BEST BURGERS IN SPOKANE

BEST BURGERS IN SPOKANE

Looking for the best burger in Spokane? From greasy old school spots to gourmet patties, we searched near and far until we narrowed it down to the list below. After sampling gloriously melted cheese, the crunch of fresh tomatoes and pickles, and satisfying mouthfuls of bacon and sautéed mushrooms, these are the best burgers in Spokane we just can’t live without.

So, what makes the best burger the best? Quality meat, ground beef patty, fresh buns, flavor and seasoning, ingredient creativity, creamy spreads, appropriate burger to bun ratio, etc. Can we all agree that there is nothing worse than a burger where the bun overpowers the meat?


Best Burger: Durkin’s Liquor Bar

(415 W Main Ave, Spokane, WA // 509.863.9501)

Best Burgers in Spokane, Washington

This was our all around FAVORITE BURGER. Durkin’s is one of my favorite restaurants in town, so I was hopeful for their burger. They make EVERYTHING from scratch, even their ketchup. This burger is loaded with homemade pickles, american cheese, chopped onions, and dill mayo. It’s so simple but full of flavor. I don’t know how they do it. Y’all need to try this burger. You just do. Durkin’s is owned by the same family that owns Madeleine’s and Casper Fry and their buns come fresh from Madeleine’s kitchen (located next door). If you order the burger on the dinner menu, it comes with two patties.


Best Meat Quality: Downriver Grill

 (3315 W Northwest Blvd // 509.323.1600)

Best Burgers in Spokane, Washington

We are big fans of Downriver. They do a lot and they do it all well. Their meat quality hasn’t been matched. They serve fresh certified 6 oz. angus beef patties made from ground up steak. You can taste the quality meat in each bite. They celebrate Happy Hour ALL DAY on Wednesdays. Which means, you can get the Chef’s Special “burger of the moment” with house truffle chips for only $10 (this burger is only served on Wednesday). They offer two other burgers on their regular menu and they are sure to WOW. My favorite was “Dr. G’s Gourmet Burger” with a big portabella mushroom, crispy fried onions, truffled arugula, and port-peppercorn aioli. The waffle fries are an added bonus.


Best Classic Diner Burger: Wolffy’s Hamburgers

(1229 N Hamilton St, Spokane, WA // 509.487.1587)

Best Burgers in Spokane, Washington

Wolffy’s Hamburgers is everything you would expect when you walk into a 50’s style diner. There is limited seating, all wrapped around the bar. The food is grilled, blended and prepared right in front of you because there is really no room for them to do it elsewhere. The burger patty starts out as a round ball, gets smashed on the grill, flipped, and then smashed some more. This is a hot spot for Gonzaga students. Wolffy’s is no frill, simple, and makes a good diner burger and shake. Rule to a happy life: always add bacon.


Best Food Truck Burger: Short Bus Bistro

(5504 N Maple St Spokane, WA)
 Best Burgers in Spokane, Washington

Just like Durkin’s, their burger is out of this world! It is oozing with cheese, flooded with flavors, and the sweet pickles add that extra crunch. If you are at Casper Fry for lunch, DEFINITELY order this burger. If you order the garlic fries, don’t expect them to be very garlicky.


Most Extravagant Burger: Waddells

(S Regal St, Spokane, WA // 509.443.6500)

Best Burgers in Spokane, Washington

Waddells is Guy Fieri (Diner’s Drive In’s & Dives) approved. This was one of my most recommended burger stops so we went in with high expectations. We really wanted to try their burger challenge and between the both of us we could barely finish the whole thing. We went back on a later date to their other location to try some of their more popular burgers. We tried the Backdraft and the Rube Waddell Burger. All of these burgers are fresh, flavorful, and filling. As for the “Bigger Barnyard Burger Challenge” – come hungry and it’s a really fun experience. If you finish it all on your own you get bragging rights and a certificate. It includes: Chipotle mayo, BBQ, Chef Sauce, tasty bits with two beef patties with shredded lamb smothered in American cheese and ham with cheddar and now topped with our famous corned beef brisket, one chicken strip with bacon and pepper jack, one hotdog split, smoked brisket with smoked gouda and a fried egg just to finish it off.


Best Burger Hangout: Backyard Public House

(1811 W Broadway Ave, Spokane, WA // 509.822.7338)

Best Burgers in Spokane, Washington

Backyard is tucked away in a neighborhood on Broadway (near Maple) and they are a gathering place for all. They offer weekday and weekend activities to keep you entertained. When you go to backyard you aren’t just going for a good meal, you are going for a good time. Check them out on Tuesday for trivia night, Wednesday for Live Music, and Thursday for Corn Hole. They make a mean mushroom & swiss burger. Their buns are made by Alpine Bakery and they are so fresh and fluffy. We also loved their s’mores sundae! I would come back for this alone. Dan would also like to make sure that I mention they have great taste in  music.


Best CHEESE burger: Wisconsin Burger

 (916 S Hatch St, Spokane, WA // 509.241.3083)

Best Burgers in Spokane, Washington

Because who does cheese better than Wisconsin…? Wisconsin burger keeps us coming back time and time again. They can do cheese burgers better than the rest. If you haven’t tried cheese curds, do it here. Wisconsin Burger is inspired by the mom-and-pop burger shops in Wisconsin.  Pictured is the “Germantown” with fresh ground beef, sliced bratwurst, Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar, House-made beer mustard…. BEER MUSTARD, with sauerkraut on a pretzel roll. Don’t forget the cheese curds and the custard.


Best Veggie Burger: Central Food

(1335 West Summit Pkwy // (509) 3135-8036)

Best Burgers in Spokane, Washington

Central Food is located in Kendall Yards, right on the river. You get a great view of the water and downtown Spokane. I love watching people run on the Centennial Trail while I consume large amounts of calories. They use fresh, local ingredients and their meals are just the right size for my belly. This veggie burger was just what I wanted. Every time I eat at Central Food I can tell that the chef cares about what he is putting out and they go the extra mile to ensure good ingredients and careful preparation with each of their dishes.


Best Fast Food Burger: D’lish

(1625 N Division St, Spokane, WA // 509.323.7130)

Best Burgers in Spokane, Washington

D’lish is the In-n-out of the PNW. I say that because their burgers are simple, their fries are fresh and you can even get a burger protein style (wrapped in lettuce). This is my go-to fast food burger. Simply put, it is better than the rest. You can get a double cheeseburger, fries and a drink for a little over 8 bucks. I like their fries well-done.


Best Breakfast Burger: Yards Bruncheon

(1248 W Summit Pkwy. Spokane, WA // 509.290.5952)

Best Burgers in Spokane, Washington

How did it take me this long to find out that you can have a burger for breakfast.. in public. French toast bun with maple syrup on a burger… why didn’t I think of that?! This is a hamburger lovers breakfast DREAM, served with french fries.


Best Burger Lunch Deal: Mary Lou’s Milk Bottle

(802 W Garland Ave Spokane, WA // 509.325.1772)

Best Burgers in Spokane, Washington

Mary Lou’s Milk Bottle is a true Spokane staple. They have a great lunch special where you can get a burger, side, and shake for $8.50, any day of the week. They only take cash or check so come prepared or they have an ATM on site. The “River City Sludge” shake has chocolate, hot fudge and huge brownie chunks. I believe the best kind of shakes are ones you can drink through a straw. This is one of those shakes.


Bonus: Best Burgers in Coeur d’Alene & Seattle

Coeur d’Alene: Crafted Taphouse

(523 Sherman Ave, Coeur d’Alene, ID  // 208.292.4813)

Best Burgers in Spokane, Washington

Crafted was highly recommended by a lot of my instagram followers. Y’all never let me down. The menu was scattered with novel specialty items, none of the usual staples of a typical brew pub. They call their menu “sophisticated gastropub”. Crafted is designed with beautiful, industrial furniture all the way down to the restrooms. In addition to their burger, they are known for their chicken & waffles, come hungry!


Seattle: Uneeda Burger

 (4302 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103 // 206.547.2600)

Best Burgers in Spokane, Washington

It has been months since we ate these burgers but I still think of them often. They made quite an impression. Their burger flavor/seasoning, snoqualmie milkshakes and onion rings are over the top and life-changing. Order at the counter and listen for your name so service is quick. Back to the onion rings… They are massive and they will literally change the way you think of onion rings forever more. I loved their veggie burger. It had A TON of flavor and didn’t fall apart like veggie burgers tend to do. Everyone got a different burger and everyone agreed this place absolutely KILLED IT!


 

Where do you get your favorite burger in Spokane?

Comment below and let me know.

Keep eating, Spokane!

XOXO

32 Comments

  1. I’m all about the Thrifty Scotsman when I need my burger fix. The super ham burger, two meat, two ham, two cheese on a poor buy bun with lettuce tomato and mayo, fries with some of the best tartar sauce around and a peanut butter milkshake. Mmm…my pick for best fast food burger for sure. Nice run down though. I love the Milk Bottle as well. I will definitely will try Durkin’s soon… that looks fantastic!

  2. My brother brought me a burger and said nothing about it… Ate it and exclaimed “this is one of the best burgers I’ve ever had!” He said… That’s exactly what I said when someone bought me one. It was from the rosauers on 29th on the south hill. It’s called the Rosie and it’s only available at lunch time. There’s nothing special about it ingredient wise… It’s just good.

    1. I have gone to that Rosauers for years and have always been a huge fan of their burgers; not to mention they have golden brown perfectly seasoned waffle fries! The deli is all around A+ at the 29th location.

  3. […] We are big fans of Downriver Grill. They do a lot and they do it all well. Their ground beef quality hasn’t been matched. They serve fresh certified 6 oz. Angus beef patties made from ground up steak. You can taste the quality meat in each bite. Their burger was voted Best Meat Quality on our best burgers in Spokane post. Find more HERE.  […]

      1. I was checking their Facebook page today for the hours and it says closed permanently! With an additional post declaring the closure. They will be missed

  4. Hey Chandler! All of these burgers look SO GOOD my mouth is watering. I would have to say that if you haven’t tried the Altamont Burger, you NEED to! The Altamont Burger is a perfect 8oz hand formed patty, with the essential lettuce, tomato, pickle and even a fried egg and bacon if wanted. The best part that tops off the burger is the scrumptious Pimento cheese, right with the perfect browned bun! Writing this is making me want to go and order it right now! Casper Fry is at 928 S Perry St, Spokane, WA 99202. If you go, blog it and let me know what you think of the burger! Love your site!

    1. Yes, thanks for the comment! I tried the burger at Casper Fry after making this post (it is impossible to try them all) and I admitted to regretting I left that burger off. It is SOOO good. I should probably just edit this post to include it, so thanks for the reminder! If you haven’t seen my post on Casper Fry, you can find it here:

  5. alum. With three diverse and accessible Spokane-area restaurants under his belt — a ceviche counter, lobster bar and barbecue pit — local foodies are eager to see where White heads next. (CS) d PLACE: Tony Brown; Ruins, Eyvind, Hunt; d PLACE (tie): Tanya Broesder, Masselow’s Steakhouse, Tyler Schwenk, 1898 Public House; NORTH IDAHO’S BEST: Adam Hegsted; Honey Eatery Social Club, Farmhouse Kitchen, Republic Kitchen Taphouse

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