Where To Find the Best Patty Melts Across America

Everyone loves burgers, but somehow the humble patty melt is too often overlooked. Think of it like a grilled cheese sandwich with a burger patty, some grilled onions, and rye bread thrown in for good measure. The contrast in textures between the creamy cheese, soft beef, and crunchy, buttery bread make it far superior to regular burgers — at least if you ask us. You just can't go wrong with the diner classic. Here are some of the best patty melts you can get across the U.S. 

Los Angeles

Cassell's Hamburgers opened its original location as Cassell's Patio in 1948, and they definitely know their way around a griddle. Classic diner fare is on the menu, and as the name suggests, burgers are the standout. The restaurant grinds its own beef fresh every day, and makes homemade mayonnaise, too. Patty melts come in either 7- or 11-ounce sizes for every appetite, and are cooked with Swiss cheese and grilled onions on rye with a side of mustardy mayo and pickles.

Evanston, Ill.

Edzo's is a favorite burger joint in this Chicago suburb, especially with Northwestern University students. The hangout takes burgers back to basics, including the patty melt, which comes with grilled onions and gooey American cheese on marble rye. There's also a Char Burger patty melt with a half-pound patty cooked to your requested temperature, and a turkey burger patty melt as well.

Milwaukee, Wis.

The space that Swingin' Door occupies in downtown Milwaukee has been a tavern since 1933. That's the same year Prohibition was repealed, so it's not unlikely that it was a speakeasy. Nowadays, the vibe is all cheap PBRs, dark wood, and delicious food. The patty melt has a half-pound of beef on it, plus cheddar cheese and grilled onions on marble rye. Don't skip the spicy vermouth carrots on the side.

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Atlanta

To get into The Vortex, you have to walk through a giant skull's gaping mouth, and that just about sets the tone for your visit. Move past the burgers with names like Hell's Fury and Zombie Apocalypse and skip to the "Old-School Burgers" section of the menu. That's where you'll find the Ultimate Patty Melt, made with two 4-ounce patties, Swiss and cheddar cheese, grilled onions, pickle slices, and secret burger sauce on marble rye.

Related: Legendary Breakfast Sandwiches From Every State

San Francisco

If you're looking for a refined patty melt in a trendy gastropub atmosphere, True Laurel in San Francisco's Mission District is the spot. Though the menu changes often, the TL Patty Melt is a mainstay. The patty is made with dry-aged beef ground in the restaurant, so it's extra flavorful and juicy. Then it's grilled with lots of melty cheese, caramelized onions, special sauce, and pickles on beef fat pain de mie bread.

Related: Where to Find a Good, Cheap Sandwich in Every State

Cleveland

Melt is a small local chain in the Cleveland area, and the specialty is melts of all kinds, including everything from meatballs to peanut butter and banana. Naturally, they do a patty melt too, and it's just loaded with grilled onions and Swiss cheese on thick-cut rye bread. You can get it with a plant-based burger patty if you prefer.

Related: Best Hole-in-the-Wall Burger Joint in Every State

Multiple locations in Ind., Ohio, and Ky.

Though it only opened in 2011, there's already over a dozen Bru locations in three states thanks to its popularity. The chain's burgers are made with a locally-sourced blend of sirloin, chuck, and brisket for the right balance of fat and flavor. The patty melt includes two smashed beef patties along with caramelized onions, gooey American cheese, and the chain's signature tangy, creamy fontana sauce.

New York City

You'll feel positively chic at The Spaniard, a moody West Village bar and restaurant. The meat is dry-aged for 30 days — so you know it's going to pack a beefy punch — then cooked just how you like. Then there's cheddar, caramelized onions, pickles, and mustard, plus an ingredient not typical in patty melts: bacon. Those crisp, burnished slices are abundant and give the whole sandwich a smoky undertone. 

Dallas

The vibes are relaxed and chill at Goodfriend, a bar, restaurant, and beer garden-style patio. As its name suggests, burgers are the main draw here (along with the beer, naturally), and the patty melt is no exception. The 6-ounce burger patty is grilled between brioche toast along with caramelized onions and a Southern specialty: serrano pimento cheese. That creamy, spicy concoction melts into a rich and decadent cheese sauce. 

Rock Hill, S.C.

Burgers & Barley has a decidedly Southern flair, with fried green tomatoes, chicken and waffle sliders, and homemade pimento cheese all on the menu. The Fratty Melt is their version of a patty melt, but with grilled mushrooms and bacon-onion ketchup for good measure. If you really want over-the-top, though, try the Fried Mac Burger. It's grilled Texas toast sandwiched around a beef patty and hockey puck of gooey, deep fried mac and cheese.