There aren’t many things better than a good old-fashioned hamburger, right? One thing is for sure, southern Illinois has countless burger joints that will make your taste buds celebrate! We’ve rounded up some of the best burgers in Downstate Illinois, so be sure to go check out one of these delicious restaurants.
If you’re a burger fan, you can’t miss Kahuna’s Burgers in Greenville! With a menu full of various burgers, experience a burger unlike any you have tasted before, including their popular Hawaiian and Wipeout burgers.
Burger Shack is a local favorite in Casey and understandably so. Burgers are their specialty, and they have a variety of options to choose from including their quadruple bypass, a massive burger with four patties, cheese, bacon, and toppings! You have to check this place out!
For a one-of-a-kind burger experience that has become something of a legend, you have to pay a visit to the Moonshine Store in rural Clark County. While it's address is affiliated with Martinsville, this burger joint is about 15 minutes away from the nearest town. Moonshine Store opens up at six in the morning, and the grill shuts off at 12:30 sharp, so keep that in mind! Their patties are a half a pound of deliciousness, so definitely pack your appetite. There's a reason why this establishment has been featured on shows like CBS Sunday Morning, the experience is worth the trip alone.
Julian’s Drive-In in Flora serves American classics like biscuits and gravy, chicken strips, and of course, incredible burgers. With extremely low prices and a variety of burgers, as well as other meals, this is a wonderful place to visit!
Wally’s Drive-In is an icon in Clinton County. This old school burger joint has delicious fries and shakes, and of course, a good old-fashioned greasy hamburger. Customers say it’s one of the best burgers they’ve ever had, and we are sure you’ll agree!
Robinson is home to Dog N Suds, a classic joint founded in the 1950’s. Dog N Suds is a drive-in restaurant with delicious burgers and their famous root beer! Head over to Dog N Suds for a classic dining experience with tasty food!
The Fillin’ Station in Toledo has a variety of sandwiches, but their delicious burger is the way to go! This local joint uses fresh ingredients to make amazing burgers and tasty breakfast treats. No matter what time of day you visit or what meal you order, it is sure to be scrumptious!
For an amazing burger, you can’t miss Blind Society! Their famous Society Pub Burger is topped with smoked bacon, caramelized onions, Iowa prairie cheddar, and garlic aioli – sounds delicious! Just a block away from Blind Society there is another establishment that serves up some GREAT smashburgers. The Copper Penny puts their crispy-edged burgers on a buttered and toasted bun, and they certainly don't skimp on the cheese if you ask for it. Pair it with their shoestring fries for a classic meal!
In McLeansboro, Foxy has a vast menu of seafood, pizza, wraps, salads, and most notably, burgers. With unique choices like their PB&J Burger and Black & Blue Burger, you won’t be able to get burgers like these anywhere else!
Newton is home to BJ's Saloon, which has become VERY well-known for their eating challenge called the 'Gut Buster Challenge.' Part of the challenge features their Big-Ten Tenderloin Sandwich (which is massive), but it also features their six ounce Steakburger complete with all of the fixings including crispy chicken tenders on top! Bring your stretchy pants along for this meal.
Dairy Dee in Sumner is the perfect place to go on a hot summer day! You can get a classic cheeseburger to enjoy and have a cool ice cream dessert to go with it. Their burger is sure to leave you wanting more!
When it comes to an absolute staple within in the community, look no further than Chuck’s Place. We’re talking about a place so iconic that some folks visit a couple times a week just to get their burger fix. These burgers have been make the same delicious way for the last 50+ years! If you’re feeling hungry ask about their Brutus, which is a ¾ pound burger!
Columbia is home to Reifschneider's Grill and Grape, which offers up eight different awesome burgers. Are you into patty melt's? They have those. What about bison burgers? They have those too! There is also a burger topped with bacon and creamy mac and cheese, as well as something called The Big Al. This monster consists of a burger topped with BBQ pulled pork, bacon, three slices of American Cheese, and onion straws.
In Du Quoin, the St. Nicholas Hotel has been a historic landmark since the 1800’s. In 2005, the hotel was remodeled into a brewery, serving delicious food and incredible beer. The St. Nicholas Brewing Company serves various types of burgers, all just as tasty as the next, including BBQ burgers and spicy burgers!
Elsewhere in Perry County, Dixie's Cup Cafe has some pretty darn good burgers themselves. You can order anything as simple as a hamburger, or you can deluxe it out to a double bacon cheeseburger. They recently started offering signature burgers as well, including an Aloha Burger with grilled ham and pineapple.
Lollie’s Café in Sparta is a town favorite! Not only are their burgers to die for, they also serve breakfast all day long and have a vast menu of steaks, seafood, sandwiches, and more! There is certainly something that everyone will love at Lollie’s Café!
Olney is no stranger to a good burger, they actually have three restaurants in town that feature some solid burgers. Hovey's Diner, Chilly Willy's, and Ginger Ale's all offer their own take on burgers. Hovey's is more of a traditional diner-type experience while Chilly Willy's and Ginger Ale's is a little more fast casual. Pro tip - every now and again Ginger Ale's has pulled BBQ Pork from the Smokin' Pig, and they put on a double cheesburger. Just think about that for a minute....
Tavern on Main is in the heart of downtown Belleville, and their burger is sure to leave you satisfied. With a fun restaurant atmosphere and delicious food and drink, you won’t want to miss Tavern on Main! Another St. Clair County establishment that is not only well-known for their burgers, but for their huge portion sizes would be Lotawata Creek in Fairview Heights. Lotawata features a dozen 'Big South Burgers,' some of which are just plain crazy. The 'Big Heart Attack Burger' comes with nine slices of cheese and is dipped in beer batter and fried. C'mon now...why wouldn't you want to try something like that?
Mt. Carmel is home to Two Farmers Burgers and Beignets, a mobile burger shack that specializes in burgers and beignets! While it sounds like a unique mix, the two menu items pair deliciously together. Get your salty and sweet fix in one stop, you don’t want to miss Two Farmers Burgers and Beignets!
Eagle’s Nest in Addieville is a hometown, local family favorite, serving up delicious American classics, burgers and beer. Head on over to Eagle’s Nest to grab a cold beer and a tasty hamburger! New Minden is another small town in Washington County that is the home to the Blue Room Tavern. This joint is nothing to write home about in terms of looks from the outside, but that's part of the charm. On the inside they serve up some of the best burgers you've had in quite a long time.
Little Red Barn in Wayne City has real, hand-made, all-beef burgers that are sure to make your mouth water. With homemade desserts and breakfast being served all day, Little Red Barn will satisfy all of your cravings! We can't bring up Wayne County without mentioning Jovalou in Fairfield, that would be a crime. They're about the BOM (burger of the month) at Jovalou, and the offering is always big on flavor. Definitley keep an eye on Jovalou's social media pages, because they are burgers you WILL NOT want to miss if you're around Fairfield.
There aren’t a ton of old-fashioned drive-in restaurants left, but Yesterdays in Carmi certainly fits the bill. This White County institution has been serving up delicious burgers and more for decades, and if you’re running short on cash but long on hunger – they offer five hamburgers for five bucks!
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