Sandwiched between a fire and gas station, Marty's Hamburger Stand entices Pico passerby with the promise of the Combo special, a burger dating back to 1959. Photographed by Finn Martin/BruinLife.
Sandwiched between Fire Department 92 and a Shell station on 10558 W. Pico Blvd., Marty’s is a stand that has been frying up American affair since 1958. Although its simple exterior – fit with metal stools, stucco framing and narrow counters topped with an assortment of condiments – might not look like much, the old shack’s got it where it counts.
After the challenge that finding parking on Pico can be, customers are greeted by two signs: one, a vintage yellow proudly declaring that the establishment serves nothing but Chicago’s finest Vienna Beef, and the second, a white sign that reads, “The Original Marty’s Home of The Combo” – more on that foot-long and 3.5-ounce beauty later.
The menu has everything from tuna sandwiches to BLTs to a breakfast burrito, but returning customers and first-timers alike are lured to Marty’s for one reason in particular – it’s the home of The Combo, of course. This California icon is the stuff of European nightmares. A 3.5-ounce, freshly ground beef patty is topped with a sliced up Vienna sausage, SoCal special shredded lettuce, tomato, white onions, mustard, mayo and, who could forget, ketchup – if this burger had pickles, it might as well run for president.
A Marty's cook preps the Combo burger and the Fire Dog over the location's original 1959 griddle. Photographed by Finn Martin/BruinLife.
Fitted tightly between a fire and gas station, Marty's Hamburger Stand might not look like much, but this shack sells an LA classic experience that is to dine for. Photographed by Finn Martin/BruinLife.
Orders are taken in a flurry of English and Spanish by one of the three cooks on staff inside their compact square of a kitchen. From their position at the counter, patrons can catch a glimpse of what makes Marty’s truly original. The griddle used to cook the food today is the same one Marty Bassman started on all of those delicious decades ago. Years upon years of onion sweat, beef juice and chili drippings have seasoned the appliance to perfection, as every menu item is prepared on the same flattop – giving each and every item a unique flavor that is distinctly Marty’s.
Be sure to bring cash as this restaurant only accepts physical tender. ATMs can be found by the Overland and West Pico intersection two blocks West. Photographed by Finn Martin/BruinLife.
Smashed patties are cooked for 40 seconds, and hot dogs are griddled split-style for an increased Maillard reaction right in front of customers who are hungry and ready to pay in cash – to those in the know, the “cash only” joint is the sign of a neighborhood classic. Burgers assembled and dogs topped, Angelenos take their meals around the back to dine in the 50-person patio seating.
The 3.5-oz Combo packs a smashed burger, American cheese, sliced hotdogs and a mix of condiments between two griddle toasted buns. Kudos to those who are still hungry after finishing! Photographed by Finn Martin/BruinLife.
The Combo is intense but well worth the experience. Granted, individually, the burger is not great – In-N-Out, even McDonald’s has a better patty – but when all the ingredients meet on the taste buds, that’s why Marty’s has been around for 66 years. That special seasoning from the griddle gives The Combo a flavor profile that is hard to describe – if someone were to describe the experience of eating a burger to an alien, this would be that burger. The white onion adds so much intensity that really breaks up the double meat mountain of the sausage and patty. The Vienna dog packs a powerful punch of beefy goodness. The tomato adds natural acidity and MSG, and surprisingly enough, that store-bought sesame seed bun is the perfectly soft vessel to hold this American monstrosity.
The Fire Dog offers a slice of spice with its split hot dog stuffing of jalapeños, relish and onions. The Chili Fries are served in typical Angeleno fashion with a thicker chili base and cheese. Photographed by Finn Martin/BruinLife.
The Fire Dog, named for its slices of jalapeños and not the fact that it’s served next door to a fire station, brings a bun-sized bonanza of flavors. Order up front, and watch this jalapeño, onion and relish combination sizzle and squeeze its way into a grilled just right split Vienna Beef hotdog — a lesson in grill mastery that proves good things can come in small packages. Don’t savor the bite too long, though, since the crumble clock starts as soon as you dig in, sending you racing to finish the Fire Dog before it snaps in half under its own weight and breaks like the Titanic. (The mess might be maddening, but the filling warmth this Fire Dog brings will keep you content for an afternoon and more!)
Chili cheese fries are a staple of the burger stand, and they do not disappoint here. The french fries have a good puff to them while still being crispy enough to stand up to the thick layer of chili and melted slice of American cheese. The chili is in the same vein as the ever-imitated-but-never-duplicated Original Tommy’s recipe – deeply flavored, spiced and made all the more velvety from the cheese.
Though traditional stool seating is available along the sides of the stand, a back lot behind Marty's offers classic picnic tables for dine in customers. Photographed by Finn Martin/BruinLife.
While there is legwork involved with dining at Marty’s Hamburger Stand between having to pass countless fast-food chains and paying in cash, the quality made-to-order meal and the unbeatable atmosphere of this Pico landmark make it worth those extra steps – steps one will probably be glad to take if they finish The Combo.
