Where can I get the best burger in Memphis? Here are our top 5
This story originally published in 2021.
Memphis is world renowned for its barbecue and soul food, but one of the other dishes the Bluff City does really well is burgers.
From thin-patty griddle burgers to juicy thick burgers that need a knife and fork to be eaten to everything in between, there is a Memphis burger sure to please everyone.
Burger joints like Huey’s and Belmont Grill have become Memphis institutions. Some may argue the burger at Tops Bar-B-Q is its most popular dish. Dyer’s Cafe has made a name for itself with its burgers cooked in century-old grease. Both tourists and Memphians flock to Earnestine & Hazel’s for one of its infamous “Soul Burgers.” People drive out of their way to get burgers at places like Roxie’s Grocery in Uptown and Memphis Mojo Café in Bartlett. Memphis fine dining spots like Erling Jensen’s, Acre and Bishop have over-the-top gourmet-style burgers that are best eaten with a knife and a fork.
The list goes on of all the great burgers that can be found around the Bluff City.
We asked The Commercial Appeal newsroom team to share their favorites. Here are five of our favorite burgers in the Memphis area. Enjoy!
Huey’s: Bluff City Burger
Multiple locations; hueyburger.com
When it comes to grabbing a burger in Memphis, there's no question as to who does it best. Huey's is a city-wide classic with a burger for almost everyone's taste, but my go-to order has been, and will be until they concoct a new masterpiece, the Bluff City Burger.
It's an aptly named burger for the simple fact that it embodies what Memphis is and, in comparison to the size of some of their other burgers, it truly does resemble the bluff that overlooks the Mississippi River.
The burger rests on a Kaiser roll that keeps the towering entrée from falling apart and sets a perfect base for the smoky barbecue sauce to be spread on. The smokiness makes a return with the cheddar cheese that is melted over the beef patty. Finishing off the burger comes sweetness from the onion straws, refreshing shredded lettuce and pickles.
Inevitably, some of your onion straws are bound to fall off while eating, but never fret because they are just as fantastic by themselves and even better when dipped in a side of chipotle ranch
— Lucas Finton, news reporter
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Alex’s Tavern: Greek Burger
1445 Jackson Ave.; (901) 278-9086
Some burgers are flattened patties. Some burgers are thick wedges of ground beef.
The burgers at Alex’s Tavern, the venerable family-owned old-school hangout at 1445 Jackson, are shaped sort of like fists. Delicious fists that melt in rather than smash in your mouth.
Seasoned — like the ribs, the gumbo and almost everything else you can eat at Alex’s — with Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning, the burgers are referred to as “Greek burgers” by tavern owner Rocky Kasaftes, but many customers simply call them “Rocky burgers,” in tribute to the genial barkeep who essentially grew up in the tavern he inherited when his father passed away in 1978. (Alex Kasaftes founded his namesake bar on Nov. 13, 1953, in case you want to say “happy birthday.”)
The burgers at Alex’s are simple, but so is the curved line on paper that Picasso somehow makes you understand is a portrait of a bull. Sometimes, simplicity works, and Kasaftes’ burger works: It was one of only two Memphis hamburgers showcased in George Motz’s book “Hamburger America: A State-by-State Guide to 200 Great Burger Joints.” (The other showcase Memphis restaurant was Dyer’s, irresistible to storytellers due to the romance of its century-old legacy frying grease.)
Kasaftes — oh, let’s just call him Rocky — cooks his burgers in an old iron skillet in the back kitchen, using fresh 80/20 ground chuck that he purchases at High Point Grocery. (“80/20” means 80% lean, 20% fat, a ratio that represents “the perfect blend” for “a moist, juicy burger,” according to the fancy food website, TheSpruceEats.com.) Rocky dresses burgers to the customer’s preference, and generally serves them with french fries or crinkle-cut potato chips (and, yes, even the chips are dusted with Cavender’s). A burger-and-fries combo is $11, with chips it’s a buck cheaper.
— John Beifuss, entertainment reporter
Kwik Chek: Bi Bim Bop Burger
2013 Madison Ave.; (901) 274-9293
I'm not convinced that every Memphian wants a beef patty the size of a softball on every burger. To be clear, there's nothing wrong with a half-pound of ground cow and a tower of toppings. It's just that some burgers are best enjoyed with a balanced ratio of meat to toppings. A partnership with two equals, if you will.
The Bi Bim Bop Burger, served up by the Midtown institution known as Kwik Chek, is one such burger.
The blackened patty is served smashburger style on an unassuming burger bun, which is appropriate — the real star of the show are the toppings. A sunny side-up egg, matchstick carrot and cucumber slices, sprouts, and a healthy smattering of spicy red sauce atop the patty — all traditional ingredients in the burger's namesake dish, bi bim bop. But the addition of a uniquely American ingredient, a trusty slice of American yellow cheese truly elevates the Bi Bim Bop Burger. I don't know of any other burger that reaches new heights with the addition of a humble Kraft single, but somehow the Bi Bim Bop Burger is made extra special by otherwise unremarkable cheese.
Since the Bi Bim Bop Burger has a thinner patty, the entirety of the sandwich is only a couple of inches tall. This is good for two reasons: You can have single-handed control of the burger, which is convenient because you'll need your other hand to dab at the red sauce and egg yolk around the corner of your mouth and, you won't feel quite so guilty when you drive back to Kwik Check two hours later and order another one, which is what I did. I couldn't stop thinking about the first one.
— Micaela Watts, breaking news reporter
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Huey’s: Senor Huey Black Bean Burger
Multiple locations; hueyburger.com
Impossible burgers and veggie burgers are such a trend right now, but Huey’s has been dishing out flavorful black bean burgers for years.
With a packed house and a live band serenading Huey’s in Midtown, the Senor Huey black bean burger adds a kick to the end of a Saturday night filled with outings and laughs.
The smoky black bean patty complements the Senor Huey burger topped with spicy pepper jack cheese alongside the standard toppings of lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, mayonnaise and mustard. Each bite offers a mouthful of heat from the cheese, sweetness from the onions and tomatoes, and a nice toasted bun holding all the ingredients. Unlike other veggie patties the Huey’s one does not fall apart easily.
To give the burger an extra punch add some jalapenos, and all the toppings unite with the heartiness of the black bean burger. — Dima Amro, suburban reporter
Maria’s Cantina
6717 Airways Blvd., Southaven; (662) 772-5926; mariascantina.com
On the menu, it's called the "Maria's Traditional Burger," more or less giving away its place of origin — Maria's Cantina in Southaven.
But, even though it's exactly what it sounds like, it doesn't mean the hip, laid-back DeSoto County joint (that specializes in "Mexican food with a twist") can't bring the heat with a good, old-fashioned hamburger.
The patty is well seasoned — without going too far — and well proportioned. Nothing fancy about the bun (no sesame seeds, not toasted), but that's OK. What it lacks in frills, it makes up for with quality. It comes with lettuce, cheese (two slices of white American), tomato and mayo — again, traditional. I always ask for them to add onion and pickle for an added crunch.
It comes with french fries, which are lightly sprinkled with chili powder so you don't forget you're dining at a cantina.
I've tried the hamburger at a couple-dozen places around the Mid-South since I moved here three years ago, but Maria's is hands-down the best. They keep it simple which, in this case, goes a long way.
— Jason Munz, sports reporter
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Best burgers in Memphis, Tennessee: 5 of our favorite hamburgers
