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Best Burgers In Minnesota

While the restaurants of Hamburg served minced meats for centuries, it took American ingenuity and two slices of bread to make it what it is today. Many locals have elevated this craft of cuisine to new heights. Matt's Bar and Grill recently gained recognition when Time Magazine named the Jucy Lucy as the tenth most influential burger in America. Check out this savory sandwich along with four others in honor of National Burger Month this May.
Jucy Lucy
(credit: CBS)

Matt's Bar And Grill
The Jucy Lucy

3500 Cedar Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55407
(612) 722-7072
www.mattsbar.com

Half the price of a movie ticket is all you pay for this monumental burger. It won the adulation of Adam Richman in 2009 on Travel Channel's Man Vs. Food. The following year, Travel Channel's Camille of Food Wars challenge proclaimed this modest Powderhorn Neighborhood bar best in town. Just remember not to bite into the high-quality beef patty stuffed with molten hot cheese until it cools down.

Related: Time Names Jucy Lucy One Of The Most Influential Burgers
 

5-8 Club
The Juicy Lucy
5800 Cedar Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55417
(612) 823-5858
www.5-8club.com

Travel Channel recently named 5-8 Club as one of the best 101 places to eat across the country in a show called Chowdown Countdown. The Club also claims itself as the original creator of the Juicy Lucy, a half-pound patty on bakery-fresh bun stuffed with molten cheese, in great detail. Whichever restaurant is the originator and whichever burger is best, this rivalry has brought fame to Minnesota as the locus of burger culinary excellence. The 5-8 is easy to find, because it offers three other locations in Champlain, Maplewood, and West St. Paul.
 

The Blue Door Pub
The Blucy
1811 Selby Ave.
St Paul, MN 55104
(651) 493-1865
www.thebdp.com

Bleu cheese & garlic makes a melt-in-your-mouth-watering treat. See it on Diners Drive-Ins and Dives, or try it in person. Of course, the adventurous may wish to experiment with the many other Blucies as well as the sometimes available B.O.M. or Burger of the Moment. Enhance the experience with fries, tots, onion rings or BDP's trademark beer battered green beans.

Casper and Runyon's Nook - St. Paul
(credit: TripAdvisor)

Casper's And Runyon's  Nook
The Juicy Nookie Burger

492 Hamline Ave. S.
St. Paul, MN 55116
(651) 698-4347
www.crnook.com

Another stuffed cheeseburger, served medium only, and brimming with goodness is the Nookie. Lifelong friends and Cretin grads, class of 1969, Ted Casper and Mike Runyon purchased The Nook in 2000. It was a small bar serving 3.2 beer to a small audience. The dynamic duo adopted the stuffed burger recipe and later brought burger stuffing to new heights. The many creative combinations include burgers made with various appetizing cheeses, vegetables, mushrooms and meats.

George And The Dragon
Dragonburger
813 W. 50th St.
Minneapolis, MN 55419
(612) 208-1047
www.ganddpub.com

This quiet little restaurant in southern Minneapolis has a strong following by loyal hamburger lovers. The Dragonburger with pepper jack and chipotle mayo may be a bit piquant for the average taste so there are four other burgers to choose from, each with its unique robust flavor. Owner Fred says reservations Monday through Thursday are readily available the same day although he recommends making reservations a week in advance to get the more favorable Friday and Saturday time slots. Two-thirds of the seating is left open for walk-in guests.

Related: Best Burgers In The Twin Cities

Robin Johnson was born in Annandale, Minn. and graduated from Richfield High School and then the University of Minnesota where he studied Political Science, Business and Industrial Relations. A writer for Examiner.com, he also consults with a variety of organizations and individuals helping them develop and grow. His work can be found at Examiner.com.

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