Rare burgers.

Those who say that Los Angeles isn't even half the city of New York may have a point--at least in terms of pricey burgers.

At $21, the Tower Bar at the Argyle Hotel in West Hollywood offers one of the most expensive hamburgers in L.A. But that's nowhere near the $50 version that graced the menu of DB Bistro Modeme in New York.

Still, the Tower Bar's eight-ounce Kobe beef hamburger with melted bile, grilled onion and purple mustard is no workingman's Big Mac. It's the creation of Executive Chef Collin Crannell, formerly of Chloe and the Water Grill, who claims that the price stems from its high-quality ingredients--the beef comes from Darling Down Farms in Australia--and his kitchen's skillful cooking techniques, such as infusing mustard with grapes.

"At a fine dining restaurant like mine, it is not just like getting a regular hamburger. It is done at a more gourmet level," he said. "Everything is homemade on the plate, from the bun to the burger to the fries."

Sky-high prices for burgers and other menu items, however, may be more about publicity than about product quality, according to long-time restaurant critic Merrill Shindler, host of "Feed Your Face" on KLSX-FM (97.1). "A lot of this doesn't exist on the level of any sort of reality. It exists on the level of getting attention," he said.

Shindler advises diners to stick with the old standouts. Father's Office in Santa Monica is frequently mentioned as having one of the best hamburgers in the city. It's pricey but not off the charts at $12.50 and features dry aged beef with Maytag blue cheese, arugula, gruyere, caramelized onion and applewood bacon compote.