George Motz's 25 Essential US Burgers Checklist Slideshow

Bobcat Bite (Santa Fe, NM)

On the menu at Bobcat Bite since 1953, this nine-ounce, naturally raised, antibiotic and hormone free beef patty is topped with green chile and covered with a blanket of melted white Cheddar. 

Louis' Lunch (New Haven, Conn.)

Pronounced "LEW-EEZ", Louis' Lunch has been serving this burger since 1895. The meat is freshly ground every day and placed on top of white toast with some added tomato and onions to create a mouth-watering burger (if you ask).

Matt's Bar (Minneapolis, Minn.)

Matt's Bar's Juicy Lucy will burn you if you're not careful. This burger is made up of two patties crimped together with a slice of cheese in the middle. Fear the Cheese!

Pie 'N Burger (Pasadena, Calif.)

The quarter-pound patties at Pie'N Burger are served topped with a homemade Thousand Island dressing and Kraft mayo, the same way they have been served for more than 35 years. 

The Plaza Tavern (Madison, Wis.)

There are only a few select people who know what makes the secret creamy, tangy sauce that makes the burger at the Plaza Tavern & Grill so great. 

Triple XXX Family Restaurant (West Lafayette, Ind.)

Don't call the burgers at Triple XXX "cheeseburgers." Triple XXX serves chop steaks and milkshakes 24-hours-a day. 

White Manna Hamburgers (Hackensack, NJ)

Sliders are served at the vintage diner, White Manna, in Hackensack, NJ. 

Workingman's Friend (Indianapolis, Ind.)

The most popular thing on the menu at Workingman's Friend, established in 1919, is no doubt the double cheeseburger that's smashed to thin perfection. 

The Apple Pan (Los Angeles, Calif.)

The LA burger shack, Apple Pan, serves only two burgers, the "Steakburger" or the "Hickory Burger," both served in wax-paper, no plate. 

El Mago de las Fritas (Miami, Fla.)

There is cheese for the gringos, but El Mago's standard toppings include: ketchup, sautéed onions, and lastly, potato sticks. Not the greasy, canned variety. Not even shoestring fries. But tiny ethereal wisps that can best be described as a potato bird's nest.