For the Win

"This casual mini-chain from a former fine-dining chef has five locations across LA, specializing in smashburgers with beefy, fresh-ground patties and a very good fried chicken sandwich. Among LA’s surplus of smashburger options, we like that For The Win strikes a nice balance between a juicy, flavorful patty and crisp, lacy edges. Plus, the melted cheese-to-potato bun ratio that’s spot on. Our standard order is the double stack, which is surprisingly light, with jalapenños, bacon, and their slightly spicy fry sauce. They always taste best straight off the grill, so plan on grabbing a table to eat your order as soon as possible. " - brant cox, sylvio martins, nikko duren, garrett snyder

"Our favorite smashburger spot in the city has opened a new location at LA’s most cursed shopping mall, Beverly Center. We wish them nothing but the best. Expect the same menu found at any of For The Win’s nine other locations, including the lacy double smash on a potato bun, fried chicken sandwiches, and crispy brussel sprouts. " - sylvio martins

"This casual burger spot from a former fine-dining chef has three other locations across LA, specializing in smashburgers with beefy, fresh-ground patties and a very good fried chicken sandwich. A standout among LA’s surplus of smashburgers, we like that For The Win strikes a balance between a juicy, flavorful patty and crisp, lacy edges. Plus, the melted cheese-to-potato bun ratio is  spot on. Our standard order is the double stack, which is surprisingly light, with jalapenños, bacon, and their slightly spicy fry sauce. They always taste best straight off the grill, so plan on grabbing a table to eat your order as soon as possible." - brant cox

"Your Order: Double Cheeseburger ($11.50) We’d never thought we’d call a smashburger “balanced” but here we are. Opened by a former fine-dining chef, For The Win’s burgers nail the tasty middle ground between juicy, flavorful patties (that actually taste like beef) and crispy, lacy charred edges that peek out like a meat skirt. Their standard double on a soft potato bun—with Thousand Island-ish sauce, snappy pickles, and wispy grilled onions pressed into the patty—is a perfect poem of a burger by itself, but adding bacon and jalapeños is like putting a rear spoiler on a ‘03 Corolla: unnecessary, but an undeniable improvement. FTW now has four locations around town (including one at Grand Central Market), but the original in Hollywood is our go-to." - garrett snyder, sylvio martins, nikko duren

"This casual mini-chain from a former fine-dining chef has four other locations across LA, specializing in smashburgers with beefy, fresh-ground patties and a very good fried chicken sandwich. Among LA’s surplus of smashburger options, we like that For The Win strikes a nice balance between a juicy, flavorful patty and crisp, lacy edges. Plus, the melted cheese-to-potato bun ratio that’s spot on. Our standard order is the double stack, which is surprisingly light, with jalapenños, bacon, and their slightly spicy fry sauce. They always taste best straight off the grill, so plan on grabbing a table to eat your order as soon as possible." - Nikko Duren