Brookings Area

Burger Clash

The Brookings Area Burger Clash was created by Shane Andersen to lift and support the restaurant industry after the pandemic. The 2025 Burger Clash will begin on January 1 and run through February 28, 2025. Check back in late December 2024 for the updated restaurants and burgers.

The winner of the 2024 Brookings Area Burger Clash is Pints & Quarts with their Drunken Lucy!

The top five for 2024 included Pints & Quarts, Patriots Grub and Sweets, Pheasant Restaurant and Lounge, Cardinal Tap and Lemkes.

The lineup for the 2024 participating burgers is listed below. Check with individual restaurants before making plans as they may not offer the competing burger anymore.

In Brookings

– Backyard BBQ
A Smoked BACON out of this world Cheese Burger: Good old-fashion cheese burger. A 1/2 pound burger with lettuce, tomato, onion and of course cheese on a hoagie bun.

– Boss’ Pizzeria and Sports Bar
El Duderino Burger: Handcrafted, seasoned ground beef patty topped with caramelized onions, provolone cheese, candied Proscuitto and Giardiniera arugula all on a fresh brioche bun.

– Brookings Country Club
Roasted Garlic Buffalo Bleu Cheese Burger: Grilled beef topped with crispy bacon, smashed roasted garlic cloves, smoked bleu cheese crumbles and buffalo sauce.

– Cottonwood Bistro
Chimichurri Burger: A classic half-pound beef burger, with applewood bacon, cheddar cheese and their signature chimichurri sauce. It is served with seasoned fries on the side.

– Craft Chophouse & Lounge
Steak Frites Burger: A Waygu beef patty topped with Havarti cheese, steakhouse aioli, spinach, fries and hollandaise sauce.

– Patriots Grub and Sweets
The Big Meat: A hand-blended burger with pepper jack cheese, bacon, chicken cutlet, smoked sausage, crispy fried cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles and topped with their homemade maple and bacon bourbon glaze served on a Kaiser roll.

– Pheasant Restaurant & Lounge
Yankee Doodle: An all-American burger inspired by famous fast food classics. A char-broiled, hand-pattied ground beef dusted with the Pheasant’s secret burger seasoning with smoky strips of crispy bacon, melty American cheese, secret American-style burger sauce, deluxe with bib lettuce, fresh tomato and thin-sliced white onion on a sesame seed bun with extra pickle.

– Pints & Quarts
Drunken Lucy: Our Lucy is more fun. Cheddar and bacon between two smash patties topped with beer cheese made with Ferson Lions Paw and our West Coast Sauce.

– Rub N’ Tug BBQ
EncheesyLOTTA: Grab your wet naps cus this smoky, cheesy and beefy smoked enchilada lays atop a triple meat (beef, brisket and ribeye) smoked cheeseburger. They top it with chipotle and cheddar cheese tortilla strips and your choice of sour cream, salsa verde or BBQ sauce.

– Shorty’s Hot Box
Sweet Baconater: Fresh, seasoned all beef patty topped with American cheese, on a sugar waffle with candied bacon cream cheese spread topped with a haystack and served with their seasoned fries and Boss sauce.

– Strikerz Bar & Grill at The Lanes
Glazed and Confused: A seasoned patty topped with egg, cheese and bacon served between two waffles and served with a side of maple syrup.

– The Depot
Party in Your Mouth 2.0: The 1/3 lb hand-pattied burger is topped with fried pickles, firecracker sauce, bacon and American cheese all encased in a toasted bun.

– Wahlburgers
The Super Melt: Two beef burger patties served between thick-cut bread and grilled with government cheese, bacon, caramelized onions, pickles and housemade mustard sauce.

– Whiskey Creek
Luau Burger: American farm-raised, hand-pattied ground beef, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion provolone cheese and thick-sliced ham. Finished off with fire-roasted pineapple and house-made pineapple salsa.

– Wilbert’s Alehouse
Wilbert’s Buffalo Burger: Two buffalo patties, American cheese, pepper jack cheese, bacon, onion ring, tomato and lettuce on a burger bun. It is served with spicy buffalo sauce on the side.

Outside of Brookings

– CC Bar & Grill: Volga
Sweet Heat Burger: A deliciously sweet yet spicy burger topped with a slice of Swiss and American cheese, smothered with Sriracha cheese balls and a drizzle of sweet chili Gochujang sauce.

– Cardinal Tap: Arlington
Doh-Naughty Burger: A fresh hand-pattied cheese burger, smokey rough chopped bacon, maple drizzle and delivered on caramelized glazed donuts. A delicious offering of sweet and savory just like the State Fair on a plate.

– Gatsby’s Speakeasy and Supperclub: Hendricks, MN
Philly Cheese Steakburger: Ground sirloin, cooked the way you like it, layered with sliced prime rib, roasted peppers and onions, provolone cheese, topped with our house-made queso and served on a grilled bakery bun.

– Lemke’s Bar & Grill: Aurora
Peppadew Burger: This burger is topped with bacon, Swiss cheese, chopped peppadews and roasted garlic aioli all on a brioche bun.

– Lucky Dog Bar & Grill: Volga
Whiskey Jam Burger: A burger topped with melter Muenster cheese, BBQ bacon, whiskey bacon jam and arugula on a grilled brioche bun.

– Mortlands Burgers & More: Elkton
Cowboy Burger: Sharp cheddar cheese, onion tangles and a smothering of BBQ sauce on their flame-grilled burger served on a homemade toasted bun.

– Tables Steakhouse: Castlewood
In a Pickle: A 6oz Black Angus beef patty topped with lettuce, pickled onions, cheddar cheese, fried pickles and homemade Thousand Island dressing.

– Valley Restaurant & Catering: Volga
Korean Kimchi Burger: The 1/3 lb hand-pattied burger is grilled to perfection and topped with pepper jack cheese, green onions, Korean BBQ sauce and Gochujang mayo on top of a bed of Kimchi. The burger is served on their house-made bun.

Share the fun!

Download the Burger Clash card to cross off restaurants as you try the different burgers. Show off your progress by sharing the card by tagging the restaurant, @VisitBrookingsSD, #VisitBrookingsSD and #2025BurgerClash and sharing in the In and Around Brookings, SD Food and Drinks Facebook group.