Best Burgers in San Diego (2025)

A beach-town institution slinging oversized, bacon-stacked burgers with a surf-shack spirit. Featured in Food & Wine and beloved since its Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance, it remains a must for a loud, sand-between-the-toes San Diego experience.

Since 1977, this Crown Point bar has kept the menu minimal and the burger essential. Praised in Coronado Times and crowned by local readers’ brackets, it’s the no-frills San Diego classic many measure others against.

Home of the Dirty Flat Top—crusty-edged smash patties, onions, American cheese, and attitude. Named Readers’ Pick for Best Burgers by San Diego Magazine and celebrated by local media, it’s pure, unpretentious burger joy.

Barrio Logan’s pared-down smashburger specialist—shredded lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, and the option for mustard-fried patties and guero chiles. Eater spotlighted its Normal Heights expansion, but the original still channels neighborhood pride near Chicano Park.

A chef-driven bar burger from Trust Restaurant Group—think prime beef, truffled onions, and fried-egg aioli—anchoring a lively Mission Hills hangout. Celebrated by local critics and listed on the restaurant’s happy hour menu.

The Drugstore Burger is a local legend—simple, perfectly seasoned Niman Ranch chuck with house mayo on a sesame bun. Eater regularly features it among San Diego’s essential burgers; locals treat it as rite of passage.

North County’s gourmet smash specialist using local Brandt Beef and beef tallow fries. Selected as Critic’s Pick for Best Burgers by San Diego Magazine and newly added to the California Michelin Guide, it’s worth the drive.

Family-owned and embedded in historic downtown, this spot leans local—craft brews, sauces, and playful specials. Recently expanded to Vista and recognized among family-friendly favorites, it’s a North County community staple with serious burgers.

North Park’s eccentric burger house built its rep on quality grinds and offbeat options alongside classics. Seen on Food Network, it remains independently owned and very San Diego in spirit—casual, playful, and proudly neighborhood-focused.

A laid-back North Park hangout with a dialed burger lineup, rotating taps, and weekly burger nights. Independently owned and plugged into the neighborhood scene, it’s a comfortable, reliably good stop before or after local adventures.

Wagyu slider specialists with big flavor and local buzz. Spotlighted by Axios and lauded in city roundups, Rosemarie’s pairs playful combinations with craft drinks; the Mission Beach location and a newer Ocean Beach outpost keep crowds steady.