Yellow Paper Burger
Restaurant · Eagle Rock ·
Smashburgers, hand pies, tots, and hot dogs served outdoors
Smashburgers, hand pies, tots, and hot dogs served outdoors
"Beneath the glow of a Taco Bell sign, this Eagle Rock burger spot pairs more-than-solid smash burgers with a laid-back setting that begs you to linger. Named for the wrapping around its single, double, and triple-patty creations, the burger comes standard with chopped chiles, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, cheese, and an aggressive dose of salt and pepper; a single 3-ounce patty will do, though these are modest enough that even a double won’t ruin your day. Tots are the potato form of choice—mercilessly crispy and heavily seasoned with Old Bay—fine with ketchup but even better with Ronch, the yogurt-based dip that’s a great cooling foil for all the sodium. The sprawling, seat-yourself patio feels Austin-esque, set against a pop-psych mural by Bob’s Burgers illustrator Jay Howel; order at the counter, grab a High Life from the fridge, and settle in among kids, dogs, neighbors playing cards, and couples on wholesome dates. Got a dog or a kid? There are unseasoned patties for pups and plain Jane burgers for younger eaters. These maybe aren’t the best smash burgers in Los Angeles’s highly competitive burger scene, but the vibe is stellar; come early, since it all packs up by 8 p.m." - Lesley Suter
"Starting as a pop-up in 2019, veteran pastry chef Katie Reid Fahrner and former barman Colin Fahrner prepare hand pies along with smash burgers wrapped in, naturally, yellow parchment paper. The duo opened their Eagle Rock brick-and-mortar in January 2025, where they’ve expanded the menu to include tots, grilled cheeses, hot dogs, and pickled eggs. The outdoor patio gets busy on weekends and is ideal for groups, pups, and families. Beer and wine were recently added to the menu. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Know before you go: Always check which fruit is in season. Reid-Fahrner will likely add ripe fruits to her hand pies." - Rebecca Roland
"Yellow Paper serves solid, well-built smashburgers with crisp toasted buns and the usual suite of toppings: American cheese, pickles, shredded iceberg, raw onion, and tomato. Don’t overlook the rest of the menu at this casual burger shack, though. We like the snacky items like crispy tater tots with “ronch” (a yogurt-based dip between ranch and tartar sauce), the snappy hot dogs, and apple hand pies baked in-house more. Take your haul out to their charming brick patio afterward. With lots of picnic tables, string lights, and Depeche Mode bopping on the speakers, it’s a pleasant spot to spend a lazy afternoon with your crew—including fur babies, too." - brant cox, sylvio martins
"Former roving burger pop-up Yellow Paper amassed more followers than The Grateful Dead over the past few years, and now you’ll find their signature smashburgers sold exclusively from a slightly retro counter-service spot on Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock. These are solid, well-built smashies with crisp toasted buns and a nice punch of heat from chopped yellow chiles, plus the usual suite of toppings: American cheese, pickles, shredded iceberg, raw onion, and tomato. The lone pepper-crusted patty in the single burger tends to get lost among all the roughage, so ordering the pricey double is the move. Don’t overlook the rest of the menu, though—we enjoyed the non-burger items even more, including a snappy hot hog, chili-brined pickled eggs, crispy tater tots with “ronch” (a yogurt-based dip somewhere between ranch and tartar sauce), and apple hand pies baked in-house. Once you order, take your haul out to the restaurant's charming brick patio. With lots of picnic tables, string lights, and some Depeche Mode bopping on the speakers, it’s a pleasant spot to spend a lazy afternoon with your crew—including fur babies, too. Several patches of astroturf are available and there’s a “pup patty” on the menu. We haven’t tried it, but the dogs around us appeared to approve. photo credit: Brant Cox Food Rundown Double Burger Yellow Paper offers a single and a double burger, and we'd suggest sticking with the latter—otherwise the heap of shredded lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles overwhelm the seared patty, which is thin but not too thin with crispy edges. The extra-toasted buns and smattering of chopped chiles are nice touches on this solid, straightforward SoCal-style burger, even if the $14 double is on the pricer side for a smashburger. photo credit: Garrett Snyder Tator Tots A perfect tray of tater tots. Crunchy and salty with a liberal dusting of Old Bay. photo credit: Brant Cox Pickled Eggs You don’t see many pickled eggs on menus anymore (we see you though, Joe Jost’s) and for that reason alone, you should order it here. You should also order it because the slightly spicy chile brine goes perfectly with the tray of Lays potato chips. photo credit: Brant Cox Hot Dog This $8 hot dog isn't groundbreaking, but gets the job. There's snappy all-beef dog and smattering of classic toppings: mayo, mustard, raw onion, and relish. The same chopped chiles that come on the burger are also show up here, and provide some nice vinegary heat. photo credit: Brant Cox Hand Pie Don’t be surprised when this apple-filled hand pie is the main topic of conversation on the way home. Each flaky snack is made in-house and comes with a gooey interior of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Even if you’re full, still get one. They taste just as great reheated back at home. photo credit: Brant Cox" - Brant Cox
"Roving burger pop-up Yellow Paper finally has a brick-and-mortar home in Eagle Rock, along with a freshly expanded menu that (as declared by the giant neon sign outside) now includes hot dogs, plus beer and wine soon. Wrapped in signature yellow paper, the crisp-edged patties here are pressed to a thickness somewhere between a smashburger and a classic dive bar burger. We recently visited Yellow Paper Burger. Read our thoughts." - cathy park
