The iconic hamburger stand, which had sadly closed its doors in 2018 after 75 years of serving Angelenos classic burgers and fries, will reopen with a new roadside stand.
Irv’s Burgers‘ long and rich history is a testament to its food, customer service, and perseverance. Irv Gendis debuted Irv’s Burgers–under a different name at the time–in 1946 and ran the burger stand for decades.
In 2000, Irv’s Burgers landed into the loving hands of the Hong family. The genuine warmth and friendliness of Sonia, her late-brother Sean, and their mother “Mama” Hong only amplified Angelenos’ devotion to Irv’s Burgers. Before handing customers their paper plates of fresh, delicious burgers and hand-cut fries, Sonia took the extra, loving step to draw on each paper plate: a doodle of the customer, a thank you note, and “Just for you!”.
Eater Los Angeles reported that after “ownership changes and increasing rent” forced the Hongs to move further east from its original spot at the corner of Sweetzer and Santa Monica in 2013, “local activism got the stand itself tagged as a historic property for the city of West Hollywood, meaning it couldn’t be torn down or removed.” However, eviction and a family death lead to the historic burger stand’s permanent closure in 2018.
After three years of its absence, the immensely missed Irv’s Burgers will return thanks to Lawrence Longo and his company Off the Menu, who will be backing Hong’s “move into a new, permanent Irv’s Burgers stand in West Hollywood.”
According to Eater Los Angeles, the new space at 7998 Santa Monica Boulevard, next door to their old location, will include a mural that embodies the Hong’s legendary hospitality and paper plate doodles. The corner location will be open to the street, decked out with stools and a walk-up window “where Hong can once again greet her many fans.”
Hong and Longo are focusing on the stand’s construction before they announce an official opening date. But when that fateful day comes, we can be sure that it will be met with a large crowd of smiling and grateful Angelenos.
