July 9, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Food Review: A Westside Burger Institution Returns

Pico Boulevard Big Tomy’s reopens after 2018 fire

By Kerry Slater

A longtime Westside chili cheeseburger institution reopened recently after a 2018 fire, and despite better options in the area, this holdover from a previous era still churns out a burger worth biting into if one finds themselves stuck in traffic on Pico Boulevard.

On April 6, 2018, a fire ripped through the kitchen of Big Tomy’s. Before this disaster, the restaurant–located on the corner of Pico and Sawtelle boulevards–had been serving hungry Westsiders 24/7 for 35 straight years. An “opening soon” sign remained hanging on the window for over two years before the restaurant finally welcomed back diners on October 15 of this year.

On April 6, 2018, a fire ripped through the kitchen of Big Tomy’s who had been serving hungry Westsiders 24/7 for 35 straight years.

Despite considering myself well-versed in the local burger scene, I had never gone to Big Tomy’s before pulling off of traffic on Pico Boulevard this week for a late lunch. Sticking to basics, I ordered a chili cheeseburger and fries. The bill was just under $10, which is impressive for the Westside. A few minutes later my food was ready. Due to the pandemic, the outdoor patio was closed so I used the hood of my car as a table and bit in.

The patty itself is nothing to write home about, reminiscent of burgers served at a country club’s poolside restaurant. The chili, however, takes the burger up a few notches. Often chili burgers suffer from messiness, but at Big Tomy’s the simple yet tasty chili acts more like a thick sauce. This both keeps shirts clean and also allows the taste of the patty to still be present. Whereas many chili cheeseburgers taste just like chili between buns, Big Tomy’s allows the patty and chili to complement each other. These components by themselves are nothing special but come together for a solid burger.

Tucked underneath the 10-Freeway, Big Tomy’s is a holdover from a previous era in Los Angeles.

No matter how well-constructed a chili cheeseburger is, there will be some spillage and this is where the fries enter the scene. Big Tomy’s boast some top-notch fries to get the important job of sopping-up-the-chili done. The fries–piping hot, crispy yet not overly greasy–were one of the highlights of the meal when utilized to clean up the spilled chili, cheese and bits of burger off the wrapper.

While there no doubt better burgers on the Westside. Big Tomy’s is worth going to if you are in the area and need a quick bite. Places like The Window in Venice and The Apple Pan just east on Pico may top Big Tomy’s when it comes to the no-frills burger, but the addition of chili and taste of nostalgia will keep it in my burger rotation.

Value: 7.5/10
Taste: 6.5/10
Quality: 6.5/10

Overall score: 6.8/10

in Dining, News
Related Posts

One Last Bite: La Novia Bids Farewell with Final Pop-Up at Cardinale du Vin

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Inventive Latin-Asian Pop-up Serves Seasonal Small Plates for One-Night-Only La Novia, the pop-up kitchen known for its inventive Latin-Asian flavors,...

Shore Hotel: A Local Destination for Summer Fun

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Bring on all things summer. Walking or biking along Santa Monica Pier, you might find yourself taking a pause at...

Governor Newsom Unveils Fast-Track Rebuilding Plan on Six-Month Anniversary of Palisades Fire

July 7, 2025

July 7, 2025

State Clears Over 5.5 Billion Pounds of Debris From Fires Ahead of Schedule Marking six months since the devastating Eaton...

Soprano Golda Zahra Returns to BroadStage For a One-Night-Only Musical Celebration

July 7, 2025

July 7, 2025

Hailed as “the rising star of the opera world” by The Hollywood Times, internationally acclaimed soprano Golda Zahra makes her much-anticipated return to BroadStage in...

 CicLAvia to Transform Westside Streets for Car-Free Day in August

July 7, 2025

July 7, 2025

Culver City, Mar Vista, and Venice to Host Open Streets Event  CicLAvia will return to the Westside this summer with...

Culver City Considers Expanding Immigrant Protections, Eyes Police Surveillance Reforms

July 7, 2025

July 7, 2025

Council Advances Proposals to Limit License Plate Readers, Use of ALPR During a special meeting on June 30, the City...

Transform Your Life: The Free Virtual ONENESS GLOBAL SUMMIT Debuts July 18-20, 2025

July 7, 2025

July 7, 2025

The ONENESS GLOBAL SUMMIT, a transformative three-day virtual event, is coming, July 18-20, 2025, offering participants worldwide a free opportunity...

Bel Air and Holmby Hills Estates Lead May’s List of America’s Top 10 Home Sales

July 7, 2025

July 7, 2025

LA Claims Two of the Top Three Luxury Home Sales Last Month expensive residential transaction in the U.S. for May,...

Developer Seeks to Replace Mid-Century Building With 65 New Units in Palms

July 7, 2025

July 7, 2025

Apartment Complex Near E Line May Be Demolished for Larger Housing Project Mid-century apartments near Metro’s Palms Station are set...

Michael Madsen, Star of Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, Dies at 67 in Malibu

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Actor Remembered for His Intense Performances and as a Poet  Actor Michael Madsen, known for his distinctive gravelly voice and...

Los Angeles City Council Cracks Down on ‘Disaster Tours’ in Pacific Palisades

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

City Council Bans Commercial Bus Tours in Burn Zone Amid Community Backlash Tour buses that have been operating in fire-ravaged...

Tow Truck Scammers Target Crash Victims Across L.A.: Authorities Warn of Fraud at Accident Scenes

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Officials Urge Drivers to Stay Alert After Collisions as Rogue Operators Demand Inflated Fees  Motorists involved in vehicle accidents are...

Woman Dies After Melrose Store Altercation: LAPD Launches Homicide Investigation

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Critically Injured Young Woman Died July 2, After She was Badly Beaten at Work  The death of a woman critically...

CHP Officer Dies in Culver City Crash: Medical Emergency Suspected Behind Tragic Incident

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Officer lost consciousness while transporting a suspect before crashing into a tree California Highway Patrol Officer Miguel Cano died early...

L.A. Beaches Brace for Holiday Rush: Over 1 Million Visitors Expected This Fourth of July

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

County Officials Urge Beachgoers to Pack Out Their Trash and  Monitor Water Quality More than one million visitors are expected...