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Umami Burger
Category: Restaurants Burgers Burgers [Edit]
4655 Hollywood BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90027
Neighborhood: Hollywood
(323) 669-3922
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11:30 am - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- 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:
- Hipster, Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
1121 reviews for Umami Burger
Review Highlights
"and perfectly crispy and sweet sweet potato fries."
(in 242 reviews)
"It was the perfect side with the truffle burger."
(in 282 reviews)
"Dessert was great too - try the ice cream sandwich."
(in 43 reviews)
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1120 reviews in English
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Review from Chowster X.
Los Angeles, CA
2/9/2012
So far, the Best Umami location in Los Angeles!
Okay, so you're not really a "burger person". That's more reason to try an Umami burger!
My favorite items are the:
- Hatch Burger (just a bit spicy)
- Diablo Blue Burger (a lot spicy)
- Truffle Burger (smooth & delicious)
- Manly Burger (perfect amounts of flavor)
- Cali Burger (your basic burger combo)
- Umami Burger (if you just want to enjoy the taste)
Pair these burgers with some sweet potato fries or some cheesy tater tots(not on the menu). Then try a combo of the Garlic Aioli and Diablo dipping sauces and MMMMM! Joy! Their iced green-peach tea is delicious too!
Recommendations: All the burgers are cooked to a "medium-rare" unless otherwise specified. Beware that if you mention it to your waiter, about 50% of the time they don't come back the way you requested so *super-specify* or you will be handed the default - medium-rare. This location *usually* gets it right but just beware if you don't like a pink center to your burger.
Also, if you're not sure what to order, ask questions because all the waiters are well-versed on the menu items and will definitely find something to suit your needs! -
Review from Benjamin S.
Newhall, CA
2/6/2012
A burger joint too cool to serve draft sodas? In the words of a famous poet, "GTFO.". The burgers are delicious but they're about an ounce bigger than a chain restaurants slider.
The service is always good-.and the restaurant is ALWAYS clean, which in Hollywood is rare.
They have a full bar-which confuses me. Who eats fries and does shots of Thunderbird. (if you're out there reading this, I miss you Mom, please come back home.)
It's a cool place but I'd rather walk 2 blocks down the street to juicy burger and get a real party-because when it comes to burgers, Honey badger don't give a $hit. -
Review from Robbie R.
Los Angeles, CA
2/3/2012
good for the fatass in u
Took an outta town friend here the other day. We both got a burger with their homemade tator tots. It was pretty good but the greasiest food I've had in a long time so prepare for that if it's possible..in the end it's just a pricey burger joint that didn't impress me so much. -
Review from Leslie W.
Los Angeles, CA
2/8/2012
I love, love, love Umami Burger!! The best burger by far is the carnitas burger! Try it, you will thank me! Cool, casual spot, with a separate little bar. Great spot to take visiting friends who wanna get the Silver lake- Los Feliz vibe.
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Review from Shannon C.
Los Angeles, CA
1/30/2012 10 photos
Yum!
I've been to this location twice, once on the outdoor patio and once in the main dining area. Service has always been good, although sometimes sarcastic (thanks, hipsters!).
My company has always enjoyed the SoCal Burger, the Carnitas Burger and the Umami Burger. The fries and sweet potato fries are always a hit, too, with the house-made ketchup and assortment of other dipping sauces. Mmmm!
For vegetarian options, I've had the Earth Burger ($11, mushroom & edema me patty, white soy aioli, truffle ricotta, cipollini onions, lettuce and slow-roasted tomato) and thought it was good, but not the best veggie-patty I've ever had. What BLEW MY MIND, though, is the Umami Burger (ask for the veggie option with mushroom only) which was $11, shiitake mushroom, caramelized onions, roasted tomato, parmesan crisp, umami ketchup. AMAZING! It was savory, sweet, salty perfection!
Also, I thought the House Pickles (a plate of pickled items) was delicious.
And the ice cream sandwiches are a must! -
Review from the s.
Los Angeles, CA
1/28/2012
What else is there to say?....There are tasty burgers of every aggregate to be found here, be it turkey, carnitas, or beef: these are some good eats accompanied by great beer.
I do the bar side and find this location to be cool and easy, hopefully the corporation that is taking over all the locations takes care to consult the staff on what works and what doesn't. -
Review from Chim B.
Los Angeles, CA
2/9/2012
Nice, hip place... Tokidoki decors all around... Ordered the Umami Burger... From the reviews i read, i expected it to be smaller, but the size was just good enough for me... A little salty to my taste, though.. Ordered the smushed fries... it was surprisingly good... When i asked one of the lady servers for condiments, she just looked at me. I had no idea if she understood what i said. I guess she did coz she had it at our table within 3 min, but geeez, be friendlier to your customers... Parking won't be a problem if you get there earlier or during happy hour. After that, it would be very hard because it's metered parking only, unless you wanna do valet. Overall, nothing special... Don't think I'd be paying $11 for a burger anytime soon.... I've had better tasting burgers that cost me less than 5 bucks...
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Review from Ray N.
1/29/2012
Yummy in my damn tummy, thanks to Miss Jackie Snookie Lam for the introduction.
Anyways, I came here thanks to some amazing friends. We ended up coming on a Saturday night around 8:30PM. The wait was around 30 mins.
After our wait, we got seated. The environment is pretty interesting. There were like random signs everywhere, and even Toki Doki skateboards on the walls. In a way, it was a tad difficult just to try and interpret the interior design of this place. The lights were dimmed, but everyone was so loud-- so it definitely wasn't a romantic dinner or anything.
Our waiter was a tad rude, especially when asked about splitting our check (which they DO NOT do, btw). However, we were able to split through paying with different cards... Oh wells, I'll just excuse our waiter this one time, ONLY because he seemed like he was a little stress from all the work that day. Whatevers.
As for the food. I ended up getting a REAL soda ($3), which was like a soda in a glass beer bottle sorta thing. I got Vanilla Creme -- which was like a clear Vanilla Creme Coke. In addition, I got the Miso Chili Cheese Fries ($5) -- they were interesting, but the fries were slightly disappointing because they were not really hot :/ As for my entree, I got the Umami Burger. OMG. It. Was. Too. Good!!!! It definitely had this flavor that my mom uses in her homemade Pho though. Nonetheless, it was ridiculously savory .... but SMALL! What the hell. Seriously. I literally took 4 bites, and BAM it was gone. But thinking back, the bun was nice and fluffy. The patty was juicy and delicious. There was only two pieces of mushrooms, and a onion cookie or something in between, lol. Nonetheless, the Umami Burger ($11) was pretty BOMB DOT COM-- although I wished it was bigger :(
As for seconds or thirds, DEFINITELY. However, it is definitely more on the pricy end because at the end of the night, I wasted $20 here. Wah! Oh wells, at least my tummy was somewhat satisfied!
High lights:
-Delicious burgers!
Low lights:
-Overpriced.
-Eh service.
-Fries were a tad cold.
-Small size on their burgers. -
Review from Kaity J.
Pretty confident that this is my favorite Umami in Los Angeles.
The Hollywood crew rocks it out. Always friendly. Always efficient. The food is consistently good, where as other locations (cough, La Brea) tend to fall short in both service and guaranteed yumminess.
My go-to burger here is the Earth Burger, which is their veggie burger with a patty made of mushrooms and edamame. So delish. Boyfriend always gets the manly burger and every time I steal a bite it's amazing. Between the two of us, I would say we've come close to trying almost everything on the menu over the past few years, and we almost always default to these two burgers. Fully recommend.
If you've never experience Umami, this is the location to hit up. You won't be sorry.Listed in: Los Angeles.
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Review from Jay B.
I'm sure the staff hears this uttered all the time when they bring the single-platted burger to the table: "Boy that's tiny!" And, that's NOT what she said! ;P This was our first time to Umami, so wasn't sure what to expect, but for the price of $11 bucks for just a burger, the size of the tiny 6oz burger just floors people not used to such a minimalist presentation. But that's trendy right? So Umami Burger had quite a hill to climb to impress me after a rough start. This Hollywood/Los Feliz location was pretty trendy inside as well - I mean, when you see a neon CHOW FUN sign, Japanese Hiragana, and skateboards (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) - hey we must be in Hollywood! The clientele and wait staff were playing their parts as well; in their skinny jeans, plaid shirts, T-shirts, little black vests, and messed up hair.
"Umami" is better known as the 5th basic primary taste that a human can experience on one's tongue: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, and Savory (Umami). And, I have to admit - I experienced all 5 tastes in my mouth in one sitting:
Sour - after seeing that tiny burger...
Bitter - after knowing how much that tiny burger was...
Salty - after seeing; knowing the price; and taking a big gulp of my Allagash Black...
Umami - taking that first bite of the Umami burger and shaking my head - "Man, that's good..."
Sweet - flagging the waitress down and saying "Um, I want to order another Umami Burger..."
I didn't go for the Kombu combinations since I wasn't a fan of the brew pairings. Except for the Kombu's, everything is served À la carte(http://www.yelp.com/bi...) and our first order was:
- Umami Burger ($11) - their namesake was topped with caramelized onions, a small roasted tomato slice, a parmesan crisp, and sautéed shiitake mushrooms. The burger will last about 10 normal bites. No denying this was the tastiest - or should I say most "savory" of all the burgers we had, I did experience the soggy bun that others have complained about if it sits for a bit, but the juiciness was something I liked.
- Greek Burger ($13) - a lamb patty, which had a minimal amout of pickled shallots, feta cheese, sliced cucumber, and minted edamame hummus. The lamb was not over-powering in gaminess, so I liked it as well, but for the price, stick with the Umami.
- Specialty Burger: Spicy Bird ($11) - a Shelton Farm's Turkey patty with beer cheddar, Diablo sauce, hatch chilies, onion straws, and a house spread. Yes, this was very "Thai" spicy, but my least favorite since it just overpowered the taste of the rest of the burger.
- Specialty Burger: Thai Shrimp ($12) - garlic shrimp, fresh ginger, jalapeños, cilantro, green onions and peanut sauce. This was a bit hit with the group and our 2nd favorite burger of the night.
- Tempura Onion Rings ($3) (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) - these were excellent! So light and crisp - just like Tempura should be, and for $3, actually a pretty good deal.
- Sweet 'tater fries ($4) - nothing too special about these as they compare to the typical thin cut sweet potato fry found in every other burger joint these days. But went great with the Umami Ketchup.
- Allagash Black ($7) - I like my dark stouts and this was recommended by our waitress. With hardly any aftertaste, It was a great pairing with the Umami burger selections.
- Franziskaner HefeWeiss ($6) - which is another great unfiltered medium bodied beer that matches well with any burger as well.
- Umami Ketchup - whatever's in it? I was quite a fan of it.
The second order (And yes, we needed it) was another Umami Burger, Tempura Onion Rings, and an LA Creamery Cookies 'n Cream ice cream sandwich. Which helped to satisfy a party of four's remaining hunger. I do regret not trying the Miso Chili Cheese Fries, but we were just reeling on what our overall bill total would be. Even though the price of the Umami burger matches other Gourmet Burgers out there, I wouldn't consider this a "Gourmet deal" because the other places include one side. But, considering this has opened up a whole new can of worms with identifying tastes - I have to fan them. Our total bill came out to $94 bucks for a handful of burgers. For Umami, I guess you pay to be trendy?! -
Review from Iva C.
Rowland Heights, CA
1/18/2012
This is my all-time favorite burger joint and such a special restaurant for my fiance and I that we took our engagement pictures here!
Everyone has a different favorite, but I love the Hatch Burger! Something about the cheese and green chiles is just amazing. And this is one of the only joints that has my favorite Abita Root Beer.
I also love the truffled beet salad and fries with garlic aioli. yum yum!
Only gripe is that you may need to do a few rounds to find parking or you can valet. -
Review from Angie K.
Los Angeles, CA
We loved it. We giggled like little girls at every bite. Except that the size is just too small. and that the bill came out to almost 40 dollars for two burgers and a side (sweet potato fries).
We ordered the Umami burger and the Truffle burger. Both were juicy, oily and delicious. But we both agreed something seemed missing from the truffle burger. it needed that extra kick and I wished that they had added some type of veggies or grilled onions, bc it was just buns, meat, and the truffle sauce.
Can't wait to get my share of Umami goodness again. I don't know if it usually gets crowded, but we came on a Sunday night and there was no wait.Listed in: LA/OC's Best of the Best
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Review from Albert W.
1/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is an upscale burger. I wouldn't say it's my favorite burger that I had but I liked what they did to it. It's not just using better ingredients, it's also using different textures and tastes (ex. different type of mushrooms) in a familiar setting. I would that you have to visit just to try it out.
Other good burger places.... Orchard's Fresh in Whittier. -
Review from Lauren T.
1/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
3.5 stars
Service isn't that great and the burgers aren't as consistent as the other locations. In fact, they put way way way way too much horseradish in two of my tables burgers which made it highly displeasing for them..
I stuck with the Truffle Burger and it was good. The location is bigger than many of the other location so it's good for big groups. Now only if we can get them hipster looking waiters to get on top of their game. -
Review from Christine H.
Los Angeles, CA
1/31/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I have not been able to try any other burger on this menu besides the Truffle Burger I seem to be addicted to. It's the perfect size for me to grab, JUICY and always delicious. Now if you do not care for the taste of truffle I do not recommend this burger for you. The sweet potato fries are always a favorite. They have a caprese salad that's tasty however I don't think I saw it on the menu last time.
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Review from Robert C.
Updated - 1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Alas, after a long exile from this locaiton I finally gave it another go as I moved back into the area.
Unfortunately this still seems to be the worst Umami out of the ones I have been too. The La Brea is the best, followed by the Cahuengha one.
The port and stilton burger should just be called the port because it lacked the stilton I used to order it for. Not sure if they are trying to save cash on the ever changing stilon market but it wasn't the burger I remember.
Unfortunately, it's the best and biggest Umami around so it's too bad they still can't get their shiz together...
Until next time Umami. I feel like this location is the "butter faced sister" of the Umami family -- hot body and all, but up close you better turn off the lights on this one!Listed in: Best LA Burger
3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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1/3/2010
Kicking it up a notch after a recent good experience. The burgers are now tasting just like the… Read more »
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Review from Camille M.
San Fernando, CA
1/19/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Meeting Bruno Mars here has nothing to do with this place being my favorite burger joint....( seriously!!!)
I don't think bigger is better. The tightly packed red meat in these patties is just perfect to truly appreciate the sweet and savory. The Truffle Burger is simple, but packs a great punch in your mouth. Homemade truffle cheese ontop of meat doused with Truffle glaze between 2 sweet buns.... It Is pretty heavenly. No fancy ketchup, no condements or veggies.... Just pure burger, just make sure you order it medium. Don't forget the sweet potato fries! It's a MUST! Make room for dessert too... A delectable ice cream sandwich...macaron style.
The staff at this location are your typical, gorgeous, "waiting to get discovered" type. Nice eye candy ontop of good food. The service ain't bad either, so it's a bonus!Listed in: Sandwich
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Review from Wes P.
Downtown, Los Angeles, CA
1/25/2012
Jumping on the Umami train a bit late, took me long enough to finally try. You probably don't need my review from all the hype, but suck it you're getting it anyways!
Had the Umami and the Truffle. Both enjoyed the same. Umami has the fried cheese and the ketchup on there was derricious. Truffle was definitely truffleleely..ee.eey
Also had the chili cheese fries, they was spicyyyy. Chili was tasty but I did not care much for the non crispy fries. Sorta were just cooked potatoes essentially. Aight I be back Umami! -
Review from K O.
Los Angeles, CA
2/1/2012
I've never had a bad meal here. Big fan of the Hatch and the Manly Burger. Wish the beer selection was larger and occasionally a major twerp waits on me, but those are my only complaints.
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Review from Erin A.
1/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Q: How do you make a hamburger smile?
A: Pickle it gently!
It's definitely a good burger. Is it the best I ever had? No it is not, but for a burger, it is very tasty! I would say the most memorable part of the meal was the tatter tots. Now, that was a show stealer! The burger didn't make all my taste buds explode, but the tatter tots were the underdog at this place. Overall, I'd eat here again! -
Review from Mari B.
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
If you're looking for a good burger in LA - this is one of LA's best! I've been to the La Brea one but honestly was drawn to this one because they serve beer and they even have a combo that includes a beer with it. Ahh it's Friday - why not?
I had their Port & Stilton Burger and it was really good - not dry at all and very flavorful. However remembered afterwards that my fave burger there is the Truffle one. My friend had the Greek one & I was skeptical about that one - but that was really good! I liked it better than my burger. We ordered tempura onion rings (very good) and sweet potato fries. I think the table next to us had the Smushed Fries & I definitely have to back and try those.
The beers they have all look good! Plus you eat a pretty hearty meal there but you don't feel super stuff afterwards.
Take friends so everyone can order and try different burgers. Parking is valet but I was laughing because I paid for Valet but the guy parked my car on the street. Opps I could have done that. LOL! -
Review from Angie L.
Los Angeles, CA
1/20/2012
The ambiance is pretty fun. I like the modern-Asianish theme going around.. at night it looks like a hip little jigga spot.
My only gripes with this location is parking or lack thereof. Well, they do offer some crazy valet drivers... I saw this guy pull into reverse at what seemed like 50mph on busy Hollywood Blvd. That's gotta be skills right there. After circling the busy street about 3x's gave up on parking and just said eff it, time to valet.
Got seated quickly for a Saturday evening, though I'm sure it is bound to get packed some nights.
Food:
Don't let people tell ya the Cali burger is like an In-n-Out burger. Oh man. My friend ordered that with that expectation and she was so disappointed I could feel her heart sink from where I was sitting! She said never again. Yeah, never set people up with high expectations because then you are bound to get disappointed!
The Umami(?) burger, their signature burger was all right. I think if I hadn't split it with my friend, I wouldn't have been able to finish it. The flavor was just OK for me. I don't think it was something I would be dreaming about anytime soon. The only redeeming thing for the burger in my humble opinion was the bread. At least the bread was moist and supple. Soft to the touch.
I think people also have to understand this is a gourmet-type of burger.. there's a funky sauce involved in most of their menu items. That's what they are known for.
I think one of my friends ended up ordering fries upon fries, but I wasn't too impressed with those.
I wasn't overly disappointed like some of my friends and yet I wasn't overly thrilled either. So this falls at a flat - try it once - you may like it - in my book. Perhaps I wouldn't be a frequenter, just because the location isn't convenient enough for me to just roll through all the time. -
Review from Dee K.
Irvine, CA
2/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Pricey for what it is. It is pretty damn good but it leaves you wanting more. I don't recommend the onion rings cause they're pretty ordinary. The sweet potatoes fries are super delish! But price and size aren't flattering.
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Review from Alice K.
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Service: 4
Food: 4
Price: 3
Cleanliness of bathroom: 3
Umami is good. Not so good that I fell over my chair and raised my hands to the heavens, but it was tasty. I'm glad I chose the Truffle burger - highly recommend. It was a smaller than I expected (and the price I was paying for it), but I imagine this is what 'Gourmet Burgers' are all about. The fries were also delicious, but at Umami, you order everything separately. An order of two beers, an order of fries, and two burgers will cost you a pretty penny.
Though it's not feasible to be Umami-ing every weekend, it's worth trying at least once. -
Review from Michael F.
Los Angeles, CA
1/2/2012
As I turned the corner onto Hollywood Blvd, I spotted Umami on the left hand side, but saw that there was no parking on the entire block. I was supposed to meet a friend, and was running half an hour late. I ended up shoehorning my car into a spot that was partially occupied by a motorcycle. Parking was tight in this area, so I was determined to find a spot by any means necessary.
When I got out of my car, I encountered a bunch of people waiting in front of Umami...at 2PM on a Friday afternoon??? This was my first time eating here, so I was curious to see if it the crowd was truly warranted. Umami obviously gets a lot of hype, and I was excited to see how good it really was.
As I walked into the restaurant, I saw that half of the tables in the place were empty and I could not figure out why so many people were waiting? I spotted my friend at the bar, and he had already ordered his food. I tried to hurry up and look over the menu, but could not decide what to get. When his food came out, I immediately decided that I wanted to get exactly the same thing based on looks alone. I went with the Manly burger and an order of tempura onion rings. The burger was small, and not manly looking by any means, but it was delicious! One of the best that I have ever had. The tempura rings, on the other hand, were terrible! I somehow managed to eat them all, but I only did so because I was hungry and the burger was so small.
One thing that I didn't like about either the burger or the rings was a prune taste that they both seemed to have. If it wasn't for that taste, the burger would have been perfect, and the rings would have been less terrible. My suspicion is that the prune taste was in the ketchup that they use at Umami. I love just regular old ketchup, and would have been happy with that instead of some fancy spread. I would have loved some regular ketchup to disguise the bad taste of those nasty rings.
So did Umami live up to the hype for me??? Kind of, I guess. The burger was on the verge of perfection, and I regretted getting the onion rings all together. Next time I go to Umami, I will ask for the sauce on the side, and try the fries instead of the rings. -
Review from Robin L.
Really super tasty burger. Juicy, cooked to perfection, lot of interesting items on the menu. We shared (yes, shared...this was probably our 2nd dinner meal of the day and we had more places to go grub at! honest!) an Umami burger. For $11 the quality was top notch, pretzel-like bun and all, but the burger itself was pretty small. See my pic. Na mean?
Anyway, I would probably still go back...if only I lived in LA. sniff. -
Review from Christina K.
Los Angeles, CA
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'd say Umami is a tad overrated. The burgers are on the smaller side. Could've ate more. The fries were good. Tried the truffle burger and the turkey burger (I know, I know), but I have come to the conclusion that I just don't need truffle flavor...in anything...ever. The turkey burger was pretty damn good though.
Parking: Street. Maybe valet, but can't recall. -
Review from Trissia W.
Anaheim, CA
1/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
I don't believe these burgers live up to the hype. However, for me that's probably because I first heard of them on Food Network, best thing I ever ate. Giada reviewed them. I guess if I follow the old , never trust a skinny chef, then I shouldn't be disappointed.
I ate the earth burger, the veggie party was very good. I didn't like that you weren't allowed to change up the burgers or toppings. Also, my veggie burger was $11. For that price I can go to Slaters 50/50 and get what I really want! -
Review from Marisol G.
Los Angeles, CA
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Gustavo was awesome - very helpful and informative.
Burgers - I was expecting better after hearing all the hype. -
Review from Allyssa D.
San Gabriel, CA
1/2/2012
How have I not written a review for this place yet? It is absolutely amazing. And I've only had really good experiences at this location... the one in Santa Monica was an absolute nightmare. If you're choosing between going to this one or Santa Monica, please come here. It's much more spacious and lots more seating. Also the bar is located over from the actually area.
I first heard about Umami burger from the LA Times. It was named the best burger in LA, and it took a few years for me to get out there but boy was it delicious. I'm big on cheeseburgers, and cheese in general so when I went with my friend, she told me I had to try to truffle burger. She said it would change my life and every other burger I've ate. So many of the burgers looked good, and it was hard for me to choose, but I stuck with the truffle burger.
The burger comes alone, with a decent serving of a truffle cheese on top and garlic aioli. It is literally heaven. I love medium rare meat as well, and the meat was amazing. Tender, good chewiness. Lovely. The bun as well, it was buttery and crispy. The whole burger was amazing, and if only it were bigger! But for those few bites, it is the most amazing burger I've ever had.
I also got sweet potato fries, with jalapeno ranch and house sauce which I really liked. The fries are seasoned with cinnamon and other flavors but I really liked it.
Overall, the meal was amazing, but beware, it is very expensive for the amount you get, it almost hurts everytime I go. But it's a treat for me. Oh and I always order a water, so I feel less bad about spending so much money. Haha. -
Review from Julissa L.
Desert Hot Springs, CA
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
This was our first visit here. We drove up from Palm Springs and looked up "best burger joints." Well, Umami burger was on the list so we decided to give it a try.
Parking can be difficult to find but they also have valet parking available for $4. We sat outside on the patio and our waiter was friendly, efficient and described the best items on their menu since we were newbies.
My fiance had the hatch burger with thin fires and I had the spicy bird (with beef instead of turkey) with the truffle cheese fries. Everything was delicious. My man is very picky but he truly enjoyed his food.
We see that people complain about the size of the burgers. Yes, they are small for the price (everything is a la carte) but we were full when we were done. I couldn't even finish the delicious fries. So, even if the burgers look small, it is actually more than enough food if you get a side. We paid $38 for 2 burgers, 2 sides and 2 nonalcoholic drinks.
All in all, we enjoyed the meal and the service and are likely to return next time we come to Los Angeles. -
Review from Caroline T.
Westminster, CA
1/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
I can finally take this off my list of bookmarks! I got the Umami burger to try. I love the shitake mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, parmesean chip and the umami ketchup all in it together! The umami ketchup tastes like organic ketchup....sweeter than regular ketchup. The burger is small but the perfect size for me. Coming back to try other burgers!
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Review from Christy L.
Chino Hills, CA
1/12/2012
I was probably the last person within my close friends to try umami burger. naturally, my expectation for it was a little high, after hearing so much hype about it. I would normally give 4 stars for quality food joints, but I was a little too unsatisfied in the food portion and price here.
Food: 4, good but not too spectacular -
I got a truffle burger while bf got a combination of umami burger, thin fries, and a bottle of thai beer. my truffle burger was a-ok, a little plain. meat was juicy and tender nonetheless. I preferred the umami burger of the two though, it had this unique taste with each bite. its crunchy cheese was very interesting too.
Price: 2, unsatisfied -
$12 for a burger the size of my palm, sitting on a plain white plate WITH NO FRIES. major bummer. it's like $2 a bite- equivalent to eating an in-n-out cheeseburger PER umami burger BITE!
I know it's a gourmet burger joint with fresh ingredients, house-made ketchup (I could really taste the tomato, so fresh), this-is-LA and everything, but come on. throw some fries in there, or maybe make the burger a little bigger please? pretty please??
tip -
you can park at the fatburger plaza nearby to save the hassle for street parking; the walk was only 3 minutes. -
Review from Tommy Q.
San Francisco, CA
1/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Hmmm...
I'm torn on this place. I really want to love it but I think it's just alright.
Service - okay
Ambience - ehh.. It's trendy but it has some weird arcade-like vibe to me (sounds weird but hopefully someone knows what I mean).
Coke - better tasting and I like that it's in a bottle
Truffle fries - excellent. Flavorful and yes, you can taste the truffle. The garlic aoili that comes with the fries is also great.
Umami burger - the burger has a lot of
flavor. However, I'm not sure I like the combination of flavors. I liked the Parmesan crisp and the tomato but the grease really bothered me. Also the bun was too soggy. I like my burger buns to be crisp.
Overall, I don't think a burger needs to be fancy to taste good. I still prefer an in n out burger and even Shake Shack and Five Guys. Yeah, it's LA but come on, $11 for a burger without a side? I think it's a little ridiculous.
I will give Umami another try and next time get the Cali burger. -
Review from Billy J.
Los Angeles, CA
1/19/2012
Decent meat, way too bready. The bun/meat ratio is way off. You get way too much bread per bite.
And pretty expensive for this level of burgers.
Decent beer though. -
Review from Emily K.
Los Angeles, CA
12/22/2011
Shelling out 20 bucks to eat around a bunch of dudes with cardigans and stupid beards?
No, thank you. -
Review from Giao T.
Took me long enough to head over to L.A., down to Los Feliz (or any of the other 5 locations) and get myself into Umami. As a matter of fact, Lana N.'s review of the Hermosa location and her telling me to stop wasting time was just the nudging that I needed. Talk 'bout, "yes dear..." Thanks Lana!
Well, I couldn't be more satisfied when I feasted my eyes on my Asian pork burger http://www.yelp.com/bi... with that thick cut of juicy, tender and everso delicious slab of grounded pork. It was topped with slivers of carrots, onions and diced little cucumbers and dressed with their aioli sauce. I'm not lying when I say it was pleasurable eating my Umami burger, and I took my sweet time enjoying it bite after bite. Loved the tempura onion rings and the batter didn't break apart when I bit into it, still held it's shape.
I only wish the burger was a bit larger considering you're paying anywhere between $10 - $15 for just the burger alone. Add a side and a drink and you can easily drop $25 - $30 including tip for just one person. That's really steep even if their burgers are sooooo tasty. Coming back? You betcha I will. Still need to at least try the Greek and Umami. I did notice one thing though. I'm nowhere cool as the patrons who frequent here. I need to go unshaven (can't cause I can't grow facial hair) and I'll need a couple of tats on my arm (can't cause I'm scared of needles). Hmmm, what to do, what to do... -
Review from Seth P.
Hancock Park, CA
1/7/2012
2 burgers 2 fries 2 Sodas, with tip, $40 Dollars. Yikes.
Gourmet Burger at Gourmet Prices.
It's dam good, real quality ingredients, really delicious, really too expensive, for me anyway.
Their homemade ketchup with the fries is really good as well. -
Review from Lene N.
Union City, CA
1/7/2012
SPEECHLESS.
This place is a total jaw-dropper, or should I say mouth-watering goodness!
If you LOVE burgers obviously this is the place to go in Hollywood-the burger may look small on that square plate, but by the time you get half way through the burger you start to feel stuffed, & that's with out a beer or without the DELICIOUS ONE OF A KIND, cheesey filled TOTS, in your mouth. YES, I just said CHEESE FILLED TOTS!
They have different sauces that either go on their burgers-or you can simply use as dipping sauces for practically anything they serve. My fav was the jalapeno-sour cream-ish sauce-very potent and not to spicy.
The hype for this place is everything and then some-believe ALL THE GOOD THINGS about this place because it's true, & don't believe the negative reviews because obviously something is wrong with their palate ;)
***Do not hesitate in ordering the Truffle Burger, Cali Burger or the Meaty Burger!
p.s. They have a full bar, with great cocktails only found @ Umami Burger- Vanilla Creamsicle-give it a try ! -
Review from Michael A.
Los Angeles, CA
1/25/2012
I went here at an off time and the wait was very short.
I had the eponymous umami burger, while my girlfriend had the hatch burger. We shared the smushed potatoes.
The burger is good, but not great. For what you get, it's overpriced, but you can tell the quality is there. The default temperature for the burgers is medium rare...I guess it's so the patties don't shrink too much?
Honestly, I'd rather have a Fatburger.
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