Michigan’s Insanely Awesome Burgers are in Mid Michigan!

Burgers are what's for dinner. A burger is good for lunch, breakfast or a snack. The warmer the temps get the more I crave a burger. Thrillist did a survey for the best burgers in Michigan and two burger joints made the list from mid Michigan.

What makes a burger the best burger? I like a burger that is made with fresh ground beef, hand pattied and cooked on a flat top. I love the crispy sear on the burger from the flat top. I actually bought a Blackstone recently to cook burgers like that at home, amongst other amazing meals. I also like to add the cheese, get some water on the grill and cover the burger with a pan to trap the moisture and the cheese melts like butter. That's how it's done.

I like my burger simple. I don't need a salad bar on my burger. I do like an olive burger and we have some really good ones in mid Michigan. Best olive burgers in the Lansing area can be found here.

Another restaurant that made the Thrillist survey is in New Buffalo and it's called Redamak's. I used to live down that way and loved going to Redamak's. I revisited them last year and if you want an amazing burger, Redamak's is worth the road trip.

2 mid Michigan Burger Restaurants Rank in Top 22

Schlenkers Sandwich Shop - 1104 E Ganson St, Jackson, MI 49201

Sidle up to one of only 15 stools around the U-shaped counter at this old-school burger joint (that dates back to 1927) and order yourself a double cheeseburger with "everything sauce." The "everything sauce" stays pretty true to its name – it's a combination of mustard, sweet relish, chopped onions, and seasoning. Meat is delivered daily and ground fresh in-house, before being cooked up and served in wax paper, already cut in half. Two slices of melted American cheese layered between the juicy, loosely-packed patties on a soft-but-plain bun make for the perfect no-frills diner burger.

I haven't been to Schlenkers. Just loooking at the building makes me want to hop in the truck and head to Jackson. I'm judging a book by it's cover and it reminds me of some burger places that served up some of the best when I was growing up.

The Torch Bar & Grill - 522 Buckham Alley, Flint, MI 48502

The Torch Bar & Grill is a little bar that has been open since 1946, tucked away in an alley in downtown Flint, that you enter by way of a creepy old staircase. In short, the place has character, and its character fits Flint. The Torch Burger is a half-pounder made from ground chuck sourced locally from Abbott's Meats, served with American cheese on a sesame bun from a local bakery. Burgers are cooked on a flattop grill and served in plastic baskets, and the taps pour a rotating selection of Michigan craft beers. The Torch is an unexpected and pleasant surprise, kind of like Flint, if you give it a chance.

Again, curb appeal isn't something you normally associate with food.  My life experience says that any burger spot that is located in a alley is most likely going to be awesome. I need to get to Flint. While this survey was done by a thrillist, I had direct feedback from you about your favorite burger spots several months ago. Here are the best burger joints in mid Michigan according to you.