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For The Win

3.9 (318 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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FOR THE WIN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Happy hour specials
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - For The Win

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Single cheeseburger SEP2026
Franklin M.

If you sign up and use their app you will receive a credit that you can immediately use to order some food. I upgraded to get a combo which consisted of a cheeseburger, fries, and a canned soda. The burger was really good but a bit salty, perfect crispy fries, and my cold soda to wash it down. The interior is bit bland but very spacious.

Miori I.

We visited For The Win for Father's Day burgers, hoping for a better experience than last time. Service has improved slightly, but the initial greeting was barely noticeable. Signs directed us to order beer at the cashier, only to find out their taps were down, leaving just two canned option; neither appealing to us. That should have been our cue to go. We placed our food order at the kiosk and waited on uncomfortable bar stools in an uninviting space lacking both decor and warmth. By the time our food arrived, regret had already set in. On the plus side, the food was served hot and looked good. The brussels and sweet potato fries were decent, but the double burgers were just okay. One highlight: staff put on the World Cup match at our request, which was appreciated. Overall, though, I keep wanting to love this place, but it doesn't live up to expectations. Not sure I'll be back.

Entrance signage
Benedict P.

Highly recommend this place here in Alhambra Main Street. First time eating here and it was quite delicious! Indeed the best smash burgers in LA. Service was fast and efficient. You order at the self kiosk machine then pay and wait for your order to arrive. It took about less than 10 minutes because it wasn't a packed house, and that was good. The ambience here was quite nice. Same seating arrangement compared to the previous burger place here. There is just no self-serve soda fountain. All of the drinks are in cans or bottles and no refills. But overall, this place was five out of five for me. And would highly recommend this place to anyone interested on trying the best smash in LA.

Seating
Ally Y.

One of the best burgers I've had in a very long time if ever. You walk in order from the tablet and find a seat. They even have a counter top to eat at while your order gets made. The service is great because you order and do your thing while the chef does his and all is well. (For the "bad service" comments I don't think good service needs to be "extra happy" when customers come in. True service means they put their soul into what they do and that's this place simplicity at its finest a real burger joint with real people) keep it 100 Smashed Burger: it's a simple honest burger. It's the pinnacle of cheese burger with molten cheese and grilled onion. Expect third degree burns on your tongue if you don't wait a bit. But that's the best part when have you sat down and had a hot cheeseburger NEVER! Until here shoutout to the chef for perfecting such greatness. We added fries and a soda I wish I got the cheese fries because they looked so good. But that's for next time. (Price $10 a burger)($3extra for a double) well worth This place is legit W burgers

Fries
April V.

The burgers are good but not a big fan of the sauce. Fries are nicely salted. Bought the fry's sauce & it's like an In-N-Out spread sauce packet. I didn't really like it & it tastes like it has some types of mustard or horseradish or strong oil Not sure if I was overcharged or the prices increased The service was fast though

Entrance
Hannah S.

Always on the lookout for a great burger and have heard a lot about For The Win, but my experience here was a bit disappointing. The burgers are cooked nicely and the cheese is good - but their fry sauce is overwhelmingly sweet, they charge an additional price for everything apart from the buns and meat, the vibes are uninviting, and the staff don't seem to want to have anything to do with the customers.  We were meeting up with my SIL/MIL and were all craving burgers so we came here for our family dinner. The decor is minimalist, bare bones, and quite sterile - definitely not an inviting place to linger. There are giant order screens instead of registers at the counter and the staff are hiding back in the kitchen and constantly seemed busy and overwhelmed even when we needed help (we were the only customers). We eventually figured out our issues on our own and got our food ordered with no help from anyone. We ordered three single cheese burgers and one double with some loaded fries, water bottles and a chocolate shake - almost cost $80! If you want lettuce and tomato or even pickles - extra charge. Pretty much nickel and dime you for anything other than the meat and cheese lol. And forget about water cups - there aren't any water stations or anything so you're forced to get bottled water (yay more microplastics). The food took a while to prepare and when it came out, our shake was missing. I asked the staff about it and he seemed very annoyed - but I eventually got it.  The burgers were cooked decently - the meat and cheese have decent flavors but again, I was not a fan of how sweet their fry sauce was - it was overwhelming on both the burgers and the fries. I also asked for two extra sides of the sauce as I wasn't sure what to expect and they charge extra for that too ($3 for two sauces) lol. It's definitely not made in house - it came in pre packaged plastic like giant ketchup packets. Definitely wouldn't get this again. The fries were pretty good and the chocolate shake was nice - those were the wins of our experience. I was also taken aback that the self-order kiosk asks you for a tip - you self order, pick up your order yourself when they put it on the counter so you take it back to your table yourself, AND clean up after yourself - which is totally fine but what would we need to tip for?  The location is great - in the main core of the cute little downtown Alhambra area near the movie theater. Parking is easy in the garages nearby. The food isn't bad and I would come again if it wasn't so impersonal and expensive, but unfortunately based on this first experience I doubt we'll be back - definitely preferred it when it was Grill Em All.

Ashley H.

Alright burger place. Service was minimal and there were kiosk stations upfront to order on. Meal itself wasn't bad (a little on the salty side) but I was pretty surprised on how small their cheeseburger was being $8+. Asked staff for water cups which was denied. Overheard another patron after ask and also denied as well.

Double Cheeseburger & Fries
Talmadge M.

An old friend and I like to get around and see what our local independent restaurants are offering and this day we chose, For The Win (Alhambra). The location is located in a main business area with ample free parking nearby. Josh greeted and welcomed us, he recommended the double for a first-timer. It had great char flavors and everything came together well.

Our already today. 2 double cheeseburger, dirty fries, and Brussels
Ann Q.

We had a really great first time experience today! There was only one gentleman working today and he greeted everyone that came in! I told him it was our first time here and he warmly helped us out at the register. Explained what the burgers come with and sides options. We opted for 2 double cheeseburgers no add ons, and all fixings. Order of Brussels and dirty fries. OMG if I was younger I would throw down the burgers and fries so quick!!! The dirty fries had tons of grilled onions and their fry sauce. There was an option to add bacon bits but we decided against it since we were expecting our meal to be heavy already. I absolutely loved the dirty fries!!! It was an elevated more gourmet version of in n out animal fries. The smash burgers were made very well, nice char and crispy beef edges! Cheese fully melted, generous sauce, pickles n onions all in some sweet and soft toasted brioche buns! The buns were similar to Hawaiian bread. I had to eat with a fork and knife, I had already fumbled and dirtied my dress with the Brussels! Brussels I think we're just deep fried, I don't think there was any sauce or toppings on it yet the Brussels were not overly bitter. I was hoping they were going to help with offsetting the heaviness of the overall meal, but because it too was fried in beef tallow, everything ate overall super heavy and very rich. These aren't cheap, you are paying for quality and you will get quality foods! Despite the price I felt like it was worth it. I would definitely add veggies on my next visit and and and!!! I found out coconut Co is going to be their neighbor soon!!! It would be a perfect pairing to get a coconut drink to pair with my burger!!! I'm so excited for them to open!!! Man... Definitely get the dirty fries!!! I'm drooling just thinking about it! BYOB, there is no fountain drinks here only canned and bottled drinks. No ice no water refill station.

Cheeseburger
Austin B.

tl;dr the excellent, McDonald's-esque fries can't make up for the average smashburger; the expensive food isn't worth the premium Following the COVID-era smashburger trend, For the Win is a pandemic-borne pop-up from the mind of former fine-dining chef Santos Uy. Originally operating out of his Bib Gourmand-designated Papilles Bistro, FTW has since established multiple dedicated brick-and-mortar locations across Greater Los Angeles. While many burger aficionados lament that the quality has declined with the expansion, FTW remains routinely ranked among LA's top smashburgers. The relatively recent Alhambra outpost is located by the movie theater at the busy intersection of Garfield and Main. The interior decoration is pretty barebones. The concrete floors are polished, and the whitewashed walls have only orange-and-blue, FTW-specific decals. Up front, a handful of wooden tables are pressed up against a teal-upholstered booth. Further back, a diner-style counter peers directly into the open kitchen. The hum of the industrial refrigerator and sizzle from the grill overpower the low din of chatter. I originally was drawn to FTW for their lunch special: a cheeseburger, fries, and a drink for $9.99. Within about 10 minutes, I was presented with a cafeteria tray of food. The piping hot cheeseburger was mostly forgettable, from the flimsy potato roll bun, to the handful of snappy pickles, to the not-quite-juicy-and-not-quite-crispy patty, to FTW's overly sweet Thousand Island-adjacent fry sauce. The shoestring fries were a superior McDonald's dupe: excellently crispy, and the portion was the perfect size for sharing. The staff were friendly, and I was pleased to see my burger being cooked to order. Although I have never tried FTW during the pre-expansion days, I've confirmed during a return visit that the Alhambra location is middling as far as smash burgers go. Ultimately, the burgers are no more satisfying than a solid In-N-Out Double Double, but double the price; as such, I don't expect myself ever paying them a return visit.

Tiffany T.

One of my favorite smash burgers! The burgers are incredibly flavorful, and you really get those perfectly crispy edges. The servers are always super friendly and quick with my orders. There's convenient parking nearby in the garage behind the movie theater or next to Dollar Tree.

Triple smash with loaded fries and a chocolate shake. Better go for a walk after!
Colin O.

Sweet and simple, this is a great burger. Everything is cooked fresh and the staff always make an effort to welcome their customers. Not cheap by any stretch but the taste is worth it. Love their food!

Fries

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Ask the Community - For The Win

Hey! Just wondering any follow up on the question regarding a nut allergy?

Just wondering, for a nut allergy, is there any concern?

Llppp

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For The Win - burgers - Updated October 2026

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