When that craving hits and you want a tasty burger, it’s not hard to find a spot. There’s always a burger joint around, but not all serve quality. A truly great burger is all about freshness. From the toppings to the beef patty, everything has to be top-notch or it doesn’t deliver. While fast-food gets a bad rap for being ultra-processed and unhealthy, some chains are breaking the mold and whipping up burgers that are delicious without compromising on flavor. Here are seven restaurants that stand out from the pack and earn high praises for their fresh burgers.
Mooyah
Beloved for its customizable fresh burgers Mooyah is located in 20 states and specializes in using never-frozen Certified Angus Beef, along with all-natural turkey and plant-based veggie burgers, which customers say make a difference. One Yelp reviewer wrote, “The burgers are always fresh and the service is amazing. The ingredients ate always fesh best burger in town.” Another shared, “The beef on my burger tasted homemade fresh, and if I could compare the food here, I would say this is close to the style and quality of Shake Shack. I would even say, you might like Mooyah better! Either way, this place definitely gets my thumbs up, and thinking of my next visit is making my mouth water.”
The Habit Burger and Grill
Photo: The Habit Burger Grill / Facebook
The Habit Burger and Grill only serves 100% beef patties that are chargrilled over an open flame and are always fresh. And diners love the freshness, but point out that it takes time for your order since it’s not frozen. A customer on Yelp wrote, “Great store for fresh made delicious burgers! Plus they have some awesome different items on the menu as well like the tempura green beans (my favorite) and the new Avocado wedge tempura…Don’t expect a super fast service because everything they cook is fresh!”
Fatburger
Photo: Courtesy of Fatburger
Fatburger a.k.a. “The Last Great Hamburger Stand” is a classic chain that serves hand-pressed beef patties made from 100% lean beef that’s fresh-ground and grilled to order. One Yelp reviewer wrote, “Team is always friendly and they always go above and beyond and the food is always great made to order and fresh.”
In‑N‑Out Burger
In-N-Out
In‑N‑Out Burger is a West coast favorite that grinds their own 100% USDA ground chuck patties, which are delivered fresh and never frozen to their stores. There is always a long line at the drive-thru that looks like it will take an hour, but it moves quicker than you think. A Yelper wrote, “They are quick to get fresh orders through. The drive thru may look intimidating, but it moves quickly. The dining room is bright and busy. It surprisingly isn’t that loud though. I love the fresh burgers and fries. Even with the recent slight price increase, it is still a better deal then most fast food joints.”
Smashburger
Courtesy of Smashburger
Smashburger using fresh Certified Angus Beef, patties that are smashed onto a scorching hot grill to create a caramelized crust that’s juicy and exploding with flavor, which customers have noted levels up the burger. One diner on Yelp wrote, “Today I tried smash burger again for the first time in a longggg time(had a bad prior experience) and let me just say this. What a lovely establishment with beautifully fresh ingredients. The bun was fresh and warm, the lettuce crisp and chilled, tomato’s had snap, onions had bite. The patty was a wonderfully cooked and I could definitely tell it had been smashed which is their signature technique( hence the name “Smash Burger” lmao.”
Wendy’s
Wendy’s
Since the inception of Wendy’s back in 1969, the restaurant has never used frozen patties. Every burger is made fresh to order and customers appreciate the quality. One Yelp reviewer wrote, “The food was 10/10 I haven’t had fresh fast food like that ever ! Good job.”
Shake Shack
Shake Shack
Famous for their high-quality, gourmet burgers that are crafted from fresh ingredients, Shake Shack is an elevated burger experience people can’t get enough of. In a Reddit thread dedicated to all things Shake Shake, one diner wrote, “Got a single patty beef burger with avocado- easy to eat, so pillowy, and like melt in your mouth texture. Haven’t had this good of a burger in awhile and surprised it’s coming from a fast food chain.”
Heather Newgen
Heather Newgen has two decades of experience reporting and writing about health, fitness, entertainment and travel. Heather currently freelances for several publications. Read more about Heather
