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Address: 470 La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CaVisited: Monday September 14, 2009 6:45PM
Ordered: California Burger (x1), Onion Rings (x1), Lemonade (x1)
Total Cost: $11.17
Photo from Yellowbot, by Erron Silverstein
Vin S.’s Review
The Experience
Norm’s is a well-known LA diner, with a big menu, a handful of locations all around So. Cal., and lots of signs saying it had been around for 60 years. I’d never actually been to one, and on Monday night, I found myself suddenly without dinner plans (Roscoe’s trip with a friend fell apart last minute), and then as I wound back down through LA, I was outside Norm’s and hungry and decided to go in for a burger.
I reckon I would have appreciated this setting more at a late night time; as it was, it felt just like any old normal old diner. The waitress was friendly, it was just the right level of busy, but nothing about the experience stuck with me. I do remember thinking, "what is taking so long?" a few times while I was waiting for my food.
The Burger
I did briefly consider ordering something else besides a burger, but nothing else really appealed and I thought, might as well get a review out of the night, right? There are 6 regular burgers on the menu, as well as 4 fancier ones which cost a little more. Each burger is 1/2 pound, with lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onions and Norm’s Special Sauce. I went with the California Burger, which also had melted Monterey Jack cheese and avocado. The burgers also came with fries or onion rings, and I chose the latter.
I’m writing this a couple of days later, and in reminiscing about the burger, I find I am mixed on the Norm’s burger. I quite liked the meat (a good size, which really let you taste it). The wheat bun I chose was also good (you could also get egg or sesame). I also quite enjoyed Norm’s Secret Sauce*.
However, the extra stuff I ordered which made the burger "California" were a big letdown. The avocado was buried, and added nothing. I barely noticed the cheese. I might get a burger at Norm’s again, but I probably wouldn’t get the California.
*the dirtiest Whattheburger sentence ever writ!
Bottom Line
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