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Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the San Francisco area by diners

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siamionau pavel // Shutterstock
siamionau pavel // Shutterstock
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There's just something about a hamburger—from the way the juices from the freshly grilled meat gently dribble down your chin as you take that first bite of the succulent patty to the way the cheese curves along the sides, melting slowly over the ground-beef goodness placed gently between two buns.

While a burger's je ne sais quoi may defy definition, one thing is certain: Americans love hamburgers. According to a 2024 YouGov survey, burgers are among the top three most popular foods in the U.S., tied with fried chicken and bested only by French fries. As further proof of hamburgers' dominance in America, chains where burgers are the star of the menu generated $110 billion in sales in 2024, according to the annual Technomic Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report. Based on a Restaurant Business analysis of the Technomic report, that accounts for more than a quarter of the total sales among all Top 500 chains and more than double sales from chains where chicken is the main attraction.

The burger's origins stretch far beyond America, however. Named after Hamburg, a region in Germany known for its cattle, the Hamburg steak was the first step toward what would become the sandwich we know and love today. Served on a plate (sans buns, if you can believe it), the steak was said to have become popular during the Industrial Revolution after an influx of German immigrants into New York. To make the food easier for the workers to eat on their breaks, a now unknown cook sandwiched the steak between two pieces of bread, and the rest, as they say, is history.

While it may never be proven when and where the hamburger was first invented, the deliciously simple sandwich is here to stay. But who serves the best burger today? You'll find many restaurants around the U.S. that claim they do, from Au Cheval in Chicago and New York to The Habit Burger Grill, a California-based chain that USA Today named the #1 fast-food burger in America.

Of course, those restaurants may not be in your neck of the woods. To find the best of the best in your area, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the San Francisco area based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of March 2025. Restaurants with at least 20 reviews tagged as "burgers" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of San Francisco were included. As a result, many restaurants featured may primarily serve other food items besides burgers. Also, to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with at least five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.

Keep reading to see if your favorite burger spot made the cut—or maybe you'll find your new favorite on this list!

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#30. Bayside Cafe

- Rating: 4.2/5 (419 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1 Gate 6 Road Ste A Sausalito, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#29. Holey Moley

- Rating: 4.2/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1096 South Van Ness Ave. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mini Golf, Burgers, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#28. Joe's Ice Cream & Burgers

- Rating: 4.2/5 (953 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5420 Geary Blvd. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Burgers, Korean
- Read more on Yelp

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#27. Pearl's Deluxe Burgers

- Rating: 4.2/5 (2489 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 708 Post St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. Next Level Burger

- Rating: 4.2/5 (323 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 450 Rhode Island St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Burgers, American, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. Ganim's Market

- Rating: 4.3/5 (330 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1135 18th St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Burgers, Delis, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

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#23. Tanguito Argentinean Grill

- Rating: 4.3/5 (693 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2850 Jones St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Argentine, Burgers, Empanadas
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. Speedy's Pizza And Grill

- Rating: 4.3/5 (209 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 687 El Camino Real South San Francisco, California
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. TJ Cafe

- Rating: 4.3/5 (225 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 724 La Playa St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Burgers, Breakfast & Brunch, Fish & Chips
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Town's End Brunch

- Rating: 4.3/5 (157 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2 Townsend St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. Sweet Maple

- Rating: 4.3/5 (4991 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2101 Sutter St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Slider Buns

- Rating: 4.3/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1202 Sutter St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Burgers, fast food
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Box Kitchen

- Rating: 4.3/5 (852 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 431 Natoma St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Food Stands, Burgers, Waffles
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Columbus Burgers

- Rating: 4.3/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 57 Columbus Ave. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. Chez Maman East

- Rating: 4.4/5 (2499 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1401 18th St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: French, Burgers, Creperies
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Saluhall

- Rating: 4.4/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 945 Market St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Food Court, Noodles, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Galinette

- Rating: 4.4/5 (104 reviews)
- Address: 3554-3560 Taraval St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: French, Coffee & Tea, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. The Melt

- Rating: 4.4/5 (632 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 455 Market St. Ste 140 San Francisco, California
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Chicken Shop
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Saltbreaker

- Rating: 4.4/5 (254 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2350 Saratoga St. Alameda, California
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Burgers, New American
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Native Burger

- Rating: 4.5/5 (346 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3420 Geary Blvd. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Lapisara Eatery

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1821 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 698 Post St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers, Thai
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Cali Alley

- Rating: 4.7/5 (202 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1012 Grayson St. Berkeley, California
- Categories: Comfort Food, Food Delivery Services, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Hidden Spot - South San Francisco

- Rating: 4.7/5 (721 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 303 Grand Ave. South San Francisco, California
- Categories: Sandwiches, Burgers, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. El Mil Amores Restaurant

- Rating: 4.7/5 (227 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2780 21st San Francisco, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Mexican, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Jasmin's

- Rating: 4.8/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 809 Bush St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Burgers, fast food
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 304 metros.

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