Fair Oaks Burger

LA’s Quintessential Family-Owned Burger Stand Hides in Altadena | Eater LA

"Moments of quietude are rare at this 37-year-old fast-food restaurant and community hub: even during mid-afternoon lulls the dining room rush eases only for sizzling sounds from a blistering hot wok to emanate from the kitchen and drive-thru speakers to crackle with hungry customers, while ad-free oldies play from speakers mounted in the yellow walls. Operated by sisters Janet and Christy Lee, the spot sits in a square building with a flat roof and a red-and-white striped awning on the corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and East Calaveras Street; its front patio faces a busy boulevard overlooking a pizza place, a popular liquor store, and a funeral home. The building has a layered past — after a short-lived run as a branch of White Castle (which “never caught on among Californians,” and as Janet wryly notes, “People don’t like little burgers.”) it became an outpost of Louisiana Fried Chicken before JJ and Sunny Lee bought and converted it, opening the restaurant in 1987; the elder Lees, who flipped restaurants around town, left its care to their daughters in 2007 after a decade of ownership outside the family. The menu grew organically: the restaurant initially served only Mexican food and hamburgers, but when customers asked for Chinese food the Lees expanded offerings while intentionally keeping prices low so that “everyone can have the same experience,” says Janet. The large, eclectic menu now blends classic American and Chinese dishes with the original Mexican and fast-food standbys and attracts hikers, mountain bikers, young parents, solo eaters, and workers at different times of day. Signature and popular items are described precisely: the Dodger burger is made with double beef patties, a hot link, chili, and cheese; the namesake burger sources beef from a butcher in Koreatown and is layered with avocado, bacon, cheese, and jalapeños; a veggie cheeseburger is “almost a facsimile” of its beef counterpart, made with a store-bought patty between fixings and served on a toasted bun wrapped tightly in yellow paper. Compact burritos come with rice, beans, cheese, onions, tomato, cilantro, and a choice of carne asada, chicken, or no meat; a Chinese chicken salad features crispy wontons and a tangy sauce; a popular fried zucchini side also appears as a topping (on the pastrami burger) or as the filling in a taco; and sundry items like menudo and curry show up as addendums on printer paper taped to the counter or drive-thru menu. The interior reinforces the communal vibe: wooden tables are set with napkin dispensers, soy sauce, and a medley of hot sauces, and the front counter is made of cemented bricks topped with a large wood slat where people commonly chat about community goings-on and the Los Angeles Dodgers as they wait. Longtime patrons introduce themselves to first-timers, veteran employees know customers’ names and orders, and Janet says the convivial energy is similar to the old television show Cheers; pets are welcomed too, with dogs sometimes treated to unseasoned chicken at the drive-thru and even featured on the restaurant’s Instagram. On the north side, just before the drive-thru window that proved essential early in the pandemic and facing the San Gabriel Mountains, a painted mural of a tall burger spells out the mission in colorful capital letters: "Come for the Food. Stay for the Friends." Open to the public from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, the place remains a neighborhood anchor where smells, sounds, family ownership, and a mismatched but beloved menu keep a steady flow of familiar faces coming through the doors." - Alice Wynne