15 Noteworthy Nashville Burgers

Everybody has a favorite burger, no matter what their personal criteria. Some like a big patty. Others think it’s all about that bun. Some go gourmet, while others go greasy spoon. Whatever your pleasure, Nashville has dozens and dozens of options — more every week, it would seem.

We’ve rounded up 15 of Nashville’s most noteworthy burgers for the list you’ll find below, which we’ve ranked from cheapest to priciest (with some of the prices including fries or a side). A few important notes: This is not a definitive ranking of Nashville’s best burgers;  it’s merely a list of oft-talked-about offerings, some of them from Old Nashville (e.g., Brown’s Diner), and others from New Nashville (e.g., Geist). Also, our list doesn’t include any veggie burgers, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of those in town. The Scene’s resident vegetarian-fare specialist, Megan Seling, points out that establishments such as Burger Republic, Burger Up, The Wild Cow and Hugh Baby’s have solid veggie burger options, many of them customizable.

Also of note: From July 16-22, the Scene-sponsored Burger Week will take place all over town, with dozens of restaurants offering their burgers for just $5 apiece. Not all of the establishments on this list are a part of Burger Week, so be sure to check out the full roster of participating restaurants right here.

Cheeseburger, Hugh Baby’s, $4.29

When I was in elementary school, a trip to McDonald’s was the highlight of my week. Hugh Baby’s, the fast-food/diner-style spinoff of Pat Martin’s Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint empire, comes close to recapturing that excitement, with a bit more culinary cred. The burgers don’t come with a Hot Wheels car, but they’re made to order on a flattop with beef ground and seasoned in house. Hugh Baby’s cheeseburger is easy on the wallet and perfectly proportioned to satisfy your appetite without making you feel overstuffed. STEPHEN TRAGESER

Cheeseburger, Brown’s Diner, $5.50

It’s not for nothing that Brown’s Diner in the Hillsboro Village neighborhood is among the oldest establishments on our list. Brown’s cheeseburger — topped with American cheese and other staples, pickle chips on the side — isn’t fancy, but it sets a very high bar for everyone else. Brown’s always gets the center of the patty just the right shade of pink (whatever the standard cooking time is, it ought to be carved into a stone tablet), and cradling the slightly messy sandwich in my palm makes me feel like a superhero. More than that, the staff may not know me from Adam, but they still make me feel like I’ve come to Sunday dinner at my mom’s house every time I’m there. Even in a town with an extraordinary amount of options, that’s not so easy to find. STEPHEN TRAGESER

Dino’s Cheeseburger, Dino’s, $6

Nashville’s self-proclaimed oldest dive bar needs little introduction — nor does its world-class flattop cheeseburger, an East Nashville favorite since Dino’s reopened under new management about three-and-a-half years back. The burger is served with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle, and available add-ons include bacon, avocado and a fried egg (for the In-N-Out fans, “animal style” is also an option). Each week, while supplies last each week — and I’m told they usually run out sometime around the weekend — Dino’s also offers the Butcher Burger, with a patty made from Porter Road Butcher beef, for an additional $3. Whichever patty you get, it’s sure to be just about the most satisfying dive-bar meal you can get in the Five Points neighborhood, especially when you add a side of fries for just a couple bucks more. Pro tip: If you want a hamburger, order a cheeseburger, hold the cheese. D. PATRICK RODGERS

Basic Cheeseburger, Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint, $7.49

Jack Brown’s is best known for its specialty burgers: On a recent Thursday, the special was El Chancho, a 50/50 Wagyu/chorizo-blend burger topped with black bean and corn queso, white cheddar and Fritos. But the Basic Cheeseburger at this Germantown joint does the trick too. It’s a simple concoction — beef, bun and American cheese. Though the patty is small, the burger’s melted cheese and soft white bun make it reminiscent of the very best from a Little League ball park’s concession stand. STEPHEN ELLIOTT

Keg Burger, Rosie’s Twin Kegs, $7.50

There’s not a better combination of dive bar and burger than the Keg Burger at Twin Kegs. Although under new ownership (hence the addition of “Rosie’s” to the name), this Thompson Lane stalwart makes burgers the way God intended — on a flattop, so there’s a perfect char all the way across the patty. You can eat in, and play some tabletop shuffleboard, or (pro tip) order your burger to go so the bun steams a little in the box while you’re heading home. Add fries for just a buck extra. STEVE CAVENDISH

Fat Mo’s Burger, Fat Mo’s, $7.99 (includes drink and fries)

Everything on the menu at Fat Mo’s is a real bargain, but the burger, a beefy patty with an excellent charred crust, offers the best bang for your buck. Though the burger varies from location to location (there are about a dozen Fat Mo’s in Middle Tennessee), not one of the restaurants makes a bad burger. The Fat Mo’s Burger — featuring a half-pound of fresh ground beef — comes with mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, pickles, lettuce, tomato and onions, and the combo comes with fries and a drink. The fries are also different at every Fat Mo’s, but you really can’t complain when you’re getting all that food and a drink for less than $10. And if the Fat Mo seems like a little too much burger for you, try the quarter-pound Little Mo for a couple bucks less. AMANDA HAGGARD

Pharmacy Burger, The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden, $9 (includes a side)

Once you endure the two-hour wait, eight unique burger combinations await you at East Nashville’s The Pharmacy, including two vegetarian options. But the Pharmacy Burger is surest to satisfy purists who take offense at discovering toppings like fried eggs or black beans on their burgers. The oversized Tennessee beef patty is capped with a slice of yellow cheddar and piled high with shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, chopped onions, crisp pickles and a dollop of yellow mustard. It’s simple, sure, but a surprisingly refreshing choice amid the menu of smothered, slathered and loaded alternatives. And for nine bucks, it comes with a side, making it one of our favorite burger deals in town. NANCY FLOYD

Gabby Burger, Gabby’s, $9.25

Gabby’s burgers remind me of a burger you’d make at home on the grill — and definitely in a good way. They’re fat and juicy, made with grass-fed beef, and sometimes the edges of the patties are split. I’m a big fan of the Seamus — a smaller, one-pattied burger that you can actually fit in your mouth — but Gabby’s Gabby Burger is the standard for most folks who enter the charming little building in Wedgewood-Houston. It comes with two patties, with American cheese on each, and you can get it with lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion and condiments — though if you add them all it makes for a damn-near-unmanageably-big burger. AMANDA HAGGARD

Char Grilled Burger, PM, $9.50 (includes a side)

There are two things to absolutely love about this burger: First, because it’s a big patty, the folks at PM on Belmont Boulevard actually ask you what temperature you want your burger cooked (medium-rare, please) instead of just torching it; and second, the thin layer of chili-teriyaki sauce on top of it gives it a sweet heat you didn’t know you were missing. The combination is a juicy burger with as much flavor as any in town. STEVE CAVENDISH

Grillshack Burger, Riverside Grillshack, $9.95 (includes fries)

The hefty, crispy, salty Uber-Tubers at Grillshack are reason enough to visit this side-of-the-road shack, but this isn’t a roundup of french fries. Happily, the sandwiches hold their own alongside their potato companions. Similar to the aforementioned Gabby Burger, The Grillshack Burger is just about the closest thing you’ll find to a backyard-made burger short of firing up the grill. It starts with grass-fed local beef, lightly seasoned with cracked pepper and grilled to medium. Cloaked in Muenster cheese, placed on a grilled Charpier’s bun and wrapped in foil, the burger’s remaining accoutrements — tomato, onion, lettuce, pickles, mayo, mustard and ketchup — are packed on the side for your assembling convenience. Just like you’d make it, only 100 times better. NANCY FLOYD

Classic, Burger Up, $11 (includes fries)

Though Burger Up offers roughly a dozen varieties of burger — among them bison, quinoa-and-black-bean, and lamb, the latter being my personal favorite — the Classic is among the cheapest and tastiest on the list. Served with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, yellow cheddar and yellow mustard, the Classic is indeed a classic two-hander, messy and juicy and probably just a touch bigger than necessary. The kitchen always tends to nail cooking instructions (rare, medium, etc.), and what’s more, both the 12South and the East Nashville locations offer pretty lovely al fresco dining options. D. PATRICK RODGERS

The Local Burger, Fido, $13 (includes a side)

There are many things in life I’m unreasonably adamant about, and chief among them is the fact that Hillsboro Village coffee-and-food spot Fido has one of the best damn burgers in town. People who have yet to learn that I’m always right may scoff at first, but everyone changes their mind once they try it. The mixture of grass-fed beef and lamb adds an extra dimension of flavor from the start, and the melted Tennessee white cheddar and creamy fennel-and-fig aioli complement each other brilliantly in superb sweet-and-savory harmony. Tomato, lettuce and pickles add a fresh zing, with the crisped grilled bun creating the perfect package for this tasty little gift. NANCY FLOYD

Geist Burger, Geist, $13

At $13, Geist’s house burger is among the more expensive items on our list — especially considering the fact that fries cost extra. But if you’re in Germantown and looking for a thick and satisfying patty, this just might be your best bet. Topped with rich, melted cheddar cheese and served on a chewy potato bun, the Geist Burger is a gourmet bite offered just across the street from First Tennessee Park. And it’ll go down pretty well with one of Geist’s superior craft cocktails. D. PATRICK RODGERS

Cheeseburger, Husk, $14 (includes fried potato wedges)

Look, it’s a really good burger: double patty, onions, American cheese, mustard-based sauce. But an equally satisfying burger could be found elsewhere in the city for half the price. At $14, you end up paying for the atmosphere, which is about worth it. The Rutledge Hill restaurant occupies a renovated Victorian house built in the 1870s (and formerly home to one of Nashville’s mayors). With multiple levels and dining areas to choose from, including patios and a downstairs bar, Husk is a welcome reprieve from the busy city around it. STEPHEN ELLIOTT

The Mockingbird Burger, Mockingbird, $15 (includes fries)

Hear me out: The best part of the Mockingbird Burger at Maneet Chauhan’s downtown restaurant Mockingbird is the topping of charred onions. The burger is a double with American cheese — the patties don’t have the sort of char I typically look for in a burger, but the savory onions make up for the lack of crunch. The Mockingbird is served with something called “fancy sauce,” which tastes like sweet ketchup and mayonnaise mixed together. At $15, it’s the priciest on our list — which may be a little steep, even if this delicious burger comes with fries, fancy sauce and tasty onions. But these days, Nashville has a price point for every burger lover. AMANDA HAGGARD