Babe's Meat Counter takes first place on the list of best burgers in Miami. Melanie Schoendorfer, the self-proclaimed Sausage Queen of Miami, and her husband, Jason, turned a grassroots side hustle into a full-fledged business in 2018 when they opened the brick-and-mortar Babe's Meat & Counter in Palmetto Bay. In doing so, they added a curated selection of high-end specialty meats to their menu of house-made smoked sausages, specialty bacon, and handcrafted artisan sandwiches. Today, a butcher counter also serves breakfast and lunch, with the "Babe's" burger being the most popular menu item. Jason explains that the house meat blend changes slightly each week.

While each five-ounce patty begins with prime chuck and brisket, an assortment of premium trimmings — a hint of prime Angus here, a smidgeon of American Wagyu there — results in a delectable final mixture. Trimmed fat is set aside for frying oil as a nod to zero waste, resulting in the ultimate beef-fat fries to accompany the burgers. Each patty is cooked to order on the grill, then topped with American cheese, house-made pickles, and sriracha mayo, and fitted into a fluffy Martin's potato roll.

Google Rating: 4.9/5.0
Address: 9216 SW 156th St., Miami
Phone: 786-429-1315
Website: babefroman.com

Kush is 2nd on the list of best burgers in Miami. KUSH Hospitality Group (KHG) was founded in 2011 with the mission of developing and operating cutting-edge, one-of-a-kind concepts inspired by South Florida's rich and diverse community. Owner Matt Kuscher meticulously curates every aspect of each KHG concept, from the menu design and art to the merchandise and music. Each restaurant serves menus made from locally sourced ingredients and has interiors that have been thoughtfully designed using mostly upcycled and environmentally friendly materials. In fact, KHG has established itself as a local leader in environmentally friendly practices, having received numerous awards in recognition of their conscientious efforts.

The Food Network named Kush's frita-inspired burger one of the "Top 100 Burgers in America," and it also won the coveted "People's Choice" Award at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival's Burger Bash. The "Frita" is an extravagant take on the classic frita Cubana. You can get it at Kush Wynwood, Tobacco Road by Kush, or LoKal in Coconut Grove.

Google Rating: 4.6/5.0

Address: 2003 N Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33127

Phone: +1 305-576-4500

Website: kushhospitality.com

Ted's Burgers Pop-Up is 3rd on the list of best burgers in Miami. Former Yardbird Southern Table chef Teodoro Armas decided to start making burgers in early 2020. The concept arose in his backyard, where his burgers became popular among friends and family. It quickly became a passion project. What started as a pop-up in an O'Reilly Auto Parts parking lot has now become a smashing success — literally. Armas' weekend-only pop-up is now a regular fixture at J. Wakefield Brewing in Wynwood, where hungry patrons queue for a taste of his "American Classic" smash burger, which is prepared to order with your choice of a single, double, or triple patty.

The hot griddle does the majority of the work, creating a beautiful sear that intensifies the flavor and allows the meat to speak for itself with just a touch of salt for flavor. It's a simple — and near-perfect — representation of the smash burger art form, served on a Martin's potato roll. The South Beach Wine & Food Festival judges agreed, bestowing a Schweid Judges award on Ted's burger at the 2021 Burger Bash.

Google Rating: 4.5/5.0
Address: 120 NW 24th St., Miami
Phone: N/a
Website: instagram.com/teds_burgers

Pinch Kitchen was founded on a simple principle: when quality is essential, compromise is not an option. It's a philosophy Chefs John Gallo learned while working in top restaurants. After years of honing his craft, he decided to strike out on his own in 2015 and launch his passion project, Pinch Kitchen. Pinch Kitchen, located in Miami's hip Upper East Side neighborhood, is a throwback restaurant with an open kitchen, cozy vibe, and eclectic decor. Pinch Kitchen's menu features locally sourced ingredients, boutique wines, and craft beers and was named "Best New Restaurant in Miami" by Miami New Times in 2016. The menu changes seasonally to ensure that only the freshest ingredients are available, as well as daily specials.

There is a lot that goes into making a burger special. There's the meat, the bun, the condiments, and the love. You can tell when a burger is done properly. That's what Pinch owner John Gallo aims for with his eponymous "Pinch Burger." What you'll get: a custom burger blend, house-made brioche buns, caramelized onions simmered for hours to extract the perfect amount of umami, melty Swiss cheese, and aioli made fresh daily to ensure the garlic has just the right bite. This burger's best friend is the hand-cut fries, which are cooked to a beautiful golden brown so they're crispy on the outside and hot on the inside.

Google Rating: 4.5/5.0

Address: 120 NW 24th St., Miami

Phone: N/a

Website: pinchmiami.com

Chug's Diner ranks 5th on the list of best burgers in Miami. What started as an experiment in fusing Cuban and American diner culture has become a Coconut Grove institution. You're the pancakes and pastelitos, the meatloaf and masitas, the rice and beans and the mac and cheese. They are as well. Chug's is Chef Michael Beltrán's morning, noon, and night eatery that brings the Miami Cuban-American experience to life with food that speaks language.

When Michael Beltran opened Chug's, his take on a Cuban-inspired all-day café, he moved his famous Chug burger from Ariete's menu to this Coconut Grove diner. He has mastered the art of hamburger-making in the same way that only a chef of his caliber can. It remains the same, with a double patty topped with American cheese, bread-and-butter pickles, shaved lettuce, and a secret sauce, all sandwiched between two sesame-seed buns. The "Chug Burger," served with fries on the side, is $19 during brunch only — but ask and they might make you one for dinner or happy hour.

Google Rating: 4.5/5.0

Address: 3444 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove

Phone: 786-353-2940

Website: chugsdiner.com

Juanchi's Burger expanded to the United States via Brooklyn and now Miami after taking over its home city of Caracas, Venezuela. The secret is literally in the sauce here. Everything is made in-house, from the seasoning on the specialty meat blend to the charcoal-colored buns, and there's a full menu of sauces to choose from, including a curry-, caper-, or pickle-infused mayo. The signature half-pound specialty burgers — customizable with your choice of meat but best as an all-beef take — that are easily identifiable as Juanchi's when ordered with those house-made black buns are the menu's star. The "Juancheese," the restaurant's take on a classic double cheeseburger, is the go-to here.

A tower of meat, two perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked patties topped with double American cheese, and a sidecar of the restaurant's secret "green sauce" are included. They recommend making it extra sloppy by adding more homemade mayo. Don't forget about the sides, which include Venezuelan-inspired dishes like fried green plantains with cheese and mini arepas with sour cream.

Google Rating: 4.3/5.0
Address: 1247 Coral Way, Miami
Phone: 786-360-2457
Website: juanchisburgers.com

Daniel, Roxana, and Renzo Cocchia, cofounders and family members, will tell you that La Birra Bar was conceived as an extension of Daniel's parents' rotisserie deli in Buenos Aires. Fans of the brand now refer to that hometown location as "the temple," owing to its extensive menu offerings and the family's self-described obsession with the "perfect burger." It all starts with the patty, which is a proprietary blend hand-chopped from various cuts of beef. The bun is then hand kneaded and baked fresh every day for a light and fluffy texture. Everything, from the pickles to the crispy onions to the sauces, is made from scratch.

When the first restaurant in the United States opened its doors on Biscayne Boulevard in North Miami Beach, it also delivered a killer burger menu. The "Clásica" is a six-ounce patty topped with Emmental cheese, lettuce, and the house secret tomato sauce. Savory options include the "Umami," which is topped with aioli, spicy ketchup, confit tomatoes, and Milanese mozzarella. Or try the massive "Burger 532," which is five patties high and made of alternating layers of cheddar and bacon and arrives like a teetering Jenga tower of meat and cheese.

Google Rating: 4.0/5.0

Address: 14831 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami Beach

Phone: 305-705-2143

Website: labirrabarusa.com

South Florida's popular burger concept is best known for its numerous, out-of-the-box burger creations, which include a monthly special feature. Of course, fan favorites like "Pipo's Choice" — smoked gouda, fried sweet plantain bits, applewood-smoked bacon, grilled onions, potato sticks, and guava ketchup — are always popular. If you're looking for something a little different, try the "Toston" burger, which features the same seasoned patty but is slathered in cilantro sauce and served between two fried plantain "buns."

However, they recommend starting with the eponymous "Pincho" burger from Pincho's permanent menu. The savory patty is served on a dense brioche bun and topped with melted cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, a house-made secret sauce, and julienned potatoes that are fried fresh for a satisfying crunch, similar to those found on the best fritas in Miami.

Google Rating: 4.0/5.0

Address: 9860 SW 40th St, Miami, FL 33165

Phone: +1 305-631-2038

Website: pincho.com