Best Burgers in Chicago

How to eat burgers in Chicago

Chicago takes its burgers seriously, and the city's best ones come from every kind of room: a famous West Loop diner, a basement bar, a newspaper-lore tavern under Michigan Avenue, late-night griddle stands and a growing network of smash burger pop-ups that cook out of other people's bars. That last point matters. Some of the city's most talked-about burgers are residencies inside bars and breweries, so it pays to check a spot's social media before you head out.

Neighborhoods are your best guide. The West Loop holds two of the city's most celebrated plates. Wicker Park, Logan Square and the surrounding Northwest Side are the center of the smash burger scene. Lakeview and Roscoe Village have counter-service griddle spots, and the South Side keeps one of the city's longest-running burger diners. Browse every listing in our restaurant directory to map out your route.

Best burgers in Chicago by style

Smash burgers

Shorty's is a pop-up inside a Wicker Park bar, known for smash burgers with a crispy fried-cheese skirt and bacon jam. In Logan Square, Chubby Boys loads its smash burger with cherry peppers, bacon jam and fried onions. Charly's Burgers in Hermosa is a counter-service shop that works bacon right into its beef patty and tops it with American cheese and grilled onions. The Region in Roscoe Village presses its patties so thin on the flat-top that they spill past the edge of the bun. For more spots in this style, see our best smash burgers picks, and learn what sets the style apart in our smash burger vs. regular burger guide.

Classic burgers

Billy Goat Tavern on Lower Michigan Avenue is a Chicago landmark. Order a double "Cheezborger" and take in a room long associated with the city's newspaper reporters. Red Hot Ranch in Lakeview is a late-night stand for griddled double cheeseburgers in the In-N-Out mold, with other locations around the city. On the South Side, Top-Notch Beefburgers in Beverly has been serving straightforward beef burgers with classic toppings since the 1940s. Find more old-school spots on our best classic burgers page.

Gourmet burgers

Au Cheval in the West Loop is the burger people travel for: stacked thin patties, American cheese, pickles and dijonnaise on a buttery bun. Nearby, The Loyalist is a basement bar whose cheeseburger, built from a patty that includes chuck, short rib and bacon and finished with plenty of caramelized onions, has a national cult following. Browse more chef-driven picks on our best gourmet burgers page.

Cheap eats

For a quick, budget-friendly burger, head to a griddle stand like Red Hot Ranch, a counter like Charly's Burgers or The Region, or one of the city's smash burger pop-ups. These spots focus on a short menu and fast service.

Local burger traditions

Chicago's most famous burger moment is pop culture. Billy Goat Tavern's short-order "cheezborger, cheezborger" counter inspired a well-known Saturday Night Live sketch, and the tavern still trades on that history. A second tradition is the thin, griddled double cheeseburger, served at stands like Red Hot Ranch and at diner-style spots across the city.

The city also borrows from its neighbors. The Region takes its name and inspiration from Northwest Indiana, the industrial area just over the state line that locals call "the Region," and its bar food. More recently, Chicago has become one of the country's busiest smash burger cities, with a long list of pop-ups and bar residencies competing for the crispiest edges. If you want to understand how all these styles fit together, read our guide to American burger styles.

Tips for visiting

• Au Cheval is extremely popular, so expect a wait and try to go at off-peak times.
• Billy Goat Tavern's original location is on the lower level of Michigan Avenue, below street level, which can be confusing the first time.
• Red Hot Ranch has been reported as cash-only, so bring cash.
• Pop-ups like Shorty's and Chubby Boys run inside host bars, so check their social media for the current schedule and location before you go.
• Chicago's burger spots are spread out. Group your stops by area, for example the West Loop for Au Cheval and The Loyalist, or Wicker Park and Logan Square for smash burgers.

Browse by style

Want just one kind of burger? See our shortlists of the best smash burgers, classic burger joints, cheap burgers in Chicago.

FAQ

What is the best burger in Chicago?

Au Cheval's double cheeseburger in the West Loop is the most famous answer, and The Loyalist's cheeseburger nearby is a strong rival. For smash burger fans, Shorty's and Chubby Boys are the current favorites.

Where can I find a cheap burger in Chicago?

Try Red Hot Ranch for a griddled double cheeseburger, Charly's Burgers in Hermosa or The Region in Roscoe Village. Billy Goat Tavern is also an affordable, no-frills stop.

What is the Billy Goat "Cheezborger"?

It's the tavern's simple griddled cheeseburger, usually ordered as a double, made famous by the counter staff's rapid-fire ordering style and the Saturday Night Live sketch it inspired.

Where can I get a smash burger in Chicago?

Start with Shorty's in Wicker Park, Chubby Boys in Logan Square, Charly's Burgers in Hermosa and The Region in Roscoe Village. Want to make one at home? Our guide to cooking burgers on a griddle covers the basics.