Guide to the Best Burger in Saigon
Meat, meat, meat. If you’ve read any of my other blog posts, you’ll know that Big Body is a BIG fan of meat. Whether it American BBQ, Japanese izakayas, or Vietnamese goat curry, I’m a big fan of a good hunk of beef, lamb, chicken, pork, and most anything else.
One of my go-to meals anywhere in the world is a burger, so I spent a healthy portion of my time in Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) searching for the best burger(s). And, I think I found them.
Below is a compiled list of my definitive best burgers in all of Saigon.
Soul Burger
Picture courtesy of Soul Burger’s Facebook page.
Located right next to the bustling Ben Thanh Market in District 1, Soul Burger (in my humble opinion) is the G.O.A.T (greatest of all-time) burger in Saigon – and it isn’t just because it was featured on Secret Eats with Adam Richman (who is one of my favorite food show hosts). Soul Burger is a burger-aficionado’s dream and is creative, high quality, and just downright tasty.
I mean, what can you possibly hate about a burger joint that has a burger named the Blues Brother Smash (beef patty with crumbled blue cheese, bacon, dijonaise, and more) and steak poutine? My go-to combo alternates between the Blues Brother Smash burger and onion rings (they also have a truffle fry that is worth ordering as well), and the ever-so-hearty Atomic Smash Burger and steak poutine. Very few burger spots in Asia know how to cook a medium rare burger, and I have never been let down by Soul Burger (hopefully I didn’t jinx myself).
Vegetarians can rejoice as well, as Soul Burger offers a deluxe veggie burger, The Jackson 5, consisting of a lentil, walnut and shitake patty, covered in American cheese, onions, pickles, and dijonaise.
So, whether you want a place to pop in for a craft beer and burger after a day of haggling at the Ben Thanh Market, or simply are on the hunt for one of the best burgers in all of Saigon, I cannot recommend Soul Burger enough.
Website, Address, & Details: https://www.facebook.com/soulburgersaigon/
Pro Tip: Soul Burger is a great spot to start off your night before embarking on my self-guided craft beer pub crawl spanning 7 bars! All stops are within a walking distance from Soul Burger! Or, simply head to one of Saigon’s many breweries after, which you can read about in my post breaking down the best breweries in Saigon.
Chuck’s Burgers Saigon
Picture courtesy of Chuck’s Burgers Facebook page.
I remember lying in bed after a huge night out on Bui Vien with a buddy – who also happened to have passed out on my couch after a long night of funky balloons – calling Chuck’s Burger with such desperation for a burger that it was as if my life depended on it. To this day, if one of Chuck’s classic American burgers did not make its way down my gullet that day, I might not be here writing this. Chuck’s Burger Saigon saved me. And for that, I am thankful.
Chuck’s Burger isn’t the sexiest burger out there by any means, but it is incredibly reliable, flavorful, and won’t leave you hungry. I would almost compare Chuck’s Burgers to a Five Guys burger – you are not going to be able to customize how thoroughly you want it cooked, but that’s alright because there is so much flavor to begin with.
What’s great about Chuck’s Burgers is that it elicits a sense of nostalgia, and will certainly take you back to the days when you and your family would have a night out at the local diner in your small town to chow down on burgers, fries, and shakes.
I especially have the Philly cheeseburger to thank for my recovery that painful hangover day, topped with mushrooms, onions, bell peppers and more cheese than you can shake a stick at. I’m also a sucker for a good hot dog, which there are no shortage of at Chuck’s. I prefer sticking with the classic dog, topped with just ketchup (and sometimes mustard), however I have also indulged and taken down several of their chili dogs – all of which hit the spot.
Website, Address, & Details: https://chucksburgerjoint.com
Marcel Gourmet Burger
Picture courtesy of Marcel Gourmet Burger’s Facebook page.
Located across from my favorite Mexican restaurant in all of Ho Chi Minh (well, just one of their locations), Gringos Tacos, Marcel Gourmet Burger is a French burger joint specializing in classic burgers with an upscale twist. I know, I know. It sounds a bit hokey, but they are the real deal. Marcel Gourmet Burger takes classic burgers and then spices them up with extremely high quality and unique ingredients.
For example, my all-time favorite burger from Marcel is their Le Smoky – which just so happens to be the 2019 winner of the best burger at the Saigon Burger Festival – boasts Comte cheese (slightly sweet) with tea leaves, grilled onions, shiitake relish, and Bearnaise sauce on a brioche bun. To be honest I never knew what the difference between bearnaise and hollandaise sauce was until writing this.
I also have to inform you about their “Le Signature” beef burger, which spurred my fascination with Raclette cheese. While you don’t get to use that cheese guillotine to “scrape” (that’s what Raclette means) cheese over the top of your burger, you still receive all the benefits of a perfectly melted, gooey cheese blanket. Tack on pepper sauce, balsamic caramelized onions, gherkin relish, lettuce and a slice of tomato and you have one mighty fine burger.
Marcel Gourmet Burger does have a killer buttermilk fried chicken sandwich for all your poultry lovers out there (me included) that is the perfect mix of crispy, juicy, and succulent. I even am giving props to it as a mayonnaise-hater.
Website, Address, & Details: https://marcelburger.vn
- Location: 132 Calmette, Phường Nguyễn Thái Bình, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
- You can find all of their locations over at: https://marcelburger.vn/hours-location
Jake’s American BBQ
Picture courtesy of Jake’s American BBQ’s Facebook page.
I’m always the type of guy who says, “Why would you ever get a burger at a BBQ joint?” Well, it was at Jake’s American BBQ in Saigon that I realized sometimes a man just needs a damn burger and doesn’t care what type of restaurant he is in. As you probably know from my post on best BBQ restaurants in Saigon, the ribs are typically my go-to at Jake’s.
However, one day I stumbled upon a burger so juicy and packed with bacon that I had to have a difficult talk with the ribs to let them know that we would have to meet next week (some say our relationship still isn’t the same to this day). That burger my friends? The Triple B – The Big Bacon Blue – a 6 ounce patty topped with six (count em’) pieces of crispy bacon and melted blue cheese.
The Triple B, which happens to mirror my nickname (Big Body Boris), is packed with flavor and perfectly cooked (you can always trust a BBQ guy to cook meat to your liking), melts-in-your-mouth (thanks to the blue cheese), and has a delightful crispy contrast balancing everything out. This is a burger of multitudes. Jake’s is also a perfect spot for those looking to play mad scientist and customize their burger – I ultimately think you can’t go wrong with any one of their three specialty burgers (the Triple B and Juicy Lucy especially).
I also must recommend that you skip the fries and instead snag yourself a homestyle BBQ side, such as Jake’s mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese. Seriously, the macaroni and cheese is the best I’ve ever had, so why not enjoy the best of both worlds by mixing in a BBQ side?
Website, Address, & Details: https://www.jakesamericanbbq.com
El Gaucho
Picture courtesy of El Gaucho’s Facebook page.
If you’ve read my review of El Gaucho on Hai Ba Trung, then it shouldn’t be a surprise that they are on the list for one of the best burgers in all of Saigon. After all, El Gaucho knows meat. El Gaucho is an Argentinian steakhouse chain peppered across Asia, serving up the best steaks I’ve had not only in Asia, but across the globe. Oh, and of course they make a mean burger as well. That’s why we’re here after all.I won’t dive too much into the other three dozen reasons why I love El Gaucho (but do know that they give you apple pie vodka shots after your meal) and will stick solely to breaking down their burger(s).
I’m a glutton, so it should be no surprise that my favorite El Gaucho burger is their homemade burger with foie gras. One of my best buddies gave me a lot of grief one time because I was remarking how I had eaten too much foie gras the other day. The foie gras is a nice creamy rich contrast to a premium cut of juicy beef. It is literally like having a second patty on your burger – except that patty is a blast of buttery, rich umami.
Pro Tip: I recommend ordering one of the steak sauce sides to dip your burger in. My favorites include their blue cheese, wild mushroom, or red wine sauce.
Cost-wise, El Gaucho will run you a bit more than the other restaurants, coming right in around VND $800,000 (USD $35) for the foie gras burger, and around VND $500,000 (USD $21) for their standard cheeseburgers. But, I assure you that it is well worth it, and you are paying for premium cuts of beef.
Website, Address, & Details: https://vn.elgaucho.asia
- Location: 74/1 Hai Bà Trưng, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh 100000, Vietnam
- You can find all of their locations over at: https://vn.elgaucho.asia
So, Did I Find the Best Burger in Saigon?
I think so. In fact, not only do I think I found the best burger in Saigon (for my tastes), I think I found five of the best burgers in all of Saigon (and Asia). Comparing the amount of high quality burgers I’ve eaten in Saigon to Hong Kong, which is exponentially bigger, Saigon easily edges out Hong Kong and most other cities I’ve lived in!
And, each burger place is perfect for a variety of moods. Whether you are looking for a hole in the wall burger joint slanging old-fashioned diner-style burgers, an award winning burger adding a unique twist to classic favorites, or indulgent premium patty (or two) at one of Asia’s best steakhouses, Saigon has you covered.
I’d love to hear your favorite burger joints in Saigon in the comments, or feel free to reach out to me by email over at info@palealetravel.com. I know I can’t wait to get back to Ho Chi Minh City once things open up, as I know I will be posting up there for another year-long stint (at some point).
P.S. Once you’ve gotten your fill at any of the above burger joints, I definitely recommend checking out one of my Saigon’s countless rooftop bars. Read more about them by reading my blog post breaking down 9 of the best rooftop bars in Saigon.
Best and be grand,
Big Body
Big Body is a voracious lov…eater, a cowardly fighter, and a self-proclaimed curry goat BBQ-eating champion (don’t forget the donkey milk) who likes Stoicism, baseball, and writing in the third person. Having worked for himself for the last 7 years, he isn’t particularly successful but he does still drink ice-cold Sapporo draft beers with the best of them and knows his way around a Dai Pai Dong or two. He is based in Hong Kong but you can still find him in Saigon, Osaka, and Vienna for extended periods.