Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Lexington area by diners
Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Lexington 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 Lexington 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 Lexington 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!
#19. Tolly-Ho
- Rating: 3.4/5 (238 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 350 Foreman Ave. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers
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#18. O'Neill's
- Rating: 3.5/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2051 Richmond Road Ste 140 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Bars, Burgers, Breweries
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#17. Roosters
- Rating: 3.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 2640 Richmond Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Burgers, Chicken Wings, Pizza
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#16. Shake Shack Lexington
- Rating: 3.5/5 (231 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 115 Summit At Fritz Farm Suite 110 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Fast food, Burgers, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
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#15. Roosters
- Rating: 3.6/5 (150 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 124 Marketplace Drive Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Burgers, Pizza
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#14. Nic & Norman's
- Rating: 3.8/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 135 West Main St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: American, Bars, Burgers
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#13. Drake's - Leestown
- Rating: 3.8/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 1735 Sharkey Way Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Burgers, Sushi Bars, Beer Bar
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#12. Drake's - Hamburg
- Rating: 3.8/5 (132 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1880 Pleasant Ridge Drive Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Burgers, Sushi Bars, Cocktail Bars
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#11. Zim's Cafe
- Rating: 3.9/5 (232 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 215 West Main St. Ste 25 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea, Burgers
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#10. BRU Burger Bar - Lexington
- Rating: 4.0/5 (441 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3010 Lakecrest Cir Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Gluten-Free
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#9. Harry's in Palomar Centre
- Rating: 4.1/5 (99 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3735 Palomar Centre Drive Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: American, Sports Bars, Burgers
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#8. Burger Shake
- Rating: 4.2/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 219 East New Cir Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Burgers, fast food
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#7. A P Suggins Bar & Grill
- Rating: 4.2/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 345 Romany Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: New American, Burgers
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#6. Old North Bar
- Rating: 4.2/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 101 West Loudon Ave. Ste 116 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Burgers
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#5. Harry's Hamburg
- Rating: 4.3/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1920 Pleasant Ridge Drive Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: American, Sports Bars, Burgers
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#4. Jack Brown's
- Rating: 4.4/5 (73 reviews)
- Address: 155 North Limestone Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Burgers, Beer Bar
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#3. Bad Wolf Burgers
- Rating: 4.4/5 (173 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1401 North Forbes Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Salad
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#2. Ruby's Market & Cafe
- Rating: 4.4/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 307 West Short St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Cafes, Vape Shops, Burgers
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#1. Big Kahuna
- Rating: 4.7/5 (340 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 904 Liberty Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Hawaiian
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 304 metros.
