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Wanting to start off the great quest with a bang, I scoured google for a local place that I had never heard of, yet had great reviews. I grabbed a buddy and set off to find out if this little place was as charming as it’s billed to be. It didn’t hurt that this restaurant was located in my neighborhood. On a perfect Westside evening, with the sunset painting beautiful pinks and blues across the cloud-strewn sky, I sat down at stop number 1 on my great burger quest.
This great little hole in the wall is ironically named Hole In The Wall Burger Joint. This small restaurant is located just off one of the busiest intersections in West Los Angeles, yet nobody would even know it exists because it is tucked behind a shopping center and has no on-street signage.
What the Hole In The Wall Burger Joint lacks in marketing, it makes up for in friendly service, casual ambiance and very delicious hamburgers. After easily finding street parking, we walked up to what must have once been a loading dock or rear parking space for a restaurant. Looks can be deceiving though because there is no doubt that we stumbled upon a hidden treasure. The entrance to the restaurant is decorated in an “industrial” manner and has a blown up copy of its small and simple menu embossed on the glass window. There is some counter space inside and a dozen or so tables in front if you choose to dine in. On a sunny day, the patio area can be covered over with two sails taken from the owners boat. This addition gives the place a little charm and bit of a back yard BBQ feel.
The ordering is simple. There is a small sheet of paper and some pencils on the counter where you mark out what you want. There are not too many options, but I was able to put together a delicious looking burger that consisted of the 8oz. beef patty, onion, lettuce, cheddar cheese, chipotle mayo, honey bacon and roasted red peppers. The highlight of the burger was the house-made zucchini pickles, which add a little touch of originality where you normally would not find it.
As the server walked out with our burgers he grabbed a stack of napkins and said that we would need them. He was not joking! The thick, half-pound burgers were some of the bigger burgers that I had ever seen. I was in for a feast.
The burger was everything that you would not expect from such a small, unheard of place. It started well with fresh vegetables and a delicious sauce. The meat was well balanced and cooked to a perfect pink middle. The showstopper was the golden-brown pretzel bun. This bun added some crisp sweetness to the very savory burger and sauces. It was a great getaway from the normal wheat or sesame bun that you find at just about every other burger place.
Overall, Hole In The Wall Burger Joint was a great experience. The act of finding this small, off-the-beaten-path eatery was a joy in itself and the burger was surprisingly good too! This little gem is a great place to bring friends on a lazy weekend day, or for take-out on a weeknight. The service was friendly and fast and for $7.95 was not all that much more expensive than a fast food burger.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Hole In The Wall Burger Joint
(website)
11058 Santa Monica Blvd. at South Bentley Avenue 310-312-7013
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- A first bite to die for
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- A litteral hole in the wall
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