CINCINNATI — Whether you like a classic burger with cheese or you prefer all the toppings, the Tri-State area is home to a variety of restaurants serving up delicious burgers. With Cincinnati Burger Week returning July 15-24, there's no better time than now to highlight some restaurants.
Based on a culmination of Yelp and Google reviews, here are the Top 9 burger restaurants in the Tri-State:
Milkman
According to its website, Milkman delivers "nostalgic vibes in the form of juicy burgers, boozy shakes and outstanding service." The Over-the-Rhine restaurant allows customers to choose a burger from its menu or build their own burger with plenty of topping options, such as grilled onions, Cincinnati-style chili, nacho cheese and multiple sauces. For those that aren't burger fans, the restaurant also has several menu options like sandwiches, a hot dog and even a tofu option.
Bards Burger and Chili
Located in Covington's Latonia neighborhood, Bard's Burgers & Chili has 14 different burgers to choose from as well as a variety of add-ons that can be put on top of any burger. If customers want to mix sweet and savory, they can opt for the Moonrise Doughnut Burger — a cheeseburger with mayo, pickle and lettuce atop a moonrise donut bun. Other than burgers, Bard's is known for its chili, and customers can combine the two with the Chili Craig, a plain cheeseburger with chili and whatever other toppings are preferred.
Krueger's Tavern
Krueger's Tavern is nestled along Vine Street in OTR, and the restaurant offers three different burgers that any burger fan is sure to love. The restaurant's Krueger's Burger is a classic burger with two patties, lettuce, cheese, onion, pickles, "special sauce," and dijonnaise on a brioche bun. Otherwise, Krueger's also has a veggie burger and spicy burger, with the latter having ghost jack pepper cheese and chipotle habanero slaw.
Bones Burgers
Located in Montgomery, Bones Burgers has a dozen different burger choices customers can choose from, or they can build their own from a variety of toppings. Some burger options include "The Breakfast on a Bun," which has goetta, an egg, a hash brown, cheddar cheese and a drizzle of maple syrup, or "The PB&J," which has peanut butter, applewood smoked bacon, red pepper jelly and extra sharp cheddar cheese.
Delwood
Delwood sits at the intersection of Delta and Linwood avenues in the historic Mount Lookout Square. Delwood's menu blends Latin American flavors with classics. The restaurant has multiple burgers, including its the El Jefe Double Burger, which has two patties, salsa criolla, avocado and hauncaina sauce, a Peruvian cheese sauce, on a potato bun. Delwood also has two different veggie burgers for those that don't prefer meat.
Nation Bar and Kitchen
Nation Kitchen + Bar serves as a tribute to Cincinnati's rich history — and cooks up some tasty burgers. Nation has three locations — Westwood, Milford and The Banks — with six different burgers offered. A bit different than your normal burger, Nation has a quesadilla burger with beef, queso, pepper jack cheese, pico de gallo and lettuce served in a crispy, pressed tortilla.
The restaurant also has meat substitutes for those who don't eat beef, and bun substitutes such as challah, tortilla, a bed of greens or romaine lettuce wraps. Nation also offers monthly BIT burgers, like this month's Swiss & Mushroom Burger.
Arthur's
With locations in Hyde Park and Anderson, Arthur's is a go-to burger spot on the east side. Arthur's has more than a dozen burgers to choose from, but what really sets the restaurant apart from the others is Burger Madness.
Every Sunday and Tuesday, customers are Arthur's can pick any of the four standard burgers and customize them with Burger Madness toppings for zero additional charge — except for a few premium toppings. The only ask is that you limit your cheese choices to only six, which we think is completely doable. Other than various cheeses, customers can opt for bacon, a variety of sauces, jalapenos, pineapple salsa and more.
Gordo's Pub & Grill
Describing itself as a fusion between a diner and a sports bar, Gordo's Pub & Grill in Norwood is known for its half-pound burgers. With more than 10 burgers, there's something for everyone at Gordo's. Those that want to be a bit more adventurous can check out the PBJ, which has fried banana, chunky peanut butter cream cheese, jam and smoked bacon on a patty with a bun. Gordo's also has a Korean-inspired burger topped off with kimchi, pork belly, a fried egg, pepper jack cheese and sriracha mayo.
Arnolds Bar and Grill
A favorite for years in downtown Cincinnati, Arnold's Bar & Grill may have a smaller burger menu compared to some restaurants, but the burgers still pack plenty of flavor. The Yo Mama Burger — an Avril Bleh beed patty, goetta, hashbrown, sunny-side-up egg, chipotle aioli and American cheese atop a bun — was featured on the Cooking Channel's Man vs Food.
Arnold's also has a burger named after Sean Evans and Hot Ones, the YouTube celebrity interview show with. For those will to try the beast of a burger, there's also a "lunatic style" version that includes an Avril Bleh beef patty, ghost pepper cheese, habanero, jalapeno, Hot One's aioli and Grippos on a bun.
