America's main burger styles are the smash burger, the pub or tavern burger, the Oklahoma fried onion burger, the Wisconsin butter burger, the New Mexico green chile cheeseburger, the Minneapolis Juicy Lucy, the slider, the patty melt and the gourmet restaurant burger. Each one comes down to a different choice about patty thickness, cooking surface, bread and toppings. Here's what defines each style and where to try it.
How burger styles differ
Before the tour, it helps to know the four variables that separate one style from another:
- Patty thickness: thin and pressed (smash, fried onion) or thick and juicy (pub, gourmet).
- Cooking surface: a flat-top griddle, an open grill or a cast iron pan.
- The bread: soft potato roll, hard roll, rye, toast or brioche.
- The signature add-on: onions, butter, chiles or cheese sealed inside the patty.
1. Smash burger
A ball of cold ground beef is pressed hard onto a very hot griddle so it forms a thin patty with crispy, lacy edges. It's usually doubled up with American cheese on a soft potato roll. 7th Street Burger, which opened on East 7th Street in New York in 2021 and has since grown to dozens of locations, is a good example of the modern version. Make one at home with our Ultimate Smash Burger, and see how it compares to a thicker patty in smash burger vs. regular burger.
2. Pub or tavern burger
A thicker patty, often cooked to order, served on a plate with fries and eaten at a bar or table. It's less about crust and more about a juicy center. J.G. Melon on Manhattan's Upper East Side is a classic example, with a simple burger on a toasted bun.
3. Oklahoma fried onion burger
Paper-thin onions are smashed into the beef on the griddle, so they caramelize into the patty. The style comes from El Reno, Oklahoma, where it dates to the 1920s and was used to stretch expensive beef with cheap onions. In New York, George Motz's Hamburger America serves a version alongside a classic smash burger. Read the full story in our Oklahoma fried onion burger guide.
4. Wisconsin butter burger
A griddled burger finished with butter, either melted onto the patty or spread on the bun. It's Wisconsin's signature style, tied to two restaurants from the mid-1930s that still argue about who was first. Learn the two methods in our Wisconsin butter burger guide.
5. Green chile cheeseburger
A New Mexico staple topped with roasted, chopped green chiles and melted cheese. The chiles add smoke and slow heat. It traces back to two bars in the tiny town of San Antonio, New Mexico, in 1945, and today the state has a whole tourism trail for it. Our green chile cheeseburger guide covers the history and where to eat one.
6. Juicy Lucy
A Minneapolis burger with the cheese sealed inside the patty instead of on top, so it melts into a molten center. Let it rest a minute before biting in. Two bars both claim to have invented it, and we lay out both sides in our Juicy Lucy showdown.
7. Slider
Small, thin, often square burgers, traditionally steamed on a bed of onions so they cook fast and stay soft. White Castle, founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 1921, is generally recognized as the first hamburger chain and made the format famous.
8. Patty melt
Technically a sandwich: a patty with Swiss cheese and grilled onions on griddled rye bread instead of a bun. It's a diner classic and a good way to use up rye bread.
9. Gourmet or restaurant burger
Premium beef blends, dry-aged meat and chef-driven toppings. Minetta Tavern in Greenwich Village serves its Black Label Burger, made from a custom dry-aged blend, with caramelized onions. In Los Angeles, the Office Burger at Father's Office comes on a French roll with caramelized onions, Gruyère, blue cheese, bacon and arugula, and the restaurant is known for not allowing substitutions.
10. The burger on toast
The oldest style on this list. Louis' Lunch in New Haven, Connecticut, which claims to have served the first hamburger in 1900, still serves its burgers between slices of toast with only cheese, tomato and onion as toppings. Whether toast counts as a real hamburger is part of a long-running argument over who invented the burger.
How to pick a style to cook at home
- Want maximum crust? Go smash or fried onion. You'll need a very hot griddle or cast iron pan and a stiff spatula.
- Grilling outside? Pub-style thick patties hold up best over open flame.
- Feeding a crowd? Sliders cook fast and are easy to portion.
- Want something different? Try a butter burger or green chile cheeseburger. Both need only one or two extra ingredients.
Whatever the style, cook ground beef to 160°F for safety, and check thicker patties with an instant-read thermometer.
Want to go deeper?
Burger historian George Motz has spent decades documenting regional burgers. His The Great American Burger Book covers regional styles from across the country, with recipes to make them at home. It also makes a great gift for any burger lover.
FAQ
What is the most popular burger style in America?
There's no official count, but the smash burger has been the most talked-about style in recent years, while thick grilled backyard burgers remain the standard at home.
What's the difference between a smash burger and a regular burger?
A smash burger is pressed thin on a very hot griddle for a crispy crust. A regular burger is formed into a thicker patty before cooking and stays juicier in the middle.
Which burger style is the oldest?
Plain patties on bread or toast from the late 1800s came first. Among named regional styles, the Oklahoma fried onion burger dates to the 1920s.
Is a patty melt a burger?
It's a close relative. It uses a burger patty, but it's served on griddled rye bread instead of a bun, which makes it closer to a grilled cheese.
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