Nestled inside an undistinguished storefront in just another strip mall strewn across the Southland sits a rootin’ tootin’ old fashioned burger slinger. Named for the owners’ sons, Bryan and Rashad, B & R’s Old Fashion Burgers has been cooking up some monstrous hand-formed patties since 1994.
The front entrance leads to a spartan dining room that manages to be full of character for not having much in the way of amenities. A handful of straightforward tables and chairs stand between the door and the service counter, where a photocopied menu waits. A poster on the wall touts the Monster Royal Burger ($7.99), a burger so terrifying it just had to be sampled.
The Monster Royal Burger delivers two half-pound patties, bacon or pastrami, a fried egg, cheese, chili, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, mayonnaise, mustard, and relish. Frightening. Fortunately, I wasn’t alone. I was with three friends for a “last meal” sort of celebratory event ahead of a trip out of the country for two of us, and a wedding to each other for the other two.
We ordered the mighty Monster thinking we were pretty cool. I mean, how many of those things could they sell in a week? One? Zero? The answer is three… a day. Three pound-and-a-half gut bombs are sold to the general public daily. This place is a hazard to society.
The Monster Royal arrived at the table and one glance determined that there was zero chance of picking it up and so flatware was requested. Plastic knives and forks were delivered quickly and we went to work. I feared the plasticware would be unable to do the job but it worked out just fine.
The fresh, handmade patties were thick and mouthwateringly seasoned. The seared crust was delightfully tasty and although they were cooked all the way through, they were still moist. The bacon was good but the chili was great. It was not heavy with chili powder and so it did not overpower the flavor of the patties. The veggies were sufficient but the cheese was superfluous. It didn’t do much for flavor or texture and so I’ll skip it, along with the sweet relish, the next time I visit.
You don’t have to order the Monster Royal to enjoy a good burger at B & R’s. All of the beef burgers they offer are made with the same seasoning, which the thought of it alone is making me salivate. But if you are considering the Monster Royal, you might want to swing by in October when they hold their annual Monster eating contest with more than $300 in prizes. I just might see you there.
B & R’s Old Fashion Burgers
3512 West Rosecrans Avenue
Hawthorne, California 90250
(310) 679-4774
www.bandrburgers.com
Hours: Monday – Saturday 7:00AM – 10:00PM
Sunday 7:30AM – 8:00PM
