The Coastal Region Features a Wide Assortment of Mouth-Watering Hamburger Joints to Visit and Enjoy Anytime of the Year

It's National Hamburger Day (May 28) everyone, a perfect excuse for getting outside and enjoying some of the great restaurants here in the coastal regions of both Delaware and Maryland.

Always celebrated near the end of May, right around the Memorial Day holiday weekend, National Hamburger Day is a way of celebrating this special piece of Americana. And with many of us firing up our barbecue grills now, there are plenty more chances to enjoy these delicious staples of the American diet.

So here's the hard part! We have so many great restaurants in this area and nearly all of them serve some form of hamburger. So how do we decide the 10 that we want to feature here in our blog?

Well, that turned out to be rather easy because, you see, we didn't actually choose them at all. We put the question out on social media and let all of you decide.

So here are the 10 hamburgers that got the most votes in our informal polling. Pick your favorite and enjoy National Hamburger Day with the rest of us.

We get started with the one that easily garnered the most votes, but the rest of the list is in no particular order.

Smashmouth Burger Bus (Mobile)

If you haven't heard about this newest sensation in the coastal Delaware food truck scene, you soon will. It's kinda taking the area by storm!

Founded by Jamie Parsons and Nichole Barnett in 2020, this unique burger concept has been around for some time. But not necessarily here at the Delaware beaches, where Parsons and Barnett have emerged onto the scene with their own unique version of smashmouth hamburgers.

Smashmouth burgers are made with locally sourced ingredients and come in five different varieties, ranging from the "Farmhouse Burger," which includes japalepo jam, Taylor ham and a sunnyside egg, to the "Santa Fe Burger," which includes ingredients such as avocado, chipotle mayonnaise and green chili queso.

Parsons is a long-time chef and culinary director in the area, having worked at such local favorites as DiFebo's and Gilligan's. But the coronavirus pandemic forced him to try something new, and the Smashmouth Burger Bus was born.

You can find the Smashmouth Burger Bus at several local places, such as the Big Chill Surf Cantina, in downtown Milton and Georgetown and at areas in and around Lewes and Rehoboth Beach.

Call 302-236-1092 to find out where the Smashmouth Burger Bus will be on any given day.

And enjoy those great burgers! This was easily the top ranked burger on our poll, so we encourage you to try one today and let us know what you think.

Rehoboth Foodie Photo

Five Guys Burgers (Rehoboth Beach)

This is the only national chain that made it onto our list, but Facebook has spoken and it seems to be one of the favorites here at the Delaware beaches.

Located on Rehoboth Avenue near the Boardwalk, Five Guys' burgers comes in many different varieties ranging from traditional hamburgers and cheeseburgers to bacon burgers and even so-called "little bacon burgers."

Five Guys is also a favorite of the "Rehoboth Foodie," who reviewed the local burger joint and has returned many times since.

The Foodie says on his website www.rehobothfoodie.com: "5 Guys has yet to serve me a stale or hard bun. In fact, the way they serve the burger (wrapped in foil and placed under the steaming fries in a brown paper bag) helps keep the bun moist and integrated into the toppings. It becomes a cohesive, single entity, ready — nay, anxious — to be devoured by those who are discerning enough to know the difference."

Plan on a visit to Five Guys the next time you visit the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk. For more on this national chain that has a loyal following at the Delaware beaches, visit www.fiveguys.com/rehoboth-beach.

The Den at Bear Trap Dunes (Ocean View)

Whether you've just completed a round of golf on the signature 18-hole golf course or you're simply hungry, the burgers at the Den at Bear Trap Dunes have a reputation for relieving anyone's hunger pangs.

As one person in our poll stated: "Make sure you bring your appetite. The Den makes an awesome burger but it's huge!"

The hamburgers at this rather upscale restaurant that borders Bear Trap's renowned golf course are made with a half-pound of meat and come in such appropriate offerings as the "Impossible Burger," the "Grizzly Burger" and the "BTD Burger."

They're all a half-pound of grilled goodness, with ingredients that include cheddar cheese, sauteed mushrooms, chipotle mayonnaise and jalapenos.

Learn more about the Den at Bear Trap Dunes and their delectable hamburgers by visiting www.beartrapdunes.com.

The Hideout (Rehoboth Beach)

Okay, we have to admit that this is not one we expected to see on our list, but we're told the French Onion Burgers at the Hideout Bar & Grille on Route 1 in Rehoboth Beach are actually quite good.

And after reading a little more about them online, they do seem pretty darn appealing!

Burgers at the Hideout actually come in a few different varieties, including a Cajun Burger, a PB&J Burger, a Veggie Burger, a "King Hippo" Burger and a tuna-based burger appropriately named the "Where's the Beef" Burger.

But it's the French Onion Burger, which is drizzled with French Onion soup and topped with provolone cheese, that made our list.

Be sure to try one today! You may just see us trying one for the very first time ourselves.

Learn more about Rehoboth Beach's Hideout Bar & Grille by clicking here.

Gus & Gus (Rehoboth Beach)

This icon of the Rehoboth Beach foodie scene is actually more well known for its incredible cheesesteaks, but they have been known to put out a pretty darn good hamburger too.

Add in the salty air wafting off of the Atlantic and the fact that you're in downtown Rehoboth Beach and you have a pretty good dining (or should we say eating) experience waiting for you.

Gus Svolis, the founder and long-time owner of this well-known and extremely popular eatery, passed away last year, but his creations live on in the form of some pretty tasty burgers and cheesesteaks.

Visit Gus & Gus today and try one for yourself. But try not to go right at lunchtime as the line can get pretty long during the summer months.

Summerhouse (Rehoboth Beach)

We're noticing a theme here in our polling results and that's many restaurants popping up that are located in downtown Rehoboth Beach.

But as that is the center of the aptly named "culinary coast," I guess we shouldn't be all that surprised.

The Summerhouse is one of those places in the "Nation's Summer Capital" you just have to visit at least once. And since we're talking about burgers today for "National Hamburger Day," that's what we're going to focus on. But the menu at the Summerhouse is fantastic, any time of the year and regardless of what you're in the mood to eat.

But back to the burgers. The Summerhouse's hamburger options feature a half-pound of either beef, salmon, turkey or tuna and come in whatever fashion you'd like.

As the menus states: "If you don't see the topping you'd like, feel free to ask!"

The Summerhouse also has "burger nights" periodically which can land you one of these delicious burgers for less than $10.

Learn more about the Summerhouse's hamburger selection at www.summerhousesaloon.com.

Shore Break Lodge (Rehoboth Beach)

The Shore Break Lodge promotes itself at being "just 133 steps from the Atlantic Ocean" and who are we to argue. We're pretty sure that someone counted those steps at some point and that it's pretty spot on.

While the Shore Break Lodge is known for many dishes (yeah, we're talking about the "to die for" seared duck breast), today we're talking about hamburgers. And they have a damn good option, which is obviously why it appeared on our poll of the region's best hamburgers.

Featuring eight ounces of Lafrieda Angus beef, the Shore Break Lodge hamburger also includes house cured bacon, sauteed mushrooms, cheddar cheese and pickled red onion, all on a grilled ciabatta bun.

Ummm, can anyone say yum!?!?!?

Learn more about the Shore Break Lodge in Rehoboth Beach at www.shorebreaklodge.com.

Iron Hill Brewery (Rehoboth Beach)

Are you ready to hear about the Iron Hill Brewery's 12 speciality hamburgers. Yes, we did say 12!

The ones that made our list of the region's favorites are Iron Hill's Turkey Burger and Wichita Burger selections, but we're going to tell you about a few others as well.

But before we do that, we do want to note that for the month of May 2021 (if you happen to be reading this when the blog is first posted), Iron Hill is celebrating its 25th anniversary and is featuring hamburger specials all month long.

For the week that actually encompasses National Hamburger Day, specials include the "Rosemary's Bacon Burger," the "Godfather Burger" and the "Belgian Burger."

Other hamburgers on Iron Hill's extensive specialty menu include the "Armed Forces Burger," the "French Connection Burger," the "Rhythm and Blues Burger" and the "Matterhorn Burger," among several others

There's even a "Naked Burger Salad" if you want to add a little bit of healthy food to the mix.

Learn more about the vast selection of specialty hamburgers available at the Iron Hill Brewery by visiting www.ironhillbrewery.com.

Jeff's Taproom (Bridgeville)

Okay we know this place isn't at the beach, but we couldn't read comments like "the best in Sussex County" and "Delmarva's Best Burgers" without including it on our list.

And it's not that far of a drive, just 45 minutes west from downtown Rehoboth Beach and you can also try what we hear are some of the best hamburgers known to man.

These 12 ounce chuck hamburgers are prepared by hand every day and come in varieties that include a mushroom Swiss burger, a jalpeno burger, a "biker burger," a "Jeff's Firehouse Burger," a pizza burger and a cordon bleu burger.

But here's the top of the mountain, so to speak - the "Jeff's Big Ass Burger Challenge" that is a favorite for locals. Are you up for the challenge? Well, let's see!

The challenge consists of three of Jeff's famous cheeseburgers that are stacked between two grilled cheese sandwiches and then covered in a half-pound of friend onion petals, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and ketchup and is served with a full pound of French Fries.

If you think you're up for the challenge, you must eat all of the food, more than four pounds in total, and keep it down within a 30-minute time frame.

If you can do it, your meal is on the house and you'll even receive a special t-shirt to commemorate the occasion, as well as a picture on Jeff's "Wall of Fame."

Learn more about the challenge and Jeff's extensive menu at www.jeffstaproomandgrill.com.

Longboard Cafe (Ocean City)

We couldn't complete our list without having an entry from Ocean City. And one of our social media followers obliged by telling us about the Longboard Cafe on Coastal Highway in Maryland's most popular summertime resort.

One thing about these burgers though, they're a bit more expensive that some of the other entries on our list. But they say you get what you pay for right?

Burgers at the Longboard Cafe are made with the restaurant's special blend of chuck, brisket and short rib that comes from black angus farms in Maryland.

Selections include the "Longboard," the "Hickory Bacon," the "Waimea," the "Santa Lucia" and several others.

View the entire mouth-watering menu at www.longboardcafe.net and prepare for a special culinary treat the next time you're in Ocean City.

Well there's our list of 10 hamburgers you simply must try here in the coastal regions of both Delaware and Maryland. Try your favorite today and let us know what you think.

And for much more on everything that's happening in the region, continue visiting www.theoldfathergroup.com regularly as we shine the spotlight on everything that's great about living and/or working at and near the Delaware and Maryland beaches.

Have a great summer everyone!

 

Google Reviews

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