Whenever we’re traveling the state, we like to venture off the main road in hopes of discovering a classic Alabama hamburger joint – the kind of place where the burgers are the same as they ever were, and in many cases, the joint itself has changed very little over the decades.
We’ve found them hidden in plain sight in big cities like Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile, and off the beaten path in small towns like Athens, Elberta and Jackson.
Many are mom-and-pop shops that have been in the same family for decades, passed down from one generation to the next. And most of them don’t do anything fancy; they just do it right.
Here are 12 classic Alabama burger joints that have stood the test of time – and that we can’t wait to revisit the next time we’re headed that way.
And, yes, we know there are at least a dozen others, and we look forward to visiting them on our future road trips. So, drop us a line and let us know where to find them.
A cheeseburger with crinkle-cut fries at Sammy's Sandwich Shop in Birmingham, Ala.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
Sammy’s Sandwich Shop, Birmingham
Tucked away in a little, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it strip center on the road to the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, this mom-and-pop shop has been serving one of Birmingham’s best hamburgers for nearly 60 years. And it’s still run by the same family. Johnny Bajjalieh, whose father opened Sammy’s Sandwich Shop in the early ‘60s, works the grill while his wife, Susan, and their son, Sidney, take care of the customers. The cheeseburger, which is hand-patted and grilled while you wait, comes dressed with your choice of lettuce, tomato, grilled onions and bell peppers.
Sammy’s Sandwich Shop is at 4921 Messer Airport Highway in Birmingham. The phone is 205-591-1462.
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Known for miles around for its hickory-smoked barbecue and old-fashioned hamburgers, The Rocket has been an institution in the college town of Jacksonville, Ala., since 1958. (Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
The Rocket, Jacksonville
As popular for its barbecue as it is its burgers, The Rocket is an institution in the college town of Jacksonville that goes back more than 60 nears. Cecil and Eunice Marbut launched The Rocket in 1958 on Alabama Highway 21, and it’s been in the Marbut family ever since. In the late ‘60s, Gary Marbut started helping his parents around the restaurant when he was a teenager and never left. “I just needed some spending money, and I got stuck here,” he said in a 2020 interview with AL.com. “First thing I knew, I woke up one morning, and I was 50 years old. Where did the time go?” Now, Justin Marbut, Gary and his wife Patsy’s son, is next in line to take over the family business whenever his parents retire. “He’s done the same thing I have,” Gary Marbut says. “History repeats itself, if you think about it.”
The Rocket is at 1508 Pelham Road South in Jacksonville. The phone is 256-435-6516.
READ MORE: This little Alabama burger joint keeps on rocking, 62 years later
Tourists and locals alike come to Pirates Cove in Elberta for the burger-and-bushwacker combo.(Brian Kelly/bkelly@al.com)
Pirates Cove, Elberta
A, uh, “hole in the water” bar and grill that has been around for 80 or so years and survived numerous hurricanes, Pirates Cove is a Gulf Coast landmark that is famous for its burgers and bushwackers. Tourists and regulars -- or the “riff-raff” as they are fondly known -- come by car or by boat to get to this off-the-beaten-path sliver of paradise that overlooks Arnica Bay in the southeast corner of Baldwin County. The legendary Cove Burger features a third of a pound of beef that’s served with grilled onions, tomato, cheddar cheese and a secret sauce. And, yes, it goes great with a cold, refreshing bushwacker.
Pirates Cove is at 6664 County Road 95 in Elberta. The phone is 251-987-1224. For more information, go here.
READ MORE: Pirates Cove burger worth the journey by land or sea
A parking lot filled with pick-up trucks -- like these parked outside The Oasis Bar & Grill in Tuscaloosa -- is always a good sign of a classic burger joint.(Ben Flanagan/bflanagan@al.com)
The Oasis Bar & Grill, Tuscaloosa
Part dive bar and part burger joint, The Oasis Bar & Grill has fueled hungry patrons at the same location on U.S 11 in Tuscaloosa’s Cottondale community since it opened as the Oasis Drive-In in 1958. The mouthwatering cheeseburgers feature two all-beef patties crowned with American cheese. As our David Holloway wrote after his visit a few years ago: “It is a massive, double slab of goodness that is a testament to the way things used to be. A true old-school, roadhouse burger that draws locals and travelers alike for a taste of true Americana.” Yeah, we’ll take two -- one to eat right now, and one more for the road.
The Oasis Bar & Grill is at 6720 University Blvd. East in Tuscaloosa. The phone is 205-553-9965. For more information, go here.
READ MORE: Oasis is home to ’a true old-school, roadhouse burger’
Burgers sizzle on a grill at Niffer's Place, an Auburn institution since 1991.(Ben Flanagan/bflanagan@al.com)
Niffer’s Place, Auburn
A relative newcomer alongside all the other burger restaurants on this list, Niffer’s Place opened in Auburn in 1991 and has since grown to include additional locations in neighboring Opelika and at Lake Martin. Keely Beasecker, a California native and former Auburn University swimmer, founded and still owns Niffer’s, which is named after one of Beasecker’s original business partners. The menu features about 20 different styles of burgers, including the Southwest (with pico de gallo and white cheese dip), the Hawaiian (with grilled pineapple, teriyaki sauce and mozzarella cheese) and the Orange and Blue (with crispy onions, blue cheese and bacon covered in a chipotle sauce). The burgers are first cooked over an open flame and then finished on a flat top and are served with a selection of sides, including Niffer’s famous house-made, hand-cut potato chips with a Mexicali dipping sauce.
Niffer’s Place is at 1151 Opelika Road in Auburn. The phone is 334-821-3118. For more information and addition locations, go here.
READ MORE: ‘The sort of place you go for a burger and end up staying for a while’
Jefferson Country Store at 26120 Alabama Highway 28 in Jefferson, Ala., sat vacant for a year until Betsy Compton and Tony Luker reopened the store in 2013. (Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
Jefferson Country Store, Jefferson
The sandwich board outside Jefferson Country Store boasts, “We Have the Best Burgers,” and you won’t find many folks around Marengo County who disagree. The rural store, located in the Jefferson community about 12 miles southwest of Demopolis, first opened in 1957. After they reopened it nearly nine years ago, current owners Betsy and Tony Luker have given the old store -- and the community -- new life. Visitors from throughout Alabama and all around the Southeast stop by for a burger and some good fellowship. “We want people to have a conversation,” Tony says. “People come in here, and they have to talk to each other.” In addition to a pimento cheeseburger, one of the most popular specialty burgers is the Coach’s Burger, a cheeseburger topped with a thick slice of fried bologna.
Jefferson Country Store is at 26120 Alabama Highway 28 in Jefferson. The phone is 334-289-0040. For more information, go here.
READ MORE: Alabama’s Jefferson Country Store, where time stands still and tradition lives on
A burger and fries at J&J Grocery & Deli in Bessemer, Ala.(Tamika Moore/tmoore@al.com)
J&J Grocery & Deli, Bessemer
At J&J Grocery & Deli on the backroads of Bessemer, the sound of burgers sizzling on a well-seasoned, flat-top grill is punctuated by the constant chatter between the crew behind the lunch counter and the customers lined up in front of it. The regulars here are on a first-name basis with each other, while newcomers are welcomed with shouts of “First-timer!” and a celebratory blast from a bullhorn. Strangers don’t remain strangers for long, though. “Most people that come in, we know their name,” longtime owner Allison Coker says. “People come in every day, and you see them every day. You just get to know them, and they seem more like family than friends.” The deli only seats a couple of dozen customers, but on a typical weekday, J&J serves about 200 burgers and around 250 on a Saturday. Customers ask all the time what makes the J&J burger special, but it’s no big secret. “All we do is salt and pepper ‘em and put ‘em on the grill,” one of the cooks says. “That grill has been here for umpteen years, and it’s just seasoned.”
J&J Grocery & Deli is at 8169 Dickey Springs Road in Bessemer. The phone is 205-425-6760. For more information go here.
READ MORE: The little country store with one of the best burgers in Alabama
The cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato at Hamburger King in Montgomery, Ala.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
Hamburger King, Montgomery
The beige, cinderblock building on South Decatur Street in Montgomery would be easy to miss if not for the caricature of the “Hamburger King” sitting on his throne and wearing a crown and royal mantle that’s painted on an exterior wall. Inside, Hamburger King is a cozy, nondescript diner with a long counter and a few tables and chairs -- enough to seat about 40 guests. Hamburger King has been around since 1970, and the burgers here are old-school, too. The signature Deluxe Burger features a third of a pound of beef and unless otherwise requested, is served all the way with mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, onion and a slice of American cheese.
Hamburger King is at 547 South Decatur St. in Montgomery. The phone is 334-262-1798.
READ MORE: Montgomery’s Hamburger King is nod to another era
Ed's Drive-In is a Jackson, Ala., institution that opened in 1964.(Photo by Julia Brooks; used with permission)
Ed’s Drive-In, Jackson
Beloved for its hand-patted burgers, chicken-fried steak sandwiches, crispy onion rings and soft-serve ice cream, Ed’s Drive-In has been a staple in the Clarke County town of Jackson since the summer of 1964.That’s when Troy Jones opened what was then called Troy’s Drive-In out on U.S. 43, the main artery from Mobile to Tuscaloosa. Ed Harris, who worked as a manager at the drive-in for 20 years, bought the business from his boss in 1984, and renamed it Ed’s Drive-In. “Mr. Ed,” as customers knew him, continued to run the place until he retired in 2006. Current owners Julia and Justin Brooks remember going to Ed’s on their “date nights” before they got married. Later, when an opportunity to buy it came along, they jumped at the chance to continue a Jackson tradition. “We both appreciated this restaurant being original,” Justin says. “It’s kind of a landmark for Jackson.”
Ed’s Drive-In is at 3018 College Ave. in Jackson, Ala. The phone is 251-246-3054. For more information, go here.
READ MORE: The Alabama burger joint that’s like a trip back in time
Home of the "slugburger," Dub's Burgers opened in 1961 in Athens, Ala.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
Dub’s Burgers, Athens
W.D. “Dub” Greenhaw opened Dub’s Burgers in Athens in 1961, and the little burger joint remained in the Greenhaw family for 55 years until Athens native Derek Pirtle and his wife, Olivia, bought the business in 2016. Dub’s is one of the few places in Alabama -- C.F. Penn Hamburgers in Decatur and Willie Burgers in Hartselle are a couple of others – that still serves a “slugburger,” a mix of ground beef or pork and an extender such as bread or soy grits. The Dub’s recipe calls for beef, pork and bread, Pirtle says, but the rest is a secret. “We have the (original) recipe,” he says. “You either like ‘em or you don’t, but the majority of people really like our recipe and the way that we get ‘em crispy on the outside and done in the middle.”
Dub’s Burgers is at 400 South Jefferson St., Suite 402, in Athens. The phone is 256-232-6135. For more information, go here.
READ MORE: ‘Every town needs a place like Dub’s’
Callaghan's Irish Social Club in Mobile, Ala.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
Callaghan’s Irish Social Club, Mobile
legendary neighborhood watering hole in Mobile’s Oakleigh Garden District, Callaghan’s Irish Social Club has been recognized as the South’s greatest bar as well as the home of the state’s best burger. Housed in a former meat market, Callaghan’s has been a mainstay at the corner of Marine and Charleston streets since Woodrow Callaghan opened his namesake pub in 1946. Hand-patted and cooked on a well-seasoned flat-top grill, the Angus beef burgers are seasoned with a secret blend of spices and topped with your choice of American, cheddar, pepper jack, Swiss or provolone cheese. So, while you may come to Callaghan’s for a beer, don’t leave without getting the burger.
Callaghan’s Irish Social Club is at 916 Charleston St. in Mobile. The phone is 251-433-9374. For more information, go here.
READ MORE: Callaghan’s is home to one of the best cheeseburgers in Alabama
The Big Spring Cafe hamburger with cheese is served with mustard and onions.(Huntsville Times file/Michael Mercier)
Big Spring Cafe, Huntsville
Famous for its “Greasy Burger,” Huntsville’s Big Spring Café has been around in its various incarnations since long before they built rockets in the Rocket City. The original location opened in the 1920s in a railroad box car on Jefferson Street downtown, and after several subsequent moves, Big Spring Café moved out of the little hole-in-the-wall spot that was its home for nearly a half-century and into newer, larger digs at 3507 Governors Drive SW five years ago. Back in the early days, Big Spring Café served its burgers with mustard and onions only, but the menu has expanded over the years to include cheeseburgers and chili burgers, as well as hot dogs, chicken fingers and grilled cheese sandwiches. Regulars know the difference between a “hamburger with cheese” (a hamburger with mustard, onions and American cheese on a square bun) and a “cheeseburger” (a burger with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato and cheese on a round bun). Find out for yourself why the Huntsville Times selected the Big Spring Café hamburger with cheese as one of Huntsville’s “20 distinctive dishes.”
Big Spring Café is at 3507 Governors Drive SW in Huntsville. The phone is 256-539-9994. For more information, go here.
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