With just three main components – a beef patty, a bun, and a melty cheese slice – cheeseburgers are pretty simple. Whether that's exactly how you like it, or you prefer your patties with different varieties of cheese and fancier brioche or potato buns, there's a perfect cheeseburger out there for everyone. In honor of National Cheeseburger Day (September 18), we've hunted down America’s finest burger joints, from fancy bistros to historic mom-and-pop spots, to find the cheesiest, most flavorful creations in every US state.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the nation's greatest cheeseburgers, state by state.

Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards, accolades, and the first-hand experience of our well-traveled (and well-fed) team. They're also regularly checked and updated.

Perhaps an unlikely place to find Alabama's best cheeseburger, Chez Fonfon is a beautiful French-style bistro with a front patio that'll make you feel like you’re dining on a street in Paris. The restaurant's Hamburger Fonfon has a thick patty, nutty Comté (a hard cheese made in eastern France), and grilled red onions – it's one of the best around.

Another French restaurant to make the list, Club Paris is a fancy steakhouse that’s known for its ground filet mignon burgers. Only on the lunch menu, the 6oz cheeseburger keeps it simple with lettuce, tomato, mayo, and a slice of cheese, and it comes with a choice of chunky fries, French fries, or coleslaw. Customers say it’s always high quality and cooked to perfection.

Sourcing ingredients from the local area, Diablo Burger serves up extremely tasty burgers with a clever spin on the bun. Instead of brioche or potato bread, the spot uses muffins, toasted and branded with the restaurant's initials. Enjoy the Traveling Wilburys, which sees the toasted muffin filled with sautéed cremini mushrooms, curry mayo, Swiss cheese, and chili flakes. Want to go even more local? Check the blackboard for the seasonal special.

A charming basement restaurant that has been around since 1977, Hugo’s is the place to go for beer, bourbon, and burgers. The Bleu Moon Burger, featuring blue cheese crumbles, lettuce, red onion, and mayo, is the favorite. You can choose how well done you want it, from 'bloody' to 'no pink.' Customers say nowhere else compares and the fries are spot on, too. 

A dark and divey Mexican restaurant with diner-style booths and vintage art on the walls, Garaje is renowned for its Famous Drive-In Style Burger. Fans say the burger is juicy with a great char. It features barbecued onions, dill pickles, lettuce, and tomatoes. It's also dripping in cheese and Thousand Island dressing.

The burgers at this LA institution are the stuff of legend. Living up to its motto, ‘quality forever,’ The Apple Pan has been dishing up its signature Steakburger since 1927 and the recipe has barely changed in all that time. It comes simply garnished with house-made burger sauce, mayonnaise, pickles, and lettuce, and most diners opt for a slice of melted Tillamook Cheddar on top. For a taste of burger history, this joint is not to be missed.

This joint has become a Mile High City staple, with four locations across town. And while you can't go far wrong with any burger on the menu, the long-standing El Chilango gets the most love from customers. A generous patty is layered up with Cheddar, kicking jalapeños, salad, and house-made guacamole. Fans say it's cooked to perfection and best paired with the truffle-Parmesan fries. 

An old-school, hole-in-the-wall place that has been around since 1959, Ted’s Restaurant is family-owned and now run by Ted’s son, Paul. It’s famous for its signature Steamed Cheeseburger: a well-done but juicy burger with a thick layer of melted cheese poured over the patty. You can add lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, mustard, and mayo at no extra cost.

Rustic joint Farmer & the Cow is known for its craft beer, cocktails, and crazily good burgers with gourmet toppings. The beef patties are made in-house with a blend of chuck, brisket, and filet, though customers also love to substitute for salmon (pictured). If you can handle your spice, plump for the house favorite, Moo Caliente: your patty of choice is layered up with habanero chilis, spicy aioli, onion straws, avocado crema, and ghost pepper Jack cheese.

Visitors to The Burger Station, a quirky, retro restaurant in a restored gas station, swear by its burgers. The joint never uses frozen beef and cooks each meal to order, so it always tastes hot and fresh. The menu is limited, but the Burger Station Burger with cheese, tomato, and lettuce is a no-brainer. Get a milkshake and crinkle-cut fries then enjoy your meal on the patio overlooking the lake.

Yelp reviewers voted North South Grill as having Florida’s best cheeseburger in 2023, and if you’re in the mood for a wonderfully juicy and crispy-edged smashburger, this is the place to go. This hidden gem is tucked away in a shopping center but, inside, the vibe is warm and friendly, and fans rave about the sizzling burgers, which are smashed to perfection and available with plenty of colorful toppings. To really taste that beef, you can’t beat the hefty half-pound double cheeseburger, which comes with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and the signature North Sauce.

This bacon cheeseburger from The Companion, a cool and cozy bar that gets rave reviews, has everyone talking. Called The Tower Of Power, it features two patties, lettuce, tomato, onion, tangy mayonnaise, American cheese, and bacon. People say it’s the best burger for miles.

Often compared to Shake Shack, Chubbies Burgers is loved for its signature 50’s Burger, crinkle fries, and house-made mayo. The burger comes in a soft potato bun and has a crisp patty made from beef sourced from Kauai, Hawaii. Locals love it because, despite this place’s popularity, the food is always served hot and fresh.

Boise suburb Garden City is known for its craft breweries, winery tasting rooms, and hip music venues, and this cult-favorite burger joint fits right in. Hit List was named by Yelp as serving Idaho’s best-rated cheeseburger in 2023, and reviews are almost unanimously positive. The no-frills restaurant also serves hefty sandwiches filled with house-smoked pulled pork and pastrami, but it's the cheeseburger that draws the crowds. The dish couldn't be simpler, and fans say every element – from the butter-toasted bun to the caramelized onions and house-ground beef – is perfection.

A rich and cheesy double-patty burger, the Bad Burger from trendy Little Bad Wolf is always a winner. It features two slices of American cheese, house-made pickles, and red onion mayo, though customers swear there must be a secret ingredient that makes it taste so good. You should also check out the tacos, mac ‘n’ cheese, and cocktails.

For some serious heat, try the Strawberry Hill at 317 Burger. It's a hot twist on a PB&J, with spicy strawberry compote, melted peanut butter, and ghost pepper cheese on top of the burger. The spot also stocks a plethora of local beers and if a burger isn't enough to fill you up, grab an order of the signature poutine.

The Dominie burger at DutchFix, an ice cream shack that serves Dutch street food, is a masterpiece of a sandwich. A must-try for fans of Gouda (a hard Dutch cheese), it features two beef patties, bacon, melted Gouda curds, spiced beef, house-made pickles, and a toasted bun. 

Dempseys Burger Pub serves up inventive gourmet burgers in an Irish pub setting. There are lots of delicious options to choose from, including chicken, salmon, and veggie patties, but customers particularly love the Bourbon Apple Brie Burger. A house-made wagyu beef patty is topped with bourbon-candied apples, brie cheese, local microgreens, bacon, and garlic aioli. The duck fat fries make a tasty accompaniment.

For a classic, juicy cheeseburger with a good sear and the right amount of salad and condiments, head to Bard’s Burgers & Chili and order the All-The-Way. The patty is made with ground chuck, topped with cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, ketchup, and mustard, and served on a toasted bun. Many people say it’s the best burger they’ve ever had.

Once you try the Barbie Burger from Curbside Burgers, a burger truck turned brick-and-mortar restaurant, you might not be able to eat cheeseburgers from anywhere else. It’s a huge sandwich with two patties and American cheese, but it's the little touches like pork belly preserve, roasted poblano mayo, sweet heat pickles, and a brioche bun that make all the difference.

The sleepy coastal town of York, at the southern tip of Maine, is where you’ll find Wild Willy’s, a charming restaurant serving one of the best cheeseburgers in the state. Things aren't overcomplicated here. Customers love the Willy Burger, which sees a juicy patty topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, mustard, ketchup, pickles, and mayo, all served in a toasted bun. There are also locations in Rochester and Watertown. 

What customers love about the cheeseburger at no-frills burger joint Burger Bros is the value for money. You get a whopping 6oz Angus beef patty and you can customize it by adding extra patties or toppings such as bacon, caramelized onion, onion rings, and salad. Everything else on the menu is top-notch too, including the fries and chicken wings.

Winner of Boston Magazine’s 'Battle of the Burger' competition three years in a row, the Sin Burger at The Blue Ox is a must-try. Applewood smoked bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and truffle aioli round out this award-winning offering. Talk about umami.

This cheesy, spicy, crunchy creation from Taystee’s Burgers, a family business in Dearborn, has everyone talking. Named Ali’s Notch-Yo-Burger, it’s a jazzed-up cheeseburger with American, Swiss, pepper Jack, and nacho cheese, plus beef bacon, Doritos, jalapeños, grilled onions, salad, mayo, and hot sauce, all piled into an onion bun.

Stylish and buzzy cocktail bar Parlour only has one burger on the menu, but it's a good one. The patty in their famous Parlour burger is made from a blend of ground chuck, ribeye, and brisket. Instead of one thick slab of beef, you get two thin patties, which give the burger a deep, caramelized flavor and crisp edge. It's topped off with pickles and a hefty dose of American cheese.

Cute and unassuming country store R House, where you can also get house-made jellies and honey, was bestowed with the 'Best Burger in Mississippi' award for two years running by the Mississippi Beef Council. The burger in question is an old-fashioned, freshly made beef burger, with the option to add extras such as bacon and cheese. Two awards and hundreds of great reviews can’t be wrong.

For a sandwich called Ugly, this cheeseburger looks pretty appealing to us. It features two 4oz patties, sharp white Cheddar, butter lettuce, pickles, onion, and a house-made condiment called 'baaahd sauce.' It’s one of Black Sheep’s bestsellers, alongside its truffle and Parmesan fries. There are four locations in Springfield.

The motto at cool burger spot Backcountry Burger Bar is 'keep it simple,' and that's what the team does with their signature Backcountry burger. A Montana beef patty is paired with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and house sauce. You can make it a single or double patty, or swap beef for ground bison or a plant-based alternative. There's the option for a gluten-free bun, too. Customers rate it as one of the best burgers they've had.

At this late-night burger joint, The Original, featuring a beef patty, American cheese, mustard, pickle, and onion in a toasted brioche bun, is the favorite. It’s cheesy, inexpensive, and always served quickly and piping hot. The place has a cool vibe with good music and welcoming waitstaff. There are several locations in Omaha for you to get your burger fix.

Customers can’t get enough of the Smoke & Fire Burger at this down-to-earth joint. It’s a huge 8oz beef patty with American cheese, diced onions, pickles, ketchup, and mustard, and you can double up or add bacon. It’s said to be cooked perfectly – juicy with a crisp char on the outside.

Family business Wicked Fresh is known to serve wickedly good cheeseburgers. Made from local, freshly ground meat, the patties are smashed onto a griddle to sear the edges. The Wicked Burger is served with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and Wicked Fresh Sauce (similar to Big Mac sauce). You can go single, double, or, if you’re really hungry, triple.

Local chain Diesel and Duke took New Jersey by storm when it opened in 2014, thanks to its simple menu of delicious, cooked-to-order beef burgers. All the options are delicious, but you can’t go wrong with The Standard. This hearty sandwich features a generous amount of American cheese, fresh lettuce, tomato, aioli, ketchup, and a toasted bun. Customers recommend the cheese fries, too. 

Like many great burger restaurants, Rustic On The Green started as a food truck but thanks to its popularity, moved to a brick-and-mortar location. The go-to here is the Rustic, a freshly ground, smoky beef patty topped with caramelized onions, American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and sauce, in a pillowy, soft bun. Everybody comments on how fresh and full of flavor it is.

There are a lot of great burgers in New York, but you'll find one of the very best at this riverside tavern in Brooklyn. The Red Hook Tavern's signature burger is simple but perfectly formed. The thick 8oz patty has a 75/25 beef-to-fat ratio, giving it loads of flavor and a great char. The only additions are white onion and lots of American cheese. 

Any list of America’s greatest cheeseburgers would be remiss not to mention NYC’s hottest burger spot. Since it opened in late 2023, Hamburger America – headed up by self-described ‘burger scholar’ George Motz – has been the place to grab old-school diner fare. The simple cheeseburger is great, but what really draws the crowds is the signature Oklahoma-style Fried Onion Burger, which is made using a century-old recipe. Featuring a single or double beef patty, which is smashed on the grill with sliced onions and served on a bun with American cheese, it’s a delightfully messy affair.

Soon to be your favorite burger, the Barcelona Classic keeps it simple with a thin, charred beef patty, American cheese, salad, pickles, house sauce, and a warm, soft bun. It comes with a choice of sides including mac ‘n’ cheese, roasted veggies, and truffle fries. Find it at Barcelona Burger, a light, industrial-style restaurant and beer garden.

A gourmet burger featuring ground bison, Gouda, bacon, arugula, and tomato jam, the ND bison burger is always a great choice. Find it at 46 North Pints & Provisions, a busy restaurant in Fargo that also serves great cocktails, salads, seafood, and steaks. 

Columbus joint Preston’s has a short but sweet menu of burgers, fries, and chicken sandwiches. The Classic is the burger to order – a single or double smashed patty with 'special sauce,' American cheese, shaved onion, iceberg lettuce, and crunchy, house-made pickles. One fan called it 'transcendental.'

A cheeseburger with a twist, the Tavern Burger features a plump beef patty topped with Stilton cheese, and mushroom cognac cream, in a challah bun. Challah is soft, fluffy bread that has been enriched with eggs. Served at The Tavern, a fancy pub in Tulsa, it comes with skinny fries and gets glowing reviews.

The Bless Your Heart Burger features chili, onion, coleslaw, yellow mustard, house-made pickles, hot sauce, and American cheese, and was described as having 'a high flavor per cubic inch ratio' by one impressed customer. Get it from Bless Your Heart Burgers, a cool, casual joint in Portland.

For some of the best burgers in Philadelphia head to m2o, a neighborhood hangout with tons of great options. The Philly Burger, a spicy, saucy burger with Cheez Whiz (processed cheese sauce), fried onions, and sliced jalapeños, is a dream for lovers of the city's classic Philly cheesesteak. There are a few other locations across the region too. 

To make a Crunch Burger, take a Harry’s Classic Cheese, which features a freshly ground beef patty, American cheese, lettuce, pickles, and special sauce in a potato roll, and add fried onion strings. Customers love it, saying it’s the perfect size and great value. It can be found at one of the two Harry’s Bar & Burger locations in Providence.

If you’re after a cheeseburger in Charleston, look no further than the Classic from Big Gun Burger Shop, a biker-style bar with music. A buttery, delicious sandwich, it features a patty, double American cheese, onion, pickles, and 'big gun sauce' in a toasted bun, and comes with crisp fries. You should also check out the cocktail and root beer selection.

This rustic roadside eatery, with grass-fed burgers and hand-spun shakes, was named by Yelp as serving South Dakota’s best-rated cheeseburger in 2023. Circle E Drive-In keeps its menu simple – offering plain, cheese, or bacon burgers with either single or double beef patties – but regulars say the quality of every element is outstanding and the portions are very generous. To really taste the quality of the beef, we say grab a DBL Cheeseburger and order it ‘deluxe’ (with tomato, onion, and lettuce), though the signature Big Al (which comes topped with jalapeño cream cheese) is also great.

When global burger experts Burgerdudes announced the World's Best Burgers list in September 2024, Nashville's Dreamburgers came in 23rd place. That's pretty amazing for a humble food truck from Tennessee! The burger itself is two juicy smashed patties with melty onions, American cheese, pickles, and Dreamsauce (a smokey mayo) on a toasted bun. The crust on the burgers is particularly spectacular, earning two big thumbs-up from the Burgerdudes and customers alike.

Three types of cheese – yellow Cheddar, Swiss, and Muenster (a semi-soft cheese with a washed rind) – plus tomato and roasted garlic aioli make this one of the cheesiest, most flavorful cheeseburgers ever. It’s one of the customer favorites at popular Nashville joint The Pharmacy Burger, which has a beautiful beer garden and cool German beers.

A huge state needs a huge burger as its favorite – and the BBQ Burger at old-school joint Tookie’s fits the bill. It features a beef patty, barbecue sauce, pickles, Cheddar, and a giant onion ring. The patty is marinated in barbecue sauce and onions to give it extra flavor. 

Fans say the real draw of this gourmet mom-and-pop spot in the Houston Galleria – aside from the fantastic quality of the beef – is that the burgers are totally customizable, so you can choose from various types of bun, three cheeses, and an endless list of toppings and sauces. However, the simple burger-chan cheeseburger is hard to beat. It features two 2oz patties, Cheddar, sautéed onions, lettuce, tomato, and house-made Thousand Island, all on a squishy brioche bun. Burger-chan was the top-ranking burger joint in Yelp’s Top 100 US Restaurants List 2024, so you know it’s something special.

Many people say the CO burger at fancy Salt Lake City restaurant The Copper Onion is the best they’ve ever had. It features a beef patty, caramelized onions, Cheddar, duck fat aioli, and iceberg lettuce in a crunchy toasted bun, and comes with chunky chips or a rocket salad. It’s a little bit on the pricey side, but completely worth it according to satisfied customers.

For an amazing cheeseburger, friendly atmosphere, and great service, head to Worthy Burger, a rustic joint with two locations in Vermont. The burger to order is its namesake, which features a juicy 6oz patty made from local beef, Plymouth Cheddar, secret sauce, lettuce, and red onion.

For a classic cheeseburger in Richmond look no further than Beauvine Burger Concept, a spot also loved for its Fruity Pebble milkshake, duck fat fries, and heated outdoor seating. The Beauvine burger features American cheese, pickles, red onion, tomato, lettuce, Beau sauce, and a brioche bun. But what’s really cool is you can choose between a beef, turkey, soy, or plant protein patty.

What people love about the Boomer Burger, a quarter-pound patty with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickles in a sesame seed bun, is its simplicity, amazing special sauce, and charred flavor. The cheeseburger is served at Boomers Drive-In, a fun, old-fashioned drive-in located in Bellingham, which is cheap, friendly, and extra speedy.

It might be a little off the beaten track, but customers say it's definitely worth making the drive to Farmer's Daughter. A butcher's shop that's also a grocery store and cafe, it serves up the tastiest burger for miles. Their award-winning House Burger consists of a dry-aged beef patty paired with American cheese, pickled red onions, lettuce, and Duke's mayo. Sometimes simple really is best.

An unconventional cheeseburger, the Juicy Lucy looks like a regular hamburger from the outside, but when you bite into the patty, a mix of molten Cheddar and American cheese comes oozing out. Plus, at local joint 11:11, orders are totally customizable, so you can add jalapeños, extra cheese (American, Cheddar, pepper Jack, and provolone), maple bacon, and salad, or swap your regular bun for a pretzel one.

A Texas burger restaurant that moved into Jackson, too, Liberty Burger is well worth a visit for its flagship offering The Liberty Burger. It comes with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles, but you can ask for cheese and bacon to be added. Customers say it’s worth upgrading your patty to a bison one; expect a juicy burger with tons of flavor that isn't at all greasy.

Now check out the best diner in every state

Last updated by Luke Paton.