For the last three months, I’ve been on the healthiest of journeys trying to find the Best Burger in the Wichita area. I’ve personally tried 30 burgers by myself, with friends, with co-workers, and with family. No more reading lists from people who put together
The day has come where it’s time to release the results of my findings. Every day for the next 15 days, we will release two burgers from the list.
For more information on the journey you can visit all past updates in the Project Best Wichita Burger. The most recent update, Behind Project Best Wichita Burger, has last second updates and notes on how this was all put together.
I’m sure people will have differing opinions on the results but before any outrage, ask yourself when’s the last time you’ve been to the burger place in question, how consistent are they, and have you been to other burger places ahead of it. When this list comes down to it, it’s all based on my opinion. As I stated in the last update my word isn’t gospel; I know people have different preferences so no need to riot based on what is listed each day. I’m not a chef, I’m not a restaurant owner, I’m not anything special, I’m just an average guy doing reviews for the average person.
So please enjoy the countdown. It was a ton of fun to do and talk about for the past few months. Thanks again to all those that joined me in these adventures out. Over $150 was spent not including tips, tax, or drinks.
Without further ado, my stomach and taste buds bring to you the Countdown of the Best Burgers in Wichita!
3023 E Douglas Ave
Monday – Sunday 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Burger Size: 1/2 pound
Burger price was $6.79 which included a lot of fries. There was no individual price I saw for just a burger.
Cash or Credit? Both
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? Both
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: The Malibu Burger
Thoughts:
The very first thing I noticed was the patty was surrounded in grease and after a couple bites, it was pretty under cooked to the point that even my friends commented on it. The patty tasted pretty mushy and didn’t have a good flavor to it. Not sure if it was the day I came in because I’ve had burgers there before and this time around was just pretty bad. I ended up not even finishing my burger. The toppings were good quality but was loaded on the heavy side. All I could taste was an under cooked burger and lettuce the whole time. When it came to price, the burger was right in the middle of value of all the burgers tried.
Harry’s was one of the few bars on the north side of Kellogg that has a fun, nice dive feel to it. I like it, I like the service, unfortunately the burger was messed up. It could have been a one time error but each burger spot on this tour gets only one shot to do it right. Harry’s failed.
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1929 S Seneca St
Monday – Thursday 10:00 am – 8:30 pm
Friday – Saturday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sunday Closed
Burger Size: 5.33 ounces
Burger price was $3.40. An additional $1.30 for fries or $6.31 for a combo (fries and drink)
Cash or Credit? Both
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? Beer
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: Peanut Butter Cheeseburger
Thoughts:
The burger was just average to below average in my opinion; not much to it. The burger wasn’t that juicy even with the toppings included on it. Speaking of the toppings, the pickles had a very odd taste to them and didn’t go down well. It really threw the whole flavor of the burger off. The toasted bun was probably the best part of the burger which held up very well.
For the price, Calvin’s was the third best value for a 1/3 pound burger in town. As for the experience, no complaints at all. the staff was friendly, the establishment was clean. Overall, it is your basic burger experience.
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Monday – Sunday 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Burger Size: 4 ounces
There really wasn’t much to the Heroes house burger. The actual meat was nothing to rave about and the patty was rather dry upon eating. The bun was your basic bun that did a great job of keeping the burger together. The toppings were piled on high but did not add too much to the burger.
For the price, it was one of the highest for a quarter pound burger. $9 is the price you will pay when there aren’t any specials and that doesn’t include tip; a very high price to pay for a no frills burger. As for the experience, nice patio, good drinks but the service was a bit slow. Never a good sign when you and your friends have to go track down the server to tab out.
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Monday – Saturday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday Closed
Burger Size: 4 ounces
The look of the patty alone wasn’t exactly ideal or appealing but surprisingly the burger had some good flavor to it. Even though the seasoning was tasty, it was a little much. The burger did start to fall apart while eating; it wasn’t packed tightly enough. The patty was also quite dry. If it weren’t for the optional toppings added on, the burger may have fallen further down the rankings. Nice, decent bun and the price was right in the middle compared to other quarter pound burgers.
Decent experience with a friendly staff that greeted you when you walked in. Employees cleaned the place as each person left; nice touch.
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#26 – West Street Burger
130 S West St
Monday – Saturday 10:30 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday Closed
Burger Size: 1/4 pound
Burger price was $3.69. Fries are an additional $1.39 or you can get a meal for $5.69 which includes a drink.
Cash or Credit? Cash
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? No.
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: Hickory Bacon
Thoughts:
This reminded me of the burger you would get at a friend’s cook out. It was a very basic burger that was just all around average in terms of flavor and juiciness. At a BBQ, you’d be very happy and pleased with what you got but compared to other burger establishments there are better to be had out there. Nice toasted bun, the minimal toppings worked out well. The pricing was slightly higher compared to other quarter pound burgers in the city. No problems with the establishment. Although it had a fast food feel, they were very courteous and nice to anybody who came in.
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#25 – Bionic Burger
6121 E 21st N
Monday – Saturday 10:30 am – 10:00 pm
Sunday 10:30 am – 9:00 pm
Burger Size: 1/4 pound
Burger price was $3.19. It’s an additional $1.25 for fries or $5.60 for a meal (fries and a drink).
Cash or Credit? Both
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? No
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: The Six Million Dollar Burger
Thoughts:
This was a decent burger from a very fast food type of establishment. I was pleased with the burger and say it was a step above what you could have at national fast food chains. The mustard pasted all over the bottom bun kept this burger from being completely dry. The toasted bun was a nice compliment to the burger. Outside of the mustard, there were a sprinkle of onions that gave it some more flavor although it could have used some more. Price is very comparable to others and that basically covers Bionic Burger.
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#24 – Oasis
4121 W Maple St
Monday – Sunday 10:00 am – 2:00 am
Burger Size: 9 ounces
Burger price was $6.99. One side included in the burger price.
Cash or Credit? Both
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? Both
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: The Widow Maker
Thoughts:
Huge burger at 9 ounces, seasoned decently but also a burger that didn’t hold together well. It was constantly falling apart while eating. Unfortunately the taste wasn’t memorable either. Oasis, long ago, was named the best burger in the state. Going into this establishment with an open mind with a few friends and we left a little less than impressed. Not a single person felt this was juicy and while the bun was the perfect size and nicely cut in half for easier handling, there wasn’t much to the bun either. Having raw onions in the burger made it all feel drier than it should have been. Overall the toppings didn’t add much to it.
Price wise the $6.99 is a fantastic value for the 9 ounce burger with a side. The service was fantastic. The ambiance is great; cheap pool, nice patio, everything you could want from a bar.
6305 E Harry St
Monday – Thursday 10:00 am – 11:00 pm
Friday – Saturday 10:00 am – 12:00 am
Sunday Closed
Burger Size: 1/3 pound
Burger price is $5.25 which includes chips. I didn’t see a separate price for just a burger or fries on the menu.
Cash or Credit? Both
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? Both
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: The Inside Out Burger
Thoughts:
Meat quality was a little lacking and came out highly seared around the edges. Even with that, the flavor was a little average and the juiciness to the burger was right in the middle as well. The bun was nicely toasted and was one of the best things about the burger unfortunately. It felt as though there were more pickles and onions than actual burger meat. After eating it, all you could taste in your mouth was onions.
Even with chips/fries that came with the meal, it was still on the higher side compared to other 1/3 pound burgers. Otherwise a nice little dive bar feel that my friends and I enjoyed. Service was a little slow with only one person manning everything that day which was forgiven.
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501 E Grand, Haysville
Monday-Thursday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Friday-Saturday – 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sunday Closed
Burger Size: 4 ounces
Burger price was $3.19. An additional $1.29 for fries.
Cash or Credit? Both
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? No.
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: Willie Burger
Thoughts:
Good tasting burger; cooked right, seasoned well. I was a fan of the burger. This burger was by no means mouth watering juicy but good enough to leave you satisfied. I was a big fan of the butter toasted bun. The toppings were kept basic and at a minimum but enough to enhance the burger. Burger was about average on price compared to competitors in the quarter pound market while the service and experience was all pretty basic. It’s quite the drive if you don’t live close to the area of town. If you are out south or in Haysville, definitely go. If not, there are other suitable options.
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3200 W 13th St
Monday – Friday 10:30 am – 7:30 pm
Saturday 10:30 am – 3:30 pm
Sunday Closed
Burger Size: 1/4 pound
Burger price was $4.99. Fries were an additional $1.99 or a full meal with drink for $5.99.
Cash or Credit? Both
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? No.
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: California Cheeseburger
Thoughts:
An above average burger cooked to the point the ends were burnt. Overall taste was average taking into account flavor and juiciness. Decent bun that I had no problems with. The toppings were fantastic and added well to the flavor. At $4.99, this was one of the more expensive burgers for a quarter pound. Very hometown feel to this restaurant, extremely nice courteous young men working on my visit.
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2420 S Oliver
Thoughts:
Decent burger that was quite filling. Each patty was just 1/5 pound so I had to order a double to reach the minimum requirement for a burger. The seasoning and flavor was nothing outstanding but still satisfying. Everything about it was just best described as “good” to “satisfying” from the burger to the juiciness to the bun to the whole experience of the establishment. The toppings were kept very minimal which worked out great for the burger. As for the price, it was the third cheapest price for a burger in town if you go by price per ounce.
#19 – Timbuktu
1251 N Andover Road (Andover)
Monday – Wednesday 11:00 am – 10:30 pm
Thursday – Saturday 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Sunday 11:00 am – 10:30 pm
Burger Size: 1/2 pound
Burger price is $6.75. The price included chips. You can order fries for an additional $2.50.
Cash or Credit? Cash Only
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? Beer Only
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: Add the Jalapeno Relish to any burger
Thoughts:
At a heaping half pound, this was a very filling burger with great quality meat. Unfortunately for this outing, my friends and I all noticed the burger was overdone. Being well done, the burger was left dry and lacked some of the flavor. The bun was perfectly proportionate to the burger and kept everything inside and did it’s job just right. The toppings with the grilled onions were nice; I bet if I had used the jalapeno relish it would have been ever better. The price was pretty good for a half pound burger and chips. Timbuktu serves only beer and has a beautiful patio out back. On our evening at Timbuktu, our server didn’t look to be having a good night and it showed as if it felt she didn’t even want us there. But that’s not what dropped Timbuktu down the rankings a bit, it was all how the burger was cooked.
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Sunday – Monday 2:00 pm – 2:00 am
Tuesday – Saturday 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: The Big Popper
Thoughts:
Great quality burger that was great tasting as well. While the burger was very juicy, it was also extremely messy to eat at the same time. It was a great bun but did not hold up as well with the meat. Nothing over the top about the toppings but overall good quality. Whiskey Dick’s burger was the most expensive on the list for a 1/3 pound burger.
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7718 E 37th St N
Monday – Thursday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Friday – Saturday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Sunday Closed
Burger Size: 1/4 pound
Burger price was $6.25. Fries are an additional $2.25.
Cash or Credit? Both
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? Beer (and Wine)
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: Boursin
Thoughts:
A really good tasting burger that was seasoned properly and cooked well. Burger was still more on the dry side than anything; definitely needed some ketchup or mustard to add if you wanted it to have a more moist taste. There was no grease or juice at all on this burger. For my preference, I just wasn’t a big fan of the bun. It’s really big for my taste and many bites had me tasting more bread than actual burger. They were very heavy on the toppings too which you could always take off. Fizz though has the absolute best pickles than any other restaurant. For price, Fizz was the second highest overall price for a burger if you take into account price per ounce of burger.
Service wise they were on point for everything; very friendly, clean establishment and relaxing patio for a nice afternoon.
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803 N West St
Monday 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Tuesday – Saturday 11:00 am – 7:30 pm
Sunday Closed
Burger Size: 5.33 ounces
Burger price was $4.95. An additional $2 for a side of fries.
Cash or Credit? Both
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? No.
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: The Yolo Stack
Thoughts:
This was such a juicy burger, so juicy that both buns were nearly non-existent by the time I finished eating it. The bun soaked it all up and was left to bits and pieces. Even with that, the burger was still fantastic and succulent. I had no complaints about the toppings; all in all good stuff. Yolo is nearly in the middle when it comes to price for a third pound burger.
On my visit there, the place was very busy but the service did not suffer at all. Staff was considerate and apologetic for how busy they were even though it wasn’t necessary for an apology.
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1109 E Douglas
Monday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Tuesday – Thursday 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Friday – Saturday 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Sunday 10:00 am – 11:00 pm
Thoughts:
Burger tasted great and cooked just right; very juicy which to the point like some other burgers soaked through the bottom bun where I was holding the top bun and a patty. The toppings were pretty good.
At 7 ounces, the burger was still one of the more expensive options out there at price per ounce. If you’re a big fan of beers, you will really like the Anchor. For experience, the service was really slow perhaps one of the slowest places for ordering food out of all the places on this adventure.
#14 – Big Larry’s Burgers
328 S Meridian Ave (Valley Center)
Monday – Saturday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Sunday Closed
Burger Size: 1/4 pound
Burger price is $2.89. You can get a meal for $5.89 which includes a boatload of fries and a drink.
Cash or Credit? Both
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? No
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: The Big Larry
Thoughts:
Big Larry’s quarter pound burger was very juicy throughout but at the same time pretty greasy. The toasted bun, which I was a huge fan of, was toasted just perfect to keep everything from soaking through. The patty had decent flavor and pretty filling even for a quarter pound burger. The minimal toppings were nice, a little heavy on the grilled onions which tasted great at first but also left an extreme onion aftertaste after.
The ambiance of the place has an old school feel and the service was excellent. Being stuck driving behind a tractor on the way there wasn’t fun but we won’t count that as part of the experience. Nice “Mom and Pop” restaurant. I liked it all. Price-wise it was in the top ten for price per ounce.
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#13 – Southeast Carryout
Monday – Saturday 10:30 am – 7:45 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Burger price was $2.65. An additional $1.75 for a side of fries.
Cash or Credit? Both
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? No.
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: Chiliburger
Thoughts:
With the patties being just 1/6 of a pound, it required two patties to reach the 1/4 quarter limit. While this wasn’t the juiciest of burgers out there (about average in that department), the flavor was still there and the toppings really added to the burger and made it all taste juicier than it probably really was. The bun held up well during the whole process of eating. The staff was extremely friendly, service was fast.
For price per ounce, this was far and away the cheapest burger in town and the cheapest 1/3 pound burger you could find. EXCELLENT value.
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#12 – Hamburger Hero
420 E 61st N (Park City)
Monday 11:00 am 2:00 pm
Tuesday – Saturday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sunday Closed
Burger Size: 1/4 pound
Burger price is $3.25. The price for fries was $1.75 or $5.50 for a combo which includes a drink.
Cash or Credit? Both
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? No
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: The Herolicious
Thoughts:
For a quarter pound burger, I sort of questioned it just by looking at the burger. This burger had great flavor, had one of my favorite buns on this excursion, I was pleased with the toppings but it just wasn’t that filling. If I went again, I’d have to order a double at minimum to make sure it’d satisfy my appetite.
No complaints at all with the experience and the price was fair and right in the middle of what you’d pay compared to every single restaurant with a quarter pound burger.
UPDATE: We’ve had our first burger blog casualty. The 12th best burger place has closed down as of the first week of July. A reader just messaged me to let me know they have closed down. It’s very unfortunate to see any local business close down.
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#11 – Burger Stand
1757 N Mosley St
Monday – Friday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday Closed
Burger Size: 1/4 pound
Burger price is $2.79. The price for fries was $1.69 or a meal for $5.85 which includes a meal and a drink.
Cash or Credit? Both
Do they sell Beer/Alcohol? No
Not in the mood for a regular hamburger? Try the following: Bacon Cheese Eggburger
Thoughts:
The Burger Stand burger was cooked medium to slightly under that if you’re ok with that. I didn’t mind but some may. This still had a good flavor and it felt very clean going down. It didn’t sit heavy in your stomach like some other burgers do. My buddy who went me ironically told me the same thing later that day while I was thinking that. It was a very juicy burger with a good quality bun. The onions could have been grilled a little longer which would have been my preference. In the future if I go again, I’d just order it without or take them out myself. The pickles and mustard were kept at a minimum and done well.
This is the second cheapest quarter pound burger in town. Definite mom and pop feel in this tiny little shack sized building. Could use a little more ventilation but otherwise the service was very friendly. The lady that took our order looked very happy to see us. I was surprised to see how busy it was when we arrived.
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We have continued counting down the Top Ten Burgers in Wichita in the new blog. Enjoy!
Happy Dining!
