Who serves up the ‘Best of the Best’ burgers in Middle GA? Locals tap these 6 restaurants

Multiple restaurants across Middle Georgia offer up one of America’s favorite foods: the burger. But there’s an art to building the exceptional burger.

Only six restaurants earned top awards in the Telegraph’s 2021 Best of the Best contest in which customers can vote for their favorite businesses, including for best burger spot.

The Best of the Best winners are the top scorers in each category based on votes cast on macon.com.

Here are the winners in the Macon-Bibb area in the best burger category:

• The Rookery — A fixture in downtown Macon for more than four decades known for its burgers named after Macon music legends and other famous people from Georgia, this restaurant at 543 Cherry St. captured the best burger title. In tune with Macon’s music history, the Big “O” Burger is named after Otis Redding and the Allman Burger is named after the Allman Brothers Band. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter of Plains has a burger and a shake named after him. Both include peanut butter. Earlier this year, The Rookery was among the top Sizzlin 16 in Georgia’s Best Burger Competition with its Jimmy Carter Burger that’s topped with peanut butter and applewood smoked bacon. The restaurant was also featured in Garden and Gun’s “Guide to the South’s best Burgers 2014,” according to The Rookery website.
• Ocmulgee Brewpub — Known for its craft beer brewed in-house and its gourmet burgers, this downtown Macon restaurant at 484 2nd St. took runner-up honors. Earlier this year, Ocmulgee Brewpub was among the Tasty 8 in Georgia’s Best Burger Competition with its Juliette beef burger that’s topped with pepper jack cheese, a fried green tomato, bacon, crunchy lettuce and balsamic onion remoulade. The brewpub opened in March 2016. Additionally, “Ocmulgee Brewpub has an intentional focus on highlighting the active lifestyle and environment surrounding the Ocmulgee River,” according to its website.
• Grey Goose Players Club — Known for its signature dish, the original Gooseburger, this family-owned and operated tavern earned an honorable mention among voters. The Gooseburger is a half-pound ground chuck patty charcoal grilled to taste. Burgers aren’t the only option on the wide-variety menu. The tavern is located at 4524 Forsyth Road within the Forsyth Landing shopping strip about a mile from the Idle Hour Golf and Country Club. In operation for more than 25 years, the Grey Goose Players Club moved from Northside Drive to its current location in February 1989, according to its website.

Warner Robins area winners

Here are the winners in the Warner Robins area in the best burger category:

• Schultze’s Old Fashioned Soda Shop— Known for its sundaes, milkshakes and ice cream and decor that also lives up to its name, this sweet spot in downtown Perry isn’t shabby with its burgers either. The soda shop at 757 Carroll St. took top honors for the best burger. Like one might expect from a soda shop, the menu features a hamburger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, bacon cheeseburger and a double bacon cheeseburger. Customers can add a variety of traditional trimmings like onion, lettuce, tomato, pickles and sauces as well as grilled onions, slaw, chili sauce and jalapenos. There’s also a house sauce. Additionally, any burger may also be “chrome plated” — “a Schultze’s original’‘ of cheese grilled onto both sides of the bun, according to the menu.
• Big Picture Burgers — Known for its movie-themed menu and decor, this family owned and operated restaurant in Kathleen won runner-up. Burgers on the menu include The Godfather, Casablanca, Lord of the Rings and Jaws. The Godfather is a half-pound seasoned ground beef patty topped with homemade spicy pimento cheese, bacon, jalapenos and spicy pickles. Located at 1114 Ga. 96 within the Publix shopping center, the restaurant shows classic science fiction and B-rated movies from Attack of the Killer Tomatoes to King Kong vs. Godzilla. The decor includes a movie poster for Attack of the 50 Foot Woman and black and white images of superhero Superwoman and Frankenstein’s monster hung on the wall.
• Mike’s Hot Dogs & Hamburgers — Serving up ginormous Gorilla Burgers for more than 31 years, this locally owned and operated restaurant at 823 Russell Parkway in Warner Robins earned an honorable mention. The Gorilla Burger is a 12 ounce, 100% ground chuck patty grilled and seasoned. Customers can choose from a variety of toppings to add to their burger. For a smaller burger, there’s the Jr. Gorilla Burger with an 8-ounce patty or the Monkey Burger with a 5-ounce patty. Really hungry? Try the 24-ounce chuck Double Gorilla Burger, or the Double Carolina Burger topped with chili, slaw, mustard, onion and cheese. The small restaurant with its quirky retro decor also is known for its hot dogs. The restaurant, which has changed locations, has been at its current site for more than 20 years.

This story was originally published September 1, 2021 at 5:00 AM.