This is my last review from my recent wedding/5burger-4day trip in California. I had a hard time voting for Irv's Burgers. I couldn't rank it higher than 3 of the 5... and the 5th one stinks of too little love, too big for it's own good dry meat-ness. But the top 3 were all kings in this land.
Irv's was brought to my attention by an article on . then another article, another, and... after googling, i found out they even have their own movement... far out, man... kinda like that hand painted sign.
's mission "...survival as well as the preservation of one of the last examples of a post World War II roadside hamburger stand in West Hollywood."
This place is for real people. Right off of Route 66... yeah that song those guys sang about. Situated in what's called "WeHo" kinda like that other so so place. I think some of the people here still listen to the Mode... and the other people eat at Irv's. No, not really. They all get along like in South Central.
Back to my point whatever that was.
Since 1950 the sign says. You can read about the of Irv's Burgers. But right now it's run by the Hong's... the current tenants who spent their life savings to own it. Sonia Hong greeted me, and probably everyone who comes by, with an über friendliness that verged on maniacal... but down right good hearted. I went single cheese with the works, trying to look after my figure.
The "just for you" written on my plate when delivered to me was just like that of other burger blogs, but still felt very personal. The burger looked nothing fancy... raw onions, shredded lettuce, semi melted cheese... you get the picture. A fast food look of higher quality, they even have a secret sauce. Not too expensive... a little over $3. The meat is griddle cooked with a nice exterior to interior yin/yang. I felt that this same burger is made at other franchises, but the Irv's Burgers have that extra TLC, and fresh goods. And unlike or , where you don't customize, Hong's burgers, (It should now be called Hong's Burgers), have an infinate pantry and talent at your disposal.
Hong's Burgers:
8289 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, (323) 650-2456. Open Monday–Saturday, 7:30 a.m.–8 p.m. Cash only.