"Food Wars" hosts Harry Kersh and Joe Avella travel across Los Angeles to find the best smash burger in the city. They'll be visiting four locations in just one day to see what the city has to offer. This is "Food Tours."
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00:00Today we're going to four of the best smash burger places in Los Angeles.
00:05We're starting right here at Burgers Never Say Die.
00:08You hungry?
00:09I'm very hungry.
00:10L.A. really brought the heat last time when it came to burgers.
00:12That's right.
00:13And I feel like smash burgers are a pretty big deal out on the West Coast.
00:15Huge deal here.
00:16That's why I wanted to focus just on smash burgers today.
00:19We're looking for paper-thin patties, juicy yet crispy and delicious on the outside,
00:24gooey melted cheese toppings, toasted bun.
00:27Everything works in a bite together, but we're really honing in a smash crispy deliciousness.
00:32I'm starving.
00:33I'm going to go put in a first order.
00:34Let's do it.
00:38I mean, my man, you wanted the American experience.
00:40When it comes to beverages, what's more American than Red Forty?
00:43Take your pick.
00:44Do you want to have a dang or I think that one's called Frosty?
00:48I love that there are distinct beverages, but they look exactly the same.
00:51Two cherry sodas.
00:52I'll take the dang.
00:53That's good.
00:54All right.
00:55All right, my guy.
00:56Hey.
00:57Look at this thing.
00:58We've got so much to talk about, but first, the taste.
01:00Mm-hmm.
01:05Oh, that's good.
01:06Oh, that's good.
01:07We're off to a banger here.
01:09I know.
01:10This is delicious.
01:11It's deceptively simple, right?
01:12Right, yeah.
01:13Two very thin smash patties, American cheese, pickles, onions, ketchup.
01:19Weird thing to say.
01:20I think ketchup is a hilarious addition because, I mean, who doesn't love ketchup?
01:23I think a lot of places, they always want their fancy burger sauce.
01:26And this guy's like, no, ketchup.
01:27No, ketchup.
01:28And of course, toasted pillowy bun.
01:30Right.
01:31During this episode, I'm going to be making some fast food comparisons.
01:34And I need you and I need the viewers to know that that is not like a negative.
01:38I love fast food.
01:39I always have.
01:40Always will.
01:41We need the frame of reference.
01:42It's just frame of reference, right?
01:43Yes.
01:44I want to say that this reminds me of a McDonald's double cheeseburger, which I've stated on
01:48Food Wars before is one of my favorite burgers of all time.
01:50I mean that in a very good way.
01:53And also, obviously, it's like a very elevated version of that.
01:57Wow.
01:58Yeah, this is incredible.
01:59Okay.
02:002017.
02:01Wasn't too long ago.
02:03Sean Nee, the creator of Burgers Never Say Die, decided to start this smash burger pop-up
02:10in his front lawn.
02:11He did not have any formal culinary experience.
02:14Word of his burgers spread like wildfire.
02:16Lines around the block was selling out every day.
02:20Check this out.
02:21Customers were hiring people on TaskRabbit, don't know if you know what that is.
02:24I do.
02:25To wait in line for them to get the food.
02:27This was like the hottest thing in L.A.
02:30Some say, and I don't know how this is provable, that Burgers Never Say Die and Sean is responsible
02:37for the smash burger renaissance that Los Angeles has been going through and continues to go through.
02:43It all started with him.
02:45This is what I've heard on the internet.
02:47Don't come at me.
02:48This is what I heard.
02:49It's a word on the street.
02:50So, eventually, he gets this brick and mortar spot in Echo Park.
02:54Mm-hmm.
02:55They still line up.
02:56They're still in big demand.
02:57Mm-hmm.
02:58They're still incredible.
02:59But the good news is that I don't think he runs out anymore.
03:02I know it's a burger episode.
03:03Yes.
03:04I want you to take some of these fries out.
03:05Pull me out a few fries.
03:07Yeah.
03:08If I told you, look, I got some fries at McDonald's, you'd be like, yes.
03:11Yeah.
03:12Right?
03:13Yeah, again, very similar in style to McDonald's.
03:14I'd say these are cooked on the kind of paler side almost.
03:17Yeah.
03:18I taste them.
03:19It's great.
03:20It's really good.
03:21Very good fries, right?
03:22Again, very reminiscent of a McDonald's fry, like very nostalgic, but it doesn't taste
03:26as oily.
03:27Still got a nice crisp to it.
03:29Not overly salty.
03:30I think maybe that's one thing that this is really scratching for me is that kind of
03:33nostalgia itch.
03:34Yeah.
03:35Because many of us have grown up eating versions of this exact meal from various places,
03:40be it fast food, be it a little diner in your local town that's making something
03:44quite similar to this.
03:46But this is just like taken to a new level with the care, the quality of the ingredients.
03:51So tasty.
03:52Yeah.
03:53It's funny you mention nostalgia.
03:54The very essence of this restaurant is nostalgic.
03:56The name Burgers Never Say Die is a play off of the very, very famous quote from the
04:01movie The Goonies, Goonies Never Say Die.
04:03Can I shock you, Joe?
04:04Shock me.
04:05I have not seen The Goonies.
04:06What do you mean you haven't seen The Goonies?
04:07How have you not seen The Goonies?
04:08I don't know.
04:09I've just never seen The Goonies.
04:10Is it good?
04:11Is it good?
04:12And your parents never showed you The Goonies?
04:13They did not, no.
04:14OK, your parents should be in jail.
04:15That's child abuse.
04:16What was this child you did?
04:17You didn't see The Goonies?
04:18None of your homies have seen The Goonies?
04:19You never were hanging out with your buddies and be like, let's watch The Goonies?
04:21No.
04:22Hey, look, even if the movie references are wasted on me, the food references are not,
04:26because that is so good.
04:27One thing I will say, in terms of Smash Burgers, I'm not getting like a ton of that kind of
04:32crispy, lacy edge on this one.
04:34It's a little smaller, a little more compact, so you're not getting that like real caramelization
04:39on the edges, but it is still extremely juicy and very flavorful.
04:42You look at it, you're like, I think I could make this at home.
04:44Like, you most certainly could not.
04:46You most certainly could not.
04:47No, I've tried making Smash Burgers at home before, and they've turned out like okay,
04:51but nothing on this level.
04:52And this for me, yeah.
04:53In terms of starting points, you've nailed it.
04:55We almost put this away.
04:56Yeah.
04:57Clearly we're very hungry.
04:58Clearly we're very impressed with Burgers Never Say Die.
05:00Yes.
05:01I got three more spots to take you.
05:02Are you ready to go to the next spot?
05:04Dang.
05:05That sounds like a good idea, Joe.
05:06And it's Italian too.
05:07It's like, what is it?
05:08It says Italian soda on there?
05:09I think it is, yeah.
05:10Italian cherry soda.
05:11Dang.
05:12No clue it makes it Italian.
05:15All right.
05:16Grab your Italian soda.
05:17Let's go.
05:18All right.
05:19So, here's the thing about Smash Burgers that is interesting.
05:22The origin of the Smash Burger is not exactly provable.
05:27They believe that it started somewhere in the mid 20th century, but for the past at least 30 years.
05:34But it feels like 50.
05:36Burgers in America specifically, the cornerstone of a good burger is a really thick, juicy patty.
05:43You know, piling it high.
05:44Lots of toppings.
05:45People just think good burger equals high stack.
05:49I don't subscribe to that at all.
05:50I've never liked having burgers too big.
05:52You can't get a bite of everything.
05:53Not into them.
05:54So, when the Smash Burger thing started happening in America again, people were like,
05:59what is this new way of doing burgers?
06:01Oh, my goodness.
06:02I've never seen this before.
06:03It's like, yeah, well, it's not an invention.
06:05It just was so long since they've been made that people forgot about them.
06:09Time is a flat circle.
06:10There's a flat circle.
06:11Exactly.
06:12Just moving around and around.
06:13And now we're on our way down to the Chinatown area to go to Amboy.
06:18I've been dying to try this place out for years.
06:21They got a lot going on there, including a Smash Burger that's supposed to be one of the best in the, wait for it, world?
06:28Not just LA?
06:29No.
06:30One of the best in the world.
06:31In the world.
06:32Let's check it out.
06:33Let's go find out.
06:34Next stop, Amboy Quality Meats.
06:36Amboy was started by Chef Alvin Kylan.
06:38You might have seen him as a host of the first We Feast burger show.
06:42Mm-hmm.
06:43All right.
06:44Big fan.
06:45Yeah.
06:46And he is a big deal in LA food and big deal in burgers.
06:47So the Burger Dudes online list of top burgers said this was the ninth best in the world.
06:53Whole planet, buddy.
06:54Whole planet.
06:55Number nine.
06:56Not just in LA.
06:57Not just in America.
06:58The whole world.
06:59Number nine.
07:00All right.
07:01That's impressive.
07:02Remind me what we're ordering.
07:03I'm going to get two of the classic Amboy's.
07:04Also want to check out this thick DH burger they got.
07:05There's like a real nice fancy burger they have here.
07:07They have a bunch of various fries that I want to try.
07:09They have fun toppings and cheese on it.
07:11So we're going to get a bunch of stuff.
07:12You ready?
07:13I think so.
07:14Yeah, let's go.
07:15Dude.
07:17These burgers look ridiculous.
07:18So this is just the kind of classic the Amboy burger.
07:20Yes.
07:21Okay.
07:22Look at it.
07:23Here we got cheese.
07:24Put the onions in here, right?
07:26I'm seeing like caramelized onion on this one.
07:28Yeah, dude.
07:29Look at the thick of those pickles.
07:30The sesame bun.
07:31I'm going to kill this thing.
07:32You know.
07:33Oh man.
07:34It's jumping out to me already.
07:39The taste of the meat is like perfect.
07:43Yeah.
07:44Flavor of the beef is beautiful.
07:45You can tell that we're kind of in like a butcher shop.
07:47You know, we're getting the quality stuff here.
07:49I mean premium meats is in the title.
07:52So everything about this is like you're getting a top tier product here.
07:57The bun.
07:59The sesame bun.
08:00Stroke of genius adding this because this is just like puts it to another level.
08:03Obviously the cheese, whatever sauce you're putting on here.
08:06Fantastic too.
08:07I agree with the bun.
08:08It's a little more, I guess, fancy or complex than I would expect from a regular smash burger.
08:13But it's really working.
08:14There's a crispiness to it though.
08:15Like you get with the toasted bottom and the sesames.
08:17Oh my God.
08:18So fantastic.
08:19Caramelized onions.
08:20Come on.
08:21When you have something this rich and meaty because the sauce is very savory, the beef
08:25obviously, the cheese.
08:26A little bit of sweetness.
08:28A little bit of acid.
08:29Really does like a lot of heavy lifting there actually.
08:31I feel like, I mean this is their standard, I guess, burger and the quality of this is
08:36already like outstanding, right?
08:37Yeah, this is ridiculous.
08:38It's an outstanding burger.
08:39How do you feel about taking a smash burger, which again is a very like simple food at its
08:43core and turning it into something that is I guess a bit more gourmet?
08:46It's a high wire act and he's walking the line perfectly.
08:49Because normally I'd be like, please don't.
08:51He took the elements of the classic smash burger and every detail he changed, like yes
08:56it's a more premium product, but it absolutely makes the burger stand out, sing, incredible.
09:02We've also got a ton of fries.
09:04Let's take a look at these fries real quick.
09:06They have hooked us up.
09:07I'll say that much.
09:08Right.
09:09And boy fries here.
09:10I mean this looks like it's a not so subtle, let's say an homage to animal style fries
09:14in it.
09:15Uh huh.
09:16Yeah, I'm seeing cheese.
09:17I'm seeing like a burger sauce.
09:18Mmm.
09:19These are beautiful.
09:20How do you feel about truffle?
09:21I feel like I have mixed opinions on truffle.
09:22I think it's just fine, but it's considered like a premium ingredient because it's so expensive.
09:26Mm hmm.
09:27I feel like it's one of those where I think people just think that because it's fancy and expensive,
09:30they should like it.
09:31I have the same thing with like caviar.
09:33I've had it a few times now.
09:34Yeah.
09:35And I've never particularly enjoyed it.
09:36It's like, yeah.
09:37I mean, even though it's like priced differently, I feel the same about champagne.
09:40Sure.
09:41All right.
09:42Let's do the honors.
09:43Sure.
09:44Okay, this is the DH burger.
09:45This is their premium of premium burgers here.
09:47And this might be the burger that was the one that clinched the nine spot.
09:52They're not quite sure, but they say this is maybe the best burger they have on the menu,
09:55best tasting.
09:56So we'll find out.
09:58Oh, baby.
09:59Look how juicy this is.
10:02So, of course, the opposite of a smash burger, but that's all right.
10:05Uh-huh.
10:06I don't know if we can officially count this for our best smash burgers video.
10:09Oh, hey.
10:10But I wasn't going to leave here without trying it.
10:11Yes.
10:15I'm going to need another bite.
10:17Oh, man.
10:18That's sensational.
10:19Absolutely incredible.
10:20Yeah.
10:21See, you can do thick burgers.
10:22It doesn't have to be like this whole thing.
10:24Yeah.
10:25The point is that the thick burger, absolutely delicious.
10:27It's juicy.
10:28It's a nice rare on the inside, crusty on the outside.
10:30Yeah.
10:31Amazing toppings.
10:32Of course, the bun, which I can't get enough of.
10:35I think when you do things the way that Amboy's done them, which is you start with the meat
10:38as kind of the focal point of obviously the food, but like the whole kind of restaurant
10:42concept, it allows you to do a lot of different things with it.
10:45I think obviously because they have such incredible quality meat here.
10:48Yeah.
10:49You can get away with doing a thicker burger.
10:50They have the skill to keep it that medium rare on the outside, a little crispy on the outside.
10:54Yeah.
10:55But then they also, you know, can do other things with it.
10:57So you've got the smash burger as well.
10:58This is a small spot.
10:59It's in Chinatown.
11:00It's in a mall.
11:01People can look at this and be like, yeah, they got a couple of burgers.
11:03They got a couple of fries.
11:04How often are you going to come here?
11:05Once a week, a couple of times a week, arguably every day, get a different signature burger.
11:09And look, they got something you don't like.
11:10Just get the classic Amboy.
11:11This thing is incredible.
11:12Yeah.
11:13Everything here.
11:14Absolutely amazing.
11:15I think I'm realizing like I am a man of relatively simple tastes when it comes to burgers.
11:19Yeah.
11:20Not to say, you know, that I just want like the plainest thing you ever have.
11:22But like a smash burger for me hits all the key areas of what I want a burger to be.
11:27Yeah.
11:28Don't get me wrong.
11:29The DH, phenomenal burger.
11:30But in terms of just like ease of eating, speed of eating, flavor profiles that I'm getting,
11:36the double smash for me is like the one.
11:37So this is the only one today that I have not had before.
11:40Sure.
11:41And it's been on my list for a while.
11:42I am unfortunate I'll make it down here too often.
11:44This is a phenomenal, phenomenal.
11:46I am blown away by literally everything in this table.
11:49Yeah.
11:50And I would love to stay here, eat everything, sleep outside, wake up, come directly back in and eat again.
11:57But apparently society says I shan't do that.
12:00And also we have other burgers to eat.
12:02So want to go on to the next spot?
12:04Absolutely.
12:06Harold.
12:07Joseph.
12:08The next spot I'm taking you is a bit left of center when it comes to smash burgers.
12:12We're going to Monty's Good Burger.
12:14And guess what, buddy?
12:15These burgers vegan.
12:17Interesting.
12:18Plot twist.
12:19Yeah.
12:20I was not expecting that.
12:21Are they good?
12:22I imagine they're good.
12:23I wouldn't be taking you there if it wasn't good.
12:24I think they're great and clearly I'm not a vegan.
12:26But another thing you should know about this is that they use the impossible beef.
12:29The very impossible beef not allowed in the EU currently.
12:33And I don't think in the UK either.
12:34Yeah, no, impossible beef still hasn't made its way over.
12:36I think there's like an ingredient that the EU is still not sure on.
12:39That's right, buddy.
12:40Might be there soon, but I've not had much impossible beef in my lifetime.
12:43Well, we'll get all in there at the place, but first let's get there and start on our next burger.
12:46Next up, Monty's Good Burger.
12:50Now, creators of Monty's went vegan, but they missed In-N-Out.
12:54So this whole thing was based on them trying to replicate In-N-Out burgers in vegan form.
13:00So we're having no meat, but they still do it the smashy way, and I think that counts.
13:04You've had In-N-Out, right?
13:05I have had In-N-Out, yeah.
13:06Good burgers.
13:07So, you'll see.
13:08Is this the In-N-Out of vegan food?
13:11Okay.
13:12All right, we're getting two of the smash burgers.
13:14Tomato, onions, pickles, a sauce, brioche bun.
13:18We're doing the 50-50, that's fries and tots.
13:20With their version of animal-style toppings on there.
13:22And some fun shakes, some fun drinks, though.
13:25You ready for more food?
13:26That sounds delicious.
13:27Let's go.
13:29Here it is, the Monty's smash burger.
13:31No.
13:32No pickles.
13:33No pickle guy.
13:34All right, so much to talk about, but first, let's get that bite.
13:36Oh, yeah, buddy.
13:37A lot of good stuff in here, right?
13:38Mm-hmm.
13:39Oh, yeah.
13:40First brew of the day to have lettuce and tomato on it.
13:41Mm-hmm.
13:42So, I'm not usually opposed to it because it's very light.
13:43It still retains a delicious smash quality, even though it isn't beef, it is an imitation
13:57impossible beef.
13:58Yeah, I think of all the meat substitutes I've had in the past, this one is definitely hitting.
14:03I would have no idea that that wasn't meat if you didn't tell me.
14:05No, I don't think I would, actually.
14:06It does definitely get that crisp on the outside, nice and juicy, like a good texture
14:10to it.
14:11I think a lot of the meat alternatives that I've had in the UK, I don't know if you can
14:15treat them in the same way that you can treat this impossible beef.
14:17Yeah.
14:18You could, like, boil it up and smash it in the same way.
14:20In an effort to make impossible beef so close to regular beef or ground beef, there is a
14:27product or a element of it that has a long name that I can't pronounce, but it's nicknamed
14:32heme, H-E-M-E.
14:33Is it soy lehemoglobin, by any chance?
14:35That's the thing, and that's what, if you have the meat raw and you cook it, it bleeds
14:40or gives, like, the red juice the same way that an actual ground beef would give off.
14:45Nice.
14:46Well, another thing, really impressed by the cheese.
14:47I feel like vegan cheese is one that, like, needs refining a bit.
14:49It's not quite there a lot of the time, but this one, like, is doing the exact job that
14:53an American cheese should do on a burger.
14:55They steam it onto the patty.
14:56Right, yeah, because it's got that really lovely melty, gooey texture to it.
14:59Yeah, melty, yeah.
15:00A little bit of flavor.
15:01Yeah, man, I'm super impressed.
15:03This is probably the best non-meat burger I've ever had.
15:05I think it's a testament to how good the food is that they have four locations, and they're
15:10going strong, right?
15:11I mean, I am morbidly curious about what a vegan hot dog tastes like.
15:16I'll buy one and you can have the other one.
15:17Sounds great.
15:18It's Lady and the Trumpet.
15:19Well, not the same time.
15:21Mmm.
15:22Good?
15:23Yeah.
15:24It has a savory flavor that you associate with hot dogs.
15:26See what I mean in a second, right?
15:27Mmm.
15:28Would you have thought that was...
15:29It's got, like, a smokiness to it, right?
15:30Would you have thought that was fake meat if you didn't know any better?
15:31I don't know any better.
15:32I wouldn't add it.
15:33I wouldn't add it.
15:34No.
15:35I don't think that's really, like, the point.
15:36It's just the point is it makes stuff that tastes great.
15:37But I feel like the key, and maybe the reason why it's succeeding so much, is that you
15:46don't feel, like, pressured to be like, you know, this is vegan, and aren't
15:49we, aren't we just so special, whatever?
15:51Like, we put, it's just, we have great burgers, great fries, great shakes, great dogs.
15:55And it all just happens to be vegan.
15:56Yeah.
15:57And you're not going to believe this.
15:58Yeah.
15:59And other spots today that goes all in on the fries with a sauce, onions and cheese,
16:06and may or may not be animal-like in its presentation.
16:10All right.
16:11Animal-like.
16:12But this is both fries and tots.
16:14Okay.
16:15Given the choice, would you rather get fries or tots?
16:17Well, as a Brit, I haven't had too many experiences with tater tots in my life.
16:21What are they?
16:22Kind of like balls of fried mash?
16:24What is happening right now?
16:25You don't know what this is?
16:26We don't really have tater tots in the UK, man.
16:29Balls of fried potato.
16:30I'm not going to say anything.
16:32Mmm.
16:33You've never had these before?
16:35Not really.
16:36Well, you have or you haven't?
16:37I don't think so.
16:38You haven't had tater tots before?
16:39What is going on in the country?
16:40They're not really a thing in the UK.
16:42We're very chip-headed.
16:43You guys are insane about potatoes over there.
16:45Every time I go over there, everything's potatoes with you guys.
16:47We do chips.
16:48We do roasties.
16:49We do mash.
16:50Yeah, you definitely do the big.
16:51That whole island, no tater tots?
16:53I don't believe that.
16:54What the?
16:55I'm sure someone in the UK is doing tater tots, but I'm saying I personally don't see them.
16:58Tater tots are incredible, right?
17:00Did you just notice?
17:01That was really tasty.
17:02Yeah.
17:03You can have those all the time.
17:04Crispy, fluffy.
17:05That sauce is really good.
17:06So we got some fun celeb-collab shakes.
17:09I have the Travis Barker matcha green.
17:13Mm-hmm.
17:14I was going to straw this, but this is almost more like a sundae.
17:16This is very thick.
17:17Oh, Jesus.
17:18This is like thick and creamy.
17:19There it is.
17:20Oh.
17:21Oh my God.
17:22I can't even get by.
17:23I'm going to have to spoon this.
17:24This is all oat milk-based soft serve.
17:27What do you think of that?
17:28Oh, wow.
17:29That's so good.
17:30It has so much creaminess to it.
17:31Flavors there.
17:32The little Oreo strawberry combination in this one particularly.
17:35Yeah, man.
17:36This is doing it for me.
17:37I think this is incredible.
17:38Uh-huh.
17:39I'm not a big matcha guy or green tea guy.
17:41Mm-hmm.
17:42So I just got it for the show.
17:43I'm like, yeah, we'll get it.
17:44But that's so good.
17:45Oh, man.
17:46This is all really excellent.
17:48Isn't this all awesome?
17:49Yeah.
17:50Anyone who's watched one second of our show knows that we are not vegetarians or vegans by the least.
17:55No, not by any means.
17:56But I am someone who, you know, like completely understands why people don't want to eat meat.
17:59I try not to eat as much meat when I'm not on the job.
18:02Sure.
18:03And places like this are great.
18:04Because again, when you want that sort of familiar experience, but you don't want to be eating meat, then yeah, this is like a wonderful alternative.
18:09This hits.
18:10Yeah.
18:11Stop.
18:12I got one more spot to take it to, my guy.
18:14I've saved a little bit of room.
18:16Let's go.
18:17Let's hit it.
18:18So at this point, you've probably noticed that the thin, crispy smash patty tastes different than your standard thick cheeseburger or burger, right?
18:28Yes.
18:29Okay.
18:30There's some science behind that.
18:31Okay.
18:32I love science.
18:33Hit me up.
18:34All right.
18:35So meat, beef contains proteins and proteins contain amino acids.
18:37A French chemist by the name Maillard discovered these components react to heat.
18:42Amino acids break down and interact with reducing sugars.
18:45This reaction, known as the Maillard reaction named after him, makes it brown and creates the smell and the flavor we love.
18:55Not to be confused with the Maillard reaction.
18:57What's that?
18:58Which is when you're allergic to ducks.
19:00No.
19:01All right.
19:02So we're on our way to our last spot, Burger She Wrote.
19:06Fun name.
19:07I like that.
19:08Play off the Angela Lansbury show, Murder She Wrote.
19:10Ever seen it?
19:11I think I have seen that.
19:12Yeah.
19:13Can't say I'm like a huge fan, but definitely caught an episode or two on daytime TV at some point.
19:16Was it not on Agatha Christie as well?
19:18I don't think so.
19:19You're thinking of a different older woman who would solve mysteries.
19:22This is the last smash burger we're having.
19:27Last spot.
19:28Burger She Wrote.
19:29Don Nguyen, AKA The Nuge, is a legendary skateboarder.
19:35He has his own episode from Vice's Epically Ladered, which I watched on YouTube.
19:39Very entertaining.
19:40Very interesting guy.
19:41Great attitude.
19:42Does a lot of things like run restaurants.
19:44Burger She Wrote is his joint.
19:47Had to include it.
19:48Viral hit here in Los Angeles.
19:50The burgers, you'll see the meat-to-bread ratio is very in favor of the meats.
19:55Thin, crispy, delicious.
19:57I definitely wanted to include this one because they're kind of the newer kids on the block,
20:01and they are low and up.
20:03We're going to get their classic smash burger with the cheese and all that,
20:06but I also want to get the Oklahoma style.
20:08This is a very onion-heavy smash burger, and I haven't had it.
20:13I've had the regular one here, and it is fantastic.
20:15Okay.
20:16Got room for more burgers?
20:17Just about, yeah.
20:18Let's eat.
20:20Can we just talk about the bun-to-meat ratio real quick?
20:23Yeah, my guy knew what he was doing.
20:24What is going on here?
20:25My guy knew what he was doing.
20:26What do we call this?
20:27The skirts?
20:28This thing is so funny.
20:29Remember when we were talking about the crispiness of, like, crispy edges?
20:31Yes.
20:32This is, like, the radius of crispy edges has got to be the highest.
20:34This looks like glass.
20:35I'm going to take the pickles off on this.
20:37It's an eye-catching burger, to say the least.
20:39Let's give it a shot.
20:40Can we dive in?
20:41Yeah.
20:42It, like, dug into my mouth.
20:45Oh, wow.
20:47I would say for sure this one has the most emphasis on those crispy edges that we have
20:52today.
20:53Yes.
20:54Super crispy, crunchy, and you do get, like, an almost sweet flavor, don't you?
20:58It's like beef candy on the edge.
21:00Beef candy, that's a great way of putting it, yeah.
21:02Uh-huh.
21:03That's not all it has gone for.
21:04No.
21:05Inside, the burger is still juicier.
21:07They want more of the Burgers Never Say Die Rout with.
21:10A cheese, a diced white onions, more reminiscent of, like, a fast food burger.
21:15Mm-hmm.
21:16I mean, that's no diss, just that there would be more of that angle than, say, trying to
21:19make it more of, like, premium toppings that you wouldn't normally see in a burger.
21:22Yeah, it's really interesting to me, because this is, like, composition-wise, basically
21:26the same as the Burgers Never Say Die Burger.
21:28Yeah.
21:29There's, like, a marked difference in the taste and the flavors that we're getting from
21:32these.
21:33This is wagyu beef, right?
21:34Wagyu, on the whole, is a fattier type of beef, so it's lent itself to this really, like,
21:39rich and buttery taste.
21:40I think with the toppings that they've chosen, you have enough acidity from the pickles,
21:44from the onions, from the mustard, to still be able to cut through that.
21:48I like the bun as well, like, very soft, squishy bun, but it's very much, like, holding
21:52everything together.
21:53I'd mentioned before, Oklahoma-style.
21:57See, the same thing with the onions falling out here?
22:00Right.
22:01Now, originally, this idea of the Oklahoma-style burger was out of necessity during the Great
22:06Depression, because nobody had any money.
22:08They needed the beef to last, so they kind of filled it in with onions.
22:11Sure.
22:12But, to much everyone's surprise, it tasted great.
22:14Mm-hmm.
22:15It just became a thing that, hence the Oklahoma-style.
22:18It's really good.
22:20Looking at it, you'd think, like, too many onions.
22:22Yeah, you'd think, like, I was gonna take a bunch of onions, but no.
22:25No.
22:26If anything, the onion balances out the sweet, crispy flavor of the smash burger.
22:30Yeah, you end up kind of, like, almost steaming the onions in the beef fat.
22:34Yeah.
22:35Very, like, harmonious in the end.
22:36Yes!
22:37Yeah.
22:38That's really good.
22:39I'm so full.
22:40Yeah, me too.
22:41Look.
22:42It's late.
22:43I'm exhausted.
22:44We've eaten our way, smash burger-wise, through Los Angeles.
22:47Mm-hmm.
22:48And it's time to pick our favorites.
22:50Yeah.
22:51We've got some real decisions to make here.
22:52All right.
22:53So.
22:54If you had to pick one.
22:55Mm-hmm.
22:56For the queen.
22:57For the queen.
22:58R.I.P.
22:59Yeah.
23:00I don't know why I did that.
23:03I don't know anything about her.
23:06Okay.
23:08But if you had to pick what?
23:09A favorite.
23:10Yes.
23:11Which one would you pick?
23:12I don't think anyone would be disappointed if they ate at any of these spots.
23:14Totally.
23:15Even Monty's.
23:16Even Monty's.
23:17Yeah.
23:18Without the beef.
23:19I think, for me, it's a narrow choice between two.
23:20Uh-huh.
23:21Which would be Burgers Never Say Die and Amboy.
23:23Okay.
23:24If I had to pick one, I do think it would be Amboy.
23:28Mm.
23:29But it almost breaks my heart to say that.
23:31But then, also, the Amboy burger was, for me, like, showing the full potential of what a smash
23:36burger can be.
23:37Oh, interesting.
23:38Yeah.
23:39The care that was placed into the ingredients.
23:40The meat that they're using there.
23:41The cheese.
23:42The sauce.
23:43Everything worked so well together.
23:44I loved that.
23:45It was so tasty.
23:46All right.
23:47Well, if I had to pick my favorite, I'm going to go with Burgers Never Say Die.
23:51Wow.
23:52Nice.
23:53You know?
23:54It was incredible.
23:55But, you know, Sean and Burgers Never Say Die, they're still doing it.
23:59If they are the OG, they're also, in my opinion, still the best in Los Angeles.
24:03Yeah.
24:04It felt like a bite of LA food history, right?
24:06Yeah.
24:07Yeah, absolutely.
24:08But narrowly, my second is Amboy.
24:10Sure.
24:11That was also really awesome.
24:12We're pretty much in harmony, just slight, slight differences.
24:15We're the ying and the yang of those two.
24:16Of course.
24:17And in many other ways.
24:18I think that's why we worked so well.
24:19Yeah.
24:20Sure.
24:21This was wonderful, if a bit, you know, heavy on the arteries.
24:26I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack.
24:28If one of us actually dies on one of these trips, you know.
24:30That'd be the funniest thing ever.
24:31Just know that that's how I want to go out.