@Ganymede
Opinions on Smashburger? I found the one on University Place inadequate at best.
Best burger I've had in recent memory was from Shake Shack. I cannot eat 5 Guys anymore because they and their peanuts triggered an agonizing gall bladder attack that resulted in my being in the hospital for 4 days right before Thanksgiving 2015. Culver's varies depending on the franchise; the ones by my dad's house in WI are fantastic, the one I went to in Indiana (on the way home from Dayton, no less) was dull and did not assuage my craving. I find Epic Burger to be not so much. Red Robin's sit down restaurants are better than their express versions. Johnny Rockets in Santa Monica was better than the one in Skokie. But then, L.A. also has Astroburger, or did, anyway,
Locally, we are lucky to have Edzo's and Kuma's, both independent places. Gold Coast Dogs also has a fantastic char-burger. Still miss In-N-Out, though.