Food & Drink

15 Burgers to Try in Seattle

Smash Burgers, Dry-Aged Beef, and More
August 23, 2022
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This National Burger Day, sink your teeth into the signature "Big Max" from Big Max Burger Co. (Feed It Creative)
National Burger Day is approaching this Thursday, August 25, and in honor of the occasion, we've curated this roundup of worthy options to add to your Seattle burger bucket list, from Big Max Burger Co.'s "Big Max" to Top Chef star Shota Nakajima's new smash burger pop-up at Redhook Brewlab. Read on to discover some of our favorite juicy patties in town. For more ideas, check out our food and drink guide.


Big Max Burger Co. List  
The Queen Anne fine-dining restaurant Eden Hill List 's more casual, family-friendly spinoff Eden Hill Provisions rebranded as the fast food-centric Big Max Burger Co. last November. The spot highlights Eden Hill Provisions' most popular item, the eponymous Big Max burger (named for chef/co-owner Maximillian Petty and featuring two beef patties, lettuce, bread and butter pickles, caramelized and chopped red onion, smoked cheddar, malt-maple ketchup, and "Max sauce" on a challah bun). Other burger options include the "Thomas Burger" (a single-patty version of the Big Max), the "Little Sammy Slider" (one two-ounce patty with smoked cheddar, malt-maple ketchup, and a challah slider roll), and the "Queen Animal" (a burger with smoked bacon, frizzled onions, avocado, and house barbecue sauce).
Queen Anne
Pickup, delivery, dine-in

Boat Bar List
It's perhaps unsurprising that Boat Bar, the next-door sibling to Renee Erickson's nationally acclaimed French steakhouse Bateau List , does a spectacular burger. Theirs features high-quality dry-aged, grass-fed beef on a toasted bun with frisée and green goddess dressing.
Capitol Hill
Pickup, dine-in

Burgermaster
If you're looking for the retro charm of having your burger brought out to your vehicle by a carhop, Burgermaster is where you want to go. The local fast food chain was one of the first restaurants to begin serving grass-fed beef in Seattle—starting back in 1984—and continues to sling its classic Burgermaster and Baconmaster menu items today.
Various locations
Pickup, delivery, dine-in, drive-in

Dick's Drive-In
With a moniker that inspires countless titters in middle schoolers and has been name-checked by Sir Mix-A-Lot in "Posse on Broadway," the old-school Seattle fixture might not make the best burgers you've ever had, but that hardly matters to the scores of fans drawn like moths to a flame by the nostalgic glow of its orange neon sign. Get the Dick's Deluxe (a special-sauce-laden piece of heaven), their perfect peppermint stick hot fudge sundae, and/or a hand-dipped chocolate shake for dunking their salty, squishy fries.
Various locations
Pickup, delivery, dine-in

Feed Co. Burgers
This cost-effective restaurant's burgers feature a four-ounce beef patty, special sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, romaine, and pickles and can be customized to suit your tastes with an extra patty, bacon, cheddar cheese, avocado, an over-easy egg, or a gluten-free bun. Other options include the "Spicy Lamb" (lamb, kalamata olive tapenade, jack cheese, watercress, pickled onions, and lemon garlic aioli), the "Texicana" (beef patty, frizzled onions, barbecue sauce, bacon, cheddar, slaw, and grilled jalapeño), and the "Blue Onion" (beef patty, caramelized onions, blue cheese, cress, and special sauce).
Central District
Pickup, delivery, dine-in

Giddy Up Burgers List
Giddy Up Burgers is a Western-themed, family-friendly and dog-friendly burger establishment popular with tots and grown-ups alike. Welcome additions include outdoor seating, board games, kombucha on tap, a barn outside and health-conscious options like the quinoa patties, gluten-free buns, salad bar and lettuce wraps.
Ballard
Pickup, dine-in

Great State Burger
Owned by famed chef and restaurateur Renee Erickson, Great State Burger is a Pacific Northwest take on the classic American burger joint: grass-fed beef, fresh crinkle cut fries, organic milkshakes, and locally brewed beers, all served in compostable packaging.
Various locations
Pickup, delivery, dine-in

Katsu Burger
This local Japanese fusion burger chain is known for its behemoth burgers stacked high with deep-fried tonkatsu-style patties, as well as its nori-dusted fries and unique milkshake flavors.
Various locations
Pickup, delivery, dine-in

Li'l Woody's List
Li’l Woody’s serves solid burgers made with Painted Hills beef, with the basic model starting at $6.50. The Trotter is topped with caramelized onions, apples, chopped bacon, and horseradish sauce; the Fig & Pig features bacon strips and fig jam. 
Ballard, Capitol Hill, White Center
Pickup, delivery, dine-in

Loretta's Northwesterner List
South Park's unpretentious, beloved dive serves a mean "drive-in-style" tavern burger with charbroiled beef, melty cheese, pickles, onions, special sauce, and a toasted white bun. Many say it's the best burger in Seattle, and Thrillist has named it one of the best burgers in America.
South Park
Pickup, dine-in

Mean Sandwich List
This Ballard sandwich shop elevates the classic smash burger with two dry-aged beef patties, house-made pickles, and house-made mustard, plus American cheese, onion, and mayo. It's served with a side of their crispy fried "skins-and-ins" potatoes.
Ballard
Pickup, dine-in

Next Level Burger List
The 100% plant-based fast food spot housed within the Roosevelt Whole Foods boasts a roster of 10 veggie burgers. Former Stranger editor-at-large Sean Nelson has written that their vegan patties are “far tastier than standard-issue veggie burger substitutes” and suggests the All-American, the Sausage Bacon, and the Signature. If you’re feeling particularly gluttonous, go for the hearty "Animal," which features two meatless sausage patties with bacon substitute, crinkle-cut fries, sautéed onion, cheese, and two sauces.
Roosevelt
Pickup, delivery, dine-in

Pick-Quick Drive In List
This old-school drive-in's signature "deluxe" cheeseburgers and burgers are downright heavenly paired with their chili fries and Almond Roca milkshake. The family-owned business has been around for over 70 years, and many people say it's (gasp) even better than Dick's.
SoDo, Auburn, Fife
Delivery, drive-thru

Redhook Brewlab List
Top Chef fan favorite Shota Nakajima recently began hosting a new smash burger pop-up Remind List at Redhook Brewlab, located next door to his restaurant Taku List . The pop-up will run for the next few weeks and features burgers with a crispy-edged beef patty and melted Tillamook cheddar, topped with charred miso aioli and pickles. Other options include a vegetarian version (with tofu ranch and cabbage pickle onion slaw), tater tots, and a refreshing Napa cabbage salad with miso dressing and fresh herbs. Redhook head brewer Joel Kosic recommends the light-bodied SMaSH Pale Ale (Single Malt and Single Hops) beer as an ideal pairing.
Capitol Hill
Pickup, dine-in

Uneeda Burger List
Fremont's roadside-style shack dishes up upscale burgers with creative flavor combos, such as the "Lamb" (pickled peppers, manchego, arugula, cured lemon, chermoula sauce), the "Big Star" (crispy onions, bacon, cheddar, coleslaw, roasted fresno chilis, barbecue sauce), and the "Mushroom" (crimini mushroom, porcini, shallots, gruyere​, truffle aioli).
Fremont
Pickup, delivery, dine-in

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