I know, I know. I’m probably the last person in LA to have tried The Counter Custom”Built Burgers.

But maybe I’m not! I feel like The Counter is one of those places that we all know about, living in LA, but just don’t always make the journey to go try out ourselves. Like how we all know about The Ivy and Duke’s, but how many of us have ever frequented these famous establishments?

In any case, last week I tried The Counter for the first time and let’s just say I’m in love. If you haven’t made it out yet, you absolutely must.

I was CRAVING a veggie burger, and was driving past my allergist in Marina del Rey when I came across a Counter. Immediately I pulled over and decided to give it a try.

I had no idea it was a sit-down restaurant – my intention had been to order a veggie burger to go – but in any case, I had a good book with me so I decided to just enjoy the dine-in experience.

The staff was all really nice and helpful when they found out it was my first visit. Because I am picky, I opted to build my own veggie burger with Tillamook cheddar cheese, green onions, red onion, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce and garlic aioli on a brioche bun. YUM. Of course I also had to order fries with the burger.

It was so hard to take this picture before digging in when my food arrived. Look how amazing it looks! It tasted just as great. What I liked the most was the extensive customization options. From fun cheeses like horseradish cheddar, smoked gouda, brie and herbed goat cheese to funky sauces like apricot, cabernet mustard, red relish and various aiolis, and unique toppings like nicoise olives, grilled pineapple, alfalfa, carrot strings and grilled Anaheim peppers, the options are truly endless. I could see myself coming back and ordering a different burger every time.

I REALLY want to come back and try the”snacks”. The potato-heavy menu includes loaded spuds with shredded cheddar, scallions and sour cream; chili cheese fries; Parmesan fries with roasted garlic aioli and crispy onion strings dipped in hickory BBQ sauce and buttermilk ranch.

What is a traditional LA place that you don’t visit enough? Let me know in the comments!

Disclosure: This post is not associated with The Counter in any way. I received no compensation for this post.