Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Norfolk 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 Norfolk 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 Norfolk 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!
#25. Fellini's
- Rating: 3.6/5 (253 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3910 Colley Ave. Norfolk, Virginia
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Burgers
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#24. OLDE TOWNE Public House American Bistro
- Rating: 3.6/5 (80 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 467 Court St. Portsmouth, Virginia
- Categories: Burgers, Pubs, Whiskey Bars
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#23. Lobscouser Seafood Restaurant
- Rating: 3.6/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 337 High St. Portsmouth, Virginia
- Categories: Seafood, Burgers, American
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#22. Blue Ribbon Brews & BBQ
- Rating: 3.6/5 (58 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8305 Hampton Blvd. Norfolk, Virginia
- Categories: Barbecue, Burgers, Chicken Wings
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#21. Longboards East Beach
- Rating: 3.7/5 (272 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4521 Pretty Lake Ave. Norfolk, Virginia
- Categories: Seafood, Burgers
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#20. 80/20 Burger Bar
- Rating: 3.7/5 (742 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 123 West 21st St. Norfolk, Virginia
- Categories: American, Burgers, Breakfast & Brunch
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#19. Doumars Cones & Barbecue
- Rating: 3.7/5 (732 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1919 Monticello Ave. Norfolk, Virginia
- Categories: Barbecue, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Burgers
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#18. Major Phillie Cheesesteaks
- Rating: 3.8/5 (148 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 345 Granby St. Norfolk, Virginia
- Categories: Cheesesteaks, Burgers
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#17. Captain Groovy's Grill & Raw Bar
- Rating: 3.8/5 (686 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8101 Shore Drive Norfolk, Virginia
- Categories: Seafood, Burgers, Desserts
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#16. Famous Uncle Al's
- Rating: 3.9/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5394 Kempsriver Drive Ste 108 Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Categories: New American, Hot Dogs, Burgers
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#15. Village Inn
- Rating: 3.9/5 (413 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 313 Independence Blvd. Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers, Salad
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#14. Winston's Cafe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (202 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1412 Greenbrier Pkwy Ste 133 Chesapeake, Virginia
- Categories: New American, Music Venues, Burgers
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#13. Pembroke Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 633 Independence Blvd. Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Burgers
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#12. Commonwealth Brewing
- Rating: 4.0/5 (216 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2444 Pleasure House Road Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Categories: Breweries, Pizza, Burgers
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#11. Shelton's Big Grill
- Rating: 4.3/5 (330 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 309 Aragona Blvd. Ste 113 Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers, New American
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#10. Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint - Norfolk
- Rating: 4.3/5 (708 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 131 Granby St. Ste 1 Norfolk, Virginia
- Categories: Burgers, American, Beer Bar
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#9. New River Taphouse
- Rating: 4.3/5 (558 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1716 Pleasure House Road Ste 101 Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Categories: Pizza, American, Burgers
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#8. Smashers
- Rating: 4.3/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1551 Premium Outlets Blvd. Ste 270 Norfolk, Virginia
- Categories: Burgers, Hot Dogs, Sandwiches
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#7. Manny's Burger
- Rating: 4.4/5 (74 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2912 Lafayette Blvd. Norfolk, Virginia
- Categories: Burgers
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#6. Salmich's Burgers & Hoagies
- Rating: 4.4/5 (341 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1371 East Little Creek Road Norfolk, Virginia
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches
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#5. 1608 Crafthouse
- Rating: 4.5/5 (712 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1608 Pleasure House Road Ste 103 Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Categories: Gastropubs, Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers
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#4. J&K Style Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (383 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6557 College Park Sq Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Burgers, Waffles
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#3. Gourmet Burger Bistro
- Rating: 4.6/5 (470 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1915 Victory Blvd. Portsmouth, Virginia
- Categories: New American, Burgers, Diners
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#2. Pittie Dog Grill
- Rating: 4.6/5 (58 reviews)
- Address: 4140 Granby St. Norfolk, Virginia
- Categories: Hot Dogs, New American, Burgers
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#1. kitchenfinity
- Rating: 4.8/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9500 Fechteler Road Norfolk, Virginia
- Categories: Desserts, Asian Fusion, Burgers
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 304 metros.
