Although the owner, Ali Tehfi, has been in the restaurant industry for only a few years, his management staff has significant restaurant experience. And, this is not a new venture without support. The Famous Hamburger franchise originally started in Beirut, Lebanon in the 1980s. The first eatery in the U.S. opened its halal doors in Michigan in the 1990s. And now, as of April 2008, the franchise is serving southern California in the city of Bell. Why Bell?

Per Tehfi, there are approximately 3,000 Lebanese Muslims in the surrounding area. However, this is the first halal restaurant to serve that locale, and serving is what they do best. The restaurant has a diner feel to it and is open from 6 a.m. to midnight on weekdays and 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. on weekends. And for Ramadan pleasure, Tehfi intends to stay open 24 hours.

So, I am sure you are interested in the food. That’s where I step in. The menu is a dream come true for my fellow Muslim eaters – burgers, tacos, subs, wraps, hot dogs, and more. The menu also offers breakfast including omelets, steak and eggs, turkey bacon, and sausage. Suhoor anyone?

For the benefit of all you diehard review readers, I took one – okay, I took a few – for the community yet again and tried a variety of items. And I enjoyed every bite.

For first-time visitors, I recommend the Famous Nacho Grande to start things off. It is a grande combination of beef, beans, melted cheese, guacamole and sour cream. Let’s move on to starter #2 – sorry for those who thought the meal was coming next. The hot dogs are tasty, with the usual topping choices of ketchup, mustard, onions, and relish. However, I prefer the chili dog, especially because I have always wanted to order one and because the chili is great topping – that would be starter #3. Moving on to a mini-burger to whet your appetite for the main event, it is a classic burger with ketchup, tomatoes and lettuce. The mini-burger is a great meal for kids (starter #4 for me).

You must also have the halal Bacon Cheese Burger. Do not leave Famous Hamburger without trying this burger. It has the taste of a completely satisfying burger. As I sank my teeth into the melted cheese and tasted the bacon blended with beef, pickles, and onions, I almost felt guilty for eating something I thought I shouldn’t be eating; and then within a split second, quickly took my second bite as my taste buds could not wait any longer.

Another burger recommendation would be the Swiss Mushroom Burger, which includes a one-third-pound patty with melted Swiss cheese and sautéed mushrooms. Another must try is the steak & cheese sub. It tastes like a fresh roast beef sandwich, as the beef is tender with the perfect blend of cheese and sauce. As you can tell, the menu is limitless given that there are more than 100 items to choose from.

If you have a Famous appetite, the restaurant offers a Wall of Fame Burger – an all-meat one pound burger! If you are up to the challenge and can finish it, they will take a picture of you and put it on the Famous Wall of Fame.

All orders are made fresh. Pricing is extremely reasonable, with burgers ranging from $3-$5; hot dogs less than $2; with majority of the items less than $7. The best thing is that all items are halal; just bring your limitless Famous appetite.

Famous Hamburger Cafe & Grill
4143 E. Florence Ave.
Bell, CA 90201
(323) 562-0744

Sun-Th 6am – Midnight
Fri-Sat 6am – 3am
Ramadan – 24hrs