Best Burgers in Sacramento
Sacramento mixes old-school burger stands with smash burger shops and chef-driven burgers, from Midtown and the R Street Corridor to Old Sacramento and East Sac.
Where to Eat
How to eat burgers in Sacramento
Sacramento calls itself America's Farm-to-Fork Capital, and you can taste some of that in its burgers. The city has a long line of old-school burger stands, a busy Midtown bar scene, and a growing group of chefs who treat the burger as a serious dish. It also hosts the Sacramento Burger Battle, which gives local restaurants a reason to keep pushing their recipes.
A few areas are worth knowing. Downtown, around the Golden 1 Center and the K Street corridor, is where you will find hotel restaurants and spots that fill up before Kings games. Midtown, roughly the grid between 16th and 30th streets, is the city's main dining and nightlife district, and K Street through Midtown has several burger stops within a few blocks. The R Street Corridor is a converted warehouse district with restaurants and bars, Old Sacramento is the historic waterfront, and East Sacramento is a leafy residential area with some of the city's more polished restaurants. Every spot below appears in the cards above, and you can browse more cities in our restaurant directory.
Best burgers in Sacramento by style
Old-school stands
Suzie Burger at 29th and P is a 1950s-style burger joint in an old Orbit-style gas station, serving USDA Choice beef burgers, hand-cut fries and cheesesteaks. Willie's Burgers is the other classic name, a decades-old stand known for chili cheeseburgers, with its main location on 16th Street and another on K Street. Both are casual, quick and easy on the wallet. For more in this lane, see our best classic burgers page.
Smash burgers
Gami Burger on K Street in Midtown is the newest name here, with two smashed patties, American cheese, sunomono pickles and a secret sauce, plus togarashi fries. For a dive-bar version, Elixir Bar & Grill near downtown serves a well-charred double smash burger with house sauce. Curious about the technique? Read smash burger vs. regular burger or browse our best smash burgers picks.
Bar and brewery burgers
The Golden Bear in Midtown is a lively bar with a cheddar-stuffed Juicy Lucy. Burgers and Brew on R Street has a wide burger menu and plenty of beer. Urban Roots Brewery & Smokehouse is a barbecue and beer spot with a well-regarded burger, and Fanny Ann's Saloon in Old Sacramento has been pouring beer and serving burgers since the 1970s, including the peanut butter-topped Jiffy Burger.
Chef-driven burgers
The 7th Street Standard downtown won the People's Choice award at the 2025 Sacramento Burger Battle with its double bacon burger made from house-ground tri-tip and New York strip. In East Sacramento, Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine serves the Ngo burger, a chuck and A5 Wagyu blend with roe-infused aioli on a milk bun. Our best gourmet burgers page has more burgers like these around the country.
Local burger traditions
Sacramento does not have one signature regional burger style the way some cities do. Instead, its tradition is the neighborhood burger stand: small, long-running places with a short menu, a griddle or grill, and fries and shakes on the side. Suzie Burger and Willie's are the best-known survivors of that style inside the city.
The newer tradition is competition. The Sacramento Burger Battle has given restaurants a stage to show off creative burgers, and that is part of why you see so many chef-driven burgers on local menus. Between the two, you can eat a cheap chili cheeseburger at lunch and a Wagyu blend at dinner without leaving the city. If you want to understand the different styles before you go, our guide to American burger styles is a good primer.
Tips for visiting
- Group stops by area. The Golden Bear and Gami Burger are on the same stretch of K Street in Midtown, and Suzie Burger is a short drive east.
- Plan around Kings games. Downtown restaurants near the arena, including The 7th Street Standard, can get busy before and after events.
- Check hours before you go. Some spots on this list keep late hours, while others close earlier on weekdays.
- Order a double at smash burger spots. A second patty adds more crispy edges, which is the whole point of the style.
- Cooking at home? Our burger temperature and doneness guide covers the USDA-recommended 160°F for ground beef.
Browse by style
Want just one kind of burger? See our shortlists of the best classic burger joints, gourmet burgers, cheap burgers in Sacramento.
FAQ
What is the best burger in Sacramento?
It depends on what you want. For a modern chef-driven burger, The 7th Street Standard's double bacon burger is a recent Burger Battle winner. For a classic stand, go to Suzie Burger or Willie's. For a smash burger, try Gami Burger or Elixir Bar & Grill.
Where can I find a cheap burger in Sacramento?
Suzie Burger, Willie's Burgers and Elixir Bar & Grill are casual spots that keep things simple and affordable. Gami Burger is also a counter-style option.
Where should I eat a burger in Midtown Sacramento?
The Golden Bear and Gami Burger are both on K Street in Midtown, and Suzie Burger is at 29th and P streets on the east side of Midtown.
Where can I get a burger in Old Sacramento?
Fanny Ann's Saloon on 2nd Street is a long-running Gold Rush-themed bar with burgers and beer, and Willie's Burgers also has a location on K Street close to the historic district.