Apple Pan   

The small, modest sign outside this restaurant is fooling no one. Chalk it up to the juicy moniker, the central location on busy Pico Boulevard, the fresh-off-the-grill burgers or the power of word-of-mouth advertising -- whatever the reason, there's never an empty seat to be found. Mind you, there aren't that many seats to fill. Less than 20 of them are crammed together at the U-shaped counter facing the grill. If you're waiting to be seated (and you will be, even if you show up at 11PM), there's nothing to do except stand with your back against the wall. Watch the short-order cooks flipping and sizzling your burger with all the speed and flair of a Benihana chef (minus the knife-wielding theatrics, thankfully). Slaver like the carnivore you are as your order moves ever closer to completion, and then pounce upon it when it arrives in all its hickory-smoked, melted-cheese-oozing, juice-dripping glory. Don't ignore the fries, fresh out of the fryer and golden-crispy enough to make you adopt cholesterol as your new religious anointment. If you've got the guts, ignore the hostile eyes behind you long enough to enjoy a slice of pie: banana cream, berry or the almighty apple. -- Lena Katz