The best burgers in Sacramento.

Famous Burgers & Brew on Zinfandel Drive in Rancho Cordova earns its spot through a menu built around the burger. The wagyu and Kobe burger gets the loudest praise, and diners also reach for the jalapeño burger, the Beach Boy and a garlic aioli burger. One group of four ordered burgers, regular and curly fries and onion rings and called all of it delicious.

The room is spacious and clean, with an open cooking area that one diner said built confidence in the food. Staff are friendly and quick with menu suggestions, and kids have cheeseburgers and corn dogs to choose from. A hotel nearby sent a visitor here based on the burgers alone.

Beer is a real part of the menu, which fits the name. Card payments carry a fee, and paying in cash removes it, so a few bills in hand make the check friendlier. The garlic fries run heavy on garlic, and a mushroom burger earned a good review for its balance of vegetables and meat.

Skip's Kitchen on El Camino Avenue in Carmichael has been open since late 2011, and diners treat it as a neighborhood anchor. The original burger gets the most attention, with a good sear, a juicy center and fresh toppings. The Western burger, the bacon cheddar and the mushroom Swiss each have followers, and the meatloaf sandwich and waffle also come up.

Service is the other half of the story. Reviewers describe a friendly team that treats each table like an old friend, and the ordering has a playful twist: a deck of cards comes out before paying, with the Joker as the prize everyone hopes for. Order numbers get the same fun treatment.

The salad surprises people at a burger counter, with fresh lettuce and a dressing that tasted homemade. The dining area is small, and parking and a line show up in reviews, so arriving a little before the rush makes the visit easier. Consistency from visit to visit is a repeated compliment.

The Melt on Fair Oaks Boulevard in Sacramento is a clean, modern counter that diners describe as welcoming and relaxed. The Original Melt burger is the headline, and staff ask whether one patty or two suits the appetite before the order is rung up. The BBQ bacon burger and the double bacon BBQ version also draw regular praise.

Chicken has its own following. The classic chicken sandwich arrives juicy and tender under a crisp coating, and a spicy burger kept a picky child eating. Jalapeño relish adds flavor without making the burger hot, and the soda fountain pours sodas from a local maker.

Garlic parmesan fries carry a lot of minced garlic, so they suit anyone who likes the flavor loud. Sweet potato fries and a mini mac and cheese cup fill out the table. Some diners come for late-night food, and the service from named staff members gets compliments in many reviews. A patio gives the option to eat outside.

Flaming Grill Cafe on Watt Avenue moved from El Camino, and longtime customers followed it to a spot deep inside a mostly empty shopping mall. Diners say the walk is part of the experience, and the reward is a menu of specialty meats. Seasonal elk burgers, buffalo, a carne asada burger and a pastrami burger sit beside bacon blue, jalapeño and avocado bacon versions.

The elk blue cheese bacon burger with garlic blue cheese fries earned one of the biggest compliments in the reviews. Carnitas rank among one diner's favorites in the city, the chicken fajitas arrive in a huge serving, and sandwiches and salads fill out the rest of the list. A strong tap list of beers pairs with all of it.

The family that runs the place is praised for warm service. The dining room runs cold, so a layer is smart, and the location takes a minute to find. Once inside, diners found burgers cooked well and ingredients fresh.

Monsoon Burger on Natomas Boulevard gives diners control. Fresh ground beef cooks on a rotating grill, the buns come toasted and buttered, and the patty holds up to the juices. Sizes run six or eight ounces, and named burgers such as the Monsoon, the teriyaki, the California and the blue cheese cover most tastes.

The condiment bar is a highlight. It holds crisp lettuce, sliced tomatoes, red onion, jalapeños, pickled onions, several sauces and three hot sauces. Fries come hot and crisp, salted or unsalted, with garlic fries and onion rings on offer. A fresh salad bar and lighter options give diners who skip the bun a full meal.

Staff impressed one couple by quickly fixing an undercooked burger. Toppings are self-serve, which takes extra time on a takeout order, so allow a few minutes at the bar. Several reviewers placed Monsoon among their top burger spots in Sacramento.

Oak Park Brewing on Broadway is a neighborhood brewpub in a restored old building, with industrial fixtures and art on the walls. Burgers are one part of a broad menu that includes sandwiches, wraps, wings and nachos. The Whiskey Burger and the BBQ burger get named, and the pulled pork sandwich and Philly cheesesteak also come up.

Vegan eaters have a particular reason to visit. The burger sauce is already vegan, so a mushroom Swiss Impossible burger needs no changes, and the brunch menu includes vegan plates. The beer is the other draw, with West Coast IPA, hazy and strong ales brewed in house, plus a few guest taps.

The outdoor patio is large and shaded, a good spot for groups. Street parking is easy out front and a small lot is reached from the back. During the pandemic, the brewery delivered individually wrapped holiday meals to healthcare workers, which one reviewer called generous.

Lucky's Drive-In on Franklin Boulevard is bright, clean and styled after the 1950s, and diners say the decor and music take them back in time. The Lucky Burger meal comes with fries and a shake, and the mushroom Swiss, bacon BBQ and double burgers fill out the lineup. A fresh Angus patty and a garlic aioli get compliments.

Shakes are a reason to go. They arrive thick enough to need the shake spoon first, and the blackberry shake drew special praise. Fries have a crisp outside, and chili cheese fries are a popular side, though one table found the chili milder than hoped. The house sauce divides opinion, with one diner finding it sweet.

Staff won praise for patience with first-timers and handed out several sauces to sample. An outdoor patio gives extra seating on a nice day. Some diners found the burgers good rather than outstanding, so the shake and the mushroom Swiss are safe bets.

Hot Bunz on Bruceville Road makes smash burgers, with thin, seared patties and toasted buns. The menu offers a limited, focused choice, and diners get a burger, fries and a refillable drink at a similar price whichever they pick. The classic triple smash burger wins fans, and a double with jalapeño delivered a flavor pop to a diner who drove in from two hours away.

Fries get their own praise. Frisky fries and the regular order both arrive as a very big helping with seasoning that one reviewer ranked above the big chains. Murals brighten the room, and one real estate agent added the shop to the list of places to recommend to clients between home tours.

The grill is the bottleneck. Several reviewers waited a long time at busy hours, since orders cook one at a time. Staff are described as nice, and the food is called really good, so a visit during a quieter stretch is the best plan.

Whitey's Jolly Kone on Jefferson Boulevard in West Sacramento is a walk-up window drive-in, and one diner called it a Sacramento staple since 1963. Longtime West Sacramento residents say they have gone all their lives, and a local hot rod group has claimed the parking lot for monthly gatherings. The menu stretches across burgers, hot dogs, shakes, ice cream cones and fried vegetables.

The Whitey's special with grilled onions, peppers and an egg earns the loudest praise, with fresh, crisp bacon. The Big Burger and the deluxe burger also come up, and a fried burrito with hot sauce is a popular add. Onion rings and deep-fried mushrooms were the favorites for one first-timer. Portions are good and prices are friendly.

Waits are the common complaint, especially on weekends. Online ordering gives a wait time once the order is placed, which makes planning easier.

Village Drive-In on 60th Street is an old-school drive-in that regulars remember from decades ago, with a drive-thru, a small indoor room and plenty of outdoor seating. A group of six parked, ordered and sat outside, and called it part of the experience. The restrooms are clean and spacious, which surprised a first-time visitor.

Fresh is the word diners keep using: freshly ground Angus beef, crisp lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle, and fries in a plentiful portion. The bacon cheeseburger, the deluxe and the giant burger are the common orders, and cheeseburgers with grilled onions pair with onion rings and fried zucchini. Fish and chips and a pastrami sandwich broaden the menu, along with slushies.

Prices run a little above other burger counters, and some diners felt service varied. The lobby closes before the drive-thru, so late evening orders are easier from the car. Staff members were praised for patience with questions.