Long gone are the days when a McDonald's Big Mac and a Burger King Whopper were our only options to satisfy our burger cravings in the Magic City. Now, Miami is home to an array of delicious burger and cheeseburger spots — some even of the award-winning variety.
From La Birra Bar in Wynwood and Blue Collar in Edgewater to pop-ups like Cowy Burger in Wynwood and Doral and Ted's Burgers in Wynwood (with a brand new brick-and-mortar location in the works — more on this soon), these are the ten best burgers in Miami.
Babe's Meat & Counter
9216 SW 156th St., Miami786-429-1315
babefroman.com The custom butcher and sandwich shop, which was established more than a decade ago as a mom-and-pop business at Pinecrest Farmer's Market by Melanie Schoendorfer and her husband Jason, has been a brick-and-mortar shop for the past six years — and a haven for smash burger lovers in Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay (finally!). The shop produces all of its meats in house, including bacon and a curated selection of high-end specialty meats. Today, the most popular menu item is the "Babe's" burger, a smash burger cooked to order on the grill, then topped with American cheese, housemade pickles, and sriracha mayo, and placed on a Martin's potato roll. Real burger lovers love Babe's.
Blue Collar
6730 Biscayne Blvd., Miami305-756-0366
www.bluecollarmiami.com Not all burgers are created equal. Some go the extra mile, whether via customization options, a special meat blend, or that one ingredient that makes all the difference. At Blue Collar, you get all of that (and one of the most delicious buns in the city). It begins with the USDA Prime dry-aged New York strip/brisket blend patty, cooked to order from blue to rare to well done. Toppings are numerous, but the classic melted cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion come standard (throw on a latke if that feels right). It's served on a not-so-classic Portuguese muffin, which makes this take on an American staple even better. The muffin absorbs all the juice, so there's no dribbling when you shove this baby full force into your pie hole.
Burger Beast Pop-Up at Mojo Donuts
8870 SW 40th St., Ste. 13, Miamiburgerbeast.com/burgersThis list would not be complete without the smash burger expert's delicious "Hijo de Cruz Diablo" burger. The Beast's burger pop-up at Mojo Donuts on Bird Road sells out within the first two hours of opening — and for good reason. The "Hijo de Cruz Diablo" is his most popular smash burger: double smash 3.5-ounce patties, American cheese, crisp onions and jalapeños, "spicy-ish" special sauce, and guava sriracha ketchup on a sesame seed bun. The Burger Beast pops up at Mojo on the second and fourth Saturday of the month from noon to 3 p.m.
Cowy Burger
Fridays at 12 Street Beer + Pizza in DoralSaturday & Sunday at J. Wakefield Brewing in Wynwood
cowyburger.comWinner of the Very Best Burger Award at South Beach Wine & Food Festival's annual Burger Bash, Cowy Burger is a newcomer on the scene, but it's already amassed a loyal following. Located as a pop-up at 12 Street Beer + Pizza in Doral every Friday and at J. Wakefield Beer in Wynwood every Saturday and Sunday, the burger spot won over the judges for its "Cowy" burger made up of an Angus beef smash patty, American cheese, bacon jam, grilled onions, and secret cowy sauce (mayo and herbs). That bacon jam alone is what got them on our list. Check out their website and Instagram for the exact locations they will be. (They even pop up in Fort Lauderdale!)
The toppings at La Birra Bar take its burgers up a notch, and they'll be available during New Times' Burger Week.
La Birra Bar photo
La Birra Bar
14831 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami Beach250 NW 24th St., Miami
305-705-2143
labirrabarusa.comCofounders and family members Daniel, Roxana, and Renzo Cocchia will tell you La Birra Bar was conceived as an extension of Daniel's parents' rotisserie deli in Buenos Aires. Today, fans of the brand call that hometown location "the temple," with its myriad menu options and the family's self-described obsession with the "perfect burger." It begins with the patty, a proprietary blend hand-chopped from various cuts of beef. Next, the bun is hand-kneaded and baked fresh daily for a light and fluffy texture. As for the toppings, everything is made from scratch, from the pickles to the crisp onions to the sauces. You can keep it simple with a cheeseburger, a six-ounce patty topped with American cheese. Or, go savory with the "Baby Blue," topped with bacon bites, stewed onion, barbecue sauce, and blue cheese, or, find out why butter makes everything better with the "Wisconsin," a seven-ounce beef patty with American cheese, stewed onion, and butter. Plus, they just opened a location in Wynwood for those living more down south.
Over Under
151 E. Flagler St., Miami786-247-9851
overundermiami.comNo bar in Miami embraces its home state of Florida quite like Over Under. From the neon mosquito drinking a martini to the fried alligator bites on the menu, every detail of this cool spot reminds imbibers exactly where they are. Whether it's karaoke and fruity drinks or a beer and a shot paired with one of the best cheeseburgers in town (made with Florida-raised beef, no less) you're looking for — Over Under can match the vibe and then some. It's one of those places where timing is everything because the mood changes over the course of an evening, but you can always expect to have a good time without having to get all glammed up. Plus, did we mention its cheeseburgers? Go grab one. You're welcome.
Pincho
Various locationspincho.comSouth Florida’s beloved burger concept is best known for its numerous, out-of-the-box creations, a roster including a monthly special feature. Of course, fan favorites like "Pipo’s Choice" — smoked gouda, fried sweet plantain bits, applewood-smoked bacon, grilled onions, potato sticks, and guava ketchup — never go out of style. Neither does the "Fritanga," with fried queso blanco, cabbage slaw, and crema. Or, if you're looking for something different, there's the "Toston" burger, that same seasoned patty doused in cilantro sauce and served between two fried plantain "buns." However, of the seven burgers on Pincho's permanent menu, we suggest you start with the eponymous "Pincho." Served on a dense brioche bun, the savory patty is topped with melted cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, a housemade secret sauce, and julienned potatoes that are fried fresh for a satisfying crunch, much like the ones found on the best fritas in Miami.
Skinny Louie
322 NW 24th St., Miami786-362-5222
skinnylouieburgers.comSkinny Louie in Wynwood has blown up on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok in January — and for good reason. Its simple burger menu, with the option to pair your burger with fries or a milkshake and to make it a double or a triple, is bringing the nostalgia aspect to Miami's smash burger scene. The menu includes a double cheeseburger, an applewood bacon burger, and the "Skinny Louie Cheeseburger," made with American cheese, tomato, lettuce, onion, ketchup, and mustard. Reviews on social media are mixed, but influencer Nick Pena (@thefoode) calls Skinny Louie's burger "absolute fire," "the real deal," and "💣.com."
A delicious photo of Ted's Burgers' famous "OKC Fried Onion" smash burger covered in sauce and cheese.
Ted's Burgers photo
Ted's Burgers Pop-Ups
120 NW 24th St., Miamiinstagram.com/teds_burgersWhen you think of a smash burger in Miami, no one embodies the art quite like Ted's. The idea of making delicious burgers was born in Teodoro Armas' backyard, where they were a hit with friends and family and then, thanks to social media and word of mouth, Miami's best-kept secret. These days, you'll find Armas' pop-ups across Miami, where fans line up for up to an hour to get a taste of his "OKC Fried Onion Burger" made with special "T" sauce and fried onions, and the "American Classic," prepared to order with your choice of a single, double, or triple patty. Finished on a Martin's potato roll, these are the ideal smash burgers. To find out where Ted's is popping up next, follow Ted's on Instagram.
The USBS Burger
Photo by Victor Mayoli/@ThankfulMonster
USBS at the Citadel
8300 NE Second Ave., Miami305-537-6624
usbsmiami.comUnited States Burger Service (USBS) became wildly popular after married chefs Mike Mayta and Keily Vasquez began serving the burgers at their Wynwood pop-up. The business soon became a brick-and-mortar location inside the Citadel Miami, and now it's a go-to for smash burger connoisseurs. "Only by smashing ground beef into a flattop can you create this beautiful meat candy crust that I thought only existed in burger dreams," opines Burger Beast Sef Gonzalez. Enough said.
