UPDATED March 2021
The quest for the best burgers in Austin should begin with higher expectations than what you’ll receive from a drive-thru window. If your burger cravings requires more than a fast-food sandwich jammed in a shriveled bun, you’re most likely looking for something better than what your friendly neighborhood fast food chain has to offer.
If you prefer ingredients like hand-crafted brioche buns, aioli, frisée, locally farmed bacon, Kobe, wagyu or dry-aged beef topped with artisanal cheeses, you’ll probably accept nothing less than an elevated take on an all American comfort food classic. See our list below on where you’ll find the very best burgers in Austin.
Jump Ahead To
DOWNTOWN
Carpenter’s Hall
400 Josephine St. (South Lamar & Barton Springs | Imagine glamping in the heart of the city with an elevated griddle burger that could easily be named the very best burger in Austin. This beauty is served during lunch and brunch and topped with perfectly melted cheese, sliced dill pickles, chopped onions and their special house sauce all on a milk-toasted bun.
Hopdoddy Burger Bar
Multiple Locations in Austin | Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably familiar with the infamous local favorite! Hopdoddy is notorious for it’s long lines, but it’s rightfully so for a reason! Every burger is generously prepared to order with nearly any topping you could ever want. From beef, salmon and bison, Hopdoddy will have you coming back just so you’ll try everything in the menu. If you’re a serious burger lover, you’ll do just that!
Better Half Coffee & Cocktails
406 Walsh St | Better Half probably offers the best happy hour and reverse happy hour in the city featuring this beautiful burger for only $5! It comes stacked with a thick beef patty topped with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, Dijonnaise, cheese and pickles. Be smart, add bacon!
The Driskill Grill
For those that crave something a truly elevated experience, the Driskill Grill offers one of the finest burgers in town. Made fresh with Askashi beef, topped with grilled Foie gras on an onion roll bun.
Geraldine’s
605 Davis St | Geraldine’s launched their revamped lunch menu featuring seasonally-inspired dishes, highlighting flavors that embody the city. The burger is beautifully loaded a local Akaushi burger, 5-year aged cheddar, baby green leaf, fresh heirloom tomato, sweet onion, dill pickle and bacon mayo.
Parkside
301 E 6th St. | Shawn Cirkiel should be given a status of nobility with his non-stop winning creations! His cheeseburger is inspired from his grandmother’s old school hamburger steak combining two types of rich beef topped with white cheddar, adding to the rich flavor. It’s just that simple, and apparently delicious enough to make us bow in Shawn’s presence. Chef, the burger gods salute you! Photo: Hayden Walker
Second Bar + Kitchen
200 Congress Avenue & Domain | Chef David Bull! is a baller. That’s pretty much all you need to know. His masterpiece of a gourmet American burger is made with ground brisket and chuck, pork belly, shallot confit, gruyère, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, house-made horseradish pickles and topped off with a fried egg.
Clark’s Oyster Bar
1200 W 6th St. | Clark’s burger is a mountain of beauty, beef and cheese. Nearly cooked as perfect as a juicy petite filet, it arrives covered in Gruyere cheese. Throw in a side of their famous shoestring fries and a pile of brussel sprouts and you’ll still be trendy enough for the West Austin society ($16 with fries or slaw; half-price from 3-6 Mon-Fri). Photo: LAURA SKELDING / AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Roaring Fork
701 Congress Ave. Holy moly! If there was ever an appropriate name for a burger, it would be this one! The Big Ass Burger is exactly that and it’s incredible! Stacked with poblano pepper, cheddar, smoked pepper bacon, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, & french fries it’s as big and bad-ass as it sounds! Be prepared to tap out and beg for mercy, this burger is bold and delicious but it takes no prisoners.
Anthem
Rainey Street | Let Anthem take control of the grill this summer. The Aloha Burger, an angus beef patty topped with bacon, gruyere cheese, grilled pineapple, sake braised onions, truffle yuzu & miso aioli is served on a brioche bun. The sweet pineapple balances out the salty sauces and juicy meat.
Vince Young Steakhouse
701 Congress Ave. | The Wagyu Brisket Burger, is made using USDA grade beef topped off with house-made pickles and two-year-aged Vermont white cheddar cheese on a soft brioche bun. At $23, nearly all other steakhouse burgers are put to shame after it’s creation. The beef so flavorful and juicy, as it melts in your mouth the way you’d expect choice Wagyu meat to taste. Photo by Courtney Pierce
Swift’s Attic
315 Congress Ave. | If burger-porn was ever considered to be a real thing, it would exist at Swift’s! Featured as one of Thrillist’s 33 top burger spots in the country, Swift’s Attic’s is a burger lover’s dream come true! “Artisan” doesn’t even begin to describe the level of burger greatness Swift’s has to offer, as Monday nights at 9 pm have become legendary featuring a new big ass burger every week. Show up early to secure your burger! Photo: Natalie Paramore
Stella San Jac
310 E 5th St | The Stella Burger with White Cheddar, BBQ mayo and crispy onions served with fries is not only delicious, it’s an Instagram dream waiting to happen!
1886 Cafe
604 BRAZOS ST. | The Driskill Burger is stacked with grass fed beef topped with local candied bacon, white cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and red onion served on a brioche bun.
EAST AUSTIN
Jacoby’s
3235 E Cesar Chavez St | This may be the finest burger in all of east Austin. Get it during happy hour and dinner featuring a 1/2 lb dry aged beef patty with aged cheddar and all the fixings and a side of fries.
School House Pub
2207 Manor Rd | The School House makes of the most beautiful burgers in the entire city. Stacked with house ground beef, aged cheddar and a house jalapeno marmalade. Slap an egg and bacon on it and make your Instagram dreams come true!
Drinks Lounge
2001 E. Cesar Chavez | The Drinks Classic Burger is an oldie and goldie with cripsy bacon, cheddar, beer braised onions, lettuce, tomato, and garlic aioli on a brioche bun.
ALSO SEE: Where to find the Best Brisket in Austin
Drop Kick Bar
1630 E 6th St. | Drop Kick’s “Woo” burger is a messy masterpiece that will fulfill your burger fantasies all while splashing drippings on your shirt. The burger is made with Wagyu beef, smoked gouda, secret slaw, and dill pickles on an onion bun.
NORTH AUSTIN
Oasthouse
8300 N FM 620 e | In Chef Hajimaleki’s Umami Burger, he blends oyster mushrooms with high-quality Texas Wagyu beef for the patty. Once cooked, the patty is placed on a Hawaiian bistro bun and topped with the chef’s special Japanese Island Sauce and pickled bok choy, sliced cucumberand Delice de Bourgogne cheese from Antonelli’s Cheese Shop. Photo by Hayden Walker
Bartlett’s
2408 W Anderson Ln. | If you journey up to North Austin to visit Bartlett’s don’t be surprised if it becomes your favorite burger in the city. The daily ground in-house beef, shredded cheddar, on a buttery toasted bun and crispy shoestring french fries will make you a believer in Co-Owner and Executive Chef Arik Williams’s righteous creation. Photo by Courtney Pierce.
Monger’s Kitchen
2401 E Cesar Chavez St. | The Hereford Burger is slightly different than what you’ll find a most other spots in Austin, but that’s what makes it so damn delicious. Stacked with house made beef, cheddar, bibb lettuce and 1000 Island Dressing between a Challah bun, it’s a perfect mix of tangy, sweet and savory.
Buddy’s Burgers
9001 Cameron Rd Ste 101 | Buddy’s Burger is a local family-owned fast food restaurant that uses all-natural ingredients offering some of the best quality ingredients you can find served out of a drive-thru window. All burgers are never frozen and made with 100% Angus chuck beef and hand-formed daily. Buddy’s was also recently named Best Burger in Austin by Austin Monthly. They’ve become well known within the community for their handspun milkshakes with the menu staple options of Mexican vanilla, chocolate, Oreo and some seasonal specialty flavors.
Dog Haus
Haus Burgers are made with 100% genetically tested, humanely raised Black Angus beef using no hormones and no antibiotics in one-of-a-kind creations. Guests can order in-store for dine-in or takeout. This offer is not available through the Dog Haus app, online or for delivery.
SOUTH AUSTIN
LeRoy & Lewis
121 Pickle Rd. | Named one of the best burgers in Austin by Texas Monthly, the L&L Burger features a Heartbrand Akaushi smoked patty, American cheese, grilled onions, bread & butter pickles, and aioli. Available during dinner at the new school barbecue truck, the burger is smoked then seared directly in the firebox, giving it a signature and distinctly smokey flavor with a perfect crust. Pro tip: be on the lookout for the addition of house-made Peaceful Pork bacon.
LORO
2115 S Lamar Blvd. | Loro’s burger features a patty made from a mix of prime brisket and smoked bavette, topped with jam made from caramelized red onions and brisket ends, Muenster cheese, jalapeno aioli, pickles, and butter on a brioche bun.
Soursop
440 E St Elmo Rd g2. | Named one of Austin’s best burgers by the Austin American-Statesman, Soursop’s SopBurger is truly a thing of beauty. The burger features a HEAPING double patty burger with adobo glazed beef and topped with shoestring potatoes, achara special sauce, swiss cheese, and bacon roasted onions. Pair with any of St. Elmo’s brews – like a crushable Carl Kolsh (or three). Beloved by chefs, locals and visitors alike, there’s a reason it was named reader’s choice for “Best Food Trailer” by Austin Monthly.
Did I skip your favorite burger in this list? Let me know in the comments so we can try it out for ourselves and we’ll consider adding it to the list. To see more of the best of what Austin has to offer, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for photos, highlights and updates!
