The magic of the patties at this laidback neighborhood tavern is that they remain surprisingly juicy despite getting the smash treatment, which can often result in too-dry burgers. The menu offers choices including a standard smash burger, a house-made veggie burger, and specials like green chile burgers and taco burgers, but the Fair Burger is a consistent standout. The quarter-pounder gets an injection of flavor from the addition of garlic aioli, caramelized onions, and white American cheese. Add a side of the colossal onion rings if you’re feeling ambitious and wash it down with a pint from the solid rotating selection of draft beers.

One of Portland’s best bars, Expatriate, also serves one of the city’s best burgers. The American Standard comes with two burgers on a single plate — the patties are cooked to medium rare before being stacked with slices of American cheese, ketchup, mustard, and raw onion. A soft bun holds it all together for a simple but unparalleled bite. While at the bar, grab a drink from its signature cocktail menu, or opt for the Diplomatic Pouch, a drink of the bartender’s choice.

Situated in the parking lot of Oakshire Brewing's beer hall, Sure Shot is a burger shack in every sense of the word. The burgers here are simple, but hover near smash-patty perfection: The cart’s most popular burger, simply called the “double,” is comprised of two buttery patties, double cheese, pickle, onion, and a house burger sauce. As a whole, it has all of the trappings of a fast food burger, if a fast food burger was even richer, cheesier, and had twice the amount of caramelization. Beer and burgers are natural buds, and Oakshire's Czech-style pils and its amber ale are both great options for washing down smash burgers.

Occupying a many-windowed corner of Portland’s East 28th Street’s restaurant row, Mexican sandwich shop Guero slings many a delicious torta to its frequent phalanx of hungry regulars. Included in its offerings is the popular and consistently delicious hamburguesa: A well-seasoned Painted Hills beef smash patty gets hit with a laundry list of toppings, including creamy avocado, American cheese, ham, and chipotle mayo. The pleasant pop of pickled jalapenos, sweet grilled onions, and chiles plays off the queso botanero.

Though Canard, a wine bar with French-themed small plates, may not be the first place that comes to mind when Portlanders are craving a burger, these steam burgers are decidedly different than most in town and very special. Gooey and cheesy little gems are an upgraded version of the ones found at White Castle, and once built on Franz rolls and topped with cheese and spicy relish, pair wonderfully with the French wines and cocktails on offer. The move here is to spring for the extra-crispy and herbaceous $8 garlic asiago fries, which come with a zesty chermoula ketchup for dipping.

For some, this food cart is the pinnacle of Portland smash burger excellence, and its popularity has seen it grow to three locations in Portland, along with another in Beaverton, where it churns out, soft, smooshy smash burgers it colloquially refers to as “smashy bois.” An American-cheese-fused blend of char-blistered beef and an acid-packed and surprisingly detailed burger sauce round out the equation here. This is one of the few smash burgers that really is ideal on its own — no second patty needed — and at $6 a pop, it’s one of the best deals around town.

Monster Smash is up in the top tier of smash burgers in town among locals who adore the incredibly crispy lacing loaded with the savory richness that the Maillard reaction provides. The menu is tight, featuring a double patty burger called the OG for $12 and a vegan option for $14. It's located at Belmont Station, which makes for a beer lover's dream as the pairing options there are among the best to be found anywhere in the city.

Wolf’s Head has received praise from local food writers for its smash burger, though for accuracy's sake, it's worth noting that this hamburger falls more in the realm of an old-school diner burger. Under the Hawthorne Bridge in the Waterman building, visitors will find burgers along with deep-fried cheese curds, malted milkshakes, and perhaps a secret menu item or two, such as the chicken fried steak burger.

Now a full-fledged food cart, Champs Burger entered a considerably competitive smash burger scene with real force as a pop-up in 2023. Not only do owners Sterling Houghton and Travis Wilshire make their own American cheese slices using Tillamook dairy, but they also bake pillowy-soft milk buns in-house. In addition to its classic cheeseburger, Champs offers rotating specials such as the Smokelahoma, an Oklahoma-style onion burger with hickory smoked American cheese slices.

For creations topped with strawberry jam, Beechers aged cheddar, and more, PDX Sliders has been a Sellwood standby. The restaurant’s Hawthorne burger — slathered in strawberry jam, goat cheese, and bacon — is a distinctive draw here, but purists may prefer the Sellwood, the restaurant’s take on a bacon-cheddar cheeseburger with caramelized onions. Even the small-sized sliders here are a full meal, though every burger can be leveled up to a full-sized sandwich. The possibilities don't end there, however, as burgers can be served in lettuce wraps, or just have their innards piled atop fries or salads. PDX Sliders also has locations on Williams Avenue and SE Divison Street.

While most head to Jojo for its eponymous potato wedges, its towering cheeseburgers deserve equal attention. It’s hard to go wrong with the classic cheeseburger, topped with Jojo sauce, American cheese, and the usual accouterments, but those looking for something with a little more kick can try the spicy cheeseburger with a hot sauce-spiked mayonnaise instead. The Mr. Onion cheeseburger offers another compelling option with white onions, caramelized onions, fried shallots, and chives — probably best eaten with a mint or few on deck.

After its original location was torn down in 2016, the future seemed to hang in the air for Mike’s Drive-In, an old-school burger joint located in Milwaukie and Oregon City. Then, new locations (along with changes to the menu) began popping up. First, a brand new location in Tigard, and later, another on Lombard. Mike's does the classic drive-in/walk-up burger counter flawlessly, featuring regular burgers along with deluxe versions piled high with bacon and fried eggs. The waffle-cut sweet potato fries are a must, and seasonal shakes, parfaits, and sundaes blended with huckleberries and marionberries really complete the classic American burger experience.