BEST BURGERS IN OMAHA
My Personal Mount Rushmore
Any locale nicknamed the “Beef State” is bound to have some fantastic burgers, and Omaha certainly holds up its end of the bargain. From sloppy dive bar delicacies to high-end patties crafted with the most expensive cuts of meat, Omaha’s burger scene runs the whole gamut. Trying to pick just four that stand out from the rest is a fool’s errand.
Today, I am that fool.
Burgers are a highly divisive topic and everyone has very particular tastes. I tend to favor higher-end burgers, though I have no problem getting down with a greasy mass of bun and meat. No matter what burgers you include on your list, someone is going to be upset because you didn’t include their favorite.
But this list isn’t to declare these the best burgers in Omaha; it’s to highlight my top four (with honorable mentions) to encourage my fellow diners to visit these spots and try their burgers. I haven’t tried every burger in Omaha (far from it!) and this list will shift over time.
***Note: Just one burger per restaurant is included on this list. I wanted to showcase many restaurants rather than shower all praise on a few elite joints.***
ODL Burger (Ooh De Lally)
Ooh De Lally‘s signature burger is an ode to beef. The wagyu patty has plenty of natural fat and incredible beefy flavor, and it’s the first thing that punches your tastebuds. Burgers with fun toppings, fancy aiolis, and fried eggs are fun, but the ODL Burger puts the beef front and center and lets it shine.
Thick cut bacon adds some texture and salt while grilled onions bring a pleasant sweetness. The white cheddar dutifully melts into a creamy robe for the patty. This is quite possibly the juiciest burger in Omaha, which makes it incredibly delicious and a mess of a sandwich. But it’s well worth having to wash your hands a few times for.
1/3 LB Bacon Smash Burger (Dirty Birds)
Dirty Birds may be a fried chicken joint, but don’t be fooled. These guys can make a burger with the best of them, and it all starts with the patty. It’s seasoned to absolute perfection, giving each bite a fantastic punch of beefy, savory, salty flavor. And the smashing of the patty creates a rich, crispy caramelization that injects each bite with extra umami.
The house made bun sops up all the burger juices, becoming a soft flavor bomb. Shrettuce and pickles add fresh crunch, the cheese is melted to a creamy consistency, and the tangy special sauce rounds it all together.
Double Smash Burger (J's Smokehouse)
J’s Smokehouse might be best known for its BBQ, but do not sleep on the burgers here. The patties are smashed brilliantly, adding extra browning and a nice crispy exterior. The lacy edges add great texture, adding a caramelized sweetness.
The bun is soft and pillowy with a buttery sheen, and the blanket of American cheese melts dutifully over the top patty, oozing into every meaty crevice. But what takes this burger over the top is the tangy, creamy Smash Sauce, which adds a mustard-y kick. You can add brisket or pork to the burger if you please, but it doesn’t need them. These smash patties can stand up just fine on their own.
Block Burger (Block 16)
Perfecters of artful street food, Block 16 has 3-4 burgers that could’ve occupied this spot. The most popular answer would likely be the Croque Garcon, the burger that Food Network star Alton Brown so beloved that he called it his favorite in America, solidifying Block 16’s presence as a culinary staple of Omaha.
But this is a matter of personal preference, and I think Block 16 has a burger even better than its legendary offering: the Block Burger.
This is the burger for people who just want a burger, not an amped-up, chef-y version. The supporting flavors are more subdued here, allowing the brilliant Jons Naturals patty to be the star. There’s elegance in this burger’s simplicity. The mayo and ketchup add some accenting creaminess and sweetness, and the pickles have nice bite.
Honorable Mention Omaha Burgers
The Aksarben
Smash burgers may be all the rage now, but Brian Sullivan is going in a different direction on his food truck. His burgers—a combination of chuck, short rib, and brisket—and thick, meaty, and incredibly juicy. They’re also buttery tender, eating almost more like a steak.
The Aksarben, with lettuce, onions, and tomato, is pretty basic, but it allows the meat itself to shine, and the herb aioli adds a nice touch of creamy fat. It’s a napkin killer of a burger that’ll have juices running down your arms in the most satisfying way.
Nebraska Smash
Delicious as it is simple, this burger doesn’t really on crazy toppings to make this list. All American burgers smashes its patties on the flattop, creating a delicious caramelized crust and enhancing the rich, beefy flavor the meet. Onions are actually smashed into the patty for texture and a touch of sweetness.
Those brilliants patties are enrobed with American cheese and tucked into a pillowy soft Martin’s potato roll. It’s tremendous in its simplicity.
The Lancer
The crispy caramelization Hyde’s Slydes gets on its smash patties is no joke, as this pressed beef brings not only brilliant texture, but deep, savory flavor from additional browning.
The burger is absolutely swimming in crispy bacon curls, which punch your tastebuds with salty, fatty porky goodness. Mayo and BBQ sauce bring a tag team of creamy, sweet, smoky flavor, while pepperjack adds a touch of heat. A better bun would put this burger in the top four of this list.
Smashburger
One of the most underrated burgers in Omaha perfectly blends the sweetness of caramelized onions and bread and butter pickles with the savory brilliance of smashed burgers patties. The patties don’t have standout lacing, but the flavor is immaculate.
A house burger sauce adds a tangy, creamy element to round out the delicious experience.
Double Cheeseburger
Fizzy’s Fountain & Liquors stacks a pair of thin, smashed Wagyu patties, a technique that adds more grilling surface area and produces more crispy bits of char. That wonderful beef is sandwiched between a buttery-soft bun and topped with melty cheddar, crisp lettuce, and a zippy “fancy sauce.” I highly recommend adding thick-cut slices of bacon to add saltiness and smoke.
You want a classic burger that delivers flavor (and then some) on every level? This is your solution.
Nite Owl Burger
As a sister restaurant to Fizzy’s, the Nite Owl burger also features two quarter-pound smashed patties, which double the surface area for Maillard reaction and allow for more charred, toasty flavor. But while Fizzy’s burger keeps it simple, the Nite Owl burger adds crispy onions, bourbon bacon jam, white cheddar, house pickles, and a creamy, tangy “burger sauce.” Each element has an important role to play, making this unique burger a masterclass in balancing and layering flavors.
Barchen Burger
The smash patties are formed with grass-fed wagyu beef, giving them a rich, fatty flavor. They’re also well-salted; the only thing that keeps them from being among Omaha’s best is they don’t quite achieve the correct caramelization and lacing from the smash process.
But the brilliance of that beef, along with the tangy, sweet house sauce and squishy potato bun that absorbs all the residual meat juices, makes this burger one of Omaha’s best.
Good Groceries Burger
The burger patty itself is delightful; juicy and well-seasoned, it’s plenty good on its own. But the way it plays with the other toppings makes it special.
The pulled pork is tender and succulent, the bacon plentiful and crispy, and the BBQ sauce bringing a tangy, sweet component to tie all the rich elements together. With a buttery brioche bun and enough meat to feed a family, this burger is a true standout.
Bacon Cheeseburger
Take your wagyu burgers, fancy aiolis, and artisan buns elsewhere. Dinkers just cooks a damn good burger, allowing its savory, beefy meat with a nice caramelized crust to shine.
The Bacon Cheeseburger is a masterclass in simplicity, as the beautiful patty is joined by salty, fatty bacon, melted American cheese, mayo, and sweet sautéed onions. It’s not the most inventive burger in the city, but it’s among the most delicious.