Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Drumroll, please! We announce the winner of the LAist Tournament of Cheeseburgers

It’s been one for the books, and by that, we mean you, our LAist audience, have proven time and time again that your love for cheeseburgers has no bounds.
We kicked off our Tournament of Cheeseburgers in May, inviting you to tell us about your favorite cheeseburger in SoCal. And boy, did you!
We received more than:
- 14,000 submissions and votes
- For 300 cheeseburger businesses
- From 120 neighborhoods
- 20 different regions
- 8 SoCal counties
We winnowed them down to our Burger Round of 32, our Savory 16, our Tasty 8, and finally our Flavorful 4.
But now it’s time to reveal the champion.
And the winner is…..


Hangaburs, the Latina-owned, El Sereno smashburger pop-up is run by Alicia Lopez and her wife Cecilia Ledezma.
"Oh my God... This is really great," Lopez said while speaking on Morning Edition with Susanne Whatley and Food Editor Gab Chabrán after learning that Hangaburs took the the top spot. "We just keep doing everything we can to make the best burgers we can. And we're proud of them. We just want to keep serving everyone with a smile."
When Lopez first heard about the Tournament of Cheeseburgers in May, she wasn’t sure how well they might do in the contest.
“I think I tend to second guess ourselves,” Lopez said.
But despite what Lopez might think, the pop-up has captured the hearts (and tastebuds) of their small but mighty following.
The two can be found on the weekends, popping up all over Orange County and Los Angeles, serving their signature smashburgers from their hard-to-miss yellow tent.
Lopez said her affection for burgers runs deep, starting in childhood. When Ledezma and Lopez first began dating, they immediately bonded over their love of burgers and, later on, even served burgers at their wedding. During a trip to Tepic, the capital city of the state of Nayarit, Mexico, the couple tried a burger, and it blew their collective minds. The pop-up developed from there.
The Hangaburs' menu isn’t huge, with only two burgers. The first is their signature smash, made with a toasted bun from Melrose Baking Company, a thin layer of onions, a thin pickle cut long ways, and their signature sauce. The other is their Tepic burger, inspired by that fateful trip, which is made with a grilled ham slice, American cheese, grilled panela cheese, and spicy mustard creme.
When asked what sets their burger apart, Lopez said, “From the beginning, we focus on our technique, the flavors, and the balance of flavors. That's always been important to us. We do everything fresh, even the pickles, slicing all those, and everything is extra cared for. I feel people taste that detail.”
Come along to our live Tournament of Cheeseburgers event this Sunday, July 7, at Smorgasburg LA, at the Row in DTLA.
It's from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with more cheeseburgers than you could ever want, kid-friendly activities and most importantly ... the presentation of the trophy to the winner!
See you there!
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

-
There are no reports of injuries after a blast and ensuing fire, which could be seen for miles on Thursday night.
-
The FCC voted to end E-Rate discounts for library hotspot lending and school bus Wi-Fi.
-
About half the Pacific Airshow’s 2025 lineup has been grounded because of the federal government shutdown.
-
USC says it’s reviewing the letter also sent to eight other prestigious schools nationwide. California's governor vowed that any California universities that sign will lose state funding.
-
Scientists say La Niña is likely, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a dry winter in Southern California.
-
According to a grand jury report the contractor took advantage of strained relations and political pressures to “force” the city to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to settle disputes.