Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Boston 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 Boston 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 Boston 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!
#29. Harvard Gardens
- Rating: 3.6/5 (548 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 316 Cambridge St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Bars, American, Burgers
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#28. Joe's On Newbury
- Rating: 3.7/5 (1417 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 181 Newbury St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: American, Burgers, Cocktail Bars
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#27. Eagle's Deli
- Rating: 3.7/5 (490 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1918 Beacon St. Brighton, Massachusetts
- Categories: Delis, Burgers, Sandwiches
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#26. Grateful Dedham Diner
- Rating: 3.8/5 (171 reviews)
- Address: 573 High St. Dedham, Massachusetts
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers, Sandwiches
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#25. Mama's Place
- Rating: 3.8/5 (203 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 764 Huntington Ave. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Greek, Burgers, Salad
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#24. Boston Burger - Somerville
- Rating: 3.8/5 (1011 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 37 Davis Sq Somerville, Massachusetts
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, American
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#23. Tasty Burger
- Rating: 3.8/5 (1333 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 86 Van Ness St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Burgers, Hot Dogs, fast food
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#22. Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe
- Rating: 3.8/5 (383 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 429 Columbus Ave. Ste 1 Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers
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#21. Belles
- Rating: 3.8/5 (452 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 46 Arsenal St. Watertown, Massachusetts
- Categories: American, Burgers, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
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#20. Josephine
- Rating: 3.9/5 (101 reviews)
- Address: 515 Somerville Ave. Somerville, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Burgers, Pizza
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#19. Deluxe Town Diner
- Rating: 3.9/5 (815 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 627 Mt Auburn St. Watertown, Massachusetts
- Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers
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#18. Snappy Pattys
- Rating: 3.9/5 (337 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 454 High St. Medford, Massachusetts
- Categories: New American, Burgers
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#17. Emmet's Irish Pub & Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (504 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6 Beacon St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Pubs, Irish, Burgers
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#16. Bred
- Rating: 4.0/5 (299 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2255 Dorchester Ave. Dorchester, Massachusetts
- Categories: Sandwiches, Burgers, Juice Bars & Smoothies
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#15. A.T. O'Keeffe's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (116 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 911 Boylston St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Irish Pub, Sports Bars, Burgers
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#14. Boston Burger
- Rating: 4.1/5 (1324 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1100 Boylston St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Burgers, American, Sandwiches
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#13. Roxy's Grilled Cheese
- Rating: 4.1/5 (173 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 292 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Categories: Sandwiches, Burgers, Hot Dogs
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#12. Boston Kitchen Pizza
- Rating: 4.1/5 (320 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1 Stuart St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Burgers
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#11. Sullivan's Castle Island
- Rating: 4.1/5 (434 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2080 Day Blvd. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Fast food, Burgers, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
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#10. Greenhouse Kitchen Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 4.2/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 435 Faneuil St. Brighton, Massachusetts
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Burgers
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#9. Lizard Lounge
- Rating: 4.2/5 (111 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1667 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Categories: Music Venues, Burgers
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#8. The Capital Burger
- Rating: 4.2/5 (306 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 159 Newbury St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Burgers, New American, Cocktail Bars
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#7. Renegade's Pub
- Rating: 4.2/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1004 Bennington St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Pubs, Burgers
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#6. Lee's Burger Place
- Rating: 4.3/5 (379 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 216 Sumner St. Newton Centre, Massachusetts
- Categories: Burgers, American, Juice Bars & Smoothies
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#5. Moon Flower House
- Rating: 4.4/5 (209 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 110 Brighton Ave. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Burgers, Bubble Tea, Desserts
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#4. Porter Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (291 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1723 Centre St. West Roxbury, Massachusetts
- Categories: Bars, Burgers, Gastropubs
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#3. Rondo's Sub Shop
- Rating: 4.5/5 (168 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 134 West Broadway Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Sandwiches, Cheesesteaks, Burgers
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#2. The Quiet Few
- Rating: 4.6/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 331 Sumner St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Burgers, Cocktail Bars
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#1. Ritcey East
- Rating: 4.7/5 (186 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 208 Waverley Ave. Watertown, Massachusetts
- Categories: Burgers, Beer Bar, Cocktail Bars
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 304 metros.
