8 of Milwaukee's best burgers, from fast food to fine dining

The burger may be one of the most ubiquitous items to grace a menu in Milwaukee — from fine-dining destinations to counter-service spots, so many restaurants have their special take on the simple sandwich that’s become a cornerstone of American cuisine. But a good burger — one that you need to put down after a big bite just to let the flavors settle into your memory — those are harder to come by.

Choosing Milwaukee’s best burgers is no small feat. So many restaurants’ burgs have loyal favorites around town, and I’m already anticipating a flood of comments from those who want to share their own (please do!). Maybe your favorite burger leans toward a specific style. Like those that unlock core childhood memories upon first bite, or the ones so inventive it’s like they’ve created a whole new type of burger. Or sometimes, the best burger is just a matter of simple ingredients that coalesce in a way that defies description.

Most burgers are good burgers, but some burgers are great. Here are a few of the greatest found around Milwaukee.

Camino – The Burger

434 S. Second St., Milwaukee; 7211 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis

Some of the best burgers of my life have been griddled up on a teeny grill behind the bar at a cozy dive. And while I wouldn’t call Camino a dive, it’s got that relaxed neighborhood vibe that is the secret seasoning to a top-notch burger.

Camino’s burger ($11) has had my heart since the restaurant opened in Walker’s Point in 2015. There’s beauty in its simplicity — a thick and juicy half-pound patty light on seasoning but high on umami goodness, two shingled slices of American cheese, and soft grilled onions on a glistening brioche bun that satisfyingly squishes under your fingertips when you pick it up.

I love the heft of it and the way the burger juices drip down the bottom bun when you bite in. It’s the perfect companion to a craft beer. Pair it with a bloody and it’s the ultimate hangover helper.

What makes a Camino burger ever better? When they’re just $5 on Mondays during Camino’s dine-in service industry special.

Saint Bibiana – Bibiana Burger

1327 E. Brady St.

Count me as a Saint Bibiana’s evangelist. It was love at first bite when I first tried its stellar smash burger ($14, served with fries) last summer, and I’ve been singing its praises since.

It’s stacked high with two lacey-edged, smashed beef patties, which pull off the difficult feat of being both gorgeously charred around the edges while staying juicy inside. American cheese oozes sinfully down the sides, and a pile of grilled onions, pickle slices and a tangy special sauce dress it all up.

It’s familiar, but the patties are seasoned so well and are so juicy they practically disintegrate the bun as you’re eating (one of my top characteristics in a best-ever burger). Forgive the mess — this burger is worth the extra napkins ... and a few extra seconds to snap a photo before you take a bite.

Crave Cafe – Crave Burger

3592 N. Oakland Ave., Shorewood

“I drive by there all the time! I never knew!”

That’s the reaction I got from a handful of readers when I first gushed about my love for the burgers at this unassuming takeout spot near the UW-Milwaukee campus. But the secret’s out, and the burgers are fancier than you’d think — like the Crave Burger ($9.75), the haute couture of handhelds found in a suburban strip mall.

The burger has a 1/3-pound 100% Angus beef patty that’s lightly seasoned and pink and juicy in the middle, cooked medium by default. It’s topped with melty Swiss cheese, a pile of peppery arugula and rich, caramelized onions. On the bottom bun is a swipe of something special, the pièce de résistance: white truffle aioli. 

I understand that white truffle can be polarizing, but it adds even more umami goodness to the meaty burger — an earthiness that takes it from a darn-good burger to something truly special. And the Crave Burger is special, whether you take it to go or snag a spot at the seven-seat restaurant.

Mazos – Bacon cheeseburger

3146 S. 27th St.

If there’s a blueprint for a classic American cheeseburger, they’re working from it at Mazos, where the menu feels as cozily throwback as the decor at this old-school diner that’s been in business since 1934.

Their regular cheeseburger ($8.75, served with two sides) is a thing of simple beauty: patties made from fresh beef that’s ground daily, pressed in a uniform shape that matches the exact circumference of the glossy, toasted bun that softly crackles when you take a bite.

You can order it plain, or choose to top with raw or fried onions, the fried version being just lightly caramelized enough to add slippery sweetness to the burger. That’s delicious enough, but I say go for the bacon cheeseburger ($9.95, served with two sides) to add some salty-smoky oomph to each bite. The bacon slices are thin but fried to a ruffly crisp and make the whole package look like an advertisement ripped from a long-gone magazine.

I’m only judging the burger here, but I’m so charmed that the burger combo includes time capsule sides, too: a cup of soup, applesauce, coleslaw, baked beans, American fries or french fries. If that doesn’t take you back, the oldie hits piping through the diner’s speakers sure will.

Kopp's Frozen Custard – Cheeseburger

7631 W. Layton Ave., Greenfield; 18880 W. Blue Mound Road, Brookfield; 5373 N. Port Washington Road, Glendale

For so many around Milwaukee, eating a cheeseburger from Kopp’s ($6.75) is like biting into a memory: burgers and custard to celebrate after a ballgame, a good report card or a just-because treat. And while I didn’t grow up with Kopp’s, I can taste the nostalgia from those two-hander jumbo burgers almost as soon as I unfurl the thick white paper they're wrapped in.

Yes, the buns have changed. But the locally made Peter Sciortino’s buns are still toasty, soft and buttery and hold the heft of Kopp’s jumbo burger patties just right. And, ooh, those patties. They’re juicy, meaty and charred along the edges just enough to impart a little smoky flavor, blanketed with a thick, melty American cheese that tastes like the slices your dad topped his burgers with on the grill — in a good way.

You can customize yours with any combination of toppings you like, from simple standards like ketchup, mustard and pickles to heavy-hitters like bacon, jalapenos, bleu cheese or salsa. But don’t skip the grilled onions. They’re soft and sweet, caramelized and a little pungent, and they take the whole Kopp’s burger experience to a luscious level.

The Diplomat – The Diplomac

815 E. Brady St.

When folks ask for ordering recommendations from James Beard-winner Dane Baldwin’s the Diplomat, I’m usually met with a raised eyebrow or two when I mention The Diplomac ($17), the finer dining destination’s ode to the McDonald’s Big Mac.

But it’s more than just a copycat version of a fast-food classic. Sing it with me: "two beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun." They’re all there, but from that bun to the restaurant’s Thousand Island dressing, everything’s made in-house, with fresh, quality ingredients and a perfect cook. Baldwin puts as much care into this burger as he does his showcase entrees like the knife-and-fork chicken or New York strip. And I always love when a renowned chef makes space for special nostalgia on a menu. No number of awards can erase the love of a good burger.

Oscar's Pub & Grille – The Big O

1712 W. Pierce St.

When I’m judging burgers, I tend to go for the classic preparation: a slice or two of cheese, onions, ketchup, mustard, maybe some lettuce and tomato, too. Often, a deluge of festooned toppings can mask the simple deliciousness of a no-frills burg, and, for me, a good burger should be just that ... a good burger.

But I’ll make an exception for The Big O ($10.25, served with fries) at Oscar’s Pub & Grille. That exception’s made possible by the quality of the burger patty — an 8-ouncer marbled with enough fat to make it just dribbly enough but not so greasy it falls apart. It has a nice char around the edges, but I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a smash burger.

Now, for those toppings. Let’s start with a layer of spicy chorizo, crumbled over the burger patty and lavishly spilling over the edges. It adds a depth of flavor to the burger but doesn’t overwhelm the beef underneath. For even more heat, sliced jalapenos are piled on top, only slightly tampered down by a slice of chipotle jack and oozy smoked gouda draped over top. But wait, there’s more! Open wide for thick hickory bacon slices and a scattering of fried onions topping it all. If that’s not enough, The Big O comes with a side of house-made guacamole, which I implore you to swipe under the top bun for a touch of creamy tang.

The monster of a burger could seem like overkill, but its smoky, spicy components are true complements, a toe-curling combination that’s worth every ounce of decadence.

Dairyland – Big Man on Campus

275 W. Wisconsin Ave., inside the 3rd St. Market Hall

If imitation is the best form of flattery, imitation done better than the original is enough to make you blush. That’s what you get with the Big Man on Campus ($12.50) at Dairyland — a double-decker burger that’s the spitting image of the sandwich made famous under those golden arches, but tastes like it’s made with care.

Dairyland’s BMOC has two fresh burger patties, each topped with a thin square of American cheese and crisp, shredded lettuce. In between is a pillowy bun, and on top of it all is a house-made special sauce, pickles and finely diced sizzled onions that add a twang to each bite. The sesame seed bun on top is soft and airy, but won’t collapse as you pick up the burger with both hands. Yes, it’s pure drive-thru nostalgia, but Dairyland does it with finesse — no clowning around.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee's best burgers, from fast food to fine dining