Yelp reviewers declared the best cheeseburger; now readers weigh in
After Yelp reviewers said Kopp’s Frozen Custard had the best cheeseburger in Wisconsin, we wanted to hear from you.
We asked you what you thought: What Wisconsin restaurant has the best cheeseburger?
We received more than 100 responses. Although Kopp’s was still a fan favorite, Oscar’s — which has two locations in Milwaukee — came out on top.
Here’s a rundown of the results:
The winner: Oscar’s
Oscar and Elisabeth Castaneda opened Oscar’s Pub & Grill in 2011, in the Mitchell Park area of Milwaukee after working at Sobelman’s, 1900 W. St. Paul Ave.
The popular pub at 1712 W. Pierce St. is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Oscar’s Winner’s Circle, 3800 W. Burnham St., is open the same hours.
Oscar’s menu features a variety of cheeseburgers like The Big Gringo, with Wisconsin white cheddar and American cheese and thick, hickory-smoked bacon; The Big Foot, with crumbled blue and Boursin cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion; and The Big O, with two kinds of cheese, chorizo, bacon, onions and jalapenos. The prices range from $9 to $11.
“Every burger option is fantastic with the complimentary toppings,” Beau, a reader from Brookfield, wrote. “The bun is golden perfection. The side of Parmesan fries beats anyone else’s fries, as well. You get all walks of life in the restaurant, as well, which makes for a great atmosphere.”
The rest of the gold medalists
Kopp’s Frozen Custard, multiple locations: Yelp wasn’t too far off. Kopp’s cheeseburgers came in second place among readers.
Kopp’s caught the attention of Kristen Kish and Gail Simmons while filming the upcoming season of the Bravo TV show “Top Chef” in Wisconsin. Although it was more for the frozen custard, the recognition was welcomed by Kopp’s lovers.
Cheeseburgers are $6.50, served with toppings of your choice. The free toppings are relish, fried onions, raw onions, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, pickle and mayo. Others like jalapenos and tomatoes come at an additional price.
Elsa Kopp founded the restaurant in 1950. Locations:
● Brookfield: 18880 W. Blue Mound Road
● Glendale: 5373 N. Port Washington Road
● Greenfield: 7631 W. Layton Ave.
“Grew up in Milwaukee and I always stop when I’m in town two to four times a year,” reader Alexander Fisher said. “Great cheese, mustard and fried onions makes this great (along with the pat of butter!).”
Culver’s, multiple locations: Culver’s, a Wisconsin staple, has been around since 1984. The fast-food chain was founded by George, Ruth, Craig and Lea Culver in Sauk City.
Culver’s ButterBurgers were another reader favorite. They came in third in popularity among readers.
Culver’s has locations throughout the country with the majority of them being in Wisconsin and throughout the Midwest.
“Best all-around-burger with many imitators, but none come close,” reader Scott P. of Neenah said. “Perfect collection of ingredients that’s available at any loyal Culver’s.”
Hefner’s Frozen Custard & Jumbo Burgers, Cedarburg: Hefner’s, N71 W5184 Columbia Road, Cedarburg, came in fourth place.
It was founded in 1995 by Tom Holubowicz, who started his career at Kopp’s, where he learned the ins and outs of the industry. Holubowicz died in 2017, and his son and daughter took over as owners.
Hefner’s offers a variety of cheeseburgers, from $5.99 to $10. They include the Cedar-Burger, a cheeseburger topped with Cedar Creek Winery’s pinot grigio Swiss cheese spread, American cheese, bacon and fried onions.
Sobelman’s, Milwaukee: Sobelman’s opened in 1999 at 1900 W. St. Paul Ave., in a former Schlitz tavern. While the bar and grill is known for its Bloody Marys, it’s also credited with elevating Milwaukee’s burger game.
Sobleman’s also has a location at 332 Williams St. in Waukesha.
The cheeseburgers — 16 in all — are made with Angus beef and are priced from $9 to $13. They include Dave’s Fave, a burger with cheddar cheese, pico de gallo and mayo.
Solly’s Grille, Milwaukee: Billed as the home of the Original Butter Burger, Solly’s, 4629 N. Port Washington Road, opened as Solly’s Coffee Shop in 1936.
It has a variety of butter burgers, including the Sassy Burger, which has bacon, mushrooms, stewed onions, Solly’s Sassy Sauce, Wisconsin Gran Cru cheese and, of course, butter.
Crave Cafe, Shorewood: Crave, at 3596 N. Oakland Ave., serves “one-of-a-kind burgers and unique fries.”
Among the cheeseburgers is the Korean BBQ Burger, with Korean BBQ glaze, American cheese, spicy mayo, kimchi and cabbage slaw. Prices run from $6.75 to $9.75.
Mainstream Bar & Grill, Waukesha: Mainstream, 404 W. Main St., has an extensive “build your own” burger menu, plus “suggested builds,” starting at $11.99.
Nite Owl Drive In, Milwaukee: A traditional drivein that’s open from late March into November, Nite Owl has been in business at 830 E. Layton Ave. since 1948.
Cheeseburgers start at $8. One reader called them “juicy, toothsome, and only available in warm months. I think about them all winter long.”
The silver medalists
These restaurants got multiple votes from readers:
● Archie’s Flat Top, 6922 W. Becher St., West Allis
● Bubba’s Frozen Custard, 1276 Capitol Drive, Pewaukee
● Kewpee Sandwich Shop, 520 Wisconsin Ave., Racine
● Kraverz Frozen Custard, N88W1325 Main St., Menomonee Falls
● Kroll’s West, 1990 S. Ridge Road, Green Bay
● Mazos, 3146 S. 27th St., Milwaukee
● Mickey-Lu Bar-B-Q, 1710 Marinette Ave., Marinette
● Milk Can Hamburgers & Frozen Custard, S73 W16770 W. Janesville Road, Muskego
● Nicky’s Good Eats and Treats, 816 22nd St., Two Rivers
● North Ave Grill, 7225 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa
● Northwestern House, 1909 Union Ave., Sheboygan
● Wayne’s Drive-In, 1331 Covered Bridge Rd, Cedarburg
● Wedl’s Hamburger Stand & Ice Cream Parlor, 200 E. Racine St., Jefferson
The bronze medalists
These restaurants also received votes:
● Badger Burger, 1872 State Highway 175, Richfield
● Camino, 434 S Second St., Milwaukee
● Chester’s Drive-In, 1504 Eastern Ave., Plymouth
● Dairyland Old-Fashioned Frozen Custard & Hamburgers, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee
● The Ding Tavern, W4890 Portage St., Wild Rose
● Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry, 317 N. Frances St., Madison
● Elsa’s on the Park, 833 N. Jefferson St., Milwaukee
● Fred’s Frozen Custard & Grill, 4726 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee
● Fred’s Burgers, 596 N. Pine St., Burlington
● Friar Tuck’s, 1651 W. South Park Ave., Oshkosh
● Fuzzy’s Sports Pub & Grill, 627 E. Main St., Waukesha
● Georgie Porgie’s Burgers & Custard, 9555 S. Howell Ave., Oak Creek
● Golden Gyros, 7233 W. Lincoln Ave., West Allis
● Harvey’s Central Grill, 1340 W. Towne Square Road, Mequon
● Jennings & Co., 210 First St. N., Wisconsin Rapids
● Jimmie’s White House Inn, 5776 Main St., Butte des Morts
● Kelly’s Bleachers Big Bend, W233 S7260 Vernon Lane, Big Bend
● Major Goolsby’s, 340 W. Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee
● Matty’s Bar & Grille, 14460 College Ave., Muskego
● Oscar’s Frozen Custard, 21165 E. Moreland Blvd., Waukesha
● Pete’s Garage Bar, 1514 Oregon St., Oshkosh
● Red Cabin at Green Acres, W2701 Fourth St., Fond du Lac
● Robert’s Frozen Custard, N112 W16040 Mequon Road, Germantown
● Rollie’s Tavern, 7751 N. Teutonia Ave., Brown Deer
● Saint Bibiana, 1327 E. Brady St., Milwaukee
● Saz’s State House, 5539 W. State St., Milwaukee
● The Spot Drive-In, 2117 75th St., Kenosha
● Ted’s Ice Cream & Restaurant, 6204 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa
● Tipsy Cow, 102 King St., Madison
● Twisted Plants, 1233 E. Brady St., Milwaukee
● Village Bar, 3801 Mineral Point Road, Madison
● Wild Roots, 6807 W. Becher St., West Allis
Easter is on its way. The Journal Sentinel will again compile a list of restaurants offering meals for the holiday, from brunch to dinner. If your restaurant plans to offer specials for Easter, which falls on March 31 this year, please email your information to jsfeat@journalsentinel. with “Easter” in the subject line by March 15.
Please include the name of the restaurant, address, phone number, what’s being served for the holiday, the cost and whether the meal will be takeout, dine-in or both. Also include details and the deadline for reservations or ordering.
The list will be published in the March 27 Food section and online at jsonline.com.