Top 5: Burgers in America

The once-humble hamburger endured years of makeovers, thanks to chefs cooking up new ways to improve this American classic. Does a traditional burger with ketchup and mustard satisfy your taste buds? Or do you prefer luxe toppings like lobster and truffle aioli? Regardless, some may say a burger is a burger, but every carnivore knows, some restaurants just make a mean burger.

Here are some of the top five burger restaurants in America.

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4505 Burgers and BBQ

Between the plump, juicy burgers and barbecue, 4505 Burgers and BBQ in San Francisco, Calif., is a carnivore’s paradise. Grass-fed beef patties are topped with lettuce, onion, cheese and a secret sauce served on a grilled sesame and scallion bun — add an egg for full effect. Owner and butcher Ryan Farr’s burgers are justifiably legendary; just wait until you see the line trailing out the door.

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Cherry Cricket

For more than 70 years, Cherry Cricket is the holy grail of beef, luring locals and tourists alike. The large menu dedicated to burgers welcomes families, craft beer drinkers, sports fanatics and, of course, burger addicts. The char-grilled patties are matched with an endless list of toppings from grilled onions, avocado, grilled pineapple, peanut butter and raspberry jam. Along with beef burgers, Cherry Cricket also creates bison burgers, turkey burgers, black bean burgers and its burger of the week, filled with a quirky mix of ingredients.

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Donovan’s Pub

For years, Donovan’s Pub in Queens, N.Y., drew city dwellers into its tavern for what might be New York’s best burger. You’d be misguided to order anything else, despite the menu offering sandwiches, shepherd’s pie, rib-eye steak and more.

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Kuma’s Corner

Kuma’s Corner, located in Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood, is a casual, comfort food-centric watering hole. The menu includes more than a dozen burgers named after bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and more. If it already wasn’t obvious, meat and heavy metal are the driving forces behind the restaurant.

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MELT Gourmet Cheeseburgers

While MELT Gourmet Cheeseburgers is a catchy name, it should clue patrons in to what they are in for at this Leesburg, Va., restaurant: an array of over-the-top burgers finished with melted cheese. The small dine-in or take-out restaurant offers 19 different burger flavors and becomes jammed well before mealtimes. Who wouldn’t want to indulge in a well-stacked, bacon-blue cheeseburger with glazed onions, bacon, lettuce and Gorgonzola?