Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Columbus 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 Columbus 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 Columbus 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!

1 / 25

#25. Shake Shack Easton Town Center

- Rating: 3.1/5 (250 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4005 The Strand West Space 430 Easton Town Center Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Burgers, fast food, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 25

#24. Rude Dog Bar & Grill Polaris

- Rating: 3.2/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8711 Sancus Blvd. Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Bars, Burgers, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 25

#23. Alley Burger

- Rating: 3.2/5 (111 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 26 North High St. Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 25

#22. The Old Bag of Nails

- Rating: 3.4/5 (166 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 24 North State St. Westerville, Ohio
- Categories: Pubs, Seafood, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 25

#21. Chubby's Sports Bar & Grill

- Rating: 3.4/5 (101 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1846 Hard Road Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Burgers, Sports Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp

6 / 25

#20. Cafe Creekside

- Rating: 3.5/5 (163 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 53 Granville St. Gahanna, Ohio
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 25

#19. Harry Buffalo

- Rating: 3.5/5 (242 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6150 South Sunbury Road Westerville, Ohio
- Categories: Burgers, American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 25

#18. Gahanna Grill

- Rating: 3.6/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 82 Granville St. Gahanna, Ohio
- Categories: Burgers, American, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 25

#17. BrewDog Franklinton

- Rating: 3.6/5 (217 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 463 West Town St. Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Burgers, Chicken Wings, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 25

#16. Bareburger - Short North

- Rating: 3.7/5 (628 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 463 North High St. Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Burgers, American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

11 / 25

#15. Iron Grill Barbecue and Brew

- Rating: 3.7/5 (249 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5295 North High St. Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Barbecue, Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 25

#14. Ritzy's Clintonville

- Rating: 3.8/5 (208 reviews)
- Address: 4615 North High St. Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Burgers, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 25

#13. BRU Burger Bar-Westerville

- Rating: 3.9/5 (369 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 691 North Cleveland Ave. Westerville, Ohio
- Categories: Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 25

#12. Flip Side

- Rating: 4.0/5 (719 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3945 Easton Station Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Burgers, New American, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 25

#11. The Thurman Cafe

- Rating: 4.0/5 (1242 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 183 Thurman Ave. Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Bars, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

16 / 25

#10. The Old Mohawk

- Rating: 4.0/5 (443 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 821 Mohawk St. Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: American, Soup, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 25

#9. Danny's Delicious Deli

- Rating: 4.0/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 37 West Broad St. Ste 50 Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Delis, Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 25

#8. Johnnie's Tavern

- Rating: 4.0/5 (150 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3503 Trabue Road Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Burgers, Hot Dogs, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 25

#7. Harvest Kitchen and Pizzeria - Bexley

- Rating: 4.1/5 (139 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2376 East Main St. Bexley, Ohio
- Categories: Pizza, New American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 25

#6. Preston's - A Burger Joint

- Rating: 4.1/5 (208 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2973 North High St. Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Burgers, fast food
- Read more on Yelp

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21 / 25

#5. O'Reilly's Pub

- Rating: 4.1/5 (171 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2822 North High St. Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Pubs, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 25

#4. Harvest Pizzeria - Dublin

- Rating: 4.2/5 (211 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 45 North High St. Dublin, Ohio
- Categories: Pizza, Burgers, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 25

#3. Ringside Cafe

- Rating: 4.3/5 (179 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 19 North Pearl St. Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Bars, Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 25

#2. Harvest Bar + Kitchen

- Rating: 4.3/5 (524 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2885 North High St. Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Pizza, American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 25

#1. HangOverEasy

- Rating: 4.4/5 (334 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 51 Parsons Ave. Columbus, Ohio
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, New American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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