HiHo Cheeseburger [$$] – late to the party

Finally tried HiHo Cheeseburger. I know they are a local classic here in LA at this point, but I haven't tried them before because I never really crave a burger. In my opinion, I feel like they are… fine?

Beef: The selling point is the "100% grass fed wagyu beef" (according to owners). The beef is quite good – very flavorful, and our burgers were cooked perfectly.

Toppings: The "classic burger" accoutrements were kind of underwhelming. We didn't get the pastrami topping, so maybe that was our mistake. As a pickle and fermented veggie lover, I strongly prefer dill pickles over the semi-sweet / bread-and-butter style pickles they serve. I was so excited to try the house-made pickles (not labeled as semi-sweet) that I ordered a whole plate. The pickles are pretty sweet on their own, but also the sweetness of the pickles was really overwhelming on the cheeseburger, contributing on top of the added sweetness from the ketchup. Sure you can always order without or take them off, but I always opt (at least at first) to try a restaurant's offering the way they envision it.

Sides: On the plus side, the fries reminded me of East Coast style "Boardwalk fries" served at the beach, and these were absolutely delicious. My dining partner ordered a vanilla Oreo milkshake, and it was also superb with a very intense vanilla flavor and the perfect amount of salt.

The mid-city location was absolutely packed on a Friday night, though, so I think they are well-loved. I'm sure nobody there will mind if I slink back to Father's Office for a burger served without ketchup.

p.s. Why is there no flare for "mid-city"? Where exactly is considered "Central LA"?