So you want a burger. Well, what kind? Whether you’re looking for a quick fix or a gourmet treat, a bar hang or a place to take the kids, this guide has got you covered. Looking for plant-based options? Check out our veggie burger list!
FANCY
Péché
The half-pound burger swaps American cheese for Gruyere, adds house-made pickles, bacon, and pickled onions, and comes with not fries, but pommes frites. Still, this Fourth Street absinthe bar avoids pretension with a truly great happy hour, which knocks down the burg from $21 to $11 and sells select cocktails for $6.
Bureau de Poste
Under the fairy lights of this little Parisian-inspired bistro connected to the famously adorable but infamously expensive Tiny Grocer, you might think ordering a burger is too plebeian. It’s not. This is a burger done right. The Burger Royale has no frills – just arugula, lightly herbed mayonnaise, and comforting white cheddar, between buns that seem too delicious to be baked anywhere but France.
NADC
A fairly no-frills smash burger may not immediately read as fancy, but when it’s helmed by a Michelin-starred chef (Phillip Frankland Lee teamed with professional skateboarder Neen Williams for this very trendy project), you know you can expect quality. “Slightly tamed jalapeños” and a secret sauce take NADC’s 100% wagyu beef to the next level.
Dai Due
When your partner orders the Coffee-Cured Nilgai Antelope Leg or some other terrifyingly expensive entrée, you can chill things down with Dai Due’s fallback option. It’s wagyu beef, really tall, and a ritzy experience in its own right.
Odd Duck
A dozen Best of Austin awards don’t lie. Bryce and Dylan Gilmore’s beloved New American restaurant has the sauce, and its aged wagyu burger, topped with tomato pork jam, fried beer cheese, and pickled cabbage, is worth all 37 buckaroos.
Turnstile
A lot of multihyphenate concepts could stand to remove their fingers from a couple of proverbial pies, but coffee shop/bar/restaurant Turnstile manages to keep its food menu from slipping to the bottom of the priority list. Its savory namesake burger piles on caramelized onion jam, Amish bleu, smoked bacon, arugula, and hops mayo, while daring crossover sammie the Lexington slathers espresso barbecue sauce atop a chile-rubbed patty.
Hopfields
It’s French, ergo: It’s fancy. The cornichons and Camembert and grain mustard seal the deal. But don’t be daunted: This neighborhood bistro is très homey and unpretentious.
Josephine House
Rarely does a burger make you say, “Damn, this pairs nicely with a $20 glass of Cab Sav.” It happens here. Josephine House, in its little blue cottage, is pretty much bursting with charm. The house burger, on the other hand, is bursting with aïoli, and not just any aïoli – aïoli blessed by harissa, a North African chili paste. The other fixings are simple, and the blend is bliss.
Hank’s
This Windsor Park favorite serves a juicy, balanced burg – cooked-to-order patty, plus bibb lettuce, sharp cheddar, Dijonnaise, and red onion – but it’s the multi-seeded brioche bun bringing textural pop to the table that’s got us doing backflips.
FAST N’ CHEAP
P. Terry’s
Cali chain In & Out rolling into town elicited an eye roll. Why bother when we’ve got homegrown P. Terry’s already delivering on the platonic ideal of a fast-food burger – plus ethically sourced ingredients, fair pay, and a commitment to being a standout community partner?
Dan’s Hamburgers
It’s about it being a Dan’s burger – made with history, plenty of grease, the same way every day. Stacked high with thick tomato slices and classic pickles, raw onions, and shredded lettuce, this is the kind of burger that makes up America’s backbone.
Short Stop
With locations situated in strip malls all around town, these takeout spots offer textbook burgers and fries that belie their price. Don’t stray too far from the classics and you’ll be rewarded with a fresh and hot order and a full stomach.
Sandy’s Hamburgers
You soaked in Barton Springs but you want to keep the endorphins rushing – time for Sandy’s. This is the classic flat, buttery American burger, quite similar to the one at the Whataburger next door, but so much better for your soul.
Buddy’s Burger
Why don’t we have more drive-throughs? This Cameron Road joint – with other locations in Round Rock and San Marcos – resolves the convenience issue and also promises quality ingredients, reasonable prices, and delicious shakes and hand-squeezed lemonade.
Dirty Martin’s Place
There’s a reason Austin launched a “Save Dirty’s” campaign. This OG institution has kept its charm for nearly a century, offering straightforward burgers and a full bar near UT that locals refuse to cede to the sands of time.
Burger Bar
These takeout-only joints offer slightly elevated options at their two locations. Both the Congress Avenue and UT campus spots have limited sidewalk seating, but fries, milkshakes, and a signature wagyu burger will keep you fueled up for exploring Downtown or studying into the night.
BAR
Casino El Camino
Casino El Camino is a Sixth Street refuge. Not only does it stand as a divey hideout among the party strip’s overstimulating shot bars, but it also offers what many swear is the best burger in Austin. The beef is ground in-house, charbroiled, and topped with a range of flavors, from your classic bacon-lettuce-tomato-cheddar combo to serranos to lemon vinaigrette.
Workhorse
From its pours to its food menu, the word to describe the offerings at this North Loop favorite is hearty. The Workhorse burger’s sizable Angus beef patty arrives pink and smoky, and it comes with a generous portion of fries (or mac and cheese, jalapeño cream corn, or salad) – all for about $15.
Crown & Anchor Pub
For about the same price as a fast-food restaurant, and often with an even shorter wait, you’ll have placed before you a flat-top-grilled burger locally sourced from Ruffino, dressed with shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mayo, and mustard, and served alongside piping hot fries. Simple, great value for UT student budgets since 1987.
Busty’s Bar & Jukebox
The kind of bar burger you want every time you step inside, Busty’s makes ’em slim and scrumptious. They keep it simple with thinly sliced onion, crunchy “shredduce,” American cheese, and pickles, elevated by a signature sauce so specific you could recognize it in a sea of sauce. It doesn’t hurt that it comes with a High Life for $8 on Mondays.
Billy’s on Burnet
Starts with a 1/3-lb. oval patty on a fresh round bun (for optimal meat-to-bread ratio, they say), and tastes great plain or as one of their special varieties. “GET BIT,” they say of the spicy Cobra Burger that comes with grilled fresh jalapeños, bacon, cheddar, and chipotle mayo. Fancify with the Uptown, starring house-made bacon marmalade, avocado, and bleu cheese.
The Cavalier
From alcoholic cocktails to shrimp cocktail, the Cavalier on Webberville manages to spruce up the tried-and-true bar menu without straying too far from home. Its namesake burger hits all the right notes with classic LTO, and the patty melt approaches Whataburger levels of savory goodness with sautéed onions and “fancy sauce.”
Delray Cafe at Nickel City
Crammed on the tiny strip of back patio of everyone’s favorite tiki-tinged dive bar, Delray Cafe’s grease-heavy menu is designed to offset a long night of creatively crafted cocktail consumption. But just as the bar team innovates, so the kitchen’s signature dish pushes the definition of burger: the Looseburger mixes chopped hamburger, Detroit-style chili, fresh onions, and mustard, all served on a hot dog bun. Add the tater tots to make your night complete.
Frazier’s Long & Low
Like everything at Frazier’s, the $5 Little (OG) Burger is simple, reliable, and keeps you coming back for more. Between a softly steamed potato bun, expect a thinly smashed patty and staple toppings to satiate your beer-saturated stomach.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY
Phil’s Icehouse
Phil’s might be the only place where you can eat a burger named for your ZIP code, get Amy’s Ice Creams directly after, and then watch your kid climb a painted cow statue. The burger buns range from sourdough to jalapeño cheese, burger toppings from onion rings to a fried egg. The burgers themselves are a hefty size worth $13.
Top Notch
Yes, it’s the place from Dazed and Confused. Top Notch is a true Old Austin time capsule: With a drive-in setup, charbroiled burgers, and that big ol’ sign that beckons to Burnet passersby, it’s a spot your elders and your kids alike will enjoy.
Counter Cafe
Counter Cafe presents high-quality, organic ingredients in a bistro-style package that Texas Monthly once equated to an expertly composed pop song. Grass-fed beef, sharp cheddar edged with just a tinge of crispiness, fresh bibb lettuce, locally grown tomatoes, and a slice of red onion are stacked high between a lightly toasted sweet and tangy sourdough bun.
Hill-Bert’s Burgers
Family owned since 1973, this Cameron Road institution is a real-deal comfort food destination: It’s cheap, it’s homey, and it’s full of regulars. Real ones add a side of chili cheese fries to their order.
Oz. Tap House
With 40 draft beers on a self-pour system and a playset tacked onto its patio, Oz. would beckon to Four Points families as an all-day hangout regardless of its menu. Unique burger features – brie and berry compote, bleu cheese, smoked Gouda and balsamic barbecue sauce – are just the cherry on top.
Waterloo Ice House
Laid-back Austin staple Waterloo Ice House has been serving up thick, diner-style burgers for over 40 years, featuring lettuce, tomato, cheddar, and pickles on a fluffy bun. It’s a solid choice when you’re craving something comforting, unpretentious, and family-friendly, with a side of Hill Country charm.
Hyde Park Bar & Grill
Hyde Park Grill is at once sorta-fancy and a place that you’d take your picky parents for dinner. Alongside homey fare like meatloaf, grilled salmon, and a rib-eye, the neighborhood spot serves a made-to-order burger that’s sizable and smoky – and its buttermilk- and flour-battered fries are locally famous.
Hopdoddy Burger Bar
Another Austin institution that’s both elevated and likely to be crawling with kiddos. Hopdoddy offers everything from wagyu beef to ahi tuna, boozy shakes to truffle fries – but you also order at the counter, which means there’s no pressure to dress up while you down your burger.
PATIO
Little House at Draught House
Tucked in a quiet Rosedale pocket, this longtime neighborhood pub pairs its excellent house-brewed beers with a griddled smash burger that’s all about crispy edges and melty American cheese. Its lively patio is ideal for a no-frills, beer garden kind of burger night where the vibes are casual.
Sour Duck Market
A real backyard hang with kids and dogs galore, plus a QR ordering system that eliminates split-check math, Sour Duck Market boasts a better-than-average wagyu smash burger on a house-baked challah bun and tendering two kinds of cheese, American and pimento.
Patty Palace
Spicy Boys Fried Chicken is a beloved Austin food truck operation, and the team goes two for two with its burger companion. Patty Palace, located in the St. Elmo Brewing yard down south, delivers absolutely huge smashed patties on a potato bun, and its burger sauce with fresh relish is hard to beat.
JewBoy Burgers
As a Mexican-Jewish fusion burger chain, JewBoy has its work cut out for it – and it’s never failed to deliver. Their Oy Vay Guey burger is an ode to peppers; the Hatch green chile and a pepper jack slice are all the toppings you need (plus a li’l mustard). The Goyim – a patty topped with pastrami, bacon, Swiss, mustard, and pickles – combines a burger and a NY-style pastrami sandwich like it was always meant to be.
Black Sheep Lodge
A savory classic is the Black Sheep Burger, made from a hand-formed patty with crispy crunchy veg offsetting its more grease-bomb aspects. But what sets apart this particular patty experience is your ability to eat it while observing 6pm traffic on South Lamar. What a treat!
Pool Burger
Paper-wrapped for your soggy hand, the Loyal Forever is just what it says: classic toppings – plus jalapeños, which, let’s be honest, ought to be protocol – and double patties to refuel your swim-spent bod. For pineapple lovers, the Blue Hawaiian hits the spot.
Biggie’s Yardbird
You know when a smash burger is just so intensely flavorful and crispy-fatty that it almost feels like you’re eating something fried? This smash burger slaps like that. No fancy fixings needed here – this patty is so good it hardly needs a bun (although that’s actually yummy too).
The Little Darlin’
It’s big. It’s juicy. It’s got bacon and pickled red onion. And it might be slightly caffeinated. (Because it’s slathered with red eye mayo, which means there’s a subtle coffee flavor.) Just like caffeine, this burger has an addictive quality. And for those who need a fix day and night, it’s served into the wee hours.
UNLIKELY CANDIDATES
Clark’s Oyster Bar
Not into oysters but still want to feel fancy? This West Sixth seafood hub classes up the approachable hamburger with sauce gribiche and Gruyere. Swap fries for slaw to feel especially unique.
Bill’s Oyster
If we had a nickel for every time an Austin oyster bar sold a noteworthy burger, we’d have two nickels – which isn’t a lot, but it’s strange it happened twice. Bill’s brisket-and-short-rib mixture is truly delectable, and topped simply with special sauce and American cheese, it’s exactly the kind of quiet confidence you’d expect from a Downtown staple.
Hut’s Hamburgers
The rock & roll-themed Sixth Street favorite may be gone, but the homage by Gate 14 at the airport is a pretty fine cover version. Hut’s offers Classic Americana between two buns, with the return of menu favorites like the hickory-drippin’ Chubby Chuck’s and the Tex-Mex-tinged Ritchie Valens.
Gimme Burger
Located off the green at Butler Pitch & Putt, this food truck knows just what you need after a day in the sun. Gimme Burger smashes their huge wagyu patties nice and thin, tops them – notably – with mustard, and rests them gently on a picture-perfect sesame seed bun.
Better Half
Served both on their brunch and dinner menus, this cocktail and coffee bar knows there’s no bad time to chomp their cheeseburger. Just make sure to grab a napkin, because between the fluffy bun’s enough Dijonnaise, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and ground beef to fall apart on even the most careful of consumers.
Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar
Why would you get the burger at an Asian fusion restaurant? Because Aaron Franklin is involved, of course. The grillmaster, along with Tyson Cole of Uchi, tops his burg with red onion-brisket jam, Muenster cheese, lettuce, and yuzu Thousand Island, which means it’s anything but ordinary.
Lebowski’s Grill at Highland Lanes
Scared to trust the food at a bowling alley? IYKYK. The burger at Lebowski’s Grill, located in Highland Lanes, was on the cover of the Chronicle for a reason: With quality ingredients and an array of available toppings, it isn’t just cheap game grub – it’s damn good.
This article appears in July 4 • 2025.