Nearly 100K votes cast in Indy's Best Burger Bracket. Vote in the final round

Willpower. Drive. Grit. A steady, borderline unsettling supply of beef.

That's what it takes to thrive in IndyStar’s Burgers and Fries Bracket challenge. After three rounds, nearly 100,000 votes and much spirited debate, only two competitors remain. The Hampionship is set.

In the hotly contested Frynal Four, No. 1-seeded 317 Burger toppled No. 1 Workingman’s Friend 2,432 votes to 1,055, while No. 3 Flamme Burger continued its dominant run, extinguishing No. 2 Fire by the Monon 11,705 to 6,178.

Before Flamme Burger and 317 Burger battle for flame-grilled glory, let’s take a closer look at last round’s matchups.

Flamme Burger stays dominant

The Frynal Four results are probably surprising, maybe even alarming, to some readers. However, the vote counts almost perfectly mirror the amount each contender has promoted itself throughout the tournament.

Fire by the Monon repeatedly encouraged its customers to vote on its website and Facebook page. 317 Burger posted a few callouts on Instagram. Workingman’s Friend, true to its analog, blue-collar vibe, didn’t campaign online at all from what I saw. Meanwhile, Flamme Burger owner Henri Najem told me he sent the bracket to thousands of restaurant staff, guests and friends, a totally legal but possibly controversial move.

I anticipate receiving at least a few messages decrying Flamme Burger’s strategy. How is it fair for a restaurant to win best burger and fries in Indianapolis when possibly hundreds of votes came from people who have never set foot in Indy? Alas, IndyStar’s regulatory power has its limits — we can’t quite track down every voter and demand they describe Flamme Burger’s fry seasoning in precise detail.

Remember, we’re talking about a March Madness-themed burger contest here. Let’s try not to turn it into a damning indictment of democracy, OK?

Workingman’s Friend finally stumbles

Standing between Flamme Burger and our nonexistent trophy is 317 Burger, which eked out a win over the tournament’s presumed favorite, Workingman’s Friend.

Of all the results so far, I imagine this will stir the most outcry. Workingman’s Friend is an Indianapolis institution, as timeless as it is greasy. Even though the Near Westside icon has sold everything from T-bone steaks to daiquiris throughout its 106 years, it feels like the menu has never deviated from the blueprint: piled-high smash burgers, fistfuls of French fries and frosty glasses of foamy beer.

The fact that Workingman’s Friend survived two rounds with hardly any promotion is a testament to its sterling reputation. If you think its exit from the tournament is an unforgivable injustice, I encourage you to swing by for lunch on a random weekday. The bustling crowd of eager eaters, many of whom likely have no idea this bracket exists, should reassure you that Workingman’s Friend will be just fine.

An Indy institution: 8 weird things about Workingman's Friend, the best blue-collar burger place in town

There’s a clear favorite for the crown, but it’s not over yet

With 41,852 total votes through three rounds, Flamme Burger looks like a juggernaut compared to 317 Burger’s 5,765 total votes. Even I admit 317 Burger will need an unprecedented flood of support to topple Najem’s eatery. Najem recently told me via email, “this is a competition and we do not compete to lose.”

Still, thousands of votes have been cast for places other than Flamme. With seven days to campaign and compete, anything could happen. Besides, what’s a tournament without an underdog?

Yes, this bracket has and will continue to deliver heartbreak. I'd argue that's par for the course. Whether from premature tournament elimination or gooey heaps of processed cheese, heart pain might be the only guarantee in life for burger lovers.

IndyStar Best Burger and Fries Frynal Four results

You can view the final voting tallies from both matchups here. Be sure to place your votes for the championship in the next section.

(1) 317 Burger beat (1) Workingman’s Friend 2,432 to 1,055

(3) Flamme Burger beat (2) Fire by the Monon 11,705 to 6,178

More Indy food news: No Indiana chefs made James Beard finals this year, but state has several top restaurants

Vote in the final round of the Burgers and Fries Bracket Challenge

In the form below, select the restaurant with the burger and fries you enjoy most. You can vote as many times as you want between now and noon on Wednesday, April 10. We will announce the winner shortly thereafter.

Think your favorite burger joint should have gone farther? Did it get snubbed from the bracket entirely? Just want to send an enraged all-caps email to someone?

Let me know me at [email protected] so I can check it out. I’ll be visiting a handful of readers' favorite spots on and off the bracket to render my own verdict. For now, vote in the poll below and be sure to share with the fellow burger fans in your life.

One last time, the ball is tipped — or rather, the patty is flipped.

Contact IndyStar dining reporter Bradley Hohulin at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter/X @BradleyHohulin.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IndyStar Best Burger & Fries Bracket: 2 Indianapolis favorites remain