The Best Burgers Near Louisville, Starting on the Indiana Side

Ask five people around here where to find the best burger and you'll get six answers and probably an argument. So we didn't rely on our own favorites or old memories. We looked at the current burger rankings for New Albany, Clarksville, Jeffersonville and Louisville on Yelp and Tripadvisor, all updated within the past year and most of them this fall, and picked out the names that keep showing up.

Then we sorted them by which side of the river they're on.

One note before you go: the ratings and review counts below are snapshots from the dates we list, and they move. Hours move too. Check before you drive.

How we put this list together

• Places that show up on more than one list. A single great review doesn't mean much. A place that ranks for New Albany, Clarksville and Jeffersonville tells you something.
• Mostly local, independent spots. National chains appear in every ranking, but you already know where those are.
• Reviewers' words, not ours. When we describe what people order, we're passing along what reviewers keep mentioning. We're not pretending we've eaten everything on every menu.

New Albany: the deepest bench on the Indiana side

New Albany has more burger contenders than any other town on this side of the river. Several of them are within a short walk of each other.

New Albany Tavern

New Albany Tavern topped Yelp's "best burger near New Albany" results in April 2026 and was still No. 1 on Yelp's New Albany (47150) burger list updated in October 2026, with a 4.2 rating on 32 reviews. Reviewers mention a burger called the "Danfredo" and a double-decker burger they describe as moist and full of flavor. One review compares it to "the other locations," so it's part of a small group of restaurants.

The Exchange Pub + Kitchen

The Exchange is the most-reviewed place in this group, with 650 Yelp reviews and a 4.3 rating as of April 2026. It's also No. 1 on Tripadvisor's New Albany burger list (October 2026). It's a full sit-down restaurant in downtown New Albany at 118 W. Main St., so it works for a longer dinner and not just a quick lunch. Reviewers bring up the fries almost as often as the burger.

Get It On A Bun At Booty's

Booty's is No. 2 on Tripadvisor's New Albany burger list and had a 4.5 Yelp rating on 55 reviews in October 2026. The things reviewers mention most are friendly staff and food that's made to order.

Lady Tron's and Vic's Cafe

If you want a good burger without a big check, start here. In April 2026, Lady Tron's had a 4.8 rating on 90 Yelp reviews with a single dollar sign, and Yelp lists it among the cheap burger spots near New Albany. Vic's Cafe is also in the one-dollar-sign range, with a 4.2 on 36 reviews. One reviewer called it one of the best burgers in Southern Indiana.

Dog Haus Biergarten

Dog Haus serves its burgers and hot dogs on King's Hawaiian rolls, according to reviewers, and the burgers come out close to a smash burger. It had a 4.1 on 98 Yelp reviews in October 2026, and Yelp tags it as casual dining with a full bar.

Also on the radar: Floyd County Brewing Company and Boomtown Kitchen both appear on Tripadvisor's New Albany burger list.

Clarksville and Jeffersonville

Chillburger

Chillburger is No. 1 on Yelp's Clarksville burger list (October 2026) and also leads Yelp's hamburger-restaurant results for the 47129 ZIP code. The reviews are more mixed than the ranking suggests. It has a 3.9 on 107 reviews, and one reviewer praised the toasted bun and cheese but said the burger itself was just okay. It's worth trying so you can decide for yourself.

Jeffersonville: mostly a short drive somewhere else

Yelp's Jeffersonville burger rankings are mostly made up of places in New Albany and across the river, including Chillburger, New Albany Tavern, SmashD on Frankfort and Bourbon and Burgers. That mostly shows how close everything is around here. Union Restaurant & GameYard, Harry's Taphouse and Mustang's Sports Pub also made Yelp's Jeffersonville-area lists. One Union reviewer singled out the burgers and the sweet potato fries.

Coming to Jeffersonville: Holy Burger

There's one new name to watch. WDRB reported that Holy Burger, a quick-serve chain based in New York City, is moving into the former Taco Bell on 10th Street in Jeffersonville, between Main Street and Nachand Lane. It will be the chain's first Indiana location. The planned menu includes beef burgers, sliders, a chopped cheese, chicken sandwiches, onion rings, crispy cherry peppers and milkshakes. When WDRB reported it, no opening date had been announced and the owner planned to renovate the building over several months. Watch 10th Street for signs.

Across the river: Louisville burgers worth the bridge

You can get to a lot of Louisville quickly from Clark and Floyd counties. These are the names at the top of Louisville's burger rankings right now.

• SmashD on Frankfort (Clifton). SmashD is a Louisville spot, but it shows up on the New Albany, Clarksville and Jeffersonville lists too. It had a 4.7 on 38 Yelp reviews in October 2026, and reviewers recommend the onion rings.
• Hammerheads (Germantown). Hammerheads had about 1,500 Yelp reviews and a 4.5 rating on Yelp's January 2026 list, which is a lot of people agreeing. Reviewers describe the food menu as a simple burger joint's menu, done very well.
• Holy Grale (Highlands–Cherokee Triangle). Holy Grale has 594 reviews at 4.3. Reviewers talk about sitting outside with a good beer, a gourmet burger and the samurai fries.
• Toasty's Tavern (Shelby Park). Toasty's had a 4.4 on 323 reviews on Yelp's June 2026 list.
• Bourbon and Burgers. This was No. 1 on Yelp's Louisville burger list in November 2026, with a 4.3 on 104 reviews.
• Harrys Proper Burger. Harrys is a newer place, with a 4.6 on 14 reviews in November 2026. One reviewer called it maybe the best burger in the city, then admitted it might be "recency bias." We appreciate the honesty.
• Sidebar at Whiskey Row (downtown). Sidebar has 920 reviews at 4.3. Reviewers mention a burger called the Ambulance Chaser.
• Little Angel Burgers and Wings (Jeffersontown). This one had a 4.5 on 64 reviews in November 2026, and reviewers bring up the Texas burger and the Glory burger.
• Mussel & Burger Bar. When a national roundup of the best burger restaurants in the Southeast picked one place in Louisville, it picked this one.

A few tips for your own burger crawl

Check hours before you go. Several places on this list don't open until later in the day, and hours shift with the seasons. Look at the restaurant's own page or call ahead.

Give new places a little time. A place with 14 reviews and a perfect rating isn't on the same footing as one with 1,500 reviews and a 4.5. Both can be great, but the bigger number is the safer bet.

Pair it with a walk. Downtown New Albany and downtown Jeffersonville are both nice places to walk after a heavy meal. On a clear evening, the riverfront beats sitting in the car.

Keep your own list. These rankings are a starting point. The best burger near Louisville is the one you keep going back to.

Found your spot?

A good burger place nearby is a fine reason to like where you live. If you're looking at downtown New Albany, our Mansion Row Historic District guide covers the area, and you can browse homes in New Albany or look through all our neighborhood guides. If you'd rather live up the hill, here's our local's guide to Floyds Knobs.