Double Up at Nipsey Hussle's Marathon Burger

The Marathon Burger furthers Nipsey Hussle's legacy. Credit: Kick The Concrete

Nipsey Hussle's mission was always more than music. Six years after his tragic death in front of his The Marathon Clothing store, his brother, Blacc Sam opened Marathon Burger in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles.

Blacc Sam and Nipsey's team worked hard to craft a burger that exemplified the late rapper's brand of excellence. They carefully oversaw every detail of the enterprise, including the location, the packaging, the menu and the flavors.

The brothers worked together at local Creole restaurant Bayou Grille growing up. Those memories served as inspiration for the Marathon Burger vision.

The Marathon Burger is located in the heart of the Fairfax District. Credit: Kick The Concrete

Blacc Sam explained how the team rallied around the idea for a restaurant honoring Nipsey.

"Instinctively, we're like oh man, what if we did a Marathon Burger? How can we make ours even better than our favorite burgers?" Blacc Sam said in a documentary by The Marathon Brand. "Then all the flashbacks of me cooking since I was a little kid, working at a restaurant, my brother cooking with me just came and it was just like a no-brainer. It hit me hard, same type of shit where I get goosebumps where it's like Marathon Burger."

After a counterfeit operation started getting attention, a series of serendipitous events came together for the vision to become a reality.

"Everything happens for a reason," Blacc Sam said. "... God works in mysterious ways."

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Kick The Concrete visited Marathon Burger on a weekday a few weeks after its grand opening in March and the establishment was still buzzing in excitement. There's a security guard at the door helping regulate the flow of people and a pop-up shade for fans waiting outside to get in. Once inside, there's a counter for people to sit and enjoy their meal while a black and white photo of Nipsey standing on the corner of Crenshaw and Slauson where he built his empire smiles down.

There's multiple signs displaying the restaurant's motto, which is a play off Nipsey's multi-platinum song. "So good, you'll double up."

Nipsey Hussle smiles down on fans who visit Marathon Burger, an extension of his empire that started on the corner of Crenshaw and Slauson. Credit: Kick The Concrete

The menu at Marathon Burger has vegetarian and vegan options and breakfast items. Credit: Kick The Concrete

The specialty is the Marathon Burger, which has two wagyu beef patties, grilled onions, pickles, American cheese, ketchup, mustard, secret sauce (similar to In-N-Out's Thousand Island-ish spread) and Fresno peppers to give it a kick. Warning: The spice is real, not terrible, but be ready when ordering.

The burger itself costs $15 and a combo with fries and a drink is $20. The blue raspberry lemonade is the house favorite and it is very tasty.

There's vegetarian and vegan options and even a single patty Jr. Marathon Burger for younger Nipsey fans or those with a smaller appetite. Fans also order a chicken sandwich or hot wings and get a milkshake for $8.

Breakfast is served from 7 am to 12 pm PT. The menu features a breakfast sandwich and a French toast waffle.

The Jr. Marathon Burger from Marathon Burger. Credit: Kick The Concrete

The blue raspberry lemonade from Marathon Burger. Credit: Kick The Concrete

The service was friendly and the restaurant was clean and inviting. The wait time was about 20 minutes and it might go down as the hype around Marathon Burger's initial opening slows down.

Even though fans continue to mourn the loss of Nipsey Hussle, they can rest assured that his vision didn't leave with him.