As long as I can remember, I have been on an ongoing journey to try all the best cheeseburgers I can. To this point I’ve had dozens and dozens of them—in more than a dozen states and several countries. I’ve had burgers from some of the best food cities in the US (including New York, Chicago, and LA), and I’ve even had burger sushi. The most valuable thing I’ve learned in my burger connoisseur-ing is that you don’t have to travel across the country (or world) to get a delicious cheeseburger when you can get many of them right here in greater Cincinnati.
I love cheeseburgers and I order them whenever I can because it’s my favorite food and it’s a dish this city does so well (not literally, because if I have the choice, I’m ordering it medium). I love no-frills burgers from the diviest of bars (even when they’re served with popcorn), burgers topped with cheese I have to ask my husband how to pronounce, and those dressed with fancy mayonnaise people like to call “aioli.” I like my burgers pretty traditional, with the occasional flare. As long as there’s beef and cheese sandwiched between some kind of bread-like carb, I’ll eat it. And chances are I’ll like it. (Bonus points if there are excellent condiments involved.)
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Cincinnati is a great burger city. But while I like most I’ve had, these burgers* stand above the rest.
All-time Favorite
Zip Burger with cheese
Zip’s Café (Mt. Lookout)
Mt. Lookout’s tiny burger tavern on the square has been serving one of my favorite no-frills burgers since 1926 (92 years!), so obviously they’re doing everything right. It’s the first local burger I remember having and absolutely loving (I won’t date myself, but I will say it was when I was in high school) and I continue to love it to this day. Add cheese fries for an up-charge (and get the ranch!).
Plus: always good beer on draft and the train circling the ceiling makes it fun for the kids, too
Current Favorites and Go Tos
Commander N Beef Smash Burger Friday
Avril-Bleh Meat Market (Court Street Plaza)
Chef Kayla Robison, two-time Food Network winner, throws down some excellent smash burgers at Friday pop-ups at Avril-Bleh on Court Street downtown.
Garlic Three Cheese Burger
BRU Burger Bar (Central Business District)
This Indianapolis-based burger restaurant opened its doors in Cincinnati in December 2015, and serves my current favorite burger: a beef patty cooked medium with Swiss, American, and mozzarella cheeses, plus roasted garlic and truffle aioli. It is cheesy, garlicky, condimenty goodness, served with fresh cut fries for an additional charge. (Don’t skip on the fries; they’re fantastic.) Get the house-made ketchup and honey mustard.
Worth noting: great fries, outstanding condiments, good beer selection, and outdoor seating
Hokkaido Smash Burger
Cafe Mochiko (East Walnut Hills)
Wagyu beef burger topped with American cheese, caramelized onions, pickles, and served with fries. Y’all. The bun. The beef. The caramelized onions. The combination of it all. So juicy and excellent that the self-proclaimed Condiment Queen didn’t even need any assortment dips or sauces to accompany the meal.
Cheeseburger
Gold Star (multiple locations)
I recently tried (and absolutely loved) a “fast food” cheeseburger from a chili restaurant. But it was far from fast food quality. This 100% pure ground beef burger is dressed with lettuce, tomato, pickles, Heavenly sauce, and American cheese. Served with crinkle fries.
Be sure to get a side of Heavenly sauce for your fries!
Smash Burger
Ivory House (Westwood)
This award-winning steakhouse’s wagyu beef smash burger is available on the bar menu for happy hour every day they’re open from 4:30–6p. It is served with American cheese, greens, tomato, onion, pickle, mayo, Ivory House secret sauce, and a side of fingerling potatoes.
The Temperance
Nation Kitchen and Bar (Milford, Pendleton, Westwood)
If I’m not getting a monthly special, I keep it pretty traditional with The Temperance, a 6-ounce burger topped with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, and mayo on a challah bun. I’ve never met a Nation burger I didn’t like, so be sure to get one and pair it with a sidecar of potatoes (your choice of tots, fresh-cut fries, or sweet pot tots). (Table size is also available.)
Favorite Brewery Burgers
Garlic Three Cheese Burger
Moerlein Lager House (Central Business District)
Take in the beautiful sights of the Ohio riverfront from Cincinnati’s historic brewpub while enjoying a burger topped with swiss, american, mozzarella, roasted garlic, and truffle aioli.
Pro tip: get honey mustard on the side
Grass-fed Cheeseburger
Nine Giant Brewing (Pleasant Ridge)
This brewpub doesn’t have a huge menu, but the items it serves pack a high quality punch. The burger features tomato jam, pickles, lettuce, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, and secret sauce, and boy is it good. Really hungry? Pair it with the Pommes Frites: hand-cut, sea-salted fries topped with crispy herbs and served with seasonal, house-made ketchup.
Plus: it’s served in a brewery, so you know the beer selection is good
Classic Single
Fifty West Burger Bar (Mariemont)
One of Fifty West Brewing Company’s most outstanding feature of its sprawling campus is the Burger Bar, a kid friendly food option featuring burgers, shareables, shakes, craft sodas and floats, a kids’ menu, and excellent crinkle cut fries for an additional (spring for a side of fry sauce for a small additional charge).
Bonus: beer garden and a lot of space that makes it very family and pet friendly.
Favorite No-frills Burgers
Bacon Jam and Beer Cheese Burger
Craft Burger Bros. (food truck)
This 2019 Fretboard Burger Throwdown Award Winner is a 6-ounce Wassler’s custom beef patty topped with bacon jam, beer cheese, and Grippo’s spiced onion straws on a potato bun.
Pro tip: follow their Facebook page to see where they’ll be next
Burger of the Week
Dunlap Café (OTR)
The Burger of the Week comes with fries. Pictured here was the Hey Michelle during Cincinnati Burger Week, a burger topped with cheddar cheese, fries, bacon bits, green onions, and ranch on a toasted bun.
Pro tip: get an Adult Happy Meal: burger, fries, and drink (with alcohol or not)
Cheeseburger
Quatman Café (Norwood, Mason)
The first time I had Quatman’s—way back in 2009—I wasn’t impressed. It wasn’t until I made a return visit a couple of years ago that I thought, “Holy … what was I thinking?!” Quatman’s was founded in 1966 and has been serving up deliciously standard burgers for more than 50 years. (There’s a reason for that.) Comes with chips; get fries for a small up-charge.
Pro tip: burger special (with fries and drink) every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday
Double Cheeseburger
The Root Beer Stand (Sharonville)
The Root Beer Stand is open seasonally every year, from March until October. The Quarter Pounder is one of the more basic burgers on the list, but despite its not being served with fries, it’s still awesome. Add a bag of popcorn or Grippos to your meal.
Plus: the root beer is fantastic and so are the footlongs!
Favorite Place to Splurge on a Burger
Sakura Farm Wagyu Burger
Bouquet Restaurant & Wine Bar (Covington)
The menu at Bouquet changes with the season, but its burger with pimento cheese has been a constant over the past year. The current edition, the Sakura Farm Wagyu Burger, is Kentucky grass-fed beef with melted onion, sauerkraut, and pimento cheese on a Sixteen Bricks brioche bun and a side of truffled potatoes. Give me pimento cheese on a burger any day.
Worth noting: good cocktails, great atmosphere, and they take reservations
Steakhouse Burger
The Precinct (Columbia Tusculum)
For two years I’d planned on having a Jeff Ruby Burger off of the bar menu at The Precinct, and I finally got it. It was an excellent blend of dry-aged beef topped with Wisconsin cheddar, caramelized shallot jam, and peppercorn mayo on a brioche bun, served with Boardwalk Fries. The burger may come with a high price tag, but it was well worth a try.
Favorite Cafe Burgers
The “Sally” Burger
Arthur’s Cafe (Hyde Park)
On Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, you can get unlimited toppings (gourmet toppings are excluded) during Burger Madness for no additional charge on a 5 oz. lean beef patty plus french fries for under $15. Yes and yes. (You can get The “Sally” Burger as is any time of the week.)
Plus: awesome ranch dressing
The Burger
Bacalls Cafe (College Hill)
Half-pound prime beef burger charbroiled and topped with lettuce, tomato, and red onion. Add cheese, sauteed onions, or mushrooms for an additional charge. Served with your choice of onion straws, chips, parmesan steak fries, fresh fruit, or the vegetable of the day.
Pro tip: put onion straws on your burger and get the ranch dressing!
Favorite Suburban Burgers
Cheeseburger
Paxton’s Grill (Loveland)
1/3 pound burger with cheese on a kaiser bun and garden on the side on request. Add fries, waffle fries, or onion rings for an additional charge. (Served with chips and a pickle spear.) Get the ranch dressing.
Worth noting: outdoor seating and happy hour pricing (select apps) from 3–6pm Monday–Friday
Bucks Burger
Bucks Tavern (Landen)
Whenever I make my way north I try to work in a trip to Bucks Tavern. I love the Bucks Burger, which is fresh ground beef dressed with lettuce and tomato. On my most recent trip I added onion straws. It was awesome.
Plus: amazing condiments, especially the house-made honey mustard
The Holzman Burger
The Silver Spring House (Symmes Twp.)
Of course I get a cheeseburger from “The Chicken Joint.” Don’t judge me. And I’ll tell you what: this one-third pound Holzman beef patty burger (regular or cajun style) is excellent. Served with your choice of side.
Plus: all-you-can eat peanuts while you wait for your food
Other Notables
Arnold’s Burger
Arnold’s Bar and Grill (Central Business District)
Serving up a custom beef blend from Avril Bleh and buns from Sixteen Bricks, the Arnold’s Burger features American cheese, lettuce, red onion, and Arnold’s burger sauce. (Plus that ranch.) It is also available on the lunch menu.
The Classic Burger (single)
Revolution Rotisserie (Pleasant Ridge)
I was very impressed by Revolution’s Angus beef burger that was topped with American cheese, pickles, diced onion, dressed arugula, and garlic dijonnaise.
Streetcar Burger
BrewRiver Sandwich Shop (Element Eatery, Madisonville)
BrewRiver Creole Kitchen, a longtime favorite restaurant of ours, expanded into one of greater Cincinnati’s best breweries, Sonder Brewing, and serves up the Streetcar Burger, a patty topped with American cheese, shredded iceberg, red onion, house-made pickles, and house-made kimchi tartar sauce.
Note: also available at BrewRiver Creole Kitchen, which offers sit-down service
In Memorium
The Rookwood and Cafe de Wheels, two of my all-time favorite burgers.
*This list only includes cheeseburgers that I have personally had from local restaurants (or small regional chains)