The Marathon continues, and now it’s taking off. Marathon Burger, the restaurant led by Samiel “Blacc Sam” Asghedom, older brother of the late Nipsey Hussle, opened its fifth location on Monday inside Terminal 1 at Los Angeles International Airport. It’s the brand’s first airport restaurant.

The location carries special meaning for the family. Blacc Sam and Nipsey often passed through Terminal 1 together when flying out of Los Angeles, and now travelers moving through that same terminal can get a taste of the business the brothers once dreamed about. Before the first restaurant ever opened, the two would cook together and talk about one day running a restaurant of their own.

“We are honored to have this opportunity to bring Marathon Burger to LAX Terminal 1,” Asghedom said in a statement. “To be able to expand and have this be our fifth location is a huge blessing.”

Travelers can order most of the restaurant’s signature menu, including its double smash burger with grilled onions, fries and wings, along with beer, wine and cocktails. The LAX location also offers a breakfast menu available only at the airport. A pop-up shop beside the restaurant sells Marathon merchandise.

The opening was part of a broader dining refresh at LAX ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games, with Roy Choi’s Kogi BBQ opening in the same terminal on the same day. The Crenshaw Marching Band performed at the launch celebration.

“Marathon Burger and Kogi BBQ embody the best of LA’s culinary and cultural excellence,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said. “Now, visitors from around the world will be able to experience them the moment they land.” Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson added, “Nipsey Hussle’s vision was always rooted in community empowerment.”

Nipsey Hussle founded The Marathon brand in 2010, building it from music into clothing and business ventures rooted in his Crenshaw community. After his death in 2019, his family and team carried that vision forward. Marathon Burger started as a pop-up in 2024 before opening its Melrose Avenue flagship in March 2025, where fans lined up around the block. The brand has since expanded to Venice, Canoga Park and Long Beach.

The airport opening also marks a meaningful step for Black ownership in airport dining, a space where independent Black-owned brands have historically been hard to find. And Blacc Sam isn’t slowing down. Las Vegas is next on the list, which would be Marathon Burger’s first location outside California.

Photo Credit: ASUR Airports