Iconic LA burger stand celebrates 80 years with wild give-away

Irv’s Burgers, the iconic Los Angeles burger stand where famous rockers frequented in the ’70s, will celebrate its 80th anniversary on August 26 with a variety of specials.

Each of Irv’s now six locations will offer Irv’s Original Roadside Single Burgers for just $.80, or free for anyone 80 years or older.

There will also be 80 giveaways at each store that will include “Free Burgers for a Year” (one Roadside Single every week), $80 Gift Cards and merch.

“What makes this special is that it’s the no frills,” Irv’s CEO Lawrence Longo said. “It should bring back that nostalgia of when you were growing up, that local neighborhood spot. You’d always want to grab a burger after your baseball game, after a soccer game, after church you want to go and you want to indulge in something delicious.”

First opened at 8289 Santa Monica Blvd. as Queen’s Burgers in 1946, it was one of the first ever roadside burger stands on Route 66.

It later changed to Joe’s before Irv Gendis purchased it in 1970 and gave it his moniker.

“That’s when all the rock stars would show up,” Longo said. “If you know the history of rock ’n’ roll, Laurel Canyon was literally up the street. And everyone from Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Linda Ronstadt, all would hang out.”

A photo of Ronstadt at Irv’s is included in her 1978 “Living In The USA” album artwork, and The Clash also famously posed there.

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Today, Drew Barrymore and Seth Rogen are frequent customers, according to Longo, who discovered Irv’s in 2018.

“I was eating a burger a day every day for a year, trying all the best burgers in California,” he recalled. “I tried Irv’s and I loved it. It had so much character and nostalgia and I just wanted to be a part of the story.”

Irv’s moved to it’s new location (7998 Santa Monica Blvd) but it’s original was given historical landmark status after locals protested to save it from destruction.

Longo has since expanded Irv’s into other locations across Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and just announced a partnership with the movie “Ice Cream Man.”

Irv’s will also celebrate its 80th with exclusive merch, and will make $0.80 donations for each full price combo purchased on August 26 to local food banks.

“Irv’s Burgers is like the Rocky Balboa of burger stands,” Longo said. “It never gives up. … We don’t rely on hype. We rely on quality food, quality ingredients and good old fashioned hospitality. And I think if you just focus on making a good product and and treat your customers right, you can live forever.”