Exclusive | Unassuming joint in LA’s Chinatown serves one of the world’s Top 10 burgers — we put it to the test

It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it!

The California Post tried the acclaimed cheeseburger at Amboy, ranked ninth in the World’s 101 Best Burgers and the only Los Angeles-based restaurant to crack the prestigious Top 10.

Five other LA burgers did, however, make the list of 101.

My immediate reaction when hearing the news about Amboy was skepticism.

In the world is a massive metric. But the claim is public, and the restaurant is standing by it.

When I first arrived to check it out, I wasn’t even sure I’d arrived in the right place.

To say the restaurant is in an unassuming spot in Chinatown would be an understatement.

We walked down a long commercial corridor to a compact storefront called Amboy Quality Meats & Delicious Burgers.

It is a cool space with an undeniable “if you know, you know” energy that feels like a classic Hollywood movie set.

It feels like a friendly neighborhood joint where regular guys are flipping patties — but it just so happens those patties are made with premium, dry-aged beef.

The vibe is uniquely LA.

After introducing ourselves, we ordered the staple menu items:

• Amboy Classic ($10.00 – $14.00): A toasted sesame seed bun, a classic thin smash patty, American cheese, caramelized onions, pickles and house burger sauce.
• Amboy DH ($21.00): A toasted sesame seed bun, a massive 10-ounce dry-aged patty, American cheese, caramelized onions, pickles and house burger sauce.
• Amboy Fries ($10.00): Fries topped with burger sauce, caramelized onions, homemade cheese sauce and chopped chilis.

It was a substantial amount of food, but this was a formal taste test.

My wife is vegan, so premium beef isn’t actually a regular staple in our household, so today was already a good day.

The Amboy Classic is exceptional, sitting right on par with any smash burger you’ve ever had in LA.

But the 10-ounce DH burger is a major lead forward again. It features a deep external sear while remaining medium-well and remarkably juicy in the center. While calling a burger “juicy” is a bit of a cliché, there’s honestly no other way to describe this one. It is a highly technical, well-produced, big-boy burger.

Shout out to Amboy.

I wasn’t the only one impressed. I spoke with fellow customer Jason Durrant, who was visiting from San Diego. His verdict was definitive: “It’s definitely better than any burger in San Diego.”

Securing the ninth-best burger in the world for $21 in Chinatown is an absolute win.

If I am going to treat myself to a burger, this makes the short list.

And to try the world’s eighth-best, I’d have to jump on an 18 hour flight to Retford, England.

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