The 12 Best Places to Get a Burger in Sacramento

With so many farm-to-fork restaurants in the area, you are sure to get your fill of healthy farm-fresh meals in Sacramento. But every once in awhile, you may get the urge to bite into an enormous, greasy, mouth-watering burger.

Thankfully, this city is not short on burger joints! In fact, there are so many, that we decided to list them all in one convenient place to save you some Yelp searches and disappointment with aimless dining.

Try out a new place, revisit an old favorite, or let us know who you would add to this list! Whatever you do, bite into a local burger ASAP.

South

You may think of southern comfort food when you think of South, and for good reason. Their menu is packed with southern flavor — from their Petey’s Fried Chicken to their fried green tomatoes. But don’t skip over the juicy Chef’s Burger packed with a large portion of meat, havarti, leek-shallot jam, bacon confit, spicy aioli, mustard sauce slaw, and house pickles on a brioche bun.

Broderick Roadhouse

Visit the Broderick Roadhouse in either West Sacramento or Midtown. At each of their locations, you’ll be blown away by their burgers. Broderick’s Johnny Cash Burger was the 2013 People’s Choice winner at the Sacramento Burger Battle. The burger’s smoked-pepper-crusted, fresh-ground Angus beef patty is topped with cheddar cheese, applewood smoked bacon, house pickled peppers, onion crisps, and scratch-made BBQ sauce. (That was a mouthful. And it will be when you bite into it!)

Photos Courtesy of Broderick Roadhouse 

The Shack

The Shack has stood the test of the time since they started serving East Sacramento in 1931. And their famous burgers have, too! You can’t go wrong with the well-loved Shack Burger complete with all the basic burger fixings. Or try the Nutty Burger if you’re looking for something a bit out of the ordinary; the patty is made in-house with walnuts, cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, carrots and portobello mushrooms.

Pangaea Bier Cafe

Pangaea Bier Cafe won the title of Best Burger in the 2015 Sacramento Burger Battle contest — and for good reason! They won said title with their famous Pangaea Burger, made with a certified angus patty topped with melted cheddar, bacon, house pickles, sauce, onions, lettuce and tomatoes.

Photo Courtesy of  Pangaea Bier Cafe

Flaming Grill

Whether you’re in Sacramento or Elk Grove, you’ll find some of the best burgers around at Flaming Grill. Their menu features a variety of meats, including buffalo, ostrich, sirloin, Wagyu, elk, venison, calamari, and more! Grab any of their specialty burgers, made with all-natural patties on buns delivered daily from the Truckee Sourdough Company.

Meet & Eat

Meet & Eat is the new kid in town making major waves in the local restaurant scene. As is welcomed and celebrated in Sacramento, Meet & Eat offers exceptional farm-fresh ingredients in all of their food items — from breakfast to dinner. Their modern and trendy setting is just as awesome as their burgers. Word to the wise: Don’t miss their Western Burger!

Dad’s Kitchen

As recommended by Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, order the signature Dad’s Burger at Dad’s Kitchen. This mouth-watering burger includes an 8-ounce patty encrusted with 2 ounces of bleu cheese and 2 ounces of bacon, topped with tomato, lettuce, onion, and aleppo chile spread on an artisan bun. This is a favorite among the locals at each of their two locations — for good reason!

The Golden Bear

The Golden Bear is another local burger joint that made an appearance on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. They featured their famous Juicy Lucy Burger, featuring a half-pound of Niman Ranch beef stuffed with habanero cheese, pepper bacon, jack cheese, heirloom tomato, avocado, baby greens, and aioli. This place is worth a visit…or two…or three.

Photos Courtesy of The Golden Bear

Scott’s Burger Shack

Scott’s Burger Shack is a small walk-up eatery with outdoor seating. This family owned and operated burger joint has been serving Sacramento since 1982, offering a wide variety of food choices at reasonable prices. They are famous for their 1-pound Fatboy Bacon Cheeseburger, so that’s always a good place to start. Scott’s Burger doesn’t accept cards so don’t forget to bring cash!

Burgers and Brew

We’ve talked about the brew aspect of Burgers and Brew (and even their love for dogs!), so let’s talk about their burgers. All of their burgers are made with 100% Niman Ranch meats and the freshest ingredients around. Plus, they make all of their tasty sauces and dressings in house! Don’t miss their bacon and jalapeño cheeseburger with Niman Ranch applewood smoked bacon, marinated jalapeños, fresh jalapeño mayo, and pepper jack cheese on a sesame bun.

Photo Courtesy of Burgers and Brew

Skip’s Kitchen

The (short) trip to Carmichael will be worth it once you make a lunch stop at Skip’s Kitchen. This local neighborhood eatery serves some of the best burgers around that will not disappoint. Thankfully, there are only six to choose from, so you won’t be overwhelmed. But you can always customize them by adding additional toppings!

Squeeze Burger (Formerly The Squeeze Inn)

You’ll find some of the best (and cheesiest!) burgers in Sacramento — and in the entire country — at Squeeze Burger. You’ll have to “squeeze in” to this tiny 12-stool dive once called Squeeze Inn, but trust us — the wait is worth it! Just ask Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives! He is equally enthralled with the quarter-pound of cheese on these burgers as we are. In case you don’t take his word for it, Squeeze Burger was the winner of The Best Burger on KCRA’s A-List between 2007 and 2015!