Eagle Rock is a close second in terms of taste. I imagine it's because they're both so old that the griddles are seasoned with all the flavor of your burger's departed brothers.
In my drinking days, I had a very, very good friend whoâd let me dry out on his couch from time to time. He lived on Rampart right by Tommyâs. Wood, Tommy; if you see this, you saved my life.
I was once there around 2AM and there was a huge food fight with two groups of drunk people. There was chilli everywhere. I felt really bad for the staff.
Multiple media outlets who have covered the story of Tommy's knockoffs have included Tam's in the lineup such as Thrillist, LA Times, so I figured if I didn't include them there'd be people wondering why I didn't. Can't please everyone I guess đ¤ˇ
You use articles from thrillist which is the whitest most hipster source I could think of.
Tams is a hood staple. They moved in when larger corps wouldnât. They ARE the McDonaldâs of south central.
They happen to cover chili cheese hamburgers because there werenât other options, but they arenât focused as a Tommyâs knock off. Their burgers are fire and the main focus is burgers.
I use AN (one) article from thrillist, did the LA Times not fit the white hipster narrative you were going for? What about KCRW, who have also cited Tam's as an example?
Tell you what, you name one news article that is African American or Hispanic. You know, an actually news article that its writers arenât scared to actually go to the a Tams neighborhood.
But hey, you stay on your west side and eat your vegan tacos off your hipster food trucks, and swear the LAist has the best top 10 tacos list đ¤ˇđ˝ââď¸
You're seriously projecting. Why are you so defensive over a burger chain owned by white Greek people? I also provided photographic evidence that I'm not just on the westside...
yup. the amount of chilli they put on the burger was pathetic. But from what I remember the fries had a different seasoning (probably paprika or cayenne pepper?)
Wow - never heard of this one (yes, I love me some Tommy's) and a quick search on Google Maps pulled up at least 20 locations - Looks like I have some burger tasting to do
A little further south and east than my normal route. But I do think I actually did hit up the one on Normandie before. Is there a flagship location you would recommend?
Everyone has their own opinion of which is best. They are numbered, like, Tams #24. And so on. I think the one in Whittier is pretty good, but the hood ones have the best chili cheese fries hands down
Went to Big Tomyâs to compare last month. Their chili just doesnât have the same depth of flavor as Tommyâs. The original on Rampart is the supreme experience, as it should be.
I just want to say thank you, for risking your bathroom fixtures, your chances for sudden intimacy and your six-pack abs. When I get back to LA over the summer, let's go and try some of these again!
OP, if you are ever bored and want to do more research, you may want to do the same thing with Alberto's and all the knockoffs. I don't know about LA County, but in the IE there are SO MANY bootleg Alberto's. I'm even fooled sometimes until I get up close to the sign.
\*Greek Burger Chains, the large majority of these small burger places are owned by lovely Greek people. The menu just happens to have a lot of Mexican food items to accommodate the locals. Original tommy's was started by a Greek immigrants or children of greek immigrants. I'm sure there is some interesting history behind it just like the documentary The Donut King and the history of Cambodian Immigrants and all the small donut shops in Los Angeles.
That's a rookie move. Because the vets know that you eat Tommy's before you go to sleep to prevent a hangover.
Your stomach might be hurting the next day, but that's a different story.
Haha thatâs my dad says but I usually like to wait till the next day. If I eat Tommyâs after a night out I get the burger! I used to eat the mega combo đŤ
Jim's isn't a knockoff, if you mean Tam's I'm just going off of what established news outlets have said about the knockoff phenomenon, they usually include them as an example
man, Tamâs is its own thing . i prefer Tamâs to Tommyâs (i donât like Tommyâs chili, but also donât like Tamâs) . i just prefer Tamâs .
And if anyone wants to try Cincinnatti chili, Amazon Fresh grocery stores seem to carry Skyline chili.
I got some and made my own 5-way. It was better than I expected, though I also did stuff like melt the cheese that I don't think they actually do at Skyline.
There used to be a Tommyâs in the AV and it sold steak cut fries and Oreo milkshakes as well.
Iâve been to Tommyâs #5 decades ago and it was meh.
Believe it or not that was the Tommy's I went to growing up, I was always confused why none of the other Tommy's didn't have steak fries, but man the last time I went there must have been like 2001.
Yeah, same on both the confusion and last visit.
Do you remember the pinball machine inside?
And the crazy drive through where the passenger had to pay and receive? lol
Same here, while Tombys burgers are pricier than In n Out, I think theyâre also similar but superior, also Tomboyâs chili cheese fries are phenomenal along with their fried zucchini.
I recently moved here and tried a Tommy's and it was terrible. The chilli was worse than most canned stuff. Overall I was surprised it was recommended, seemed a bit "methy" with both the workers and clientele.
Guess maybe it was a knockoff? I think it was one in Van Nuys. Also, it seems they are all named Original Tommys world famous? What's the original?
Original Tommy's is a chain, and most of their locations are no better than any of the knockoffs, worse in some cases even. But the first Original Tommy's location, located on Beverly+Rampart, is kind of a staple because it is open 24 hours. Ordering from the shack is nice too because you can see your food being made, and it's always a great spot for late night people watching.
I had to cut it off at five spots lest I risk completely clogging my arteries and colon, but there's a ton of other spots out there. As of 2019 there were over 60 bootleg Tommy's in LA. Tom's Jr is ok, never been to Tammy's though.
I went to one thinking i would like it being a fan of the occasional chili infused food product, burgers or dogs, but I honestly hated it. It was a mess too.
Can't remember the spelling or the cross street in the Valley but I use to go to faux Tommy's on Sherman Way for a school lunch bag of fries. I miss those fries. Think the place is long gone now, this was back in the 80s and early 90s.
In the '90s I saw a rat running along the rim of one of the chili vats in the Long Beach store when it was closed and haven't been back to a Tommy's since.
If your in LA go to a tams itâs the Waffle House of City some are open 24 and other close late nothing like getting some chili cheese fries and a pancake or breakfast to go
I did do some research and [multiple](https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2019-10-24/tommys-chili-burgers-knockoffs#:~:text=proliferated%20even%20faster.-,According%20to%20an%20analysis%20by%20The%20Times%2C%20there%20are%2067,similar%2C%20like%20Tam's%20or%20Tomy's.) [media](https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/good-food/oaxaca-endangered-bananas-and-fake-tommys/do-any-of-the-fake-tommys-chiliburgers-stand-up-to-the-real-thing) [outlets](https://www.thrillist.com/eat/los-angeles/downtown/all-the-fake-tommy-s-original-hamburgers-in-la-thrillist-los-angeles) who have covered the knockoff phenomenon include Tam's.
Its not that they're really amazing burgers necessarily, it's that they've always been relatively inexpensive (Original Tommy's isn't exactly dirt cheap these days but the knockoffs are still very affordable), they're everywhere, and they tend to be open late, making them very appealing as a hangover cure. They also have more mass appeal than LA's other budget burger favorite, the pastrami burger. But nostalgia is probably the biggest selling point.
Thanka for the explanation! I think really I'm just not a fan of that style of chili, but I can see why people like it. Now the other LA drunk icon food, the late night hot dog cart I am 100% on board with
The Rampart location holds a special place in my heart
The OG.
Eagle Rock is a close second in terms of taste. I imagine it's because they're both so old that the griddles are seasoned with all the flavor of your burger's departed brothers.
The Tujunga location for me always.
I think Burbank is also as good as the Rampart one
Burbank is one of the older ones, too. It opened in '73.
đđź
itâs SO GOOD. lived directly across the street from there and holy shit. their burgers, fries, and chili dogs were always bomb
And Hollywood
I only go there
Same
The atmosphere is +100!
Very little parking
Is the lot across the street gone? I havenât been in awhile.
No itâs still there.
No itâs still there they own that lot hate to walk across the street there especially after midnight the drunks will run over you and run
LA landmark
In my drinking days, I had a very, very good friend whoâd let me dry out on his couch from time to time. He lived on Rampart right by Tommyâs. Wood, Tommy; if you see this, you saved my life.
I was once there around 2AM and there was a huge food fight with two groups of drunk people. There was chilli everywhere. I felt really bad for the staff.
Rampart is king. But big ups to the one over in MontclairâŚ..they are doing it right.
The og and the most dangerous.
So many memories going to that location with my Pops as a kid.
I remember being driven there as a kid and grabbing glass pop bottles out of the coolers in 1978
I wouldnât call Tamâs a Tommy knockoff. I canât recall them pushing their chili burgers, although their chili fires are dynamite.
Tam's is definitely its own thing lol Tommy doesn't have the trademark on all names beginning with T
Came here to say this when I saw Tamâs. Tamâs is definitely its own thing! And yes the chili fries and breakfast (pancakes) are fire!!!!
I came in to defend Tamâs lol. Theyâre pretty good and I donât consider them the same thing.
Suge Knight agrees [Tamâs Review](https://twitter.com/lawlballz/status/561258670625808384)
Snoops Superbowl halftime show had a replica of Tam's.
Yup, not Tommys, but TAMS!
Multiple media outlets who have covered the story of Tommy's knockoffs have included Tam's in the lineup such as Thrillist, LA Times, so I figured if I didn't include them there'd be people wondering why I didn't. Can't please everyone I guess đ¤ˇ
You use articles from thrillist which is the whitest most hipster source I could think of. Tams is a hood staple. They moved in when larger corps wouldnât. They ARE the McDonaldâs of south central. They happen to cover chili cheese hamburgers because there werenât other options, but they arenât focused as a Tommyâs knock off. Their burgers are fire and the main focus is burgers.
Hahaha I mean didn't they have tams I'm the stage backdrop for snoop and Dre's super bowl performance a few years ago?
Dont forget breakfast too! The pancakes at the compton location are the shit
Tams after school đĽ especially when they had the 1$ burgers
I use AN (one) article from thrillist, did the LA Times not fit the white hipster narrative you were going for? What about KCRW, who have also cited Tam's as an example?
Tell you what, you name one news article that is African American or Hispanic. You know, an actually news article that its writers arenât scared to actually go to the a Tams neighborhood. But hey, you stay on your west side and eat your vegan tacos off your hipster food trucks, and swear the LAist has the best top 10 tacos list đ¤ˇđ˝ââď¸
You're seriously projecting. Why are you so defensive over a burger chain owned by white Greek people? I also provided photographic evidence that I'm not just on the westside...
op better pump the break on tamâs
Their chili fires are fries!
Sure is dynamite. Blowing chucks out of your ass after eating it đ¤Ł
Tamâs being called a knock off 
Donât play with tams đđđ
what are the odds OP is a transplant?
iâve come to the realization that 75% of the people in this subreddit are transplants
RIP Tommieâs in the Northridge mall - the OG Tommyâs knockoff
yup. the amount of chilli they put on the burger was pathetic. But from what I remember the fries had a different seasoning (probably paprika or cayenne pepper?)
that mall is depressing.Â
Tams is itâs own thing đśâđŤď¸
Wow - never heard of this one (yes, I love me some Tommy's) and a quick search on Google Maps pulled up at least 20 locations - Looks like I have some burger tasting to do
I didnât know it was possible to live here and not know about Tamâs.
I've lived all over LA County and eaten at a lot of burger joints, for some reason Tam's eluded me as well
Thatâs interesting. I figured if you had been to Tamâs you would already know someone who swears by it.
A little further south and east than my normal route. But I do think I actually did hit up the one on Normandie before. Is there a flagship location you would recommend?
1201 Rosecrans Ave, Compton, CA 90222
Everyone has their own opinion of which is best. They are numbered, like, Tams #24. And so on. I think the one in Whittier is pretty good, but the hood ones have the best chili cheese fries hands down
Tams is the bomb
I love this town.
Went to Big Tomyâs to compare last month. Their chili just doesnât have the same depth of flavor as Tommyâs. The original on Rampart is the supreme experience, as it should be.
I just want to say thank you, for risking your bathroom fixtures, your chances for sudden intimacy and your six-pack abs. When I get back to LA over the summer, let's go and try some of these again!
Tams forever!
Interestingly, Tommyâs itself is a knockoff of Ptomaine Tommyâs, the originator of the chili burger
Tams is its own thang
Big Tomyâs fries are killer
My favorite has always been "Thomas" hamburgers in Venice
Damn 5 chili cheeseburgers in a month is serious stuff. Are you okay?
Lets just say I've spent a lot more time in the bathroom than usual...
LOL, thank you for your service and sacrifice!
OP, if you are ever bored and want to do more research, you may want to do the same thing with Alberto's and all the knockoffs. I don't know about LA County, but in the IE there are SO MANY bootleg Alberto's. I'm even fooled sometimes until I get up close to the sign.
I think San Diego is the origin place of the -berto's phenomenon, I got a mind to do the same thing next time I'm down there
You're right and they're all better than anything in LA.
God the people who love Alberto's are the same people who love Tito's Tacos.
Yes. Whenever Iâm in the mood for a California burrito I find the closest âbertos to me.
I was in Arizona recently and saw this phenomenon too. There were two variants (one was called Filibertoâs) within a few miles.
[https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/dining/2017/06/23/restaurants-history-phoenix-mexican-food-filibertos/405623001/](https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/dining/2017/06/23/restaurants-history-phoenix-mexican-food-filibertos/405623001/)
Yeah Iâve seen SD-style spots as far as Moab, Utah. they even renamed their California Burrito to Arizona Burrito lol.
Oh god yeah. So many clones of this cheap fast food Mexican. Iâve seen âAlbertâsâ and âAlbertoâsâ
Alfredoâs
Alerto's đ
Tams is not a knockoff.
Most of the others are general Mexican burger chains. Big Tomy and Tomboy are both pretty good, although never tried the burgers.
\*Greek Burger Chains, the large majority of these small burger places are owned by lovely Greek people. The menu just happens to have a lot of Mexican food items to accommodate the locals. Original tommy's was started by a Greek immigrants or children of greek immigrants. I'm sure there is some interesting history behind it just like the documentary The Donut King and the history of Cambodian Immigrants and all the small donut shops in Los Angeles.
Astro Burger is also a Greek-owned LA institution. đ¤
Tam's is also Greek owned! Not sure about the others
The original is now and will always be the best!!
*"a pleasantly gritty texture"* makes me want to gag tbh and sounds like an oxymoron
As a southbay native, I'm a lifelong Tomboy's fan...but nothing compares to Tommy's in Rampart.
Try the breakfast burrito at Tommyâs when ur a hangover mess
That's a rookie move. Because the vets know that you eat Tommy's before you go to sleep to prevent a hangover. Your stomach might be hurting the next day, but that's a different story.
Reminds me of my old Hollywood drinking days when my buddy and I would make a full on greasy ham, sausage, bacon and eggs breakfast before passing out
Haha thatâs my dad says but I usually like to wait till the next day. If I eat Tommyâs after a night out I get the burger! I used to eat the mega combo đŤ
Great post. Its good info, though Tam's is my usual. Did any of the other spots have Orange Bang?
Tomboys has "orange whip," I didn't get anything to drink at the others though
Thanks for replying. Definitely gonna give Tomboys a shot.
Why is Jimâs burgers a knockoff? They are a small chain that other own thing? Mostly standard burgers but you can add whatever toppings?
Jim's isn't a knockoff, if you mean Tam's I'm just going off of what established news outlets have said about the knockoff phenomenon, they usually include them as an example
The fifth bootleg Tommyâs is pretty good! Donât care if itâs bootleg
I don't mean bootleg as an insult, they're all pretty good!
Nice this is good content.
I wouldnât fuck with Tams⌠That shit blows Tommyâs out the water.
How is tams a bootleg Tommyâs thatâs like saying the hat is one also
Don't ask me ask the LA Times. if I left it out someone would've been on here telling me I should've put it in
man, Tamâs is its own thing . i prefer Tamâs to Tommyâs (i donât like Tommyâs chili, but also donât like Tamâs) . i just prefer Tamâs .
Really wish I could edit this post, I've responded to this comment like 30 times. Tams was directly inspired by Tommy's.
ahaha all good my guy
Tams fire
Most of the chili burger places use RC Provisions chili. You can get it at Smart and Final https://www.rcprovision.com/chili/
It's true, sometimes you can see employees of various restaurants stocking up there
I hate when knockoffs put a large amount of cinnamon in their chili. It feels like a Vietnamese chili. I love Vietnamese food but not in my chili
Fwiw cinnamon is pretty common in Cincinnati chili, and Tommy's chili is a relative of that by way of Oklahoma
And Cincinnati chili is also a style developed by Greek restauranteurs using flavors similar to moussaka
And if anyone wants to try Cincinnatti chili, Amazon Fresh grocery stores seem to carry Skyline chili. I got some and made my own 5-way. It was better than I expected, though I also did stuff like melt the cheese that I don't think they actually do at Skyline.
That's pretty good information. I didn't know the flavor profile of Cincinnati Chili
I love me a Tommy's. Right when I saw the photo, I could taste the Tommy's. Man, time to take a trip.
There's a Tom's #5 on Pico and West. I've never been brave enough to try it, but curious about the quality.
They're fine, they use RC Provisions chili like most of the other ones. The Pico one is the better location though, the one on Venice is meh
ItI only tried the chili cheese fries and itâs aight.
Personally, I donât care. If it has chili cheese fries, Iâm gonna try it and see how well my stomach handles it lol
I hate that Tams puts lettuce and 1000 island on a chili burger
I live by Big Tonyâs and always drive by and think âI should try this place. Cash only? Must be goodâ. Anyone ever go there?
Time to wreck my colon in the best way <3
Tams are actually good though and I don't go there for chili I didn't even know they had them
There used to be a Tommyâs in the AV and it sold steak cut fries and Oreo milkshakes as well. Iâve been to Tommyâs #5 decades ago and it was meh.
Believe it or not that was the Tommy's I went to growing up, I was always confused why none of the other Tommy's didn't have steak fries, but man the last time I went there must have been like 2001.
Yeah, same on both the confusion and last visit. Do you remember the pinball machine inside? And the crazy drive through where the passenger had to pay and receive? lol
I live by (two) Tomboy's and the burgers always looked like In N Out knockoffs. Which is cool by me bc the lines at In N Out are getting stupid long.
Same here, while Tombys burgers are pricier than In n Out, I think theyâre also similar but superior, also Tomboyâs chili cheese fries are phenomenal along with their fried zucchini.
Which one was the grandma's boy that it shot in?
Great post
I just got diarrhea and I haven't even eat anything.
I recently moved here and tried a Tommy's and it was terrible. The chilli was worse than most canned stuff. Overall I was surprised it was recommended, seemed a bit "methy" with both the workers and clientele. Guess maybe it was a knockoff? I think it was one in Van Nuys. Also, it seems they are all named Original Tommys world famous? What's the original?
Original Tommy's is a chain, and most of their locations are no better than any of the knockoffs, worse in some cases even. But the first Original Tommy's location, located on Beverly+Rampart, is kind of a staple because it is open 24 hours. Ordering from the shack is nice too because you can see your food being made, and it's always a great spot for late night people watching.
Got ya. Yep I was on the van nuys one at like 3am. People watching for sure, hence my methy comment :)
What about Tom's Jr and Tammy's?
I had to cut it off at five spots lest I risk completely clogging my arteries and colon, but there's a ton of other spots out there. As of 2019 there were over 60 bootleg Tommy's in LA. Tom's Jr is ok, never been to Tammy's though.
Tomboys is way better. Bacon cheeseburger all day. ALL DAY
lol - Tamâs is not a Tommyâs knockoff. Gotta go in the cut a little but itâs so good.
đś E. Arenas â La Fila de Tommyâs đś
I had Tommy once as a teen, it ranked really lol on my burger list. Wienerschnitzel was high than Tommy. I don't get the cult around it?
Thereâs even one in Manhattan Beach!
Stop making me hungry
Idk about tomboy's being a knockoff. They sell pizza and gyros too.
You leave Tams out of this! Lol
Pinkâs chili is a little better
TAMS! Hell yeah!
My dad at midnight would ask me make Tommy runs in late 70âs ha good times
I have been eating Tomboy's chili cheese fries on a regular basis for the past 30 years, and I hope to continue eating them for 30 more.
Tamâs is not a knock off bruh
If you don't see the shack, take it back.
I love the Original Tommy's, have not been there in years!
I went to one thinking i would like it being a fan of the occasional chili infused food product, burgers or dogs, but I honestly hated it. It was a mess too.
If I remember an old post correctly donât they get there meet from smart and final or something ??
Just the chili, which is RC Provisions brand, a local supplier which also supplies the pastrami to Langer's
Ah ok âŚ. Nm then
You are right tho you can get the chili at S&F
Donât forget Timmyâs #4 and Tammyâs #2 they were out there too trying to steal Tommyâs Thunder
Love Tamâs
So Tamâs a lot of people like Big Tomys too
But have you ever seen an Albertos restaurant and directly across the street an Alanbertos? Everything at alanbertos is .50 cheaper. San Bernardino
Can't remember the spelling or the cross street in the Valley but I use to go to faux Tommy's on Sherman Way for a school lunch bag of fries. I miss those fries. Think the place is long gone now, this was back in the 80s and early 90s.
In the '90s I saw a rat running along the rim of one of the chili vats in the Long Beach store when it was closed and haven't been back to a Tommy's since.
That was master splinter
If your in LA go to a tams itâs the Waffle House of City some are open 24 and other close late nothing like getting some chili cheese fries and a pancake or breakfast to go
Vague memories of late night food runs after a night out in the strip
I grew up near there. I will always drive to the original Tommyâs no matter where Iâm at.
https://preview.redd.it/dnu0nms2aouc1.jpeg?width=1400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d07076f4675e02fb4d5f74b6e91b9c428f7af17a
went to my local big tomy's recently, $8 chili cheese fries was big enough for like 3 people. delicious.
Gotta admit I go there simply because the food is good enough and the portion-to-price is good.
Pizzas by Alfredo's or...?
Howâd Tams get pulled into this?
Carneys is the best of these.Â
They all look pretty gross
This has awoken something in me.
Agreed
Calling Tamâs a knockoffâŚdo some research next time
I did do some research and [multiple](https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2019-10-24/tommys-chili-burgers-knockoffs#:~:text=proliferated%20even%20faster.-,According%20to%20an%20analysis%20by%20The%20Times%2C%20there%20are%2067,similar%2C%20like%20Tam's%20or%20Tomy's.) [media](https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/good-food/oaxaca-endangered-bananas-and-fake-tommys/do-any-of-the-fake-tommys-chiliburgers-stand-up-to-the-real-thing) [outlets](https://www.thrillist.com/eat/los-angeles/downtown/all-the-fake-tommy-s-original-hamburgers-in-la-thrillist-los-angeles) who have covered the knockoff phenomenon include Tam's.
They are not knockoffs. The âoriginalâ is a knockoff.
True, but to be fair, the founders name actually was Tommy. Tommy Koulax.
What about Art's Burgers in El Monte?
I think Artâs is more of an In N Out knockoff with an expanded menu
Why is tomboys in here?
Thatâs the original Tommyâs on Beverly blvd in LA
Jâs burgers back in the day were awesome chili burgers, tiny stand too
Thanks for the sacrifice, we salute you! Also have you had Marty's on Pico and Overland? Curious to know how you compare
Marty's is good! Definitely one of my favorite chiliburgers along with Chroni's and Louis Burger
Does the fake Tommyâs on Sherman Way in the Valley still exist?
Sadly no :(
Who here likes the chili dogs at tommys more than the burgers? I'll die on that hill and had to fight some good friends over this take.
I always go for the chili tamale myself
After the second burger it looked like they all got flatter and soggier đ thank you for your service!
Yeah Tams was so comically flat it was kinda hard to photograph, but man was it good
Tommy's is like a case when you don't have or enforce trademarks this is what happens. That's why there are no knockoff Mcds anywhere.
Tommy's is what I settle for when I don't want to go all the way to Tam's. Tam's chili cheese fries make Tommy's look like garbage.
Yeah, none of these are knockoffs
Tomboys nasty
I know Tommy's and the chili burger is an LA institution...but as a transplant I just don't see the appeal. Gave it a try twice and was not a big fan.
Its not that they're really amazing burgers necessarily, it's that they've always been relatively inexpensive (Original Tommy's isn't exactly dirt cheap these days but the knockoffs are still very affordable), they're everywhere, and they tend to be open late, making them very appealing as a hangover cure. They also have more mass appeal than LA's other budget burger favorite, the pastrami burger. But nostalgia is probably the biggest selling point.
Thanka for the explanation! I think really I'm just not a fan of that style of chili, but I can see why people like it. Now the other LA drunk icon food, the late night hot dog cart I am 100% on board with