20 Burger Joints Up North
Take a bite out of these specialty burgers
Summertime is burger time, whether it’s fresh off the grill in your backyard or at your favorite local burger joint. Many of you Northern Express readers might find your favorites on this (non-exhaustive) list from our 13-county coverage area, or perhaps you’ll treat this as an invitation to take a little drive and check out something new. Bon apetit!
Alpine Tavern & Eatery | 220 S. Otsego Ave. #1, Gaylord
The Pub Haus Burger is a half-pound of certified chuck, with bacon, grilled onions, portobellas, cheddar, mozzarella, and pub haus sauce. If you love a good mushroom burger, the portobellos really elevate the flavor. And, there’s a one-pound version, too: the Giant Pub Haus Burger. Meet your dietary guidelines with a gluten free bun.
Beach’s Up North Tavern | 944 US-31, Pellston
Beach’s smoked brisket makes a super tasty burger. The B-Train Burger is created from half-a-pound of freshly ground brisket, and then topped with pulled brisket for a smoky-char flavor—served on a toasted brioche bun with your choice of cheese. Fans call the B-Train burger “insane,” but in a good way.
Bennethum’s Northern Inn | 3917 Old US Hwy 27 S., Gaylord
Bennethum’s BNI Burger is made with tender, flavorful Piedmontese Beef, original to northern Italy, but humanely bred and grass fed here in the States. The BNI comes with sautéed mushrooms and onions, Havarti cheese, and herb mayo on an artisan bun. Or go for the Filet Mignon Sliders, grilled medallions with caramelized onions and herb remoulade on brioche buns.
Bergstrom Burgers | 905 US-31 S., Traverse City
Bergstrom’s has the awards for their fresh, from-scratch, locally sourced dishes. Choose from over a dozen specialty burgers as quarter-pound sliders and half-pound patties. Try the Cherry Bomb, pairing a cherry burger with bacon and aioli, and cherry jam with earthy, assertive raclette cheese for incredible flavor.
Broomstack Kitchen & Taphouse | 172 W Burdickville Rd., Maple City
Flavorful grass-fed beef, locally sourced from Cedar’s Sugar View Farms, comes in 6 oz. smash patties. Get the Spartan Burger with roasted, marinated poblano peppers, and Leelanau Cheese Fromage Blanc, or the Wolverine Burger with avocado, bacon, cheddar, and IPA Mustard. The Peanut Butter and Bacon Burger is described as “crazy amazing.”
The Bungalow Inn | 1339 US-31, Manistee
This spot has been lauded for its “steak-style” burgers, in quarter- or half-pound versions since 1991. Try the Bungalow Burger, a complex trio of flavors derived from grilled chuck, smoked ham and Swiss. Big appetites, or simply the brave, will love the Double Trouble Cheese Burger, made with two half-pound patties.
Cadillac Party Lounge | 516 N. Mitchell St., Cadillac
Word on the street is that this sports bar is the go-to spot for people who like big, juicy burgers. Try the Sticky Burger, char-grilled ground beef with bacon, cheddar, BBQ sauce, and peanut butter. Sticky, yes, but “worth it,” says a fan. While you wait for your burger, enjoy free popcorn, and check out the biggest sports memorabilia collection in the North.
Central Lake Tavern | 2443 Main St., Central Lake
This place gets high marks for just being itself: a local watering hole with cold drinks and a menu that includes seven specialty burgers, not including the plain or cheeseburger. Folks love the Black and Blue Burger, with special seasoning, crispy bacon, blue cheese, onions, and ranch. Their Olive Burger gets a shout out, too.
Dairy Grille | 1111 Bridge St., Charlevoix
Some nostalgia, please. This little walk-up with the takeout window has been serving two-handed, hot-off-the-grill burgers for as long as anyone can remember. (You might have to stand in line, but so worth it.) Never frozen, generously sized quarter- or half-pounders are just the right thickness for perfect flavor every time. The Olive Burgers are a major draw.
Dead Bear Brewing Co. | 2552 South I-75 Business Loop, Grayling
The Eggcellent Burger starts with hand-pattied Angus topped with a fried egg, plus bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and bistro sauce. And, in honor of the wildly popular Aporkalypse sandwich, try the Aporkalypse Burger, topped with in-house smoked pulled pork, ham, bacon, cheddar, and BBQ sauce.
Hammer’s Pub & Grub | 118 Main St., Lake City
The “Hammer House" Bison Burger is 100 percent grain fed American-raised bison, with signature seasoning, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickle on brioche bun. Plus, there’s over a dozen hearty, flavorful toppings for the independents who want to build their own.
Lucky Dog Bar & Grille | 223 S. Benzie Blvd., Beulah
Lucky Dog serves up fresh, flame-grilled burgers. Plus, you can build your own creation with all the toppings, including sauerkraut, chili, house made bar cheese sauce, and house pickled red onion and jalapenos. We think a Chili Burger with cheddar and crisped onions sounds great.
Mayfair Burger Bar | 515 Frankfort Ave., Elberta
“This might be the best burger I’ve ever had,” exclaims one satisfied customer on social media. Choose from 10 variations, but we’re going with the Horsey Burger, with Swiss cheese, mushrooms, onion jam, and horseradish mayo. Mayfair calls itself “elevated fast casual”: the reimagining of fast food, done better…and with ambience.
Mulligan’s | 320 N. Main St., Cheboygan
We like anything that starts out as a steak—in this case, a half-pound of ground Angus, char-grilled, on a gourmet bun. Try the Bourbon Burger with garlic and herb cream cheese spread, mushrooms, house bourbon sauce, and thin, crispy frizzled onions. (Once you’ve gone frizzled, you’ll never go back.)
Oakwood Proper Burgers | 1108 E. 8th St., Traverse City
Smash patties, from Michigan beef, are a generous third-pound, twice the size of a typical smash. The Oakwood Burger is topped with cheddar, bacon, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, and a house-made ranch. Says one chill patron, “THE RANCH!! Best ranch I’ve ever tasted!” Plus, there are veggie burgers and turkey burgers.
Petoskey Brewing | 1844 M 119 Harbor-Petoskey Rd., Petoskey
More smash burgers! These patties are a fresh-daily custom blend from Toski Sands Market, the go-to spot for specialty foods. The Blue Fig Burger is flavor-loaded with fig jam, bacon, arugula, blue cheese crumbles, and sautéed onion on a brioche bun. Enjoy this late-19th century spot, restored in 2012 when Petoskey Brewing moved in.
Provisions Lounge | 123 Water St., Boyne City
Boyne City is a foodie destination, so it’s never easy to choose, but we’re going with the Piedmontese beef burgers, perfectly prepared. The Lounge Burger is the American deluxe, with all the fixings and house-made sauce. Or try the Bacon & Provolone Burger and the Mushroom & Swiss Burger. These things are big, but you can always cut them in half.
Rosie’s Place | 9567 Chippewa Highway, Bear Lake
Every burger starts with half a pound of freshly ground chuck, and there’s a great selection of specialty burgers. Try the Big Moose, with ham, bacon, mushrooms, grilled onion, Swiss, and BBQ sauce. And everyone loves Rosie’s Build-Your-Own Burger.
Trout Town Tavern & Eatery | 306 Elm St., Kalkaska
Start with hand crafted, certified chuck, in 6 or 9 oz. patty, then choose from a half dozen or so specialty flavors. The BBQ Bacon & Brisket Burger is a seasoned patty topped with house-smoked BBQ brisket, caramelized onions, bacon, and smoked cheddar. Bigger appetites like the Jumbo Patty Melt, with 12 oz. grilled chuck, caramelized onions, Swiss, and 1000 Island on grilled rye.
The Upper Bar & Grill | 108 E State St., Fife Lake
Home of the Garbage Burger (and don’t even think about trying to leave something off). Folks love its fresh flavors loaded onto a grilled 6 oz. Angus patty: Swiss and American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions & mushrooms, olive sauce, and pickle, all on a brioche bun. Or try the Smokehouse Burger with Canadian bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, pickles, and onions.