Umami Burger

I’ve been there twice so far and I don’t think I am going back. The first time about two weeks ago it cost me $ 96 for two burgers. The second time it cost me $ 63, because we had coupons for free fries (only reason we went back), otherwise it would have cost the same. Also they charge for ice! That’s right, they charge you an additional $ 2 per drink if you want your drink on the rocks! That’s the single most arrogant surcharge I’ve seen on a restaurant bill ever! It’s obvious they don’t want repeat business.
This place is outrageously expensive for a franchise eatery! And both times there were just a handful of patrons there and this is at prime restaurant hours of around 8pm.

I came here for the first time… I know hard to believe right? With a friend a few weeks ago and oh my God I can’t wait to go back.
First off they serve beer… Which is a win in my book, and really anybody’s book. I ordered a Duvel which if you don’t know, and you wouldn’t know this… Is my all-​time favorite beer. It’s a Belgian ale and yeah try it you’re welcome. To the food, I ordered The K — BBQ burger and it was bomb and my friend ordered the «green bird burger» which is a turkey burger served with sprouts, green, and mashed avocado all piled on top although she opted out of the sprouts… Boo. I can’t really describe mind but know that it was good we also did an order of sweet potato fries which were the bomb. The bread they serve the burgers on was definitely on point to and they stamp/​burn it with a little ‘U’ which is cool.
I’ll be sure to be back.

I had the burger with egg and it was great.
Fried crispy cheese is a good feature of the burger!

Love the burger soooo much! We ordered sweet potato fries and manly burger, which had fried onions, thick cut bacon and tasty beef on it. Highly recommend! After umami, you can go around the Grove to digest your food ;)

My husband and I just LOVE this joint — the truffle fries and tempura onion rings are to die for, as are the three house dips they offer. My favorite is the «manly man» burger (and I prefer it well done– I knowww!) It is our preferred «go-​to» place after catching a late night concert or show in Hollywood if we’re lucky enough to have a babysitter late into the night, that is.
Shago & Jon

Waited 10 minutes after a waiter took my to-​go order. No place to sit, so I had to stand the entire time. He came back and said has anybody helped you? I said didn’t you put in my order? He said no it’s been really busy. Yeah, I don’t except that from anyone, I don’t care how busy you are. Will not be back.

Umami burger is a great place. I am a reasonably intelligent person who has use of logic and reason. If I were a vegetarian I would use this logic and intelligence and know not to ever come to a place like Umami burger and expect there to be no meat in sight. This is a level of intellect that even the town oaf would possess.
For example I would not go to Veggie Grill and be angry that there are vegetables there or vegetables in plain sight. Because «VEGGIE» is in the title of the restaurant. I would not go to Red Lobster and become livid when I see that there is shellfish prepared and cooked there. Life is so much easier when you use your brain.
I would know not to be offended by the sight of carnelian red beef glistening in the window. Drips of salty meat blood soaking into the chopping boards and into the bread itself would not bother me because as a smart person who uses deductive reasoning and knows «BURGER» = «MEAT SOMEWHERE ON THE PREMISES». These burgers are so wonderful. I do consume beef but only once a month. This is one of the restaurants I go to to eat a great burger. Umami always delivers consistently good food and their meat is fantastic quality. I don’t feel guilty about consuming beef when I know it comes from a great source. Superior ground beef.
Also because I use my brains and I know that when I see a sign that has «BURGER» in the title, I know meat will be there. The best kind that Umami has.

Good. It was 4pm and the restaurant was empty and still it takes 25minutes for us to get the server. We needed to stand up and walk in to ask that we need to order… :(
Other than that. its ok.
The Umami in Hollywood and DTLA are much better…
Food quality and service are way better.

First and foremost, our server Jake was incredible. Service was the best we have had during our trip to LA.
The menu is super cool with lots of fun flavor combinations. We ordered the maple bacon fries which came with an assortment of delicious sauces. Amazing.
Peter got the ahi tuna burger and I got the sunny side up. Both were CRACK.
Thank you!

I live right up the block so I pop in here every now and then, the burgers are really good but the staff always seems displeased to have customers cause now they actually have to work rather than huddling around the bar gossiping about who knows what, we sat on the patio which they didn’t seem too happy about. The waitress then takes our order and when she repeated it back to us it was incorrect and when we corrected her she replied with a bad attitude, «yeah that’s what I said» as she exhaled and batted her eyes. We didn’t see her the rest of the meal, a guy took over as our waiter and he forgot to bring us silverware with our food so I got up and went inside and grabbed some off a table.
Then I had to take the credit card to them inside when we were ready for the check cause they were all huddled by the bar the whole time, then when they brought us the receipt they tried to give us our first drink refill as if that’s gonna make their tip any better
Oh wait but it gets so much better, after I burped I noticed a rancid taste in my mouth from the slimy ahi tuna, and sure enough, a few hours later I’m puking my guts out from food poisoning
After doing some research I found out that umami cahuenga just had a major health code violation on 1−28−16 regarding food storage temperature GROSS!!! I ate ahi tuna that wasn’t stored properly

I was craving Umami Burger after being out of California for a while, so it was a welcome treat! Exactly how I remembered it and just as satisfying.
This was my first time at this location, and I prefer it over the Santa Monica one. It’s significantly less crowded and has a great aesthetic. Plenty of light coming in, a bigger space, and a less crowded feel overall. In terms of service, it was a little hit or miss. The hostess wasn’t super friendly and was hard to track down, but our waitress made up for it with her friendliness, quick service, and helpful suggestions.
HATCH BURGER ($ 12) & TRUFFLE FRIES ($ 5.5):
In terms of food, the truffle fries here are a must-​have for me. I love the thin, crispy fries they bring out drizzled with gooey truffle cheese. You’d think it would be overwhelming, but it’s just right. They don’t overdo the truffle flavor or the amount of cheese. The dipping sauces they bring on the side (jalapeño ranch, diablo, garlic aioli, and their signature Umami ketchup) are great, but the fries alone are already perfect. A little bit of that sweet ketchup and you’re good.
I tried the Hatch burger for the first time and was not disappointed, even though I was reallyyy leaning towards my usual order of an Umami or Manly burger. This one wasn’t as indulgent, which I say as a compliment. As much as I love the burgers here, they tend to be on the overly rich side what with all the heavy cheeses, sauces, and toppings on top of the already juicy patty. This one kept it simple with just chopped roasted hatch chiles, a bit of garlic aioli, and «house Cali cheese» (not sure what that is, but it was white with mild-​to-​medium sharpness and worked great).
OVERALL:
I was really happy with the consistency of the Umami chain and especially liked this location. The only major downside is street parking options, but that’s true for everything in the area.

This place is great! Ashleigh is an amazing server and had a great lunch! If you’re in the hood, make sure to stop in and say hi to Troy!

As foodies, my boyfriend and I are absolute snobs when it comes to burgers. Only the best for the best, you know? Came to Umami burger after spending a Sunday in LA and, needless to say, we will be back!
Cons: The location was a little hard to find. It’s down an alley beside a hair salon. But that isn’t enough of an issue to bring down the rating… The food speaks for itself.
Pros: Truffle fries, jalapeño ranch, habanero sauce, roasted aioli and the Parmesan frico cheese!
My love had the truffle burger, delicious. I had the sunnyside burger, phenomenal. Honestly, I don’t think you could go wrong with any choice here!
The atmosphere is extremely laid back and modern. They have a small, but outstanding variety of craft beer on tap. And the service was on point, Jonathan took extremely good care of us and was both knowledgable and helpful of all the menu choices!

Came to Umami Burger (first timer) and dude was it amazing!!! Jonathan was our waiter and seriously MADE the experience. My lady and I walked in and had no idea what to get. He suggested the Truffle Fries, and dear God were they amazing. He even brought us 4 different sauces to try out: Jalapeño ranch, habanero, roasted aoili, and truffle ketchup. Our favorite was the habanero, and as we were running out, he promptly brought us more.
We didn’t know which burgers to get, and asked Jonathan which he would suggest. My lady took his suggestion to receive the Sunnyside Burger, and I accepted the suggestion of the Truffle Burger. Both were insanely good!!! The meat quality here is top notch, and the fricco cheese is a heavenly made cracker of cheese. The Truffle cheese is ridiculously good too. Please note, take the recommended Medium Rare option. The meat is so juicy and is cooked to perfection. If you prefer a little more cooked, go for Medium. Otherwise you will be sacrificing taste.
We loved it, and cannot wait to come back. We consider ourselves foodies, and beyond the fact that the place was a little hidden, we couldn’t find any disappointments with the food or the service. We cannot wait to blog about this experience. Thanks Umami and Jonathan. Four thumbs up.

I’ve eaten here a number of times, and recently took a group of 10 newbies (a mix of carnivores and vegetarians) here for dinner. There was probably nearly every menu item on our table, and everyone was blown away. We also had some picky eaters who had special requests, and the staff was awesome in accommodating us. Service was top notch, and the food incredible.

Truffle burger is so damn goooooooood love the beef gravy mixed with melting truffle cheese！The service is also great

5 stars all across the board — especially this Hollywood location as they have a nice indoor room with high ceilings plus a lovely patio if you want to bring your pooch. Killer burgers and sweet potato fries and a nice selection of craft beer. I always get the Hatch Chili burger which is not too spicy but has real flavor. Would love to try their deserts but am always too full from the burger!

Happy Birthday to me: Truffle Beet Salad, tots, Hatch burger. Chest bump!
Also, Randy is the best.

Truffle is like heaven. Obviously I had the truffle burger. It was perfect med rare and truffleicious (I made up a word-​go me!). Even the sauces they served were all good especially the special ketchup.
It was a very cold and rainy today and the place was empty but it was enjoyable. The music was vinbin’ and the staff was cool.
Definitely will be going back.

Jonathon was awesome! Service was on point. Everyone was satisfied. Drinks came quickly, food came at the perfect time, the cocktails were amazing. The host was so sweet. We will definitely be back. Service was above and beyond! Burgers were delicious and fries were so yummy. And, if you love pickles go for the pickled plate :)

Believe it or not the Ahi Tuna Burger is killer! The tots with the Jalapeño Ranch dipping sauce are sooo good! This location is hidden by Urban Outfitters. Parking is on Selma and Ivar. I have noticed that Stout is taking all their customers because you can’t really see it from the street. That place is great but so is Umami. Keep up the good service and food and hopefully you can stay on top of the competition!

Had tuna burger. Rare.
Holy crap it is good. Paired with the Allagash beer… I have arrived.

Wasn’t very impressed by this place. The pictures of the food looked a lot better then it really was. The atmosphere was nice and clean. But our waiter had a snobby attitude. The food wasn’t bad just not as good as I expected

I literally went just 2 hrs ago n I gotta say it was sooo good
The service was awesum they were very attentive
They 4got our truffle fries but our waiter was really awesum about it n didn’t charge us 4 it
Would definitely go back

This place is centrally located and has amazing service. People are super nice and helpful. There are better burger places in LA. The bread was a little stale and the toppings weren’t anything special. We ordered the following items:
1. Umami burger — nothing special, next ¹⁄₅
2. Manly burger — decent ⁴⁄₅
3. Truffle burger — simple with lots of cheese ³⁄₅
4. Sunny burger — I like plan checks better ²⁄₅
5. Maple yam fries — unique but wasn’t amazing ³⁄₅
3. Truffle Fries– nothing special ²⁄₅

Presentation — 4 stars. Usage of the secret overcooked meat ingredient — 2 stars since I ordered two medium rare burgers and got very well done. Average — 3 stars. Maybe the other burgers are better, but the Umami just didn’t taste as good as expected.

Love coming to this Umami Burger after a hike with my dog at Runyon Canyon. It’s just 2 miles away, a short drive, which is lovely when you are finished with your hike and ravenous with hunger and in desperate need of 10 glasses of iced water.
Great outdoor seating area sandwiched between a Free People and Urban Outfitters. Also it never seems to be crowded here, even on weekends.
Service is always super attentive and friendly. Really appreciate that they bring out water for my dog too.
Can’t go wrong with the classic Umami Burger.
Truffle burger was a little intense – too much musky mushroom flavor. Cali Burger is a pass… it’s just an overpriced In-​N-​Out Burger.
MUST GET: Maple Bacon Fries.
The perfect consistency of crisp sweet potato fries in a light maple syrup glaze that’s not overpowering. Bits of fatty bacon chunks, served with their umami ketchup and garlic aioli, etc.
Burgers are kind of expensive but everything else is pretty reasonable.

Umami Burger is making premium burgers and fries. On a day trip to LA, I stopped off for a bite to eat before heading back to Encinitas. I ordered the signature Umami Burger with a side of Truffle Fries. The patty was a perfectly cooked premium patty. I was pleased that the premium price delivered a premium product. The bun and toppings were tasty although I don’t think I would get this combination again with it’s shiitake mushroom and caramelized onion. The truffle fries were tasty. The fries were cooked perfectly and arrived crispy on the outside and hot. They were covered with a cheese sauce flavored with truffle which was a different approach to delivering on the truffle.
The location is in the middle of things in Hollywood but street parking was still easy enough to locate on a weekday. The restaurant is back off the street and a little hard to spot unless you’re looking. It opens onto a courtyard surrounded by a small shopping center. They have nice indoor and outdoor seating. The staff was very attentive. Overall, the experience was laid back and fun.

Damn it had been way too long since i visited an Umami location and this place was so cool! it is tucked away in a brick building in between mom n pop shops and the atmosphere is very bar-​pub-​hole in the wall-​ish esque style!
our waitress was super nice and upon asking about beers, she brought out samples of 4 she recommended for me to choose! so cool! never had that at any restaurant before!
we also ordered a cherry lemonade but it seemed to lack the grenadine (yes just lemonade and grenadine) and the second cup she asked if we wanted more cus i think she knew lol
for the main courses this is what we ordered:
maple bacon fries: hot damn these were amazing! sweet potato fries with thick chunks of bacon, maple syrup, just oh so good, sweet, salty, savory, the umami of fries! and it had Aleppo salt, WHAT! hell ya! my dad is from Aleppo :)
onion rings: these were thick, tempura battered, flavorful but it was just so much! good but it was a lot of food
hatch burger: i didn’t try this but my girlfriend ordered it and she said she loved it, came with roasted hatch chilies, cheese, and garlic aioli looked good!
kbbq burger: and now my burger! this was also recommended by the waitress and damn was i happy to order it! gochujang glaze (not exactly sure what it is but tasted like soy/​teriyaki mix with some ponzu ish flavor! the kimchi was amazingly delicious, fresh, crunchy, so good and the korean ketchup gave some amazing kick and flavor to it as well!
once again, an amazing Umami experience! thank you!

Loved the cali burger. Great flavors for this juicy burger. Sweet Potato fries with maple syrup are great. Also you have to get the tator tots. Onion rings were okay. Sampled the mint ice cream sandwich and coffee with salted Carmel ice cream sandwich, which were both great. Can’t wait to go again.

Not impressed…
Ben kicked us out at 11:35pm! Really?!
Jenna (manager) tried to make up for it by speaking to her GM (Tony), but all we were offered was the corner booth which is so close to the window that unless you’re 110lbs or lesss; you won’t fit.
Jenna was a sweetheart for trying to deal with our grievances as professionally as possible.
She called George (general manager) as soon as possible.
Lee («short for Ashley») was very courteous, and sweet as well. What angered me though was she offered us a FREE Ahi Tuna salad (probably per her manager’s reqest) to make up for the mishap from the previous weekend. Salad?! Really?! Might as well offer FREE bathroom privileges.
It’s like trying to impress me with FREE water.
The burger was dry and gross.
Salad was slimy and chewy.
Water came in bourgeoisie Evian glass bottles.
Fries were paper thin.
NOT SATISIFIED OR IMPRESSED.
NEVER COMING BACK! EVER!
MY STOMACH IS IN KNOTS OVER THESE TWO BACK TO BACK CONSECUTIVE RIDICULOUS EXPERIENCES!!!

Talk about hidden gem. Among all the stores in the area, Umami is tucked far away from the noise on Cahuenga. They’ll make you a fan of sweet potatos after tasting their fries. If all else fails go with the original Umami Burger.
Great place to relax and enjoy the broad crowd that appreciates a good burger. Any time of the day/​night is a good time to go. Be aware of a possible crowd.

This Umami is hard to find, tucked behind the urban outfitters and not visible by street, but service was really fast and the food was good!
I got the Kale Caesar (don’t judge me) and my sisters got some kind of seasonal truffle burger with an egg inside. They enjoyed their and I enjoyed mine. I love Umami’s Kale Caesar. It isn’t at all boring, very flavorful, and you don’t even need the dressing – the cheese sprinkling is perfect! The dressing itself is very heavy and creamy, so I didn’t raelly touch it. The croutons they serve the salad with are so good, too! Love that they serve it with fresh anchovies, also.
It was pretty clean and we didn’t feel rushed but also didn’t feel like we were ever waiting on our server, which is always a plus. If I’m in the area and craving a burger, I will be back!

Sans aucun doute l’un des meilleurs Burgers de L.A. Produits frais, bien préparés (enfin de la viande «rare» quand on la demande!), le lieu est joli (donne sur une cour), la salle un peu bruyante, mais le personnel est en or! N’oubliez pas de «umamify your fries». Le burger «Original» est à tomber. À né pas rater! (Attention, il s’agit d’une chaîné, mais ils sont tous différents. Après avoir testé d’autres Umami (s), celui-​ci reste le top du top!)

Un bel endroit branchouille proposant des burgers parfaits pour mes papilles européennes
Le pinot noir chilien né vaut par contre pas un coup de cidre
Bön rapport qualité prix