The Hamburger Hamlet – LA’s Elite Burger Joint to the Stars
Ask any native Angelino if they are aware of The Hamburger Hamlet and they will quickly rave about Hamlet’s legacy of catering to the stars and serving quality food that satisfied the elite of Hollywood’s golden era.
Opened in 1950, The Hamburger Hamlet was the brainchild of actor Harry Lewis and his wife Marilyn who created a place where actors would come to meet, commiserate and nosh.
The first Hamburger Hamlet was located on Sunset Boulevard and was the first restaurant to make gourmet burgers at a whopping 35 cents! The restaurant became a huge success and Harry and Marilyn went on to open over 30 Hamburger Hamlets all over the LA area.
Fast forward to the present, with new owners, Kevin Michaels and Brett Doherty of Killer Shrimp Restaurant Group, The Hamburger Hamlet is in the spotlight once again.
Having opened its doors in 1961, The Hamburger Hamlet Sherman Oaks location continues to be a San Fernando Valley mainstay and rightly so. The food is made with the highest quality ingredients and the service is always first class.
When I got the news that I had an opportunity to attend a tasting at The Hamburger Hamlet, I became giddy with anticipation. This is because The Hamburger Hamlet has a few very special items on their menu that transcend time.
While some people will rave about the Hamlets Lobster Bisque or one of their many gourmet burger options, I have tunnel vision towards what is known as “Zircles”, fresh zucchini, hand-cut and golden fried in Italian bread crumbs served with ranch dressing and Hamlets equally famous apricot sauce. These glorious munchies have a reputation around town as being one of the best appetizers in LA and for good reason. The apricot sauce provides a unique sweet kick to the perfectly seasoned fried zucchini that can’t be matched.
Another memorable menu item is the French Onion Soup. It is picturesque, mouthwatering and in fact changed my life, presumably for the better. It consists of their famous deep, dark onion soup, just the way they serve it in France with melted Swiss Cheese oozing down the sides of the soup crock. This particular item is a personal favorite and I would highly recommend ordering it.
With many choices to choose from, I decided to try the iconic #4, the Marilyn Burger paired with sweet potato fries. Named after Marilyn Monroe, this burger is served with creamy avocado, fresh sliced tomato, and melted Monterey Jack cheese. The burger patty is 7 ounces of fresh beef (80/20 lean to fat) straight from the reputable Harris Ranch in Central California. Upon first bite, I could sense the legacy this burger has left. It’s a classic in every sense of the word. The Sweet Potato fries were slightly larger than the shoe-string variety and had a great crisp crunch to eat bite, a great compliment to the Marilyn Burger.
Next, I was presented with a food-porn award worthy creation known as the Brunch Burger. This masterpiece is made with 7 ounces of Harris Ranch hamburger served with classic cheddar cheese, crisp bacon and a perfectly executed sunny side up egg dished with a nice handful of giant steak fries. This breakfast burger tastes good anytime of the day and should be on any foodies radar when they enter the Hamburger Hamlet premises.
To finish off this amazing gluttonously awesome affair, I chose to try Hamlets Ultimate Hot Fudge Layer Cake with three scoops of Häagen Dazs ice cream, salted peanuts and freshly whipped cream. The cake was rich and indulgent while the ice cream, peanuts and whipped cream combined to make this one of the greatest desserts in the history of eating!
As time goes on, many things in life change. It take something special to survive the test of time. The Hamburger Hamlet, with its old-Hollywood legacy and it’s iconic menu items burned deep in the psyche of natives of Los Angeles, the future looks brighter than ever. There is not a better time to introduce a new generation to the delights of Sherman Oaks’ The Hamburger Hamlet.
The Hamburger Hamlet
4419 Van Nuys Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
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