In Lake Forest, one the leafiest suburbs in Orange County, there’s a strip mall that looks as if it belongs in LA’s inner city. A seedy liquor store sits in one corner, with an auto-body shop in the other. Wedged between them in this low-rent piece of parking lot is a hole-in-the-wall burger joint actually called Hole In the Wall Burger. And it isn’t kidding: The restaurant is barely a restaurant. It has one trash can and no public restrooms, and instead of a self-serve soft-drink fountain, there’s a small fridge filled with cans of soda shoved in a corner.
If you decide to eat in, you can take a seat at one of a few tables. But if more than 10 people decide to show up at the same time, you’ll have to settle for takeout. There’s a tiny TV that displays the menu, but the list is so brief a small chalkboard would’ve been enough. In total, there are five things you can order: three kinds of burgers and two kinds of taco plates. Opt for any of the burgers for the price advertised, and you get a can of soda and an order of criss-cut fries for no additional charge.
At less than $10 before tax, these combos are a tremendous deal. By comparison, you’d already hit that mark by ordering a basic burger at any of the recently overhyped burger vendors located inside any number of food halls. But Hole In the Wall Burger is not competing with those, nor does it seem interested in attracting the same kind of customer. It will remind you instead of Huntington Beach’s TK Burgers and San Clemente’s Riders Club. Like them, it’s old-school—a no-frills burger stand that sells food at a fair price and without any social-media help or hoopla. In fact, Hole In the Wall Burger is currently invisible to Instagram’s so-called “influencers.”
Unlike Vaka Burger in Tustin, which opened at about the same time earlier this summer and has more than 17,000 followers, Hole In the Wall Burger has about 90. Perhaps it’s the sketchy-looking location, or maybe it’s because the humble proprietor, who with his apron and unkempt hair, resembles the human embodiment of Bob Belcher from Bob’s Burgers. More likely it’s because there’s nothing overtly gourmet here. Unlike at Vaka, there is no duck confit, no arugula, no white truffle oil. The most complicated topping is avocado and a fried egg, which only costs $1 extra to add on. And when you decide to have both on a burger called “The California,” you realize they highlight the beef patty rather than distract from it.
It will remind you of the lessons learned from that Parks and Recreation episode in which Ron Swanson’s rudimentary beef burger triumphs over Chris Traeger’s froufrou ground-turkey sandwich. This burger, like that episode, proves that when it comes to hamburgers, it’s the basics that count. Ground from chuck and never frozen, Hole In the Wall’s beef patty is formless and has more in common with French steak tartare than a Big Mac. Its texture is as soft as the bun. And when you come face-to-face with it, you don’t eat it; rather, you embark on a torrid love affair. Things quickly get hot, steamy, messy and juicy. Once you finish and bask in the afterglow, you need a few napkins to wipe yourself off.
Unless you request otherwise, all three burgers are cheeseburgers, two of them served with a slice of American cheese. (The aforementioned “California” uses Swiss.) Stuffed in between the buns, the lettuce is hand-torn green leaf, while the tomatoes and onions are cut thick. The fries are essential, even when dabbed into the generic, no-name-brand ketchup that’s supplied in too tiny a packet. The same ketchup and mustard is used in one of the burgers, but the kitchen smears a “signature” sauce that’s essentially a house-made Thousand Island on the other two. The house sauce also smothers the “brick-style fries,” which is Hole In the Wall’s homage to In-N-Out’s animal-style fries.
In-N-Out is also Hole In the Wall’s closest peer. It shares its “never frozen” beef philosophy, as well as its back-to-basics approach. After you recognize this, it’s easy to imagine Harry and Esther Snyder’s empire starting out the same way back in 1948. Hole In the Wall Burger also reinforces a universal truth: The best food almost never comes from anywhere hyped up on Instagram or involves the word aioli; it’s most often found in dives where the guy in the grease-spattered apron resembles Bob Belcher.
Hole In the Wall Burger, 25262 Jeronimo Rd., Lake Forest, (949) 328-9049. Open daily, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Burger combos, $8.99-$9.99. No alcohol.
Before becoming an award-winning restaurant critic for OC Weekly in 2007, Edwin Goei went by the alias “elmomonster” on his blog Monster Munching, in which he once wrote a whole review in haiku.
I attempted to visit hole in the wall, but was met with low-life gang members in the parking lot. They hang out, shirtless tattoos showing their gang affiliation and keep a keen eye on every one that drives into the parking lot.
If that is not enough the day laborers on the opposite corner will come ask you for money, the overall uncomfortable environment made me drive through and right out of the parking lot.
Sounds like they are keeping the right kind of people away from the joint…you.
Karen,
I work across the street from this place and we usually order as an office and I’m the one who picks it up. I’m 5-2 and not very intimidating. Never once have any of the day workers bothered me. Don’t judge a book by its cover. This place is a little gem. They just need to add a chicken sandwich and veggie options.
Oh brother… that’s a lil over dramatic don’t u think..
That parking lot is always filled with ghetto people.. thats how this area has become everywhere now unfortunately.. blame the officials who don’t do shit about any of it.. but highly doubtful those “gang members ” give 2 shits about u.. go enjoy a burger good grief. Noone is safe anywhere anymore.
Well said!!!
This is why the whole internet hates Karen. Stop being racist and melodramatic Karen. Get over yourself.
Lol it’s lake forest Karen. Get a grip
You’re stupid. And ignorant. Those are not gang members. They are day workers. Granted, I know it doesn’t look good but don’t make ignorant comments that you know nothing about.
typical karen
Wow… you’re full of shit. Because we do not have gang members that hang out thete. Your ignorance is talking about men looking for work. I live in the area and know this location very well. They are humans looking for work and don’t bother anyone. They DO NOT BEG for money. Its better you stay away. We don’t need your business in our area. Such a lying hater you are.
I am very familiar with the area. There are professional offices across one Jeronimo and a golf driving range on the other side of Cherry. Some day laborers do congregate in the parking lot (usually not very many). But gang members? I think you might be mistaken. Maybe they took their shirts off because it’s been 100 degrees outside. Worst case, you get asked if you are looking to hire. When you say “no” you get left alone instantly. (If you are looking for a convenient laborer, now you know where to go.) Thank you for the review. I’ve been meaning to check it out. Sounds like my kind of place! It is a convenient location to take my son after school.
Thank you Jason for an accurate post. Been in that center many times for the dry cleaners and find the same
the review makes the restaurant sound awful from an aesthetics standpoint, but the pictures show that it is a nice looking, comfortable place. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hole+in+the+Wall+Burger/@33.6276346,-117.6903108,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipMZHs8P_19mK6kgbpW_hjCzu9Apj_eQRIyGP2fW!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMZHs8P_19mK6kgbpW_hjCzu9Apj_eQRIyGP2fW%3Dw140-h186-k-no!7i3024!8i4032!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x80dce900013e75bb:0x86595199c3c2770e!2s25262+Jeronimo+Rd,+Lake+Forest,+CA+92630!3b1!8m2!3d33.6276944!4d-117.6901188!3m4!1s0x80dce97509a8c21d:0xe58180212e600e08!8m2!3d33.6276737!4d-117.6902642
I’ve been to the Asian restaurant that was there before this, and to Carsmetics in this same shopping center. Definitely grungy but never saw gang members. Day laborers are all over, they don’t stop me from going to the Shell station or liquor store on Jeronimo and Los Alisos. Good grief, they’re just trying to earn a living for pete’s sake. More than some people do.
I know the corner well. I have never been to the burger place, but I would keep to the daylight hours if you go. That is basically the El Toro ghetto and best avoided after dark. My son delivered pizza to that area at night and had a gun pulled on him.
Very ghetto spot. This specific location rotates through tenants yearly. Fare is great and would dine here more of not for the ghetto neighborhood. Like others have said, City officials need to figure the ghetto out if they want business to stay afloat on the “bad” side of lake Forest. I’ll keep coming here as I also used the dry cleaner next door. ICE needs to make a few rounds there though.
For that kind of money.Id just drive to the Hat down on Rockfield.Parking lot isn’t an issue there.You know what you get at the Hat.
Big babies – my dry cleaners is in that lot and the day laborers are NEVER rude – if the city of Lake Forest had a damn proper day laborer pickup area they wouldn’t be hanging out here (denial after all is a river in Egypt as my little one would say)
Been coming into this lot for 10 years, my wife and mom do the same – never an issue. SKETCH gang members? Are you serious? So someone Latino is assumed to be a gang member if younger. You sad little people.
BTW: The burgers are damn good here.