How to Make the Best Burgers from Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Situated in one of San Diego's 24-hour neighborhoods, Crest Cafe serves up outrageous comfort food for both morning (creme brulee French toast) and night. One bite of the signature Butter burger, and Guy's fingers weren't dry for long: "This is a level of juice you haven't seen before."

Chef and Owner Angela Kora was a mechanical engineer before bringing her attention to detail to the baking world. The menu at Ethos Bakery & Café is designed around fresh, local fare. The bakery even mills their own grain on site. Guy was impressed by the over-the-top Ethos Burger which is served on a house-made croissant bun with a bacon and braised leek topping. That one of the most outside-of-the-box burgers I have ever had on DDD," said Guy.

At Boston Burger Company, Chef Paul Malvone is grilling fresh handmade burgers 28 different ways. The Mac Attack, Guy's favorite, is piled with homemade mac 'n' cheese, bacon and a fresh 8-ounce patty.

Chef Eric Greer and buddy Kyle Dismang opened North Bar to serve up all kinds of unique burgers in North Little Rock. Some say they have the best burgers in the state. Guy loved the Arkansas BBQ Bologna Burger which is topped with house-made BBQ sauce, an eight-ounce slab of seared bologna and provolone cheese. It didn’t hurt that it was paired with crispy, house-made pork rinds.

Good eats, indeed. Scolari’s Good Eats offers up American fare that includes a must-try Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Sandwich and a Blueberry Bacon Blue Cheeseburger that's an absolute winner. Bonus: While waiting for your food, enjoy a drink from the Lucky 13 bar, located adjacent to Scolari's.

The crowds pack in for the impeccable patties that Chef-Owner Joseph Huang turns out at Bang Bang Burgers. Huang makes all his patties with Black Angus beef sourced from renowned butcher Pat LaFrieda, then dresses them up with a dazzling array of toppings. One popular pick is a Southern-tinged burger featuring a simply seasoned patty smothered with a housemade pimento cheese and topped with fried pickles (which Guy Fieri deemed "the kicker," when he stopped in for a bite).

Diners head to Wrigleyville for a legit taste of Chicago in San Antonio. Chef Demetrios Tingas, aka Jimmy, spent 41 years in Chicago and brought his hometown staples with him when he moved south. "That’s as close as it is to the original," Guy said between bites of the Famous Italian Beef.

The Purple Carrot Food Truck in Lansing, Michigan dishies out these unique shrimp burgers.

With over 30 signature burgers, there’s something for everyone at Grill-a-Burger. Guy tried the spicy Devil’s Revenge and the Napa cabbage-topped Buddha Burger.

With over 30 signature burgers, there’s something for everyone at Grill-a-Burger. Guy tried the spicy Devil’s Revenge and the Napa cabbage-topped Buddha Burger.

Most bars in Denver have some kind of hamburger, but Prohibition offers a dish that's a little more unique and upscale than the norm — a balsamic braised short rib burger. The juicy, slow-cooked rib quickly earned Guy's seal of approval.

Hodads' burgers don't simply have bacon strips on top. Instead, this funky joint adds an entire bacon patty to the mix. They really "put the shama lama in ding dong," Guy says of his favorite burger, which includes two sizzling beef patties and cheese — a "run-down-your-arm burger," for sure.

The Roost is a neighborhood spot with a righteous menu and a heartfelt mission. A diner-favorite is the Bangin’ Cauliflower which is lightly coated in rice flour, fried until crispy and tossed with their signature sweet and spicy sauce. The Perfect Pork Burger is made with local meat topped with house-made kimchi and blistered shishitos and served on buns made across the street. "There’s nothing I would do different," Guy said after a taste.

Inspired by Singaporean cuisine, Chef Gina Galvan is cooking up some "exotic tropical Chinese food" in the Chomp Chomp Nation food truck. Guy loved the crunchy, sweet and salty crab cake topped with slaw and spicy ketchup.

Chef and Owner James Anderson raises his own pigs for the succulent smoked offerings at Ray Ray’s Hog Pit, a one-of-a-kind barbecue truck in Columbus, Ohio. Guy tried the super-moist Mangalitsa Brat Burger and St. Louis Spare Ribs.