Oklahoma City is currently experiencing a Golden Age of burgers. And given that we’ve always had great burgers – onion burgers, old-fashioned burgers and specialty burgers – this means we have some of the best in the world. Don’t believe me? Over the past several years, celebrities like Jay-Z, Alton Brown and Mike Rowe have fallen in love with one or another of our cheeseburgers.
We have rounded up some of the best options in OKC and divided them into categories so you can find your preference faster. Since onion burgers originate just west of the city in El Reno, we’ll start with our state’s most popular culinary contribution.
Onion Burgers
Nic’s Grill still has the hearts of many burger lovers. The old-school spot on Penn Ave. still has a line most days, and the delicious mess that is their basket of onion burger and fries remains one of the most popular indulgences.
Sun Cattle Co. opened last year and immediately became one of the favorite options. The West Village spot has an excellent onion burger and hand-dredged onion rings that compete for the city’s best. It was their burger that caused Mike Rowe to dub it “the best onion burger I’ve ever had.”
With five locations across the metro, you’re close to a Tucker’s wherever you are. We love the vintage feel to Tucker’s. But we love the burgers even more! Bonus points for Tucker’s because they have options for our vegan and vegetarian friends as well.
Old-Fashioned Burgers
Paseo Grill is better known for dinner, but their classic cheeseburger is almost a best kept secret. Some days I’m convinced this is the best burger in the city. It’s consistently perfect, made with trimmings from tenderloin and ribeye and accompanied by French fries that deserve an award in their own right.
Bar Arbolada's single or double is exactly what a burger should be. It’s so good, that Alton Brown called it “the best double cheeseburger in America.” As lore would have it, Jay-Z was taken by this burger as well. The edges are crispy and caramelized, and the veggies are finely diced. Each bite is perfection.
GHST’s double cheeseburger, like Arbolada’s, is an homage to fast food that exceeds the inspiration in quality and taste.
Patty Wagon is about as old school as it gets, including the phenomenal tater tots. They manage to have a foot in both old-fashioned burgers and the specialty burger world. Specialty burgers add additional flavor components. For example, their Red Dirt burger is a bacon cheeseburger with grilled onions and barbecue sauce.
Served on a literal silver platter with crinkle fries next to it, the Spark Burger looks and tastes classic. Order a chocolate shake to finish off the meal.
Specialty Burgers
Spark is also putting their own spin on the classic meal. They weren't the first place to put pimento cheese on a burger – and that person should get enough money to retire immediately – but they have a remarkable version in their BLC Spark, complete with a cheddar crisp and lovely house-made pickles. Oh, and because it’s Oklahoma, they add bacon and Prairie Ranch.
Burger Punk puts Doritos on a burger, and it’s so good you’ll forgive them for it. Maybe that doesn’t need forgiving. The Clash burger also features hoisin mayo and fried jalapenos and onions to accompany the Nacho Cheese Doritos. It’s an absolute flavor bomb.
R&J Lounge quietly has three of the best burgers in the city, but let’s talk about the South West burger, made with fried jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, chili lime aioli and fresh pico de gallo. One happy day, they’ll have a slider flight with the Umami burger and Lamb burger to go with the spicy awesomeness that is the South West burger.
This list could be twice as long, honestly. It seems wherever you go in Oklahoma City, you’ll find burger magic, and many of the places above have multiple selections that could easily have been included. Enjoy your burger adventure, as it’s nearly impossible to go wrong.
