What's the highest-rated burger joint in Asheville? Yelp releases list of top 100 in U.S.

ASHEVILLE - A national search for the most popular patties has made its way to Asheville.

Yelp released its 2023 Top 100 Burgers Spots in the U.S. list with a local restaurant proving it has what it takes to stack up against the competition.

Based on customers’ reviews, the rankings feature the highest-rated eateries offering everything from hearty, meaty burgers with all the fixings to saucy plant-based varieties oozing with flavors.

Juicy Lucy’s Burger Bar and Grill, at 620 Hendersonville Road, made the cut with a No. 48 ranking out of 100 in the nation.

Co-owner Chris Barlas and his brothers opened the restaurant in 2012.

The restaurant’s name and concept are inspired by the cheese-stuffed style of a burger called the “Juicy Lucy,” which Barlas and his siblings grew up making together.

“We opened up and they’re coming in and just making those connections in Asheville is a good feeling, seeing so many come in town and meeting so many nice people who have good things to say,” he said. “It’s a fun place to come and get something good to eat.”

Barlas attributes multiple factors to the burgers’ popularity. The secret isn’t only in the sauce but in the protein quality and preparation method.

Secret sauce

The Cowboy Bacon burger is a bestseller.

“It has my hot sauce that I used to make when I was in college here at UNCA that all my friends loved,” Barlas said. “Every time someone orders that burger, it kind of puts a smile on my face because it’s the hot sauce I made when I was 18 or 19 years old. It’s a good feeling.”

Where’s the beef?

Barlas often opts for the All-American burger, and when he’s got a taste for something new, he goes for the featured burgers that rotate monthly and seasonally.

“It all depends on what protein I’m eating with each burger,” he said.

The local, family-owned restaurant’s burgers reflect Asheville’s eclectic vibe and farm-to-table ethos, he said.

Protein options include Carolina bison from Doctor King’s Farms in Leicester and American Wagyu beef from Providence Farmstead, a family-owned farm that operates in Otto, North Carolina, and Demorest, Georgia.

“We do a lot of special blends, but everyone’s favorite is what we call the Luxe burger,” Barlas said. “We start off with 100% ribeye – we take a big loin that people make steaks with and we grind that everyday. … We hand-patty those like we do our Juicy Lucys, and as soon as we sell out for the day, we’re done.”

Beyond black bean and chicken breast patties are offered, too.

The Juicy Lucy way

Barlas also stands firm on the restaurants’ set standards on cooking methods, particularly when it comes to the Juicy Lucy, which is stuffed with white American cheese.

“It’s only cooked medium or less, so if someone comes in and wants a medium well burger or well done, they can’t do that (to a) Juicy Lucy,” Barlas said. “Any other burger they can do what they want, but the Juicy Lucy is stuffed with cheese so as soon as that cheese starts to come out – that alone and the fat in the middle of the burger gives it that extra juiciness. And cooking it at medium or less, you’re not killing your beef, so to say, or taking all the juices out of it. I think that’s what makes it so great.”

View the full menu at juicylucysburgerbarandgrill.com.

Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q in Atlanta ranked No. 1 on Yelp's Top 100 Burger Spots list. View the full list at yelp.com/article/yelps-top-100-burgers-in-america.

Food news you may have missed:

• Find out which Asheville shop received the second-highest rating in the U.S. on Yelp's 'Top 100 Donuts' list here.

• Find out which Asheville restaurant ranked on Yelp's list of top pizzerias in all of the US and Canada here.

• Read what "Southern Living" magazine said about Asheville and Western North Carolina in its South's Best list here.

Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter/Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville restaurant ranks on Yelp's list of top burger spots in U.S.