Top 5 Burger Joints in Ohio

There is  perhaps no better way to pig out than with a plump hamburger! Ohio has some excellent burgers, and to prove it, I have compiled a list of The Top 5 Burger Joints in Ohio (according to ME)!

A Galley Boy from Swensons! Photo by Mike Evans.

1. Swensons Drive-Ins: Swensons has only seven locations and they can all be found in beautiful  Northeast Ohio. The very first of these yummy establishments was erected in 1934  near Market Street in West Akron. Now, you can also find  Swensons in North Akron, Kent, Montrose, North Canton, Jackson Township, and Seven Hills. These restaurants  have been recognized numerous times as having some of the BEST burgers in the  nation, including Forbes Magazine, who gave Swensons the title of America's Best Burger. Swensons was also featured on The Food Network's show "Food Feuds"  in which it won the title of the "Best Juicy Double Cheeseburger in the Akron Area." These are just some of the morsels of praise Swensons has received throughout the decades. The Galley Boy hamburger is what to get when you go there. It is famous for its two mysterious special sauces that are slathered  all over a double cheeseburger and garnished with a single green olive.

2. Kewpee Burger: I had never heard of Kewpee Burger until a  coworker and I made a random trip to Northwest Ohio. In search of a cheap yet  different lunch, my coworker spotted the Kewpee Burger  restaurant and excitedly squealed into the parking lot. The building  looked like it was straight from the 1960s and had an over-sized baby doll  donning a chef's hat on its sign. Looking past the weird baby dolls and inspecting  the menu, it looked like your standard McDonald's  menu - only cheaper! The prices seemed as frozen in time  as the burnt orange decor! I ordered the  cheeseburger combo meal that came with fries and a soda. As it turns out, there are  only five Kewpee Burger locations still in existence, three of which are in  Lima, Ohio. It was founded in 1923 and is the 2nd oldest hamburger fast  food chain in the world! In fact, Kewpee Burger is where Dave Thomas used to go growing up  as a kid and served as his inspiration for Wendy's. This was some rich fast food history that originated  right here in Ohio!

The Thurmanator! Photo from Bodybuilding.com

 

 

3. Thurman Cafe: Located in the quaint neighborhood of German Village in Columbus, this burger joint has garnered a great deal of fame, as it has appeared on national television, most notably on the Travel Channel's hit show "Man Vs. Food." On the show, the host takes on the challenge to attempt to eat the ginormous burger "The Thurmanator." It's quite an impressive sandwich that consists of two 3/4 pound beef patties under a half a pound of ham and bacon, covered in mozzarella, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, mushrooms, sauteed onions, pickles, jalapeno peppers and mayo. WHEW! It's so massive that the bodybuilders who come to Columbus each year for the Arnold  Fitness Classic come here to wolf one down. The normal sized burgers are indeed delicious here as well, but be warned that because of its appearance on TV, there is often a wait involved.

A burger from Fathead's Saloon. Photo by Mike Evans

4. Fathead's Saloon: Take one look at the photo above of the gargantuan burger with roasted red  peppers, bacon, cheese and a side of homemade chips and you will know why it's called Fathead's! Located in North Olmsted (a suburb of Cleveland), you can not go wrong by visiting this fan favorite brew pub! The amazing food is paired with fantastic award winning  beers like Head Hunter Pale Ale, Up In Smoke Porter, and Bumble Berry Honey Blueberry Ale. Fat Head's  also offers tours, which is an added bonus! The ambiance here is laid  back and perfect for a pre-concert or pre-Cleveland Indians game meal & brew.

5. Tank's Bar & Grill: If you're ever in the Dayton area, you owe it to yourself to head to Tank's Bar & Grill located not far from the Oregon District. This place may look like a dive bar, but they sure know how to throw together one hot, juicy, amazing beef patty! Tank's is known for their Tankburger, which consists of a half a pound of ground chuck on an onion, kaiser, or wheat roll with mushrooms and grilled onions. Additionally, Tank's offers one of the best vegetarian options around with Lori's Veggie Burger (I couldn't forget about all of you herbivores out there). After a long day of fun in Dayton with friends, I stopped here for a refreshing PBR and to find out why Tank's has been dubbed "The Best Burgers in Dayton."

Comments

[kim]

Please visit the Windsor Pub on Tallmadge Ave in Akron. Their "Big Bull" is incredible! Insanely great! Hot sauce &a total yummyness! Swensona is 1/4 mile from my house & I bypass for the "Big Bill"

[kim]

I noticed a few typos from my damb auto correct! It is the Big Bill, not Bull! Lol

[Ellen]

Best burger joint in Ohio since 1948 is Bearden's in Rocky River, Ohio just west of Cleveland. Stop in for their famous Bearden's Burger or Peanut Burger and watch the train, hear it whistle. Not to be missed.

[Dan]

The Kewpee is a great burger but the picture is NOT a Kewpee burger and they do not use table cloth's or plate's. SO do not use the picture as a judge of what they look like. The Kewpee uses fresh buns made daily at Nickles Bakery right here in Lima and the beef is ground frsh and never frozen. The beef is also grown local and butchered fresh every day. But if want a great burger definitely stop in and try them. You will be completely satisfied. They also have great fries and home made chili.

[Lee Hawkins]

You apparently haven't tried B Spot...one of Mike Symon's creations with locations in Westlake, Strongsville, and Downtown Cleveland inside Horseshoe Casino. These burgers (pick one--they're all incredible) are so good that they literally taste amazing without a single condiment. I have to say they are right up there with Swenson's, perhaps better even.

[Georgieb2006]

People need to get off the swenson thing it's just a cult following, cause it really ain't all that kinda sucks if you ask me!

[jake simms]

Ive been to those places on the list, The feve in Oberlin has by far the best burger i've ever had!thanks

[Woody]

Hey Dan - There is no picture for Kewpee. Just Swensons, Thurman's, and Fathead's, like the photo captions clarify. Kewpee rocks!

[NuggJugg]

That's not a burger in the Fatheads picture. It is a Headwich.

[Mark Murray]

Try Graffiti Burger in Dublin, OH! Much like Five Guys, but better!

[Rev. Dave]

This list is very misleading. My wife & I decided to visit these different places to try out the different burgers & rate them ourselves. #1 is the Swensons burger: While this was a nice experience, what with the the carhops great attitudes & the quickness of their service, I would say the burger was average at best, juicy with little flavor.
#2 Kewpee Burger: This burger is a good, old fashioned juicy & tasty burger. Very good. Much like the juicy burgers that Wendy's used to have.
#3 Thurman cafe: "The Thurmanator" is one awesome burger. Not only does this burger look impressive, it tastes just as good. Bring a healthy appetite, you will need it. This burger is loaded with taste. The staff here is very friendly, will most certainly return.
#4 Fathead's Saloon: When we got here we told the girl that sat us That we were there to try Ohio's 4th best burger. The manager came to talk to us & when we told him we were going to try the "gargantuan burger". He told us they had no such burger. When we showed us the picture he informed us it wasn't a burger but a steak sandwich called the "Headwich". Since we were there for a burger we tried "The Triple Bypass Burger". While this burger was loaded & very juicy, the meat had very little taste. The atmosphere, was great, the beer & service even better, but the burger left a little to desire.
#5 Tank's Bar & Grill: Tank's is a regular hangout of ours & the Tankburger is one tasty burger. I will say that since Tank's opened a new kitchen a couple years back, the Tankburger doesn't seem to quite as good as it used to be. The neighbor hood bar atmosphere is great, the people very friendly & you certainly get your moneys worth @ Tank's. Best breakfasts anywhere!

[Pete Boland]

If ever on the far Westside of metro Cleveland stop at ZZ's Big Tpo in Avon at the corner of Detroit Rd & Nagel Rd. Cheese & Hambergers are simple, but the flavor of the meat is "to die for!" I am an avid Thumans Cafe fan. Best bar food anywhere! ZZ's burgers set the flavor standard!