It’s impossible to eat out in Denver and not find burgers gracing most menus. The dish is one of the most popular items in the country. From wagyu to smash patties to piles of random goodness smooshed between the bun, there’s a lot of options.
These 18 burgers have been tested, tasted, and approved for your eating pleasure. We decided to skip burgers that one can only get a certain day of the week, and sadly, some favorites no longer exist (RIP My Fucking Burger at Misfit Snack Bar). Yet we hope we can help you find a new hot spot. From low brow to high brow, dig in.
Low-Brow Burgers
Dalton’s Cheeseburgs at RiNo Country Club
Don’t let the name fool you, the RiNo Country Club isn’t fancy, and neither is Dalton’s Cheeseburgs inside. Here the best order is the Cheeseburg & Fries, which includes a glorious smash burger. The burger is slapped on to a Martin’s Famous Potato Rolls bun then gets dressed with Dalton’s 7 Hour Sauce™ and minced onion. One thing setting these sweet buns apart, besides the rarity of finding this brand in Colorado, is that it’s toasted on the bottom and steamed on the top, providing different textures for each cheeseburger. Choose between one or two stacked patties as a base for the juicy cold-brine pickles. There’s a veggie patty option available as well. 3763 Wynkoop St., Denver, rinocc.com
Fat Sully’s
Atomic Cowboy’s Fat Sully’s keeps things traditional. Enter the Lights Out Burger, a delightful iteration featuring two smashed beef patties, aged American cheese, housemade pickles, and a special sauce, all on a brioche bun toasted with garlic butter. Best part, it’s available during happy hour and all day on Monday for just $7. Multiple locations, theatomiccowboy.com
Grandpa’s Burger Haven
Not that long ago the iconic, 45-year-old burger joint got sold, but the new owners have changed very little. Whether you order the single small patty or a double large cheeseburger, the burgers remain thin and the sides of the meat fanned out and crisped up in perfect smash burger fashion. On the bun you’ll find a healthy slathering of mustard, sliced dill pickles, onion, tomato, and a lot of lettuce. Ketchup and mayo can be requested, and the staff will tailor your burger however you want it. 23 S. Federal Blvd, Denver, granpaburger.com
Tawnsburger
Getting to Tawnsburger may prove a bit tricky. For starters, the food truck resides inside Finn’s Manor, a bar and venue in RiNo. It’s only open Wednesday through Sunday, with hours running 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 2 to 9 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. to midnight Saturday, and Sunday 2 to 7 p.m. But once there, the smash burger is 100-percent worth the planning.
The double patty cheeseburger runs $13 and comes with traditional toppings such as shredded lettuce, house-made pickles, white onion, double slices of American cheese, and burger sauce. Opened in 2021 by Wolf’s Tailor and Uncle Ramen alumni Antoine “Twan” Villaume, this version of a smash burger definitely slays. 2927 Larimer St., Denver., no website
My Brother’s Bar
Since 1873 My Brother’s Bar on Platte Street has existed in some capacity, though it didn’t start serving one of Denver’s best burgers until 1970. After decades in the burger biz, this dive bar classic remains largely unchanged with condiment caddies accompanying beloved parchment-wrapped burgers.
The patty is neither smashed nor stacked, it’s right in the middle, making it a true American classic. A favorite is the JCB, a cheeseburger with jalapeño cream cheese. Of course you can get a basic hamburger and cheeseburger too, which are just as good. 2376 15th St., Denver, mybrothersbar.com
Mid-Brow Burgers
Odie B’s
Odie B’s makes a double “smooshed” patty, and between the meaty layers you’ll find two types of cheese and chef Cliff Blauvelt’s fancy sauce, all nestled in potato brioche bun. It’s still compact enough to fit in your whole mouth, but don’t be surprised if you need a handful of napkins and a gentle nap later. Both locations serve the Double Bodega Burger, so you don’t have to play favorites between the new RiNo spot and the OG Sunnyside cafe. 2651 W. 38th Ave., Denver, and 1350 40th St. Suite 180, Denver, odie-bs.com
C Burger
The classic burger at Half Eaten Cookie Hospitality’s C Burger isn’t just thin, it’s also made from beef that comes from a ranch focused on regenerative farming. Technically it’s a smash burger, though not quite as delicate as the original idea behind the item. Located on West Pearl Street in the former Oskar Blues Taproom, C Burger joins the company’s Boulder portfolio of restaurants including Oak on Fourteenth and Corrida. But where the former places offer fine dining, C Burger fills the fast casual void while maintaining the group’s emphasis on environmentalism and its sustainability vision. Plus, this non fast food burger tastes so good, you’ll feel great in every aspect. 921 Pearl St., Boulder, cburgerco.com
Cherry Cricket
Look, you can go small at the Cherry Cricket, but why would you? Start with a half-pound Cricket Burger, and then keep stacking from there. Technically the patty isn’t the only thing giving the burger height, but since we made the rules, we’ll let it slide. There are over 30 things to add to any burger, but some highlights include a scoop of macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, corned beef, an egg in any style, grilled pineapple, a chile relleno, and so much more. Multiple locations, cherrycricket.com
Samosa Shop
Chef Dave Hadley boasts an impressive resume, including experience under big-name chefs and restaurants in Denver, Thailand, and Aspen, and being a two-time champion on Food Network’s Chopped, and recently appearing on Beat Bobby Flay. However, when he launched Samosa Shop in 2020, the chef started small by offering hand-made samosas at farmers’ markets. He expanded the dishes, often creating mashups of Indian and American fare, leaning heavily on the spices he grew up with. Now Samosa Shop also works out of a brick-and-mortar location inside the Honor Farm bar in LoDo.
That’s where the Lamb Kebab Smashburger comes in. The burger, which has been years in the making, includes a halal lamb and beef patty topped with the chef’s signature “zamosa” sauce, fresh dill, and American cheese. 1526 Blake St., Denver, samosashopco.com
Tessa Delicatessen
While there’s a new outpost of chef Vince Howard’s deli in Edgewater Public Market, the original East Colfax Avenue shop is the only one serving his famous burger. The starting point to perfection comes on the bun, a housemade milk bread roll that’s sized wonderfully for the Angus beef patty. On the tall cheeseburger you’ll also find cheddar, bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and scallion mayo. 5724 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, tessadenver.com
Not a Damn Chance Burger
The patty at Not a Damn Chance Burger (NADC Burger) in Larimer Square is made with American wagyu beef ranched on a farm run by a friend of the owners, chef Phillip Frankland Lee and professional skateboarder Neen Williams. It’s very thin, but since the eatery doubles the patty, it doesn’t lack a meaty bite.
Unlike other burger joints around town, there is only one burger on the menu here (as well as the newly introduced, single patty kid’s burger). On it you’ll find two gorgeous patties, American cheese, NADC sauce, onions, pickles, and “slightly tamed” jalapeños. Modifications are accepted, and you can always add a third patty. Include a side of fries done “beast mode,” and it’s a satisfying meal in the heart of Downtown Denver. 1441 Larimer St., Denver, nadcburger.com
The W
Taking a page from his family history, Ernest Wigglesworth had always wanted to open his own neighborhood burger joint. Growing up, Wigglesworth’s family had been serving hamburgers since 1944 at the Owl Cigar Store, a classic diner located in Cañon City.
Now with The W, the family is back to burgers with a long list of options. Almost all the craft burgers come with cheese, from goat to blue to cheddar. On the classic side, try the Li’l Wig Burger with white cheddar, red onion, tomato, lettuce, pickles, and a signature sauce, or the Li’l Big Wig that also includes pork belly and jalapeño. On the fancy side, the Brie Baby coos with gooey brie, onion jam, arugula, garlic aioli, and sliced apples. 5001 E. Colfax Ave., Dever, thewdenver.com
High-Brow Burgers
A5 Steakhouse
While Culinary Creative’s steakhouse is known for a killer piece of meat and strong drink, during happy hour at the bar you can get one of the best burgers in town for just $15. The dish features a six-ounce patty composed of Japanese and American wagyu beef that’s charred over a wood-fire grill. The burger comes on the restaurant’s milk bread bun and topped with a mayo and Dijon mustard sauce, pickles, onion, and melty butterkäse. 1600 15th St., Denver, a5denver.com
240 Union Restaurant
For those craving a classic, thick patty cooked to a preferred temp, 240 Union Restaurant in Lakewood has been doing it right since 1988. Comically dubbed the “Whimpy Cheeseburger,” the large burger is anything but. On top of the meat you’ll find Tillamook cheddar, and housemade “zippy sauce.” The $18 dish comes with Kennebec fries and you can add on avocado, bacon, or blue cheese for $3 each. 240 Union Blvd., Lakewood, 240union.com
Chez Maggy
In 2022 the Thompson Hotel brought along Chez Maggy, a French concept led by Michelin-starred chef Ludo Lefebvre. But just because the dishes lean classically provincial, the burger on the menu stands out. Yes, you can get a classic rendition, but what you want is the house special, which comes with American cheese, pepper gravy, pickled mustard seed, smoked mayonnaise, and beer braised onion. It’s large, messy, and beautiful, and may be one of the only burgers where it’s okay to use a fork and knife. 1616 Market St, Denver, chezmaggydenver.com
Mercantile
The Kewpie Burger at Mercantile in Union Station is a classic. The modist patty features American cheese, caramelized onion, Mercantile’s own pickles, lettuce, and kewpie sauce, which yes, is made from the famous Japanese mayo. For an extra $8 you can swap the patty for a dry-aged beef burger from Brunson Meat Co. Find the dish every day for lunch, both la carte and on the prix fixe menu. 1701 Wynkoop St. #155, Denver, mercantiledenver.com
Bistro Vendôme
Get a French twist with your burger at Bistro Vendome, which relocated to Park Hill last year. Dubbed the Chasseur Burger, the dish features a mixture of prime beef, pork and mushrooms blended into the patty, and comes topped with raclette, cornichon, red wine caramelized onion, and duxelles aioli. The $26 masterpiece also comes with the perfect pommes frites. 2267 Kearney St., Denver, bistrovendome.com
Annette
For an elegant, high-end burger with little frill, chef Caroline Glover has perfected her happy-hour-only burger at Annette. Located inside Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace, the proportionate 7x wagyu patty comes on the restaurant’s housemade English muffins. On top you’ll find chow chow sauce, cheddar, sour pickles, and roasted garlic aioli. Taste the magic of this cheeseburger all night on Tuesdays, and between 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. 2501 Dallas St., Aurora, annettescratchtotable.com
