Winners For

Best Burger

There's no need to plop foie gras and shaved truffles onto some ground beef, or gently heat it in a CVap oven and spike it with umamitude, to make a burger executive class. At the lounge in Fifth Floor, David Bazirgan's cooks form the patty from ground short rib, chuck, and skirt steak — all cuts known for their deep flavor, as opposed to that n...

Hajime Sato of Mashiko Sushi managed to make everyone mad when he opened his Georgetown burger shop: American-born eaters demanded their patties without the panko bread-crumb coating, and Japanese-born eaters wanted rice instead of a bun. Sato refused their requests, rightly maintaining the inherent superiority of the Katsu Burger he devised. Th...

This Williamsburg burger shack delivers fantastic fast-food-style burgers: thin, griddled patties stuffed in a squishy bun topped with crisp lettuce, fresh tomatoes, and a special sauce that's reminiscent of In-N-Out's iconic West Coast hamburger. We love Blue Collar Good Job's low prices (even the cheeseburger is under $5) and the fact that the...

Choosing a best burger is like choosing the best sex position. There are just too many options, and you can only enjoy so many a day. If you really want a burger that tops them all, you need a version that covers all the bases. Thankfully, Bolsa's bliss on a bun does just that. You can get a fancier version if you want, but you will pay through ...

It may look like a school bus, but it's a lean, mean, burger-grilling machine. Winner of the 2012 Houston Press Burger Bracket, Bernie's Burger Bus is the true definition of gourmet food truck, utilizing the freshest ingredients — fresh-ground Black Angus beef, freshly made baked buns, and homemade condiments — to make one of the juiciest, tasti...

When viewed as a substitute or alternative for beef, meat-free burgers can get a little controversial. They fly in the face of plant-based diets that reject eating cows while confounding those who relish eating cows. But really, when a new, vibrant burger arrives on the scene, it's unfair to quibble and not just eat up. Frida's Deli opened shop ...

Cassy Vires offers only one burger at Home Wine Kitchen. It's available only at lunch. You can't choose a different-size patty or one made from a different kind of meat. There is only the one, a globe of grass-fed beef enriched with a little pork belly, because everything should be enriched with a little pork belly. It should go without saying t...

Michael Schepers opened a juice bar in a faceless Irvine corporate building, then decided to start making burgers on a whim. Soon, crazy Yelp kids and foodies in this burger-starved county began making pilgrimages to his tiny Mick's Karma Bar, to the point that Schepers was making hundreds of burgers per day. While his most famous is the Karma B...

Twisted Spoke Restaurant Review: This quasi-biker's hangout is rather rough around the edges (and intentionally so), but its hamburgers are among the best in the city. Juicy, big and tasty, they’re best washed down with a meal-in-itself Road Rash Mary, a condiment-loaded Bloody Mary that comes with a beer chaser. Other finds (each passable) incl...

The Burger Philosophy Restaurant Review: The name of this casual, counter-service hang pretty much says it all: it serves a menu where burgers get glam treatment. Stand-outs among its house-ground namesake include the Devil’s Advocate, a beefy number with jalapeños, pepper jack and spicy mustard, and Good Morning Chicago, topped with hickory-smo...

Hackney's on Harms Restaurant Review: Little changes about this place, and that’s what its fans prefer. Though several other sandwiches are tried-and-true possibilities, it would be a mistake to forgo the half-pound Hackneyburger, a marvel of juicy, quality beef topped with mellow cheddar and laid between home-baked dark rye. This beauty is esco...

Hop Haus Restaurant Review: If Hop Haus didn’t refer to its burgers as “gourmet” and “worldly,” we probably would like them better. They’re not bad burgers, mind you --- there are even some out-of-the-ordinary ingredients, like ostrich, to be found. It’s just that they don't always live up to that moniker. Take, for example, the lamb burger. Whi...

Rockit Bar & Grill Restaurant Review: Familiar, likeable food laced with trendy ideas --- “grapenutts,” goat cheese-wrapped grapes rolled in crushed pistachios, for example --- is the order of the day at this hot-spot. In other words, expect to find the likes of a Kobe burger with melted Brie, fried shallots and Medjool date aïoli alongside truf...

Billy Goat Tavern & Grill Restaurant Review: This is one of Chicago's most famous and colorful (burger) bars. It’s a funky, no-frills kind of place and a living museum of Chicago journalism. Blowups of columns and bylines of famous writers from days past fill the place. The food is quick, cheap and burger centered (they make a good one, and it’s...

David Burke's Primehouse Restaurant Review: This boutique-hotel restaurant near the Magnificent Mile affords contemporary fare like the pretzel-crusted crab cake with poppy seed honey, seaweed-brined half chicken with basil whipped potatoes, and lobster bisque with green apple essence alongside a lobster stick. But the focus is squarely on steak...

DMK Burger Bar Restaurant Review: In so many ways, this burger joint --- the brainchild of Michael Kornick (mk) and David Morton (Morton's The Steakhouse) --- is a winning formula, from the casual, come-as-you-are communal feel to the affordable, and different-enough, takes on patties. The things we liked --- the coffee milkshake, the seriously ...

The Gage Restaurant Review: You can call The Gage many things --- a pub, a gourmet dining experience, an after-work hangout, a swanky wine bar --- but don’t call it a gastropub. At least not to owner Billy Lawless, a native of County Galway, Ireland, who feels the term often is misunderstood in the States. Perhaps The Gage’s spot-on combination ...

Longman & Eagle Restaurant Review: Sure, this Logan Square restaurant-lounge attracts more than its fair share of hipsters --- if you have a plaid shirt, skinny black jeans and nerdy glasses, wear them --- but this isn’t just a see-and-be-seen spot. A lot of thought went into the shabby-chic décor --- be sure to head to the back room to check ou...

Since 1968, the McDonald's Big Mac (which looks better than it actually tastes) has bcome an iconic American sandwich without ever having been very original. The Big Mac was in fact a shameless copy of the Big Boy burger, an innovation of the Bob's Big Boy restaurant chain. Like the Mac, Bob's burger offered up two all-beef patties on a three-la...

A glorious hamburger should be made from good beef, cooked to order and served on a fresh bakery bun. If there's a classy piece of fromage (not that waxy, processed "American" cheese) and caramelized onion, all the better. Chef Emmanuel Langlade creates an 8-ounce patty from ground chuck and brisket, grills it exactly to the customer's request, ...

This new restaurant serves several deeply satisfying sandwiches, but the best-selling Tavern Burger is divine. It's also simple: a half-pound of ground chuck, grilled just right and topped with a thick slice of sharp cheddar, crisp bacon, fresh lettuce, red onion and tomato, and then folded into a soft brioche bun. (It comes with fries, but you ...

Village Whiskey Restaurant Review: Calorie counters need not apply to Jose Garces' hot-spot Village Whiskey, located next door to Tinto. Duck fat fries with cheese sauce, butter-poached lobster roll and homemade cheese puffs are a few of the offerings. Then there's the Whiskey King ten-ounce burger, a behemoth beauty bathed in maple bourbon glaz...

Butcher & Singer Restaurant Review: Butcher & Singer, from restaurant mogul Stephen Starr, exudes a sexy 40s supper club vibe. This is a grand spot, with its reconfigured front bar, soaring 28-foot ceilings and crystal chandeliers resurrected from the Fontainebleau in Miami. Sink into a leather-tufted booth with a perfect manhattan and get ready...

Monk's Cafe Restaurant Review: A pioneer on Philly's ever-developing beer scene, Monk's is a good spot to quash a serious thirst. Many dishes are prepared with some sort of beer; even the salade niçoise has Belgian Gueuze in the dressing. Kriek duck is basted with sour cherries soaked in Boon Kriek and rabbit is braised in La Chouffe Belgian Ale...

Rouge Restaurant Review: Rouge combines a see-and-be-seen bar scene with a seductive dining room and sidewalk seating, with its attendant people-watching, to make one of the most happening spots on Rittenhouse Square. Matthew Levin's food is both familiar and fresh as he combines classics with up-to-the-minute flourishes and extras. Run in for a...

Derek’s Restaurant Review: This wine-friendly bistro spotlights a small- and large-plate menu of sophisticated comfort food. Chef-owner Derek Davis places the emphasis on sustainable and seasonal ingredients with dishes such as lobster bisque with a petite crab cake and chive and a multitude of salads, including a baked Lancaster goat cheese sal...

Sassafras Restaurant Review: This place is an old-timer on Tin Ceiling Row. The overhead panels capture nineteenth-century ambience while the dark wooden bar sets the tone of the room. Dim tables near the fireplace provide one of the most romantic spots in town for interesting pub grub. An impressive selection of single malts and burgers, includ...

Rembrandt's Restaurant Review: This spot harkens to the brown bars of Amsterdam with an original, elaborate tin ceiling, stained-glass windows and handsome Jugendstil-style fixtures. Named for its proximity to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rembrandt's broad menu features sustainable proteins and seasonal produce in a wide selection of flatbrea...

Elevation Burger Restaurant Review: The beef at Elevation Burger is mostly local and always grass-fed, free-range and ground on the premises. This company focuses on doing one thing well: building a better burger of organic, pasture-raised, antibiotic-free beef. Sides such as fries cooked in olive oil round out the menu. Veggie burgers and grill...

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar Restaurant Review: There’s no arguing that some chain restaurants really do it right. And Fleming’s, founded by restaurateur Paul Fleming---the original “P.F.” in P.F. Chang’s---is one of them. Boasting a contemporary, refined ambience, enhanced with light wood, leather banquettes and accents of cherry and a...

Copabanana Restaurant Review: This South Street spot, popular for its margaritas since 1978, also serves south-of-the-border food in the yellow-and-red-striped back room. Don't expect to become haute and bothered here---the menu offers kicky renditions of burgers, steaks, salads and sandwiches, like the magic mushroom sandwich made of portobello...

Firefly Restaurant Review: With an edginess that seems fitting for a restaurant in this boutique hotel domain, the contemporary menu appeals to all ages and to all taste buds, with such appetizers as chopped chicken liver, old-timey stuffed hard-boiled eggs (a must-order dish), and matzoh ball soup. Follow with a dandy roasted organic chicken an...

Clyde's of Georgetown Restaurant Review: Despite the expansion of the kitchen and the sprucing up of its three dining areas, this Clyde's outpost, the original location, remains as comfortable and familiar as an old sneaker. Washingtonians owe thanks to this place for popularizing pub food and making chili and burgers glamorous fare. Folks turn ...

Nage Bistro Restaurant Review: Playing off its reputation as a beachy favorite from Rehoboth, Nage came to DC---but its arrival created no stir. But times have changed, folks. The cooking here is dynamic, edgy and unexpected, especially in a small place that is actually a trendy hotel coffee shop. Be sure to check out the chalkboard specials to ...

Burger Tap & Shake Restaurant Review: Burger fans, rejoice. DC has its own super-hot/ultra-cool joint for burgers made with interesting toppings and house-made buns, as well as luscious shakes. Burger Tap & Shake (BTS) is the little sister of Jeff Tunks’ District Commons. In fact, the two are joined by a shared passageway and a prep kitchen. Tha...

Bobby's Burger Palace Restaurant Review: The word “palace” suggests something grand and elegant, but Bobby Flay’s burger joint in DC is not elegant. Instead, with its bright, bold colors it is funky, but in terms of killer burgers, it is grand, indeed. Like most such eateries, BBP pairs several variations of burger styles---no buffalo, no turkey...

Shake Shack Restaurant Review: A hot commodity in DC, Shake Shack draws crowds who cluster at the door, then wait patiently in line inside. The attractions, of course, are the burgers, fries, and lusty, silken shakes. Additive-free Angus meat makes up the burgers, which come in several different variations, including a ShackBurger; this and the ...

Good Stuff Eatery Restaurant Review: If you are a fan of TV’s Top Chef, you probably know all about its alum, Spike Mendelsohn, a twenty-something who made it through several episodes on the show. But you may not realize he opened this bustling eatery, where hungry Hill staffers and locals crowd in for the overstuffed burgers and hand-cut fries....

Bourbon Steak Restaurant Review: This may be one of DC’s most luxurious restaurants, but every penny you spend buys you some of the city’s most luxurious food. First, it’s a Michael Mina effort, which ensures top quality. Next, it’s housed in the fancy Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown, a destination known to attract celebs and politicos. Finally...

Central Michel Richard Restaurant Review: Michel Richard's casual American bistro attracts a constant state of hustle and bustle to its lively dining room. This Penn Quarter setting, with dishes prepared by executive chef Jason Maddens, exemplifies why Richard and all his restaurants continuously please. Of course, a handful of French-inspired d...

Bistro Bis Restaurant Review: Capitol Hill’s favorite place for spotting politicos and schmoozing with lobbyists, this upscale Franco-American restaurant stars DC’s mega chef Jeffrey Buben, a man who knows a thing or two about feeding the very fussy local crowd. Lunch is elegant with simple fare beautifully prepared and served. Although the menu...

The Publick House Restaurant Review: Decking the walls amid candlelit Gothic furnishings and fixtures scavenged from old New England churches, European breweriana promises beer buffs they’ve come to the right place when they enter this Washington Square pub. The taps lining the bar live up to the promise, as not a one is wasted on mass-produced ...

Eastern Standard Restaurant Review: Owner Garrett Harker, the former partner of Barbara Lynch (he put the G in B&G Oysters), reigns over the enormous dining room where everyone from Red Sox fans to pre-theater diners come to indulge in retro cuisine for the post-millennium. Though Eastern Standard is located in the Hotel Commonwealth, you'd neve...

Union Bar & Grille Restaurant Review: Chef-owner Seth Woods takes the pulse of Boston diners more accurately than most. First at Metropolis, then Aquitaine, he has shown he understands what folks want---sometimes before they know themselves. With Union Bar & Grille, he was first to answer SoWa’s need for upscale neighborhood joints. The design i...

Boston Beer Works Restaurant Review: Located just around the corner from the TD Banknorth Garden, this boisterous brewpub, with an industrial chic interior lined with TVs, is jam-packed before a Celtics and Bruins game. But for those in the know, it’s a party even when there's no home game. The glassed-in, on-site brewery produces beers named in...

Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage Restaurant Review: Across from hallowed Harvard Yard, this famed burgermeister has been grilling burgers and whipping up thick frappes for decades. Freshly ground, hand-formed and cooked as ordered, the burgers---most named for stars and politicians---are among the best in town. Ditto the freshly cut sweet potato fri...

Radius Restaurant Review: Even though Radius has been open for more than a decade, this French-inspired restaurant still attracts a large following. An after-work crowd gathers to nosh on the pricey burger. If you choose a table in the main circular dining room, you can also order off the bar menu, which includes treats like fancy popcorn and th...

The Bristol Restaurant Review: The Bristol features everything from soups and salads to steak frites and the famous Bristol burger. Power players dine center stage in a room featuring plush couches and mahogany tables, and with tuxedoed waitstaff and live piano music. The menu, too, takes a luxe approach to casual fare. For breakfast, you will f...

Morton's The Steakhouse Restaurant Review: The Morton's chain is all about quality steaks, salads and sides with a couple of seafood items thrown in. Not sure what to order? Servers wheel over an abundant cart filled with the cuts of beef available that day (this steakhouse is the originator of the show-and-tell tableside à la carte menu). Start...

Audubon Circle Bar Restaurant Review: This Kenmore Square hangout is more than just an average bar. The menu ranges from Mediterranean to Asian to classic American dishes. Start off by pairing a glass of Chardonnay with white bean purée and crunchy grilled bread. Try the pot sticker box or the marinated grilled skirt steak tacos. Don’t miss the ...

Bukowski Tavern Restaurant Review: If Bukowski fell over in one direction, it would land in the middle of the Massachusetts Turnpike, but if it toppled the other way, it would block traffic in a parking garage. From such an odd perch, this tiny bar, given its namesake, focuses on beers with more than 100 brews available. And while you can still ...

Who doesn’t love debating about good burgers? It was a close race between Red Coat and Miller’s, but voters said nirvana awaits you at the Red Coat, which also won the 2011 Best of Metromix crown. You can’t lose with the Original Red Coat Special — a memorably juicy ground beef patty with shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced tomato, onion, special s...

Since opening in Carlsbad in August 2011 Elevation Burger offers 100% grass fed free range beef with no antibiotics/hormones/pesticide.INGREDIENTS MATTER: When we talk about the ingredients we use, we don't try to fool you with meaningless marketing terms. The terms we use 100% grass fed free range, no antibiotics/hormones/pesticide & organic, h...

Co-owner Bill Shumate might be fond of saying that with this young, small burger operation, he’s back to square one—get it?—but the restaurateur is no rookie. He and Joanie Corneil have been the proprietors of Bella’s Italian Café in Hyde Park for more than 25 years. The rapid expansion of Square1 Burgers & Bar should be proof enough of his vete...

Ale Mary’s has food specials every day, but Mondays are super-special because their already excellent burgers are on discount—$6.95 for a half-pound burger, with a Boh included! That’s like three bucks savings. And as you might have guessed, the cheapness is just a huge bonus on top of a truly quality burger. For the record, the term “Angus” is ...

When BBB owner Anisha Jagtap traded in her pastry bag for a spatula, we wondered how the transition from the former Puffs & Pastries to a burger joint would fare. Very well, thank you. The chef uses her cooking skills to turn out hefty burgers on grilled potato/brioche rolls that can be dolled up with extras like avocado and fried egg and variou...

Everyone knows Slow Bar makes the best burgers in Portland. Though the place itself isn’t much to speak of, the burger is a monument to excess (in the best kind of way): a towering monstrosity of a half-pound Painted Hills beef patty, Gruyere, crisp battered onion rings, pickle relish, and garlic aioli sandwiched delicately between brioche buns....

If you like cheese, you will love the Squeeze Inn. Tiny little place on Fruitridge Rd. 1 block west of Power Inn. In business in Sacramento for over 25 years. Fresh bread delivered daily and fresh cut fries. You wont find a better burger in Sacramento. Once you try it, you will be hooked.

With B Spots in Woodmere, Strongsville, Crocker Park, and the Q (and another slated for downtown's new casino), this irreverent gourmet burger joint from Michael "Iron Chef" Symon has foodies and fans awash in naturally raised beef. Of course, it's what Symon does with that meat that has found B Spot snagging Best Burger in America awards from t...

Burger Bar Las Vegas Restaurant Review: There are burger bars and there is Hubert Keller's Burger Bar Las Vegas. This is the Hubert Keller whose Fleur de Lys is among the notable fine dining restaurants in San Francisco. Each of this unique eatery's booths has a small TV featuring sports events. The small open kitchen turns out an array of burge...

i♥burgers Restaurant Review: If you truly love burgers, this place is for you. I♥burgers at The Shoppes at The Palazzo has a full range of gourmet burgers with options of Prime ground sirloin, buffalo, free-range chicken breast, ground turkey, and panko-crusted eggplant. The décor is enhanced by colorful 15-foot mushroom statues that contribute ...

Holsteins Restaurant Review: The name pays homage to the bovine species, and while gourmet burgers hold top billing, executive chef Anthony Meidenbauer made room on the menu for other dishes as well. A case in point is truffled lobster mac ‘n’ cheese or the crispy pork belly wrapped in a Chinese steamed bun with hoisin sauce, cucumber and pea sh...

Le Burger Brasserie Restaurant Review: “French-influenced American classic” might best describe the cuisine turned out in the elegant Le Burger Brasserie Sports Grille’s busy kitchen. There’s a cozy, comfortable sitting area and massive bar at the entrance, and the glassed-in wine closet complements the rich, dark wood of the 200-seat dining roo...

Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill Restaurant Review: Combining the energetic feel of the beach lifestyle and the cool beauty of a garden, this 200-seat eatery was designed to capture the essence of the laid-back California dining experience introduced to Las Vegas in 1992 by the renowned chef-restaurateur. The friendly bar is popular with solo diners an...

Burger nerds (yes, there are such people) are extremely picky about their hamburgers, and they will try them anywhere at any time. For years, Dan’s has ranked at the top of the list. The cheeseburgers are king (particularly with bacon), but don’t pass on the jalapeno variety if you like it spicy.

Hot chicken may get all the love (and who's complaining?), but Nashville deserves just as much fame for its plethora of first-rate burgers — not just city institutions such as Rotier's and Brown's Diner, but comparatively recent upstarts like Burger Up, The Pharmacy, Hoss' Loaded Burgers and Gabby's. If it's late night after a show, our favorite...

Make that plural. There are more varieties of burgers here than you can shake a vegetarian at. Or they could shake a Just Plain Nuts Burger or a Wild & Crazy Mushroom Burger at you. But there are plenty of versions for carnivores, too, including chicken done Marsala or fajita style, ground sirloin with boursin, and ground lamb with feta.

Even in this era of carbonated mojito spheres, caviar bubbles and beet cheesecake, the hamburger remains America's favorite food, and burger fans — of which you are undoubtedly one — are insanely opinionated about what the consummate burger should look and taste like. Highland Tap & Burger gets to the meat of the matter, serving its plump, char-...

Here, in the birthplace of Juicy Lucys, it's always a surprise when a non-molten-cheese-stuffed burger shows up on a menu and manages to blow you away. But that's just what happens when you first sink your teeth into the Hill Burger at Harriet Brasserie in Linden Hills. It's not even representative of most of the cuisine at this charming bistro,...

At first glance, you might think the Latin Macho burger ($8) is a slovenly sandwich. After all, once you unwrap the foil it rests in, you'll find a jumble of bun-oozing cheese, juice, and caramelized onions. As you try to figure out how to tackle this meat monster without wearing most of it, you flip up the bun and discover a veritable puddle of...

Tucked away in a converted house on the outskirts of Delray Beach's Pineapple Grove is the juiciest, meatiest, most delicious burgers that can be found in South Florida. On the corner of NE Third Street and Third Avenue, the appropriately named 3rd & 3rd creates burger magic. A firm brioche bun cradles a perfectly seared patty of luscious beef w...