When the sun sets over Gabriel’s Automotive on Pasadena’s north Hill Street, the folks at Smosh Town pop up and pop out smashed burgers. I caught wind of this illicit burger stand on Eater, and fortunately both The Astronomer and June were game for a late-night street-side burger run.

Smosh Town is open Tuesday through Saturday from 7 PM until sellout. There are only two burgers on the menu: the Smosh Town Classic with raw onions, cheese, pickles, mustard, and ketchup, and The O’s Way with grilled onions and all the fixings. Both are priced at $7 and are made with Wagyu beef. We ordered two of the latter and waited a solid 30 minutes for our food.

Peering into the open “kitchen” provided a fine diversion. So, that’s how smashed burgers are made…

We were eager to dig in as soon as the burgers were ready. Each one came with two smashed patties and two slices of American cheese, all set on a squishy generic bun. Hold the yellow mustard.

We all agreed that the burger, minus the pickles, was very good. Beefy, savory, melty, satisfying—all the stuff of burger dreams. What makes a smashed burger different and delightful are the patties’ crisp and caramelized edges. It was my first time experiencing this style and I gotta say, I am an early fan. Thanks for the fun night out, Smosh Town.

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Smosh Town
250 North Hill Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91106

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