LA, or so he thought.

LA isn’t traditionally known for being a “pub town,” but underneath the glamorous exterior lies a thriving bar scene, and I thought I’d show Brett by taking him to the granddaddy of bars in Los Angeles, Father’s Office. Father’s Office is the premier gastropub in Los Angeles, mixing simplicity with the gourmet to come up with both some of the best pub food in town and an outstanding beer selection. Of particular interest is the legendary “Office Burger,” perhaps the finest example of a gourmet burger in Los Angeles.

Anyway, so Brett and I arrived at Father’s Office at around 9 pm, when it’s actually pretty packed. Luckily, we were able to get in without much of a wait, though it was so packed that it still took us about 10 minutes just to get a table. The interior isn’t anything impressive. It’s dimly lit, a bit cramped, and always packed. The service isn’t exactly prompt, and you might have to fight at times to get the attention of the bartenders.

As soon as you get the menu, though, you realize what all the fuss is about. The beer selection is one of the best I’ve seen in LA. Not only do you have an endless variety of beers, you have a selection from across the nation and the world. It’s not too confusing because each beer has a small description. Moreover, there is something for every price range and palate, ranging from the cheapest domestic beers to bottles that cost 20, 30, 50, or even 70 dollars. And for good reason!—Where else can you find a microbrew champaigne beer?

As for the food, there’s not quite as much variety, but everything is prepared with somewhat of a gourmet touch. There’s only one burger, the Office Burger, filled with gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and arugula and served on a French roll—quite the odd selection, and I can imagine quite a few people who don’t enjoy any one of those ingredients. However, Father’s Office is so sure of its food, it has a strict “No Substitution” policy. Ask for anything to be removed and you’ll just get sneered at! Ask for some ketchup, and you might not even get served (and that’s really not an exaggeration). And yet, people keep on coming back for it time and time again—that just attests to how good the burger is.

So Brett and I went with a classic combo—an Office Burger, with some beer, and a basket of sweet potato fries. And it only took one bite for Brett to admit that he may have been a bit too hasty about the pub scene in LA. The Office Burger was, in fact, delicious. Perfectly cooked, with a sweetness that jumps out at you because of the caramelized onions, which are piled in a layer so thick that it’s more like an onion jelly. The cheese melds perfectly, serving as a great counterpoint to the sweetness with its gooey, strong taste. I can’t say I’m crazy about the arugula, but it does add a bit of freshness to the sandwich. Overall, it’s a greasy, cheesy, sweet sandwich that is extremely satisfying.

Would I say it’s the best in town? Probably not. But it is a fine example of a true gourmet burger—only a few ingredients and rather simple, but great nonetheless.

As for the fries and beer, they were both top notch, too. The sweet potato fries were very crispy and well-seasoned and came with garlic aioli sauce, which does work better than ketchup with the flavor of the potatoes. Still, they weren’t fantastic, and you can find better at tons of places. The beer, too, was quite interesting. I got a Belgian malt that had about 10% alcohol, while Brett picked up a Belgian blond. Both were delicious. Mine was very heavy, kind of rich, a bit on the sweet side, whereas his was refreshingly fruit and light.

All in all, Father’s Office really delivered, and Brett was forced to admit that it was quite impressive. While I do think Father’s Office may be overhyped (largely because of its history of being the premier gastropub in Los Angeles), its burger is extremely satisfying and unique, and the beer selection is phenomenal. The servers can be rude, the wait can be a bit long, and the place can be hectic—but that’s why you go to Father’s Office. And it really is worth it, especially if you just want a night out with some good friends.

Ambience: 4.0/5.0. Very cramped and small, but really hot, in a good way.
Taste: 3.5/5.0. Gains points for the massive beer selection.
-          Score for the burger: 3.3-3.5/5.0
-          Score for the fries: 3.2/5.0
Value: 2.0/5.0. One of the priciest burgers in town, with no variety and no substitutions.
Overall Score for the pub: 3.7/5.0. This is just a really cool place to hang out with some friends, especially if you want some decent food and phenomenal beer.

2 locations—one in LA and one in Miami
I went to the one in LA, at:
7661 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA

My brother wanted to take me out the other day just to hang out, so we went to grab some food. He’d been craving a real gourmet burger for a very long time, so we did some research and found out about the 8 oz. burger bar, one of the hot bars on Melrose. Melrose, being one of the coolest areas in LA, has its fair share of good bars and good burgers, so for 8 oz. burger bar to show up so prominently in our research is saying a lot.

The main draw of this bar is not so much the burger itself as the possibility for customization. It has a near endless list of choice, in terms of cheese, toppings, sauces, and sides. You can get anything from Humboldt fog and Bel paese cheeses to sunflower sprouts, fried green tomatoes, and sunflower sprouts. So if you’re looking for options, this is the place to go.

At the same time, the place itself has a great vibe. When we entered, we felt immediately at home. The bar has a large amount of space and was not overly packed, like some of the other bars in town (though, to be fair, we went at 8 pm). The service is friendly and helpful, the seating areas are nice and large, and the bar itself is clean. This isn’t just a grungy place—it’s actually a “gourmet bar.”

And the food doesn’t fail to disappoint, though I wouldn’t say, like some, that the burger is the best in town. The burger is outstanding in quality, with a great freshness and a great variety of options. The drink selection is nice, though the milkshakes are so good that I don’t know why anyone would look to the drink menu at all. And I have no complaints about the starchy sides (the fries, etc.).

So, if you want something a bit nicer than a fast food joint, and especially if you want to just chill with some good friends at a hot bar and grab some common cuisine, 8 oz. Burger Bar provides a great burger, shake, and fries combo. However, it’s not the unforgettable burger that I was looking for, especially at $10 just for the burger, without cheese or extra toppings.

What I had:

1. Pumpkin Gingerbread shake—This is a keeper! Hands down, the best part of the meal. $4 for a milkshake that is better and more interesting than what you can get almost anywhere. Extremely thick, to the point that you have to clear straw often and eat with a spoon. Awesome texture. Nice, creamy richness. Great flavors. Actually tastes like pumpkin. Nice touch with solidified, caramelized pumpkin chips (?) in there. Extremely flavorful. Get the shakes now. 4.5/5.0
2. 8 oz. burger w/ cheese, bacon, red onions, and roasted mushrooms added—Just a quality burger. Normal works with special sauce. Meat is cooked excellently. Bread is good. Meat is juicy. Delightful to eat. Very nice, home-cooked feeling. At same time, very much an Oinkster or Inn n’ out style burger. Nothing extraordinary for gourmet, and still cost me $16 with extras. 2.7+/10
3. Kennebec Fries—very good. Not the best, but extremely well cooked, crunchy, and crispy. Not too thick. Thickness just right to guarantee crispiness.
4. Truffled potato skins—pretty good, again. A bit oily/greasy because of truffle oil, but good flavor. Topped with chives and I think parmesan. Really good for what it is, but a bit too thick for me. Still, great for people who love wedge fries.

Ambience: 2.5/5.0
Service: 3.0/5.0
Taste: 3.0+/5.0
Value: 2.0/5.0
Overall Score: 2.6/5.0