Five Guys — Restaurant in El Segundo

Living in California, I've received a bit of shaming for my love of In-N-Out. I've heard plenty of arguments over who makes the best burger, and my preference varies from Carl's Jr., Wendy's, and In-N-Out depending on the day and how long it's been since I've visited one of the 3. You'd expect any one burger place to have really mixed reviews, but I've never heard someone complain about Five Guys. After many years, and one visit where I walked out after glancing at the prices, I decided to give it a try.

Simply put, you can't get a higher quality burger anywhere else. In my opinion, quite similar to Wendy's or In-N-Out in terms of juiciness of the meat patties, and the perfectly melted cheese American cheese on top that makes each bite somewhat gooey (in a good way, of course) and savory. What brings the Five Guys burger out on top? Outside of the wide range of fresh, well- prepared toppings was a distinctive beef flavor that didnt rely on other sauces or ingredients to shine. Also the bun was clearly of higher quality. Do these higher quality ingredients truly warrant a 80-100% price markup? Well, when you've got the best in the business, I guess people are willing to pay somewhat ridiculous sums. I don't see myself going back here, but it was worth the one-time experience. I'll stick to stuffing myself at In-N-Out, ordering EXTRA special sauce, and not pretending I have the money to be a picky connoisseur.

I also hear the fries are amazing. I've had fries prepared with peanut oil before, so I passed to save myself some money. I can vouch that this has got to be the best way to fry...

April 18th, 2019—it's a date that feels imprinted on my soul. The day began in the sterile, cold corridors of the Pacific Corporate Towers, where the weight of the USMLE Step 2 CS exam pressed down on me from 8 AM to 4 PM. Every second was a blur of focus and anxiety, a relentless barrage of medical scenarios that left no room for hunger, barely any room for breath. By the time the exam ended, I was spent—physically, mentally, emotionally.

As I walked out into the late afternoon, the sky greeted me with a stunning blue, almost mocking the storm that had been raging inside me all day. My body finally reminded me I hadn’t eaten, so I stumbled into this Five Guys, seeking something more than just food. I can still recall the exact moment—the bite of that first burger, juicy and perfect, its warmth cutting through the fatigue. The fries, golden and crisp, were like a small, fleeting joy in the midst of the chaos. It wasn’t just the food that made it memorable; it was the quiet triumph of having survived that day, the calm after the storm, the sense of reclaiming something of myself after giving everything to that exam.

I haven’t been back in over five years, but the memory still stirs something deep inside me. It wasn’t just a meal—it was a moment suspended in time, a fragile but vivid snapshot of relief, exhaustion, and the bittersweet taste of a small victory. I long to return, not for the burger, not even for the fries, but for the part of me that’s still sitting there, at that Five Guys, just before the sun began to set, with the whole sky stretched out before me.

P.S. I...

What can I say? You can't go wrong at Five Guys, easily one of the best burgers out there. Burgers are made to order with juicy Meat, good buns (although they can start to fall apart depending on toppings). Crispy bacon. You specify toppings when ordering so you get what you want. I go Bacon Cheeseburger, "All the Way" with Hot sauce and jalapenos.

Important to note when ordering "Little" burgers have 1 meat patty, standard burgers have 2. "All the way" includes ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, pickles, lettuce, tomato, onions and mushrooms. All toppings are free, so load it up. Pricing is not cheap, but well worth it. $11-16 for burger, fries and drink.

Fries are fresh sliced, slightly soft and greasy. Order "crispy" for longer cook time. Also, order sizes are for medium and large cup, and then they fill the back with more. Usually a regular fries can feed 2-4 people. Order 1 fries at a time, to get best value, as if you order 2 or more they will put both cups in same bag that they were already filling for 1 order. If you have a nut allergy, you should avoid this place. Fresh peanuts are available for snacking, fries cooked in peanut oil.

Also, they now have shakes with various mix in flavors, including caramel, peanut butter, bacon, etc. Mix in as many as you like. Look at mix in combination you want...