Even though May is wrapping up, it’s still officially National Burger Month. Whether you’re in the mood for a traditional no-fuss, no-frills single burger or want something more extravagant and loaded with toppings, check out the meaty selections below.
Burgers on Bishop
Burgers on Bishop, located in downtown Honolulu, has a burger lineup ranging from a traditional all-American and turkey to teriyaki and a burger made with Niihau lamb. The wagyu burger ($13.50) remains its bestselling item. It’s made with 100% wagyu beef and whole-grain mustard jus, and topped with a blend of sautéed onions and wild mushrooms, organic greens, locally grown tomatoes and aioli.
Burgers On Bishop
Topa Tower
745 Fort St.
808-586-2000
burgersonbishop.com
@burgersonbishop
Butcher & Bird
Whether you’re craving a single, double or fancier burger like bacon mushroom Swiss, you can’t go wrong with a burger from Kakaako-based Butcher & Bird. The double cheeseburger ($16) features 100% USDA Prime beef ground in-house with dry-aged beef trimmings, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese and mayo.
Keep your eyes peeled for specials like The Pig Pile, featuring a bacon-beef patty topped with pulled pork, and the Brisket Burger that boasts 12-hour smoked brisket.
Butcher & Bird
Salt at Our Kakaako
324 Coral St. Ste. 207
808-762-8095
butcherandbirdhi.com
@butcherandbird
Island Vintage Wine Bar
I know what you’re thinking: A burger? From a wine bar? But seriously, this wagyu burger ($18.50) is one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, and that’s saying a lot, since its menu is extensive.
It’s loaded with not one, but two housemade wagyu beef patties, cheese, wasabi aioli, tomato, lettuce and grilled onions on a La Tour Café brioche bun with a mixed greens salad and french fries on the side. The patties are made using 2.5-ounce meatballs of fresh-ground American wagyu beef and they’re stacked between slices of melted cheddar. The restaurant has a variety of wagyu burgers on its menu — including a teriyaki-pineapple version — but the original wagyu is still the most frequently ordered.
Island Vintage Wine Bar
Royal Hawaiian Center
2301 Kalakaua Ave.
808-799-9463
islandvintagewinebar.com
@islandvintagewinebar
Square Barrels
In April, Square Barrels introduced a new burger to its menu and it quickly became a hot seller. The Belly Burger ($17) is a behemoth that features a house-ground 6-ounce patty topped with fennel-braised pork belly, smoked Gouda, fennel and cilantro slaw.
It’s indulgent due to the half-inch-thick slab of fennel-roasted pork belly and chuck patty, but the slaw brightens and complements the burger’s richness.
The newest edition to Square Barrels’ burger lineup is the ultra-savory Homage Burger ($13), which is a double cheeseburger made with brisket and cured bacon, and topped with house pickles, a special sauce and caramelized onions.
Square Barrels
1001 Bishop St.
808-524-2747
squarebarrels.com
@squarebarrels