Best Burger in Ann Arbor (B2A2): The Running List
A living series tracking our current contenders, notes, and repeat-order recommendations.
Welcome to B2A2, our long-running search for the best burger in Ann Arbor and the surrounding area.
This page is a living tracker. We'll update it as we publish each post, revisit restaurants, and adjust our rankings when a new burger changes the conversation.
How We're Evaluating Burgers
No scoring gimmicks. We are judging the burgers the way most people actually eat them:
- Flavor and beef quality
- Crust, texture, and consistency
- Bun-to-burger balance
- Condiment discipline (sauce should support, not bury)
- Side execution (especially fries)
- Whether we'd order it again at full price
We are also paying attention to context: service, pacing, and whether the overall plate feels intentional.
Current B2A2 Contenders
Raven's Club Smash Burger (TRC)
Our first published contender is already a serious one. Strong sear, clean structure, excellent fries, and a garlic aioli that improves both burger and side.
- Read: B2A2: Raven's Club Smash Burger
- Drink pairing: LA FRESQUITA (chili-oil washed tequila, grapefruit, peach, lemon, tajin)
Frita Batidos Frita
Our second entry asks whether a Cuban-style frita even counts as a burger. The chorizo-beef patty with shoestring fries stacked on top is a structurally different animal from the Raven's Club smash burger, and the contrast is exactly why B2A2 exists.
- Read: B2A2: Frita Batidos
- Drink pairing: Guava batido (thick, cold, resets the palate against the chorizo spice)
Echelon Smash Burger
Three entries in and we have our current leader. Chef VanWagner's wood-fired smash burger at the Echelon bar brings firepower the other two don't attempt. The sear, the American cheese, the house sauce, the brioche bun that holds its structure. This is the burger that made us soften every "best burger" claim we'd written before.
- Read: B2A2: Echelon Smash Burger
- Drink pairing: Brine martini (dirty, briny, cuts through the richness)
Blimpy Burger
Four entries in and the series finally reaches the place that has been grilling burgers on South Ashley since 1953. Blimpy closed for renovation in March 2026 and is expected back in the fall; the entry below describes it as it served. Blimpy Burger is the democracy entry: build your own, pick your toppings, watch it cook on the flat-top, and pay in cash. No frills, no pretension, no credit cards. The burger is what you make it, and the regulars have had decades to figure out their order.
- Read: B2A2: Blimpy Burger
- Drink pairing: None. It's Blimpy. Get a can of pop.
Sidetrack Signature Burger
Five entries in and B2A2 heads to Ypsilanti. Sidetrack Bar & Grill in Depot Town brings the pub burger the series was missing: a thick wagyu patty with sharp cheddar in a crooked building that's been standing since the 1850s. GQ once put this burger on a must-eat list. The series needed Ypsilanti, and Ypsilanti delivered.
- Read: B2A2: Sidetrack's Signature Burger
- Drink pairing: Bell's Two Hearted (bitterness cuts the beef, carbonation resets the palate)
Green Dot Stables
Six entries in and B2A2 crosses into Detroit. Green Dot Stables in Corktown serves $3 sliders that ask the same question the frita did: what counts as a burger? Almost everything on the menu costs $3. The beef sliders are griddled, honest, and better than three dollars has any right to be.
- Read: B2A2: Green Dot Stables
- Drink pairing: $3 cocktails (because everything is $3)
Mid-Series Rankings (After Six)
After six entries, we published the first rankings: Echelon at the top, Sidetrack close behind, the frita making a structural argument the series had to develop new vocabulary for. Read the full mid-series rankings.
Jolly Pumpkin Ann Arbor
Entry nine adds a wood-fired burger from the brewpub on South State. The oak sear gives the crust something a flat-top cannot replicate. The burger is not why you go to Jolly Pumpkin, and that honest fact keeps it from the top tier. But a very good thing in a room with excellent beer belongs in the series too.
- Read: B2A2: Jolly Pumpkin
- Drink pairing: La Roja or the current dry-hopped sour on draft
Sava's
Entry ten: eighteen years on State Street, a full dining room every lunch service, and a burger that applies full-service kitchen discipline to a bar format. Reliable is not the ceiling most kitchens reach. It is worth documenting.
- Read: B2A2: Sava's
- Drink pairing: Whatever is on happy hour draft
Grizzly Peak Brewing Company
Entry eleven fills the gap the series had been ignoring. Grizzly Peak at Washington and Ashley has been the neighborhood brewpub long enough that its pub burger has had time to get consistent, which is its own kind of argument.
- Read: B2A2: Grizzly Peak
- Drink pairing: Steelhead Red Ale (the amber malt softens the beef without fighting it)
The Chop House
Entry twelve: the steakhouse burger. A prime beef kitchen should produce better raw material for a grind, and The Chop House does. The burger exists for the table that doesn't want a twenty-ounce ribeye, and it earns that role without apology.
- Read: B2A2: The Chop House
- Drink pairing: Whatever the sommelier recommends by the glass
Updated Rankings (After Twelve)
Twelve entries in, the frita has moved to the top and Sidetrack has held its place as the bar burger to beat. The full updated rankings explain the reasoning. Read the updated rankings.
Current Top Three
- Frita Batidos - The frita wins on terms the series had to develop vocabulary for
- Echelon - James Beard semifinalist precision applied to a smash burger
- Sidetrack Bar & Grill - Still the best bar burger the series has found, wagyu on a house-made bun
What Happens Next
B2A2 is built to run over time. We'll keep adding contenders from across Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Detroit, and the surrounding area, then circle back for repeat visits where needed.
Some burgers will rise. Some will not hold up on revisit. The series is better for it.
If you want us to prioritize a specific spot, send it to us. We'll put it on the board.
Last updated: August 2026. This page is revised as new B2A2 posts are published.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best burger in Ann Arbor?
After 12 entries in the B2A2 series: Frita Batidos frita leads, Echelon's wood-fired smash burger ranks second, Sidetrack Bar & Grill is third. The full updated rankings explain the reasoning.
Where can I get a smash burger in Ann Arbor?
Echelon Kitchen & Bar (200 S Main St) at the bar, wood-fired. Raven's Club (207 S Main St) was the first B2A2 contender and still one of the best: strong sear, garlic aioli, excellent fries.
Does Blimpy Burger still take cash only?
Yes, when it is serving. 304 S Ashley St, cash only. It closed for renovation on March 16, 2026 under new ownership and says it plans to reopen in fall 2026.
Is Frita Batidos considered a burger for this series?
B2A2 ruled it eligible: chorizo-beef patty, soft egg bun, shoestring fries piled on top. The series then ranked it first. Read the entry for the full argument.