Meet your contenders for Battle of the Burger 2017

There are two burgers on the menu at Community Tavern, the bacon cheeseburger on the bar menu and the double cheeseburger on the dinner menu. Order the double cheeseburger, because while it (appropriately) doubles in price, it's leaps and bounds above the bar burger. With two beef patties, Hooks cheddar, pickles, carmelized onions and a side of house frites, it's bigger and well worth the extra scratch. $16. —EA

Providing the perfect example of how to top a burger, Dixie serves their double-decker with pimiento cheese, chow chow and red onion. Upon first bite, the pimento sinks into the meat and overflows, making the whole thing deliciously melty and cheesy. The chow chow and red onion add a nice zing just when things get too indulgent. A side of seasoned fries provides a vehicle for any pimento cheese that may have fallen on your plate. $13. —EA

Creative (but never overdone) toppings make the smashed-patty burgers at DMK sing. Try the No. 4, with roasted hatch green chili, Sonoma Jack cheese, smoked bacon and a fried egg. For $3, make it a double. The fries aren't to be overlooked either, and since they're available in two sizes, you'll be able to try two of the toppings without overdoing it. $10.50 single, $14.50 double.

Dove's applies its winning Southern-Mexican theme to a diner burger, which is only available on weekdays starting at 11am until it's gone. The result is a spin on a patty melt, with white cheddar, green chili mustard, caramelized sweet onions and mayo on a toasted cemita bun. It doesn't come with a side, so split an order of the fried potato and shishito pepper hash with your date. Just don't split the burger—you want this whole thing to yourself. $10.

The burger at DryHop remains one of the best: The brisket and sirloin patty is spread with ancho chile–tomato jam and creamy raw milk cheddar, with pickled onions to cut through the fat and arugula to lighten things up a bit. This is one balanced, beautiful burger. $13. —Amy Cavanaugh

Invented in Minneapolis, the Juicy Lucy is a burger for anyone who prefers their cheese encased in beef instead of melted on top. The Dusek’s version stuffs American cheese into a Slagel Farm patty and tops it with butter lettuce and preserved tomatoes. The best addition to the burger is a red onion and bacon marmalade, which gives each bite a smoky-yet-sweet flavor. It’s served with a heaping portion of duck fat fries you can dig into while you wait for the burger’s molten cheese core to cool. $15. ​—Zach Long

Uncommonly thick Nutella shakes, fries with truffle salt—where does the low-brow end and high-end begin at Eddie Lakin’s burger shop? The answer is that it’s intertwined, because the most crucial, highfalutin things Lakin does—grinding his own meat and hand-cutting the potatoes for his fries—pervade almost every dish. The 8-ounce burger is a textbook example of beefy perfection and arrives topped with "everything" (a.k.a. ketchup, mustard, pickle, onion, lettuce and tomato). $9. 

Expertly plated, the burger at Ella Elli is both decadent and gorgeous—you might even have a hard time taking the first bite. But when you do, you won’t regret it. The juicy patty is topped with St. Andre triple cream cheese, watercress and slices of cornichons. The plate is accompanied by a pan sauce for dipping, which only solidifies how over the top this burger really is. $14. —EA

When DC Top Chef alum Spike Mendelsohn opened the first Chicago outpost of his casual burger joint, he airlifted the menu straight from DC. That explains the name of the Prez Obama burger, which made its Chicago debut last fall when it won the Hamburger Hop contest at Chicago Gourmet. And this is a winning burger—it hits all the right notes and textures, from sweet onion marmalade to salty bacon to sharp Roquefort and pungent horseradish mayo. $7.25. —AC

Sarah Jordan (Johnny’s Grill) does it again at Revival Food Hall’s Graze Kitchenette. Not quite the same as its Logan Square counterpart, this burger can be ordered as a single or a double with grass-fed beef, cheddar, pickles, onion and dijionnaise. You can even dress it up with Swiss or blue cheese, mushrooms, avocado, a farm egg, bacon or jalapeños. If you’re craving a burger for lunch, book it to this Loop food hall to hit the spot. $8–$10. —EA

For a true umami bomb, GT Prime’s burger is the way to go (no surprise, as the chic spot specializes in all things meat). If you're not afraid of getting a little messy, saddle up to the bar and sink your teeth into the hunk of beef topped with cheddar, sun dried tomatoes, onion marmalade and porcini dust. It's a hefty handful, which somehow still feels elegant, if not totally over the top. $16. —EA

Cultures collide to make this burger great: Kimchi (Korean) provides the acidic bite, pickle aioli (French) offers creaminess, Gouda (Dutch) lends it a gooey, smoky flavor and the patty (we’re gonna go with American) is perfectly cooked. Hooray for globalization. $16. —LB

Double patties are a constant throughout this list, but the cheeseburger at Johnny's Grill departs from thin patties and instead stacks two medium patties with cheddar cheese dijonnaise, pickles and onion. It's a traditional diner burger, but with a bright saltiness that brings out the best in those huge hunks of meat. $9. —EA

The servers here sport more ink than a Bic factory, and the metal is cranked up so loud you can’t hear yourself talking, but therein lies the charm. Squeeze through the ass-to-elbows crowds and up to the long bar, where you might be in for a lengthy wait. What’s the draw? Well, the Famous Kuma burger, for one. Topped with Applewood smoked bacon, cheddar, a fried egg, lettuce, tomato and onion, this stacked masterpiece is a work of art—and taste. $13.

Our favorite among the trio of burgers on offer during Nico’s lunch and brunch services tastes like a Big Mac that’s been sent away to finishing school. A freshly ground blend of Slagel Farms chuck, short rib and sirloin makes for a patty of magnificent tenderness. The juices run and mingle with the tangy house-made Thousand Island dressing that tops it, eventually coming to rest within the crumb of a supremely soft potato bun. Shredded iceberg lettuce adds a pleasant crunch, while salty provolone contributes a note of umami funk. $14. —Cate Huguelet

This monster of a burger is huge in size and fantastic in taste. Chef Michael Shrader made the burger, and we absolutely love it. Served with white cheddar, grilled onions, crispy slabs of bacon on a chewy house-made bun with fries, it’s just the thing you need when you’re throwing back a few cold ones (which you’re bound to be doing at this brewery). $14. —EA

When this behemoth of an onion-studded potato bun hits your table, you'll vow to bring half home. Then you'll take one bite and realize no one has that kind of willpower. Beef this velvety is thanks to the fat in the blend—chuck with short rib and brisket. Wear stretchy pants. $16. —Marissa Conrad

You’ll love everything about this burger. It comes on a hearty brioche bun with a big tender patty, cheddar, pickled onions, a huge tomato slice and special sauce—and it’s the kind of burger that will have juice running down your arms. Dig into the delicious chips (fries) that come on the side: They’re soft in the middle with a nice crunch on the outside and make for the perfect sidekick. $15. —EA

Named after the infamous Pulp Fiction line, this British-Indian pub's Royale with Cheese is fantastic, despite sticking out like a sore thumb on the menu. Doubts are quickly dashed when this juicy hunk of a burger comes out with spicy pickles and melting cheddar. You'll want to order everything at Pub Royale, but you might want to include the burger near the top of that list. $14. —EA

This simple burger at Publican Anker doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the menu, but when you’re hunkered down at the bar and drinking beer, it’s just the thing to order. It has a simple patty and is topped with melty American cheese, special sauce, lettuce and onion, with a chewy bun. You’ll want to grab a side of fries for this one, but the crisp edges of this burger are the thing that put it over the top. $12. —EA

We hoped and prayed to the Red Hot Ranch gods, and they finally listened—now both locations of this hot dog and fried shrimp dive are serving Red Hot Ranch Burgers—thin, griddled patties with perfectly melted cheese, LTO and special sauce. With fries, the double cheeseburger is less than $6, which makes the Red Hot Ranch Burger not only the best burger, but the best deal as well. $5.43. 

An obnoxiously thick burger stabbed with a steak knife? Not at Rosebud, a steakhouse that shows restraint with its simple inch-thick patty layered with two slightly charred slices of American cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles, all bookended with a toasted brioche bun. $14. —LB

There are two burgers on the menu at RPM, but our server didn't hesitate on suggesting the truffle burger over the dry-aged steakburger. One bite, and it's clear why: The flavorful grass-fed beef comes with melting foie gras butter, truffle aioli and red onion jam. This is decadent, yes, but skip breakfast if you have to, as you're also going to want to go to town on the perfect fries, served with Caesar dressing for dipping. $17. —AC

Duck Inn chef Kevin Hickey is a master of bar food, and it only takes one bite of his hamburger to know it. With a healthy dose of grilled onions and a squeaky slice of Brun-uusto cheese, this is a soul-satisfying patty melt. $12. —AC

Pickles on a burger will always rocket that bad boy toward the top of our list, but this one is great all around. The patty comes on a sesame seed bun with house-made American cheese, pickled cucumbers and onions and is finished off with a blob of mayonnaise. The burger itself is juicy and rich, made with a mix of short rib, bacon and chuck that gives it it a fattiness we can’t get enough of. $16. —EA

Hidden amongst upscale menu items like duck rillettes and sea scallops lies this inconspicuous burger that's anything but ordinary. Upon first bite, you might think you’re sinking your teeth into Au Cheval’s prized patty, but Lunatic's perfect burger is topped with Hook’s cheddar, aioli, house pickles, tomato, lettuce and caramelized onion. The result is an indulgent, classic taste that will leave you wanting another. $12. —MO

Served on a potato roll, this griddled patty covered in butterkäse, pickles and dark onions pairs well with a dry cider, a drink that is more abundant at the Northman than anywhere else in the city. It comes with fries and curried ketchup, which are a must order, even without the burger. $13. —EA

The Beverly neighborhood has a relaxed small-town-in-1965 feel, and one of the contributing reasons is this dose of Americana, both old enough and friendly enough to be your grandmother. The namesake burger is old-school minimalist, a deeply satisfying quarter-pound patty of fresh ground round sauteed in its own juices and served with the simplest toppings—grilled onions and ketchup-mustard-pickle on a feather-light bun. Just as good are the fresh-cut fries, cooked in beef tallow, and as long as you’re dining as if it’s 1965, finish up with a thick chocolate shake. $4.25.

Part of the recently revamped lunch menu at Rick Bayless's fine dining spot, this $19 burger is a juicy blend of ribeye and shortrib topped with chorizo. But wait, it gets more decadent: Melted cheddar coats the whole thing. Somehow, the roasted poblanos add enough acidity to keep this from becoming a gut bomb. It’s pricey, yes, so cut it in half and eat the rest for dinner, if that makes you feel better. $19. —LB

Serving brunch by day and burgers by night, Whisk is a spot from brothers and chefs Rick and David Rodriguez. It's bright and lively with a sunny atmosphere—and the patio is littered with Ron Swanson memorabilia. Try the Chicago Avenue burger, two thick patties topped with brisket, LTO, pickles and an onion ring. $14. —EA