Whether you’re eating outside at a family barbecue or joining friends at your favorite neighborhood hangout, there’s nothing quite like biting into a juicy burger during the summer. Luckily, Louisville has some of the best burger joints around, and we’ve rounded up some of the tastiest options to satisfy your summer cravings. Let’s take a look at some of Louisville’s best burgers.
Your Ultimate Guide to Louisville’s Best Burgers
Mussel & Burger Bar
Downtown: 113 S. 7th Street, Louisville, KY 40202 • (502) 749-6451
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
East End: 9200 Taylorsville Rd, Louisville, KY 40299 • (502) 384-4834
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
As the name suggests, Mussel & Burger Bar is a Louisville favorite for both burgers and mussels. It’s home to some of the most unique burgers in town, offering fun twists on classic burgers as well as a slew of original creations. We recommend the Spanish Blue Burger — a certified Black Angus beef patty topped with La Peral Spanish blue cheese, a pepper crust and fig marmalade, and served with sweet potato fries. With more than a dozen different burger options, you’re destined to find the perfect one for your tastebuds.
The Spanish Blue Burger takes sweet and savory to the next level! Image: @chefdereckray
Ollie’s Trolley
978 S 3rd St., Louisville, KY 40203 • (502) 583-5214
Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ollie’s Trolley, located near Central Louisville and stationed in an old trolley car, is an unconventional lunch spot with a rich history. Ollie’s Trolley opened in 1950 and has served some of the best burgers in Louisville for nearly 70 years. We recommend the Ollie Burger, complete with special Ollie sauce and mozzarella cheese.
If you haven’t tried the Ollie Burger, you need to add it to your Louisville burger bucket list. Image: @priceboywonder
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Game
2295 Lexington Rd, Louisville, KY 40206 • (502) 618-1712 Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.You can get a standard beef or turkey burger nearly anywhere, but if you like your patty on the wild side, Game is the only place to go. Choose from a selection of local lamb, wild boar, duck, elk and more to make your burger like nothing else in Louisville. And if you’re feeling extra hungry, you may want to start with an appetizer of fried frog legs.
When you go to Game, you have to go wild! This is the delicious alpaca burger. Image: @_iamando_
Grind Burger Kitchen
829 E. Market St, Louisville, KY 40206 • (502) 213-0277
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Grind Burger Kitchen is a local hotspot known for its classic burgers and build-your-own features. With tons of toppings and an array of burger combinations, it’s impossible to leave unsatisfied. Try the B&B Burger with brie cheese and bacon — you’ll want to savor every blissful bite!
The B&B burger is what Grind is known for — you can’t go wrong with some bacon and brie!
Stout Burgers
1604 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40205 • (502) 459-8234
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Located on bustling Bardstown Road, Stout Burgers has some of the best burgers in The Ville. The menu is stuffed with well-crafted offerings, each one paired with the perfect, handcrafted beer. We recommend a spin on a Kentucky classic — the Hot Brown Burger, topped with pepper jack cheese, bacon, tomato, a spicy chipotle sauce and, of course, mornay sauce. It’s perfect with the recommended Milk Stout or Porter.
Bunz Burgerz
969 Baxter Ave., Louisville, KY 40204 • (502) 632-1132 Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.; Saturday, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Sunday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.Bunz Burgerz brings a local flair to the Louisville burger scene with offerings like the The Louisville Schroom and The Lexington Roadhouse. The Baxter Avenue Burger, named after their iconic location, is topped with a fried egg and layered with Bunz sauce. Finish off your order with a side of Cheesy Bacon Friez or Fried Mushroomz — they’ll knock your “sockz” off!
The savory Louisville Shroom burger | Image: @flavortown_eats
Drake’s
St. Matthews: 3939 Shelbyville Road, Ste. 101, Louisville, KY 40207 • (502) 614-7327 Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. or later; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Paddock Shops: 3921 Summit Plaza Drive, Louisville, KY 40241 • (502) 384-3921 Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.At Drake’s, the lively social scene is just as enjoyable as the impressive list of mouthwatering burgers. Choose from a plate of two or three mini burgers, or opt for a standard, two-hands-necessary sandwich. We love the Morning Glory Burger, finished with pepper jack cheese, bacon, fire-roasted salsa and a fried egg, and we love eating it in the restaurant’s open-window seating as we soak up the Louisville sun.
We’re ready to join the party at Drake’s with their Morning Glory Burger.
Bluegrass Brewing Company
3rd & Main St: 300 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202 • (502) 562-0007 Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.; Sunday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. 4th Street: 654 South 4th Street, Louisville, KY 40202 • (502) 551-5355 Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m to 11 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.; Saturday, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. Bourbon Barrel Loft (available for private events only): 300 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202 • (502) 562-0090Visit the Bluegrass Barrel Company for Kentucky’s finest selection of burgers and beer. You can build your own or try one of BBC’s specialties. For an intense burger that matches the heat of a Louisville summer, get the Donte’s Inferno Burger. It’s topped with fried jalapeños and Donte’s Secret Inferno Sauce, and it’s sure to make your mouth water.
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Home Run Burgers & Fries
Hurstbourne: 2723 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy, Louisville, KY 40220 • (502) 409-7004
Hours: Monday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Middletown: 12949 Shelbyville Road, Louisville, KY 40243 • (502) 384-8403
Hours: Monday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Old Louisville: 303 W Cardinal Boulevard, Louisville, KY 40208 • (502) 708-1818
Hours: Monday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
With 28 different options for sauces and toppings at Home Run Burgers, you’re sure to score with a burger that is as unique as you are. Layer your choices on one, two or three patties, or you can order a pre-built burger. The Bases Loaded Burger comes with fried egg, double bacon, grilled onions, Home Run sauce and your choice of cheese.
At Home Run Burgers & Fries, there are endless possibilities for your own personalized burger.
Harvest
624 E Market St, Louisville, KY, 40202 • (502) 384-9090
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
At Harvest, located in the heart of NuLu, farm-to-table meets burger goodness with 80% of Harvest’s ingredients sourced from within 100 miles of the restaurant — a fresh, local burger is a tasty burger. The Harvest Burger comes with Broadbent bacon and Kenny’s Norwood cheese; essentially, it’s Kentucky on a bun.
The Harvest burger is both fresh and delicious — sounds perfect to us!
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