The Apple Pan

The Best Burgers in Los Angeles | Eater LA

"Timeless burger stand the Apple Pan from late founders Ellen and Alan Baker has served in West Los Angeles since 1947, when the city lacked freeways and a lot of the area still boasted farmland. But the Apple Pan’s Midwestern-style burgers have become synonymous with Los Angeles burger culture (it even inspired the Johnny Rockets chain of burger restaurants). Wait for a seat at the U-shaped counter and pick either a steak or hickory burger, with or without a thick slice of Tillamook cheddar cheese. The steak burger offers a sort of relish ketchup sauce above a griddle-seared patty, pickles, mayonnaise, and a perfectly-shaped mound of iceberg lettuce. The hickory burger boasts a slightly smoky ketchup with the same accompaniments. First-timers might not be blown away, but millions of fans over the decades have come to love its ineffable greatness, a true sum-is-greater-than-its-parts charm that includes the unchanged diner decor, sometimes gruff service, and of course, a sweet slice of apple, boysenberry, or seasonal pie to finish. — Matthew Kang, lead editor What to order: Head to the Apple Pan with a friend to order both the steak burger and the smoky hickory burger, and always end with a slice of pie" - Eater Staff