I’ve made it a habit to go the distance for food.
I’ll book a flight with “exploration” in mind, but if I’m being honest, food is always the underlying motive behind it. Whether I’m across the world or just a few cities over, there’s usually a meal I’m chasing.
Is it the best use of my time? Yes.
Is it the best use of my gas money right now? No, but also yes.
That’s exactly how I felt recently as I made the 40-mile drive to Long Beach for a meal at Proudly Serving. This wasn’t just any restaurant visit, it felt a little personal.
I’ve known the owners of Proudly Serving, Matt and Jenn, thank to this blog. They were incredible PR agents who over time connected me to wonderful restaurants for me to explore. Since then, I’ve been following their journey from the world of public relations to starting their own food-based businesses. Those businesses, while small, were a beauty to watch grow. They had their delicious pastry company, South Baked, that perfected the chocolate chip cookie. And then there was Proudly Serving. A simple and sweet burger pop up that found it’s footing in parking lots and backyards of bars throughout Southern California. And then one day, they found their own location. Then as time passed, they found their second location. And now today as years have carried since they showed up within a local brewery, they now have a third location. At one time, you had to know about them to find them and now you have to pick between which location you’d like to visit. It’s pretty incredible to someone create something special and watch others fall in love with it the same way (if not more) than you do.
By the time I pulled up to their third brick and mortar location, I was excited. Giddy, even.
On this visit, I ordered The Founder ($11), The Juicy James ($14), plus a side of Tater Tots ($5). The Founder is simple in theory: a double patty with cheese, raw onions, pickles, yellow mustard, and ketchup. But in execution, it’s the kind of burger that reminds you why classics exist in the first place. It’s balanced, nostalgic, and just messy enough to feel right.
The Juicy James leans a little more indulgent. Same double patty and cheese, but layered with lettuce, tomato, bacon, and their house-made sauce, all tucked into a toasted sesame bun. It’s the kind of burger that requires a pause after the first bite, not because you’re unsure about it all, but because you need a second to fully appreciate what just happened. Then you happily go bite after bite until it’s gone.
And the tots? Crispy, golden, and exactly what they should be.
What I love most about Proudly Serving isn’t just the food, it’s the feeling behind it. You can taste the intention and the consistency in it all and that’s what makes people keep coming back for more day after day.
Driving 40 miles for a burger might not make sense to everyone and I get that. But if you’ve ever followed a brand from its early days, cheered it on, and then finally sat down in one of its spaces and taken that first bite, you’d get it too.
Some meals are just meals. And some feel like they’re worth a long drive because they are truly great from the story to their taste. Proudly Serving was (and is) the latter.
Follow Them.
Address: 1617 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Phone: (310) 504-0267
Hours: Daily 11:00 am to 10:00 pm
Social: Website, Instagram, and TikTok.
