The Best Burgers in the Holland Area, According to Locals

Updated October 2026

A crispy smashburger. A thick pub burger. An olive burger that requires a few extra napkins. Ask around Holland, and everyone has an order they’ll tell you to try.

We asked local Facebook groups where they go for burgers and what they order. Goog’s, ZOMburger’s, Repp’s Landing and Itty Bitty were local picks, with useful tips for Hamilton, Zeeland and the lakeshore, too.

This guide brings those recommendations together, focusing on Holland, Zeeland, Hamilton, Saugatuck and the Grand Haven area. Reader suggestions are the starting point; additional menu and service details come from restaurant websites. These are reader favorites in an informal community guide, not a ranked poll.

Still deciding what everyone wants for dinner? Compare these burger picks with our Holland-area taco recommendations or pizza guide for Holland and Grand Haven.

For a smashburger: Repp’s Landing, ZOMburger’s, and Hawk’s Nest were all recommended by locals. Dune Buggy is another reader pick when its truck is nearby.

For a simple cheeseburger: Start with Itty Bitty’s signature burger and its steamed bun.

For bigger toppings: Try Lynn’s Ultimate at Goog’s, the Gouda burger at Salt & Pepper, or one of Reservoir’s doubles.

For a burger-and-sides outing: Readers gave The Stable Inn’s onion rings and Lovejoy’s layer cake their own shout-outs.

Why it made the guide: Locals recommended Goog’s, with Lynn’s Ultimate singled out as a reader’s order tip.

What to order: Start with Lynn’s Ultimate Burger, which brings together Swiss-mushroom and olive-burger toppings. It is a good starting point if you have trouble choosing between those two styles.

Good to know: The menu’s burgers come with fries and a pickle spear. Goog’s also links online takeout and delivery from its website, making it an option for burger night at home.

Address: 667 Hastings Avenue, Holland

Website: Goog’s website →

Why it made the guide: Readers recommended ZOMburger’s smashburgers, including the Manhattan and Smoky Bourbon. One reader’s advice was to get a double.

What to order: Follow the reader tip with the Manhattan, or try the Smoky Bourbon with smoked gouda, bacon, lettuce, garlic aioli and bourbon sauce. Check the day’s lineup when you order.

Good to know: This food truck serves Holland and the West Michigan lakeshore rather than one fixed dining room. Use its event calendar to find the next stop before making plans.

Rotating locations; check the current schedule
ZOMburgers’ event calendar →

Why it made the guide: Locals recommended Repp’s Landing for its smashburgers.

What to order: For a menu-based starting point, try the Margot with American cheese, ketchup, mayo, shredded lettuce and pickle. The Tessa adds mushrooms, Swiss, charred onion and black garlic mayo. These specific orders come from the menu rather than the reader comments.

Good to know: Burgers come with chips, with fries available as an upgrade. The website offers online ordering, a wait list and reservations, so you can choose between a takeout meal and a sit-down visit.

Address: 1642 S. Shore Drive, Holland

Website: Repp’s Landing’s menu →

Why it made the guide: Readers singled out Itty Bitty’s signature burger, especially its melty cheese and soft bun.

What to order: Try The One & Only Itty Bitty Burger, the reader-recommended order. The menu pairs melted cheese and sweet onion with a steamed bun, plus fries.

Good to know: The menu offers more than pub staples, including seafood and seasonal specials. The bar’s posted opening time is 5 p.m. on weekdays and noon on weekends; check kitchen availability before planning a late meal.

Address: 1136 Ottawa Beach Road, Holland

Website: Itty Bitty’s menu →

Why it made the guide: Hawk’s Nest drew enthusiastic reader recommendations for the Pub Smash and Western Smash.

What to order: The Pub Smash brings beer cheese, chipotle mayo, caramelized onions and jalapeños, bacon and lettuce. The Western Smash combines pepper jack, bacon, sautéed jalapeños and onions. Both reader picks appear on the official ordering menu.

Good to know: The smashburgers start with a quarter-pound patty, and the ordering menu offers an extra-patty option. Online ordering is for pickup, with a choice of basket sides.

Address: 3420 M-40, Hamilton

Website: Hawk’s Nest’s website →

Why it made the guide: A reader recommended Community Restaurant and named the Community Burger as their favorite.

What to order: Ask for the Community Burger to follow that reader’s recommendation. Confirm its current toppings and preparation when ordering.

Good to know: The Main Avenue restaurant posts separate breakfast and lunch/dinner menus. Its website says all menu items are available for takeout and lists Monday–Saturday service, with Sunday closed.

Address: 421 E. Main Avenue, Zeeland

Website: Community Restaurant’s website →

Why it made the guide: The Lunch Box drew reader recommendations for its burgers, value and friendly service. Readers also liked its melty-cheese style.

What to order: A reader’s specific pick was jalapeño bacon ranch. Treat that as an order to ask about, rather than a current menu item we could independently confirm.

Good to know: Use the restaurant’s linked Facebook updates to check the latest menu and hours before making the trip to Hamilton.

Address: 3416 Lincoln Road (M-40), Hamilton

Website: The Lunch Box’s updates →

Why it made the guide: A reader’s recommendation for Salt & Pepper quickly got a specific reply: the Gouda burger.

What to order: Follow that tip with You Gouda Be Kidding Me?: a steakburger with smoked gouda, tomato-bacon jam and haystack onions on a pretzel bun, with smoked-gouda beer cheese sauce alongside.

Good to know: Burgers come with kettle chips, French onion dip and a pickle; other sides are available as upgrades. The restaurant offers indoor and patio dining, with walk-ins, call-ahead seating and reservations.

Address: 11539 E. Lakewood Boulevard, Holland

Website: Salt & Pepper’s website →

Why it made the guide: Locals recommended Reservoir and named both the mushroom and cheese-curd burgers.

What to order: Harry S Shroomin pairs a double burger with porter-steamed wild mushrooms, Swiss, greens and garlic aioli. Curd Fergeson adds smashed cheese curds, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and garlic aioli.

Good to know: The menu also lists an Herbivore Burgervore with an Impossible patty, useful when not everyone wants beef. Online pickup ordering is linked from the restaurant’s website.

Address: 2155 Ottawa Beach Road, Holland

Website: Reservoir’s website →

Why it made the guide: A reader said Lovejoy’s burger is the order they return to every visit, with a second tip to save room for cake.

What to order: The dinner-menu Cheeseburger comes with triple-crème brie, onion jam, truffle aioli and house frites. The reader-recommended Lovejoy Layer Cake is listed with sherry-cask-rum butterscotch and cream-cheese frosting.

Good to know: Lovejoy describes its cooking as from-scratch and inspired by Michigan’s seasons and family kitchens. This downtown option suits a sit-down burger dinner with dessert.

Address: 90 W. 8th Street, Holland

Website: Lovejoy’s website →

Why it made the guide: Spectators got a burger shout-out from a reader who also recommended Reservoir.

What to order: From the menu, try the Spectator Burger with American cheese, turkey and bacon, served with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise, or the Olive Burger with green-olive sauce and American cheese. These are menu-based suggestions rather than dishes named by readers.

Good to know: Spectators has operated under that name since 1998 and offers a sports-themed setting for burgers and a game. Burgers come with chips, and the restaurant smokes its bacon on-site.

Address: 6432 Blue Star Highway, Saugatuck

Website: Spectators’ website →

Why it made the guide: Readers recommended a thick burger made the way you like it, and gave the onion rings their own shout-out.

What to order: Start with the Build Your Own ground-sirloin burger. Topping choices include olive sauce, sautéed mushrooms, grilled onions and several cheeses. Keep the reader-recommended, hand-battered onion rings in mind.

Good to know: Family-owned and operated since 1985, The Stable Inn offers dine-in and curbside pickup. Burgers include a choice of side; onion rings are an extra-cost option.

Address: 11880 W. Olive Road, Grand Haven (off northbound US-31 in West Olive)

Website: The Stable Inn’s website →

Why it made the guide: Dune Buggy earned a detailed reader recommendation for its smashburgers.

What to order: A reader singled out the olive burger. Ask whether it is on the day’s menu when you find the truck; we could not independently confirm a current official menu.

Good to know: This is a traveling food truck, so check where it is serving before heading out. Its linked official Facebook page is the place to look for current stops and menu updates.

Rotating locations around West Michigan
Dune Buggy’s current updates →

Restaurant details were checked against available business menus and local listings. Menus, hours and food-truck locations can change, so check the linked pages before heading out.

Our local breakfast guide →

Our cider & orchard guide →

Our fall colors guide →

Our local coffee guide →