Dallas and Fort Worth have never had a shortage of great burgers. What they do have is a shortage of people writing about the ones that aren’t already on every list. Here are seven worth knowing about — five in Dallas, two in Fort Worth — that run the full range from a 1950s drive-in to a Choctaw-owned window in the Stockyards.
Wingfield’s Breakfast & Burger — 2615 S Beckley Ave, Dallas — Richard Wingfield was a Dallas ISD science teacher (mine) before he became one of the most respected burger makers in the city. The operation is small, the parking lot is chaotic, and the burgers are enormous. The patties are hand-molded, not packed tight, seasoned simply, and cooked on a flat top that has absorbed decades of flavor. Ask for bacon and they deep-fry it for you. Order a double and prepare yourself. Call ahead — (214) 943-5214 — because the wait can be long and the space is tiny. I hear that Richard has retired, but that could be a vicious rumor. Closed Sundays.
Keller’s Drive-In — 10554 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas — There are not many places left in Dallas where you pull up, stay in your car, and eat a burger off a tray hooked to your window. Keller’s has been doing exactly that since the 1950s. Order the No. 5 — the double cheeseburger with their in-house seasoning, thin griddled patties, American cheese, and a toasted poppy seed bun. It comes with a side of onion rings and a cold beer if you want one. The seasoning recipe belongs to founder Jack Keller and nobody has touched it. They don’t need to.
Burger Schmurger — 718N.Buckner, Dallas — This burger belongs in your mouth. The beef gets absolutely clobbered into the griddle, searing every edge until the crust is lacquered and the cheese fuses into the sauce. There is nothing fancy about it and that’s the whole point. We’ve have been writing about it for years and it still flies under the radar for most people outside the neighborhood. Go on a weeknight. Sit at the bar. Order two.
Herby’s Burgers — 2109 S Edgefield Ave, Oak Cliff — Will Rhoten — better known around Dallas as DJ Sober — named this place after his chiweenie and curates the jukebox himself. Five booths, black and yellow tile, signed photos on wood-paneled walls, and a smash burger that has been drawing people from across the city since 2023. The OG Smash comes with grilled onions, American cheese, pickles and a secret sauce on a soft bun that struggles to contain it. Add bacon and a fried egg. Order the cheese tots if they haven’t sold out. This is the kind of place that becomes your place.
Goodfriend Beer Garden & Burger House — 1154 Peavy Rd, Dallas — Peavy Road in East Dallas doesn’t get enough credit as a destination and Goodfriend is a big part of why it should. The Bourdain Burger — named for the man himself — is two patties, kewpie mayo, American cheese, pickles, and bacon relish with sriracha. It’s deeply savory and deeply satisfying. The patio is dog-friendly, the craft beer list is serious, and on a good night the whole place feels like the neighborhood gathered for no particular reason. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
The Heimburger at Heim BBQ — 5333 White Settlement Rd, Fort Worth — Travis and Emma Heim started with a smoker Travis inherited from his uncle and built one of the most respected barbecue operations in North Texas. The burger came later and it has taken on a life of its own. The patties are a blend of 44 Farms ground beef and finely chopped smoked brisket — you’ll taste the smoke in every bite. The condiment is the Heim bacon burnt end jam: Buffalo Trace bourbon, bacon burnt ends, onions, and butter reduced down into something that has no right to exist on a burger but absolutely should. Butter-griddled sourdough bun. Texas Monthly called it one of the best burger joints in the state and they weren’t wrong.
Hooker’s Grill — 213 W Exchange Ave, Fort Worth Stockyards — Ruth and Kathryn Hooker are members of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and they came to Fort Worth with a specific mission: to bring the Oklahoma fried onion burger to Texas. The burger is ordered through an outdoor window, wrapped in checkered paper, and built with thin Hereford beef patties with fried onions pressed right into the meat. The bun is griddle-toasted, the whole thing is a glorious mess, and the Indian Taco on frybread is worth ordering alongside it. Open Wednesday through Sunday. Open late Friday and Saturday for the honky-tonk crowd. This is one of the most genuinely original burger stories in the Metroplex and most people in Dallas have never heard of it.
