Few things are as all-out American as a juicy hamburger – a dish that's served just about everywhere, from old-school diners to hole-in-the-wall joints. Whether you like yours plain with a pickle, or smothered with American cheese in a pillowy bun, this handheld meal is simply unbeatable, even when there are more inventive options on the menu. To prove it, we've rounded up the best classic hamburger in every state and Washington DC.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover America's greatest classic burgers. How many have you tried?

Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.

This hole-in-the-wall joint in Athens dates back to the 1960s, and its burger recipe hasn't changed since then. After all, when its burgers taste this good, why bother? There are no fancy creations or toppings at Dub's – just great-tasting hamburgers and cheeseburgers, with fries or onion rings on the side. Go for the simple hamburger, served 'all the way' (with mustard, ketchup, pickles, onion, and slaw). 

There's a fair chance that when you search for the best burger in Alaska, it'll be Tommy's Burger Stop in Anchorage that comes up – and with good reason. Open for over 20 years, Tommy's has a menu featuring a whole roster of amazing burgers. Order The Burger Stop, and you'll get the joint's signature Cajun-seasoned patty with mayo, crisp lettuce, fresh tomato, onions, and pickles on a toasted bun, plus a slice of American cheese (if you want one).

Blink and you might miss The Stand Arcadia Burger Shoppe; this mom-and-pop shop is drive-thru only, but it's rated highly by customers, who praise the amazing flavor of its beef burgers. Freshly ground in house every morning, The Stand’s basic burger is called The Standard, and it certainly sets one for quality. It comes with lettuce, tomato, kosher dill pickles, sliced onions, and house-made burger sauce, though most diners opt to add a slice of cheese to finish things off.

There are lots of tasty burgers on offer at this popular basement bar and restaurant – but we think the simplest is the best. Hugo's does a great take on the traditional hamburger, featuring a third-pound patty of 100% Angus beef, cooked to your preference. However you like yours, it'll come topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, mayo, and mustard. 

Although it's a chain with countless locations, this California-based outlet's uncomplicated burgers have been satisfying hungry customers since 1948. The secret lies in the simplicity – no bells and whistles, just a thin American beef patty with freshly sliced (or grilled) onions, tomato, lettuce, and In-and-Out's signature sauce, all squeezed in between soft, spongy toasted buns. The result is simple, understated, and totally perfect.

A must-visit destination for burger lovers, this place is lauded as Denver's best burger dive. Customers praise the burgers, which are made with high-quality beef and cooked to perfection, as well as the casual and friendly atmosphere. The top order for purists is the classic Cricket Burger – a half-pound patty with lettuce, tomato, and pickles.

Burger purists will appreciate Louis' Lunch and its Original Burger. Recognized as the birthplace of the hamburger by the Library of Congress, this simple family-operated joint has been doling out the same freshly ground, hand-rolled patties – served between two slices of toasted white bread – to hungry customers since 1895. Garnishes like cheese, grilled onion, and tomato are available, but don't even dream of asking for ketchup. As the sign says, 'you don't mess with perfection.'

With a handful of locations across the USA (and one in Cairo, Egypt), Good Stuff Eatery is a popular spot among burger lovers. Located near the National Mall, the restaurant offers a variety of gourmet burgers, all of which are made with fresh, high-quality beef. For a solid classic that won't disappoint, stick to the hand-crafted Farmhouse Burger: a natural farm-raised beef patty topped with tomatoes, thinly sliced onions, lettuce, and pickles, served in a Pennsylvania Dutch bun.

Not a totally classic hamburger per se, FTC (pictured right, and short for the restaurant's name, Farmer & the Cow) includes extras like bacon and house sauce – but it comes highly recommended by diners. Gourmet toppings aside, the patties are handmade in house (a blend of chuck, brisket and fillet keeps them juicy). The rustic joint is also known for its craft beers and cocktails, and customers rate the friendly service too.

Opened in 1987 by Glen McMillan and his two sons, Jon and Ken, Mac's Drive-Thru remains a much-loved spot thanks to its friendly service and consistently delicious burgers. The menu is simple: choose from a hamburger or cheeseburger (or a doubled-up version of either), then pick your toppings. Don't forget the French fries!

Self-described as 'plain and simple as an old truck,' this rustic burger from the Green Truck Pub in Savannah couldn't get much more classic. To make it, lettuce, tomato, onion, and house-made pickles are stacked on top of a grass-fed beef patty. You can add the cheese of your choice, and the ketchup and fries are made from scratch. As well as the tasty burgers, people love the pub's friendly atmosphere and fuss-free service.

For a simple hamburger with a Hawaiian touch, look no further than Haleiwa's Kua Aina Sandwich Shop. Going strong since 1975, it serves a variety of burgers with delicious island additions, including pineapple, mahi mahi and avocado. Stick to a basic hamburger, though, and you'll get a perfect patty, cooked medium and served simply with lettuce and tomato.

Craft beer and burger joint Holy Cow serves up some delicious gourmet creations, such as the Holy Rueben: a burger topped with pastrami, Havarti cheese, and sauerkraut. However, the spot serves a great classic hamburger, too. Made with a third-pound grass-fed local Wagyu beef patty, it's served with all the expected toppings, plus Holy Cow sauce, on a toasted brioche bun.

These days, there aren't that many places that allow customers to build their own burgers and customize their orders as they wish – which is precisely why Chicago's Butcher and the Burger is so popular. For purists, there's the faultless house-blend prime beef burger with a simple salt and pepper seasoning (though more adventurous spice blend flavors include coconut curry and grandma's onion soup). We like to keep it simple with toppings of lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and onion.

Looking for a genuine blue-collar hamburger? The Workingman's Friend comes pretty close to perfection with its signature smash burger, which – true to its name – is smashed on the griddle until crispy, then cooked to order. At more than 100 years old, there are no frills at this legendary dive bar; the patty is served in a soft white bun with some cheese (if you want it), with a slice of bread in between to help the burger keep its shape.

With a dozen locations throughout central Iowa, this much-loved local fast food chain serves up tasty burgers that are consistently a cut above the rest. As well as classic hamburgers (choose from quarter-pound, half-pound, and three-quarter-pound versions), B-Bops does all the usual favorites, including cheeseburgers, bacon cheeseburgers and chicken sandwiches.

This much-loved joint serves up inventive gourmet burgers in an Irish pub setting. There are lots of delicious options to choose from, including chicken, salmon, and veggie patties, but burger purists can’t get enough of the simple House Burger: a house-made black Angus beef patty, served in a buttery brioche bun and topped with house pickles, tomato, Bibb lettuce, red onion, and melted Cheddar. The duck fat fries are a tasty accompaniment, too.

For a deliciously juicy classic hamburger, look no further than Covington's Bard's Burgers & Chili. Barely more than a hole in the wall, it dishes out perfectly cooked Ohio-raised Wagyu beef patties – and customers love them. Not interested in all the bells and whistles? For total simplicity, order The Purist: a plain hamburger. If you like, you can customize it with toppings like bacon, mushrooms, caramelized onions, and cheese.

A purveyor of all things delicious (like charcuterie, sausages and bagels), Cochon Butcher also has a mouth-watering sandwich and burger menu. Its Butcher Burger is an unbeatable classic that customers love; an all-beef patty is topped with melty American cheese and served on a sesame bun, with lettuce, tomato, dill pickles, onion, mayo, and mustard complementing the juicy, beefy flavors.

Describing itself as a cocktail bar, soda fountain, and burger joint rolled into one, Portland's Black Cow has a small but perfectly formed menu of burgers – including a no-frills hamburger. It might be simple, but it's executed to perfection, featuring a beef smash patty. crisp iceberg lettuce, pickles, house mustard, onion, and mayo on a house bun.

Customers love the Angus beef burgers at this casual Towson joint. The no-frills hamburger definitely offers value for money, with a juicy six-ounce patty squeezed inside a glossy brioche bun. There are extra toppings to choose from, if you like – think onion rings, lettuce, cheese, and bacon. Nothing beats the flavor of the charbroiled patty itself, though.

A West Springfield institution, White Hut hasn't changed since 1939, even though it came under new ownership in 2020. Its signature Hamburg is an effective combination of a perfectly seasoned beef patty and a soft white bun – however, most people like to add a pile of freshly fried onions on top. For an even more indulgent meal, get yours as a Cheeseburg, smothered in melted white cheese.

This no-frills joint hasn’t changed at all since it opened in 1941. The single-patty Ground Round is served stacked with pickles and onion inside a soft bun (with or without cheese), and it comes wrapped in a square of waxed paper. Just like in the old days, patrons sitting at the bar still order via an honor system, simply telling the bartender what they had to eat before they pay and go.

Two Minneapolis establishments lay claim to the state's signature hamburger – but it's Matt's Bar's version, the Jucy Lucy, that stays true to its roots, with a single type of cheese stuffed inside the meat patty. It's greasy and messy once you bite into it (the molten American cheese oozes right out), but that's precisely what makes it so special.

A favorite that emerged during the Great Depression is the slugburger: a beef or pork patty that's supplemented with potato flour, then fried. It was a way for restaurant and diner owners to make their scant meat supplies stretch further, but the crispy texture – giving way to soft, juicy meat – remains popular in America today. There's nowhere better to try this creative invention than at Latham's Hamburger Inn, where slugburgers are the specialty.

Over 75 years since it opened its doors, this 24-hour diner still makes the same authentic hamburgers, which it once sold for just five cents each. The price has gone up since then, but the quality has remained consistent. A single or a double meat patty is layered with griddled onions (and cheese, if you like) inside a classic hamburger bun. Perfection!

An award-winning burger joint featured on Man v. Food, The Burger Dive in Billings definitely knows how to flip a burger. Although creative options abound on the menu, purists will be pleased to see a classic hamburger listed, too – and it's executed to absolute perfection, with a simple combination of beef patty, lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayo. Customers can't get enough of the fantastic burgers, or the amazing garlic and Parmesan fries.

Though it's not strictly a classic hamburger (depending on where you sit on that particular debate), this cheese-topped creation is a classic at this much-loved Omaha joint – so it'd be a shame to leave it off our list. Late-night burger joint Cheeseburgers serves its Original burger with mustard, pickles, and onion, all inside a toasted brioche bun. It's cheesy, inexpensive and, according to customers, always served quickly. Thankfully, there are several Cheeseburgers locations in Omaha where you can get your fix.

Las Vegas may have all the glitz, but you'll find the tastiest burgers in Reno – more specifically, at Beefy's. The clue is in the name, as this joint serves up the juiciest beef burgers in lots of different guises, including monster burgers like the Jacob's Ladder, packed with four patties. For a classic though, choose the Plain Jane – a perfectly cooked single hamburger with no cheese.

Although the joint has changed names over the years – its current namesake is late employee Ralph Gilbert, who worked here for more than 50 years – Gilley’s started in 1912 as a portable lunch counter that was towed by a horse. The diner set up shop in a bricks-and-mortar location in 1974, and it still serves juicy burgers and other diner classics. Get the hamburger with pickles and ketchup, or upgrade to the double cheeseburger, with generous layers of cheese between two patties.

Since 1946, White Manna has dealt in classic New Jersey sliders (full-sized hamburgers, not the mini versions). Onions are pressed into these griddle-fried patties as they sizzle away, and the whole thing (plus cheese, if you wish) is held together by a pillowy potato bun. Highly rated by food aficionados like the late Anthony Bourdain, and regularly featuring in 'best burger' lists, White Manna is also a favorite among loyal customers.

What started out as a food truck is now not only the best burger joint in Albuquerque, but the best burger joint in the whole state. Delicious and fresh tasting, Rustic On The Green's Rustic burger is a must-try. It consists of a smoky, freshly ground beef patty, topped with caramelized onions, American cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Served in a soft bun, it has all the classic flavors you could ever want from a burger.

Said to be a little like what McDonald's used to be before it became a global mega-chain, All-American Hamburger Drive-In forgoes frozen patties and special secret sauces to serve the simplest possible iteration of a hamburger. Just like it was back in 1963, the original recipe patty is served in a sesame seed bun with just pickles, onions, and ketchup for company – and its old-school silver foil wrapper only adds to the nostalgia.

Brook's Sandwich House, which opened in 1973, specializes in burgers and chili – so it's only natural that the joint often combines the two. Go for something a bit more low-key, however, and you'll have a perfectly juicy hamburger on your hands, full of flavor and hugged by a soft white bun. Add on some gooey American cheese to make it even tastier.

A small burger chain in North Dakota (with outlets in Fargo, Bismarck and more), Sickies Garage knows how to put together a burger that customers love. There's an enormous menu of burgers to choose from, but we say keep things simple with the basic Carport – a creation that Sickies calls a 'simply delicious hamburger.' If you want to level up, go for the Garage with lettuce, tomato, and American cheese.

Kewpee Hamburgers, with its iconic 'Hamburg, pickle on top, makes your heart go flippity-flop' slogan, promises a satisfying meal. Founded in 1918 as a burger stand in Flint, Michigan, the chain is now exclusive to Lima, Ohio, where it opened its first three bricks-and-mortar locations in 1928. Despite being a fast food chain, the patties are freshly ground in house, giving them a homemade taste that customers love.

The story of Tucker’s Onion Burgers is linked to the history of its namesake burger, which was created by chefs to help cafés stay in business during the Great Depression. The idea was simple – add onions to the ground meat to cut down on costs – but what the chefs created is a flavorful burger that's still loved today. Tucker's is one of the best places to try this slice of history, and its single onion burger comes with a choice of toppings like cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, mayo, and mustard.

It's hard to beat Hwy 101 Burger for simple, tasty, and perfectly cooked burgers. Customers love the old-school joint, which has two locations in the state, and often praise its reasonable prices. Choose The Original 100 for a basic (yet deliciously juicy) single patty burger, or up it to four patties and order the 404. The burgers feature American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion, and they come with hand-cut fries.

There's something to satisfy every taste at M2O, a much-loved neighborhood joint with an amazing burger menu. It all starts with classic hamburgers and cheeseburgers, though – the thin all-beef patties are crispy around the edges, yet still juicy on the inside. They're either served on their own, or with a slice of melted American cheese, in a soft bun.

Founded in 1932 by Polish immigrant Stanley Kryla, Stanley’s Famous Hamburgers aimed to serve all-meat burgers that were affordable during the Great Depression. The recipe hasn't changed much since the early days – the burgers are still made from high-quality ground beef, and topped with grilled onions and pickles. The price has remained consistently low as well, so it's hardly surprising that Stanley's is a local favorite.

With casual dive-bar vibes and excellent service, Big Gun Burger Shop consistently impresses its customers. Diners come here for the highly recommended Classic – a soft, buttery bun stuffed with a thick, juicy beef patty, American cheese, onion, pickles, and special Big Gun sauce. 

The Classic – served at small-town burger joint Black Hills Burger & Pizza Co. – is described as perfect by those who've tried it. A simple but effective burger, it's made by loading a freshly ground six-ounce beef patty, lettuce, tomato, onion, and house-made pickles into a just-baked bun. There's cheese to add, if you like, from American to Cheddar, and you can swap the classic ground beef patty for a buffalo patty, too. Just save some room for the highly rated sides.

Dyer’s has been serving its classic burgers since 1912 – and the joint's success lies in its 'secret' cooking process, which hinges on using frying grease that's never been changed. The grease is occasionally topped up to keep the supply going, but at least a few drops have been in the mix for over a century. The business takes its grease so seriously that armed police escorts took charge of it when the restaurant changed locations. The Single is usually served with cheese, but you could opt out to taste the patty just on its own.

Old-school joint Tookie's is beloved by customers for its tasty burgers. A veteran on the menu that's remained largely unchanged since 1975, Tookie's Burger consists of nothing more than a house-made beef patty in a bun, dressed with mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onion – perfect for when you're searching for simplicity.

A favorite among customers, Burger Bar's Big Ben is renowned for being large, juicy, and full of flavor. Like a true classic, it's served simply with lettuce, pickles, and house-made fry sauce. Consistently voted one of Utah's best burger places, Burger Bar is also famous for using local game meats like bison and elk in its burgers. Upgrade to a Big Cheese Ben for the joint’s take on a classic cheeseburger.

The must-order at Vermont's Worthy Burger is the restaurant's namesake, which features a six-ounce beef patty, Cheddar, secret sauce, lettuce, and red onion. It gets fantastic reviews from diners, and it comes served with a side of fries. There are two Worthy Burger outlets: one in South Royalton, and one in Woodstock.

When you're after a burger filled with all the classic flavors, look no further than Beauvine Burger Concept in Richmond. The much-loved Beauvine burger features American cheese, pickles, red onion, tomato, lettuce, and special Beau sauce, all hugged by a brioche bun. If you're not in the mood for beef, you can swap the traditional patty for a turkey, soya, or plant protein version.

With tons of tasty options on the menu, you might be tempted by some of Oscar's more elaborate creations – but stick to the classics, and you'll be rewarded with a burger that everyone loves. A simple yet effective combination of Angus chuck patty, tomato, lettuce, red onion, and dill pickle slices, the Oscar is juicy and full of flavor. What's more, it's finished with the ultimate trio of condiments: mayo, mustard, and ketchup.

With a relaxed atmosphere and friendly service, Sobelman's Pub & Grill is a firm Milwaukee favorite for burgers and sandwiches. Although the joint's menu is quite extensive, the basic hamburger is just as good as any more creative takes you might find. Deliciously juicy, the traditional hamburger is crispy on the outside, and it comes served in a crusty white roll. There are options to add cheese or double up on the patties, too.

A small Texas burger restaurant with a handful of restaurants in a few states, Liberty Burger is well worth a visit for its flagship offering, The Liberty Burger. The traditional burger is served with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles, and you can add cheese and bacon to upgrade. In true Wyoming style, customers also suggest swapping the beef patty for a bison version. Diners say the burger is juicy with tons of flavor, without being too heavy or greasy.

Now discover America's fast food joints where the recipes never change

Last updated by Jessica Morris.