Seattle's burger scene is as varied as its neighborhoods. You can find a classic charred tavern burger in South Park, a steakhouse burger on Capitol Hill, a bakery smash burger near the University of Washington and a drive-thru burger topped with a hot link in Rainier Valley. Some of the most exciting burgers in town come from restaurants that aren't burger joints at all, including Lao, Guamanian and Mexican spots that put their own spin on the cheeseburger.

A few neighborhoods are worth knowing. Fremont has several great burgers close together. Capitol Hill has a dense restaurant scene with two of the city's best restaurant burgers. South Seattle, including Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley and South Park, is where you'll find some of the most interesting and affordable options. Every spot below is also on the cards above, and you can browse more in our restaurant directory.

Best burgers in Seattle by style

Smash burgers

Smash That Burger Co. in Fremont makes Oklahoma-style smash burgers with special sauce and pickles, plus a jalapeño version. Also in Fremont, Local Tide is a seafood restaurant whose beef-and-pork smash burger with jammy onions and American cheese is one of its standouts. The Rebel in Wallingford serves a smash burger with tomato aioli, often paired with tallow-fried waffle fries, and Saint Bread, a bakery in the University District, makes its smash burger on a Hawaiian bun starting at lunchtime. Read our Oklahoma fried onion burger guide to learn about that style, and see our best smash burgers page for more.

Classic tavern and diner burgers

Loretta's Northwesterner in South Park is a tavern known for a charred burger with special sauce, pickles, American cheese and onions. Dreamland Bar & Diner in Fremont serves a burger with American cheese and charred onion mayo on a toasted potato bun. Big Max Burger Co. in Queen Anne grinds bacon into its beef and tops the burger with sharp cheddar, bread-and-butter pickles and special sauce. Find more spots like these on our best classic burgers page.

Global flavors

Taurus Ox on Capitol Hill is a Lao restaurant whose double cheeseburger comes with provolone, lemongrass pork-skin mayo and fresh herbs. Familyfriend is a Guamanian restaurant on Beacon Hill with a smashed patty, crisp beefy edges, American cheese and a kewpie-accented sauce. In Ballard, Asadero is a Mexican steakhouse that serves a thick bacon cheeseburger with a spicy-sweet aioli.

Steakhouse burgers

Jeffry's on Capitol Hill serves a steakhouse burger with Comté, aioli, cornichons and bacon. It's a richer, more composed burger, and a good pick for a sit-down dinner. Our best gourmet burgers page has more like it.

Cheap and casual

Zesto's in Rainier Valley is a drive-thru whose burger comes with a charred patty, American cheese, pickles, lettuce and a sliced red hot link. It's one of the most unusual burgers in the city and an easy stop if you're driving through South Seattle.

Local burger traditions

Seattle has a long history of drive-ins and drive-thrus, and spots like Zesto's keep that tradition alive. The city's tavern burger is another classic, and places like Loretta's Northwesterner serve exactly the kind of charred, saucy burger you'd want with a beer.

What makes Seattle stand out today is how many restaurants outside the burger world have built great burgers of their own. Taurus Ox, Familyfriend, Local Tide and Asadero all bring flavors and techniques from their main menus to the cheeseburger, and that mix is part of what makes eating burgers here so fun. For more on how these styles fit together, read our guide to American burger styles.

Tips for visiting

Pair stops by neighborhood. Smash That Burger Co., Local Tide and Dreamland are all in Fremont, and Taurus Ox and Jeffry's are both on Capitol Hill.
Time your Saint Bread visit. The smash burger is a lunch item, so don't show up first thing in the morning expecting one.
Plan for rain. Bring a jacket if you're eating outdoors or waiting in line.
Check hours before you go, since restaurant and bar kitchens can change their schedules.
Craving one at home? Try our Oklahoma fried onion burger or ultimate smash burger.

Browse by style

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

FAQ

What is the best burger in Seattle?

It depends on the style you want. For a smash burger, try Familyfriend or Smash That Burger Co. For a classic tavern burger, go to Loretta's Northwesterner. For a restaurant burger, try Taurus Ox or Jeffry's.

Where can I find a cheap burger in Seattle?

Zesto's in Rainier Valley and Loretta's Northwesterner in South Park are both casual, no-frills spots. Smash burger counters like Smash That Burger Co. are also good for a quick meal.

Where can I get an Oklahoma-style smash burger in Seattle?

Smash That Burger Co. in Fremont specializes in Oklahoma-style smash burgers with onions pressed into the patty.

What is the best burger near downtown Seattle?

Big Max Burger Co. in Queen Anne and Taurus Ox and Jeffry's on Capitol Hill are all a short trip from downtown.