The Best Burgers in Billings

Recently, I was watching football at a sports bar that claimed to serve "The Best Damn Burger in Billings".  Although it was good, it was far from the best burger in town.  Which inspired me to make a list of my favorite hamburgers in the Magic City.

Note:  this list doesn't include national chains. Mooyah makes a decent burger, so does Fuddrucker's and we all know Red Robin.  But you can get those anywhere.  These are the burgers you can only get right here in Billings.

1.  The Blackened Sabbath Burger at the Burger Dive - It's not just the best burger joint in town, it's one of the best restaurants in town.  And with all due respect to the many excellent burgers they serve, the Blackened Sabbath is the best of the bunch. If it's good enough to win the nationwide Burger Bash competition, it's good enough to top this list.

2.  The Dagwood Burger at Blondy's Old Fashioned Diner - Blondy's is one of those places that takes you back in time.  Hot rods, milkshakes and outstanding burgers and sandwiches (with the old school crinkle cut fries).  The Dagwood combines them both. It's a 1/4 beef patty, topped with ham, pepperoni and swiss.  It's like a sandwich in a burger. If you're really hungry, you could try the one pound Buddy Burger.  But be warned, you'll be paying for it the rest of the day.

3. The Roger Burger at Tiny's Tavern - The food at Tiny's can be hit and miss.  But they do two things right:  fried chicken and burgers.  Believe me, there's nothing tiny about this burger.  It's got two 1/3 patties with a ton of tasty toppings piled on top, including bacon, sauteed onions and mushrooms. And maybe it's just me, but beer just tastes a little better when it's served in a schooner.

4.  The Montana Buffalo Burger at the Rex - If it weren't for the flimsy bun, this one could give the Burger Dive a run for their money.  First off, they get bonus points for serving Montana raised buffalo. It's lean, but still juicy, which is hard for most restaurants to pull off. The sauteed onions, bacon and melted jack cheese compliment the meat well. But the real star of this burger is the Mango Chili BBQ sauce.  It's tangy, sweet and spicy and then, they top it with cole slaw to add just a little crunch.  It's almost too much burger and, sadly, more than the bun can handle.

5.  The Flying Saucer Burger at the King's Hat - This is the only real "fast food" burger on my list and some days, it's not that fast.  But this place is a Billings institution for a reason.  The burgers are unique and the shakes are awesome. The way they grill and seal the buns together not only looks cool, but it tastes great too.  And even though it's a dirty old drive through, you can feel the history when you pull up.  When a business has lasted as long as the King's Hat has, you know it's gotta be good.

That's my list, how about yours? Is there a burger I left off the list?  Drop me a line and tell me about it,  rick.roddam@townsquaremedia.com