Heavy Handed

This smashburger pop-up dates back to the early days of the pandemic, when owners Max Miller and Danny Gordon first began selling short rib smashburgers in the driveway of Gordon’s Mar Vista home. Now, Heavy Handed has gone fully brick-and-mortar on Santa Monica’s Main Street, where lines form at lunch for the pair’s juicy short rib patties topped with American cheese, beef tallow fries (no breaks for vegetarians here) and Straus Creamery soft-serve. Combine all that with wine and beer, plus the casual patio and parklet, and you’ve got a great new Westside gourmet burger option.