Original Tommy's World Famous Hamburgers is planning a new Woodland Hills location at 20032 Ventura Blvd. The chain, famous for its chili cheeseburgers and chili cheese fries, has not announced an exact opening date.
As reported by WhatNow, the new spot will serve burgers, chili cheese fries, chili dogs, tamales, and breakfast items, including a breakfast sandwich and breakfast burrito. Customers will order and pay at a service counter before receiving their food, following the chain's longstanding self-service model. The project is described as a 1,300-square-foot restaurant with a drive-thru, 657 square feet of patio space, 33 stand-up seats, and 32 sit-down seats.
From Auto Garage to Burger Stand
From Auto Garage to Burger Stand The lot was formerly occupied by Nix Automotive Service, and the project is proposed as a restaurant. Project materials identify a site-plan review and specific-plan exception for the project, a detail that aligns with the proposed fast-food drive-thru format. Many Original Tommy's locations are open 24 hours, and the format is suitable for a drive-thru.
The new restaurant would expand Original Tommy's San Fernando Valley footprint. It would join the chain's other locations in California and Nevada. The chain currently operates 32 locations across Southern California and Las Vegas, and has said it plans to focus future growth on selected sites in California, Nevada, and Arizona.
A Menu Built on 80 Years of History
The chili cheeseburger chain traces back to 1946, when founder Tom Koulax opened the first Original Tommy's stand at Beverly and Rampart boulevards in Los Angeles. Per the company's own website, the chain expanded during the 1960s and opened additional locations through the 1970s. Koulax, the son of Greek immigrants who worked as a shipyard welder during World War II, died of cancer at age 73 in May 1992, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Original Tommy's menu still centers on hamburgers, hot dogs, tamales, and fries. As SFGATE has detailed, the chain is known for its signature burger.
A Family Business That Refuses to Franchise
A Family Business That Refuses to Franchise Original Tommy's remains family-owned; Cynthia Koulax is Tom Koulax's daughter. In May 2026, the company marked its 80th anniversary since its founding on May 15, 1946, by offering 80-cent chili cheeseburgers across all 32 locations in California and Nevada, according to FOX 11.
That protectiveness has extended into the courtroom over the decades. Koulax sued and prevailed over more than 20 imitators to enforce trademark protections around the chain's iconic shack logo and cursive script, the Los Angeles Times reported. Original Tommy's is based in Monrovia, California. The Woodland Hills project would bring that longstanding menu and fast-service concept to a new stretch of Ventura Boulevard.
