Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Des Moines area by diners

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麻豆原创
March 14, 2025
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Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Des Moines area by diners

There's just something about a hamburger鈥攆rom the way the juices from the freshly grilled meat gently dribble down your chin as you take that first bite of the succulent patty to the way the cheese curves along the sides, melting slowly over the ground-beef goodness placed gently between two buns.

While a burger's je ne sais quoi may defy definition, one thing is certain: Americans love hamburgers. According to a 2024 YouGov survey, burgers are among the top three , tied with fried chicken and bested only by French fries. As further proof of hamburgers' dominance in America, chains where burgers are the star of the menu generated $110 billion in sales in 2024, according to the annual . Based on a of the Technomic report, that accounts for more than a quarter of the total sales among all Top 500 chains and more than double sales from chains where chicken is the main attraction.

The burger's origins stretch far beyond America, however. Named after Hamburg, a region in Germany known for its cattle, the Hamburg steak was the first step toward what would become . Served on a plate (sans buns, if you can believe it), the steak was said to have become popular during the Industrial Revolution after an . To make the food easier for the workers to eat on their breaks, a now unknown cook sandwiched the steak between two pieces of bread, and the rest, as they say, is history.

While it may never be proven when and where the hamburger was first invented, the deliciously simple sandwich is here to stay. But who serves the best burger today? You'll find many restaurants around the U.S. that claim they do, from in Chicago and New York to The Habit Burger Grill, a California-based chain that USA Today in America.

Of course, those restaurants may not be in your neck of the woods. To find the best of the best in your area, compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Des Moines area based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of March 2025. Restaurants with at least 20 reviews tagged as "burgers" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of Des Moines were included. As a result, many restaurants featured may primarily serve other food items besides burgers. Also, to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with at least five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.

Keep reading to see if your favorite burger spot made the cut鈥攐r maybe you'll find your new favorite on this list!

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#24. The Other Place - Ankeny

- Rating: 3.0/5 (58 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2010 Southeast Delaware Ste 260 Ankeny, Iowa
- Categories: Sports Bars, Burgers, Pizza
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#23. LJ's Burgers & Ice Cream

- Rating: 3.3/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3702 2nd Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers, fast food, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
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#22. F & O's - Felix and Oscar's

- Rating: 3.4/5 (175 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4050 Merle Hay Road Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza, Salad, Burgers
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#21. B-Bop's

- Rating: 3.4/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4820 Southeast 14th St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers, Hot Dogs
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#20. Maid-Rite - Ankeny

- Rating: 3.5/5 (48 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 802 Southeast Oralabor Road Ankeny, Iowa
- Categories: American, Burgers, Sandwiches
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#19. Sugar Shack Diner

- Rating: 3.6/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 550 36th Ave. Southwest Ste J Altoona, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers, Diners, Breakfast & Brunch
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#18. Burger Shed - Altoona

- Rating: 3.6/5 (207 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 500 Bass Pro Drive Northwest Altoona, Iowa
- Categories: American, Burgers, Sandwiches
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#17. B-Bop's Burgers Fries Cola

- Rating: 3.7/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1105 73rd St. Windsor Heights, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers, fast food
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#16. B-Bop's Burgers Fries Cola

- Rating: 3.7/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3815 East 14th St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers
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#15. B-Bops

- Rating: 3.8/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4500 Fleur Drive Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers
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#14. Buzzard Billy's

- Rating: 3.9/5 (381 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 615 3rd St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Seafood, Burgers
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#13. Django

- Rating: 3.9/5 (479 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1420 Locust St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: French, Burgers, Sandwiches
-

#12. B-Bop's

- Rating: 4.0/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2205 Southeast Delaware Ave. Ankeny, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers
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#11. Zombie Burger + Drink Lab

- Rating: 4.0/5 (1881 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 300 East Grand Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers
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#10. Smitty's Tenderloins Shop

- Rating: 4.0/5 (180 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1401 Army Post Road Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: American, Burgers, Sandwiches
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#9. Ted's Coney Island

- Rating: 4.1/5 (116 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3020 Ingersoll Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers, American, New American
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#8. Grand Junction Bar & Grill

- Rating: 4.1/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 1970 Grand Ave. Ste 29 West Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Sports Bars, Burgers, Pizza
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#7. Teds Coney Island West

- Rating: 4.1/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2667 86th St. Urbandale, Iowa
- Categories: Greek, Burgers, fast food
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#6. Paris Banh Mi

- Rating: 4.2/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6601 University Ave. Ste 100 Windsor Heights, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches
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#5. Ernie's Boondock

- Rating: 4.3/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 440 East Grand Ave. Ste A Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Beer Bar, Burgers
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#4. El Bait Shop

- Rating: 4.3/5 (578 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 200 Southwest 2nd St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Bars, Mexican, Burgers
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#3. 804 Main Bar & Grill

- Rating: 4.4/5 (42 reviews)
- Address: 804 Main St. Norwalk, Iowa
- Categories: Sports Bars, American, Burgers
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#2. The Station on Ingersoll

- Rating: 4.5/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3124 Ingersoll Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Sports Bars, Burgers, American
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#1. Lachele's Fine Foods

- Rating: 4.6/5 (153 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2716 Ingersoll Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers, American, Diners
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 304 metros.

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