I devoured this burger at Magnolia House. There is no “after” photo.
Pasadena Cheeseburger Week is built on playful reinvention, and Magnolia House leans into that spirit this year with a thoughtful, chef-driven entry: a French Onion Dip Burger that borrows familiar comfort flavors and reshapes them into something quietly ambitious and delicious.
Priced at $25 as a Cheeseburger Week special, the burger arrives with Belgian fries and a small cup of au jus for dipping. The build is straightforward but deliberate: stacked Wagyu patties, Gruyère cheese, tallow-caramelized onions, horseradish crème, crispy shallots, and a toasted potato bun. The concept lands somewhere between a classic cheeseburger and the spirit of a French dip sandwich—think Philippe’s the Original in Downtown LA, mixed through a French onion soup lens.
Ooh la la indeed.
Exec Chef Fernando Hernandez says Magnolia House changes its Cheeseburger Week offering every year. Past entries have included variations built around different cheeses and, one year, a version featuring bone marrow butter with the same patty used in the restaurant’s hash burger. The French Onion Dip Burger grew from classic French dip flavors, combined with what the team has noticed online, where French onion and French dip dishes are enjoying a noticeable resurgence across restaurant feeds and viral videos.
What makes this burger work is balance. The Wagyu delivers richness without feeling heavy. Gruyère adds depth. The horseradish crème brings gentle heat. The crispy shallots contribute texture. And the au jus quietly ties everything together, turning a few bites into a dunking exercise that feels natural rather than gimmicky. And then the burger is sliced in half and served face down in the au jus. Whoa.
A personal aside: I don’t generally like onions. This burger still landed.
Pasadena Cheeseburger Week wraps up on Saturday, making this the final stretch to sample Magnolia House’s entry before it disappears.
Cast ballots for a favorite burger at the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce’s Cheeseburger Week voting page. Use this link to take you there.
Voting in the Cheeseburger Challenge is open through 11:59 pm on Saturday, January 31. Eat and vote. And eat and vote again.
