The Stand | Phoenix, Arizona
When it opened in 2013, The Stand became an instant hit beloved by residents of Phoenix and Stephen King, spawning an offshoot in Scottsdale that dabbles in burgers and tacos. Still, the original is all about the burger, daily-in-house ground covered with lettuce and tomato, kosher dills, and Stand Sauce. The burger comes with thinly sliced raw onion, but it’s wise to upgrade to caramelized, pairing a salted dulce de leche shake with the burger and a mound of hand-cut fries. —- ML
The Stand
Tookie’s Burgers & More | Seabrook, Texas
Tookie’s “& More” refers to its wide product range from hand-battered moss sticks to a killer Buffalo chicken sandwich and a fantastic chicken-fried steak on a bun. But you’ll probably never make it that far, and it doesn’t matter: the smashed, crispy, and charred burgers of this Houston-adjacent destination are worth the omission cost. You can get them in all shapes and sizes, including the Squealer with bacon ground beef, or a monstrous number loaded with the joint’s incredible chilli. — AK
Tookie’s Burgers & More