Birmingham guide
The best burgers & sandwiches in Birmingham
Birmingham has 20 standout burgers & sandwiches worth your time — these are the ones locals actually send people to, ranked by how well-loved each spot is and checked by hand. Chez Fonfon, Gus's Hot Dogs and The Garage lead the list. No chains, nobody pays to rank.
Chez Fonfon
The burger, and the bocce court. French bistro in Five Points South from the Stitts. Steak frites, a zinc bar, and a bocce court out back.
Michelin RecommendedJames Beard Best Chef: Southeast · Frank Stitt
Gus's Hot Dogs
Chargrilled dog with onion sauce. Greek-owned hot dog stand open since 1947, the longest-running one in town. A few counter seats; most people take it to go.
The Garage
Courtyard beer garden. Beer garden off Highland Avenue in a row of 1930s garages, with a courtyard full of antiques and statues. Sandwiches, cold beer, cash only.
O'Carr's Delicatessen
Deli lunch & Memory Lane ice cream. Deli lunches on 18th Street since 1975, with a retro ice cream parlor next door.
Gilchrist
Limeades & chicken salad. Old soda fountain in Mountain Brook Village. Order a limeade and a chicken salad sandwich.
Paramount
Burgers & vintage arcade. Old arcade cabinets, a good burger, and a crowd that ends up on the sidewalk on 20th Street.
Paramount (West Homewood)
Burgers, wings & Skee-Ball. The second Paramount, at West Row, with Skee-Ball, claw machines and a long draft list. A hallway connects it to El Barrio.
Black Market Bar & Grill
Bar food till 2 a.m.. Moved from Five Points to the corner of Third Avenue and 41st Street in 2024, in the old Common House space. Open late most nights.
CharBar No. 7
Burgers and steaks. Lane Parke grill that can go either way: a burger at the bar or a steak dinner.
Diplomat Deli
The Reuben. Old-school deli in Park South Plaza. Its Reuben made the state's 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama list.
The Ridge Eat & Drink
Burgers & bomb tots. Mudtown's sister restaurant on Rocky Ridge, open since 2011. Hot dogs and burgers to pasta, and a bar.
Brick & Tin (Cahaba Heights)
The brisket panini. Opened March 2026 in Market Square. Bar, patio and a bakery case, same seasonal menu as downtown.
The Local Bourbon House & Eatery
Bourbon list & Wagyu smash burgers. Bourbon bar on Highway 31 in the old Hillside Music & Que space, under new owner Kiran Sunkavalli. Smash burgers, tacos and Southern comfort food.
Brick & Tin
Seasonal sandwiches & salads. Lunch counter with a menu that changes with the season. Sandwiches, salads, and baked goods by the register.
Carrigan's Public House
Patio pints & pub food. Pub food and a long bar on Morris Avenue. The patio fills up when it's nice out.
Kool Korner Sandwiches
Cuban sandwiches. Pressed Cubans and Caribbean plates on Highway 31. Mostly a lunch place, so check hours.
Mudtown Eat & Drink
A beer and a burger after the game. Cahaba Heights bar and grill where the neighborhood shows up on a Friday.
Iz Cafe
Soup, sandwich and dessert. Longtime lunch spot on Rocky Ridge. Save room for the cake case.
Otey's
Neighborhood tavern & game-day crowd. Crestline's neighborhood bar. Bar food, cold beer, football on Saturdays.
Woody's Food + Bar
Burgers and trivia night. New in 2026 in the space that used to be Carrigan's Mountain Brook. Comfort food and a neighborhood bar.
Good to know
What is the best burgers & sandwiches in Birmingham?
Chez Fonfon — the burger, and the bocce court. Gus's Hot Dogs and The Garage round out the top of the list. Every place is locally owned and checked by hand.
How many burgers & sandwiches are on this list?
20, all locally owned and ranked by how well-loved they are. None of them paid to be included.
Which have a Michelin or James Beard honor?
Chez Fonfon.