The Best Cheeseburger Joint in Every State (Smart People Love #21)

An American icon in bun form, the cheeseburger beckons in countless variations. But with so many contenders, where do you find the ultimate melty masterpiece?

We've scoured the nation, state by state, to unearth the most popular, best-rated, and downright beloved cheeseburgers.

So start traveling more and get ready to embark on a coast-to-coast burger odyssey. 

Alabama: Bama Burgers 2 (Alabaster)

Though their menu offers far more, the bacon, mushroom, and Swiss burger at Bama Burgers is a local favorite.

They serve only breakfast and lunch each day, and the crinkle-cut fries are the perfect side. Plus, with relatively affordable prices, you can keep more cash in your wallet. 

Alaska: Tommy's Burger Stop (Anchorage)

For more than 20 years, Tommy's Burger Stop has been creating unique cheeseburgers and a full menu of intense burger options.

This eclectic burger joint has a Burger Stop Cheeseburger spiced with their signature Cajun seasoning. They only use high-quality beef for their burgers.

Arizona: Happy's Hamburgers (Scottsdale)

A true old-fashioned burger joint, Happy's Hamburgers offers handcrafted, made-fresh-daily cheeseburgers featuring caramelized onions on a steamed bun.

Choose from half-pound burgers or go with their sliders (happy hour specials are available when you buy them in bulk).

Arkansas: Patrick's Butcher Boy Burgers (Fort Smith)

Patrick's Butcher Boy Burgers makes a serious cheeseburger using only fresh Grade-A chuck.

Most of the menu is scratch-made each day. The recipes have been handed down from Old Man Patrick and remain as juicy and flavorful as ever.

California: 319 Broderick (West Sacramento)

Broderick Roadhouse serves scratch-made comfort food, and its cheeseburger is one of the best in the region.

While other options exist, it's hard to pass up the Gold Rush Burger, which is topped with bacon mac and cheese, applewood-smoked bacon, garlic aioli, and fried onion crisps.

Colorado: Skirted Heifer (Colorado Springs)

The Skirted Heifer menu uses grass-fed beef, locally raised without hormones or antibiotics. Then, they drape a "skirt of cheese" over the side of the burgers.

Check out The Classic Skirted Heifer, or if you want more heat, the Pueblo Farmer, with its pueblo chilies, pepper-jack cheese, and homemade guac.

Connecticut: Ted's Restaurant (Meriden)

Ted's Restaurant, a family-owned and operated establishment, offers fantastic burgers with a wide variety of options.

Their steamed burgers are tempting, including the Steamed Cheeseburger, which you can top any way you like, from the Buffalo Bleu to the Hot & Spicy varieties.

Delaware: Restaurant 55 (Dover)

Restaurant 55 offers many burger options, all made with the finest ingredients, including meat sourced daily from the local butcher.

One of the best cheeseburgers on the menu is the Bacon Jam Burger, which is topped with bacon jam and lettuce, tomato, and onion confetti.

Florida: Charm City Burger Company (Deerfield Beach)

A fast-casual destination with great outdoor seating overlooking the water, Charm City Burger Company offers one of Florida's best burgers.

The Good Ole includes the proprietary Charm blend steak burger topped with the traditional fixings. For more cheese, go with the Southern Belle, which also has a spicy BBQ sauce.

Georgia: NFA Burger (Dunwoody)

What makes NFA Burger so unique? Maybe it's the Sassy Sauce, or maybe it's that they use fresh beef and grill it when you order.

NFA Burger's menu makes it simple. Choose a double, triple, or quad, top them with traditional fixings, or go bold with turkey chili, Hatch green chiles, or jalapeños.

Hawaii: Betty's Burger Joint (Honolulu)

Simple, friendly, and made to order from locally sourced goodness, the cheeseburgers at Betty's Burger Joint are easily some of the best quality you'll find.

They use beef smashed on a griddle with the toppings you love. One of the best options is the teriyaki burger with pickles, cheese, and delectable sauce. 

Idaho: Holy Cow Idaho (Nampa)

Holy Cow Idaho is a fun destination, but they're also serious about high-quality beef from local farms.

One of the best options is the Rude Boi, which includes a third-pound of grass-fed wagyu beef with homemade pimento cheese, bacon, and more.

Illinois: Scratch on Lake (Oak Park)

Scratch on Lake makes the best cheeseburgers, all house-ground and made with prime cuts of brisket and chuck.

For a solid upgrade to their Classic, try Three Little Pigs: a house-ground pork patty with bacon jam, thick-cut bacon, a massive load of cheese sauce, and Sriracha sauce.

Indiana: 317 Burger (Indianapolis)

You'll need one of the fantastic local craft brews to wash down the cheeseburgers at 317 Burger, thanks to all of that cheese.

For cheese lovers, 317 Burger is ideal, with Swiss, American Gouda, and provolone cheese, plus garlic aioli and bacon.

Iowa: Short's Burger & Shine (Iowa City)

If you want something a bit more upscale, Short's Burger & Shine offers a gourmet menu alongside craft beers.

Everything is made locally with fresh ingredients, including the 18 South Clinton, a simple option with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles that you can then add a special sauce to for a bit more.

Choose from cheese sauce, blue cheese spread, mango jalapeño, and many others.

Kansas: Dempsey's Burger Pub (Wichita)

You can't go wrong with delicious gourmet bites in an Irish pub setting. Whether you're feeling chicken, salmon, or veggie patties, Dempsey's Burger Pub has got you covered.

The mouthwatering Bourbon Apple Brie Burger takes the cake as the locals' favorite burger. It features a housemade wagyu beef patty topped with bourbon-candied apples, brie cheese, local microgreens, bacon, and garlic aioli.

Kentucky: Grind Burger Kitchen (Louisville)

The Grind Burger Kitchen does a few things right to earn its spot as one of the best options for a good, gooey cheeseburger.

It could be that it's piled high with toppings you choose, including thick-cut bacon and homemade pimento cheese.

Louisiana: Maplewood Burgers Lake Charles (Lake Charles)

At Maplewood Burgers Lake Charles, you can enjoy a typical cheeseburger and still believe it's the best. However, they have a lineup of stuffed cheeseburgers that are even more tempting.

Choose one stuffed with BBQ brisket or shrimp if you want, but for cheese lovers, the Stuffed Mac & Cheese is by far the best.

Maine: Butcher Burger Old Port (Portland)

Creating a unique blend of burgers that would get attention in a town known for its lobster rolls wasn't easy, but Butcher Burger Old Port has done a fantastic job.

You could go with any cheeseburger on the menu for a satisfying experience, but the Surf & Turf Burger, with its hand-picked Maine lobster, is an exceptional choice.

Maryland: The Habit Burger & Grill (Rockville)

If you like charbroiled burgers, The Habit Burger Grill is the place to go. Choose a double or the original for caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, and mayo.

If you want more (of everything), check out the Santa Barbara Charburger, which packs avocado, cheese, and more on grilled sourdough.

Massachusetts: Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage (Cambridge)

At Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage, which serves the Harvard Square crowd, you'll certainly find a great burger.

For something original, try The Hallouminati, with fried halloumi, bacon, red onion, arugula, tomato, and a bit of house-hot honey on top.

Michigan: Mercury Burger & Bar (Detroit)

A fun, lively grill, perfect for relaxing with friends, especially if you want a classic diner vibe. They have hot dogs, milkshakes, and a full line of draft beer.

The Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger gets the attention, though, with its big size. This is a ground-daily, hand-pressed burger topped with what you want.

Minnesota: Matt's Bar and Grill (Minneapolis)

Serving the region since 1954, Matt's Bar and Grill is the place to go when you want comfort food (the huge order of fries is enough to satisfy any craving).

Yet, they go further with their cheese-stuffed patty in the Juicy Lucy burger. They even recognize it as a customer-demanded burger, handmade with molten hot cheese.

Mississippi: Ed's Burger Joint (Hattiesburg)

If you're in Hattiesburg and want to catch the game, head over to Ed's Burger Joint. The hot dogs and shakes are good, but the burgers are excellent.

The Heavy Eddie, with two huge certified Black Angus patties topped with two grilled cheese sandwiches (six slices of cheese), really hits over-the-top status.

Missouri: Chuck-A-Burger Drive-In Restaurant (St. Louis)

Let's go old school here for the best cheeseburger in St. Louis at Chuck-A-Burger Drive-In Restaurant. It's a true 1950s treasure and a classic car show gathering destination, too.

For the food, try the Original Chuck-A-Burger, served with the toppings you love. You can even get a triple if you like.

Montana: Best Burger (Bozeman)

Does its name live up to the hype? Locals think so since Best Burger is noted for its delicious food.

As far as cheeseburgers go, they use 100% Angus beef and serve them freshly made. They also have a lineup of breakfast burgers, in case you can't wait for lunch.

Nebraska: Block 16 (Omaha)

Block 16 is noted for a number of things, including its strong garden-to-table philosophy, and perhaps that's why it is also the best place for a cheeseburger in Omaha.

They source ingredients locally and avoid preservatives whenever possible. The Croque Garcon Burger includes a Jon's Natural burger, ham, cheese, an egg, and truffle mayo.

Nevada: Sickies Garage Burgers & Brews (Las Vegas)

The perfect destination for a burger, Sickies Garage Burgers & Brews is all about big meals and lots of comfort food.

One of the best cheeseburgers is the Smoke Shack Wagyu burger, with cheddar cheese, crispy onion, and smoky BBQ sauce. 

New Hampshire: Black Mtn. Burger Co. (Lincoln)

The made-to-order burgers at Black Mtn. Burger Co. are exceptional. It's a chill vibe setting with scratch-made patties and excellent cocktails.

Be sure to check out their burger-of-the-month offerings. For a tried-and-true option, the Brie & Bacon Burger is a hit, with house-made maple mayo and brie cheese.

New Jersey: Dan and Day's Burger and Shakes (Montclair)

Dan and Day's offers everything from grass-fed, antibiotic-free burgers to milkshakes and hot dogs.

At this burger destination, you can choose from several menu items, including a build-your-own option. The Original is exceptional with aged white cheddar cheese.

New Mexico: Sparky's (Hatch)

Sparky's is a fun destination and a burger diner you'll love spending time in. Sit outside, enjoy the live music, and grab a specialty shake.

The food isn't second, though. The simplest option is the Hatch Green Chile Cheese Burger, bursting with flavor and a bit of heat.

New York: 5 Napkin Burger (New York)

A bistro-like establishment, 5 Napkin Burger has the best cheeseburger in New York, hands down.

The namesake 5 Napkin Burger is a 10-ounce patty with imported gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and a rosemary garlic aioli to top it off.

North Carolina: Hops Burger Bar (Greensboro)

Hops Burger Bar is a relaxed burger destination noted for its locally sourced ingredients and local craft brews.

You'll find lots of interesting options on the menu, like fried Crab Cake Balls, but the French Onion Burger is one of the juiciest options you'll find anywhere.

North Dakota: Sickies Garage Burgers & Brews (Fargo)

You can find another Sickies in North Dakota. A full bar with local brews, Sickies Garage Burgers & Brews actually has much more to offer, including a large menu in a garage-themed eatery.

Their Supercharged Burgers include a Glazed Doughnut Burger, a Macaroni and Cheese Burger, and the Hot Momma, which is topped with ghost pepper cheese.

Ohio: The Rail (Strongsville)

The Rail is known for its sports-themed, relaxed eatery vibe, but it also serves some of the best burgers, alongside rosemary fries and huge shakes.

The Bonfire combines pepper jack, sriracha, house-made jalapeño relish, and a side of house-made habanero sauce in one burger.

Oklahoma: Nic's Grill (Oklahoma City)

Here's a small, hole-in-the-wall spot with an incredibly flavorful menu, including some of the best cheeseburgers around.

The classic Cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and grilled onion is a go-to, and you can add a side of curly fries, too.

Oregon: Five Stars Family Burger (Cornelius)

Five Stars Family Burger provides 100% oak charcoal BBQ grill burgers, and they are some of the most decadent, well-made burgers you'll find.

If you want something a bit more unique than the best basic cheeseburger, check out the spicy Kimchi Bacon Cheeseburger.

Pennsylvania: Old School Burgers (Willow Grove)

A build-a-burger destination, Old School Burgers Willow Grove is the kind of place you can take the whole family without worrying about complaints.

It's hard to choose, with options like the Kevin Bacon (with extra cheese), the Tombstone (with BBQ and cheese), and the Rocky (with garlic parm, grilled onions, and marinara).

Rhode Island: Stanley's Famous Hamburgers (Central Falls)

Stanley's Famous Hamburgers is a true retro joint where you'll sit on a counter stool to eat.

These are burgers that are a big meal. Choose from the Pepper Cheese Burger, Double Tomato Cheese, or Mushroom Burger, among others.

Plus, the prices aren't too bad, helping you stretch your restaurant budget. 

South Carolina: Iron Horse Grill (Beech Island)

The Iron Horse Grill is the gold standard for burgers. It's a simple, down-to-earth location.

They offer a variety of Wagyu prime smashed burgers, including the Iron Horse Burger, Beech Island Burger, and more. 

South Dakota: Murph's Burgers & Fries (Sioux Falls)

Creative food and really good ingredients make Murph's Burgers and Fries the best place to get a cheeseburger in South Dakota.

This location is a fun, truck-themed restaurant known for its cheeseburgers loaded with bacon jam.

Tennessee: Hopdoddy Burger Bar (Nashville)

For the best cheeseburger in Nashville, check out the eco-minded Hopdoddy Burger Bar, known for hand-crafted, all-natural meats and homemade buns.

You have plenty of options here, including the Cadillac, made with Wagyu beef, Swiss cheese, steakhouse bacon, crispy fried onions, steak sauce, truffle aioli, roasted tomato, and arugula.

Texas: Annie's Hamburgers (Houston)

A truly local diner, Annie's Hamburgers has a laid-back feel that makes it a fun destination, with fair prices, freshly made lemonade, and huge breakfast portions.

But it's the burgers that bring people in. Choose from a single or double, topped with what you love. The BBQ burger is a saucy treat that's hard to beat.

Utah: Seven Brothers Burgers (Salt Lake City)

Seven Brothers Burgers puts a modern twist on the American classic.

If you're feeling adventurous, try their giant Spencer Burger. Piled high with a huge crispy onion ring, bacon, spicy jalapeños, Swiss cheese, and drizzled with a house Spencer sauce, this burger is one of the family's favorites.

Vermont: The Shopping Bag (Burlington)

Here's a juicy, huge cheeseburger known for its fresh ingredients and 100% USDA beef, butchered and ground in-house.

The Sizzler is a half-pound burger with bacon, provolone, and American cheese, along with their house-made seasoning and standard fixings. It's a greasy mess of goodness.

Virginia: Boulevard Burger and Brew (Richmond)

Boulevard Burger and Brew serves up alcoholic milkshakes and gourmet burgers. With a fun atmosphere and indoor and outdoor seating, it's the place to be on a warm night.

While the menu is big, locals say the best cheeseburger is the Mr. Moe's Chili Cheese Burger, with a big scoop of homemade chili right on the burger.

Washington: The Gourmet Burger Shop (Gig Harbor)

A counter shop destination, The Gourmet Burger Shop offers some of the freshest seafood baskets and fun sides around.

Its burgers are all worth considering, but the Bacon Cheddar, with its aged cheddar and grilled onions, is a favorite here.

West Virginia: Farmer's Daughter (Capon Bridge)

Another small destination, Farmer's Daughter, is the right place to go when you want the very best cheeseburger in the state, piled high with all the fixings. They were even voted the best burger in the state in 2020.

Their House Burger is made with dry-aged beef, American cheese, pickled red onion, lettuce, and mayo. 

Wisconsin: Fred's Burgers (Burlington)

A beautiful destination with an exceptional view, Fred's Burgers is a bit more upscale than some destinations, but this longtime spot is known for its handmade burgers.

As a cheese lover, you'll want to try the Olive Burger, topped with sliced green olives and covered in melted, gooey mozzarella cheese.

Wyoming: Homestretch Bar & Grill (Casper)

Stop in for happy hour and good hospitality, then enjoy Wyoming's best cheeseburger at Homestretch Bar & Grill, known for free video games and excellent service.

With a full menu of food and drinks, the burger you're after is The Superior Patty Melt, with its grilled patty and onions, Thousand Island dressing, and Swiss cheese.

Bottom line

Instead of declaring a winner, perhaps it's best to leave the title of "best cheeseburger" up to personal adventure. After all, the beauty lies in the hunt, in uncovering that hidden gem, that timeless diner where generations have savored the same perfection.

So grab your best cash-back credit cards, hit the road, and remember: the juiciest prize often awaits in the most unexpected corners. 

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