More often than than not, when someone asks me “What are you in the mood for?”–and I get asked that a lot–it’s hard to envision anything I will enjoy more than a medium rare cheeseburger with the freshest bun and various fresh toppings accompanying them. I LOVE BURGERS, I crave them, I think of them constantly, they make me happy. So it is now time to put my own burger list out in the universe……I give you Steak Tips: the Top Burgers That Matter Most in my Life Right Now. These are the spots that immediately jump in my head when I know it is time to get my burger on! Listed below in alphabetical order.
I don’t claim to be a cool person but when I’m at THE CHASTAIN in Buckhead, I feel like one. And once you eat their perfectly simple cheeseburger — with those two crispy patties…American cheese…caramelized onion aioli…and oh yeah, those fries — you’ll feel like the coolest person around.
You can indeed look forward to a tedious business lunch when you know the reward is the classic “Club Burger” at iconic Chops in Buckhead. What do they do great? The burger blend of chuck, brisket and short rib with Wisconsin Cheddar, drop the mic.
The double cheeseburger is an Atlanta Eats staff favorite. It’s served only on Sundays and the cheeseburger is made totally from scratch, from the buns to the pickles to the aioli. People will straight-up start lining up outside Evergreen Butcher & Baker around 12:30pm on Sundays before they start selling them at 1pm. They sell out often because they’re just that good.
Chef Todd Ginsberg is truly “the burger whisperer” with his keen sense of what the ideal burger should look and taste like and at Fred’s he delivers again. In a place where the cheesesteak steals the headlines the burger takes no back seat. Double stack, sesame bun, moist and juicy and in the friendly confines of Krog Street Market.
Summerhill is fast becoming a go to spot for areat grub, and they’ve got a donut/sandwich joint that’s serving up burger perfection. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. I typically go for their classic burger but the dad burger with pepper jack, spicy mayo and bourbon bacon jam also hits it out of the park.
There is no top burger list in Atlanta that should ever exist without H&F on it. I don’t care that you can get them many more places than the original concept on Peachtree when only 20 of them came off the grill each night. It is forever the Hall of Fame burger in Atlanta for the meticulous manner in which chef Linton Hopkins created them.
This Austin-based burger joint has made its way to Atlanta with a bang. I can’t get enough of the Double Bacon Jam, with tomato bacon jam, mustard grilled onions, and a whole lotta cheese. I’m also digging the Primetime, with a brisket-short rib-chuck patty made with caramelized onions, truffle aioli, arugula, and steak sauce. Toss in some of their awesome fries and that full-service and you’ll be a happy camper.
There is no finer run restaurant group than the folks at Houston’s and the burger speaks to what they’re all about. Not a lot of fanfare, just the finest quality beef with the softest bun and a level of consistency that is unrivaled. I dare you to walk by the grill while they’re cooking them and not order one yourself.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge dog lover and you’ve got to love a place where you can bring even your 100 lb Rottweiler to come sit with you on their patio while you enjoy some burgers and beers. Lucky’s is just that place. The patio at their Roswell location is huge in particular, and my favorite burger is their Georgia Dawg Pounder topped with a fried pimento cheese ball and spicy pepper jelly.
1675 Cumberland Pkwy SE Suite 309, Smyrna, GA 30080
A trip to Smyrna always makes sense when the destination is Muss and Turner’s and their burger is in play.
The folks at M&T’s know about great ingredients and their grass fed burger with white cheddar, onions and poblano pepper are living proof of just that.
The hottest burger in our city is coming out of a Chevron gas station in Dunwoody and yes the hype is real.
Owner Billy Kramer researched the hell out of burgers and then delivered a knockout punch with his double and triple cheeseburgers topped with American cheese, pickles, mustard and “sassy” sauce, trust the “burger scientist” here.
Yes, I’m normally all about the real thing but the magic that Pinky Cole brings to the table is undeniable. After trying Slutty Vegan, I can say that I would not in a million years know that her burgers were vegan. The sauces are what set her vegan burgers made with Impossible “meat” apart from the rest, and the fries are also killer.
The Vortex – Diner Burger | Photo: Facebook/thevortexmidtown
Before there was a hundred great burger spots in Atlanta there was only one, The Vortex. Folks come from near and far for the insane combinations of specialty burgers or just the standard Vortex burger that is always perfectly cooked along with their signature tater tots to make sure that the stars are indeed still aligned.
Chef Ford Fry doesn’t miss. He makes an incredible dry-aged beef burger that knocks your socks off topped with onion, American cheese, and aioli on a brioche bun. I am OBSESSED.
Chef Andy Gonzalez at The Companion perfects pub fare with dishes like the Tower of Power burger, featuring bacon, LTO, American cheese, and their “Million Island” sauce.
Originally published January 12, 2021 and last updated June 24, 2024.
Use our map below to find a burger spot near you!
THE CHASTAIN
Chops
Fred’s Meat and Bread
Holeman and Finch: HF Burger
Houston’s
Grindhouse Killer Burger
Muss and Turner’s
The Companion
THE CHASTAIN
I don’t claim to be a cool person but when I’m at THE CHASTAIN in Buckhead, I feel like one. And once you eat their perfectly simple cheeseburger — with those two crispy patties…American cheese…caramelized onion aioli…and oh yeah, those fries — you’ll feel like the coolest person around.
4320 Powers Ferry Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30342
Chops
You can indeed look forward to a tedious business lunch when you know the reward is the classic “Club Burger” at iconic Chops in Buckhead. What do they do great? The burger blend of chuck, brisket and short rib with Wisconsin Cheddar, drop the mic.
70 West Paces Ferry Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30305
Fred’s Meat and Bread
Chef Todd Ginsberg is truly “the burger whisperer” with his keen sense of what the ideal burger should look and taste like and at Fred’s he delivers again. In a place where the cheesesteak steals the headlines the burger takes no back seat. Double stack, sesame bun, moist and juicy and in the friendly confines of Krog Street Market.
99 Krog St NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
Holeman and Finch: HF Burger
There is no top burger list in Atlanta that should ever exist without H&F on it.
I don’t care that you can get them many more places than the original concept on Peachtree when only 20 of them came off the grill each night. it is forever the Hall of Fame burger in Atlanta for the meticulous manner in which chef Linton Hopkins created them.
675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Houston’s
There is no finer run restaurant group than the folks at Houston’s and the burger speaks to what they’re all about.
Not a lot of fanfare, just the finest quality beef with the softest bun and a level of consistency that is unrivaled.
I dare you to walk by the grill while they’re cooking them and not order one yourself.
2166 Peachtree Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30309
Grindhouse Killer Burger
There’s a reason this restaurant has become one of the great burger stories in Atlanta history. They deserve it.
I hammer the double patty with Swiss cheese and grilled onions along with those perfect crinkle cut fries and know that all is right in the world.
1842 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30324
Muss and Turner’s
A trip to Smyrna always makes sense when the destination is Muss and Turner’s and their burger is in play.
The folks at M&T’s know about great ingredients and their grass fed burger with white cheddar, onions and poblano pepper are living proof of just that.
1675 Cumberland Pkwy SE Suite 309, Smyrna, GA 30080
The Companion
Chef Andy Gonzalez at The Companion perfects pub fare with dishes like the Tower of Power burger, featuring bacon, LTO, American cheese, and their “Million Island” sauce.
