Eat With Sam KLooking for the best burgers in Nashville? Whether you're craving a classic smash burger, a thick gourmet burger, or a local hidden gem, this updated 2026 guide highlights some of the best burger restaurants in Music City.
Nashville has quietly become one of the best burger cities in the South. From award-winning smash burgers to neighborhood favorites and premium steakhouse burgers, there's something for everyone.
At Eat With Sam K, every burger is purchased with my own money. I do not accept paid reviews or exchange positive ratings for free food. Every recommendation is based on my honest experience.
Tip: hover over any $ price tag below to see what it means.
⭐ Bad Luck Burger Club
Neighborhood: East Nashville
Sam Score: 8.6/10
Best For: Smash Burgers
Price: $
Bad Luck is a smash burger trailer parked on Woodland Street, covered in yellow lettering and cartoon cats. You order at the window, and there's a bar next door if you want to sit down.
I got the Bad Luck Burger, the Island Boi Burger and a side of tots. It's quick and it's cheap, and the trade-off is that it's a food truck with limited seating. Read Sam's full review →
⭐ Personally Reviewed by Eat With Sam K · Read my full Bad Luck review →
⭐ Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint
Neighborhood: Germantown
Sam Score: 8.6/10
Best For: Creative Burgers
Price: $
Jack Brown's is a casual burger-and-beer spot in Germantown with a long beer list and a covered patio, focused on creative specialty burgers. Read Sam's full review →
💬 Sam Says: "A covered patio, a long beer list, and a burger menu that punches well above its price point."
⭐ Personally Reviewed by Eat With Sam K · Read my full Jack Brown's review →
⭐ Hugh-Baby's
Neighborhood: Charlotte Avenue (The Nations)
Sam Score: 8.5/10
Best For: Old-School Cheeseburgers
Price: $$
Founded by Nashville pitmaster Pat Martin (of Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint), Hugh-Baby's serves one of the city's best old-school cheeseburgers, on Charlotte Avenue with a drive-through and a patio. Read Sam's full review →
💬 Sam Says: "Smashed cheeseburgers, BBQ, and hand-spun shakes in one order, hard to find a better dollar-for-dollar meal."
⭐ Personally Reviewed by Eat With Sam K · Read my full Hugh-Baby's review →
⭐ Baam Burger
Neighborhood: Downtown (The Arcade, off Broadway)
Sam Score: 8.3/10
Best For: Late-Night Smash Burgers Near Broadway
Price: $$
Baam Burger is tucked into The Arcade downtown, just steps off Broadway, serving smashed patties, fries, and hand-spun milkshakes late into the night. Read Sam's full review →
💬 Sam Says: "A steps-off-Broadway smash burger that actually holds up, and stays open when you need it most."
⭐ Personally Reviewed by Eat With Sam K · Read my full Baam Burger review →
⭐ NADC Burger
Neighborhood: Downtown (The Arcade)
Sam Score: 8.2/10
Best For: Wagyu Smash Burgers
Price: $$
NADC, short for "Not A Damn Chance," keeps things simple: one burger, done one way, made with two smashed 3 oz patties of 100% Wagyu beef. Tucked inside the historic Arcade downtown, it's a quick, no-seating counter stop that's become one of the most talked-about burger spots in the city. Read Sam's full review →
💬 Sam Says: "One burger, done exactly one way, and Wagyu beef makes the case for why that's enough."
⭐ Personally Reviewed by Eat With Sam K · Read my full NADC Burger review →
⭐ The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden
Neighborhood: East Nashville
Sam Score: 7.3/10
Best For: Burgers in a beer garden
Price: $$
The Pharmacy is an East Nashville burger parlor done up like an old soda fountain, with red counter stools, house-made phosphate sodas and bratwursts, and a big beer garden out back.
I got the Pharmacy Burger and the Farm burger with a side of tots. Food came out quick, the room is a fun one, and the patio is the reason to go. Parking is free. Read Sam's full review →
⭐ Personally Reviewed by Eat With Sam K · Read my full Pharmacy review →
More Nashville Burgers Worth Knowing
I'm still working my way through Nashville's burger scene, so the restaurants below haven't all received an official Sam Score yet.
Rather than assigning rankings to places I haven't personally reviewed, I'm keeping them on my radar and will update this guide as I visit them.
💭 Dreamburger
Dreamburger combines classic smash burger techniques with premium ingredients and unique flavor combinations. Their burgers have become one of Nashville's hottest food destinations.
Best For: Creative Burgers
🍟 Gabby's Burgers & Fries
Gabby's is one of Nashville's original burger legends. Fresh beef, hand-cut fries, and consistently excellent service keep locals coming back.
Best For: Classic Burgers
💵 Grillshack Fries & Burgers
If you're looking for a quality burger that won't break the bank, Grillshack delivers one of the best values in Nashville, fresh ingredients, quick service, and no downtown crowds.
Best For: Budget Burgers
🥩 Bare Bones Butcher
Part butcher shop, part restaurant, Bare Bones serves premium burgers using high-quality beef prepared in-house.
Best For: Premium Butcher-Shop Burgers
🍺 Dino's
Open since 1971 in East Nashville and reportedly the city's oldest bar, Dino's serves a thick, charred, cheese-dripping bar cheeseburger so good Bon Appétit once named it one of the three best burgers in the country.
Best For: Legendary Dive-Bar Cheeseburgers
🏆 My Sam Score Rankings
Every restaurant in this guide that I've personally reviewed, ranked by Sam Score. It updates automatically each time I add a review.
| Rank | Restaurant | Cuisine | Sam Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | Bad Luck Burger Club | Burgers | 8.6 |
| 🥇 1 | Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint | Burgers | 8.6 |
| 🥉 3 | Hugh-Baby's | Burgers & BBQ | 8.5 |
| 4 | Baam Burger | Burgers | 8.3 |
| 5 | NADC Burger | Burgers | 8.2 |
| 6 | The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden | Burgers | 7.3 |
Only restaurants I've personally visited and reviewed are eligible for this ranking.
Best Burgers in Nashville by Occasion
If you don't want to sort through the entire list, here's where I'd start depending on what you're looking for.
| Looking For | Try |
|---|---|
| ⭐ Highest Sam Score | Bad Luck Burger Club, 8.6 |
| 🌙 Late-Night, Near Broadway | Baam Burger |
| 🥩 Wagyu Smash Burger | NADC Burger |
| 🍔 Old-School Cheeseburger | Hugh-Baby's / Dino's |
| 🎲 Smash Burger | Bad Luck Burger Club, 8.6 |
| 🍺 Beer Garden | The Pharmacy, 7.3 |
| 💵 Budget-Friendly | Grillshack |
What Is My Favorite Burger in Nashville?
Right now, Bad Luck Burger Club is my top personally-reviewed pick with an 8.6 Sam Score, just ahead of Jack Brown's on the same score, then Hugh-Baby's (8.5), Baam Burger (8.3), and NADC Burger (8.2).
That doesn't mean the ranking is permanent. I'm continuing to visit burger restaurants throughout Nashville, and whenever I review another one, I'll update this guide based on my actual experience.
The goal is eventually to have a complete ranking based entirely on restaurants I've personally visited rather than simply repeating the same Nashville restaurant lists you can find everywhere else.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best burger in Nashville?
Of the burger spots I've personally reviewed so far, Bad Luck Burger Club is my highest rated at 8.6/10, just ahead of Jack Brown's on the same score, followed by Hugh-Baby's (8.5), Baam Burger (8.3), and NADC Burger (8.2). Dreamburger is also consistently considered among the best burgers in Nashville.
What is the best smash burger in Nashville?
Bad Luck Burger Club, which I rate 8.6/10 and rank first in this guide. Dreamburger is the other smash burger name that comes up most, alongside NADC Burger, which I've also reviewed.
What is the best cheap burger in Nashville?
Hugh-Baby's BBQ & Burger Shop and Grillshack Fries & Burgers offer some of the best burgers under $15.
What burger restaurant is best for a first-time visitor?
If it's your first trip to Nashville, Bad Luck Burger Club and Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint are both great places to experience the city's burger scene.
The Sam Score
Every burger that receives a Sam Score has been personally visited and reviewed by me, taste, value, sides, service, and atmosphere all factor in.
Restaurants cannot pay for a Sam Score or a better rating. My goal with Eat With Sam K is simple: try the food myself and tell you whether I think it's actually worth your money.
As I visit more burger restaurants around Nashville, I'll continue updating this guide with new Sam Scores and rankings.
More Nashville Food Guides
Looking for more great places to eat? Check out these guides on Eat With Sam K: