Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison 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!
#23. One & Only
- Rating: 3.5/5 (42 reviews)
- Address: 1923 Monroe St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Salad, Seafood, Burgers
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#22. Mr Brews Taphouse
- Rating: 3.5/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5271 High Crossing Blvd. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Beer Bar
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#21. Argus Bar & Grill
- Rating: 3.6/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 123 East Main St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, Burgers, New American
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#20. Wilson's Bar
- Rating: 3.6/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2144 Atwood Ave. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Sports Bars, Burgers, Sandwiches
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#19. Eagle Crest Bar
- Rating: 3.6/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3710 County Road T Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Dive Bars, Burgers
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#18. Spartan Pizza
- Rating: 3.6/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5813 Main St. Mc Farland, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Bars, Burgers
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#17. MOOYAH
- Rating: 3.7/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 571 State St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Hot Dogs, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
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#16. Bennett's Meadowood Country Club
- Rating: 3.8/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2009 Freeport Road Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Dive Bars, Burgers, Breakfast & Brunch
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#15. SCONNIEBAR
- Rating: 3.9/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1421 Regent St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Sports Bars, Chicken Wings
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#14. Blue Moon Bar and Grill
- Rating: 3.9/5 (179 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2535 University Ave. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Sports Bars, Pool Halls
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#13. Hank's Burgers & Fish Fry
- Rating: 4.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 4102 Monona Drive Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Fish & Chips, Sandwiches
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#12. The Side Door Grill and Tap
- Rating: 4.0/5 (119 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 240 West Gilman St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Pubs, Burgers
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#11. The Plaza Tavern & Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 319 North Henry St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pubs, Burgers
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#10. The Weary Traveler Freehouse
- Rating: 4.0/5 (698 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1201 Williamson St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Burgers
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#9. Off Broadway Drafthouse
- Rating: 4.0/5 (230 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5404 Raywood Road Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pubs, American, Burgers
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#8. Alchemy
- Rating: 4.1/5 (414 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1980 Atwood Ave. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Burgers
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#7. Dotty Dumpling's Dowry
- Rating: 4.1/5 (703 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 317 North Frances St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Vegan, Vegetarian
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#6. Village Bar
- Rating: 4.3/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3801 Mineral Point Road Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pubs, Burgers, American
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#5. The Caribou Tavern
- Rating: 4.3/5 (80 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 703 East Johnson St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Dive Bars
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#4. Sweet Home Wisconsin
- Rating: 4.4/5 (152 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 910 Regent St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Cocktail Bars
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#3. Settle Down Tavern
- Rating: 4.5/5 (151 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 117 South Pinckney St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, Burgers, Sandwiches
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#2. The Bar Next Door
- Rating: 4.9/5 (40 reviews)
- Address: 4506 Lake Cir Windsor, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Cocktail Bars
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#1. Stadium Take Out
- Rating: 4.9/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 1517 Monroe St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Hot Dogs, 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.
