The humble hamburger is a staple of American food culture, and metro Detroit’s burger scene is sizzling with choices. When you’re in need of a greasy pick-me-up or searching for a hearty, delicious meal, sometimes a simple juicy burger will do just the trick.

The delicacy is served at places from gas station eateries to no-frills diners to high-end restaurants. Sometimes, it can be hard to know where to find the best bite. So, we compiled a list of 50 of our favorite burgers in the Detroit area that are packed with flavor. If you haven’t tried these yet, you’re missing out on some of the best things you can eat between sliced bread.

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Bate’s Burgers 33406 Five Mile Rd., Livona; 248-542-8878; batesburgers.com Bates is among the old-school white-tile corner burger joints in metro Detroit that cropped up in the 20th century, imitating the successful White Castle chain. It opened its Five Mile location in 1959 and a second location on Middlebelt in 1976 and boasts hordes of satisfied fans to this day. Credit: Facebook, Bates' Burgers
Bar Pigalle 2915 John R. St., Detroit; 313-497-9200; barpigalle.com A French-inspired spot in Brush Park that serves a signature Pigalle Burger with Dijonnaise and house American cheese on a brioche bun, available as a single or double. Credit: Facebook, Bar Pigalle
Brome Modern Eatery 22062 Michigan Ave., Dearborn; 313-996-5050 | 5250 Auto CLub Dr., Suite 150, Dearborn | bromemoderneatery.com A local halal burger chain with an expansive and inventive menu, whose options include the spicy “Dante’s Heaven” and the One Eyed Brome served with a fried egg on top. Credit: Courtesy photo
Bronx Bar 4476 2nd Ave., Detroit; 313-832-8464 An archetypal dive bar with pool tables and jukeboxes that serves burgers, fried bologna sandwiches, mozzarella sticks, and more until 11 p.m. daily. Credit: Michelle Gerard
Burger Shack 8606 N. Telegraph Rd., Dearborn Heights; getburgershack.com This spot has a build-you-own-burger menu with a slew of options. Chef and owner Ali Aljoom won Eastern Market’s 2023 Detroit Burger Battle and its $1,000 prize. Credit: Google Maps
Burgrz 3204 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills; 248-375-3060; burgrz.com Given its name, it’s unsurprising that this place has such an extensive burger menu, including a Coney fusion burger with chili, mustard, and onions. Credit: Facebook, Burgrz
The Butcher’s Grille 22713 Michigan Ave., Dearborn; 313-436-0055; thebutchersgrille.com This halal restaurant offers a selection of burgers that are packed with flavor. Its Lebanese burger includes an Angus beef patty topped with fries, coleslaw, American cheese, tomatoes, pickles, and ketchup. The other burger options offer something for everyone, whether you’re in the mood for a bite that’s unique or usual. Credit: Tom Perkins
Try an affordable new local restaurant Over 50 new restaurants opened in metro Detroit in 2023, and there are others where you can have a meal for $10 or less. Whether it’s some burgers or just drinks or a nice dinner, introducing someone to something new always makes for a great experience. Credit: Facebook, California Burgerz
Best Bar Food (Oakland) CK Diggs 2010 W. Auburn Rd., Rochester Hills; 248-853-6600; ckdiggs.com Credit: Facebook, CK Diggs
The Charlevoix 14927 Charlevoix St., Grosse Pointe Park; 313-458-8448; thecharlevoix.com Available only on Monday nights, the Charlevoix serves a classic smashburger with lettuce, onions, and American cheese on a sesame seed bun. Credit: Facebook, The Charlevoix
The Coach Grille 26685 Dequindre Rd., Madison Heights; 248-398-4411 This sports bar has an entire menu of wagyu beef burgers, including an All American Burger, a Coach Burger with Tillamook cheddar and Smiths bacon, and an eyebrow-raising “Suicide Burger” with ghost pepper cheese and chipotle mayo. Credit: Facebook, The Coach Grille
Comet Burgers 207 S. Main St., Royal Oak; cometburger.com This old-school diner has been serving in downtown Royal Oak since 1995, and plans to open a Saint Clair Shores location. Credit: Google Maps
Conor O’Neill’s 318 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; conoroneills.com An Irish-style pub that serves up traditional fare, Conor O’Neill’s also offers a formidable “Big House” burger. Credit: Facebook, Conor O' Neills Ann Arbor
Cutter’s Bar & Grille 2638 Orleans St., Detroit; 313-393-0960; cuttersdetroit.com Located in Eastern Market, this long-standing business is beloved for its burgers and other bar fare. All of the basics are available and do not disappoint. Credit: Michelle Gerard, Stock Detroit
El Bigote’s Tacos & Burgers 988 Vinewood St., Wyandotte; 313-610-4274 This downriver spot tucked away inside a market does not only serve Mexican food — it’s a great burger place, too. Credit: Google Maps
Frank’s Eastside Tavern 126 Avery St., Mt Clemens; 586-463-4223; frankseastsidetavern.com This authentic basement speakeasy has been open since the prohibition era and is one of the oldest bars in the Detroit area. Its burger is famous for being one of the best in Macomb County. Credit: Facebook, Frank's Eastside Tavern
Ford’s Garage 21367 Michigan Ave., Dearborn; 313-752-3673 | 44175 W. 12 Mile Rd., Novi; 248-274-3673 | fordsgarageusa.com The buns here are emblazoned with the logo of this Ford Motor Co.-inspired chain. What could be more American than that? Credit: Facebook, Ford's Garage (Dearborn)
Frita Batidos 117 W. Washington St., Ann Arbor | 66 W. Columbia St., Detroit | fritabatidos.com Metro Times readers voted this spot Best Burger in Washtenaw County in 2021 and 2022. The Cuban-inspired joint is heavy on the spices and flavor, but friendly on your wallet. Credit: Courtesy photo
The Great Commoner 22001 Michigan Ave Suite 100, Dearborn; 313-403-1200; greatcommoner.com An upscale eatery that combines French, Middle Eastern, and American influences. Its Prime Double-Double comes with two four-ounce prime beef patties, lettuce, tomato, pickle, bacon onion jam, smoked provolone, and “fancy sauce” served on a sesame brioche. Credit: Google Maps
Green Dot Stables 2200 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit; greendotstables.com This long-standing Southwest Detroit watering hole reopened under new management in 2012 with a fun, inventive slider menu that includes a rotating “mystery meat” special. Even better, prices remain low, with most sliders between $2 and $5. Credit: Green Dot/Facebook
Greene’s Hamburgers 24155 Orchard Lake Rd., Farmington “You know those small white square buildings that read ‘HAMBURGER’ dotting all of metro Detroit? It seems like everyone who is familiar with them has their opinion on which one is the best, even though I believe we all secretly agree they’re all more or less the same. As a late teen sneaking off to house parties (sorry Ammi), Greene’s on Orchard Lake in Farmington is where my friends and I would end up at 3 a.m. to wash down anything we had previously imbibed in. There’s nothing like a smash patty burger with melty american cheese, grilled onion, a greasy bun, and a side of salty peppered fries eaten at the bar of a classic Michigan burger joint. Three burgers with everything is the minimum, if you ask me. To this day, one of the most flattering and convincing ways a near stranger asked me out years ago was by saying, ‘Wanna get a sack of burgers together sometime?’ Get in stranger, we’re going to Greene’s.” Credit: Paul S, Yelp
Grey Ghost 47 Watson St., Detroit; 313-262-6534; greyghostdetroit.com While you can find a burger and fries on Grey Ghost’s menu, the food selection doesn’t just stop at typical American bar food. There’s also dishes like tuna tartare, lamb chops, duck, and tagliatelle. Credit: Google Maps
Gus’ Snug 38 S Main St., Clawson; 248-607-3631; gussnug.com This Irish tavern’s burger offerings include a one-pound Pub Burger, a low-fat Piedmontese Burger, and a Waygy Bacon Cheese Burger. Credit: Facebook, Gus' Snug Irish Pub
Honest John’s 488 Selden Street; honestjohnsdetroit.com This bar is loved by many for its inviting atmosphere, good food and drinks, and overall vibe. The exceptional burgers are just the cherry on top. Credit: Facebook, Honest Johns
Hopcat Multiple locations; hopcat.com This Michigan-born chain serves up great food and drinks. On Thursdays from 3-6 p.m., you can get a burger alongside their famous Cosmik Fries and your choice draft beer for just $9. One fun option is the Hangover Helper, which is topped with two patties, garlic aioli, American cheese, applewood smoked bacon, a hash patty, and a sunny-side up egg served on a pretzel bun. Credit: Facebook, HopCat (Detroit)
Hunter House 35075 Woodward Ave., Birmingham; hunterhousehamburgers.com This spot won Best Sliders in the suburbs in the Metro Times 2023 Best of Detroit reader’s poll. Credit: Facebook, Hunter House Hamburgers
Burger from IceBurg in Detroit.
Ice-Burg 22145 W. Outer Dr., Dearborn; iceburgdearborn.com This spot has an extensive menu of juicy, halal burgers, like the HashBurger with a hash brown and beef patty topped with a fried egg on top and the IceBurger with Ice-Burg sauce. Credit: Courtesy photo
Jolly Pumpkin Multiple locations; jollypumpkin.com The signature JP Burger comes with a hand-pattied house beef blend topped with cambozola cheese, smoked bacon, cremini mushrooms, and fresh tomato on a bakery roll. Credit: Facebook, Jolly Pumpkin Ann Arbor
Kelly’s Bar 2403 Holbrook Ave., Hamtramck A pair of young new owners took over this long-standing biker bar in 2021, adding a smashburger to the menu that is among the best in the region: two thin patties smashed into the grill and charred to perfection. Credit: Tom Perkins
Kozy Lounge 150 E. 10 Mile Rd., Hazel Park; kozylounge.com The Kat Burger at this spot is award-winning, topped with fresh jalapeños, crispy bacon, Swiss cheese, and honey. They’ve got many other burger options too, and they’re all delicious. Credit: Facebook, Kozy Lounge
Little Brothers Burgers 201 W. 4th St., Royal Oak; 248-414-4541; littlebrothersburgers.com A tiny Royal Oak spot with mainly counter service that also happens to make great burgers, fries, and shakes. It recently opened a St. Clair Shores location that also serves frozen custard. Credit: theblessedfoodie/Instagram
Luxe Bar & Grill 115 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe Farms; 313-924-5459 | 525 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham | luxebarandgrill.com This spot is beloved for its burgers, served on a house-made brioche bun. Credit: Robert Widdis
Marcus Hamburgers 6349 E. McNichols Rd., Detroit; 313-891-6170; marcus-hamburgers.business.site The burgers here are served on hot dog buns for some reason, which is already enough to prove that the place is unique. The family restaurant has been open since 1929, so is basically a historical landmark to folks who have been visiting it for decades. Credit: Instagram, @burgerobsessions
Marrow 8044 Kercheval Ave., 313-513-0361; marrowdetroit.com A restaurant-butcher shop hybrid in Detroit’s West Village, this business was inspired by owner Ping Ho’s childhood in Singapore. Women are present all around at the store, where Sarah Welch operates as a partner and executive chef of the company, with Amanda Franke leading the team as a general manager. Marrow, which first opened its restaurant in 2018, recently launched a provisions division in 2023 as part of the company’s mission to build and support sustainable food systems in the Great Lakes region. Marrow Detroit Provisions now produces a signature line of quality meats sourced from Michigan farmers, and just announced its first storefront outside of the city, set to open in Birmingham in the spring. Credit: Google Maps
McVee’s Pub and Grub 1129 E. Long Lake Rd., Troy; 248-817-2980; mcveespubandgrub.com Voted Oakland County’s Best Burger by Metro Times readers in 2022, McVee’s “Famous Burgers” includes a signature style with sautéed onions, jalapeños, green olives, crumbled bleu cheese, and Grey Poupon. Credit: McVee's Pub and Grub/Facebook
Mercury Burger Bar 2163 Michigan Ave., Detroit; mercuryburgerbar.com At this spot, burgers are the name of the game, so there’s many choices and they’re all delicious. Credit: Facebook, Mercury Burger Bar
Miller’s Bar 23700 Michigan Ave., Dearborn; 313-565-2577; millersbar.com Some bars are the best secret food spots — and when it comes to burgers, many say that Miller’s takes the cake. Open since 1941, Dearborn residents got lucky with this one, with what some say makes the best burger in the area. Credit: Facebook, Miller's Bar
Motor City Sports Bar 21231 Mound Rd., Warren | 9122 Joseph Campau, Hamtramck Founded by two Albanian brothers who quit their auto industry jobs to go into the bar business, this spot’s half-pound, char-grilled burger is considered among the best in Michigan. Credit: Courtesy of Motor City Sports Bar
Motz’s Burgers 7208 W. Fort St., Detroit | 27010 Plymouth Rd., Redford | motzsburgers.com In Southwest Detroit, this cozy spot is known for its mini burgers, chill atmosphere, and community focus. While there have been some name changes throughout the years, the restaurant has served the same famous sliders since opening in 1929. Credit: Facebook, Motz's Burgers
Nemo’s 1384 Michigan Ave., Detroit; nemosdetroit.com This spot opened in 1965 across the street from the former Tiger Stadium. While the old ballpark is long gone, Nemo’s has kept its customers thanks in large part to its famous burger made from a special blend from Dearborn’s Rex Packing for more than 50 years. It’s considered one of the best burgers in the city. Credit: Facebook, Nemo's
Northern Lights Lounge 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit On a less gross note, bathrooms can sometimes be great places to meet new people — such as the spacious women’s room at Northern Lights Lounge. “The friendships I’ve made and conversations I’ve had in that living room of a chill spot,​​” @0k.yams said on Instagram. Among others, one Redditor agreed, stating: “I’ll go directly to Northern Lights if I have to poop.” Credit: Dig Downtown Detroit, Flickr Creative Commons
Best Irish Food O’Connor’s Public House 324 S. Main St., Rochester; 248-608-2537; oconnorsrochester.com Credit: Google Maps
The Old Shillelagh 349 Monroe St., Detroit; oldshillelagh.com Greektown’s long-standing Irish bar has a Michigan craft beef burger menu including a Spicy Jalapeño, Mushroom Swiss, Bacon Cheddar, and the classic Shillelagh. Credit: Courtesy photo
Olin Bar & Kitchen 25 E. Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313-774-1190; olindetroit.com This Mediterranean-influenced restaurant serves a short rib burger with caramelized onions, Dijonnaise, and Boursin and American cheese. Credit: Facebook, Olin Bar & Kitchen
One-Eyed Betty’s 175 W. Troy St., Ferndale; oneeyedbettys.com The Ferndale fave’s signature “Betty Burger” comes with pecan smoked bacon, sharp cheddar, garlic aioli, greens, tomato, and onion, served on a brioche bun. Credit: Facebook, One-Eyed Betty's
Redcoat Tavern 31542 Woodward Ave, Royal Oak, MI 48073 A Royal Oak staple of British-American pub-style food since the early 1970s, Redcoat boasts the city’s best burger. It’s a no-frills atmosphere with dim red lighting and a famous must-try appetizer: the beef tips and creamy peppercorn sauce. Locals already know this is the classic go-to burger spot. Photo with permission from @sandys_hungry Credit: Instagram, @sandys_hungry
Rock on 3rd 112. E. 3rd St., Royal Oak; 248-542-7625; rockon3rd.com This watering hole features a number of burgers on the menu, including a Lava Burger topped with sautéed onions, three cheeses, and a special lava sauce. Credit: Google Maps
Royale with Cheese 4163 Cass Ave., Detroit | 25034 Ford Rd., Dearborn Heights | royalewithcheese.menu Metro Times readers voted this spot Best Burger in Wayne County in 2022. At the restaurant, you can customize your own burger or choose from a handful of signature options. Plus, Royale with Cheese has its own unique sauces to elevate the flavor even more. Credit: Facebook, Royale With Cheese
Shamrock Pub 7715 Auburn Rd., Utica; 586-731-6886; shamrockpubutica.com This spot opened in 1935 and its website boasts, “Serving Utica since before you were born.” That longevity is largely thanks to its burger, elegant in its simplicity and perfection. Credit: Google Maps
Slapbox 9532 Conant St., Hamtramck; slapboxfoodtruck.com This food truck is already making a name for itself thanks to its smashburgers, served with a signature “Slap Sauce.” Credit: Instagram, @theslapboxx
Smashburger 1735 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy | 6919 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield | smashburger.com This national chain launched in Denver, Colorado in 2007, even creating its own proprietary custom-forged burger smashers in its quest for the perfect smashburger. Credit: Facebook, Smashburger
So Cheesy 15010 W. Warren Ave., Dearborn; eatsocheesy.com After launching as a food truck less than a year ago, this kitchen is already making a name for itself. Its Brisket Truffle Burger was recently crowned the best burger in the 2024 Detroit Burger Battle in Eastern Market. Credit: Instagram, @eatsocheesy
Taystee’s Burgers Multiple locations; taysteesburger.com Although Taystee’s now boasts locations across metro Detroit, its journey began humbly out of a Dearborn gas station in 2014. It offers fresh, halal, juicy beef patties with a variety of different versions, including a Hawaiian with pineapple and Pepper Jack cheese, a spicy “Volcano,” a pizza version, and more. Credit: Robert Stempkowski
Telway Hamburgers 6820 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-843-2146 | 27000 John R Rd., Madison Heights; 248-545-7962 | thetelway.4-food.com Out of all the greasy white-tiled diners in and around Detroit, this one may be the most beloved. The burgers are cheap and perfect for a late-night craving. Credit: Facebook, Telway Hamburgers
Tommy’s Detroit Bar 624 3rd Ave., Detroit; 313-965-2269; tommysdetroit.com This long-standing downtown spot has an extensive burger menu, made from fresh meat from Eastern Market. Credit: Facebook
Union Joints Multiple locations; unionjoints.com This regional restaurant group has grown to include its flagship in Clarkston, Bunk House Burgers (also in Clarkston), Berkeley’s Vinsetta Garage, Fenton Fire House, and more. All have a variety of burgers on their menus that keep fans coming back for more. Credit: Facebook, Bunkhouse Burgers
Burgers are the name of the game at Detroit’s Mercury Burger Bar. Credit: Michelle Gerard

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Layla McMurtrie is the digital editor of Detroit Metro Times. She's passionate about art, music, food, and Detroit's culture and community. Her work has been featured in the Detroit Free Press, Between...