Oh, man, does Nashville have some good burger joints. Below, I’ve listed my favorites.
Bad Luck Burger Club
Yes, you’ll find the best burger in Nashville in a food truck called The Bad Luck Burger Club. The food truck’s location changes each week; sometimes they’ll be at a Farmer’s Market, sometimes they’ll be at a brewery, and other times they’ll be at a fun Nashville event, like the Night Light Outdoor Movie Series. Wherever they are this week, I highly suggest you find them, get there early to beat the inevitable line, and enjoy the best burger you will ever taste! It’s two smashed patties, American cheese, grilled onions, pickles, and their secret sauce. If you’re lucky, they might have an additional “special” burger on the menu… like the Pimento-OH GEEZ or the Heckin’ Jalapeño.
Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint
Second up, we have Jack Brown’s. There are two locations in Nashville: one in Edgehill and one in Germantown. Their burgers don’t come with lettuce and tomato, so you can go with a regular cheeseburger like I do or one of their specialties like the Cobra Kai, a burger topped with cream cheese, pickled jalapeños, and jalapeño jelly or the Greg Brady, a burger topped with house-made Mac ‘n Cheese, American-Cheddar blend, and Martin’s BBQ chips. Every burger is juicy and cooked to perfection. Make sure to try a local craft beer and order a fried Oreo for dessert.
L.A. Jackson Burger
Next up we have the L.A. Jackson burger from L.A. Jackson, the gorgeous rooftop bar located at the top of the Thompson Hotel in The Gulch neighborhood. This burger is double stacked and comes with American cheese, shire onions, tomatoes, pickles, aioli, and fries. I ordered mine with just cheese cause I wasn’t in the mood for toppings this day. You can also sub a Beyond Burger for $2 if you’re vegan/vegetarian! Wash it all down with the “Frozé”, made with still rosé, strawberry, and lime.
M.L. Rose Craft Beer & Burgers
When in doubt, head to M.L. Rose! It never fails. They have three locations: Sylvan Park, Capitol View, and Melrose. We like the Sylvan Park location because of its big patio but the one in Capitol View is close to shopping, downtown, and also has a patio of its own! I always go with the AN.M.L. Style Burger: two smashed patties, American cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and awesome sauce. I get it without the bun. Why? I’m not sure. The burger is just so good, I feel like I don’t even need the bun. “The Belgian” is another favorite of mine: two smashed patties, smoked gouda, crispy onions, chopped bacon, lettuce, and garlic peppercorn aioli. Make sure to order a “Local Flight”: five miniature local draft beer tastings! Oh, and check out their brunch, too. It’s fabulous!
The MockingBurger from The Mockingbird
I think I’m obsessed with double smashed patties. Here’s another double cheeseburger that is perfect. It comes with American cheese, charred onion, fancy sauce, and fries. You can sub an Impossible Patty, add bacon, OR add a fried egg. Wow. To drink, get the “Punchin’ Bag Cocktail”: the daily punch spiked with your choice of vodka, gin, bourbon, or tequila… served in a bag! Mockingbird is one of my favorite places to go for dinner or weekend brunch. Plus, it’s located in The Gulch (near downtown) next to more food and shopping.
Some other burgers I haven’t tried yet, but I’ve heard great things:
The cheeseburger at Saint Stephen (Germantown)
Joyland (East Nashville)
The Tennessee Burger from Burger Republic (The Gulch)
The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden (East Nashville)
Gabby’s Burger & Fries (We-Ho)
Hugh Baby’s BBQ & Burger Shop (West, East, & Berry Hill)