Here’s where to find the best burgers in Illinois and the St. Louis area, according to one analysis, plus two local favorites.
Sebastian Fahrni
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An Illinois burger restaurant and one in the St. Louis area serve some of the best burgers in the nation, according to one recent analysis.
The Oct. 8 report by restaurant review publication The Infatuation, “The Best Burgers In America,” reported Smash Jibarito in Chicago and Balkan Treat Box in Webster Groves, Mo., among the 21 best places to grab burgers in the U.S.
The analysis, which did not numerically rank the restaurants, lauded Smash Jibarito for its Puerto Rican and Chicago-style fusion burger.
“They keep the jibarito’s signature flattened-and-fried plantain ‘buns,’ but swap out the usual thinly sliced steak for thin-yet-juicy patties,” staff writer John Ringor wrote in The Infatuation’s analysis.
In addition to the classics, Smash Jibarito also offers vegan options, and you can swap your burger patty for a veggie patty for an additional charge. You can order a side of “papitas,” which are hand-sliced potato chips, and popular sauces include “animal sauce,” cheese sauce and sweet aioli.
Smash Jibarito is located at 2534 W. Division St. in Chicago and is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Breakfast is available daily until 1 p.m., and lunch service begins at 11 a.m.
Dining at Balkan Treat Box
Balkan Treat Box is no stranger to national recognition — the restaurant’s chef and owner, Loryn Nalic, won the 2026 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest.
The Infatuation recognized Balkan Treat Box for its standout wood-grilled pljeskavica, or grilled “Balkan burger.”
“This absolute unit of a burger weighs in at over 9 ounces, not counting the golf ball of molten cheese hidden in its center,” contributor Spencer Pernikoff wrote in The Infatuation’s analysis.
The restaurant is known for its grilled beef sausages, Turkish wood-fired flatbread and desserts. Vegetarian and vegan options are available. Along with dining in, Balkan Treat Box also offers nationwide shipping, catering services and a “takeout feast” for four or six, which must be ordered online.
Balkan Treat Box is located at 8103 Big Bend Boulevard in Webster Groves, Mo., and is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Best burgers in the metro-east
In a 2022 News-Democrat poll, readers voted Cutter’s Bar & Grill in Belleville the No. 1 best burger restaurant in southwest Illinois. The same restaurant was previously named the No. 2 spot to get pizza in the metro-east.
Cutter’s offers more than great burgers and pizza – the business’ Facebook page advertises live music, cornhole games, patio seating and beer tastings.
Wally’s Drive-In in Breese was the runner-up in our previous poll for the best burger restaurant, with a popular double cheeseburger as well as grilled cheese sandwiches, fish sandwiches, sides and ice cream.
Do you have a question about restaurants in Illinois for the News-Democrat? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Metro-east Matters form below.
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Meredith Howard
Belleville News-Democrat
Meredith Howard is a service journalist with the Belleville News-Democrat. She is a Baylor University graduate and has previously freelanced with the Illinois Times and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.
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