Rally's -- Los Angeles, CA

9829 Venice Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90034 

310-936-1187

website

 

Rally's had been getting wildly mixed reviews on Yelp, but our senior code monkey suggested that we should try it, since he had been enjoying it for years. Rally's is know as Checker's in other parts of the country.  There was no indoor seating, but there were tables outside, and this location had two drive-up windows.  Fat Bruce Lee and I opted for the outdoor seating in order to try the cheeseburgers in a fresh state.We didn't know if they would survive the journey back to our world headquarters/secret laboratory.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef:  It was a fatty Chuck. However, the smallish (about 3 oz.) patties were tender, flavorful, beefy, and juicy. I expected this to be rubbery, and I was pleasantly surprised by something far better than the In-N-Out down the street.  

The Sear: Meh--this could have been MUCH better. The sear was barely apparent on the edges of the thin patties. This was the result of a too cool griddle interacting with a thin, fast-cooking, loosely packed patty.

The Seasoning: This was thorough.  They dusted the patties with a mild seasoning blend, which contained enough salt and pepper to enhance the beefy flavor of the Chuck.

The Preparation: The irregular patties were probably formed to order, because they were tender--this indicated that the beef had not been handled previously and was never frozen. The grind was a Medium-Fine, and they cooked the burgers to Well Done. It was not an aggressive Well Done, because the meat retained its juiciness.

The Cheese: Two gooey slices of American cheese--one on the top of each of the patties in the double cheeseburgers. The creaminess of the American cheese created a nearly decadent mouth feel when it combined with the tender beef.

The Bun: This was a standard, seeded hamburger bun. They toasted it properly, so that it delivered a satisfying crunch to counterbalance the moist chewiness of the bun's interior.

Meat to Bun Ratio: Perfect.

The Fries: Hooray for the fries!  Rally's battered the thin fries in a spicy batter before putting them in the fryer, so they came out exceptionally crunchy and flavorful.  Darn good fries were had a Rally's.

The Value: $11.50 for 2 double cheeseburger, two orders of fries, and two beverages. Win.

Rally's was a couple of blocks from In-N-Out Burger, and it was superior in every way. Rally's delivered made-to-order fast food burgers, which tasted good.  They delivered fries, which were exceptional. The prices were completely reasonable.

 

Burger Review : Rally's made a darn fine fast food burger. Not as good as Smashburger, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Shake Shack, or Steak 'n' Shake, but a fine burger nonetheless.

 

Rating...3 Bites  It was almost deserving of a 4 Bites rating, but the lack of sear held it back.