The 18 best burgers in Sydney

Luckily every table is stocked with wet wipes because the BL chicken burger is heaps messy. The BL Chicken Burger has Southern fried chicken, American cheese, streaky bacon, fresh lettuce, black garlic aioli and chilli jam on a milk bun. Yes, it’s a heart attack waiting to happen, but one we’d happily risk all over again.

This cash-only operation is a well-oiled machine masquerading as a ramshackle burger joint by the roadside in Sylvania. In operation since 1957, they offer Australian-style burgers, meaning a cooked through (but still tasty) patty, fresh tomato, raw onions and lots of shredded lettuce come standard, along with free beetroot if you want it (because who wouldn’t?). Time Out’s top pick is the Works Burger, which adds crisp bacon, a fried egg and pineapple. And it costs $14.50. 

One of Sydney’s best burgers is found at subterranean swish steakhouse, The Gidley. And now, you can also get your hands on it at Surry Hills bar and bistro, The Rover. Made on a milk bun, the burger features a double beef patty sourced from their in-house butchery at new sibling restaurant Alfie’s, rich cheddar cheese and zingy pickles. You won’t find any salad or fancy relishes and after one bite you will forget they even exist. If you’re in a group, waiters recommend getting one as a starter to share, which would be an excellent idea except you really won’t want to – trust us.

You can find seriously good smash burgers at John Belvedere, and we recommend you head there soon. Located on Parramatta’s Church Street, John Belvedere’s burgers feature Aussie beef ground in-store and milk buns baked fresh daily. The patties are smashed to order, resulting in a delicious, caramelised crust and crisp edge – just how you want it. The classic cheeseburger, which comes with a beef patty, cheese, pickles and onions is on point, and will set you back $12. More info here.

These guys are the kings of the good quality, American-style burger with that low-brow fast food flavour. They started the trend and none have matched them for consistency or popularity. The secret is in their beef patties made by a special machine in their CBD shop. We’re talking quality beef, cheese melted over, lettuce, thick slices of tomato, white onion and Mary's secret sauce all smooshed into a soft white bun. Consider adding mash and gravy as a dip for your fries because every now and then, we all deserve a carb on carb party.

The menu here is a veritable ode to Sydney rock royalty, and while you maybe tempted to try order your favourite band’s namesake sandwich, a surefire bet is the Classic Cog, which unlike prog-rock music, keeps things classic with tasty cheese, grass-fed beef, lettuce and tomato relish. Top marks for the bun-to-patty ratio – they complement each other perfectly. It’s also juicy but not a monstrous hot mess. 

Chebbo's Burgers has taken the social media world by storm, and for good reason. They specialise in smash burgers, and they’re as delicious as they are good looking. The team started as a food truck in Roselands, and they’ve just opened their first bricks-and-mortar store in Marrickville. If it’s your first time, go for their classic bad boy with a smashed beef patty, American cheese, the usual suspects (lettuce, tomato, fresh onion) and Chebbo’s special sauce. More info here.

Bowls & Burgers has a big selection of burgers, but if you’re keen to bite into a classic-tasting number with the perfect balance of flavours – juicy beef patty, oozy cheese, salty bacon, caramelised onion, tangy barbecue sauce – we highly recommend you order The American. In our opinion, it's less American cheeseburger style, and more of an Aussie burger, because it's piled high with fresh salad. The best thing about this place is that there's no "pack-shot disappointment". Unlike at your average burger joint, what you see on the menu is an accurate vision of what you'll actually get. Yum.

We’d heard the rumours that Clam Bar is pumping out Sydney’s best burger, which is a huge call. And at $35 you’d want it to be pretty bloody good. Thankfully, just like the restaurant, it's a clam dunk. The 250g grass-fed patty is pretty and blushing pink, fatty and juicy, with perfectly melted American cheese, topped with a sharp mustard sauce and onion. Thick cut bacon and pickles are served on top of the sesame bun and stabbed with a knife. It's rich, messy, and yum.

The Iceburger at this Sydney fine diner is almost as iconic as the pool and beach in front. Made up of a soft milk bun, seasoned and juicy beef patty, melted American cheese, fresh lettuce, tomato, onion and zingy sauce, it’s a near-perfect burg. Couple it with ocean views, golden fries and a Negroni for a five-star lunch. You can only order the Iceburger at the bar, so next time you feel like a fancy drink and bite post-swim, you know where to head. Though, because this is Icebergs we’re talking about, leave your wet togs and sandy feet at home – the more glam, the better.

There’s always a throng of people waiting to get their fix at this Clovelly corner spot. She’s not very big, but she packs them in - then out the door and onto the footpath. The fish and chips are excellent, but we return for the burgers, which have reached near cult status for good reason. Our pick is the fish burger, which is fresh, a generous size and delicious. It comes with sustainably sourced NZ hoki that’s crumbed, golden, and topped with garlic mayo, fresh lettuce, tomato, carrot, beetroot and cheese. Have one of these after your next swim and it will be good times all around.

Burger chain Betty’s Burgers does a messy beef burger with cheese, and one of our favourite meat-free burgers on the fast food circuit. They sandwich a mix of gouda and Gruyère between big, flat, juicy field mushrooms and then crumb and deep fry it so that the shell is crunchy and the cheese molten. It's lightened and brightened by the requisite lettuce and tomato and delivered in a soft, white, sweet bun spread with the house secret sauce (a spiced mayo situation).

Kirby Craig’s katsu chicken burger is one of the best spicy sandwiches we’ve eaten in this city. The chicken thighs are wider than the sweet bun so that hot, juicy, crunchy bites stick out on all sides. The sweetness in the tonkatsu sauce is good, the subtle citrus in the yuzu mayo is even better, and they jam enough finely shredded cabbage and the right amount of raw onion to keep things feeling super fresh. 

Neil Perry’s legendary American Cheeseburger at Next Door, the sibling venue to his flash fine diner Margaret, are what dreams are made of. It’s filled with a 200g Coppertree Farm beef patty made up of a mix of brisket and chuck grilled to medium, with cheese, pickles, tomato sauce, mustard and a rose mayo secret sauce on a soft bun. You can choose to add bacon or chilli, but we reckon it’s perfect just the way it is.

You've proably seen Burger Point's OTT numbers on Instagram, including their signature burger topped with a donut glaze bun, crisp bacon bits and a sprinkle of cheese. Lizzo was even a fan of their burgers when she tried them back in 2019. Us? We love Burger Point's Old School one with a beef patty, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup and mayo. Sometimes the classic is best. And good news: the Filipino-fusion burger franchise also has a store in Circular Quay. More info here.

It’s no secret that Frango is home to some of the finest Portuguese chicken and chicken burgers in Sydney. First opening in Petersham in 1983, the family-owned charcoal chicken store has since grown, going on to open stores across Sydney. The Double comes with two of their succulent Portuguese chicken fillets, cheese, lettuce, tomato and their famous chilli and mayo.

We’ve decided that the chipotle chicken burger outshines its beefy brethren here. Structural integrity isn’t this burger’s strong suit – but what it lacks in form, it’s makes up for in tiered textures. The fried chicken is coated in a crisp batter and the seasoning tastes exactly like KFC’s secret 12 spices, no joke. The bacon is extra juicy, and the soft avo, lettuce and tomato add complete freshness. 

Fans of Five Guys speak about the burgers of this popular US chain with the kind of breathless reverence usually reserved for far fancier gourmet fare. Why you may ask? Well, it's all down to the choose-your-own-adventure menu. Once you’ve selected the number of patties you want and if you want to add cheese and bacon (which you most certainly should), you have free rein of a whopping 15 other toppings and condiments to pimp out their burg any way you want for no additional charge. And with so many garnishes, sauces and other yummy inclusions to choose from – including lesser-available options like grilled mushrooms, fresh jalapeños and A1 steak sauce – there are more than 250,000 possible combinations, literally.