8 Juicy Options if You’re Seeking the Best Burger in Denver

Americans eat a lot of burgers — an average of three a week, according to one study. Sure, some of those are burgers grabbed for a quick lunch at a fast-food place, but most of us love a juicy burger piled high with toppings from a local favorite burger joint. When you’re in the mood for the best burger in Denver, you have plenty to choose from. Many local restaurants are known for at least one great burger on their menus.

We’ve consulted local foodies, review sites, and “Top Burger” listings to find the eateries that consistently serve the best burgers in Denver. If you’re new to the area, use this list as your guide to finding the best burger near your new home. If you’re a longtime resident, here’s a chance to expand your burger horizons.

5280 Burger Bar

500 16th Street Mall, Denver
(303) 825-1020
https://www.5280burgerbar.com/downtown-denver

Located on the ground floor of the 16th Street Mall, this eatery is consistently described as “hidden” yet very busy in reviews. The menu’s “burger” listings include everything from a standard beef hamburger to a lobster roll. One popular option is the Ring of Fire, which includes angus beef, pepper jack cheese, habanero and serrano peppers, lettuce, chipotle mayo and the house-made Ring of Fire sauce. One Yelp reviewer found the Ring of Fire to be “tasty but very spicy.”

There’s also a full kid’s menu and an attached ice creamery, so it’s a family friendly destination.

Briar Common Brewery + Eatery

2298 Clay Street, Denver
(720) 512-3894
https://www.briarcommon.com/

As the name suggests, it’s a brewery first, although its slogan is “not your average brewery.” You probably want to get a reservation for this spot because it is popular, small, and frequently crowded. If the weather’s nice, ask to be seated on the rooftop patio. There’s also a beer garden (where dogs are welcome) and indoor dining.

The menu here includes full meals, pub snacks, salads, and burgers served with house kettle chips. The Briar Burger is the one you’ve probably heard about with pork belly, Swiss cheese, a fried egg, and truffle aioli on top. Another great option is the Beer-Bq Burger with bacon, American cheese, Briar Pale Ale BBQ sauce, fried onion rings, aioli and pickles. Bring your appetite — “The burgers are massive,” according to one Yelp review.

Cherry Cricket

2641 E. 2nd Avenue, Denver
(303) 322.7666
https://cherrycricket.com/

With expansive indoor and outdoor dining areas, this Cherry Creek diner has been a Denver fave since the end of World War II. (There’s a smaller version of the restaurant at the ballpark, too.)

For burger lovers, the must-try here is the 303 Green Chile Relleno burger, winner of the 2019 Denver Burger Battle. The sandwich includes a ½ pound hamburger, white cheddar cheese, a chile relleno, Denver-style pork green chile, and a brioche bun. If you’re more of a “have it your way” type, you can order a burger (regular, turkey, veggie, bison, or charbroiled chicken breast), then select toppings from a menu of over three dozen burger toppers (from American cheese to sauerkraut). The portions are big, too.

Hopdoddy Burger Bar

1747 Wynkoop Street, Denver
(303) 446-2337
https://www.hopdoddy.com/locations/unionstation

Hopdoddy is a popular hangout for Rockies fans to grab a burger before a game at Coors Field. The restaurant is in Union Station, just a few blocks from the ballpark. Popular burgers here include the Magic Shroom, with goat cheese, mushrooms, basil pesto, and mayo. If you like your burgers hot and spicy, the El Diablo has pepper jack cheese, habanero and serrano peppers, caramelized onions, salsa roja, and chipotle aioli. For something different, you can choose from specialty burgers such as ground sushi-grade tuna, ground chicken or bison, or a veggie burger.

Hopdoddy is also known for its shareable size order of fries, topped with parmesan and truffles. These fries seem to have their own fan club considering how often they’re mentioned by locals and visiting out-of-towners.

Misfit SnackBar

3401 Colfax Ave, Denver
https://misfitsnackbar.com/

Misfit SnackBar, located inside Middleman bar, describes its food as “inventive takes on traditional bar snacks,” and of course that includes burgers. The menu is seasonal and may include quail, fried coconut shrimp roulade, or patty pan fritters, depending on time of year and which culinary influences chef Bo Porytko wants to play with. However, the cheeseburger with the name you can’t say in front of your kids is a staple, always available and always delicious, according to fans.

Condé Nast Traveler describes the patrons at Misfit SnackBar as “looking like they could be musicians or DJs” exuding a “live and let live” attitude. So a cool, laidback place for you and your adult friends to try.

My Brother’s Bar

2376 15th St, Denver
(303) 455-9991
https://www.mybrothersbar.com/

It’s not every day you get to dine at the oldest bar in town, but My Brother’s Bar claims that distinction. The bar has been in business continuously since 1873. The best-in-Denver burgers came a little later, when the current owners took over in 1970.

The Brother’s claim to fame, burger-wise, is the Johnny Burger, which includes jalapeño cream cheese, American cheese, Swiss cheese, and grilled onions. If that’s a little cheese heavy for you, focus just on the jalapeño cream cheese by ordering the JCB (which stands for jalapeño cream cheese burger, of course). You can also get your basic hamburger, cheeseburger, or bison burger, all served with a condiment tray. Other choices include cold sandwiches, soup, salads, and a kid’s menu.

The ambience is a casual, old-school bar with a sense of history. The bar offers a rotating selection of draft beers, including German beers, along with wine and liquor.

Snarfburger

1001 E 11th Ave. Denver and 2535 Federal Blvd, Denver
https://www.snarfburger.com/denver-11th-ave

Snarfburger is more of a fast-food place than many of the other eateries on this list, but its fans love it just the same. You can try the traditional Snarfburger — a single or double patty served with your choice of toppings, including avocado, hatch chile, or bologna. Snarfburger also has specialty burgers like the Bacon Guac, Onion Ring Burger, and Sweet Heat. If you’re not feeling meaty, you can grab a Veggie Burger. Sides include tots, fries, onion rings, or “Frings” — a combo of fries and rings for those times when both options sound too good to pass up.

Yelp reviews of Snarfburger are a little mixed, with negative reviews citing slow service and cold fries. Positive reviews are stridently good: “Burgers are bomb. Staff is always friendly. Probably some of the best burgers in the city.”

Stoic & Genuine

1701 Wynkoop St, Denver
(303) 640-3474
https://stoicandgenuine.com/

Stoic & Genuine is primarily a fresh seafood house and oyster bar, featuring seafood that’s flown in daily to this women-owned business located in Union Station. Huge windows, high ceilings, and lots of wood set the tone for this elegant, modern restaurant that’s been in business since 2014.

This is a place you go for oysters, Maine lobster, and crab legs. But if you end up at Stoic & Genuine for lunch, and you’re just not feeling like fish, the CAB Double Cheeseburger is there for you. Served with American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and onions, it looks unassuming on the menu but it has landed Stoic & Genuine on several “Best Burger in Denver” lists. One Yelp reviewer described it as “perfectly cooked,” praised the soft bun, and declared it met the criteria for a best burger in Denver candidate.

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