I’ve been to Stout Burgers before.

I’ve gone a few times with friends and a few other times were on dates. I’ve been to the restaurant so

many times that it eventually became my go-to spot for first dates. Reason being, it’s in a well populated area so I can quickly disappear in a crowd if necessary, it’s a lively restaurant so conversation can easily build, and the food is great. Whenever I’ve met a guy there, I would do what everyone does: highlight my best qualities, eat, act like I have zero flaws, eat, and then pretend the music is too loud when things start going south. “Oh my goodness, it’s so loud I can’t even hear the words coming out of your mouth. We should leave. And never speak again.” Wait, am I the only one who does that? Don’t judge me, you do it too. On this occasion, I didn’t go back to Stout to charm the pants off a guy. Instead, I was invited to try one of their new burgers and I took my niece along for the ride.

One of the reasons why I really like Stout is because of this particular location. It sits in a busy area of Hollywood so there’s always something to do either before or after you eat. You can catch an acoustic show at The Hotel Cafe, search through records at Amoeba, or watch a movie at Archlight. With less focus on the location, I like the restaurant just as much. I love the outdoor seating area that sits on Cahuenga Boulevard because it’s perfect for people watching, especially during the summer. I love the brick exterior, the often dim interior, and the way the restaurant feels nonchalant and cool without feeling like it’s trying to hard.

Once we were done talking and eye-stalking, Keimani and I were ready to order. We took a look at the menu and although I was familiar with it, I was at the restaurant to try the limited Hot Brown burger. Our waitress, Veronica, walked Keimani through the menu, but after Veronica described the burger to the both of us we decided to get it.

My Hot Brown Burger ($13), was a medium rare beef burger that came with bacon, pepper jack cheese, coleslaw, fresh tomatoes, and mornay sauce. At first I was a bit skeptical to try it because it seemed to have a lot of differing components, however I had to give it an honest chance. But then there was the mornay sauce which was a brew of both white cheddar and parmesan cheese. It sounded like it could either be fantastic or a tragedy. To say I was skeptical would be an understatement. In spite of my own reservations, I went in mouth first.  A few chews and chomps later and my taste buds were firing off in excitement. Those “differing ingredients” that I was unsure about, turned out to be complimentary ingredients that created an amazingly delicious burger. The semi-sweet flavor of the mornay and spiciness of the chipotle mayo blended so well that when it dripped onto the melted cheese it almost created a unique hybrid. Let’s not forget there was the crispy bacon and the coleslaw on top of the juicy beef and it was brought together to create heaven on a plate!

To go with the burger, Keimani and I got a side of Poutine Fries ($7). The thin cut fries were topped with bacon, chives, prosciutto, and mornay sauce. Part of me thought the mornay on the burger and again on the fries here would be overkill, but it was the opposite. I actually fell in love with the flavor of the sauce and found myself trying to sop up as much of it on the fries as possible. It quickly became a delicious and unattractive mess. It’s probably not the burger to get on first date. The combination of the sauce with the crispy bacon, chives, and the fries were absolutely delicious. And yes, you already know I shoved them into my burger.

The final dish was the dessert. Initially, I didn’t think there was any space to have anything else, but once I heard it was a Gourmet Bread Pudding ($8), I prepped myself. There was actually very little prepping involved as there’s always room for dessert. Since the bread pudding takes about fifteen minutes to make, I suggest you put it in early, but if you don’t then it’ll still be worth the wait. The bread pudding was topped with a vanilla bean ice cream and infused with just enough melted chocolate chips. It was warm, soft, and tasted like a fairytale when the pudding blending with the liquefied ice cream.

Stout has always been a place of great food regardless of why I’m going there. From the look to the eats, it’s an easy spot to hang out with people and enjoy good burgers and sides. Whether I’m there catching up with friends, eating with my niece, or meeting a date, I can always count on Stout to deliver a delicious burger and a good time.

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Address: 1544 N Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Phone: (323) 469-3801
Hours: Daily — 11:30 am – 4:00am
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