The Bucket, Los Angeles

The chefs at The Bucket hand pat fresh meat into half-pound patties to form the burgers that have headlined the eatery’s menu since 1935. Each burger arrives slathered with toppings such as grilled mushrooms, ham, bacon, onion rings, and housemade Julio sauce, which the staff describes as “messy but great,” not unlike Picasso’s childhood art projects. Supporting the roster of burgers, rotating on-tap beers hail from local and national breweries and pair well with The Bucket’s mess of grilled fare, hot wings, shrimp, and round-cut fries.