Larry's Hamburgers

Larry's Hamburgers sits quietly at Additional A, 639 W Channel St, San Pedro, CA 90731, United States, but locals treat it like a neighborhood institution. The first time I walked in after a long morning covering the Port of Los Angeles for a freelance assignment, I was starving and honestly expected a basic diner. What I got instead was a throwback counter spot that still knows how to build a proper burger, not the messy overstyled stuff flooding social media.

The menu is refreshingly simple. Think charbroiled patties, hand-sliced onions, chili fries that actually taste like they were simmered instead of dumped from a can, and shakes thick enough to need a spoon. A cook told me they grind beef daily, which tracks with research from the American Meat Science Association showing that freshly ground beef retains moisture better and produces a more consistent texture. You feel that difference here. My go-to order is the double cheeseburger with grilled onions, and every bite reminds me why people still talk about classic diners like this.

Reviews around San Pedro tend to agree. A neighbor who’s been eating here since the 90s told me he still calls it his best burger in town spot. That’s not something you hear lightly in a harbor city filled with seafood joints and taco trucks. When I tested that claim with friends after a beach cleanup day, the consensus landed around the bun-to-meat ratio. The buns are lightly toasted, so they don’t disintegrate halfway through, and that detail sounds small until you’ve had enough soggy burgers to care.

Behind the counter, there’s a method to the madness. Patties go straight onto a screaming-hot flat top, then get flipped only once. That technique aligns with guidelines from the Culinary Institute of America, which stresses minimal flipping to lock in juices and form a proper crust. It’s old-school, but it works. Fries are double-cooked too: first blanched, then dropped again when you order. That’s why they show up hot, crisp, and not greasy.

You’ll also notice how many people order chili cheese fries as a shared plate. One afternoon I chatted with a longshoreman who said it’s their unofficial crew lunch. They pool cash, grab a table, and dive in before heading back to the docks. That kind of loyalty doesn’t happen unless a restaurant consistently delivers.

The location helps too. Being so close to the water, this place pulls in everyone from high school kids to retirees who’ve lived in San Pedro their whole lives. There aren’t multiple locations or flashy expansions, and honestly that’s part of the charm. According to the National Restaurant Association, nearly 60 percent of diners prefer independent restaurants because they trust them more than chains. This diner fits that statistic perfectly.

Not everything is perfect, and it’s fair to say the dining room is no-frills. Seating is tight during lunch rush, and parking can be annoying on busy weekends. Still, the vibe is friendly, and the staff remembers regulars. Last time I was there, the cashier recognized me and asked if I wanted my usual shake, which is how you know you’ve crossed from customer into familiar face.

If you’re scanning menus online or scrolling through reviews, you’ll see people mention prices a lot. They’re reasonable, but not dirt cheap anymore. Rising beef costs have hit everyone, a trend documented by the USDA in its recent commodity outlook. The upside is that quality hasn’t slipped, and I’d rather pay a couple dollars more than watch another solid burger joint cut corners.

There’s something grounding about a place that doesn’t try to reinvent itself every year. Whether you’re grabbing a quick lunch between shifts or bringing family in after a Little League game, this diner keeps it real. It’s not chasing trends, it’s serving food that works, day after day, and judging by the steady stream of customers and glowing neighborhood chatter, that formula still holds strong.