Nashville, TNBurgers

Thin patties (without going full smashburger) that arrive looking ready for a photo shoot.

Bad Luck Burger Club keeps the burger compact but considered. Pickles sit beneath the patty, changing when their sharpness hits, while the rest of the stack keeps the focus on beef and bun. It is a straightforward burger with deliberate details.

Dino's serves a direct bar burger: charred beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles on a standard bun. The familiar combination and no-fuss presentation are the draw, especially when the table wants a burger without extras competing for attention.

Cledis serves buttery burgers in a playful Gulch room with vintage television sets and movie memorabilia. The menu also moves beyond burgers to sandwiches, loaded fries and nachos, giving the counter-service spot plenty of options for a casual meal.

Black Tap brought its New York burger-and-shake format to downtown Nashville in 2023. Burgers come from the griddle on potato rolls, and the Tennessee Burger adds red pepper jam, pickles, sweet potato chips and white barbecue sauce. The elaborate CrazyShakes remain part of the draw.