There's nothing quite like a juicy burger. Whether you're craving a classic cheeseburger, a vegan patty, or an out-of-the-box creation, Bloomington offers them all. You won't be disappointed in the range of flavors and the wealth of restaurants that offer the famous American sandwich in the area.
Big Woods Bloomington
Big Woods offers four incredible burgers on their menu: the Brew Burger, Go Big Burger, Spicy Bacon Ranch Burger, and Candied Bacon Bomb Burger.
- The Big Woods Burger // Hand-pressed ground beef patty, cheddar cheese, butter lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle on brioche.
- The Hoosier Burger // Hand-pressed ground beef patty, double pepper jack cheese, smoked bacon, house-smoked pulled pork, and maple bourbon barbecue on brioche.
- The Spicy Bacon Ranch Burger // Blackened, hand-pressed ground beef patty, twice-smoked bacon, pepper jack cheese, fresh jalapenos, and peppercorn ranch on brioche.
Each creation sounds so incredible that it's nearly impossible to choose just one — and this is only the first restaurant on our list.
Bub's Burgers & Ice Cream
Photo by Bub's Burgers & Ice Cream
Bub's Burgers serves a traditional cheeseburger, but don't let that deter you from giving it a try. While they offer classic beef burgers with your choice of lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, they also offer elk burgers with the same choice of toppings. Elk meat is low in fat, calories, and cholesterol, and it's high in protein.
Bub's also offers a fun food challenge: order (and finish) the "Big Ugly," a one-pound elk or beef burger with your choice of toppings, to have your photo taken and posted in the restaurant for years to come.
BuffaLouie's
BuffaLouie's is known for their insanely delicious chicken wings, but they also serve nearly ten burgers. Customers can choose between two all-beef patties or an Impossible Burger, which is great for those with a plant-based diet. BuffaLouie's offers a classic American cheeseburger, but some creative favorites include:
- The Shroom 'n' Swiss // Bacon, Swiss cheese, grilled mushrooms & onions, and Louie's 87 sauce.
- The Gables // Fresh Avocado, Melted Swiss Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, and Ranch Dressing.
- The Sweet Lou // Bacon, cheddar cheese, an onion ring, and sweet barbecue sauce.
FARMbloomington
Photo by FARMbloomington
FARMbloomington offers two burgers, one of which has been named the Best Burger in Indiana by Food Network Magazine. The award-winning Lugar Burger includes a bison patty seasoned with FARM's Columbus Cowboy rub, potato salad, lettuce, onion, tomato, and kosher dill pickles on a brioche bun. It's a burger you're not likely to find anywhere else!
While the Hoosier Legacy Beef Burger doesn't have any accolades, it's just as delicious. The burger is assembled with a beef patty, cheddar cheese, pickled red onions, tomato & bacon jam, potato salad, lettuce, onion, tomato, and kosher dill pickles on brioche.
Fat Dan's Chicago-Style Deli
Photo by Fat Dan's Chicago-Style Deli
Fat Dan's is a Chicago-style deli that serves nearly 15 insanely creative burgers. While they do offer a good 'ole American-style burger, everything else on the menu is extremely unique. Just a few of their burger concoctions include:
- The North Ave. Fat Burger // Teriyaki glaze, Swiss cheese, and sautéed mushrooms.
- The Fat Havana Burger // Smoked pork, smoked maple ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, Goya mojo, and yellow mustard.
- The Wake 'n' Bake // Smoked bacon, smoked maple ham, smashed tater tots, American cheese, a fried egg, and a butter-brushed bun.
- The Gobble Gobble // Ground turkey patty, provolone cheese, red onion, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and honey Dijon mustard.
- The Not-so-Fat Veggie Burger // Veggie patty, avocado, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, shredded carrots, and honey Dijon.
For those who are indecisive because every burger on the menu sounds so ridiculously good, the restaurant also offers burger flights with your choice of three sliders.
Hinkle's Hamburgers
Hinkle's Hamburgers is Bloomington's no fuss, no frills burger joint. Serving the community since 1930, Hinkle's is that hole-in-the-wall establishment you want to find in every town you visit. Their burger selection is extremely simple: the Hinkle burger, the Hinkle burger with cheese, the double Hinkle, and the double Hinkle with cheese.
Hive
Photo by Hive
Hive now serves four mouth-wateringly delicious smashburgers:
- The Hive Burger // A single or double smash-patty with pickles, grilled onions, and American cheese.
- The Fried Egg Burger // The Hive Burger + a fried egg.
- The Bacon Burger // The Hive Burger + bacon.
- The Deluxe // The Hive Burger + shredded lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mayo, and mustard.
Between Hinkle's and Hive, there's no reason to visit Steak 'n' Shake ever again — the B-Town businesses serve the same style of burger, but so much better.
The Tap
Photo by The Tap
The Tap is known for their enormously robust beer selection (they serve over 400 brews), but their food is not to be underestimated. Everything on the menu is delicious, but the burgers in particular are something special. They serve six different burgers:
- The Beer Cheese Burger // Half a pound of premium beef, smothered with house-made beer cheese and topped with Applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, and red onion on a brioche bun.
- The Mac 'n' Cheese Burger // The Beer Cheese Burger + mac 'n' beer cheese.;
- The Black Bean Burger // A black bean patty, lettuce, tomato, red onion, fresh guacamole, sun-dried tomato aioli, and cilantro cream sauce on brioche.
- The Angus Slider // Angus beef, Brie cheese, and bourbon bacon jam on a pretzel bun.
Upland Brewpub
Photo by Upland Brewpub
Upland is Bloomington's most well-known brewery. Their hand-crafted beers are what landed them on the map, but their food is a force to be reckoned with as well. Their menu includes seven burgers with the choice of a beef, bison, veggie, or Impossible Burger patty:
- The Classic Burger // Lettuce, tomato, onion, and your choice of cheese.
- The Bad Elmer's Fav Burger // Sharp cheddar, Applewood-peppered bacon, house-made Bad Elmer's Porter barbecue sauce, lettuce, tomato, and onion.
- The Blue Flame Burger // Bleu cheese jalapeno spread, lettuce, tomato, and onion.
- The Inferno Burger // Jalapeno pepper jack cheese, banana peppers, house-made Campside habanero sauce, lettuce, tomato, and onion.
- The Beer Cheese Burger // Applewood-peppered bacon, house-made Dragonfly IPA cheese, and grilled onions.
- The Sweet Plum Burger // Smoked gouda, Applewood-peppered bacon, arugula, and sweet plum.
Yogi's Bar & Grill
Photo by Yogi's Bar & Grill
Yogi's, like Nick's, is an Indiana University rite of passage. The restaurant is decked out in Hoosier fanfare and trendy art, making it a seriously cool space. Even better than their decor is their burger selection — they offer four burgers, all served on a brioche bun with your choice of lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickles:
- The Big Yogi Cheeseburger // American cheese, spicy yo sauce, shredded lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles.
- The Mushroom Swiss Burger // Sauteed mushrooms, swiss cheese, lettuce, mayo.
- The Ranch Burger // Two smash-patties grilled with Cool Ranch Dorito mozzarella cheese in between, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and Cajun ranch.
- The No More Mr. Rice Guy // A veggie burger made with grains and vegetables, topped with fresh guacamole.
Looking for more of Bloomington's best food? Check out the following blogs:
