This post contains affiliate links. When clicked, I may receive a commission at no cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting RA and keeping it free!
A cheeseburger is a classic American dish. Within this post, you will find a collection of the best burgers in Atlanta. These are burgers that we have personally tasted and worthy of making it to a best burger in Atlanta post.
This will be a journey, one that will take years.
Yes, we are trying to figure out who has our favorite burger in Atlanta.
I know, there are a lot of restaurants that serve burgers in the metro Atlanta area and we may never get to all of them, but we are up for the challenge!
If you have a recommendation for something we haven’t tried, please call it out and we will get to it when we can.
About This Post
- If the restaurant is a burger joint, I usually ask the staff to recommend the best burger in the place.
- All the burgers on this list are very good. For fun, I ranked them from least excellent to most excellent.
- This post will be an ongoing list that will take time, years likely to complete.
- Why am I doing this? Primarily because I love cheeseburgers, but also because I think it’s fun. I also want to hear from you all to see what you think the best burger is in Atlanta, so I can go try something new. The final reason I am doing this, is to try to write a unique post. There are a lot of “10 best” unsubstantiated burger lists with stock photos. I wanted to see how they really look when they are served without a professional photographer. (I am not one!)
- Large chain franchises will not be on the list. Local Atlanta restaurants only.
What Criteria I Look For In A Burger
When thinking about what makes for the best burger in Atlanta, I like to think about with five criteria in mind:
- The Type of Beef and Flavor: There are many schools of thought on what types of meat should be blended to make the perfect burger. For me, it has to taste great. Texture and seasoning are important as well.
- Burger Size: The size of the burger patty is important. Is it one large patty, two small or more?
- Toppings: The sauces and toppings can really make or break a burgers flavor. The toppings should increase the flavor and not detract.
- The Bun: does the bun compliment the burger? Is it messy? Does it take over the taste? The bread choice is very important. If you make a burger with sauces and cheese and the bun cannot absorb it, you are left with sloppy mess and a less enjoyable experience. Too big and it overtakes the burger.
- Value: We need to remember it is just a burger. Nobody wants to spend $30 on a burger! If the prices are premium, the burger better be fantastic. If it is less that $10 and it is an amazing burger, that really will move the burger up the list.
Map Of The Best Burgers in Atlanta Metro Area
Farm Burger
Multiple Locations
Farm Burger is a quick service burger restaurant, with brews if you are in the mood. I visited the location in Dunwoody.
They have many burgers to choose from and some of them are made with grass fed beef, which is nice.
When I visited, I ordered the double bacon cheeseburger with a side of pimento cheese fries, that are covered in pickled jalapenos. They were excellent!
I enjoyed the burger. However, for a double burger, I prefer a narrower patty. These were thick and a bit dry. Also, my burger was over seasoned to my liking. Yet, it is a pretty good burger restaurant to satisfy your craving.
If I would do it again, I would order the farm burger, with the grass fed beef.
Canyons Fresh Grill
Multiple Locations
Canyons Fresh Grill is a quick service burger restaurant. I went to the location in Woodstock.
They have many burgers to choose from. I decided to try The Red Smoke. It has three full slices of bacon, cheddar cheese, grilled onions and barbeque sauce.
The loved the bun. It was probably my favorite thing about the burger Baked hard on the outside and grilled, yet fresh in the middle.
The bacon was cooked well, with a crunch to it.
However, I had better, more sizable burgers for the price. While good, there are better values out there.
Lucky’s Burger and Brew
Multiple Locations
I have tried two burgers from Lucky’s Burger and Brew in Roswell.
The first is the Georgia Dawg Pounder. I asked for it to be cooked medium and the burger was cooked to perfection, slightly pink in the center.
The burger came with a fried pimento cheese ball on top and lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle. It also had a red pepper jelly on the bun. I thought it would be spicy, but I found it more sweet than spicy.
While slightly messy, it was delicious.
The second was the Memphis Blood Hound. The bacon smell was intoxicating. It was topped with cheese and barbeque sauce.
Roux
Neighborhood: Roswell
Along Canton Street, you will find one of my favorite little restaurants in downtown Roswell.
Roux on Canton is a small neighborhood bar and eatery.
On the menu, occasionally you will find Roux’s Blue burger. It comes with Blackened angus burger, hickory smoked bacon, bleu cheese crumbles, fried jalapeños, lettuce, tomato & creole remoulade.
This is a big, messy burger that is loaded with smoky, spicy flavor. The blue cheese makes everything work together.
The bun was big enough to keep most everything contained inside the burger.
Bold Monk Brewery
Neighborhood: Upper Westside Atlanta
I tried the monk burger at Bold Monk Brewery. Is a double patty burger with cheese and caramelized onions. It was an above average burger. The Brioche bun was a nice touch.
The burger came with Belgian frites, probably to make this American meal and little more European. It came with a European dipping sauce for the fries.
Jekyll Brewing
Neighborhood: Alpharetta
The smash burger from Jekyll Brewing is one of the best restaurants in Alpharetta.
The burger is a blend of Bison-Wagyu Beef. This is one of the better burgers from an Atlanta brewery. It is highlighted by the comeback sauce. The sauce is fantastic and yes, I would comeback for it.
Overall great burger, although a little pricey.
New Realm Brewing
Neighborhood: Poncey-Highlands
If you haven’t noticed, we think some of the Atlanta breweries have some amazing burgers. The New Realm burger from New Realm Brewing did not disappoint.
This double patty burger is made from a blend of chuck, brisket and short rib. It is topped with slices of delicious and salty white cheddar. The pickles and special sauce provide a nice sweetness to the burger. I added bacon to my burger.
Bocado
Neighborhood: Alpharetta
Bocado is a full service burger restaurant in the Avalon in Alpharetta. The restaurant is an indoor/outdoor concept with many garage doors that can open when it is nice out. It is one of the best restaurants at the Avalon mall.
The Avalon burger is pretty amazing and yes, it tastes as good as it looks. It is a double patty burger with American cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, grilled onions and boss sauce. It is topped off with B&B pickles which add a touch of tang and salt.
The sauce was good, but there wasn’t enough to truly get the flavor. I wish there was more on the burger.
Seven Acre BarNGrill
Neighborhood: Milton
This is not your typical burger joint. In fact, it is a restaurant specializing in everything comfort food. This burger is comforting!
7 Acre BarNGrill is a restaurant, that happens to have a burger on the menu. But it is amazing. The Smash Burger is a blend of short-rib, brisket and chuck. It is served with a double patty and with an amazing sauce, bacon, caramelized onions and a brioche bun.
The restaurant is far from everything, except Matilda’s right next door. So if you are in the area for music, stop by and try the burger.
The Vortex
Multiple Locations
The Vortex is a landmark Atlanta restaurant in Little Five Points, known for the buildings exterior with large skeleton head, with red penetrating eyes and the painted murals.
It is also known for some of the best burgers in Atlanta. While I skipped the famous coronary bypass burger, the Pickle Rick was an amazing burger and not something I would typically order.
The large burger was served with fried pickles, whiskey pimento cheese, bacon and a Szechuan sauce. The combination of toppings are amazing. I never had fried pickles before, but they were a nice addition.
NFA Burger
Neighborhood: Dunwoody
NFA Burger is fast food at its best. This burger is the best value out of all the burgers listed.
I ordered a double burger with sassy sauce, bacon and onions.
The meat was crispy and with the right amount of grease to it. The burgers were seasoned with a nice blend of spices.
The sassy sauce was a mayo and ketchup combo sauce and added a nice tang.
The onions and bacon toppings I ordered were chopped. This was a nice feature. Usually, burgers come with whole onion rings or slices of bacon. I really liked them chopped.
Which Will Be The Best Burger In Atlanta?
Choosing the best burger in Atlanta will be difficult, mostly because they are served in many variations and typically they are all very good in their own way.
So far, this is the list of burgers that I personally tasted, reviewed and are deserving to be called a really great burger.
Make suggestions and let me know what you think is the best burger in Atlanta!
Looking for other great Atlanta restaurants, click to see all of our restaurant reviews.