America's Most Bodacious Burgers

Katsu Burger
Location: Seattle, WA

Because Japan and America go together like Tom Selleck and that movie where he's in Japan, feast your eyes, then mouth on Katsu Burger, which combines Japan's juicy Katsu-style fried meats with American-style burgers in a brightly colored counter-service spot, located in an otherwise careworn mini-mall by the guy behind West Seattle sushi spot Mashiko and his longtime chef, both of whom conceived the idea after sober reflection they were no longer sober.

The Harriet Brasserie
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Linden Hills' "slow food" cafe relaxes a former firehouse with a white paneled ceiling and French doors opening onto a large patio, perfect for enjoying cuisine from a chef who grows all the produce himself. Start your day with crab benedict oozing roasted poblano hollandaise, or crawfish & grits with andouille, then go to the gym for an hour, before returning for grass-fed burgers with cheddar, bacon, and truffle aioli, octopus with lemon and ginger, and a jalapeno/shallot oil egg bison tartare, not to be confused with the specialty of Great Plains veterinary dentists.

Fatty's Burgers and More
Location: Chicago, IL

These TX burgerists have landed in Chi, offering up half-pounders like The Free Agent (fried egg, wasabi mayo, grilled onions & tomatoes), and the avocado/bacon/cheddar MVP, but non-pussbags will inevitably find their way to a cheese-covered full pound of beef known as the Lineman, which is no excuse to take some home for your Refrigerator.

Habit Burger
Location: San Diego, CA

If you live up in North County, first off, congratulations, and second can I borrow six bucks, and third, you're within a scooter's throw of a Habit Burger, which opened its second SD locale in Carmel Mountain, so you can enjoy BBQ Bacon Charburgers and hand-blended Mocha Malts even when you're not planning on hanging out down by Old Trolley Barn Park.

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Elevation Burger
Location: Miami, FL

The healthy fast-food joint's hit Dadeland with its house-ground, never-frozen, 100% grass-fed beef creations like the double-cheddar Elevation Burger, the Half the Guilt (veggie/ beef), plus one that stacks buns with up to 10 patties, and is called the Vertigo -- eat enough, and you'll be totally unable to see your Hitchcock.

Greenburger's
Location: San Francisco, CA

Opened by a Sabres ballcap-wearing former exec chef for Perry's and his wife, Greenburger's is a minty green, 49-seat ode to America's signature contribution to the world food lexicon, with tons of cool diner-esque vintage relics relics from the pair's past, like old sports gear they used growing up, black-and-white framed family photos from the 1930s, and a Marv Levy bobblehead, whose mouth says "You're dead wrong" but head says otherwise. YOU'RE THE RUMOR STARTER!!!

Compliments Food Co.
Location: Boston, MA

Disappointingly not a truck that serves hot sandwiches while telling you how nice you look in that blouse, CFC is an awesome Hub mobile eatery (from a couple of local twentysomethings who drove the damn thing all the way from San Jose) that slings farm-sourced grub like the Hot Chick (a roasted red pepper and balsamic-glazed chicken panini), a trio of Angus sliders on toasted baguette, and sides like fried Grillo's pickles.

Burger Joy
Location: Atlanta, GA

Little known fact: ask nicely, or if that's impossible, just tell them you've got money, and the BJ team will stack any meat/side from the Chinese half of their menu (fried crab sticks, homemade chicken nuggets...) on top of that giant, 1/2lb-pattied, American-covered burger of theirs.