Where To Go In LA for the Best Vegan Milkshakes and Burgers

Monty’s Good Burger in Los Angeles has become a beloved staple for vegan fast food. And for those seeking a meat-burger doppelganger, Monty’s leads the pack. With four locations currently in LA — Beverly Grove, Echo Park, Koreatown, and Riverside — its burger and milkshake empire continues to expand with a fifth location opening soon in Culver City.

It’s understandable why celebrities like Hailey Baldwin Bieber and Joaquin Phoenix frequent Monty’s: a simple menu with 100% plant-based burgers, shakes, fries and more has everything you’d want from a fast food joint, including countless ways to customize items to your liking. Making it even more appealing, the company recently introduced a fried chicken burger, which does in fact live up to the hype. We visited the Beverly Grove location to witness the vegan grub in all its glory and break down everything you need to know about and try, at Monty’s Good Burger.

Calling all: If you love — or loved — In-N-Out Burger, Monty’s has affectionately become known as LA’s “vegan In-N-Out” (minus the drive-thru option). Monty’s plays it simple with the option of a burger or cheeseburger with a single or a double patty. They use Impossible Foods’ burger patties, Follow Your Heart cheese, and their made-in-house House Spread as standard fixings on the burgers. Make sure to opt for the double patty cheeseburger to get that real “meaty” effect.

Plant yourself: At the Beverly Grove location, the best seats are the two-seater window seats so you can enjoy your vegan eats and people watch at the same time. There is comfy booth seating inside, as well as some bar-height tables. The interior is relatively small so seating can get tight during the lunch and dinner rush. But tables do turn over pretty quickly and there are a few benches outside for overflow seating or to sit while waiting if you are grabbing to go.

When to go: The best time for Monty’s just might be for some late-night eats. They're open until 11 pm, so Monty’s makes it easy to score a dessert milkshake, sharable loaded fries — or really anything for post-drinking eats. Monty’s also has delivery options: you can order online and pick up or tap into delivery through your local food delivery platforms like Grubhub or Uber Eats.

Don’t Miss: Monty’s has ventured outside of their classic hamburgers and recently added a chicken burger to the menu, the Charlie's Chicken Sandwich. If anything can rival the classic Monty’s Good Burger, it’s the Charlie’s Chicken Sandwich. Between the buns is a hand-breaded and fried pea-based protein patty that mimics fried chicken. It’s topped with pickles, and vegan mayo from Follow Your Heart. You can also swap out mayo for one of its many sauces, but just as it comes is perfection.

If you are searching for some lighter fare, surprisingly the Kale Caesar Salad is a nice balance to the hefty burgers. You can also add any patty on top of the salad if you’re seeking a protein-style situation.

Order for the table: The good news is, at Monty’s, there are lots of innovative fries and tot options, but if you can’t come to an agreement on which to get for the table, do the Max’d Out, fries topped with cheese, House Sauce, and grilled onions. You can also opt for the 50/50, meaning half tots, and half fries … which is even better so you get the best of both worlds.

Save room for: The milkshakes are rich, creamy, and will have you forgetting the word “dairy” altogether. There are 11 different flavors of milkshakes — plus some secret menu shakes to be sure to ask about — from complex ones like the Cookie Shakes to more classic flavors. One of the lesser-known, but a clear standout is the Mocha Milkshake, which blends coffee and chocolate for a perfectly sweet treat.

Looking for more plant-based recommendations in LA? Check out The Beet's guide to the best places to eat vegan in Los Angeles.