Sacramento’s 10 most distinctive burgers, from thin and simple to fat and fancy
Burgers are the quintessential representation of American food, but they are not a monolith. Ask 10 people what their favorite burger is, and you’ll get at least 11 answers.
Some people prefer thin-patty smash burgers that develop crispness from contact with the flat-top; others crave a thick bistro-style patty fresh off the flame grill. Burgers can come simple, adorned with just a smear of mustard or mayo and maybe a leaf of lettuce, or piled high with pickles, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, bacon and even an onion ring.
There is no wrong way, but there are two hills we will die on. First, the bun should be griddled or grilled. Why leave flavor and texture on the table? Second, a burger without fries is incomplete, and the quality of fries matters. Onion rings are an acceptable proxy.
We’ve selected 10 unique burgers in the Sacramento region, each standing out in its own way.
The fusion: Gami Burger
Co-owners of Origami Asian Grill Scott Ostrander and Paul DiPierro launched Gami Burger as a pop-up concept, ultimately opening a brick and mortar in March 2025. In November of that same year, they opened a second in Midtown. The idea was to serve a solid American-style smash cheeseburger, but with a couple Asian twists, such as thick-cut Japanese sweet-sour sunomono pickles and “Gami sauce,” a mildly spicy mayo spread.
It’s the customizability that makes the Gami Burger ($9-15) fun. Order one to four patties, then have a choose-your-own adventure with toppings. Lettuce and tomato are free, so go for it. Wasabi sauce? Why not. Bacon and avocado? Sure thing. A fried egg? Obviously.
Fried sides are on point, with curly fries with togarashi ($5), waffle fries with herbs ($5), sweet potato fries with brown sugar and cayenne ($5) or just straight up shoestring fries ($5-7) or onion rings ($6), salted.
Gami Burger
Address: 2301 K St. Ste. 100, Midtown or 5050 Arden Way, Carmichael
Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; 11 a.m.-12 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays (Midtown); 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday (Carmichael)
Website: gamiburgertakeout.com
The one from a Mexican restaurant: Taqueria Jalisco
Taqueria Jalisco has been serving up Mexican food from the corner of 16th and D Streets for decades. But amongst the tacos and tostadas on their menu, one boxed section proudly boasts of their “Famous Hamburgers.” It’s not a crazy claim. The burger does have its fans, some who say it’s the best in the city.
The location, according to owner Daniel Flores, was once a Fosters Freeze. The taqueria eschewed the ice cream and kept the burgers. “But it’s much better now,” Flores said. His secret is the inclusion of some ground brisket in the patties, along with a splash of homemade hot sauce.
On the cheeseburger ($14) condiments are typical: mayo, tomato, pickles. Instead of a slab of leafy lettuce to chew through, it comes shredded, which is an innovation more places should adopt. The burger definitely lives up to its bona fides, especially with a side of the golden, battered French fries ($3.50).
Taqueria Jalisco
Address: 330 16th St., Mansion Flats
Hours: 11 a.m-7 p.m., Monday-Thursday. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday.
Phone: 916-446-4834
Website: taqueriajalisco916.com
The one from a sushi restaurant: Kru
Earlier this year, Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine posted on Facebook they were taking their famed Ngo Burger ($20) off the menu.
After all, why should an elegant Japanese sushi spot have a cheeseburger on the menu? Even if that burger consists of chuck and A5 blended beef, topped with lacy Lolla Rossa lettuce and surprisingly spicy mentaiko aioli, sandwiched between delicate charred Hokkaido milk buns? Plus American cheese?
However, the restaurant’s announcement was posted on April 1 as a joke. Kru patrons seem to thrill in ordering a cheeseburger along with their elegant sushi and cocktails, so on the menu it remains. However, there are no French fries available to order with your burger. You’ll have to resort to a side of sashimi or tempura instead.
Kru
Address: 3135 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento
Hours: 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Phone: (916) 551-1559
Website: krurestaurant.com
The big game: Cookie’s Drive In
The small white building that is Cookie’s Drive In resembles a beehive, with people busily zooming up for burgers and dipped cones, then zooming away. Most customers barely spare a glance at the menu. After all, Cookie’s has been around since 1963, and people already know exactly what they want.
Cookie’s menu does deserve a second glance, though, because along with the usual beef and vegetarian options, there’s a section dedicated to “exotic burgers.” There’s elk, ostrich, and wild boar to be had, and in the past, they’ve even offered a camel patty.
I opted for the Wild Boar-ger ($10), and when it arrived, the bun could barely contain what was inside: a boar patty, bacon, sauteed strings of onion, barbecue sauce, and plenty of lettuce, pickles, and tomato. “This has everything, you don’t have to add anymore to it,” noted the menu. All I ended up adding was a side of hot, thin French fries ($3.25).
Cookie’s Drive In
Address: 5640 H St., East Sacramento
Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday
Phone: (916) 457-8353
The veggie: Nutburger from Sunflower Drive In
Since 1978, Sunflower has been serving fresh, handmade vegetarian and vegan food in the town center of Fair Oaks. The menu is a fantasia of 1970s hippie chow starring whole-wheat breads, housemade nut patties and plenty of sprouts.
The flagship dish, the nutburger ($9.79), delivers what it promises, a patty made of almonds, walnuts, cashews, carrots, rice and, of course, sunflower seeds sandwiched on a griddled whole wheat bun with onions, pickles, shredded lettuce and the obligatory sprouts. It’s as hearty as it is healthy. Fair Oaks’ famous chickens roam the property, pecking up shreds of lettuce that inevitably fall from the sandwiches. On request, the burger can be made vegan, gluten-free or both.
Sunflower does not have fries, but lest you worry about getting out too virtuously, you can wash it all down with a surprisingly recommendable carob milkshake ($8.99 for a small).
Sunflower Drive In
Address: 10344 Fair Oaks Blvd., Fair Oaks
Hours: 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays; 10:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays (summer hours)
Phone: 916-967-4331
Website: sunflowerdrivein.cafe
The jawbreaker: Skip’s Kitchen
When we asked our colleagues in the newsroom what their favorite burger was, Skip’s came up more than once. This Carmichael institution has been serving up “casual gourmet cuisine” for 15 years.
After much trial and error developing his burger, owner Skip Wahl decided to go with a 50-50 chuck-sirloin blend, 85 percent lean, and double emulsified for a silkier texture. Wahl prefers his toppings under the patty, and opts for shredded lettuce for textural contrast. The house sauce is a ketchup, mayo and whole grain mustard combination, halfway between fry sauce and Thousand Island.
You have to unhinge your jaw for the Western burger ($16.49). Beside the shredded lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and onions on the bottom, the medium patty has a whole fried onion ring slathered in barbecue sauce, served on a toasted brioche bun. Things get messy fast. Choose the complimentary criss-cut fries for maximal crunch.
Skip’s Kitchen
Address: 4717 El Camino Ave., Carmichael
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday; closed Sundays
Phone: 916-514-0830
Website: skipskitchen.com
The gilded lily: Historic Star Lounge
Dimly lit and opulently appointed, Historic Star Lounge is a perfect setting for its decadent beef tartare served with fried brioche or its duck liver mousse topped with a Maraschino cherry gelee, served alongside an elegant craft cocktail. It’s not the sort of place you’d expect to find a burger. If you weren’t paying attention, you might miss that they have one at all. But it’s not to be missed.
Chef Galice Ryan drew inspiration from the Black Label Burger at New York’s Minetta Tavern. The Flannery Beef burger with fries ($21) is a 6-ounce patty of dry-aged beef from the Bay Area’s Flannery Beef. He caramelizes onions with red wine, aromatics and veal jus to create a concentrated, beefy sauce.
The burger is cooked in rendered dry-aged beef trim that is infused with shallots, garlic and herbs. It’s topped with Gruyère and finished with a blend of black, white and Szechuan peppercorns along with Indonesian long pepper and grains of paradise. He serves the burger on a squishy potato bun that’s also toasted in the rendered trim fat.
The result is the beefiest burger you’re likely to find, full of richness and umami. It only appears on the happy hour menu, but they’ll happily serve it to you for dinner.
Historic Star Lounge
Address: 2719 K St., Midtown
Hours: 3-10 p.m Monday-Thursday; 3-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 3-9 p.m. Sundays
Phone: 916-406-4979
Website: historicstarlounge.com
The people’s choice: Moksa Barrel House
At this year’s American River Burger Battle, Moksa Barrel House in Roseville took home the gold for the People’s Choice award. While Moksa is part of the Hawks family of restaurants, chef and co-owner Mike Fagnoni wanted to shine the light on the more approachable concept.
“It’s a Double R Ranch short rib chuck blend, and it’s on a buttered Martin’s potato bun, New School American cheese, caramelized onions and aioli, so it’s just a juicy, rich cheeseburger,” he said.
In appearance, the double juicy burger ($15) looks among the simplest, but the sum is greater than its parts. Two smash patties are welded together with cheese; a smear of aioli lends a creaminess. But it’s the caramelized onions that give this burger its punch. It’s truly more of an onion jam, simultaneously sweet and savory.
Fries ($5-8) are as classic as they come, and well executed at that, clearly double-fried and perfectly salted.
Moksa Barrel House
Address: 10007 Foothills Blvd., Suite 180, Roseville
Hours: 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 1 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
Phone: 916-783-1444
Website: moksabarrelhouse.com
The Sacramento original: Squeeze Burger
If you’ve lived in Sacramento for long enough, you know about Squeeze Burger—formerly known as Squeeze Inn. That was the name when the business opened in 1982, until they had to change it in 2017 due to a trademark dispute.
A Sacramento favorite, Squeeze Burger once had several locations, including one at the airport. Now, they’re a roaming food truck after losing the lease to their last restaurant in Roseville earlier this year.
That’s a lot of background for a burger place. But their signature offering, the Squeeze Burger ($12) also has a lot going for it. Namely, that cheese skirt—a giant slab of crispy cheddar cheese that extends far over the edges of every patty. Visually and texturally, it’s a flourish that dunks on nearly every other cheeseburger out there. Along with the large, meaty fries ($5), it’s easy to understand why Squeeze Burger has been a local favorite for so long.
Squeeze Burger
Address: Check their website for the food truck schedule and hours.
Phone: (916) 783-2874
Website: cheeseskirts.com
The Steinbeck: Okie Dokies
Just as Sacramento has its signature cheese skirts, so too, do other regions have their unique spins on burgers. The Hamburger Inn in El Reno, Oklahoma, developed their own version in 1922, and it became a classic.
Thin patties are topped with a pile of thinly sliced onions, smashed flat on the griddle. After a few minutes, the patty is flipped and the onions get kissed with heat. Steam and fat from the burgers causes them to caramelize, creating a deep, beefy flavor. American cheese is the de rigueur accompaniment.
We have but one place making these, and it’s in one of the ghost kitchens at Garden at the Line. Business partners Jake Bombard and Gavin Okamoto have been serving up the oniony burgers at Garden at the Line since 2023. Bombard is part of the team behind Nash & Proper, who first brought hot Nashville chicken to the region, and they wanted to do the same thing with Oklahoma burgers.
As part of its classic combo ($19), it comes with a can of soda, pickles, hot peppers, somewhat generic but crisp crinkle fries and a spiced mayo-based “OD sauce.”
Okie Dokies
Address: 6415 Elvas Ave. Ste 9, East Sacramento
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; closed Monday-Wednesday
Phone: 916-252-5999
Website: okiedokies.com
