The 10 Best Burgers in Charlotte
Charlotte is home to plenty of amazing restaurants with exceptional food and atmosphere and burger joints comes at no exception. We have compiled a list of the best burgers in Charlotte for 2022 and although we ranked the best burgers, depending on your mood, our list can vary. To keep it simple, if you are wanting a big burger with extravagant toppings, pick moo and brew, cowfish, Pinkys, or bad daddy’s. If you like a more simple burger, go for Harriets, Ace No. 3 and shake shack. Bang Bang is a mix of both and serves a very good burger so when in doubt go there.
View our rankings and reasons of why these spots made our list as the best burgers in Charlotte, NC below.
Below is Our list for the best burgers in Charlotte, NC
Moo and Brew
Bang Bang Burgers
Harriest Hamburgers
Ace No. 3
Baes Burgers
Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar
Pinky’s Westside Grill
Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar
Shake Shack
Charlotte Staple: Brook’s Sandwich House
The Best Burger in Charlotte is...
1. Moo and Brew
The winner for the best burger in Charlotte goes too... Moo and Brew!
The reasons being each time I eat it, it is my favorite burger from taste, size, to the toppings. It is not too expensive, easy to get in and out (right in the heart of Plaza Midwood), has great beer on tap, and always delivers an exceptional burger that can be customized however you would like with plenty of toppings and customizations (my favorite is the pimento cheese + pickled onions + peppered bacon), it just NEVER fails.
The reason we picked Moo and Brew to be the "Best Burger in Charlotte" is because of the quality and taste of the meat, size of the burger, the abundance of toppings and options (and the quality of those toppings), and the perfect buns.
What to Order: Customize your order to perfection with plenty of toppings (add pimento cheese, pickled onions, and peppered bacon)
Best Side: The Cheese Curds are to die for but their fries are also good
2. Bang Bang Burgers
Coming in at #2 for the Best Burger in Charlotte is Bang Bang Burgers. This fast casual burger joint has two locations, one is located in an Elizabeth Strip Mall (near Sunflower baking company) and the other is in the trendy Southend area (near Pins Mechanical).
Bang Bang always delivers a solid burger with good fries and the very important bang bang sauce. They were close to taking the #1 spot for best burger in Charlotte but they are a little bit smaller than Moo and Brew (they are still plenty big) and there are not as many ways to customize your burger as well. The upside is that these burgers are always well put together and taste amazing, its almost like they have SpongeBob back there popping out burgers that look the exact same and deliver on taste time after time.
What to order: The Pimento Burger (comes with pimento cheese, fried pickles, and homemade ranch!
Best Side: Onion rings with bang bang sauce
3. Harriets Hamburgers
Coming in at #3 for the best burger in Charlotte is Harriets Hamburgers. Located in optimist hall, this new burger joint in Charlotte does not fall short on creating an exceptional burger. The only downside is that there are not many ways to customize it. If you enjoy a simple burger with pickles, cheese, and ketchup then this will probably be your favorite burger in town.
Although they do not have that many toppings to pick from you are able to add bacon, an extra patty, and even get their burger that is filled with cheese! I personally (if I am very hungry) like to add an extra patty and add bacon, this will fill you up and it tastes amazing!
What to order: Jucy Lucy Burger (burger filled with cheese)
Best side: Fries with simple sauce
4. Ace No. 3
There are currently 3 Charlotte locations, Meyers park, Concord and Belmont village.
I have had almost every burger on their menu and it really is hard to go wrong with any of them! It is a smaller burger when compared to the other on this list but it delivers on taste just as well, and maybe even better than the rest. They only serve burgers, shakes, and beer, but have perfected all 3. If you are wanting a burger that is not too big but has an amazing taste and keeps it simple, this is your place.
What to order: Triple cheeseburger add bacon, pickled jalapeño and comeback sauce
Best side: French fries with comeback sauce
5. Baes Burgers
Originally a food truck that relocated from Miami to Charlotte in 2019, Baes Burgers come in at #5 on our list of the best burgers in Charlotte. They are usually located around the bars in the Southend/Noda area, but you can go to their instagram page (@baesburgers) to find exactly where they are today!
Their aim is to keep the menu simple and deliver on a perfect burger with tons of flavor, and that's exactly what they do. They are the PERFECT option for a late night meal but don't get me wrong, I will eat this burger any day of the week.
What to order: The Boss (bacon, grilled onions, American cheese, and garlic mayo)
Best side: Garlic parm fries
6. Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar
Located right next to Southpark mall (South Charlotte) this burger and sushi joint is unique and packs their burgers with flavor
Cowfish is what happens when you combine one of your favorite sushi restaurants with an upscale burger joint. They have excellent sushi, but my favorite thing is the diversity of their menu. They have a black truffle burger, a turkey burger with brie, green apples, and cranberries, and you can even order a bento box with sushi, a side, and sliders!
What to order: Jalapeño popper show stopper
Best side: Fried pickles
Bonus: The Crab Ragoon dip is amazing!
7. Pinkys Westside Grill
Located at 1600 W Morehead St. Pinkys Westside Grill is a Charlotte classic that will fill your belly.
Chef Greg Auten was the first person to appear on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives for 2 different restaurants, and in 2020 they were featured a third time!
If you are looking for a messy burger that is not too expensive and has a large selection of sides and add ons, this is the spot.
What to order: White trash burger ( burger, provolone, fried pickles, onion straws, spicy ranch)
Best side: Waffle fries
Bonus: "Gregs Pickles" (fried pickles)
8. Bad Daddy's Burger Bar
Bad Daddy's Burger Bar has multiple locations through out Charlotte, so wherever you are there should be one close by.
Bad Daddy's makes a really good burger and has an excellent choice of sides such as fries, homemade chips, sweet potato fries, tater tots, and more. The "magic ingredient" that has been the contributor to Bad Daddy's success is the size of the burgers (BIG) and the abundance of toppings they have for you to pick from (bacon, pimento cheese, pickled jalapeños, gouda, pulled pork, gluten free options, etc). Everyone will be happy with the choices they have to pick from and no one will leave hungry!
What to order: Bacon cheeseburger on steroids
Best side: Sweet potato fries
Bonus: Milkshakes are amazing!
9. Shake Shack
Shake Shack is a national chain and has a few locations in Charlotte (Montford, Southend, Airport).
There is nothing particularly amazing about this burger, but it is on here because of its flavor and consistency. It comes with Ranch, applewood-smoked bacon, chopped cherry peppers, and ShackSauce. It is on the smaller side compared to burgers on this list, but its flavor is a lot better than what I expected for a national chain. The fries are pretty good with their ShackSauce, but what really brings me back is their efficiency, they deliver the same burger every time and in a timely manner.
What to order: Smokeshack
Best side: fries with shake shack sauce
Bonus: Cookies and Creme Milkshake
The Charlotte Staple
Brooks' Sandwich House
Brooks Sandwich House is a Charlotte staple that specializes in burgers and fries and has been voted "best burger in Charlotte" multiple years. This cash only restaurant is located in Noda on 2710 N Brevard St. (They do have an ATM)
They are the classic saying, if it ain't broke don't fix it and have been serving up burgers since 1973 and still do them the same way to this day. There is something special about this burger, it is on the smaller side compared to others on this list, but come up big in flavor. If you like chill cheese dogs this might be your favorite on the list, the only downside is that they are only open Monday - Friday 10am - 5pm.
What to order: Burger with cheese all the way (chillin, mustard, and onions)
Best side: Chilli cheese fries
More Guides to Charlotte, NC for 2023
- Hungry for chicken? View our guide to The 10 Tastiest Chicken Sandwiches in Charlotte
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- Looking for a quick weekend getaway? The Best Ski Resorts Near Charlotte, NC
