Restaurants

The Best Spots for Burgers in Miami

When you have a predilection for a patty, these are the ones that will satisfy.

4/4/23
18 min read
BestBurgersMiami UmamiBurger burger feature

We’ve all been there: You want to wrap your hands around a soft bun, dig into a juicy burger stacked with all your favorite toppings, and nothing else will do. Whether you’re the type who likes to keep it classic with American cheese and LTO or wants to go bold with bright flavors and out-of-the-ordinary toppings like pineapple sauce and truffle mayo, Miami is filled with delicious burgers. From female-owned South Beach mainstay Cheeseburger Baby to Kush’s award-winning fritas burger to stuffed patties at Al Carbon, here are some of Miami’s best spots for burgers — beef, vegan, and otherwise — on DoorDash.

Cheeseburger Baby

On the constantly evolving Washington Avenue, Cheeseburger Baby has held court for more than two decades, outliving most of the street’s nightlife spots. (Stephanie Vitori, aka the Queen of South Beach, bought it in 2004.) You just can’t keep a good burger down. Baby’s totally customizable burger concept means customers can choose how many patties and what toppings they want, or take off their thinking cap and default to popular options like the Original SoBe Smash, which is covered in cheddar cheese sauce, or Baby’s Favorite, with applewood-smoked bacon, cheddar, and a fried egg. Foil wrapping means that when your burgers arrive, they’re perfectly warm and never soggy.

Pincho

With eight locations throughout Miami, there’s almost always a Pincho (formerly Pincho Factory) nearby, which is good news for you. These far-from-average award winners — they made Eater’s 2022 South Florida’s Best Burgers list — come with a twist, from special house Pincho sauce to fried plantains or tostones as buns. Go simple with the Pincho Burger (cheese, LTO, Pincho sauce) or try the Perfecto Burger, which is made special with caramelized onions, potato sticks, and creamy cilantro sauce. For the meat-averse, there’s a veggie burger made with black beans and sweet-potato tots.

BestBurgersMiami PinchKitchen burger article

Kush

The name here refers to Kush Hospitality Group owner Matt Kuscher, not a secret ingredient, but these burgers will still make you pretty happy. Skip right to the true standout, the frita, which got its own callout on Food Network’s Best Burgers in the Nation list: It’s a Cuban-style creation made with half beef and half chorizo, then topped with bacon, Swiss, and guava jam.

Joe’s Stone Crab

OK, hear us out. This burger is often overlooked because of the iconic stone crabs here, but Joe’s makes a mean classic. Simple and to the point, it’s a 10-ounce patty grilled to perfection and juicy in every bite, topped with the usual fixings and served with house-made cottage chips. There’s a turkey burger, too, and even a grilled-tomato burger, stuffed with spinach and melted cheese. And hey, might as well throw in some stone crabs (medium, large, or jumbo) while you’re ordering.

Doggi’s Arepa Bar

Come for the arepas, stay for the burgers. This fast-casual family-owned mini chain put down roots in Miami more than a decade ago, and it’s still dedicated to bringing the taste of Venezuela in every bite. The perfectly crisp smash burgers come stacked high with a plethora of toppings. Keep it traditional with the double cheeseburger — two patties with all the fixings — or try the Tropical Burger, featuring fried plantains, soft and salty Guayanés cheese, and a heavy drizzle of pineapple sauce.

Sports Grill

Home to some of the best wings in Miami, the multilocation Sports Grill has a knack for crafting all the greats when it comes to bar food. To commemorate 35 years in business, the Grill created the must-order 35 Burger made with a 100 percent Angus beef smash burger, signature sauce and all the classic toppings. Other options worth adding to your cart include the Black & Blue (blackened plus blue cheese), Mushroom Swiss, and, for the veg among us, the Impossible Burger.

Lokal

Another outpost in the Kush Hospitality empire, this Coconut Grove spot’s signature burger, The Lokal, may seem simple, but the addition of honey mustard, avocado, and sliced red onion make it a standout. Those looking to spice up their life will enjoy the Miami Heat burger, which comes with jalapeños and sriracha sauce. A nice bonus is being able to order the beloved frita from Lokal’s sister restaurant Kush, and don’t forget to throw in some fried pickles. Another nice bonus? In 2019, the Miami Herald voted Lokal the greenest restaurant in Miami, thanks to its use of 100 percent renewable energy sources from wind and solar. 

Deli Lane

A tried-and-true South Miami icon that opened in 1988, Deli Lane serves its burgers on oversized fluffy kaiser rolls. Options include half-pound Angus beef burgers with an array of toppings, a freshly ground turkey burger, and even a house-made gluten-free veggie burger that’s so meta it’s topped with even more veggies, sauteéd this time.

Burgermeister Brickell

If you’re looking to get creative, this Latin-inflected burger joint is the place to order from. If you want to hatch your own creation, head to the Burger Bar section of the menu, where more than two dozen topping options await, from bacon and fried eggs to truffle garlic Parmesan sauce, prosciutto and onion rings. Too overwhelmed? The Craft Burger menu offers 12 over-the-top burger combinations that require zero thinking from you. And be sure to come hungry: Burgermeister proudly brags that you’ll have to squish their burgers to get them in your mouth.

Pinch Kitchen

Chef and owner John Gallo turns out one of the low-key best burgers in Miami, the Pinch burger: wonderfully melty Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and creamy aioli served on a homemade  brioche bun with a side of house-cut fries. Tender and juicy every time, this burger is always a winner and no doubt helped Pinch snag OpenTable’s 2022 Diners’ Choice award.

Graziano’s

The self-professed “home of damn fine Argentine!” is the spot if you’re looking for a burger that comes prepped but not cooked (so you can technically say “I made dinner!”). Delivered perfectly seasoned and shaped, the high-quality patties are ready to throw on your grill for the ultimate barbecue day made easy. And as long as you’re placing an order, you may as well tack on some other Latin treats, like empanadas and facturas.

Umami Burger

The official website of this national chain brags that “We turn burger lovers into true believers,” and this place does have a cultlike following. The Umami burger — named for the savory fifth taste (after sour, bitter, sweet, and salty) — is two smashed patties, plus options for a third or Impossible version, on a squishy bun or tucked into lettuce leaves. American cheese, pickle chips, mustard, and ketchup dominate the toppings, but the miso ranch and signature Umami sauce add flavor elements worth checking out.

BestBurgersMiami UmamiBurger burger article

7 Spices Restaurant & Lounge

Not all Mediterranean spots boast a burger menu quite like this one. Standouts from this Lincoln Road spot are the 7 Spice Burger — made with a blend of ground lamb and beef, and topped with caramelized onions, grilled Halloumi cheese, and aioli — and the veggie falafel burger, which features a thick fried chickpea patty topped with melted cheese, arugula, honey mustard, and avocado. The titular seven spices (or baharat in Arabic) are cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, paprika, nutmeg, black pepper, and coriander, so expect loads of flavor in every dish.

BestBurgersMiami 7SpicesBurger burger article

The Mad Butcher

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and these smoked burgers are lit. Cookout-nostalgia-inducing Mad Butcher creations start with 6 ounces of aged brisket that’s placed lovingly on a Martin’s potato roll before being covered with a long list of toppings. From pickled red onions and Oaxacan cheese on the namesake burger to guava paste and roasted garlic mayo on the Sweet and Dirty, each flavor combo is crafted for maximum deliciousness.

Burga Republic

This republic takes its burgers seriously—and treats its customers with total transparency. “We are not bakers, so we use potato buns, simply,” it admits. The restaurant would rather focus on the fresh, never frozen, beef and a special sauce promised to be the best you’ve ever had. Double patties reign supreme, as do napkins — the cheesy-sauce burgers can get a little messy (#worthit). Go all the way with the Royale, a double-cheese patty with chopped pickles and onions, or get your hands dirty with the barbecue-sauce-slathered Crispy burger, stacked with crispy bacon and onion.

BestBurgersMiami BurgaRepublic burger article

MrBeast Burger

Boo! This ghost kitchen burger named for the digital content creator and philanthropist is a beast in the best way. Each burger starts with a crispy smashed patty that’s been cooked with a special house seasoning and a toasted bun. The Chris Style comes stacked with the usual stuff plus crinkle-cut fries (on the burger), and the Karl’s Deluxe features an inverted toasted bun so that it’s a patty-melt-style delight, with tons of caramelized onions and melty American cheese. There are Impossible options for the meat-abstaining beasts among us.

Al Carbon

Think of them like inside-out burgers. Al Carbon specializes in wood-charcoal-grilled patties with all the good stuff jammed inside. The signature titular burger is stuffed with mushrooms and Swiss cheese, the TDF is packed with cheddar cheese and topped with a beer-battered onion ring, and the Mexican burger is filled with Swiss cheese and bacon, then finished off with guac. In addition to burgers, you can round out your meal with chicharron, empanadas, and even mollejas.

Ted’s Hideaway

This South Beach staple hits the spot with the kind of burgers only a dive bar could turn out. Nothing fancy or out of the ordinary here, the signature Hideaway features simplicity at its finest: a half pound of sirloin topped with your standard lettuce, tomato, onion, and choice of cheese. Round things out with other greasy-spoon faves—nachos, mozz sticks, Philly cheesesteaks—or even a sixer of beer.

Shorty’s BBQ

Shorty’s has been known for its saucy ribs and chicken for more than half a century, but you do not want to sleep on the burger. Hefty, simple and char-grilled to your temperature preference, it’s 10 ounces of beef that will remind you of backyard family get-togethers. It’s served with all the fixings and a side of golden-brown crinkle-cut fries.

Fritz & Franz Bierhaus

German joints are few and far between in Miami, and you’ll be saying “danke schoen” for these Coral Gables patties that pair exceptionally well with a beer (which you can’t order here, but you can add beer or wine to your cart from a nearby merchant with DoubleDash). The Bierhaus burger leans into its German roots with a hearty helping of sauerkraut on a fresh kaiser roll, along with fries, a pickle and coleslaw on the side. There aren’t many places you can get a yummy burger in the same order as schnitzel and spaetzle.

Quickie’s Burgers & Wings

The Quickie’s old-timey drive-through has been serving up half-pound char-broiled burgers (plus wings and assorted yummy fried foods, including gizzards) since 1989. The Diablo burger is stuffed with jalapeño and served with habanero ketchup, while the Melted touts provolone cheese that hugs its grilled onions and portobello mushrooms close to the patty. The Quickie’s Deluxe is perfect if you’re searching for a classic with no frills.

D-Dog House

This fast-casual Colombian spot that locals love serves food until the wee hours of the morning — and don’t let the name fool you: D-Dog’s menu has quite a few burgers to go with those franks, including the BEC-like Breakfast burger with hash browns and a side of syrup; the California burger topped with chili and melted cheese; and the Gordita, covered in pink, green, and pineapple sauces and topped with crushed potato chips and mozz.

Bulla Gastrobar

Most of the food at this gastropub is tapas and other plates that are meant to be shared, but even the Bulla — the only burger on the menu — keeps with the restaurant’s Spanish influence: It’s topped with piquillo peppers, caramelized onions, tetilla cheese, and finished off with a honey-thyme glaze on a brioche bun. It comes with a side of fries or patatas bravas, or (for a slight upcharge) a side salad or truffle fries.

Smith & Wollensky

No fancy steak house is complete without a butcher-approved burger, and this popular international chain is no exception. One of the most popular items on Smith & Wollensky’s delivery menu, this burger requires two hands and is smothered in aged cheddar, then topped with bacon and steak sauce. There’s also a Cajun option that’s blackened and served with blue cheese and a tangy red onion marmalade.

Black Market Miami

This downtown sports bar knows the importance of a burger done right. Choose from the classic half-pound Black Market Cheeseburger grilled to order, Lava Burger covered in hot beer cheese (omg) and served on a brioche bun, and sliders with bacon and cheddar on Hawaiian rolls. Or maybe just get all of them. All burgers come with regular fries or crispy waffle fries, with the option to upgrade to sweet-potato fries for two bucks.

Bocas Grill

You are going to want these burgers in your boca immediately. Latin-fusion permeates all dishes here — “In arepa we trust” is the restaurant mantra — right down to the burgers. The Levin Truffle features a block of fried salty white cheese, truffle, bacon, and a house-made black bun, while the Bocas burger has the same cheese (this time not fried), a fried egg, and a special sauce that’s full of Latin flavors. Wash it all down with an ice-cold chicha (rice, milk, cinnamon, and condensed milk). 


PHOTO CREDITS:

Courtesy of Pinch Kitchen

House of Mac by Deep Roots Agency

Courtesy of Burga Republic