Finding the "best" burger is tricky since everyone's taste is different, but some places stand out for burgers you can't order anywhere else. From classic griddled cheeseburgers to inventive wagyu patties, these eight spots run coast to coast. Swipe forward to see what makes each one worth the trip.

Au Cheval

New York, Chicago

Au Cheval built its reputation on a deceptively simple diner cheeseburger: thick, medium-rare patties and molten American cheese on a soft bun, with thick-cut bacon and a runny egg available as add-ons. The Daily Meal ranked it number one on its list of the 101 best burgers in America. The original opened in Chicago's West Loop in 2012, and New York and Nashville followed.

4 Charles Prime Rib

New York

4 Charles Prime Rib turns out a 10-ounce Double Wagyu Cheeseburger built on Snake River Farms wagyu, American cheese, pickles, onion and Marie Rose sauce. It's on the dinner menu and at weekend brunch, and a farm egg or bacon costs extra.

Odd Duck

Austin, Texas

Odd Duck's Aged Wagyu Burger has come topped with a brick of fried beer cheese, spicy tomato-pork jam and pickled squash. Chef Bryce Gilmore reworks the toppings with the seasonal menu, so no two visits taste quite the same. The restaurant holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand, the guide's nod to good food at a moderate price.

112 Eatery

Minneapolis, Minnesota

The 112 Cheeseburger buries a butter-rich patty under creamy Brie de Meaux and arrives on a grilled English muffin or a brioche bun. The Star Tribune, which named it one of the 10 best burgers in the Twin Cities, describes crunchy bread-and-butter pickles as the finishing touch.

The Copper Onion

Salt Lake City, Utah

The Copper Onion Burger pairs grass-fed beef with caramelized onion and duck fat aioli on a house bun, with cheddar and bacon available on the side. Salt Lake Magazine counts it among the dishes that never leave chef Ryan Lowder's menu.

Zombie Burger + BIRD

Des Moines, Iowa

The Trailer Trash Zombie piles American cheese, a fried pickle, chicken-fried bacon, cheese curds and ranch dressing onto a house beef blend. It's one of the GoreMet Bashed Burgers on a menu that leans hard into the theme. Des Moines CityView reported that the original location changed its name from Zombie Burger + Drink Lab to the current name in June 2026 when they added put more chicken to the menu.

Shake Shack

National Favorite

Shake Shack keeps it clean. Every patty is a custom blend of 100 percent Angus beef from whole-muscle cuts, and the company's animal welfare policy commits to beef raised with no added hormones or antibiotics.

Five Guys

National Favorite

Five Guys says it keeps no freezers in its restaurants. The crew hand-forms the patties in store, never freezes them and hand-cuts the fries before cooking them twice in refined peanut oil. A board in every location names the farm the day's potatoes came from. Order a hamburger and you get two patties, plus any of more than 15 toppings at no extra charge.