Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Thanks to everyone for commenting. Of course, "best of's" or "favorite" lists are bound to spark some controversy, but we've all fallen victim to those search terms when seeking out a a meal.

@jimmyjojo - you are welcome. I too don't find Father's Office a revelation as many others have, but more than that I find my colleague Nick summed it up best in his review of the place. It doesn't really qualify as a burger for this kind of a list.

@ChefJeffSD - Certainly Apple Pan is a classic eatery, but it's just not the kind of quality to warrant a mention here in the top five.

@Paula Maack - So glad that you enjoyed the list. Comme Ça is certainly a treat. Make sure your visit is a lunchtime one. Last I checked there's no burger available at dinner.

@simonmarkley - I understand your sentiment, but see above for my take on it.

@WikiAdam - You did recant, but you shouldn't have. I'd certainly hold these five up to FO and Applepan any day. No need to apologize for being passionate about burgers. I certainly am.

@Nebagakid - You are not alone in your love of Umami. I'm not on the bandwagon with it being the definitive new Los Angeles burger, but it's certainly part of the conversation about the best.

@sinosoul - Well, first off. So sorry to have lost you. A few quick things about your comment:

Comme Ça uses iceberg on its burger and while I don't find that it enhances it (I prefer mine sans lettuce) certainly that isn't a limp weed. Also - I think you put some stock in Jonathan Gold, his opinion, and a mention he made of you... I think he might agree with me on this one.

Umami is certainly full of schtick, but the grind is superior and I simply disagree about the meat to bun ratio.

As for my taste for Pie N Burger and what it has to say of my travels and where I get "grilled" burgers... Two things about that: First off, Pie N Burger is griddled so it would never be classified as a "real grilled burger."

Secondly, I have indeed made it south of 105... I reviewed a burger in Redondo Beach just a couple of weeks ago. It was really good, and like Mom's in Compton, is south of the 105. Another thing a burger in Redondo has in common with burger Compton? Neither is actually in Los Angeles so they wouldn't qualify for this list.

As for the other three you mentioned. All are good, but, would occupy the bottom half of my top ten. Again, sorry to have lost you.

@iheartcheese - Thanks for having my back. I appreciate it to be sure. That said, I know I am tapped to have an opinion and that means folks are gonna get riled up when they disagree. I guess I would say: I see my role here as not simply some arbiter, but rather, someone with a practiced and thought through method for forming his opinion and (hopefully) the skills to communicate it in a way that entertains and helps folks determine if they'd like to try a particular burger.

@mangabanga - Thanks so much for the support. I know not everyone will agree with me, but I did labor over my determinations.

@iheartcheese: You're absolutely right, iheartcheese. I am totally guilty of skipping past the word "favorite," and instead inserted "best" in its place, believing this to be a definitive list of L.A.'s best burgers instead of just Damon Gambuto's personal picks. Forgive my rash response!

Just lost a LA reader. Comme Ca has limp weeds for greens, Umami's a lousy shtick with too much bun and aholes for servesr. A person who enjoys Pie N Burger has never traversed south of the 105 for a real grilled burger (Mom's, The Burger Stand, Master's, etc.) That leaves Rustic Canyon. Hey, that's great, but it doesn't rectify leaving out Bar Marmont, 25 Degrees, or Beacon, etc.

UMAMI UMAMI UMAMI

Father's Office pales in comparison to the SUPERAWESOME taste of Umami.

I must try Comme Ça, though, as the pictures do look amazing.

Great list BUT

HOW on earth could you leave out Father's Office from this list?!

Some "Super Tuscans" can be mighty expensive (although you said no price is too high). Look for wines that are a blend of Sangiovese and Merlot (possibly with some Cabernet Sav in there). Wines from nearby Umbria would also be a nice complement to the meal.

I know it is self promotion, but I didn't really know how to let people know about the tool without talking about it. I did want to make note that it was free and open to the public to avoid any misconceptions. I hope it does serve its purpose and helps you find places as you travel. That was my original (and current) use case for it.

As for the searching I have noticed slight errors like that. We are working on the bugs, but if you search for "San Diego CA", you will see the proper results. I would love to hear any suggestions you have in regards to the design though. We just released the site this week, so we still have a lot to work out. Please follow us on Facebook, Twitter or just bookmarking the page. The more feedback we get, the better we can do. :)

I always use Yukon Gold potatoes for mashed. I think about 1/3 # per person since there'll probably be other side dishes. You could always reheat them in a casserole dish with a bit of grated cheese on top for a yummy crust.

@salpico - I totally agree. I can't for the life of me understand why people make such a big deal.

They make precise demographical decisions. Call them.

Here's how we do it in Albany:

http://www.wwtj.org/index.html

Just think how hard it is to get Taylor's in GA when it is made in NJ. I have found it at a Publix in North Georgia...Next search try to find Scrapple in the South???