The Oklahoma Fried Onion Burger: History, How It's Made and Where to Eat One

The Oklahoma fried onion burger is a ball of beef smashed into a heap of paper-thin onions on a hot griddle, so the onions cook right into the patty. It was born in El Reno, Oklahoma, on Route 66 in the 1920s as a way to stretch expensive beef with cheap onions. You can still eat one at the historic grills in El Reno, all over Oklahoma City, and at a growing number of places far from Oklahoma.

Where the fried onion burger comes from

El Reno, about 30 miles west of Oklahoma City, calls itself the fried onion burger capital of the world. The usual story credits Homer Davis and his son Ross at their Hamburger Inn, near where Route 66 crossed U.S. 81. Pressing a big pile of shaved onions into a small amount of beef made the burger bigger for the same money, which mattered to railroad workers and travelers in the 1920s. The burger became even more popular during the Great Depression, which is why it's often called the Depression burger.

The exact date is fuzzy. Most accounts say the 1920s, while some say the 1930s, and the Hamburger Inn itself is long gone. What's not in doubt is that the style took root in El Reno and spread across western Oklahoma. It stayed mostly a local secret until the 2010s, when burger historian George Motz and others helped make it famous nationally.

How El Reno celebrates it

• Fried Onion Burger Day: an annual festival in downtown El Reno, held in early May, with live music and a giant fried onion burger cooked outdoors and shared with the crowd.
• A historical marker: in November 2024, a "Hungry for History" marker from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation was unveiled downtown to recognize the town's onion burger heritage.

How a fried onion burger is made

1. Shave the onions. Slice a yellow or sweet onion as thin as you can, ideally on a mandoline. Thin is everything, since thick slices won't cook through.
2. Heat the griddle. It needs to be very hot so the beef sears instead of steaming.
3. Pile and smash. Set a ball of cold ground beef on the griddle, heap a big handful of onions on top, and press hard with a heavy spatula so the onions sink into the meat.
4. Flip. After a couple of minutes, scrape under the patty and flip it so the onions are on the bottom, where they caramelize against the hot steel.
5. Cheese and steam the bun. Add American cheese, then set both halves of the bun on top of the patty so they steam soft from the onion vapor.
6. Dress it simply. Pickles and mustard are traditional. Some people add ketchup.

Thin smashed patties cook through fast, but they should still reach 160°F.

Where to eat one in El Reno

Three historic grills sit within a short walk of each other downtown:

• Sid's Diner: a 1950s-style diner on Route 66 and the best-known onion burger stop in town.
• Robert's Grill: a tiny counter-seating spot on Route 66 dating to 1926.
• Johnnie's Grill: a longtime El Reno grill also known for its coneys.

Go hungry and split burgers so you can try more than one.

Where to eat one in Oklahoma City

• Nic's Grill: a tiny diner on North Pennsylvania Avenue whose onion burger was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Seats fill fast, so arrive early.
• Sun Cattle Co.: an onion burger spot on Film Row.
• Tucker's Onion Burgers: a local mini-chain built around the style, with a location on NW 23rd Street in Uptown.

See every pick in our Oklahoma City burger guide.

Where to eat one outside Oklahoma

The best-known version outside the state is at Hamburger America in SoHo, New York, George Motz's burger counter, where the Oklahoma-style fried onion burger is one of two burgers on the regular menu. Many smash burger shops around the country now add a fried onion option, too.

Make it at home

Follow our Oklahoma fried onion burger recipe for exact amounts. A few tips:

• Use a big, very hot surface. A flat-top griddle or a large cast iron pan gives the onions room to caramelize.
• Use a stiff spatula. A sharp-edged smash spatula presses the onions in and scrapes up the crust when you flip.
• Use 80/20 beef. The fat helps the onions fry.
• Don't fear the onion pile. It looks like too much, but it cooks down dramatically.
• Cook one or two at a time. Crowding the pan drops the temperature, and the onions steam instead of browning.
• Scrape, don't lift. When you flip, get the spatula fully under the onion crust so it stays attached to the beef.

FAQ

Who invented the Oklahoma fried onion burger?

The usual story credits Homer and Ross Davis at the Hamburger Inn in El Reno in the 1920s, though accounts of the date vary and the original restaurant no longer exists.

Why is it called a Depression burger?

Onions were cheap and beef was expensive, so pressing onions into the patty stretched the meat. The burger became especially popular during the Great Depression.

Is a fried onion burger the same as a smash burger?

It's a type of smash burger. The difference is the big pile of shaved onions pressed into the beef as it cooks.

What onions are best?

Yellow or sweet onions, sliced paper-thin. They soften and caramelize fast without turning bitter.

When is El Reno's Burger Day?

Fried Onion Burger Day is held in early May each year in downtown El Reno. Check the city's announcements for the exact date.