2023 Juicy Burger Cup Recap: Beijing's Top 16 Burgers
It’s been almost two weeks since our 2023 Juicy Burger Cup came to a dramatic finish in what was one of our closest final showdowns to date! After Q MEX ousted six-time champion SLOWBOAT in the Elite 8 it looked like everything was all to play for, with Q MEX continuing to battle through to face Jing-A in the final. Q MEX won the cup with 48.4 percent of the vote over Jing-A’s 47 percent (with 4.6 percent abstaining), talk about close!
Along with the city’s burger veterans, this year’s Juicy Burger Cup saw nine completely new burger spots making it into the Round of 64 after seeding. Three of these even managed to make it into the top 16! As has been our tradition for the past couple of years, we compile a handy list of the Top 16 Burgers in Beijing so that you can have your very own bucket list of Beijing burgers to try!
16. Arrow Factory 箭厂啤酒
This British-style brewpub located just off the Liangma River has a menu with a focus on British pub food, however they also do some great burgers too. From classics like the Hamburger (RMB 75) or Bacon Cheeseburger (RMB 88) to more unusual creations such as the El Ranch Hand (RMB 90, pictured) which sees a beef patty topped with sour cream, ranchero salsa, in-house chorizo crumble, cheese, cilantro, a tortilla haystack, guacamole, and sriracha sauce. They’re also a great spot for vegans with four different vegan burgers on the menu like the Vegan Cheese Burger (RMB 68) or Southern Deep-Fried Style Vegan Burger (RMB 78).
Arrow Factory
Waijiao Apartment, 1 Xindong Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新东路1号外交公寓亮马河南岸
Hours: 11am-midnight
Phone: 010-85325335
15. Lily’s American Diner 莉莉斯美式西餐厅
It’s been a while since Lily’s American Diner made it this high in the Juicy Burger Cup, but this is proof that after almost 15 years in the capital they still have a loyal following. The burger to try here has to be their signature Lily's Burger (RMB 65, pictured) which sees a grilled beef patty topped with a slice of cheese, bacon and a generous helping of fresh creamy coleslaw. For fans of BBQ sauce, their Texas Burger (RMB 65) is a must try combining a grilled beef patty with their own smoky BBQ sauce, onions and green chilies finished with freshly made guacamole and tomatoes.
Lily’s American Diner (Sanlitun branch)
1-037, Bldg 5, Shoukai Bojun, 8 Xindong Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新东路8号院手开铂郡小区底商5号楼1-037号
Hours: 7am-10pm
Phone: 010-84185497, 13718389020
14. Benlo's Burger 本楼汉堡
One of the three newbies in the Juicy Burger Cup to make it into the Top 16, Benlo’s Burger blend traditional Chinese cooking techniques with Western burger culture. Serving the most reasonably priced burgers on this list some ones to try are the Benlo Smash Burger (RMB 25), Benlo Chicken and Beef Smash Burger (RMB 33) or Benlo Spicy Chicken Sandwich (RMB 19, pictured). The latter of which features fresh chicken thigh stewed using a traditional Chinese technique then covered in a delicate batter and fried until perfectly crispy on the outside but still juicy on the inside.
Benlo's Burger
2108, Tower 2B, Wangjing SOHO, Chaoyang District
朝阳区望京SOHO塔2B座一层底商2108
Hours: 7.30am-9.30pm
Phone: 15652502108
13. Slider Nation 小堡邦
Opened up by HenryT, a long time restaurant consultant here in Beijing, and El-mar, of the old club Kokomo, Slider Nation have been bringing their gourmet sliders to the capital for a few years now. The ones try have to be The H1 (RMB 99) aka OG Sliders (available as spicy or regular), which are made from 50g of Wagyu beef smashed with thinly sliced Vidalia onions then topped with American cheese, crisp pickles and their signature “crack sauce”, all sandwiched between their specially steamed Hawaiian style buns served up with their coveted Duck Fat Fries. Alternatively, given that it’s turkey season why not try their Turkey Sliders (RMB 99) which feature griddled turkey, triple cream brie, cranberries and honey Dijon served with a side of their fries.
Slider Nation (Sanyuanqiao branch)
A9 Xiaoyun Road 9th Food Street, Chaoyang District
朝阳区霄云路食九局A9
Hours: 11am-2pm, 5-9pm
Phone: 13552763762, 13810473569
12. Beersmith Gastropub 鲜啤吧
Located right under Hotel Jen in the CBD, Beersmith Gastropub has become a staple of the craft brew and burger community in Beijing. They keep things simple with their burgers such as the Angus Cheese Burger (RMB 98), Crispy Chicken Burger (RMB 88), Bacon BBQ Burger (RMB 108) or Beersmith Beef Sliders (RMB 148). The Angus Cheese Burger is the most popular and sees cheese melted over a 200g Angus beef patty and smeared with mustard mayo for a slight kick.
Beersmith Gastropub
1/F, Hotel Jen Beijing, No. 1 Jianguomenwai Avenue, Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国门外大街1号新国贸饭店1层
Hours: 11-2am
Phone: 010-86471098
11. 3 Little Pigs by Andy’s Craft Sausages 三小猪
Hidden away in the Dongcheng hutongs, 3 Little Pigs continues to be a firm favorite among those in the know. The one to try has to be the Bacon Cheeseburger available with a single (RMB 70), double (RMB 108) or triple (RMB 146) 100 percent Angus and Wagyu beef patty topped with their house cured bacon, grilled onion, tomato, pickles and Wisconsin Cheddar cheese. It comes served with a side of tater tots as opposed to the traditional fries.
3 Little Pigs by Andy’s Craft Sausages
44 Xiezuo Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区协作胡同44号
Hours: 11am-2pm, 5-9pm
Phone: 15101685397
10. Great Leap Brewing 大跃啤酒
A Beijing stalwart, Great Leap’s burgers pair perfectly with one of their craft beers. Two of their most popular burgers are The Bacon Cheeseburger (RMB 65, pictured) with a smashed Australian Angus beef patty, smoked bacon, cheese, tomato and toasted tomato mayo and The Double Cheeseburger (RMB 75) with two smashed Australian Angus beef patties, double Cheddar, pickles, fancy sauce and mayo. Both are sandwiched inside a soft, sesame bun and come served with a generous portion of fries.
Great Leap Brewing #12
1/F, Zi Ming Mansion, 12 Xinzhong Jie, Dongcheng District
东城区新中街12号
Hours: 11-2am
Phone: 010-64170018
9. Goose Island Taproom 鹅岛精酿啤酒餐厅
Making their Juicy Burger Cup debut, American brewhouse Goose Island have proved that they already have a solid fan base in Beijing, managing to make it into the top ten. You can’t go wrong with their Brewmaster Beer Cheese Burger (RMB 88, pictured) which sees a 200g beef patty, loaded with Goose Island 312 beer cheese, smoked tomato relish, bacon jam and to finish it all off a smear of Goose Island 312 beer mustard to add a tangy kick.
Goose Island Taproom
BS-06-1F-2F, Solana Blue Harbor 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区朝阳公园路6号蓝色港湾BS-06-1F-2F
Hours: 11am-11.30pm
Phone: 010-59056802
8. DOSH GASTROPUB 到时精酿餐吧
Another first timer in the Juicy Burger Cup, DOSH made waves from the outset of the competition when they managed to nab the top seed spot in Bracket D. With an impressive ten burgers on their menu, they’ve got a huge amount of variety. Two firm favorites that saw crowds forming outside their booth at this year’s Juicy Burger Fest are the Stout and Smoked Cheese Burger (RMB 72) and the Parma Ham Burger (RMB 78, pictured). The latter features smoky, salty, Parma ham layered atop a wet-aged beef patty then covered with melted cheese and a special handcrafted sauce.
DOSH GASTROPUB
2 Zhongguancunnan Ertiao, Haidian District
海淀区·中关村南二条二号
Hours: 11am-midnight
Phone: 13071176886
7. Burge's Bistro & Bar 小伯格酒馆
Getting our pick of Best New Burger back in the 2021 Juicy Burger Cup, Burge’s burgers continue to impress fans across the capital. Our personal recommendation has to their signature Burge’s Beef Burger (RMB 78, pictured) taking an Australian Wagyu beef patty it’s paired with buffalo cheese, secret onions, and Italian black vinegar mayonnaise all sandwiched between a brioche bun. Pair it with Burge’s Wheat (RMB 48) for the ultimate beer and burger combo.
Burge's Bistro & Bar (Sanlitun branch)
6 Sanlitun South Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区三里屯南路6号
Hours: 11am-midnight
Phone: 010-65068288, 13021133821
6. Side Street 街旁
2020 Juicy Burger Cup Champ Side Street remains a firm favorite among burger lovers in Beijing with their impressive array of 15, yes that’s right 15, burgers on the menu. The newest addition to their menu is the Desperado (RMB 88, pictured), two Angus beef smash patties are topped with red and white cheddar cheese, onion, crispy Indian snacks, and signature Desperado sauce sandwiched between a sesame bun. Side Street also have some great vegan and veggie burgers on the menu, with the Hutong Hipster (RMB 55) being a particular favorite of ours.
Side Street (Jianguomen branch)
Bldg N28 2/101-102 17 Jianguomen Waidajie (behind Nola), Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国门外大街17号楼2/101-102 （Nola后面）
Hours: Daily, 11am-11pm
Phone: 15920694920
5. SLOWBOAT 悠航
In one of the biggest shocks of the Juicy Burger Cup this year, six-time champion and last year’s winner SLOWBOAT were ousted from the competition in the Elite 8 by Q MEX. There’s a reason they’ve won the Juicy Burger Cup so many times though: they make a banging burger. From their famous Fryburger (RMB 69) with its beef patty topped with beer battered fries to the Lao Thai Thai (RMB 75), a Thai-inspired burger that sees a beef patty smothered in peanut sauce, then topped with a slice of grilled pineapple, spicy sauce, and Thai basil they’re sure to satisfy. Make sure to watch out for news of their soon to open Shichahai branch, which will be their fifth location in the capital.
SLOWBOAT (Sanlitun branch)
6 Nansanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区南三里屯路6号
Hours: Sun-Thu 11am-midnight, Fri-Sat 11-2am
Phone: 010-65925388, 17812156182
4. Home Plate BBQ 本垒美式烤肉
Three time Burger Cup winners Home Plate BBQ combine their real American Southern barbecue with burgers for some truly delicious results. A must try is their Trucker Burger (RMB 75) featuring a beef patty loaded with slow cooked brisket chili, fresh onions, jalapenos and shredded cheese. Other ones to watch out for are The Great American (RMB 62), or, for fans of blue cheese, the Cowboy Blue (RMB 69). For a barbecue place they also have a surprisingly good veggie burger: the Veggie Bean Burger (RMB 58) which features a hand-made black bean patty topped with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles.
Home Plate BBQ (Sanlitun branch)
106, 1F, Bldg 10, Courtyard 4, Gongti North Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工体北路4号10号楼一层106号
Hours: 11am-11pm
Phone: 4000967670
3. Wild Kite Brewing 野风筝
Since opening back in 2021, Wild Kite sure are climbing the Juicy Burger Cup ladder, coming eighth last year despite being a newbie in the competition and getting the impressive accolade of third place this year. It’s not just in the Juicy Burger Cup where they’ve had success though, with 2023 seeing them open a second brand in the CBD. Plus, once you try their burgers it’s clear to see why they're a hit. The star of the show has to be their Wild Kite Classic Wagyu Burger (RMB 68, pictured) with its Australian Wagyu beef patty topped with caramelized onion, burger sauce, cheddar cheese, onion rings, and jalapeño. Wild Kite also do their own barbecue and you can try this in burger form with the Hutong Low & Slow Smoked Brisket Burger (RMB 78).
Wild Kite Brewing (Andingmen branch)
No. 3, 1921 Cultural Industry Park, Huayuan Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区花园胡同三号城市空间1921文化产业园内
Hours: 11-1am
Phone: 010-64022988
2. Jing-A 京A
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, Jing-A narrowly missed out on grasping their first Juicy Burger Cup victory this year. With a wide selection of burgers that vary depending on which of their nine locations you’re at, they’ve got plenty of interesting creations. One of their standout burgers has to be the Stout Bacon Cheeseburger (RMB 85, pictured), though, that sees an Australian beef patty layered with bacon, mayo, red onion, cheese and special Black Velvet stout syrup. You also can’t go wrong with their classic Cheeseburger (RMB 80) or Crispy Chicken Burger (RMB 75). Many of their beef based burgers also have the option to switch to plant based Beyond Meat patties, which is great news for veggies and vegans!
Jing-A (CBD branch)
Beijing Kerry Center, North Tower 1 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区朝阳区光华路1号
Hours: 11-1am
Phone: 13269939015
1. Q MEX 库迈
Finally, we have our 2023 Juicy Burger Cup champion Q MEX who also won the cup back in 2017. As we learned through a recent interview with Q MEX chef Marcus Medina, they put a lot of effort into their burgers and this is a well deserved win. The Birria Burger (RMB 88, pictured) which was created for the Juicy Burger Fest and available throughout the cup was a particularly big hit. With an Australian Angus beef patty as the base it’s piled with slow-roasted pulled birria beef then finished off with crispy corn chips, cilantro, onions, and cilantro mayonnaise.
If you were a big fan of the burger, or didn’t get the chance to try it then we have some good news for you! The Birria Burger has now been added to Q MEX’s burger menu which also includes classics like their Classic Double Cheeseburger (RMB 78) or Cheesy Jalapeno Burger (RMB 88).
Q MEX (Sanlitun branch)
H01, 1/F, Bldg 80, Courtyard 4, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工体北路4号院80号楼1层H01
Hours: 11am-midnight
Phone: 010-65853828
READ: The Votes Are In: Q MEX is Beijing's Best Burger of 2023!
Images: courtesy of the venues
