We rolled into Banff for our honeymoon back in September 2021. By the time we’d set up the trailer at the campground, a lot of the restaurants in town were closing. Tommy’s Neighbourhood Pub was really our only option. We figured since we were in Canada, why not order some Canadian whisky and the Canadian Burger – when in Rome, right? The hamburger patty was perfectly cooked and was topped with cheddar cheese, mushrooms, bacon, and the basics – lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onion.

On our drive back from our 4F Trip, we found ourselves getting a bit ravenous, but, we were also in the middle of nowhere when the hunger struck. Thankfully, the good people of Glasgow, Montana opened a restaurant called Flip Burgers & Treats. I was not expecting the culinary delight that the Middle-of-Nowhere Burger brought me. To be honest, I only ordered it because of the name. It was well worth the risk because this little burger was delicious. The patty was flavorful and juicy and the buns were griddled up to near perfection. The toppings – American cheese, bacon jam, and NoWhere sauce (which, according to the owner, is a mixture of ketchup, mayo, vinegar, salt and pepper, garlic, and hot sauce) – while seemingly simple, were a mouthwatering combination.

If you’re craving a BIG burger, then the Moose Burger at the Savage Moose Sports Pub is where you want to go. Weighing in at 3/4 of a pound, the angus beef patty can be cooked to your liking then piled high with grilled onions, cheddar, frickles (their fried pickle slices!), bacon, Moose sauce, lettuce, and tomato. Their tagline for this hamburger is “if it sounds like too much for you, it probably is. Maybe you should try the hummus plate instead.” I prefer to just save some for a midnight snack!
Pro tip: order a side of gravy to dip your fries in!

While camping at one of our favorite spots, the Whitehorse Campground in Darrington, Washington, we took a drive up to Marblemount to check out Mystery Falls. On the way, we stopped for lunch at the Upriver Grill & Taproom. Harry chose the Turkey Club, while I, however, opted for the Up River Heat Burger. To add to the spice level, I added pepper jack cheese to go along with the other toppings – fresh jalapeños, crispy fried onion straws, red onion, and chipotle aioli. Both of us chose the Lemon Vinaigrette Greens for our side – highly recommend! The brightness of the greens paired well with this savory burger!

Last winter, Harry and I traveled to McCall, Idaho for some skiing. The town is full of quaint little restaurants, and My Father’s Place is one of them. With its 1950s-esque diner vibe, it offers a lot of different sandwich and burger options. The Fire House Burger was a mouthwatering burger for sure! It’s a 1/4 lb patty cooked medium-well and covered in melty cheddar, jalapeños, bacon, and served on a toasted bun with in-house sauce, lettuce, pickles, onions, and tomatoes. They also make their fry sauce in house. Definitely grab a tub or two to dunk those delicious fries into!

Harry puts the “ham” in hamburger. He’s been eating burgers this way since he was a kid ordering the Papa Joe at a family favorite – Zip’s Drive-In. The Jimmy Big Time Burger at the Pine Tree Bar & Grill had him feeling nostalgic while also throwing his taste buds a bigger party than what’s given from a fast food burger. This one starts off with a beef patty, then adds bacon, ham (of course), lettuce, tomato, onion, & pickle. He opted for no cheese and added some grilled mushrooms. YUM!

When you’re traveling with kids, well, and Harry, and a trailer you gotta always be prepared to stop at any town that might have something to eat. Said place to eat also needs to have a large lot to park the trailer or at least somewhere nearby to that has ample space. On our way to Yellowstone, we were all feeling hungry, so I found myself looking for restaurants on Google Maps and utilizing their “street view” option to make sure there was room for our rig. I feel like I got insanely lucky finding Parker’s Restaurant. The menu might feel a little overwhelming at first what with their 133+ different hamburger options. We all finally decided, and Harry’s choice made our list! It definitely has a unique spin like many of the hamburgers at Parker’s do. This one is a burger patty topped with grilled steak AND cajun shrimp. Parker’s also makes their own Slap Yo Mama mayo which shines on this burger.

Peanut butter and jelly on a hamburger? Yeah, I know you’re questioning me right now, but hear me out! Peanut butter provides a contrasting flavor profile to the savory and salty elements of beef patty. The nutty notes of peanut butter compliments the flavor of the meat, making it taste very balanced. A little fruity jam on top not only enhances all of the other flavors going on – crisp bacon, Tillamook cheddar, and bacon–whiskey jam, it adds a bit of sweetness to the overall smokiness of the burger as a whole. Also, Stack 571 Burger and Whiskey Bar uses certified all–natural and humanely raised beef from Northwest cattle, so you know that patty tastes great!

The Cranky Mike’s Burger at Shadowline Burgers & Brews comes with it’s own warning: “Sinister Sauce is nearing 1,000,000 on the Scoville scale – made with Ghost Chili, Trinidad Scorpion & Carolina Reaper Chili Pepper.” According to the menu, it was created by Mike “Cranky Mike” Pavlas. It’s a 1/4 lb smash burger topped with Tillamook cheddar cheese, deep fried jalapeño bottle caps, lettuce, tomato, and some mayo on a brioche bun…and it. is. fantastic! To be perfectly honest, the heat was there, but it wasn’t exactly “sinister”, at least for me.

Coming in at number one on the list of our favorite burgers is (insert drum roll here 🥁) – The Griffon Burger at the Griffon Brewery and Gastropub! To put it midly, this burger is a feast. It begins with a half-pound custom blend of freshly ground chuck, short rib, and sirloin made just for the pub. Then, they chargrill it and serve it on a toasted brioche bun with arugula, fresh tomatoes, and a crispy onion nest with a side of sweet-spicy pickles. What comes next is why this burger made it to the top spot. The customizations seem endless. There are at least 9 different cheeses to choose from (or none or vegan cheese if you’re lactose intolerant like my husband!) For mine, I went with fontina. It has a sharpness that, for me, adds great flavor to pretty much any hamburger. I chose a few more options for mine: sautéed onions, candied jalapeños, applewood smoked bacon, and a fried egg. They also have a different burger on their menu – the “Bacon Jam Burger”. The kitchen was really nice and also let me add some of the maple bourbon bacon jam to my Griffon!

Yeah, yeah. I know. This isn’t exactly the true definition of a “hamburger”; however, it absolutely had to go on our list (I did have a burger here, and while it was delicious, this oyster sandwich was a culinary delight!).

It’s been over 2 years since Harry’s had the Ty One On Oyster Sandwich from the Geoduck Restaurant & Lounge (which, ironically, doesn’t serve geoduck), but he is still talking about it. We’ve tried other oyster sandwiches, including making our own, but he says nothing compares to this one. It’s made with fried local oysters and topped with bacon, onion, lettuce, and tarter sauce. You can get it with Swiss cheese and tomato, too, but Harry settled on taking those off. He said the onion rings were to die for, too!