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An Updated Look At Louisville's Tastiest Burgers

by Steve Hacker
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by Steve Hacker

Last year Eater readers put forth their ideas on Louisville's tastiest burger places. Since our city has added several more burger places in the past year, we decided to give the list a little polish. Below is our updated idea of what places serve Louisville's tastiest burgers, along with a few reasons why. Any additions, objections or observations are welcome in the comments.



· Readers Vote: Louisville's 17 Tastiest Burgers [~ELOU~]
· All Eater Louisville Maps [~ELOU~]

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

1. The Exchange Pub + Kitchen

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West main street
New Albany, IN 47150
(812) 948-6501
(812) 948-6501
Visit Website
Try the "Exchange Burger" (3D Valley Farm Angus, Gorgonzola, caramelized onions, portabella mushrooms and arugula on a pretzel roll), or for those not into too many toppings, the "Plain Jane" (a single egg on top) may suffice.

2. Proof on Main

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702 W Main St
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 217-6360
(502) 217-6360
Visit Website
Amid the art and upscale patrons, Levon Wallace bangs out a mean Bison Burger with Tillamook cheddar, applewood smoked bacon and Jezebel sauce.

3. Milkwood

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316 West Main Street
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 584-6455
(502) 584-6455
Visit Website
Edward Lee's downstairs restaurant at Actors Theater has beef burgers with umami ketchup, aged cheddar, bacon and comeback slaw, and pork burgers with Napa kim-chi, cracklins, Havarti, remoulade and cilantro. Both are served on a pretzel bun, and both are delicious.

4. Against The Grain Brewery

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401 East Main St
Louisville, KY
(502) 515-0174
(502) 515-0174
Visit Website
This brewery adjacent to a baseball field built from an old factory has a half pound of all natural, grass-fed beef, topped with mesclun greens, Wisconsin cheddar cheese and bacon aioli.

5. Big Four Burgers + Beer

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134 Spring St
Jeffersonville, IN 47130
(812) 913-4967
(812) 913-4967
Visit Website
Choose among numerous burgers including the Country Burger (ground beef, sliced country ham, fried green tomato and Benedictine spread) and the Hot Brown Burger (ground turkey, Mornay sauce, Swiss cheese, bacon and sliced tomato) while gawking at the nearby Big Four Bridge.

6. Harvest

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624 E Market St.
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 384-9090
(502) 384-9090
Visit Website
Coby Ming keeps it local and tasty with the Harvest Burger, which comes with chèvre, hog jowl bacon jam and lettuce on a pretzel bun.

7. Mayan Café

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813 E Market St
Louisville, KY 40206
(502) 566-0651
(502) 566-0651
Visit Website
Bruce Ucan's "Yucatuckian" sensibilities shine in the Mayan Burger, with Foxhollow Farm grass-fed beef, greens, pickled onions, tomatoes, Havarti cheese and chile aioli on bolillo bread. And it's served with fried plaintains.

8. Hammerheads

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921 Swan St
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 365-1112
(502) 365-1112
Visit Website
The venerable bar burger gets an upgrade with choices of venison, elk, chorizo, Angus beef or the vegetarian "Garcia" burger. Don't forget to order a side of Grippo fries.

9. Eiderdown

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983 Goss Ave
Louisville, KY 40217
(502) 290-2390
(502) 290-2390
Visit Website
The Nachburger is local grass-fed beef ground with bacon, topped with Kenny's Colby cheese on a brioche bun. Order a side of fries—they're some of the best in town.

10. Four Pegs Beer Lounge

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1053 Goss Ave
Louisville, KY 40217
(502) 634-1447
(502) 634-1447
Visit Website
This hipster Germantown beer lounge gets rave reviews for its Angus Beef Beer-Glazed Burger, which could also describe some of the patrons.

11. Grind Burger Kitchen

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3311 Preston Highway
Louisville, KY 40213
(502) 851-7333
(502) 851-7333
Visit Website
Currently open for lunch Wednesdays through Fridays, this food truck's new brick and mortar location serves burgers made from local, grass-fed beef, primarily from Oldham County's Foxhollow Farm. Grind's proprietary blend, which is "hand-trimmed and ground in-house," contains no trimmings, no fillers and no spice blends.

12. Jack Fry's Restaurant

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1007 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 452-9244
(502) 452-9244
Visit Website
For some locals, there's nothing better than a Jack's Burger at the bar. Served on a brioche bun, with caramelized onions, Bibb lettuce, pickle and tomato.

13. Holy Grale

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1034 Bardstown Rd
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 459-9939
(502) 459-9939
Visit Website
The menu changes daily, but there's usually something like a 3D Valley Farm Burger with Benton’s bacon, caramelized onions, cheddar, arugula and fritje sauce. Plus beer. Lots of beer.

14. Lilly's

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1147 Bardstown Rd
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 451-0447
(502) 451-0447
Visit Website
Kathy Cary offers the Old Hat Cattle Company Burger, made with Broadbent bacon, bourbon onion jam, Gruyere, local greens, whole grain mustard and house pickles.

15. Bristol Bar and Grille

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1321 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 456-1702
(502) 456-1702
Visit Website
Bristol Burgers on English muffins with home fries have been a Louisville fixture (especially late at night) since the 1970s.

16. Game

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2295 Lexington Rd.
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 618-1712
(502) 618-1712
Visit Website
Those with a taste for the bloodily exotic may choose among Wagyu, kangaroo, bison, duck, lamb, elk, venison and antelope burgers. And top them with just about any extra one could imagine.

17. Bluegrass Burgers

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3334 Frankfort Ave
Louisville, KY 40207
(502) 614-6567
(502) 614-6567
Visit Website
This St. Matthews spot says "Good is Good ... Local is Better!" Their Kentucky bison and beef burgers are "grass-fed, hormone & antibiotic-free." Add some Kenny's Kentucky cheese and something from the "Local Produce Toppings Bar" for a truly local treat.

18. Mussel & Burger Bar

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9200 Taylorsville Rd.
Louisville, KY 40299
(502) 499-7666
(502) 499-7666
Visit Website
Fernando Martinez serves up more than a dozen burgers including the Spanish Blue (Spanish blue cheese, pepper crest and fig marmalade) and the Bacon Breakfast Burger (caramelized onions, aged white cheddar cheese, maple syrup aioli, maple syrup-glazed pork belly and a fried farm egg). There are no mussel burgers, only mussels.
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1. The Exchange Pub + Kitchen

West main street, New Albany, IN 47150
Try the "Exchange Burger" (3D Valley Farm Angus, Gorgonzola, caramelized onions, portabella mushrooms and arugula on a pretzel roll), or for those not into too many toppings, the "Plain Jane" (a single egg on top) may suffice.
West main street
New Albany, IN 47150
(812) 948-6501
Visit Website

2. Proof on Main

702 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202
Amid the art and upscale patrons, Levon Wallace bangs out a mean Bison Burger with Tillamook cheddar, applewood smoked bacon and Jezebel sauce.
702 W Main St
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 217-6360
Visit Website

3. Milkwood

316 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202
Edward Lee's downstairs restaurant at Actors Theater has beef burgers with umami ketchup, aged cheddar, bacon and comeback slaw, and pork burgers with Napa kim-chi, cracklins, Havarti, remoulade and cilantro. Both are served on a pretzel bun, and both are delicious.
316 West Main Street
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 584-6455
Visit Website

4. Against The Grain Brewery

401 East Main St, Louisville, KY
This brewery adjacent to a baseball field built from an old factory has a half pound of all natural, grass-fed beef, topped with mesclun greens, Wisconsin cheddar cheese and bacon aioli.
401 East Main St
Louisville, KY
(502) 515-0174
Visit Website

5. Big Four Burgers + Beer

134 Spring St, Jeffersonville, IN 47130
Choose among numerous burgers including the Country Burger (ground beef, sliced country ham, fried green tomato and Benedictine spread) and the Hot Brown Burger (ground turkey, Mornay sauce, Swiss cheese, bacon and sliced tomato) while gawking at the nearby Big Four Bridge.
134 Spring St
Jeffersonville, IN 47130
(812) 913-4967
Visit Website

6. Harvest

624 E Market St., Louisville, KY 40202
Coby Ming keeps it local and tasty with the Harvest Burger, which comes with chèvre, hog jowl bacon jam and lettuce on a pretzel bun.
624 E Market St.
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 384-9090
Visit Website

7. Mayan Café

813 E Market St, Louisville, KY 40206
Bruce Ucan's "Yucatuckian" sensibilities shine in the Mayan Burger, with Foxhollow Farm grass-fed beef, greens, pickled onions, tomatoes, Havarti cheese and chile aioli on bolillo bread. And it's served with fried plaintains.
813 E Market St
Louisville, KY 40206
(502) 566-0651
Visit Website

8. Hammerheads

921 Swan St, Louisville, KY 40204
The venerable bar burger gets an upgrade with choices of venison, elk, chorizo, Angus beef or the vegetarian "Garcia" burger. Don't forget to order a side of Grippo fries.
921 Swan St
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 365-1112
Visit Website

9. Eiderdown

983 Goss Ave, Louisville, KY 40217
The Nachburger is local grass-fed beef ground with bacon, topped with Kenny's Colby cheese on a brioche bun. Order a side of fries—they're some of the best in town.
983 Goss Ave
Louisville, KY 40217
(502) 290-2390
Visit Website

10. Four Pegs Beer Lounge

1053 Goss Ave, Louisville, KY 40217
This hipster Germantown beer lounge gets rave reviews for its Angus Beef Beer-Glazed Burger, which could also describe some of the patrons.
1053 Goss Ave
Louisville, KY 40217
(502) 634-1447
Visit Website

11. Grind Burger Kitchen

3311 Preston Highway, Louisville, KY 40213
Currently open for lunch Wednesdays through Fridays, this food truck's new brick and mortar location serves burgers made from local, grass-fed beef, primarily from Oldham County's Foxhollow Farm. Grind's proprietary blend, which is "hand-trimmed and ground in-house," contains no trimmings, no fillers and no spice blends.
3311 Preston Highway
Louisville, KY 40213
(502) 851-7333
Visit Website

12. Jack Fry's Restaurant

1007 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40204
For some locals, there's nothing better than a Jack's Burger at the bar. Served on a brioche bun, with caramelized onions, Bibb lettuce, pickle and tomato.
1007 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 452-9244
Visit Website

13. Holy Grale

1034 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY 40204
The menu changes daily, but there's usually something like a 3D Valley Farm Burger with Benton’s bacon, caramelized onions, cheddar, arugula and fritje sauce. Plus beer. Lots of beer.
1034 Bardstown Rd
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 459-9939
Visit Website

14. Lilly's

1147 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY 40204
Kathy Cary offers the Old Hat Cattle Company Burger, made with Broadbent bacon, bourbon onion jam, Gruyere, local greens, whole grain mustard and house pickles.
1147 Bardstown Rd
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 451-0447
Visit Website

15. Bristol Bar and Grille

1321 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40204
Bristol Burgers on English muffins with home fries have been a Louisville fixture (especially late at night) since the 1970s.
1321 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 456-1702
Visit Website

16. Game

2295 Lexington Rd., Louisville, KY 40204
Those with a taste for the bloodily exotic may choose among Wagyu, kangaroo, bison, duck, lamb, elk, venison and antelope burgers. And top them with just about any extra one could imagine.
2295 Lexington Rd.
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 618-1712
Visit Website

17. Bluegrass Burgers

3334 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40207
This St. Matthews spot says "Good is Good ... Local is Better!" Their Kentucky bison and beef burgers are "grass-fed, hormone & antibiotic-free." Add some Kenny's Kentucky cheese and something from the "Local Produce Toppings Bar" for a truly local treat.
3334 Frankfort Ave
Louisville, KY 40207
(502) 614-6567
Visit Website

18. Mussel & Burger Bar

9200 Taylorsville Rd., Louisville, KY 40299
Fernando Martinez serves up more than a dozen burgers including the Spanish Blue (Spanish blue cheese, pepper crest and fig marmalade) and the Bacon Breakfast Burger (caramelized onions, aged white cheddar cheese, maple syrup aioli, maple syrup-glazed pork belly and a fried farm egg). There are no mussel burgers, only mussels.
9200 Taylorsville Rd.
Louisville, KY 40299
(502) 499-7666
Visit Website