The Best Burgers in South Dakota (2026)

The best burgers in South Dakota run from a tiny old-school counter in Brookings to award-winning bar burgers near Rapid City. Start with Nick's Hamburger Shop in Brookings, the pick national food sites keep naming. Then add Neighbors Grub + Pub in Summerset, a recent winner of the state beef council's burger contest, and the creative burgers that show up every winter during the Downtown Sioux Falls Burger Battle.

Below is our roundup, grouped by region. Each spot appeared in 2025-2026 coverage from local media, national food sites or diner-rating roundups. Hours change, especially in the Black Hills off-season, so check before you go.

South Dakota's burger scene

South Dakota is beef country, and the South Dakota Beef Industry Council runs a statewide burger contest each summer. The other big event is in Sioux Falls, where downtown restaurants enter special burgers each January. Common styles include:

• Small, plain burgers: Nick's in Brookings is famous for simple, no-frills burgers. Our guide to making sliders covers the small-burger approach at home.
• Loaded bar burgers: contest entries tend toward big patties with spicy, smoky or over-the-top toppings.
• Sauce-driven specials: house barbecue and spicy sauces show up on many entries. See our best burger sauces guide for ideas.

Eastern South Dakota: Brookings

• Nick's Hamburger Shop, Brookings: a small, long-running local favorite in the college town of Brookings. In 2025 and 2026, Tasting Table, Mashed and Foodie.com all named it the best burger in the state. Expect a simple, no-frills cheeseburger rather than a tall gourmet stack.

Sioux Falls

The Downtown Sioux Falls Burger Battle runs each January. The 2026 event was the 13th, with a record 50 burgers, and diners vote through a digital passport app. Entries change every year, but these restaurants were part of the 2026 lineup.

• Tommy Jack's Pub: its 2026 entry, the Prime Time, was a hand-pattied burger with pepper jack, an onion ring, shaved prime rib, jalapeños and a house cherry barbecue sauce.
• Remedy Brewing Company: a downtown brewery whose Brewmaster Burger was another 2026 Burger Battle entry. It's a good pick for a burger and a local beer.
• JL Beers: the North Dakota-born burger bar has a Sioux Falls location for a quick, cheesy bar burger.

Sioux Falls is about three hours from Omaha. If you're heading south, see our Omaha burger guide.

Rapid City and the Black Hills

• Neighbors Grub + Pub, Summerset: just north of Rapid City off I-90. It won the South Dakota Beef Industry Council's best burger contest in 2024, then won the 2025 KELOLAND Beef Burger Showdown with The Claw Burger.
• Thirstys, Rapid City: one of the city's top-rated burger spots in a 2025 ranking of diner reviews.
• Jambonz Deux, Rapid City: the highest-rated restaurant on that same 2025 Rapid City burger ranking.
• Birdie's Tenders and Burgers Co., Rapid City: a newer, casual spot on East Highway 44 that local media covered in fall 2026.

How to make the most of the Burger Battle

With dozens of entries, the Downtown Sioux Falls Burger Battle can be a lot to take on. A few tips help:

• Make a short list. Read the entry descriptions first and pick a handful that sound different from each other.
• Share and compare. Splitting burgers with friends lets you try more entries and vote with confidence.
• Vote on the same criteria. The contest scores flavor, patty, toppings, bun and presentation, so keep those in mind at each stop.
• Go at off-peak times. Weekday afternoons are usually calmer than Friday and Saturday nights.

How to plan a South Dakota burger trip

1. Go to Sioux Falls in January. That's when the Burger Battle runs, and many entries are only available during the event.
2. Pair Brookings with Sioux Falls. Nick's is about an hour north of Sioux Falls on I-29.
3. Add Summerset to a Black Hills trip. Neighbors Grub + Pub is an easy stop on the way to Sturgis, Deadwood or Mount Rushmore.
4. Watch the contest calendar. The beef council's contests announce finalists and winners in summer, which is a good time to find new spots.
5. Plan for distance. Sioux Falls to Rapid City is about five and a half hours on I-90.

Make South Dakota-style burgers at home

For a Nick's-style burger, keep it small and simple: thin patties, a slice of cheese, a soft bun and not much else. For a contest-style burger, go big and load it up. Our jalapeño popper burger recipe brings the kind of heat many Burger Battle entries have. For the patty itself, our smash burger vs. regular burger guide helps you choose a method. Cook ground beef to 160°F for USDA-recommended doneness; see our burger temperature guide.

Know a South Dakota burger we're missing? Suggest a spot, or browse more guides on our best burgers hub.

FAQ

Where is the best burger in South Dakota?

Nick's Hamburger Shop in Brookings is the most common pick. Tasting Table, Mashed and Foodie.com all chose it as the state's top burger in their 2025-2026 roundups.

What is the Downtown Sioux Falls Burger Battle?

It's a yearly January event where downtown restaurants create special burgers and diners vote on them. The 2026 edition featured a record 50 burgers.

Who won South Dakota's best burger contest?

Neighbors Grub + Pub in Summerset won the South Dakota Beef Industry Council's contest in 2024 and the 2025 KELOLAND Beef Burger Showdown.

Where should I get a burger near Mount Rushmore?

Base yourself in Rapid City and try Thirstys or Jambonz Deux, or stop at Neighbors Grub + Pub in Summerset on I-90.