The Ultimate Ranking Of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers

Red Robin is best known for two things — its simple yet catchy jingle and its delicious burgers. And, it's quite generous with their burgers, even providing a free one for your birthday so long as you're a member of their loyalty program and make a small additional purchase. That being said, there are a vast number of burgers on their menu, running the gamut of flavors and sizes. So, whether you're visiting for your free birthday burger or another reason, it can feel overwhelming making a choice. Which are the best burgers on the menu and which fall flat?

Thankfully, you don't have to determine the answers to these questions through trial and error because I was given the opportunity to taste every gourmet burger on Red Robin's menu. Then, I ranked them from worst to best based on taste, texture, balance, and smell (where appropriate), relying on my food industry experience and great love of burgers to help make my decisions. You can find a full explanation of my methodology at the end of this article. Now, without further ado, it's time to discover which burgers will be your new Red Robin favorites. Let's get into it.

I want to start this off by saying I'm not a huge fan of veggie burgers to begin with, so part of the reason this ranked so lowly was personal preference. The burger's setup is wonderful; it features Swiss cheese, salsa, avocado slices, lettuce, and roasted garlic aioli. These flavor profiles are excellent, but I found the burger itself a little lacking.

The texture of the burger was a little too crisp on the outside and a little mushy on the inside. That being said, this isn't a terrible option as far as veggie burgers go, and you may enjoy this if you're a big fan of them generally, although I won't personally be ordering it again. 

The Impossible Cheeseburger is another healthier-for-you, meatless option offered by Red Robin. It's your standard cheeseburger setup but on a plant-based patty. I want to start by again saying I'm not a big fan of these types of burgers to begin with, so my personal preference definitely contributed to this ranking much lower.

The burger toppings themselves were excellent, and the setup was nicely balanced. The produce was fresh and earthy, with a subtle sweetness from the tomato and pickle relish. The patty almost tasted like a burger, but there was something slightly off that I can't quite describe — you just knew it wasn't a real burger. The texture was also very soft and almost sponge-like, which I found to be off-putting. That being said, I did prefer this over the veggie burger, albeit not by much.

The Cheesy Bacon Fondue Burger was a hit and a miss for me. The burger itself was well-cooked, well-seasoned, and even well-sized. The cheese, bacon, and mayo were simple yet well paired, offering a creamy, robust umami flavor profile — and the bun was fantastic, as it was on all the sandwiches.

The cheesy bacon fondue for dipping was perfectly melted and looked delicious. However, when I took my first taste, it was a little sharp for my preferences. I won't purposefully eat this again and recommend skipping this in lieu of similar, higher ranking options (like our top ranking burger).

The Southern Charm Burger features a patty topped with candied bacon, cheddar, caramelized onions, lettuce, mayo, and the signature Whiskey River BBQ Sauce. The smell is a hallmark sweet and tangy, which made me excited to try it.

There was a blast of BBQ sauce in each bite, which was delicious. The bacon was crispy and well proportioned, offering some textural complexity I enjoyed. My one complaint, however, is that the onions here were a little excessive and overpowering, which is why this burger ranked lower. I wouldn't personally eat this again and can't really recommend it.

I appreciate a good turkey burger, but I'm also very picky when it comes to this dish. I'm happy to report that Red Robin's option passed the pickiness test — it has a great flavor that tastes like chicken to me. In fact, it tastes almost like the upgraded version of the now-discontinued McDonald's Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

While this turkey burger is overall excellent, it's just slightly unbalanced — the meat overpowers the rest of the burger just a little. That's the only reason this ranked a little lower on the charts. However, I highly recommend this as an excellent "healthier-for-you" option.

The MadLove Burger is a really tall burger stuffed with goodness — there's three types of cheese, a sweet jalapeno relish, candied bacon, avocado, red pepper flakes, and your standard LTO. The flavor profile is predominately umami with heavy notes of sweetness and the slightest bit of spice with a smoky aftertaste I found enjoyable.

The crispy cheddar and parmesan layer of cheese is a unique touch. While it doesn't really add much to the flavor profile based on my experience, it does add a pleasant layer of textural complexity. My one complaint is that you don't really taste the creamy, earthy flavors of the avocado since it's lost in the other flavors. I wouldn't order this again myself, but would eat it if it were served to me.

The Smoke & Pepper Burger features a single patty on a bun with black-peppered bacon, cheddar, lettuce, pickles, and a special sauce that gives the burger its name. There's a hint of sweetness to the bacon that I really like. Combined with the pepper, this has a flavor profile like a lighter version of Dunkin Donut's Snackin' Bacon.

The smell of this is sweet, spicy, and smoky, which is truly mouth-watering and offers one of the best smells of the burgers on this list. However, the robust umami profile of the burger here tastes a little lighter for some reason. I'm a big fan of full-bodied burger flavors, so this knocked the burger down in the rankings a bit. Overall, it's a fine burger and it's even my partner's favorite option, but I won't be purchasing it again in lieu of better ranking options.

The Royal Red Robin Burger features a patty topped with bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and a sunny side up egg. The addition of the egg is unique and makes it a perfect breakfast or brunch burger.

Once broken, the egg yolk adds a layer of rich umami creaminess to the already predominantly savory burger that's been grilled to perfection. Produce adds a nice layer of earthiness to break this up, and the cheese accentuates the creamy texture. Overall, this is an excellent burger. The only reason it ranked lower is because there are options I prefer much more. 

Anyone who knows me knows I love good heat in my dishes — but the one thing I hate is pure heat with no flavor. Thankfully, this Red Robin Scorpion Burger delivers both, and it does so without that bad aftertaste that can sometimes come with eating spicy food.

The first bite was hard to take because this burger is so massive, but the effort was worthwhile. A rich umami burger is piled high with pepper-jack cheese, crispy jalapeños, pickles, hot rings, lettuce, tomato, roasted garlic aioli, and a signature sauce that gives the burger its name. The flavor profile is spicy, umami, and mildly sweet with a nice textural complexity. This is a great spicy burger, but I just prefer other options significantly more.

Red Robin's Bacon Cheeseburger features bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and cheese in a traditional setup. The burger was well cooked and nicely seasoned, as was the bacon — and the produce was very fresh and crisp. The earthiness of the produce alongside the creaminess of the mayo and cheese perfectly balance out the primarily savory flavor profile.

Nothing noteworthy really stood out to me about this burger, for good or bad, to be perfectly honest. It's a very standard but very good bacon cheeseburger — if you're a fan of them, you'll really like this one. I would order again, but I prefer other options much more.

The Whiskey River BBQ Burger layers mayo, crispy onion straws, burger, cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce, and the special BBQ sauce that gives this burger its name. The sauce is delicious, featuring a sweet profile accented by strong smoky notes and a very light tang — and this, paired with the savoriness of the burger, is the primary flavor.

The crispy onions add a light starchy taste and textural complexity to this dish. The produce offers an earthy balance, and overall, this is an excellent burger. I don't have any real complaints, but it doesn't quite hold up against higher-ranked options on this list.

About halfway through our ranking is the perfect spot for your standard, basic burger. The Keep It Simple Burger does just that — keeps it simple. You have a well-seasoned burger patty cooked to perfection with lettuce, tomato, and onion, which are served on the side. That's it.

Since Red Robin does amazing burgers that really taste high-quality, this turns out to be a delicious, perfectly acceptable option. It's also great for people who have to restrict dairy but don't want to ask for accommodations. I could see myself ordering this again if I wanted something light and simple for lunch.

As a full disclosure, the Smashed Avocado N' Bacon Burger was previously my go-to burger when I visited my local Red Robin. Truthfully, I expected it to rank a lot higher, but once it was compared to other options, I found there were burgers I simply preferred much better — but if you're a fan of avocado and bacon, I highly recommend you try it.

The flavor profile here is richly umami with a mild char punctuated by a creamy dairy and light earthiness. The cheese is gooey and the avocado is fresh, complementing the burger well. I'd definitely order again, but less often than I used to.

The Jalapeño Heatwave features pepper-jack cheese, grilled jalapeños, caramelized onions, green chili aioli, avocado, and fried jalapeños. Like every other burger I had during this taste test, the patty itself was delicious and definitely of a higher quality than some other casual dining places I've eaten. The cheese was stringy, with a nice melty texture that really adhered to the bun and patty so you got a bit in every bite. Some textural complexity in the form of crunchiness was added by the fried jalapeños.

My only complaint about this burger is that I thought it would be spicier. If I had to rate the spice level, it would be about three out of ten. Despite this, I'd likely order this again as a nice change of pace from my favorites.

The Red Robin Gourmet Cheeseburger is only $10 on Tuesdays, which is a great deal for families looking to get out on a budget, in my personal opinion. It features a basic cheeseburger setup but with one addition that I think really gives it an edge — pickle relish. That relish features on several burgers and it has a really nice sweet flavor that levels up the flavor profile here.

This is a solid cheeseburger option for anyone looking for simple and affordable food. I definitely suggest checking it out during a Tuesday special, and I know I'll be taking my family to get them in the future.

The Wedgie Burger uses a lettuce wrap instead of a standard bun, which is then loaded with a burger patty, bacon, avocado, tomato, and onion. I really enjoyed this and think it's an excellent gluten-friendly option if you don't want to ask for substitutions. Of course, if you do, Red Robin offers high-quality, delicious gluten-free buns that can be placed on many of their burgers.

The produce here is really fresh and the lettuce offers a nice crisp bite. The patty and bacon offer a robust umami profile, while the avocado adds a small hint of creaminess to the dish. I'll definitely order again and recommend trying it if you need to restrict your gluten or are just looking for a healthier burger option.

The Banzai Burger is a complex dish with layers of profile that each take their turning at center stage. When you first bite into it, the salty teriyaki sauce is a bit overpowering (hence why it ranked slightly lower on this list). However, it quickly fades away to allow the sweet and tangy grilled pineapple and fresh produce to shine.

Once the sauce taste fades, this burger is reminiscent of an upgraded Southern Pineapple Sandwich — and since I love those, I'm here for it. And, in fact, I'm starting to consider where else I might be able to add pineapple on burgers or sandwiches. I'll definitely order this again when I need a change of pace from my favorites and recommend you try it.

The Backyard BBQ Pork Burger is a limited-edition item that's only available until September — and I highly recommend getting to a Red Robin to taste it for yourself before it's gone. Juicy shredded pork is paired with the perfect amount of BBQ sauce, which is wonderful because a lot of other places leave their pulled pork swimming in sauce (which I don't like). The BBQ is predominately sweet tomato with the faintest hints of earthiness and spice.

The only complaint I have is that the pork was a little chewier than I'd like, which is why this ranked a little lower than other options. Otherwise, I recommend this to anyone looking for a great pulled pork sandwich.

This densely umami burger features a generous amount of sautéed mushrooms, Swiss cheese, and roasted garlic aioli. Against the umami profile you have creamy notes and tangy overtones with the faintest earthiness from the mushrooms. To me, it's a truly perfect pairing with absolute balance. The gooey cheese against the juicy patty and soft mushrooms creates a beautiful textural complexity I really enjoyed.

The Sautéed Shroom Burger is one of my new all-time favorites and it's definitely joining my rotation of favorite burgers alongside our top two options. If you enjoy mushrooms, this is a must-try. The only reason this didn't rank higher was personal preference because our top three burgers are very closely matched.

The Monster Double Burger is one of my new personal favorites, and it was really close to being the top-ranking burger. But, after consulting my partner because I couldn't decide, the top ranked option just barely beat out this one. However, I highly recommend trying this if you're looking for something just a little less decadent than the top burger.

There's an incredibly robust savoriness from the meat that pairs well with the sweet yet subtly spicy relish. There's notes of sweet tomato and creaminess from the perfectly melted cheese. With two patties, this is incredibly filling and every bite of this monster burger is delicious. It may be one of the unhealthiest items on the Red Robin menu, but it's well worth the splurge. 

The Lava Queso Burger is a massive burger containing a burger patty, chipotle aioli, caramelized onions, grilled jalapeño, and tomato. Over this is poured a generous helping of cheesy queso fundido — and yes, it's messy, so I suggest eating it with a fork and knife. But, that messiness is so worth it.

The ingredients here work so well together that even though this is a wonderfully indulgent dish, it feels perfectly balanced. The queso is creamy, hearty, and decadent, taking center stage in the flavor profile. Against this are notes of subtle sweetness and a rich umami — it's everything you could want in a burger and then some. I highly recommend this — and once you try it for yourself, you'll have zero doubts as to why it took the top spot.

Every gourmet burger on Red Robin's menu was included in this ranking, which was facilitated by the Red Robin corporate team alongside the team at the Vineland, New Jersey, location. Burgers were tried during a special taste testing that took place over two days. During this time, each burger was ranked based on their taste, texture, balance, and smell (where applicable).

To make my determinations, I relied on my more than fifteen years experience in the food industry, where I cross-trained in bakeries and hot foods. My great love of burgers also helped make my decisions. As a disclosure, personal preference did play a role in these decisions, and in cases where it may have made a big difference in ranking, it's noted in the sections above.