2025 Brookings area Burger Clash
Shane Andersen, your trusted Brookings Realtor and team lead at Brookings Home Team, has a special spot in his heart for Brookings area restaurants and how they operate. He started in the service industry at the age of 14 and worked in the restaurant profession for nearly 15 years. This Brookings Area Burger Clash was created to help our local establishments during a traditionally slow time of year, not to mention the challenges and struggles they’ve dealt with in relation to COVID-19. Continue reading for contest details or if you already know which burger you're voting for simply click the button below.
Brookings Area Burger Clash Details
From DeSmet and Aurora to Clear Lake and Flandreau, there are 28 area restaurants participating in the 2025 Brookings Area Burger Clash. These specially crafted burgers will be voted on by YOU, the customer, with the goal of visiting as many of these establishments as possible between January 1, 2025, and February 28, 2025.
Vote for Your Favorite Brookings Area Burger
If you’ve eaten an eligible burger at one of our great, local restaurants and you’d like to vote in the Brookings Burger Clash just click the link below (only 1 vote per burger, please). This year’s contest features 3 different categories: taste, creativity, and customer service—grading each of them on a scale of 1 to 5 with the higher score going to the best experience.
Brookings Home Team wishes every restaurant good luck and we hope everyone has fun with this contest! It’s a great time to eat some delicious food and help our local businesses at the same time. Help us crown the next champion of the Brookings Burger Clash! Don't forget to post a picture of your burger in the food page, for a chance to win 1 of a couple Gift Certificates to one of the participating restaurants.
14/81 Grill-The Roadhouse Burger
12oz Fresh Angus Burger, American Cheese, Chopped Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Topped with Garlic Cheese Sauce. BIG FOOD-BIG FUN, at the 1481!"
Backyard BBQ-The Home Run Burger
House seasoned patty resting on top of crisp dill pickles. Topped with Swiss cheese, slow smoked pulled pork, creamy coleslaw, onion rings and honey toasted garlic sauce with a rib chaser.
Bluejays (Egan SD)-1/2 Pound Southwest Popper Burger
1/2 Pound juicy burger on a Kaiser bun topped with Jalepenoes, popper sauce, applewood bacon, american and pepper jack cheese
Boss' Pizza & Sports Bar-The Quarter Founder
We have taken our classic founding father pizza and transformed it into a delicious pizza burger. We take a seasoned burger patty, top it with Canadian bacon, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. We then drizzle it with ranch and sprinkle crushed red pepper. This is then wrapped in our daily made pizza dough and baked until golden brown.
Brookings Country Club-Smothered Barbacoa Smash Burger
2 three ounce smash burgers topped with pepper Jack cheese and shredded barbacoa meat. Topped with fresh pico de gallo and presented with smoked Gouda cheese sauce.
Cardinal Tap (Arlington)-Smokey Mac’n Brisket Burger
A classic cheeseburger smothered in Smokehouse Mac N Cheese, Brisket and topped with our Smokehouse BBQ sauce
CC's Bar & Grill (Volga)-BBQ 3 Meat Bacon Cheeseburger
A Fresh Hand Pattied Burger with Grilled Onions, Bacon Topped with Marinated Steak. This is a classic half pound beef burger, with applewood bacon, cheddar cheese and our signature chimichurri sauce. It is served with seasoned fries on the side.
Cottonwood Bistro-The Northerner
The Northerner is a hearty burger featuring a flavorful venison and bison patty, topped with crisp bacon, fresh lettuce, juicy tomato, red onion, and melted pepper jack cheese, all on a toasted artisan bun. Served with seasoned fries and a side of wild berry compote, it’s a delicious blend of rustic charm and bold flavors.
Craft Chophouse & Lounge-Beer Cheese Burger
Hereford patty topped with cheddar, caramelized onions, and maple bacon aioli- nestled on a soft pretzel bun. Served in a creamy beer cheese sauce. (Sauce will be on the side for To-Go orders)
The Depot-Hot N’ Bleu Cheesy
1/3lb Burger, Bacon, Bleu Cheese Crumbles, Onion Tanglers, Sriracha
Gatsby's Speakeasy & Supperclub (Hendricks MN)-Candied Bacon Maple Jalapeno Burger
1/2 lb. Steakburger loaded with onions caramelized in maple syrup and brown sugar, candied bacon slices, house BBQ sauce, cheddar and pepper jack cheese, and topped with grilled jalapeños.
Half Pint Steaks & Spirits (DeSmet)-The Whoa Nellie!
Inspired by the sassy and dramatic personality of Nellie Oleson from Little House on the Prairie, this burger is just as spicy! It features a tangy and zesty orange marmalade and sriracha sauce, complemented by a luxurious spread of cream cheese and fresh mozzarella. Sweet caramelized onions and bacon add depth in contrast, while fiery ghost pepper cheese gives it a final kick that Nellie herself would approve of—deliciously over-the-top and unforgettable!
Kattails (Lake Campbell)-The “Boom Boom Burger”
Our burger is Farm fresh South Dakota Wagyu beef, cheddar cheese and fried onions pedals topped with our well known “Boom Boom” sauce on a toasted bun. Served with lettuce, tomato, and onion.
We are only doing Burgers on Sunday’s. Our hours on Sunday are 2pm-9pm for our kitchen.
Lemkes Bar & Grill (Aurora)-Cowboy Burger
Bacon, pepper jack cheese, candied jalapeños, garlic jalapeño aioli, topped with crispy onions
Lucky Dog Bar & Grill-Bourbon Burger
Our fresh hand pattied burger topped with onions sautéed in our bourbon sauce and topped with Swiss cheese.
Mad Mary's Steakhouse-Green Chile Pablano Hamburger
1/3 Burger topped with a Green Chile Pablano Sauce with Pepperjack Cheese and Jalapeno Bacon
Mortland's Burgers & More-(Elkton)-The Taco Burger
Our flame grilled burger topped with pepper jack cheese, pico de gallo, tortilla chips, & covered with hot sauce & guacamole.
The Pheasant Restaurant & Lounge-Tater Tot Hotdish Burger
A hand-patted burger grilled over the fire topped with waffled potato hash and a mushroom cream sauce with corn and home kitchen flavor. It’s served on a toasted sourdough bun with a side of fried green beans.
Pints & Quarts-The PQ 50/50 Burger
We got some Bacon from Back Alley Meats and blended it with our short rib and brisket ground beef 50/50 and then added American cheese, pickles and our PQ sauce.
Rub N Tug-The French Fried Onyum
This is a French Onion season 1/3lb triple meat blended smoked patty. We then deep fry the patty and cheese. The patty is laid atop a slathering of French onion dip. Then topped with bbq sauce, French fried onion tangles and spicy maple bourbon pickles.
Shorty's Hot Box-Grillaxy Invader
Prepare for a flavor invasion! A 1/4 lb burger patty topped with a crispy fried hashbrown, tangy popper spread, tender shredded pork, crunchy pickles
Strikerz Bar & Grill-Pin Popper Burger
It is our signature burger with one or two patties* our famous poppers with cream cheese bacon and pepperjack cheese and a zesty sweet chili sauce. Pairs great with any of our draft beers!
*extra patty available for a small charge
Tables Steakhouse-The Gastro Pub Burger
The Gastro Pub Burger is our 6 oz Black Angus Beef Patty topped with bacon, caramelize onions & homemade beer cheese sauce. Served on a pretzel bun.
The Merc (Flandreau)-The Berry Big Dill
A 1/3 pound burger topped with Dill Pickle Cream Cheese, Cheddar & Swiss, Raspberry Bacon and Special Seasoning.
Valley Restaurant & Catering-Poppin Burger
1/3 pound hand pattied burger topped with cream cheese, jalapenos and cheddar cheese all on out freah baked bun. Served with choice of side.
Hy Vee Wahlburgers-Fiesta Burger
1/3lb. burger, pepper jack cheese, Jalapenos, pickles, Chipotle Mayo, Smoked Salsa
Whiskey Creek-The Big Popper
A 5 ounce patty, topped with 3 ounces of pork, cream cheese, jalapenos, pepperjack cheese, bacon, along with house made wild berry jam and chipotle lime bbq, all on texas toast.
Wilberts-Mac'n Cheese Bacon Burger
1 Beef Patty, Bacon, Mac N Cheese, Cheese on a Bun
