Chris Madrid’s | San Antonio, Texas
In 1977, Chris Madrid opened his eponymous restaurant and became one of the most popular burger institutions in Texas before his death in 2012. But his legacy continues in the form of ever-present crowds lined up to get their hands on a macho-sized burger. Get the tostada burger and marvel at the cascading layer of melted cheddar masking the refried beans and onions topped by a burger that refuses to contain its bun. And top it with a bit of their pico de gallo. — ML
The Company Burger | New Orleans, Louisiana
Our national burger critic tried and failed to challenge the Company Burger’s place at the top of the New Orleans burger hierarchy — it’s become a must-do New Orleans pit stop for visitors as the mandatory beignets of Cafe Du Monde. The core components are nothing flashy — thin, medium-sized griddled patties, bread-and-butter house pickles, cooked red onion, and American cheese. You can garnish it by choosing mayos and other fixins in their condiment bar — ML