Grill Em All Verified listing

Long before gourmet burgers became commonplace across SoCal, Matthew Chernus was building a cult following out of a food truck dubbed Grill ‘Em All that blasted heavy metal and served burgers named after the rock gods who sang them.

Moving from Cleveland to Los Angeles with dreams of becoming one of those very gods, Matthew found the reality that music would likely not define his career increasingly heavy. Eventually landing at the (rightfully adored) Los Feliz legend that is Ye Rustic Inn, having run-ins with everyone from Keifer Sutherland to the cast of “That 70s Show,” Matthew knew there had to be more to life than a dive bar with really great wings.

Based on a screenplay written by Matthew—yes, there is indeed a script out there somewhere he had written about two friends starting a food truck—$10,000 was invested into a food truck at a time when Kogi and The Grilled Cheese Truck were the main players in the game. And then Grill ‘Em All became a certified Los Angeles legend.

What made Grill ’Em All endure wasn’t just the gimmick. Critics and diners alike repeatedly pointed out that the food backed up the spectacle. Publications including Eater and entities like PBS praised the restaurant’s balance of excess and craftsmanship, noting the quality of its beef, locally sourced buns, and willingness to push burger construction into absurd but strangely successful territory. Signature items became local legends, from gravy-smothered burgers to skull-branded buns.

Written and photos by Brian Addison.

For Brian Addison's full feature on Grill 'Em All, click here.