Respected Foodie Site Names “Illinois’ Absolute Best Burger”

I don't have any scientific data to back up this statement, but I'm going to go ahead and say it anyway: Burger consumption, cheeseburger or hamburger, goes way up in Illinois once the weather starts to get warmer.

Think about it. We can and do eat burgers year round, but once spring arrives and progresses into summer, what we normally went to our favorite burger joint to order can be made easily at home on the patio grill.

According to a recent study, the average American will knock back between 5 to 15 burgers per month, but the numbers rise to 17-18 burgers per month once the warmer seasons arrive.

We're obviously not going to grill ourselves 17-18 burgers per month (okay, maybe some people will), so where do you go for the best not-made-by-you-at-home burger?

It's Got To Be Fun To Work For A Foodie Website Because They Send You Out To Find The Best Burgers In Every State In The Country

It wouldn't take long to think of worse jobs than that. Looking out my office window at a guy "servicing" a portable toilet we have outside the radio station (we're having some tower work done) makes me think that job is not nearly as fun as finding the nation's best burgers state-by-state. But, I digress.

TastingTable.com is a website that focuses heavily on food and drink, dining, wine, cocktails, and food travel. They recently posted a piece called "These Are The Absolute Best Burgers In Every US State," and it looks like the perfect travel map for anyone who worships burgers and would love to spend their summer vacation eating burgers across the country.

It's just going to be hard picking a starting spot.

Before We Get To Tasting Table's Pick For The Absolute Best Burger In The State Of Illinois, Here Are The Spots They Picked In Our Neighboring Midwestern States

There's every chance that you could find yourself in Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, or Indiana and need a burger fix. Here's where TastingTable.com says to go:

Wisconsin: Pickles Bar and Grill in Hazelhurst. "It's the proud recipient of the Wisconsin Beef Council's first-ever best burger award for its legendary all-American burger. Shockingly, it doesn't have cheese curds on it, but it's still drenched in cheese, plus lettuce, tomato, onion, and smoked garlic mayo, all stacked on a hefty half-pound patty."

Iowa: Halftime Bar & Grill in Pleasantville. "The award-winning Humpback burger has an extra-thick patty and the usual veggies, plus two thick-and-crispy onion rings, bacon, ham, pepper jack cheese, and a smattering of barbeque sauce — as is custom in these parts."

Missouri: Jack Nolen's in St. Louis. "Its cheeseburger with a smashed patty looks straightforward from the outside, but the meat's signature melt-in-your-mouth texture (thanks to the fatty chuck, brisket, and short rib) makes it anything but ordinary. It comes topped with lettuce, tomato, and pickles on a potato bun. Stop in to order, because this old-school spot doesn't have a phone."

Kentucky: Dovie's in Tompkinsville. "You would never guess that Dovie's has harbored Kentucky's best burger behind its walls since 1940. Here, the unspoken rule is that you have to grab an RC Cola with your deep-fried — that's right, deep-fried — burger."

Indiana: The Workingman's Friend in Indianapolis. "There's no frills here, just a classic smashburger (or, just a regular burger in the Midwest), with two cheese-drenched patties, lettuce, tomato, and a thin slice of bread in the middle, Big Mac-style."

Here's Where To Go In Illinois

According to TastingTable.com, the absolute best burgers in Illinois can be found at...

JT's Genuine Sandwich Shop located at 3970 N Elston Ave in Chicago. "JT's is a Chicago mainstay, from its burgers to its sandwiches to its sides. In 2024, it earned the People's Choice Award for best burger during Chicago's annual Hamburger Hop, when chef Chris Cunningham created an outstanding meal from basic ingredients provided by the competition."