Before Michelin, before modern Mexican cuisine, before fancy steakhouses and sushi omakases, Austin was a burger town. And not the fancy cheese, artisanal bun and chipotle aioli type places. We’re talking reasonably sized burgers, usually cooked on ancient flat tops, with traditional toppings. Pork belly, no. Extra-crispy bacon, yes.
These are the 10 best places in Austin serving classic burgers. Restaurants must have opened in the 1980s or earlier to be considered for this list, which features one joint that has been around for 100 years. And, if burgers aren’t your thing, maybe we can interest you in some of the city’s best seafood, tacos or fine dining restaurants.
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MATTHEW ODAM/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
This Austin institution opened in 1987 and serves burgers with a depth and history of flavor that make one believe the same flattop grill has been in service that entire time. That’s a good thing. The broad burgers aren’t smashed and aren’t thick jaw-jackers. They’re somehow the perfect size to eat as either a single or a double (which I do, bacon added). I don’t know. You do the math.
WebsiteAddress: 2911 San Jacinto Blvd.MIKALA COMPTON/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Take a walk back in time at the local restaurant chain that Dan Junk started in 1973. Daughter Katie Congdon has been at the helm since 1998, and little has changed with the classic backyard burger dressed with mustard, lettuce, tomato, pickles and just the right amount of grease.
WebsiteMultiple locations: 4308 Menchaca Road | 844 Airport Blvd. | 5602 N. Lamar Blvd. | 610 Old San Antonio Road, Buda MATTHEW ODAM/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Longtime Posse veteran J.V. Cook and his son, Bryan, took over operations of this campus institution about 20 years ago, after the passing of founder David Peck. Little has changed over the years at the wood-paneled bar with a bookshelf, which is actually quiet enough in the daytime for studying. If you haven’t skipped college math, you’ll know the thick 1/3-pound burger on the single will probably do the trick. Get a side of the queso that carries a little sting for dipping burger bites and breaded fries.
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PROVIDED BY TOP NOTCH
What I love about those charcoal-grilled burgers: I get older and they stay the same flavor. Or, something like that. Whether it’s that place in North Carolina your parents took you to on a road trip in your youth or a childhood dream of Burger King, there’s no escaping the time-machine trip created by a chargrilled burger. This Austin legend (made famous in “Dazed and Confused”) delivers on the nostalgic flavors and aesthetic.
MATTHEW ODAM/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
The Capitol-area legend is the only place on this list that asked me how I wanted my burger cooked. They delivered it dark pink medium as requested, with crusty crags hit by the broiler. No other place on this list is gonna offer you mac and cheese, Fritos, pasta salad or potato salad as a side. TCP is one of one.
MATTHEW ODAM/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Phillip Maldonado and his sister, Christina, continue the charbroiled legacy their parents established in 1973. The burgers take a kiss of the flame as they pass over the fire on a conveyor belt. Charbroiling marks the edges of the burgers that are blanketed in cheese. The burgers start at a 1/4 pound, a fact that upset the Golden Arches enough to send a couple of terse letters to the family back in the ’80s. The framed letters sit on the wall next to a series of pictures honoring LBJ High legend Phillip’s minor league baseball career. An injury ended the catcher’s dreams of throwing out runners, but he still throws down a solid burger.
SARA DIGGINS/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
I lived in the apartment complex behind Sandy’s for several years, and the scent of burgers led me to walk up to the restaurant, built in 1946, more times than I care to admit. The no-frills burgers are a testament to the beautiful basics of the form. No matter where you grew up, or when, this burger will likely remind you of your childhood fast-food favorite. Bonus points for the custard, the malts, the hot dogs and the corndogs. I’ll just get my hat …
WebsiteAddress: 603 Barton Springs Road
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AMERICAN-STATESMAN FILE
Robert Mayfield purchased his dad’s Dairy Queen locations in 1979, and the following year opened this restaurant on the site of a former DQ. So, it’s fair to say the DNA of the Texas Stop Sign runs through this independent store, which features burgers, dipped cones and hospitality similar to the outposts of Mayfield’s local DQ empire.
MATTHEW ODAM/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Late Sandy’s owner Jearl Ledbetter already knew the formula for the classic drive-thru restaurant when he opened his first pint-sized takeout burger stand in 1984: A slightly sweet bun to soak up the remnants of grease from the thin, griddled patties and enough fresh veggies to keep things lively.
WebsiteMultiple locations: 1144 Airport Blvd. | 12784 Research Blvd. | 2217 E. Seventh St. | 3001 W. Anderson Lane | 6603 Berkman Drive | 6920 B Menchaca RoadWishlist
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No one dishes on the Austin food scene like Matthew Odam.
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Sep 18, 2026|Updated Sep 18, 2026 9:10 a.m.
Restaurant critic and reporter
Native Austinite Matthew Odam has served as the Austin American-Statesman’s restaurant critic and reporter since 2011. He also writes travel and feature stories for the newspaper, where he has worked since 2007. A winner of numerous state and national awards, Odam has also contributed to Bon Appetit, Conde Nast Traveler, Food & Wine, The New York Times, Texas Highways Magazine and more. When he’s not eating, traveling or thinking about eating, he’s enjoying life with his wife, two daughters and two adopted dogs; cheering for the Astros and Rockets; and relaxing in the Hill Country.