Smash burgers get lumped in with the Juicy Lucy conversation in this city, but they are their own lane: thin, crisp-edged patties pressed hard on a flat top, sold in dive bars, sports bars, and neighborhood pubs across Minneapolis. This list sticks to the actual city limits and separates the stuffed-cheese classics from the true smash format.
№ 01
Red Cow 50th & France
$$
3624 W 50th St, Minneapolis, MN 55410 · +16127674411
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The burger program at this 50th and France room runs alongside a Mediterranean bowl built on fresh mint and dill, an odd pairing that works for groups who cannot agree on dinner. It takes reservations but does not require them for a quick weekend lunch. Fries come standard, and the room handles parties of seven without much strain on a weeknight.
What to orderburger, Mediterranean bowl, fries
№ 02
Francis Burger Joint
$$
2422 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418 · +16122086870
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The vegan Juicy Lucy is the reason to know this room's name: a plant-based patty stuffed with melting cheese that holds together enough to eat like the original. The kitchen runs a full non-vegan menu alongside it, sauces and fries included, so mixed groups do not have to split up. Counter ordering keeps the line moving.
What to ordervegan juicy Lucy, burger, fries
№ 03
Maxwell's American Pub
$$
1201 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55415 · +16123547085
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This is a neighborhood bar first and a burger stop second, which is exactly the appeal. The pub fries and wings do the heavy lifting at happy hour, and the burger holds its own for a pre-show meal. Regulars treat it as a stop-in spot, not an occasion, and the room is built for that kind of return visit.
What to orderburgers, pub fries, wings
№ 04
The Patty Wagon
$$
6042 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55419 · +16128615500
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Parking is tight since this counter shares a lot with the sports bar next door, though street parking fills the gap. The turkey burger sits alongside the standard beef version on a short, focused menu built for a fast in-and-out meal. Pricing has run inconsistent with what is posted online, worth confirming before ordering.
What to orderburger, turkey burger, fries
№ 05
Hamburguesas El Gordo #1
$$
4157 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407 · +16127221087
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In Powderhorn, this counter stays open until midnight on weekends, making it one of the later options for a hamburguesa or loaded fries after a night out. The tacos draw as much attention as the burgers themselves. Service has been reported slow at times, particularly on the churro order, so patience helps.
What to orderhamburguesa, tacos, loaded fries
№ 06
Dusty's Bar
$
1319 Marshall St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413 · +16123789831
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The Dago sandwich shares menu space with the burger here, and both come with a scoop of potato salad on the side. Live music runs regularly, DJ sets included, and the bar prices stay reasonable for the format. It reads as a dive bar with a strong drink program more than a destination burger stop.
What to orderburger, Dago sandwich, potato salad
№ 07
Tom's Watch Bar
$$
609 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403 · +16124306113
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Steps from Target Center, this sports bar fills up before Timberwolves and Twins games, with a patio lined in televisions to match the ones inside. Chicken nachos and wings share the table with the burger, and the room is built for pregaming rather than a quiet meal. Expect crowds on game nights.
What to orderchicken nachos, wings, burgers
3500 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, 55407 · +16127227072
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The Jucy Lucy here, spelled the bar's own way, is the dish that built Minneapolis's stuffed-cheeseburger reputation, served in a dive bar with customizing limited to onions and little else. A food truck version travels to events like the Anoka festival. The room does not dress up the format, and it does not need to.
What to orderJuicy Lucy, cheeseburger, burger with onions
№ 09
Red Cow North Loop
$$
208 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401 · +16122380050
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Milkshakes round out the burger and fries lineup at this North Loop room, which runs a shaded patio and a full bar for weekend brunch crowds. Reservations go through OpenTable, though delays have been reported at busy times. The kitchen has been known to send out extra appetizers when the wait runs long.
What to orderburgers, fries, milkshakes
5800 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55417 · +16128235858
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The Juicy Lucy at this Cedar Avenue institution runs cheesier than its cross-town rival by most accounts, with cheese that spills out the side rather than staying sealed inside. The Classic Burger and fries round out a menu that has not needed to change to keep its reputation as one of the two founding stuffed-burger bars.
What to orderJuicy Lucy, Classic Burger, Fries
Longfellow $$
3448 42nd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, 55406 · +16123152470
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The Blucy, this pub's own stuffed-burger variant, anchors a menu built for families and casual dates in the Longfellow neighborhood. Boneless wings round out the order for groups who want more than one thing on the table. Regulars return for years, and the room's neighborhood pull shows in how often people come back.
What to orderBlucy, boneless wings, burger
№ 12
The Lowbrow
$$
4244 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55409 · +16122080720
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The house burger called simply The Lowbrow comes in a grass fed beef version alongside a vegetarian option, both served on a gluten free bun by request. It runs a dive bar feel that still manages to keep non-meat eaters fed well, an uncommon combination in this format. Consistency across visits and orders has held up.
What to orderThe Lowbrow, grass fed beef burger, vegetarian burger
Frequently asked
What makes a smash burger different from a Juicy Lucy in Minneapolis?
A smash burger is pressed thin and hard on a flat top for a crisp, lacy edge, while a Juicy Lucy seals cheese inside the patty. Some rooms on this list, like Matt's Bar, the 5-8 Club, and Blue Door Pub, serve the stuffed style; others run a true smash format. Both are part of the city's burger identity.
Where can I find the best smash burgers near me in Minneapolis?
This guide covers rooms across Minneapolis neighborhoods, from Powderhorn to the North Loop to Longfellow, so check the neighborhood listed for each entry to find one close to you. Every restaurant here is inside Minneapolis city limits, not the suburbs or St. Paul.
How is the Insider Score determined for these burger spots?
The Insider Score reflects the review record for each restaurant, drawn from customer feedback on food, service, and consistency over time. No restaurant pays to be listed or to rank higher; placement is based on the record alone.
Do any of these burger spots require reservations?
Most run on a walk-in, counter-service, or first-come basis, though Red Cow's two locations take reservations through OpenTable. Even with a reservation on the books, some diners have reported delays during busy weekend hours.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Hodan Abdi
Staff Writer · Top of Minneapolis
Hodan Abdi is a Staff Writer at Top of Minneapolis. Raised in Cedar-Riverside two floors above the Somali mall her aunt worked in, she now lives in Eagan and covers the whole metro ring. She writes the guides, sweeps the suburbs, and covers the Somali and East African tables as the beat she knows best.
