SoCal natives can agree the In-N-Out Double-Double is a really good burger. It’s two patties, two slices of American cheese, lettuce, tomato, grilled or raw onions, and the chain’s special spread, also known as Thousand Island dressing. But is it the best burger in L.A.?

In yet another best-of list you’ll want to read, Zagat named the Double-Double the best burger in the city. Yes, that’s over the coveted Father’s Office burger, the ketchup-leather-topped burger at Plan Check, the Five Guys Burger with its cult following and the Habit burger, recently named the best burger in America by Consumer Reports.

That’s according to the opinion of the 3,466 people who participated in Zagat’s burger survey. They were asked to rate and review burgers in 16 major cities. The burgers were rated on a 30-point scale based on flavor, ingredients and value.

The In-N-Out Double-Double had the highest score in Los Angeles with 23 points out of 30. Is it just me, or is that number a little low? Other burgers in other cities received scores of 24 to 28 points.


In New York, the Luger Burger from Peter Luger came out on top, the Lockdown Warden burger at Lockdown Bar & Grill took top honors in Chicago, the Snack Shack Burger from Carnitas’ Snack Shack was named best burger in San Diego, and Nopa’s grass-fed hamburger was rated the best in San Francisco. For a list of all the best-rated burgers, visit www.zagat.com/bestburgers.

Survey participants were also asked about their favorite burger toppings. A fried egg was the burger topper of choice for 64% of participants, and when it came to buns, 64% said they preferred a pretzel bun, 30% went for a ramen noodle bun and 23% were willing to eat their burger on a doughnut.

Participants in the survey also reported eating burgers an average of 4.6 times a month. Of those surveyed, 44% said they would spend more than $25 on a “mind-blowing” burger and 72% said they would be willing to spend between $10 to $20 on a burger.

As far as where to get your fix, 33% said they head to specialty burger joints while 24% said general restaurants, 9% said fast food spots and 4% said diners.


Extra spread, raw and grilled onions, add pickles. Done. Follow me on Twitter @Jenn_Harris_