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Best Burgers in Charleston, SC

As of November 2026, Heavy's Barburger is #1 in TasteSignal's Burgers ranking for Charleston, SC, followed by Sesame Burgers & Beer and Smash City Burgers. Burger recognition: Charleston City Paper (May 2026, winner), Charleston City Paper (May 2025, winner) and 4 more.

Charleston takes its burgers seriously. This ranking leans on burger-specific coverage, from City Paper's Burger Throwdown to critics' burger lists, then on overall quality.

By Aaron Pennell · Updated November 2026

← Back to all rankings

Best Burgers in Charleston, SC (November 2026)

100% Confidence
#1

Heavy's Barburger

$DowntownNo change
Why #1
  • Burger recognition: Charleston City Paper (May 2026, winner), Charleston City Paper (May 2025, winner) and 4 more.
  • Critic recognition from Post and Courier and Charleston Magazine in the last five years.
  • Fresh critic coverage in the last six months (Post and Courier, Sep 2026).
  • Diner ratings: 4.7 on Google (1,360 reviews); 4.6 on Yelp (about 205 reviews).

A counter-service smashburger bar in a small storefront where the beef is hand-smashed paper-thin on a flat-top, finished with American cheese, and stacked as a double on a soft potato bun. The menu is short by design: a few burger builds, hand-cut fries, milkshakes. Limited indoor seating; most orders are takeout or eaten at the counter.

4.7
TasteSignal Crowd ScoreBlended across 2 platforms · how this is calculated

Diner ratings checked Nov 2026. Platforms with fewer than 50 reviews are not counted.

Address1137 Morrison Dr, Charleston, SC 29403
ReservationsNone. Walk-in only
Walk-inYes, walk-in only. Counter service; limited indoor seating.

Hours, prices and booking details are from our 2026 checks. Confirm with the restaurant before you go.

Heavy's Barburger: full profile and sources →
#2

Sesame Burgers & Beer

$North CharlestonNo change
Why #2
  • Burger recognition: Charleston City Paper (May 2026, runner-up), Charleston City Paper (May 2025, runner-up) and 5 more.
  • Critic recognition from Post and Courier and Charleston Magazine in the last five years.
  • Fresh critic coverage in the last six months (Post and Courier, Oct 2026).
  • Diner ratings: 4.6 on Google (2,841 reviews).
4.6
TasteSignal Crowd ScoreFrom 1 platform · how this is calculated

Diner ratings checked Nov 2026. Platforms with fewer than 50 reviews are not counted.

Address4726 Spruill Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405
Sesame Burgers & Beer: full profile and sources →
#3

Smash City Burgers

$DowntownNo change
Why #3
  • Burger recognition: Charleston City Paper (Oct 2026, winner, Best Place to Get a Burger), Post and Courier (Sep 2026).
  • Critic recognition from Post and Courier and Charleston City Paper in the last five years.
  • Fresh critic coverage in the last six months (Post and Courier, Sep 2026).
  • Diner ratings: 4.0 on Yelp (about 490 reviews); 4.7 on Google (316 reviews).
4.4
TasteSignal Crowd ScoreBlended across 2 platforms · how this is calculated
Google★ 4.7316 reviews
Yelp★ 4.0about 490 reviews

Diner ratings checked Nov 2026. Platforms with fewer than 50 reviews are not counted.

Address47 Cooper Street, Charleston, SC 29403
Smash City Burgers: full profile and sources →
Ranks 4 to 10
#4

Little Jack's Tavern

$$–$$$Downtown★ 4.2No change
#5

Moe's Crosstown Tavern

$Downtown★ 4.5No change
#6

Edmund's Original (formerly Edmund's Oast)

$$–$$$Downtown★ 4.5No change
#7

Maison

$$$$Downtown★ 4.6▲ from #8
#8

Pink Bellies

$$–$$$Downtown★ 4.6▲ from #11
#9

Post House Inn

Mount Pleasant★ 4.5▲ from #10
#10

Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island)

$$–$$$Sullivan's Island★ 4.5▼ from #7

Best burgers in Charleston by area

Where the top-ranked spots in this category are, from downtown to the islands. The number is each restaurant's overall rank in Burgers this month.

How this ranking works

Each card shows the evidence behind the rank: critic and local-guide coverage (linked), diner ratings, recent news and staying power. We log every list, award and rating with its date and source, apply the same rules to every restaurant, and refresh the ranking monthly. Arrows compare each restaurant with last month. Read how TasteSignal ranks restaurants.

Frequently asked

Where is the best burger in Charleston?

As of November 2026, Heavy's Barburger is #1 in TasteSignal's Burgers ranking for Charleston, SC, followed by Sesame Burgers & Beer and Smash City Burgers. Why it leads: burger recognition: Charleston City Paper (May 2026, winner), Charleston City Paper (May 2025, winner) and 4 more.

How does TasteSignal rank the best burgers in Charleston?

Every restaurant in the category is ranked from named, dated evidence: critic and local-guide coverage, diner ratings on Google, Tripadvisor and Yelp, recent news and how long it has stayed on critics' lists. Our confidence in this category's data is 100% this month. Rankings refresh monthly.

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