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Burger Kitchen - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Burgers Restaurants Gastropubs Burgers, Gastropubs
8048 W 3rd StLos Angeles, CA 90048
Neighborhood: Mid-City West
(323) 944-0503
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
255 reviews for Burger Kitchen
Review Highlights
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"Their sweet potato fries were pretty awesome too." In 60 reviews -
"The chipotle ketchup had the perfect tang." In 17 reviews -
"They have a huge beer selection here." In 25 reviews
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255 reviews in English
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Review from Valerie P.
Los Angeles, CA
4/27/2012
I'm surprised to see this place closed. I loved the beer menu. But, I guess this is Burger Kitchen, not Beer Kitchen.
I ate here in October. The burger was okay. Didn't stand out in my mind, but I didn't hate it. Maybe that's why it closed? -
Review from Tom J.
Beverly Hills, CA
1/10/2012
Stopped in after watching Kitchen Nightmares too. I was looking forward to trying Chef Ramsay creations that he made for Burger Kitchen. But to my surprise, none of Chef Ramsay burgers were on the menu. The menu itself seemed like a build your own burger joint. Why wouldn't they use any of Chef Ramsay suggested menu???
The website is literally the menu. They just took a screenshot of the menu or PDF of the menu and put it online as their website. The menu looked like it came out of a an inkjet printer, or a laser low on toner. Just a regular white 8.5 x 11 paper menu. And Chef Ramsay burgers were no where to be found.
The beer paper menu was even worse, just a print out of beer names, but the selection of beer was really good. Chef Ramsay burgers weren't on the beer menu either, but that wasn't a surprise.
And what happened to the fancy iPod point of sale system? I thought some company hooked them up with it as a promo for Kitchen Nightmares. Instead of checking boxes with pencil and paper of patty, bun, cheese, and items, imagine how easy it would be to tap out an order of a Chef Ramsay burger? No fancy POS, no fancy Chef Ramsay burger.
Service was prompt, and the burger really wasn't that bad. My only complaint is that the fries came out after I finished my burger. I was also just hoping to taste a Chef Ramsay burger creation.
The fun part was seeing each of the characters in the show come out. First we see the girlfriend straightening things out giving direction to the waitress. Then the son with his hat comes out of the kitchen, but disappears. Then the Mom walks in and plops down in a booth area. I was expecting Chef Ramsay to pop up. But Chef Ramsay was as present as his burgers he created for Burger Kitchen.
I recommend going to see this for yourself, but don't set your expectations too high, especially if you want to try a Chef Ramsay created burger. -
Review from Matthew D.
Los Angeles, CA
1/6/2012
Small menu. It's just burgers and fries. Burgers come with literally nothing. Bacon, cheese, mushrooms, etc all cost additional. Fries are also additional. A cheeseburger and fries cost me $17 + tax and tip.
The burger and fries themselves were nothing special. Sadly, Wendy's has a better burger for almost a 1/4 of the price. -
Review from Spencer K.
Los Angeles, CA
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Stopped in after seeing it on Kitchen Nightmares. It was almost the same experience that they portrayed in the show. Service was prompt, but food service was slow.
Their beer selection was quite vast, but there weren't any descriptions so it was way too overwhelming to pick just one.
I don't know how lettuce gets in a blender, but I found some lettuce in my chocolate shake. Ick! The burger wasn't bad, but since it took so long to get it, I just scarfed it down because I was so hungry. -
Review from Geoff B.
Los Angeles, CA
11/20/2011
And the bloody nightmare continues...
I haven't had a meal this miserable in a long time. Rather than write a well-thought out review, I'm going to write stream-of-consciousness bullet points of all the horrid events of the meal; a disorganized and offensive restaurant deserves an equally disorganized and offensive review:
- We were sat at a dirty table
- We had to ask for waters and place-settings multiple times; these took about 20 minutes to arrive
- Our order was lost and we had to re-complete our order forms. This was 20 minutes AFTER we turned in our forms. The fry/app order was mysteriously not lost, and we enjoyed our cheese fries and boneless buffalo wings over a half hour before we got our burgers.
- Worst sweet potato fries EVER
- Dense, dry, flavorless buns
- Meat not cooked to correct well-ness on 3 of 5 burgers
- Asked for my egg over easy and it was over hard
- Service, aside from being discombobulated, was generally apathetic and at a couple junctures rude. Two employees apologized, but this was still possibly the worst service I've ever experienced in a restaurant.
- What should have been a 45 minute meal turned into a 2 hour long headache
The bottom line is even if they fixed the service woes, I would never come back here simply because paying $12-$15 for an average burger is just effing unacceptable and unnecessary in a place like Los Angeles. -
Review from Rick P.
Palm Springs, CA
As other reviewers who had just seen the Kitchen Nightmares episode, I happened to be in LA and just had try this place for the curisoity factor if nothing else.
I didn't know what to expect based on the mixed bag reviews but was hungry for a burger...so what the hell.
I was greeted by a friendly young guy offering me a seat anywhere. I had many choices as the small dining room was less than half full. My impression began to sour as after greeting me he went back to fiddle with some kind of paperwork at the bar for want it seemd to be a full 5 minutes before bothering to come to my table with a menu. He seemed to be a bit confused and apologized for the delay, citing that they have been overrun.
I thought, OK...The poor kid was a little frazzled because of the sudden popularity. I can deal. Afterall, I was now one of only about 10 other people in the joint, half had already been served, so on with the burger and fries order!
That was about 6:45. Fast Forward to 7:30...after being completely ignored for 45 minutes (it's OK...Sunday Night Football was on the TV over the bar) the confused kid came back and apologized saying again that they were swamped (REALLY???) and that my order should be coming out in 10 or 15 minutes.
Finally...Could it be MY order coming from the kitchen? After all it was only 10 to 8. YES...I think it was!
By this time I was ready to eat an old tire...and quite frankly would have been less disappointed if I had. The Burger Patty was unseasoned and stone cold, I could not cut through the bottom bun and the fries were grease laden and burnt. My meal was mostly unedible and the only saving grace was the 25% YELP web discount.
Gordon Ramsey should have let this place die a slow painful death...just like the service tonite! -
Review from Brother B.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 11/13/2011
I was asked to participate in the "Kitchen Nightmares" Yelp segment and I declined. I caught Part 1 and got the gist of it so curiosity brought us in to try it again.
It's not good.
Again, the meat was flavorless
They over-cooked a medium rare burger to medium well
there were 2 elephant garlic cloves just stuck inside the burger
the food took over 15 minutes to arrive and the burgers were 5 minutes ahead of the sides (there were about 15 diners including us @ the time)
the onion rings were unevenly battered in an unpleasant way- it was all batter or nothing
the service nor the atmosphere were warm or inviting. The tv was playing a game and it was on too loud, they need a better speaker system than just coming from 1 wall
I guess they didn't follow Gordon's advice or recipe changes.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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9/9/2010
Interesting: I noticed originally that the response was that the owner remembered our group and… Read more »
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Review from Nicole G.
Los Angeles, CA
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came to the Burger Kitchen after my boyfriend saw an episode of Kitchen Nightmares. I didn't see the episode, so I had no idea what to expect, but didn't have high expectations based on the Yelp reviews.
First off, horrible entry design. You walk in and have no clue whether to sit at a table or wait for someone to seat you. We tried to ask someone, but none of the few people working even glanced up at us. After a few minutes, we were seated. It would be nice if there was some sort of signage telling you what to do.
Once we were seated it took a few minutes to get our menus, which were pieces of paper where you build your own burger, just like Umami Burger or The Counter. After marking the selections for our burger, it took about 30 minutes to get them.
Burgers were okay. They weren't bad, but they weren't out of this world, either. We had an order of sweet potato fries, too, which were delicious. I usually don't like sweet potato fries, but these were awesome (and tasted a bit like donuts to me!).
One gripe I have is that the burgers are served on cutting boards. It was harder to eat off of, and I got a lettuce bun, so my toppings kept falling all over the place. I'd definitely prefer to eat off of plates.
This is a fine place to eat if you are in the area. Just make sure you go in with the knowledge that you will be waiting 20+ minutes for a burger that is not otherworldly. I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. -
Review from Cherry D.
Los Angeles, CA
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
The burger was fine but the service was slow and the fries are a HUGE disappointment! In my mind burgers and fries go together like catsup and mustard.
I had a OK experience with the burger. The beef is moist and tasty. The bread choices are really good and I loved the brioche but the French Fries are a HUGE disappointment. We ordered the sweet potato fries and didn't realize that they are coated in some sort of cinnamon sugar batter. When I asked for regular fries since we didn't like them they brought out old reheated greasy fries but when looking at other customers they received fresh fries that looked good.
My friend and I decided to spit the Cesar salad as an appetizer and it was OK (this is a burger joint). The lettuce choice is interesting (bit bitter) and the dressing was fine. Nothing special.
But the BIGGEST annoyance was that I left my wallet at the restaurant and the front desk person never picked up the phone. I called FIVE times when driving back to see if they had my wallet and since he got sick of my calling he put the phone to VM/Fax.
I think that when you go out to dinner everything is part of the meal experience. I expect the food to be good and that if it's a sit down restaurant for the waiter to be helpful and nice.
So I will not be grabbing a burger at this restaurant again. I hope other people have a better experience but mine wasn't very good and I wasn't impressed at all! -
Review from Dean N.
I drive past Burger Kitchen on my way to work and finally had the chance to try it out.
I wasn't expecting much from the joint. I came here with a friend and we were pretty much starving. The place was full but not crowded, however there were people sitting with nothing on their table. Red Flag!!! My initial instinct set my spidey sense off for either 1) slow service or 2) not enough help. Regardless of my instinct, my friend and I went inside.
We sat ourselves to a table and waited. And waited. And waited until I could not wait any longer. I finally got up and ask the guy behind the cashier, "So, how does this work?" Getting his attention, he told me that he would bring menus to our table. A customer who was at the cashier told me that they were short staffed but ensured that the food was good and that I should give them a try. Being the nice guy that I am, I decided to do so.
Like all the other types of Burger restaurants that are popping up around LA, you can order you burger the way you like it. Beef patty? Got it. Turkey patty. Got it. Veggie Burger. Got it. Get the drift?
My friend and I decided to both order the Doctored Burger which is gruesome concoction of a beef patty, served with lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, avocado, chicken strip, chili, french fries and some other things. Unaware of how it may turn out, we wait patiently.
Finally, our burgers came out and it was a gruesome. It had all the fixing on top of the burger patty. The size of this burger was at least 6 inches tall. I was amazed and taken back by this as I have never, NEVER seen anything like this before. It was a one heart attack waiting to happen.
I must admit that it was pretty good. There was nothing healthy about it. It was pure Weight Watchers free gluttonous delight.
As for the service, if you couldn't read my undertone in the beginning, it was slow.
At least they had the tv on which aired "The Most Shocking Videos" which helped ease the time as we waited. And waited. And waited.
Get the drift? -
Review from Sylvie D.
11/13/2011
I just saw this place air on Kitchen Nightmare, and boy, was I surprised! I stopped by this place about a month ago, and based on how my experience went, I think Gordon Ramsay did a good job here!
I was a little reluctant to even go here base on the past reviews, but there was this deal on living social, and my boyfriend loves burgers, so I figured we'd give it a try. I'm not sure if they changed the menu since I last went, but when we came, my boyfriend ordered the Stinky Burger with bacon, I ordered the Chicken Burger (I know, chicken at a burger joint!), and we had fries to share along with a few beers.
So how did all the food rate? First, the Stinky Burger was pretty good...as in my boyfriend LOVED it. It reminded me of the truffle burger at Umami Burger because it had a similar truffle taste, except it was less refined. No matter how delicious they are, you have to admit Umami Burger serves these small and dainty burgers. Here, the Stinky Burger was like...a manly burger. It was definitely much bigger and the meat was ground a little coarser, you know, to make it manly! :) And for $11, I think it's a better deal than Umami Burger anyways for the size you're getting, so boys, this ones for you.
Now on to the crispy chicken burger. So I admit it, I'm a total chicken burger fan. I pretty much have it at every fast food place or at some fancy restaurants when I can't resist the urge. And the one they have here at Burger Kitchen is surprisingly good! It was served on a ciabatta bread along with I think pickled red onions. I think what set it off from other chicken burgers was the buttermilk it was soaked in before being crusted and fried. It gave it a pleasantly tangy taste that went well with the overall burger.
The fries themselves were standard. They do have an extensive beer offering, but unfortunately, they didn't have my first pick. They did have a decent Bavarian beer though that served us just fine.
As for customer service, when I came in there was only one guy working there besides the cooks and busboys. He was basically the waiter, bartender, and cashier. Given that, I thought he did a great job, very friendly, helpful, and attentive. He even gave us extra sauces without charging, and to boot, he was pretty easy on the eyes. Why can't all places have service like this?
Sadly though, there weren't that many people around for dinner time, so I hope this restaurant can work it out and stay alive! Based on my experience here, I would definitely come back! -
Review from Avani P.
Los Angeles, CA
11/21/2011
Casual burger spot with a gourmet burger feel and a wide beer selection. Came across this place on a Friday night and there was a fair number of people dining so thought I'd try it out.
Food/Drink: attempted combination between The Counter and Umami Burger, except it was neither. The presentation was alright, but the not a fan of the veggie patty. It's literally bland mashed potatoes. The entire "patty" fell apart that none of it was actually on my burger, I had to take a bite and then fork the potatoes with it. The bun was dry, and somehow every other ingredient lost it's appeal. On the flip side, the beer selection seemed to be decent. I don't know my beers that well but there was a rather extensive beer menu along with a few of the basics on tap.
Service: everyone was friendly, but our particular gal was not the smartest tool in the shed. She also was not beer-wise but when asked for an alternative to my requested beer that they did not have, she said she didn't know and randomly picked one off the list. One would think, checking with her team to leverage their beer knowledge and coming up with an actual suggestion would be better, but maybe that's just me. Anyhow, the other staff member made a great suggestion and all was right in the world =)
Overall.... I won't be revisiting. -
Review from Steve M.
Hollywood, CA
11/5/2011
Down to business.
Pros
Food was pretty good, turkery burger, veggie burger.
Prices were actually low (7.00 for a burger)
LARGE beer selection
Staff was nice.
Cons
Kitchen is extremely slow. (1 hour for food at mid afternoon, 2pm)
They were still painting the place so it looked odd behind the bar.
Summery.
We enjoyed the time here, the food was good, but they have to do a better job overall of the restaurant atmosphere. We probably wouldn't come back as there are a lot of burger options out there that offer more value for the price. -
Review from Rodney H.
Glendale, CA
11/15/2011
Absolutely delicious! One of the best burgers I've ever had in LA. I've driven past this place hundreds of times on my way between Century City & Glendale, & have always wanted to try it out. So when a Groupon showed up, it was a no-brainer.
I first enjoyed the fact that you get to create your own burger, with your own choices for type of bread, cheese, & several tasty toppings to choose from. You also get several options for your sides. In addition, I was impressed with the "wall of beer" options, although neither me nor my dinner guest opted for alcohol this evening.
I started to order a side of regular fries with my burger...but that was before I perused the opposite side of the menu, where the "starters" were listed. Once I saw the special tater tots on the menu, I absolutely had to try them. And let me tell you....they did NOT disappoint!
These tater tots are wrapped in the crispiest bacon, and stuffed with cheese and jalapeno bits. And they were one of the BEST appetizers I've ever tasted! My friend & I were in awe at how delicious these things were. To us, they were worth the entire visit. And these tots alone are worthy of a 2nd visit, so I will definitely be back.
In addition, our burgers were prepared just as we had each ordered, and they were delicious too. Mine was regular beef on ciabatta, with ketchup, mayo, pickles (all free), and bacon, caramelized onions & sauteed mushrooms (extra charge for each). The only minor complaint was that I had to ask for extra mayo & ketchup, but hey, it's not their fault that I like my burgers messy. The beef was seasoned very nicely too. Overall it was delicious.
I didn't try the fries, but my friend had the sweet potato fries and he said they were very good also.
I will definitely be trying to visit this place again. And when I do, I'm DEFINITELY getting those bacon-wrapped tots again. And I suggest you do the same. -
Review from Daniel S.
Los Angeles, CA
10/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yeah, this place is good, but has a few faults.
The menu is limited... but not so much that you would have to order the same thing every time, unless you go really that often. I had the Californication Burger, and it was bomb, albeit took a while to get.
The kitchen is definitely slower than the front-of-house service. And there seems to be a miscommunication as to what the burgers are called. A spanish-speaking man had run the plates from the kitchen to our table, and was not calling the burgers by their correct name. So we politely told him that he must've gotten the orders wrong, because we did not order the "Avocado Burger" or "Bacon Burger."
But we were wrong, and the man had been calling each burger by the ingredients that were on the burger, but this was not told to us until a good 3-5 minutes had gone by. By the time we started eating the food was a little lukewarm, and lacked the fresh-out-of-the-kitchen taste. I'm gonna chalk this up to a mistake, but really, if you're gonna hire ESL (English as a Second Language) employees, make sure they know how to say your menu correctly. This in particular bothered me, because any no-brain waiter can do that, and I know for a fact many capable college-attending students who are out and searching for a job, any job. And if this idiot working there can't get the menu straight, or understand when there is a problem, it pains me to think that this fool got a job before a more able person was offered a job.
But the waiter, is who I give my extra star for. He was so helpful, and amiable. He made us feel welcome, and throughly explained the menu as well as why there was a sudden change in menu/atmosphere (new ownership). The food menu is small, but the beer menu is HUGE, and I mean obnoxiously large. They must have at least 100+ different unique bottles of beer from all over the world. Sounds great, huh?
Not when more than 1/3 of the bottles are missing, and the list is so extensive, that I feel bad for anyone who has to search, what must be a cluster-fuck of a refrigerator to look for any of these. In fact, the waiter took over 15 minutes to look for the bottle I had ordered. He assured me that they had it in stock, and it was his mission to find it. He even offered a beer on-the-house to apologize for the time it took to find the beer, which I thought was completely unnecessary and way above and beyond the standard of service there, A+ to him.
(Side note: He was 9.0 attractive, and had a sexy accent to boot, but that only makes me a LITTLE biased. At least the owners were smart in hiring him, and keeping him in front-of-house)
Perhaps with a little more time and a little more training, the Burger Kitchen can grow up to 5 stars, but for now this is a pleasant spot to get a gourmet burger, and try a beer that you probably would never get a chance to see, unless you're in some fancy over-the-top liquor store, where you'd probably be paying the same amount as this restaurant. -
Review from Ian D.
Los Angeles, CA
11/22/2011
This was my second visit to The Burger Kitchen. My first visit was pre-reboot so I thought I'd give them a second chance. I think that things have been improved a bit, but I still found the burger patty to be lacking in flavor. This is a shame since I thought the rest of the fixings were fine. Overall, I consider the burger roughly in quality to the Counter and substantially less tasty than Umami.
The onion rings were a bit over battered and at times I had the sensation of eating a savory onion donut. The batter itself and the dipping sauce had a nice flavor.
My biggest complaint this visit was actually from the service. My waiter was very polite and well mannered, but I showed up at noon and the place was apparently not yet open. I was about to walk away and they let me in and took my order. My food didn't arrive till after 12:25PM. I don't think a 25 minute wait for a burger is at all appropriate for an empty restaurant. I'm guessing that no one showed up till noon and that the grill/etc wasn't even started.
Note to owners: If you guys want to serve the lunch crowd, you need to be fully ready to serve by noon.
Pros:
The presentation of the burger was appealing
The service was nice
The fixings were tasty
Cons:
The patty itself seemed to be lacking in flavor
Service @ noon fail -
Review from Daniel C.
San Francisco, CA
11/20/2011
Food it's OK. Service was No-Bueno... I was hoping for a better experience to be honest.
Where is Gordon Ramsey's pimped menu? Instead of that i got an application ala "Design your own burger", why are you making me do this? So I guess we are looking at menu #23 (i thought). I don't wanna think!
There are some basic problems that the owners need to address. At first I was served a burger that I didn't order, then the waitress came and gave me my miniature side of fries, which were very salty, overcooked and old. Honey, It's called side dish because it's supposed to go on the side of the main dish, not served 15 minutes before the burger it's served!
The burger patty was good and the ingredients fresh...
Also, there was no salt or napkins on the table... dude...
Maybe 2 whole episodes of Kitchen Nightmares were not enough to make this a great restaurant...
I was really hoping for a restaurant on the neighborhood that would kick Golden State's douchebags arses... I was wrong :( ... sadly wrong..
I'm giving you 3 stars ... but you really deserve 2.5... -
Review from Heather H.
Glendale, CA
11/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Plusses: free beer samples if you ask nicely, friendly waitstaff, quick beverage refills, fried pickles (ace!)
Room for improvement: sides a bit greasy (but was perfect for friedfood fix), looooong time from sit to food (but the food was great).
Soooo, I could come again, if I have 1.5 hrs free to eat (which only happens once in a blue moon) -
Review from David S.
Los Alamitos, CA
11/20/2011
This place has some big management issues,
The look on the faces of the employees there is a sure sign of confusion.
This chalk board beer menu has a bunch of crazy name beers with no explanation of what they are, not even organized by type.
And the stupid menu with little golf pencils for me to design my own burger, I could have stayed home and made myself a better burger.
A good burger and beer is a fantastic thing, they have the right idea just no imagination or management. -
Review from Oscar M.
Los Angeles, CA
9/10/2011
I think everyone who is complaining about this place needs to lighten up.
I thought the food was good! Not outstanding or anything, but it was a good, solid burger. I went with three friends, we ordered beers. They had one of my favorite breweries from the Bay Area, Russian River, so I ordered the Redemption. So good.
I had the Stinky Burger, my buddy got the Pulled Pork sandwich and my last friend got the Western. We shared the onion rings and sweet potato fries and a spicy ketchup and pesto aioli.
The sides were good, not over-battered, crispy. The onion rings paired best with the pesto aioli and the sweet potato fries went well with the spicy ketchup.
My burger was good. Not fantastic, but good. I ordered it medium rare and guess what? That's how i got it. Sweet, salty, juicy, good. Brioche bun worked well.
Pulled pork was ok, not great. Homemade style, nothing special. But the bread was an un-toasted ciabatta which threw it off. The pork by itself was good.
The Western was a monster. my friend couldn't even finish it. Heavy. After a few bites, the roasted peppers were doing their work and spicing things up, which would have worked for me but not him.
Service was good and attentive. We luckily found parking right in front (on a Friday night?!) but the music. Man the music was funny. Went from Green Day to Fleetwood Mac. It was just like a random shuffle of everyone on Earths itunes. Whatever, it didn't bother me much.
Mildly overpriced, though. -
Review from Melelina I.
Los Angeles, CA
1/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here at 11:20am on a Wednesday for their 11am opening.,.,well, we called them and they said they'll open at 1130. At 1130 all the chairs were still up on the tables and some guy just barely started sweeping the floors. @1140 they're mopping the floor. @1145 this guy opens the door and puts a couple of tables and chairs outside. And FINALLY, @1152, they're open! Omfg!
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Review from Mike R.
Los Angeles, CA
2/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Very Small menu, and it is sort of pricy for just a burger and fries. Aside from that, nothing really negative to say about this place. The burger was pretty good, the sweet potato fries were a nice touch as well. I stopped in on a day where you get a free glass of PBR with your burger. They also have a sweet yelp check in offer.. You check in, show the screen to your server, and get 25% off your bill. I'll definitely be returning.
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Review from Leonard A.
Los Angeles, CA
8/25/2011
*THE GENERAL INFORMATION*
NAME: Burger Kitchen
TYPE OF CUISINE: Specializing in hamburgers of various types made of top-grade beef and no friggin' fooling around!
ADDRESS: PHONE: 8048 West Third Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048 PHONE: 323-944-0503
GENERAL LOCATION: Near the southeast corner of Crescent Heights and Third
HOURS: Daily, 11-11
PARKING SITUATION: Miserable as only Third Street can be! Metered street parking if you're lucky enough to find a spot. Be prepared to spend some time finding one, and then walking.
WEBSITE: http://burgerkitchenla...
RESERVATIONS: No. WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes. DELIVERY SERVICE: No. BANQUET FACILITIES: No. ATTIRE: Casual. TV: Yes. WI-FI: Not sure. CATERING: No. TAKEOUT: Probably. OUTDOOR SEATING: No.
VEGGIE FACTOR: Yes, believe it or not: you can have something made with falafel on a whole wheat bun, plus some of the side dishes (see website menu)
KID FACTOR: Yeah, bring on them shriekerscreamers, couldn't be worse than the music they play
NOISE FACTOR: Loud music with the bass turned all the way up. All you can hear is THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP... NOT conducive to a restful lunch!
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*THE REVIEW*
I had just come from a place that's so popular they sold out of their product by the time I got there. But I was still hungry, so I tried this place. I was so hungry that I was actually willing to eat red meat!
FOOD & DRINK: I had the Mushroom Truffle at $13. (Apparently they think the price is justified because they grind the meat in-houise.) It's a straight-ahead no-nonsense burger: a patty, grilled mushrooms and a bun. Period! Held together by a giant toothpick. My server asked me how I wanted it cooked. I said will done. Big mistake; it was somewhat dry. I should have said something like "Juicy, and a little bit pink." I got a little bitty side of thousand island dressing and another one of spiced ketchup. I also got some Vodka Battered Onion Rings at $3 (way too oily), and a non-alcoholic beer (I forgot the name) at somewhere around $5.
The silverware and napkin come in a lunch sack which is already on the table.
SERVICE: Efficient, attentive. The server was genuinely concerned that I enjoy my experience.
AMBIANCE/ATMOSPHERE: A kind of "manly" atmosphere in keeping with the the accent on meat. Large open room, hardwood floor, west wall is one huge blackboard where anyone can put anything up on the walls (there are giant sticks of colored chalk on each table, set in black cans). A handsome beer bar on the south wall displaying a huge collection of beer bottles. Brown wooden square tables, black chairs. Large nice-looking ceiling fans in combination with AC ductwork. Pleasant restful colors, pleasant temperature. They have a really good large flat-screen TV which broadcasts sports.
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*THE WRAP-UP*
PRICE RANGE: overpriced PAYMENT: Cash, CC RED FLAG: The price range and the parking GREEN FLAG: Well-prepared food, humongous beer selection. AMBER FLAG: The parking problem and the prices put me off. BOTTOM LINE: If you're a red meat burger fanatic who doesn't mind high prices, this is your place.Comment from D S. of Burger Kitchen 11/15/2011
Burger Kitchen has not closed But we don't mind you… More » -
Review from jude a.
Los Angeles, CA
8/7/2011
Nickle and Dimed to death at Burger Kitchen.
12 dollar burger- ala carte?
Sure, why not.
3.50 for some french fries?
Uh OK.
Oh you wanted to dip those in something?
That'll be 50 cents for ketchup. Really, I'm serious, 50 cent like the rapper- for some ketchup.
I caught an attitude with the waiter about it. Then I apologized, I really wasn't trying to have a bad meal.
He said, "That's ok people get an attitude with me about it all the time."
Hrrrrm Really? Maybe that's a sign you guys are fucking up.
We order their basic burger, medium rare. Somehow at that temperature it's still dry- and bland. You hear me? DRY AND BLAND. I guess they're not into seasoning meat, but if you wanna help your burger out and maybe make it taste better, it's 50 cents for some fucking mustard.
I feel like everything they do is to get you to buy their condiments, from the giant,dry ass bun to their pedestrian parmesan fries. So now I'm like do I wanna throw good money after bad buy some ketchup and make this burger edible ? I choose not to on principal.
The girl I'm with takes a bite out of her burger and she's like, "This is gross, the bacon's gross. It's sweet and chewy."
How do you fuck up bacon?
We don't even bother eating it all and decide to go to Golden State for a burger instead. That's right I bought two dinners last night. Thanks Burger Kitchen for such a shitty experience.
I shoulda known it was gonna suck, when we rolled in on a Saturday night to a halfway empty restaurant. And get this they were even on Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsey because they're failing.
Look if you're gonna be the fucking 12 dollar a la carte "no substitutions" burger place here in LA. You better make sure your burger tastes good. There are way too many good burger spots in LA to be nickled and dimed to death over a dry-ass bland burger here at Burger Kitchen.
I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because the meat quality is good, they just don't know how to season it. -
Review from Kevin J.
Inglewood, CA
1/25/2012
Stopped in for a lunch today after seeing the Kitchen nightmares episode.. The father seated me and the son took my order. My wife and I ordered the same burgers, same toppings same everything. While waiting for our order to come out of the kitchen the father came over and told us quietly, as there was only 2 other families there to eat for lunch at the time, he proceeded to talk to us about a good review on Yelp and how if we gave a good one he would take off a nice portion of the bill.
Shocked, we used our iPhones and looked at the reviews... We was not sure why we should even stay after reading some of them. So we thought ok we will do an unbiased review and it would be 3 stars or better.. But we just cant give 3 stars.
There must have been a shortage of people in the kitchen, after waiting 52 minutes our order finally came. It was cold?! We complained, was told that there was a mix up in the kitchen. The father came back over 8 minutes later to talk to us but it wasnt about the food. I can not imagine this place will still be in business in 6 months from now, Gordon Ramsey would not be happy with this service. Waited another 25 minutes and we finally received our burgers. Horrible, lack of seasoning, lukewarm to sum it up in a short description. Outrageous pricing, horrible food.. and what seemed like a desperate cry for a good review by the owner fell on deaf ears this day. I will not be coming back to this place even if it has new owners and new staff.
Avoid this place at all costs. -
Review from jeff t.
Beverly Hills, CA
8/5/2011
Went last night- it was the 1st day opened after the Gordon Ramsey makeover- the place was closed for almost a week!
Great beer from all over the world-- but pricey- but love good beer! So very high marks for their beer selection!
The burgers took forever to get to us - which made no sense- as the place was empty. I ordered mine well done- it came medium. They charge for ketchup (well they don't have ketchup- they make their own variations and serve small portions for 50 cents per small paper cup - which was disappointing- as I love ketchup on my burgers, fries and onion rings) the sweet potato order was very small (but tasty) - I guess that is why the home made ketchup portions are real small. The vodka onion rings were way too greasy- and did not taste any vodka! Just greasy onions that were fried- and the portion was also very small again.
Their service- um- well let's just say they have waiters- we never did receive our water - even though we asked at least 3 times for water while we were there. To their credit- the beer did come cold and quickly (probably cuz they wanted us to drink it quickly and order more)
I think I will go back to make sure if I like this place or not in a month or 2 after they get a chance to work out the kinks.
As I mentioned earlier- this place is brand new after a make over that included the decor, menu and ambiance. So they need to settle into their new style- what ever that may be- and we'll see what happens.
2 beers, 2 burgers, 1 order of sweet potato fries and 1 order of onion rings and 1 order of home made ketchup = $50 not including tip -- that was sort of crazy- we both left hungry too. -
Review from Mary C.
8/5/2011
Now I love me a fantastic burger, but as the south bay restaurants do a fine job of providing just that, it's not often that I'll venture far for one. Well, never say never and whatnot, because yelp would have it that I ended up on the other side of the 10 venturing quite far for one.
The first thing that caught my eye, as you probably guessed it, the beer selection. Was that boont amber ale on tap? No pants on fire here friends, I am a truth teller.
There are sides, of which we partook in the fries, which were your standard fried potatoes, but the special sauces gave them that je ne sais quoi. I think my table agreed that the "Special Sauce of the Year" award was hands-down given to the spicy ketchup. The only thing I would change is how much came in the tiny tomato tub. There was certainly enough for fry dipping between the four of us, but not enough for burger slathering; however, that's just my greedy taste buds talking, so don't let that stop you from ordering it.
Last, but certainly not least as this kitchen is of the burger variety, the burgers! I went with the classic All American, mostly because I couldn't decide between all the other delicious sounding choices, but lucky for me A.) it was scrumptious! Classic, yes. Standard, no! and B.) Most of my burger eating cohorts believed in sharing. Not to mention any non-sharing names, but it starts with an H and ends with an ugo C. Just kidding. Not about the non-sharing, but the two of us had the same All American, so it was a non-issue. Anycow, as I mentioned, if your go-to is classic burger, you're all set with the All American. If you're into something a little different, I plan on getting the Mushroom Truffle next time, or as we renamed it, the Truffle Shuffle. The one I didn't expect to like was the Californication, hello blue cheese, but they've got some trick up their sleeve. It was tasty.
So, delicious sauce, burgers, and beer, what could be better? Well, service. Very friendly servers, and whether it was just understaffed or the kitchen was the invisible feet dragger I will never know, but speedy was not in someone's vocabularly that day.
Should I once again find myself in a city far, far away, I would definitely revisit Burger Kitchen, and you should too. And you should get boont amber ale. And the spicy ketchup. And any of the burgers. And an extra side of spicy ketchup to put on your burger. -
Review from Stephanie S.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 9/4/2011
wow. these guys are not consistent. Last time medium was way rare whereas this last time medium was well done. hmmmmm. not sure what to do since the cook can't seem to get it right.
But they have a cool staff who are helpful and attentive. Maybe I'll go back. Is the third time a charm?!?1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/17/2011
Wow. Burger was pretty damn good but....I had asked for medium knowing that burgers are notoriously… Read more »
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Review from Mike Q.
8/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
With the proliferation of burger joints in the southland, it's hard to stand out above the crowd. You have to either offer something unique menu- or ambiance-wise or offer great value, AND you have to really do what you do so well that you'll keep customers coming back. If the mark of a 4- or 5-star establishment is my willingness to go out of my way to return, then Burger Kitchen falls just shy of that standard. The reason I am bumping what's really a 3.5-star experience up to a 4 is that my dinner companions and I had a great time, and we all genuinely liked our food.
The newly redesigned space is bright and lively with a fun chalkboard wall, but is a bit on the small side. It seems that Burger Kitchen have pared their menu down a tad to give it more focus, but there was still enough variety to satisfy our small party. I chose the mushroom truffle burger, which came out juicy and medium-rare as requested, and oozing with that umami flavor that Christina Y. pointed out in her review. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and so did my dining companions when I cut off small pieces to share with the table.
I was pleasantly surprised by Burger Ktichen's beer selections, both on draft and in bottles/cans. It's a neatly-curated list, including everything from lighter witbiers and saisons to heartier stouts and porters - something for every palate and burger pairing. There are also a couple of dessert items feature Milk ice cream (our table split the, uh, banana split).
The only lowlight of the meal is that the service seemed spotty at times; though always warm and friendly, our server seemed to be either inattentive or especially busy with other tables, disappearing for long stretches at a time. It didn't quite mar a pleasant experience, but it left us grumbling a bit towards the end of our meal when we were readying to leave.
So with good (albeit not out-of-this-world) food and great beer, why wouldn't I seek this place out again? Primarily it's a function of distance from where I live, work, and hang out. But also, though the ambiance is cheery, it's just not... special, for lack of a better description. If I was in the neighborhood, I'd pop in, but I wouldn't coordinate an effort to gather a group here. It's not a special occasion/special destination kinda joint; I feel like Burger Kitchen just never rose above the level of merely good. -
Review from Karen B.
Studio City, CA
Updated - 9/20/2011
Okay ... so FINALLY was able to get to The Burger Kitchen and it was OPEN!
I am going to say first off that this place is above decent. I ordered the Californication Burger and my friend ordered The Stinky Burger. Instead of hamburger we both opted for Turkey Burger. The burgers were delicious. No complaints.
Yes, we did order sweet potato fries and yes they were not included with the burger but hey, even at MC DONALDS YOU PAY EXTRA FOR A SIDE OF FRIES! They DO give you one dipping sauce free and additional sauces are 50 cents each. Not bad and the sauces are good. We also ordered the bacon wrapped cheesy tater tots which were decent but not amazing. Please note: most McDonalds and fast food joints charge now for extra ketchup so not such a big deal as other reviewers make it out to be.
The beer/ale/stout collection is amazing and I tried a coconut porter that had no hint of coconut but did have a great flavor of coffee and another that I forgot the name of but was equally good.
I would say if you want a decent burger and try a new beer this is the place to go. On the weekends, in the evening, valet parking is available for $ 4.50 and it is MUCH better then trying to find parking on 3rd street. Don't pay attention to all the bad reviews about service either, that was also decent.
Take a jacket though, this place is freezing.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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8/15/2011
UPDATE: Went yesterday and it was CLOSED for their grand reopening today, 8/15/11. All I know is I… Read more »
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Review from Danny F.
8/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
So a bit confused here. The menu on their website is not the same menu they gave us when we went. I was reviewing other Yelp reviews about certain burgers the reviewer had and loved, and how juicy the burger was. Our experience, complete opposite. Again, the menu was completely different from their website and the burgers other Yelpers mentioned were not even on the menu. And far from juicy. We ordered our burgers medium-rare and they came out almost well-done. Also, there was no taste to the beef patty. They didn't even have the basic salt and pepper on the tables, which is desperately needed. We had the Californication and the Western. Both looked delicious but that's it. The patty was too small and had no taste. Luckily we had ordered some chiptole-ranch sauce. The sauce was good. $0.50 BTW.
Oh that reminds me. The chef is apparently an artist. You cannot make any substitutions to the burger. You can remove stuff, but no changes because the burger is their piece of art. It's not art that it is a piece of. I'm all for artists to be creative but not being flexible or being open to a little change is just stubborn and ignorant. Focus on being a chef first, then be an artist if you cannot do both at the same time.
There are some good things here. The Parmesan Fries was good but for $3.50, the portion was small.
They do have a good amount of beer.
The service was interesting. They were nice. The bartender was a little creepy. The waiter was using an iPod Touch or iPhone instead of a paper and pencil so that was neat. The restaurant itself is neat too. It's very open. There is one wall that is just a chalkboard. They have huge chalks on each table for people to write on their chalkboard. (hmm... maybe that would help with the taste of the burger... chalky hands.) The restaurant reminds me of a tech-start-up office or a studio. It doesn't match their red sign though.
Another observation, and I'm not sure if it was the night we went or normal, but the burgers were served on wood cutting boards, not a plate or basket. Not a plus or minus but just an observation.
Parking is not the best but that's the neighborhood it is in and not them. You can valet or try to find a meter parking. Don't try the neighborhood around it. you need a permit to park there.
Overall, I rather get a Six-dollar burger from Carlo's Jr. It's bigger, tastier, and half the price. -
Review from Catherine K.
Los Angeles, CA
9/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Travis and I came here for lunch on Sunday, and we were definitely not disappointed. There's plenty of seating inside and a few tables outside. We sat inside as it was nearly empty. I got The Meat and added blue cheese and avocado. Travis got The Chef's burger and both of us were really happy with our choices. The burgers were cooked perfectly, and it was delicious.
They have a ton of beers on tap and some bottled beers. Service was good, and when I checked in on Yelp, I got a 25% off (even on beer) discount. We would definitely come here again. -
Review from Pat L.
Los Angeles, CA
7/31/2011
Not impressed. I went for a Kitchen Nightmares taping and I see why they need help. To begin with, the family that runs it has no idea of customer service. There was no attention paid to the customer, basics not handled (I sat at the bar, it took three tries to get a set-up and water, altho a menu was handed off right away). Got a chili burger, which had abt a tsp of chili and less cheese, the burger was really salty, the tomato underripe, the bun falling apart - a good chili burger is sloppy and dripping with chili and cheese. Honestly, they offered to replace it but it took so long to get my meal, I didn't want to take a chance. Burger was not medium either - but hard to tell while the thing is falling apart in my hands.
And for these prices, to get a big empty plate with a burger in the center (kobe beef aside) seemed a rip-off, esp as the sides (fries etc) are not cheap.
It's not the worst burger I've ever had, nor the worst meal, but it sure isn't worth a return visit. -
Review from Leigh M.
Los Angeles, CA
8/11/2011
Ehhhhh...
I feel bad because they're constantly changing things to try and improve. The waiters are always super friendly, the place has gone through a total makeover, and they have changed their menu each time we've gone, but I think this last visit will be my last visit.
I've been here three times and each time it's gotten progressively worse... and kinda weird.
Most importantly, there are only like six burgers to choose from and they don't allow substitutions. Further, a couple of those six burgers are mixed with other types of meat (like ground lamb or pork or something.. I forget exactly what it was) and all but two of the burgers only offer cheddar cheese. The other two are no cheese and blue cheese.
You know you're supposed to be a burger joint, right?
That said, while their food menu has decreased, their beer menu has tripled. As has their sauce options. Random, right? My beer and chipotle ranch were the two best parts of my meal.
So I guess if you have to, go for the beer, fries, and sauce. -
Review from Diana L.
Milpitas, CA
12/20/2011
The burgers are as horrible as the delusional owners. My suggestion, don't waste your money or calories.
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Review from Lisa S.
Updated - 8/3/2011
Okay. Last time, Burger Kitchen got one star for the food and one star for service, giving them a total of two stars (when only one was really appropriate).
We came back last night to try them again, and things were a lot better.
The space itself is much more inviting. There are bright and bold colors that give the room a fresh and modern feeling. Gone are the strange and mismatched booths, awkward pictures, and horrible hanging plant vines. These have all been replaced by a streamlined design that is both open and appealing. The chalkboard is also a nice touch, although it's a little hard to get to with the table right up against the wall.
Service was a bit slow. Our waitress was pleasant enough. I guess they just got a new system, so that might account for part of it. I'm not sure. We waited over half an hour between the time we sat down until we were given anything to eat. Also, the boyfriend ordered a beer, and he was given a warm glass. This was kind of gross, since the beer was cold. Maybe chilled glasses would be more appropriate. At least have them room temperature.
Our sides came out first. We tried the vodka-battered onion rings, the parmesan fries, and the root vegetable chips. The onion rings were interesting and almost had a tangy zing to them. We liked these, but I wish they were a little more uniform in size and batter. The smaller ones had too much batter to the point where it was almost covering the center holes.
The fries were bad. They were limp, soggy, pale, and lacking in flavor. At first, we thought we were given the wrong order, because we couldn't taste any parmesan. After eating a few, we sent them back. The second time around, they had more cheese on them, they were crispy, and they were salty (in a good way). If the fries had come out this way initially, we would have been much happier.
The root chips were sad. I love root vegetables, and I love root vegetable chips. I even like the bags at Trader Joe's. I was really excited for these, but they were a total let down. They were cooked unevenly, as some were crunchy, and some were soggy. One big one was both. There was only one big piece, and the rest were crumbles, kind of like the leftover chips at the bottom of a bag when you're almost done. About the size of a quarter, or even smaller. We didn't finish this, and we wished we hadn't even ordered them in the first place. Plus, they were overly salty.
When the burgers came, the presentation was great. We weren't sure about the tomato and pickles/onions on top. It looks cool, but do they go inside, on the side, etc.? Everyone's burger was cooked almost right. The boyfriend ordered his medium rare, and it came out more medium, but it wasn't a deal breaker. Mine, on the other hand, was supposed to be medium, and it came out well-done. :((((((( I usually don't send back food, but this time I did.
When my burger came back the second time, it was closer to medium rare, but it's better to err that way than the other. I thought the burger was delicious, and I really enjoyed it. I thought it had just the right amount of bleu cheese to flavor the meat without being completely overpowering. I also LOVED the crunchy shallots, and I think they're so much better than fried onion strings. :) I want to make some of these at home! I do wish there was some type of vegetable in my burger though.
Also, the paper bags are cute and fun, but what are they for? It seems a waste of paper to throw them away after each meal. Are you supposed to take leftovers home in them? Are they to be reused? We discussed this for awhile, but we didn't really get anywhere with the conversation.
This business is fully capable of making great food, but they currently lack the consistency to do so. Still, it was pretty good. ESPECIALLY considering our past visit. The boyfriend actually called me a moron for trying this restaurant again after our last experience. He was upset with me for dragging him along, because he said he would never eat at this piece of crap location ever again! However, on our way out and to the car, he said that he would come back here again if I wanted. So, that is major progress.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/4/2011
I guess there's a reason why no one has written about the Matador Burger. It sucks.
The burger is… Read more »
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Review from Jeff L.
Los Angeles, CA
1/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Went in after seeing this place on Kitchen Nightmares, thought we'd see if Gordon made a real change. For a burger place .......... All 4 burgers (ordered medium, medium well, and medium rare (x2)) came out well. After just opening for the day there were no sweet potato fries - their "specialty.". Ice tea, yes. Lemons, no. Staff was friendly enough but not super attentive or efficient. overall, not terribly impressed. Next time I'll go to Five Guys or In-n-Out.
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Review from Eddie C.
Los Angeles, CA
2/5/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Truffle aioli sauce is AMAZING!!!
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Review from Bianca D.
Los Angeles, CA
8/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
"Meh."
That was the general consensus of our group.
Supposedly the best veggie burger in LA, but whoever determined that apparently hadn't tried The Counter. Or DT Burger. Or The Colony. Or......
Cute(ish) decor, though. -
Review from Kitty K.
Austin, TX
12/20/2011
Just stay away folks.
