The finish line rapidly approaches in our annual battle of burgers with the latest group of hopefuls falling to the wayside, buns sullied, ketchup spilling out, and innards mashed. 

Whether they are still in the running due to their social media savviness, promotional might, or individual renown, (or a mixture of all) a mere eight burgers venues are now vying to be named Beijing's Best Burger come Jul 16.

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It's been a gruesome cull. To name just a few of the upsets, longtime Liangmaqiao brewery and burger emporium Arrow Factory has been ousted by Fangjia Hutong's The Great Outdoors, while fans of the low-key and high-quality meat palace that is 3 Little Pigs by Andy’s Craft Sausages will be saddened to hear that Xingfucun heavyweights Jing-A have won out and progress to the next round.

READ: See How This Year's Elite Eight Weigh Up Against 2018's Top 12 Burgers

Finally, the biggest victory goes to Crafters Brewing Co, who are having a Cinderella story moment as they steamroll their way through every opponent they go up against. Using the momentum from their Burger Fest appearance two weekends back, they took out Cannon's Burgers last round and proved themselves formidable once again, filleting blue frog. Could they achieve the unimaginable and displace Great Leap Brewing in the Final Four?

That, we cannot say, but we will be keeping a close watch on Bracket B of the next round where homestyle comfort grillers Home Plate BBQ face off against reigning champions Slow Boat Brewery. Notably, they are also the only two venues to hold the crown more than once, totaling a huge three times each. This next round will not only decide the Final Four but also who of the ousted eight makes it into this year's top 10.

Good luck to everyone still toughing it out to the finals – we've said it once, and we'll say it again: May the best buns win! 

A little reminder of our previous Burger Cup victors:

2011: Blue Frog
2012: Home Plate BBQ
2013: Home Plate BBQ
2014: Home Plate BBQ
2015: Slow Boat Brewery
2016: Slow Boat Brewery
2017: Q Mex
2018: Slow Boat Brewery

A play by play of who came undone this round:

• Jing-A glassed 3 Little Pigs by Andy's Craft Sausages
• Side Street cornered 4corners
• The Great Outdoors narrowly ousted Arrow Factory 
• Great Leap Brewing bounded by Beersmith Gastropub 
• Crafters Brewing Co edged out Blue Frog
• Slow Boat Brewery cruised past  Boxing Cat
• Q Mex beat Let’s Burger 
• Home Plate BBQ grilled The Local

The fallen angels of the Sweet 16

• Arrow Factory
• Blue Frog
• The Local 
• 3 Little Pigs by Andy’s Craft Sausages
• Boxing Cat
• Beersmith Gastropub
• 4corners
• Let’s Burger 

Final rankings after this round

17. De Refter
18. Hulu
19. Cannon’s Burgers
20. Fatburger
21. Caravan
22. Miam Miam
23. The Cheesecake Factory 
24. Lily’s American Diner 
25. Paddy O’Shea’s 
26. Plan B 
27. Katchup 
28. Biteapitta
29. Loca Loca 
30. A Lil' Somethin' 
31. No Diet Bistro & Bar
32. Royal Stacks 

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33. Fatboy’s
34. XL Bar        
35. Lush        
36. Migas Mercado        
37. The Butchers Club        
38. East Hotel        
39. QS        
40. Root Pop        
41. Laker's        
42. Little Creatures        
43. Bistro 108        
44. Veggie Table        
45. Grandma's Kitchen        
46. The Rug Café        
47. Cafe Flo        
48. Bistrot B        
49. VSports Bar and Restaurant        
50. Joe’s Bar and Kitchen        
51. Hey Burger        
52. Legend Beer        
53. Wolfgang’s Steakhouse        
54. Luga's Villa        
55. The Bookworm        
56. Morton's of Chicago        
57. La Rosee        
58. The Roots        
59. Eudora Station        
60. Panda Brew        
61. CHAO Living Room        
62. Waspark        
63. Red Rose        
64. Café Flatwhite        
65. 1F        
66. Rodeo Connection        
67. Angel Burger        
68. Signature's, Kempinski Hotel        
69. Bodensee Kitchen        
70. NBeer Pub        
71. Grinders        
72. Beer Mania        
73. BLT American Restaurant Salad & Grill        
74. 40+ Club        
75. Irish Volunteer        
76. Mr. Eel’s Love        
77. Hotties        
78. Aurora        
79. Tiger's        
80. Blue Marlin        
81. Burger Break        
82. The Bell        
83. CHAR Bar & Grill        
84. Burger Counter        
85. Halo Burger        
86. Steamrhino Brewery Restaurant        
87. Four Ace        
88. Meat by Ernest        
89. Fella’s        
90. C’est la Vie        
91. Village Cafe, Opposite House        
92. Three Guys Burger House        
93. Shamrock        
94. The Cut, Fairmont Beijing        
95. O’Leary’s        
96. Beer Boom        
97. Molly Malone’s        
98. Rolling Rolling Craft Brewing        
99. Spacelab        
100. Peiping Machine        
101. Park Side Bar & Grill        
102. Su Zui        
103. Steak Exchange, InterContinental Hotel        
104. Xuan House        
105. Windy City        
106. Cairns        
107. Peking Garden        
108. He Kitchen        
109. Park Square        
110. W Restaurant        
111. MustGuette        
112. Picture My Cup at Kimo Kids Cafe        
113. Bergling        
114. Dongli Brewery        
115. West Gastropub        
116. Flora Steak and Bar        
117. 42Play        
118. Rhythm Craft Beer

Voting schedule as it remains (Jun 22-Jul 16):

• Final Four: Tuesday, Jul 9, 3pm
• Championship Round: Friday, Jul 12, 3pm
• Beijing's Best Burger crowned: Tuesday, Jul 16, 4pm

How did we get here? Find all of this year's burger action, right here.

Images: the Beijinger