Readers' Picks: Best Burgers

Star chef April Bloomfield makes a rich, gamey, Mediterranean-inspired lamb burger topped with feta and cumin mayonnaise, which she serves on a ciabatta roll. thebreslin.com.

An Upper East Side institution, this dark, old-timey bar has been serving perfectly cooked griddle burgers—crusty outside, juicy inside—for more than 40 years. 212-744-0585.

Thick, beefy, whole-chuck burgers come in 13 different combinations at these Connecticut beer-and-bourbon-focused spots. planbburger.com.

Chef Sean Brock grinds Benton’s bacon into his stellar double cheeseburger. huskrestaurant.com.

Each night, starting at 10 p.m., chef Linton Hopkins serves just 24 of his thin, house-ground, brisket-and-chuck double cheeseburgers with house-made pickles and ketchup. holeman-finch.com.

From Holeman & Finch alum Adam Biderman come two loosely packed, juicy patties topped with American cheese, house-made pickles and red onion. thecompanyburger.com.

Star chef and competitive burger champ Michael Symon serves a juicy, beefy custom blend from cult-status butcher Pat LaFreida. bspotburgers.com.

The huge, “fully dressed” three-quarter-pound burger is topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion and mayonnaise; customers can also choose from 22 topping combinations. thethurmancafe.com.

Chefs come after-hours for the two thin, griddled beef patties with cheddar, pickles and a mustard-mayonnaise blend on a lightly toasted bun. auchevalchicago.com.

The charity-minded, heavy-metal-music-loving beer-and-burger bar in the Avondale neighborhood offers 18 different burgers served on pretzel rolls, including a signature version with bacon, cheddar cheese and a fried egg. kumascorner.com.

The Kobe beef and Black Angus burgers at this River North restaurant have so many followers that the owners opened a dedicated burger restaurant in Lakeview. rockitbarandgrill.com.

The iconic Jucy Lucy burger at this dimly lit dive bar in the Powderhorn neighborhood is stuffed with American cheese to create a gooey, molten center. mattsbar.com.

This small neighborhood bar serves lots of different burgers, but the stuffed versions are the stars—the centers are packed with cheese and vegetables. crnook.com.

The Cherry Creek North bar offers loads of toppings, from peanut butter to provolone, for its thin but substantial half-pound beef patty. cherrycricket.com.

There’s an impressive list of local craft beers to accompany the juicy Angus beef burgers. The ahi tuna, lamb and bison burgers are fantastic, too. hopdoddy.com.

These Southern California restaurants get their name from their unique burger blend of 50 percent beef and 50 percent bacon. slaters5050.com.

Inspired by French onion soup, the dry-aged burger from gastropub pioneer Sang Yoon comes topped with a caramelized-onion-and-bacon compote, Gruyère, blue cheese and arugula. Do not ask for ketchup. fathersoffice.com.

The retro burger stand from winemaker Joel Gott uses top-notch ingredients for burgers like the Wisconsin Sourdough, topped with mushrooms, bacon, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise and barbecue sauce and served on toasted sourdough. gotts.com.

Thin, griddled, fast food-style burgers start at just $1.25. ddir.com.

The quarter-pound burgers get a nice smoky flavor from the mayonnaise-based Mill sauce at this small, diner-like restaurant. redmillburgers.com.