9 underrated burgers that are among best in Alabama

There are a lot of great burger joints in Alabama. So many, in fact, that sometimes some of the best places can slip through the cracks.

Luckily for us, This is Alabama recently asked its followers on Facebook where to find the state’s most underrated burger, and they had plenty of suggestions. From decades-old spots where you can score a classically-good cheeseburger to newer restaurants offer one-of-a-kind burgers and more, we can’t wait to try ‘em all.

Until then though, here’s a look at nine underrated burgers suggested by readers. You read the full list on the This is Alabama’s Facebook page.

Hamburger King in Montgomery has one of the best burgers in Alabama. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)

Hamburger King

547 S. Decatur Street in Montgomery

Hamburger King in Montgomery came up early and often in our responses, and if you’ve ever been to the lunchtime institution, you can understand why. Regulars have been gathering there for 50 years to get an old-school burger dressed with mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, onion and a slice of classic American cheese. Sounds simple, right? Yet Hamburger King’s burgers serve up enough flavor, you don’t even need fries with ‘em.

Big Chief Drive In

600 Main Street West in Glencoe

If you want to feel like you traveled back in time while having a cheeseburger that tastes like it could be homemade, head to Glencoe’s Big Chief Drive In. Located in an old A-frame that has been around since the ’60s, Big Chief offers a nostalgic place to grab a delicious, classically dressed hamburger that many of its loyal customers like to wash down with a milkshake made from its signature grape ice cream.

The Rocket

1508 Pelham Road South in Jacksonville

While The Rocket in Jacksonville might have barbecue listed first on the sign outside, those old-fashioned hamburgers that have been on its menu since 1958 aren’t something you want to miss out on. The quarter-pound burgers are made from fresh ground chuck daily and dressed with mayonnaise, mustard, onions, lettuce, pickles and Rocket’s special sauce, which is a mix of ketchup, hot sauce, salt and pepper and a little brown sugar.

Pirates Cove

6664 County Road 95 in Elberta

There’s a lot of good burger spots along Alabama’s coast, but Pirates Cove in Elberta seems to have made the biggest impression on readers who participated in our poll. While Pirates Cove Bar and Grill is a little off-the-beaten path, but once you try the 1/3-pound burger, which is always made fresh and dressed with grilled onions, lettuce, tomato and a mustard-based special sauce, you’ll understand why the little burger joint by the bay as such a strong following.

The Oasis Bar and Grill

6720 University Boulevard East in Cottondale

If a great burger and a cold beer is your favorite combination, head to the Oasis Bar and Grill in Cottondale, where you’re guaranteed to find both. And while you can’t get wrong with ordering one of their classic cheeseburgers, it’s worth mentioning that if you’re feeling real hungry (and are feeling ambitious), you should give their bear challenge a go. It’s a quadruple burger topped with bacon, a fried egg and more, and if you finish it in 30 minutes, you get it (and a T-shirt) for free.

Vicki’s Lunch Van

106 Coliseum Boulevard in Montgomery

Since 2003, Vicki’s Lunch Van in Montgomery has been serving its classically-good burgers, which are patted out by hand and cooked on a large flat top griddle. The burgers are so good customers don’t mind waiting in line for them. Dressed with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, onions, pickles and cheese, Vicki’s Lunch Van offers up a traditional burger with plenty of flavor, which is likely why our own David Holloway picked them as Alabama’s Best Cheeseburger in 2014.

Sammy’s Sandwich Shop

4921 Messer Airport Highway in Birmingham

While it might not look like anything special from the outside, Sammy’s Sandwich Shop has been feeding folks in the Birmingham area for over 60 years and, in the process, has garnered a reputation for having one of the best burgers in town — if you don’t believe us, just check out their sign. Their beloved made-to-order, hand-patted cheeseburgers come dressed lettuce, tomato, grilled onions and bell peppers, are served with homemade fries.

Whiskey Foxtrot Burger Dive

341 John Hawkins Parkway Suite 119 in Hoover and 1919 28th Avenue South Suite 113 in Homewood

A lot of the hamburgers that were brought up as underrated on our list have a classic feel to them, but the burgers at Whiskey Foxtrot Burger Dive, with locations in Homewood and Hoover, has garnered a lot of its customers by offering a little something different. Take the queso Blanco burger, which consists of two American Wagyu beef patties, queso dip, jalapeños and chipotle aioli between two buns and was named one of the 22 dishes to eat in Birmingham in 2022.

Dub’s Burgers

402 South Jefferson Street in Athens

There aren’t a ton of places you can score an old-fashioned slugburger in Alabama, but once place you can find them is at Dub’s Burgers in Athens. For 60 years, hungry customers have been chowing down on Dub’s slugburgers, which are made using a more than 100-year-old recipe and consist of ground beef and/or pork with an extender such as bread crumbs or soybean grits. Just be sure to save some room for their crinkle-cut fries and fried chocolate pies too.

Read more: An Alabama burger like no other