These 7 Memphis Burger Spots Serve Way Better Bites Than Any Chain
Memphis knows barbecue, but the city’s burger scene deserves just as much love. While chain restaurants dominate every corner with their predictable menus, local spots across Memphis are flipping patties that’ll make you forget those corporate burgers ever existed.
From dive bars serving up no-frills classics to bistros crafting gourmet creations, these seven burger joints prove that the best bites come from places with real heart and hometown pride.
1. BT Bistro
Walking into BT Bistro feels different from your typical burger joint. The atmosphere strikes that perfect balance between casual and refined, where you can grab an amazing burger without feeling underdressed or overpaying for fancy ambiance.
What sets this place apart is the attention to detail in every burger they craft. Each patty gets treated like a work of art, with hand-selected ingredients and cooking techniques that bring out flavors chain restaurants never bother chasing. The beef quality alone tells you this isn’t frozen, mass-produced stuff.
Locals consistently rank BT Bistro at the top of Memphis burger lists for good reason. The friendly service makes first-timers feel like regulars, and the staff genuinely cares about your experience. Whether you order a classic or try one of their creative specialty burgers, you’re getting something made with pride.
2. Huey’s Midtown
Since 1970, Huey’s has been slinging what they proudly call the World Famous Huey Burger, and generations of Memphis families will tell you the hype is real. This isn’t some marketing gimmick—the burger earned its reputation one satisfied customer at a time.
The magic comes from simplicity done exceptionally well. Fresh ground beef cooked to order, quality toppings, and a sesame seed bun that holds everything together without falling apart halfway through. Nothing fancy, nothing complicated, just honest-to-goodness burger perfection.
Part of the charm is the atmosphere itself. Huey’s feels like Memphis in restaurant form—welcoming, unpretentious, and full of character. The tradition of shooting toothpicks into the ceiling adds quirky fun that chain restaurants could never replicate.
3. Kooky Canuck
With a name like Kooky Canuck, you know you’re in for something different. This place doesn’t do boring, and their burger menu reads like a greatest hits collection of creative flavor combinations that somehow all work beautifully together.
Size matters here—these burgers come big and loaded with toppings you won’t find at cookie-cutter chains. From maple bacon creations to inventive sauce combinations, each option pushes boundaries while respecting what makes a great burger great.
The playful atmosphere matches the menu perfectly. Bright colors, fun decorations, and a generally upbeat vibe make dining here feel like a mini-celebration.
4. Farm Burger Memphis
Farm Burger takes the farm-to-table movement seriously, sourcing ingredients locally whenever possible and letting quality speak for itself. Every bite tastes fresher because everything actually is fresher—no freezers full of pre-formed patties here.
The customization options rival what you’d build at home if you had access to restaurant-quality ingredients. Choose your protein, pick your toppings, select your cheese, and create exactly what you’re craving. The grass-fed beef option particularly impresses people tired of the industrial beef taste.
What makes this place special beyond ingredients is the transparency. They tell you where food comes from and why it matters, turning a casual meal into something you feel good about eating.
Sides deserve attention too, especially the hand-cut fries and seasonal vegetable options. Even the shakes use real ice cream and fresh ingredients.
5. Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint
Jack Brown’s understands that great burgers and great beer belong together. The menu pairs creative burger combinations with an impressive craft beer selection that showcases both local Memphis breweries and respected names from across the country.
Burgers here lean toward the indulgent side—think bacon jam, fried eggs, special sauces, and toppings that make each bite an adventure. The kitchen clearly has fun dreaming up combinations, and the results justify every calorie. Patties stay juicy even when loaded with extras.
The atmosphere buzzes with energy, especially on weekends when groups gather for casual nights out. High-top tables, bar seating, and a generally laid-back vibe make it easy to settle in for a while.
6. Momma’s
Don’t let the dive bar exterior fool you—Momma’s serves burgers that’ll make you question why you ever bothered with fancy restaurants. This place keeps things simple, focusing on what matters: great beef cooked right, fresh toppings, and portions that satisfy.
The made-with-love approach shines through in every aspect. You can taste the difference between food cooked by people who care versus food assembled by minimum-wage workers following corporate procedures. Momma’s burgers have soul, plain and simple.
Atmosphere leans heavily into authentic Memphis dive bar culture—nothing polished, nothing trying too hard, just real people enjoying real food in a space that feels genuinely lived-in.
7. Evergreen Grill
Evergreen Grill might be known primarily as a New American restaurant, but their burger offerings punch well above what you’d expect from a menu that includes so many other options. The kitchen applies the same creativity and attention to detail to burgers as they do to their fancier entrees.
What you get is essentially a gourmet burger experience without the gourmet burger prices. Quality beef meets inventive toppings and house-made sauces that elevate the whole experience. The bun selection alone shows more thought than most burger-focused restaurants manage.
While you could certainly order fancier items, the burger consistently earns high marks from diners who appreciate quality ingredients prepared thoughtfully.
