Ten Best Burgers in Broward and Palm Beach Counties

Some food items elicit intense reactions. New Yorkers smear any pizza anywhere outside of their dear city limits. Chicagoans eschew hot dogs without their traditional toppings. Kansas City residents scoff at any other barbecue.

While each city tends to have its own special dish, good burgers can be found pretty much anywhere. Even though the basics are all the same, bun, meat, and a couple of toppings, the subject of the bet burger tends to bring up an intense debate.

In case you didn't know, May is National Burger Month. To celebrate the month-long holiday we decided to come up with a list of the ten best burgers in Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Note: the burgers listed are in no specific order

See also:

- Ten Best Happy Hours in Broward and Palm Beach Counties

- Ten Best Inexpensive Restaurants in Broward County

10. Le Tub Saloon

Long before it was touted as the "Best Burger in America" by GQ and mentioned by the God of everything, Oprah, Le Tub was a local South Florida institution. A place where local kids could sneak out at 2 am to hang out on the water and nosh on burgers. The service has never been outstanding. The toppings have never been anything special. But Le Tub offers up a piece of Old Florida and a damned good, straightforward hand-made burger right on the water.

9. Buccan

You shouldn't be surprised to hear that a James Beard nominee knows how to make a pretty bad ass burger. Well, don't be surprised: Clay Conley knows a little something about making the comfort food classic. For 15 bucks, Buccan serves up a wood-fired prime burger on brioche with aged cheddar and cornichons. Not only it is delicious, but it's probably one of the best deals ever from a James Beard nominee. Wait, did we mention the James Beard thing? Just sayin'.

8. Tarpon Bend

Another local institution, Tarpon Bend has been taking care of busy downtown office crowds and frat boys for nearly 15 years now. That's probably a record for the always changing environment of Himmarshee St. And, well, there's a reason. In addition to its numerous drink specials, Tarpon churns out a delicious burger. And those skinny fries most certainly help out. Check it out on a Monday: the spot offers $5 cheeseburgers with purchase of a beverage.

7. 3rd and 3rd

Situated just off of Delray Beach's Pineapple Grove, 3rd & 3rd serves up some pretty amazing food in a very laid-back environment. With corn-hole on the back patio, the spot feels like your visiting your fun-loving-stuck-in-college-beer-drinking friend's house--who just happens to be an amazing chef. And, obviously, your friend's burger is to die for: seared beef patty on a brioche with your choice of cheese and a side of balsamic red onion jam. The atmosphere is so chill, you're not going to mind at all when that burger juice trickles down your chin.

6. Chimney House

Burgers wouldn't necessarily be the first thought to pop into your head when you're thinking Latin food. But, maybe you should. On top of its well-price, home-cooked Latin food, Chimney House makes a pretty amazing burger to boot. Certified Angus beef is topped with white cheese, caramelized onions, and a fried egg. Fries and huancaina sauce on the side keep in line with the spot's signature Latin flair. You can't beat a protein-filled burger like this for a mere 10 bucks.

See also: How To Cook The Perfect Burger in 5 Steps

5. Charm City Burgers

If burger places were mobsters, Charm City would be the Godfather. The place frequently racks up awards for its perfect, inventive, and super inexpensive burgers. The Good Ole burger with or without cheese starts at just $5.25. Volcano Style ith pepper jack cheese, Volcano Sauce, and Jalapeno rings in at just $6.50. Want to go all out? The Emperor with Kobe Beef Patty, Sauteed Mushrooms, Aged Gruyere, and Truffled Aioli comes out to a mere $10.95. But you can add on some foie gras for another 12 bucks. Overall, the place is ridiculous.

4. Tap 42

Sometimes when you're drinking a beer, you just need a burger to go along with it. And here, both are kind of a specialty. In addition to the ridiculous selection of craft beers, Tap 42 offers up some tasty burger options. Vegetarian? No problem. No red meat? Got you covered. Want some lamb in the mix? Get the Drunken Goat with lamb, beer, tomato jam, bourbon red onions, goat cheese, and dijon on a brioche bun. And you most certainly cannot go wrong with the house Prohibition burger topped with cheddar, applewood bacon, special sauce, dijon and LTO. Better yet? Monday evenings it's only 5 bucks.

3. Cafe Boulud

If Daniel Boulud allows anything to be served under his name, you'd better believe it's as close to perfect as it gets. Executive Chef Jim Leiken creates a custom blend using specific cuts from the chuck and round combined with shortrib. It's the same blend that is used in Leiken's old haunt DBGB Kitchen and Bar in New York. The 10 oz. burger is then grilled until it gets just the right amount of char. It's served between a locally sourced brioche bun topped with aged white cheddar, housemaid burger sauce, LTO, and a pickle spear on the side. The hand cut fries are cooked Belgian-style--blanched at a low temperature, followed by high-temp frying--tossed in a garlic-and-herb infused butter, and are served with either housemaid ketchup or a mayo-based 'fit saus.' Who knew burgers could be so decadent? And so French?

2. d.b.a./ cafe

They say variety is the spice of life. If that's the case, d.b.a is bringing the heat to the burger department. Just like the rest of the menu, the spot revamps its burgers at the start of every month. In April it was topped with cheddar, maple chipotle sauce, cornmeal fried jalapenos, and spinach. Past incarnations have included gorgonzola, crispy shallots, and blackberry aioli. Point being, there's something wrong if you're getting bored.

1. Shake Shack

No, the novelty still has not worn off. Straight out of Danny Meyer's empire, South Florida's newest fast burger chain is still kind of a big deal. Just like all of the other locations, the new Boca Raton outpost is already developing its very own cult following. Buttery buns encase juicy patties of Angus beef, bright green lettuce, and tomatoes. And starting at just $3.85, it's a pretty awesome steal.