Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Lansing area by diners
Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Lansing area by diners
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 Lansing 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 Lansing 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!
#18. Tavern & Tap
- Rating: 2.9/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 111 East Michigan Ave. Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: New American, Burgers, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Buddies Grill
- Rating: 3.0/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2040 North Aurelius Road Ste 12 Holt, Michigan
- Categories: Bars, New American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Boston's Restaurant & Sports Bar
- Rating: 3.0/5 (101 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3301 Towne Center Blvd. Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Sports Bars, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Lou & Harry's
- Rating: 3.1/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 211 East Grand River Ave. East Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: Burgers, Greek, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Relli's Italian Resturant
- Rating: 3.2/5 (80 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 202 East Main St. DeWitt, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Burgers, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Jimmy's Pub
- Rating: 3.2/5 (74 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 16830 Chandler Road East Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: Pubs, Burgers, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Airport Tavern & Steakhouse
- Rating: 3.6/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5000 North Grand River Ave. Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: Steakhouses, Bars, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#11. The Rusty Mug
- Rating: 3.6/5 (54 reviews)
- Address: 5421 West Saginaw Hwy Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: Bars, American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#10. One North Kitchen & Bar
- Rating: 3.7/5 (88 reviews)
- Address: 5001 West Saginaw Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: Bars, Burgers, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Weston's Kewpee Sandwich Shop
- Rating: 3.8/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 118 South Washington Square Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: Sandwiches, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#8. HopCat East Lansing
- Rating: 3.8/5 (644 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 300 Grove St. East Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: Beer Bar, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#7. The Old Bag of Nails
- Rating: 3.9/5 (71 reviews)
- Address: 210 Cascade Blvd. Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: Seafood, Burgers, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#6. SaltRock Brewing
- Rating: 3.9/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 519 West Ionia St. Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: Breweries, Fish & Chips, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Peanut Barrel
- Rating: 3.9/5 (295 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 521 East Grand River Ave. East Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Ellison Brewery & Spirits
- Rating: 4.0/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4903 Dawn Ave. East Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: Breweries, Burgers, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Sidecar Slider Bar - Lansing
- Rating: 4.1/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 500 East Michigan Ave. Ste 100 Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: Burgers, Hot Dogs, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Capital City BBQ
- Rating: 4.1/5 (168 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1026 West Saginaw St. Lansing, Michigan
- Categories: Barbecue, Burgers, Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp
#1. South Riley Tavern
- Rating: 4.6/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 10777 South Francis Road DeWitt, Michigan
- Categories: Burgers, American, Dive Bars
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 304 metros.
