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Revealed: the winner of the 2025 LAist Tournament of Cheeseburgers
Cheeseburger from Win-Dow
(
Courtesy Win-Dow
)
It’s official: Win-Dow is your favorite SoCal cheeseburger this year, announced during our live event on Sunday, at Smorgasburg LA at The Row in DTLA.
The low-key vibe of its window-in-the-wall locations in Hollywood, Silver Lake, The Grove, Venice, and Long Beach has garnered many fans, as has its reasonable prices: a single patty cheeseburger is $4.35 and a double is $7.50.
“Our double cheeseburger is like a little bit of alchemy,” said co-founder Jeff Goodman. “The ingredients just sort of come together and make something really, really special, and then for $7.50 it's just an extraordinary value.”
The trophy-winning Win-Dow staff at Smorgasburg LA on Sunday
(
Hershal Shevade
/
LAist
)
Sponsor
Goodman, along with co-founder Paul Hibler, debuted the first Win-Dow in Venice in 2019, at the local steakhouse they’d opened, American Beauty.
Both had lived in Venice for decades, and wanted to provide something for their neighbors — something tasty and affordable for lunch.
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The region currently spends 90% of HUD dollars on permanent housing, but the feds capped it at 30%. -
Weingart Center has been continuously out of compliance for nearly four years, according to an LAist review of records. Audits found multiple failures to properly account for taxpayer money. -
Critics say the current state-approved housing plan will make the city overcrowded.
Their juicy,hand-formed smashed patties are topped with sweet-tasting onions, and served with slices of American cheese, pickles, and their signature house sauce.
No tomato, no lettuce, no frills.
“At the time it was pretty unique,” said Goodman. “I grew up in New Jersey and that's like a New Jersey style burger to smash it with onions like that, so that's where it came from.”
The restaurant has since expanded across L.A. and they’ve just opened a restaurant in Santa Barbara. Goodman teased their next move.
Sponsor
“We do have plans, not yet ready to reveal, but we have another restaurant in construction,” he said.
Runners up
Second place: Krunch
Third place: El Brewjo
Special Recognition:
Larry Mantle's Special Merit Award: Pie 'N Burger
Community Champion Special Award: Fair Oaks Burger
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Today, on Giving Tuesday, your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why on this Giving Tuesday, we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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