Heavy Handed, a casual burger joint known for its short rib burgers and beef tallow fries, appears to be opening a new location at 3200 Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake.
Last month, Eater Los Angeles reported on All Day Baby, a comfort food destination that closed on December 15 after five years of business. The cocktail bar, founded by restaurateur Lien Ta and the late chef Jonathan Whitener in November 2019, decided to close after Whitener’s death earlier this year at the age of 36. While the news devastated the community, it was unclear what would be moving into this space. The business owners left a heartfelt message on social media before exiting the space.
“THANK YOU SO MUCH for keeping our little life raft afloat for nearly 5 years,” Ta said on Instagram at the time of the announcement. “In our kit included a lot of miracles, a lot of sacrifice, stunning regulars, enormous amounts of perseverance + devotion from a staff of sparkling originals, both past + present, all of whom have left a mark on this world + in my soul. Our creator Jonathan Whitener rests in power, I hope, knowing that he nourished us with clever/fun/alright food.”
Now that the cocktail bar has officially closed, new developments provide insights into what will replace All Day Baby. Heavy Handed, a burger joint in Santa Monica and Studio City, will open a third location, according to a liquor license application. The opening date is unclear, but it will likely be sometime next year. Customers can expect short rib burgers, beef tallow fries, soft serve, and beer. Heavy Handed is owned by longtime friends Max Miller and Danny Gordon.
“At Heavy Handed, we are dedicated to creating the perfect burger by selecting the finest quality meat that pairs perfectly with our homemade bread and butter pickles and our signature sweet and slightly tangy heavy sauce,” according to the company’s website. “We found that ground short-rib beef provided the ideal balance of meat and marbled fat. We then meticulously pressed and seared the patties to achieve Maillardian perfection. To accompany the patty, we cooked hundreds of pounds of onions for several hours to create a deep and rich caramelized onion that perfectly complements the blanket of American cheese atop it. Lastly, we sandwiched all these ingredients between a lightly toasted bun, generously buttered, to achieve the perfect bite.”
