My review of Bills was taken down by an uppity elite becasue they were so offended by the accuracy that your first time and all times to Bills is a spirtually awaking expereince mixed with purly blissful, intoxicating sensual healing. simply because Bill never allowed troglodyte like hipsters or trendy hoes to get to him. He was a badass that made them run crying becasue he was a Cat in training. He is Gone but his legacy still lives with Doug and Hiroko so ill write it again becasue these dummies gotta know. The Last Bastion of No-Nonsense Grit: Bill's Burgers isn't here to hold your hand. It's a visceral, smoke-scented institution serving pure sensory overload on a paper plate, parked on a sun-baked stretch of Van Nuys asphalt. It was Lord Anthony Bourdains favorite place. he just never said it was because he didnt want hipsters to flood it so whenever he was asked to do a segment of his favorite burger place he said fine and did In and Out. The first time you stand outside this shack, your coddled, over-sanitized sensibilities might panic. It looks stripped-down, raw, and unbothered by modern trends. Good. We've been conditioned by corporate fast-food labs to accept heavily preserved, unseasoned mediocrity. If your digestive tract objects after eating here, it's not an ailment--it's a physical exorcism. It's your body aggressively throwing out years of plastic chain-restaurant food and demanding you finally man up. Order the Double Cheeseburger. Retreat to your car like you just pulled off a diamond heist, and sink your teeth into it.Instantly, the world stops spinning. This isn't just a meal; it is an intense, deeply seductive, full-body experience. As your eyes close, a cosmic frequency takes over your soul. It's the smooth, velvety warmth of Marvin Gaye and Barry Whitetrading lines with a soulful caress of the harp by Randy Rhoads , while the ACTUAL God aka Ozzy Osbourne preaches the ACTUAL Gospel aka Black Sabbath right into your cerebral cortex. It feels so dangerously good it should probably be age-restricted. Just as you are about to completely lose yourself in pure culinary euphoria, the ghost of James Brown jolts through your spine, slaps you back to consciousness, and tells you to wake up. You open your eyes, realize you completely blacked out and inhaled the burger, each sensual bite after the other, and immediately walk back to the counter to order another one. The Code of the Counter: The legendary Bill may have moved on to the great flat-top in the sky, but his uncompromising, badass legacy lives on through Doug and Hiroko. This shack is a fortress against the overly sensitive and the trendy. If you need an influencer-approved background, app tracking, or a side of truffle fries, head back to In-N-Out. To survive the ritual, you must respect the temple: The Strategic Windows: Show up before 12:00 PM or after 2:00 PM. Good art takes time, and they are massaging each patty into absolute perfection. The No-BS Policy: The corporate lie of "the customer is always right" dies at the sidewalk. The law of the land is beautiful in its simplicity: Don't be a jerk, and you will receive a masterpiece.The Pure Minimalism: No fries. Don't ask. They don't exist. You don't need them. The burger is the alpha, the omega, and the only thing that matters. read more

I've been going to Bill's Burgers for many, many years, and it honestly pains me to leave a one-star review because I've always loved the burgers. Unfortunately, the recent price increase has changed that for me. The burgers are now close to $9 each, and while I've always been willing to pay a little more for a good burger, I just don't feel they're worth the new price. Under the previous pricing, Bill's was a place I could happily return to again and again. At the new prices, it feels like the value is simply no longer there. Since Bill passed, Doug has taken over running the business, and it seems like the prices have increased substantially. I understand that costs go up and businesses have to make money, but this feels like a significant jump, and unfortunately it comes across as more of a money grab than a reasonable price adjustment. I'm sure some longtime customers will continue to go, but for me, this is where I draw the line. I genuinely like the burgers, but liking the food only goes so far when the price no longer makes sense. After all these years, I won't be going back. That's disappointing, because Bill's Burgers used to be one of those local places I was happy to support. read more

Came here on a Thursday for lunch. The owner called everyone by name which I really loved and he clearly has a TON of regulars. Definitely a fixture in the community. My double cheeseburger ($9) was delicious and had a really good meat to bun ratio. I also did want to try a chili dog but he said he was only making burgers that day :( No frills place with good food. As a reminder this is a Cash Only establishment! read more

Bill's Hamburgers - Double cheeseburger - Burgers Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Super cool old school spot with a lot of character. Exactly what I imagine an 1950s burger stand would be. Pill up get you order in and wait for goodness to be served. Trust me your patience will be rewarded. I went with a double cheeseburger and a chili dog. Both were tasty and delicious. If I lived in the area this would be a regular stop for me. The grill man was busy and hell getting out orders but everything moved pretty quick. Make sure you bring cash as it's cash only I believe. Not sure why Yelp says it's pricy, it's not. It's much cheaper than it should be but I'm not gonna complain. read more

Bill's Hamburgers - Chili dog - Burgers Near Me - Van Nuys, California

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NOT closed, they had a break in and are fixing the shack. More info posted by LA In a Minute's IG post (link at end of my review). I have eaten here over the years. The food and service are excellent, all affordable too. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbJzuDpPifw/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== read more

Everybody that has met Bill Elwell loves him including our family. I'm saddened to learn of his passing. Bill's Hamburgers stand remains one of the best burger spots in San Fernando Valley (Van Nuys) and my FAVORITE place to grab a cheeseburger in Los Angeles County. Rest in Peace Bill, you will be missed. read more

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It's really difficult to rate Bill's hamburgers. First of all, this is one of the legendary burger spots in Los Angeles. You hear about this place all the time. You finally are driving through Van Nuys and you see it, and you think oh I need to go check that place out. Now, I understand through the internet that Bill has unfortunately passed away, and that the business was purchased, and that they have continued the tradition. I guess the big deal is that the griddle is so well seasoned at this point that you get that classic taste. It's also a piece of Los Angeles burger history. That being said, the prices are super super affordable. Which I really appreciate. A lot of times legendary burger places like this try to capitalize on their fame and raise prices, not so with this location. The biggest things that bring this down to a four-star review are: The wait time, and the lack of menu options. I had to wait over 45 minutes for my hamburger. I understand you have a limited grill space, I understand you're popular, they were only three or four people that were waiting there ahead of me and I still had to wait 45 minutes for my cheeseburger. As for the menu options, they don't allow substitutions, which I actually really appreciate. What I'm talking about is that you can only get a side of chips. I understand that adding french fries would be difficult, or adding tater tots or something like that would be difficult, but the burger is really good and it was just disappointing that I had to have it with a side of bad bagged potato chips. All that to be said, the burger was really good. I mean it was a burger stand burger, but it was really well made It was very tasty I really appreciated the burger itself. So definitely come and check this out for a piece of the Los Angeles burger history. Definitely come by if you are just looking for a nice inexpensive really good burger stand burger. Don't come by if you're on your lunch break and you have a limited amount of time. read more

Finally able to make it iconic burger spot. Wanted to order chili dog and a burger but didn't have chili dogs today. This is a small hole in the wall with small staff. I ended up ordering a double bacon cheese burger. Burger was small, bacon was nice a crispy. The meat was overcookedand could have been seasoned. All in all the burger was decent. When me and my brother showed up it was 1 person and head of us but after we order there was a crowd. read more

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RIP Bill. Thanks for all the memories and great food at your tiny burger shack. God bless your family read more

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It's like the good old days of delicious, fresh and juicy beef burgers with the melty cheese and slight grease i used to remember eating as a kid. Like what McDonalds used to feel like to me but now that I'm older, this is so delightful. $9 for a double cheeseburger and nostalgic satisfaction. Street parking and cash only. Support the local gems! read more

Bill's Hamburgers - Burgers Near Me - Van Nuys, California

This is the perfect cheeseburger. Bill's (RIP) griddle is so well seasoned after all these years that every patty that comes off of it is gold. I get the double and my husband gets a triple. The melted cheese, fresh onions, thinly sliced tomato, mayo and shredded lettuce compliment each other so nicely on the soft bun. I love getting a side of lays with my burger. The wait can be long so prepare to come back or come during non-lunch hours. Service cuts to the chase, the place is a hut that you order from and take to-go. There is seating in the back area but I've never seen anyone stay. They have a restroom you can use if there is an emergency but I recommend waiting to go elsewhere if possible. read more

Update to my last review, I was in LA for a couple of days and was lucky enough to be there when they were open and had burgers available. Although they have other items on the menu they are selling strictly burgers. Burgers are still tasty and reminiscent of the old school burgers with nice griddle cook flavor with mayo, lettuce, tomato and onions. I shot pictures of the current menu and prices. For an old school tasty burger, hit Bill's Burger. I saw Bill sitting in the back room eating. read more

Bill's Hamburgers - Menu as of beginning of May 2025 - Burgers Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Don't judge a book by its cover this place is delicious. Great Customer Service great food highly recommended.

Sometimes a cheeseburger is just a cheeseburger, but at Bill's it is the history and the pedigree of the place that make it worth a stop. The griddle has been seasoned by decades of burgers, and you can taste that in every bite. There is something about eating here that feels like tapping into old-school LA. That said, when it comes to pure burger flavor, I think Munch Box in Chatsworth does it better. Bill's has character, but the actual cheeseburger doesn't blow me away. And the potato chips on the side only drag the whole experience down. A place with this much history deserves better than a bag of chips. Bill's is still worth visiting if you love LA burger lore, but for taste alone, I would head to Chatsworth. read more

Bill and his hamburgers are both timeless and excellent. A truly unique and delicious experience!

Best old school burger in town. The grill they use is probably 50 years+ so the seasoning is in the grill

Are they open again? Love this place (little shack with quality burgers and good service from the dude) I always go there when I'm getting my oil change at the dealership. I want my burger back read more

Delicious cheeseburger, no nonsense window service. Parking is tricky but you won't be there for long read more

I'm so happy I finally got to try it. It was so great. Check hours before you go because they're open only when most people are at work. RIP Bill read more

Bill's Hamburgers - Cheeseburger - Burgers Near Me - Van Nuys, California

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Old school food. LOTS of people showing up to try their burgers. So expect a wait and dont cry about it.. also no fries or any of that so read the menu before you order.. great burgers! read more

On the recommendation of Mr Chatsworth, and knowing of the nostalgic following and history, finally had a chance to get to Bills to try a burger for myself. Wow amazing how a seasoned grill really can add so much to make a burger so flavorful. We met a couple in line that were from Chicago who heard about it and who came for a local bite. Might bring a bag of chips next time, yup, no fries.... read more

My husband randomly went there and called me instantly to try to because it was that good! Whattttt? I ordered a single bacon cheeseburger, extra pickles. First bite, instant regret that I didn't get two. The cheeseburger just had perfect seasoning and bun was soft. I want to cry writing this because it was so satisfying and delicious. This will now be my go to burger spot for lunch. Thank me later! read more

Plain simple cheese burger. Took 22 minutes to deliver. Counter service only. Been around a long time. $9;?cheapest. With my grandson we visited four independent hamburger restaurants to judge them. Out of four this was 3. read more

Bills Burgers was a great burger. Service was friendly but found the 20 min wait for my burger a bit long given the hike in the wall ambience (which I love.) burger itself was excellent. I can't say it's a #1 burger for me but worth the try. It's in a pretty dull area and I am giving it 4/5 cause there's zero seating. You're either eating in your car or eating 2 feet from the guy taking your order. My buddy and I ate and walked around the industrial area talking. Again, the food was very tasty. 7.75/10 in my opinion. But I likely wouldn't go back. read more

Bill's Hamburgers - Burgers Near Me - Van Nuys, California

This is THE spot! Nothing fancy but Bill's is just one of the tastiest burgers spots in the valley. This place is certainly a throwback. Just look inside at the grill and the tiny kitchen...from the vintage cash register you can tell this place has been around for decades. No fries but there are chips! I like to stick to the basics...with chili of course. My two favorites are the plain chili dog and plain chili cheeseburger. Unbelievable how good these really are! Nothing fancy really. Just good stuff. There is usually a line and always a wait of at least 20 minutes for anything you order. Bill's is only open during the week until 4pm and it's cash only. Oh the sacrifices you'll have to make for one of my favorite things to eat! read more

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FROM FACEBOOK PAGE My Valley Pass Valley Legend - The passing of Bill Elwell is a heavy loss for the San Fernando Valley. He lived to serve the community for decades and still worked into his 90s. Thank you for the countless hours and dedication to your craft. @billsburgerofficial True Story: I had a friend who's last remaining wish before he passed away was to have a bottle of Vodka and a burger from Bill's. That memory will remain with me forever. read more

Bill's Hamburgers - Burgers Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Heard about Bill's stand for years. Finally had it delivered. It was good - not the greatest burger, but good and fresh and still warm by the time it got here. Not much more to say about it - I might go down there and try it hot off the grill. Sometimes these things just don't travel all that well, even if they remain hot. read more

It's been here for years. He has it down to a science. You'll never be disappointed with anything you order. The burgers are always top tier and the food is always fresh. Everyone I know loves eating here. It's like Marty's on the west side of town on Pico Blvd Im West LA. Just timeless food and great memories always. The ambiance is straight forward. You just walk up and order. Plenty of parking. read more

RIP Bill! Thank you for staple burgers all these years! You will forever be legendary

An original burger stand from back in the day family owned two man operation the wait is long but worth every minute. My recommendation is don't buy one because the line is too long to go back and get another just buy two from the start. Enjoy! read more

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Some of the best smash burgers in LA. The wait can be long around lunch time. Odd hours but that's probably because the shop is on Bill's schedule. He was 98. RIP bill. read more

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I've been living in the valley and it's my first time trying this place, amazing old fashion traditional burger with all flavor. I love it. Great parking. read more

I really love eating burgers. Ever since i first tried Bill's Hamburgers, I havent them anywhere else

If you have cash and want a burger with lots of chopped onions in mayo; this place is for you. Good deal; right sized burger. Small location, order at the counter. The place is no frills to say the least. Menu makes clear no custom orders. If you like how they make it, its cool. But it wasn't really to my taste; just far too much raw chopped onions in mayo. If thats your thing; this is your place. read more

Not sure I get the hype. Always a long line Long wait for basically greasy burgers. Good if you like that type of burger read more

Great burger but not much else. Service was friendly. Ambiance was a true hole in the wall. read more

Classic burger style! Friendly, prompt service! Clean surroundings! Very Fair prices! Great old school burger stand! read more

Bill's Hamburgers - Double w/chili - Burgers Near Me - Van Nuys, California

The burgers were juicy, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. Fast service, fresh ingredients, and a great atmosphere made this place definitely worth visiting again! read more

The awning hasn't changed since the place opened forever ago. When you order, you see that it's the size of a spacious closet. Really nice service. But the burger is the superstar. Top five in Los Angeles. If you like In n Out, give it a try. It's funny they're given $$$$ because it's dirt cheap and only takes cash. The burgers are small, but sensational. So much flavor in the meat. Great toppings. They do not sell fries, and it doesn't matter. Definitely coming back. Truly exceptional. read more

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These iconic valley burgers are some of my favorite! Bill, as well as his employees are so friendly and hard-working. Prices are beyond fair, I suggest both the burger as well as the patty melt. Made to order quickly, full flavor. Easy parking, and a bit of seating and standing room available. Highly recommended if you are looking for a fast and affordable bite in the area! read more

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