5 Best Restaurants in Austin, Texas

A longtime favorite of local burger lovers, Casino El Camino is the best place on the notorious “Dirty Sixth" strip to chow down. Locals arrive in hungover droves for the weekend lunch rushes, when wait times for signatures like the Amarillo and Buffalo burgers can stretch upward of an hour. But this dive bar and juke joint is worth the wait as you'll find out once your thirst is quenched by their Bloody Marys, stacked with bacon, pickled okra, taquitos, even meatballs. Their hearty Angus-beef burgers deliver a classic, artery-clogging ecstasy, especially when paired with a greasy basket of verde chili fries.

This greasy spoon burger joint on the north edge of the UT campus has been satisfying the guilty pleasures of college students (and everyone else in town) since 1926. The original dirt floors and open-flame grills no longer exist, but the burgers and sides are still classically unpretentious with plenty of flavor (and grease). Sit at the counter to watch the short-order chefs at work, flipping hundreds of burgers (including signatures like the O.T. Special), patty melts, and chicken-fried steak sandwiches every day. The outdoor patio tables fill up fast during UT home games and other major sporting events, when games are broadcast on large HD TVs and the draft beers always taste best in their gigantic icy schooners.

Locals consistently nominate Hut's for the best-burger award in Austin Chronicle restaurant polls. Part of the mystique may be the American Graffiti–like atmosphere: the joint is a local institution that began in 1939. It's been in its present Old West location since 1969, and neon signs, vintage license plates, and UT memorabilia line the walls. Juicy burgers come in about 25 varieties, and the addictive onion rings are graciously served in shareable baskets. It's hard not to surrender to the experience. Beat the considerable dinner rush on Wednesday nights, when all burgers are two-for-one.

This local favorite combines the founder's El Paso and Jewish roots to create some of the best flat-top burgers, "border-style" burritos, and homemade potato latkes in town. Highlights include "the Goyim" burger (a JewBoy patty with grilled pastrami, bacon, Swiss, pickles, and mustard) and the "Que Pasa" carne asada burrito with marinated rib eye and grilled onions and poblanos. Save room for fried sides like green chili and cheddar potato latkes and their classic tots.

Tucked between Deep Eddy Cabaret and Deep Eddy Pool, this burger joint--tiki bar is the ultimate island-inspired hideaway for sun-drenched Austinites. Take an afternoon off to enjoy yourself at the popular walk-up hut, where Wagyu beef burgers are on the grill every day, along with cult signatures like the Dazed and Confused veggie burger. Snacks like pool chips with guacamole and jalapeño pimento paired with sparkling rose, boozy frozen cocktails, and soft-serve ice cream help beat the heat.