Miami burger battle: Which local restaurant makes the best one? Here’s the Sweet 16
A great burger never goes out of style.
So we asked you to nominate your favorite burgers in Miami, and we’ve rounded up the top 16 restaurants that received the most write-in votes. A caveat: We wanted to focus on the independent Miami-area spots — from North Miami to Homestead — that make our area unique. So we filtered out any chains, including Flanigan’s, American Social and Burger Fi, which had the most write in votes.
Now, it’s time for you, people of the internet, to decide which local spots make a burger worth raving about. We’ll cut the field from 16 to 8 and so on, every week, until only one remains: The Best Burger in Miami as voted on by you.
Vote every week until we crown the Internet’s favorite Miami burger.
Looking for some inspiration? Check out our list of How to Eat Like a Local in Miami and our roundup of the best new restaurants in Miami. Both lists are sortable by neighborhood, cuisine and cost.
Al Carbon: This burger bar in Shenandoah uses grass-fed beef for all its patties and they are cooked on a wood charcoal grill.
Babe’s Meat & Counter: This butcher shop in Palmetto Bay uses its expertise with meats to make popular sandwiches and burgers.
Blue Collar: The cheeseburger at this Mimo District restaurant is made with prime, dry-aged New York Strip and served untraditionally on a Portuguese muffin.
Clutch Burger: The revitalized Giralda Plaza in Coral Gables has plenty of new restaurants and patrons can’t get enough of this burger joint right at it’s heart.
Chefs on the Run: A standby in downtown Homestead since 2011, Chefs prides itself on a selection of big burgers, including the one-pound What Diet Bro?, with panela cheese and topped with pastrami and applewood smoked bacon.
Chug’s: The Chug Burger shows up at sister restaurants Ariete and Nave, on occasion, but it’s a staple at the Coconut Grove Cuban-American diner’s “handhelds” menu.
Fat Ronnie’s Burger Bar: Named after the owner’s father, Fat Ronnie, who was known for his burgers in the Bronx, the Miami Beach restaurant features half-pound burgers made with a family secret blend, topped with everything from caramelized onions to portobello mushrooms.
Kush: The original Wynwood burger and beer spot is still a popular spot with locals and tourists, with a selection of burgers — like the Frita Burger with guava jelly — made of grass-fed beef at the center of its menu.
Pinch: The Pinch Burger has been a favorite in Miami Shores for years with its custom blend of beef, topped with aioli, bacon and an egg, now joined by an Impossible vegan option.
Le Chick: Fried chicken sandwiches may be this Wynwood spot’s hallmark, but patrons swear by the burgers here, including the Royale with Cheese, a double-patty burger of dry-aged beef topped with pickled guacamole and chimichurri cotija aioli. Last year they even won best burger in a ranking by a travel website.
Le Zoo: This higher-end French-Mediterranean spot in Bal Harbour Shops also boasts a Burger Américain on the same menu with steak tartare and hamachi crudo.
Off Site: Founder of Taquiza tacos and Boxelder craft beer bar came together to open this Little River spot, where they aim to make the best variations of comfort food favorites, including a cheeseburger whose beef has been aged Japanesestyle with Japanese koji
cultures and is topped with housemade pickles on a sesame potato bun.
Over Under: This downtown Miami cocktail bar has become a favorite for its food, too, including a cheeseburger made with Florida-raised, grass-fed beef, topped with griddled onions and housemade Thousand Islands dressing.
Proper Sausage: The artisan sausage maker and butcher shop is also a local’s favorite in Miami Shores with burgers made
from wagyu beef and served on bread baked at nearby Sullivan Street Baker.
USBS, United States Burger Service: These simple-looking burgers with names inspired by the post office — Ground for a single patty, 2-Day for a double, topped with French-onion flavored Priority Sauce — use top ingredients and apply French techniques the owners of this spot in Little Haiti’s Citadel food hall learned working
alongside Miami chef Michelle Bernstein.
Vega’s Burger Bar: The eight- and 10-ounce burgers, made from a house blend of ground steak, make this a favorite spot for North Miami residents, with dishes like Kountry Big Breakfast burger with hashbrowns and cheese to a Cheesy Bacon Burger with onion strings.
Carlos Frías: 305-376-4624, @Carlos_Frías