I have to give it to Nashville in this area. You have Memphis soundly beat on the gourmet, trendy burger. Burger Up is located in South Nashville on 12th Avenue South and as others have noted, it's not easy to find if you don't know where it is. My GPS had it 1/4 mile further up the road, and I luckily spotted it while looking for a spot to park. Parking is pretty limited as well, but I was fortunate to find a place on the street. If there is one thing I took soundly from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, it is parallel parking skills. No problems for me in that area. Going in the restaurant, I was pretty impressed. Memphis has a lot to offer in the world of culinary delight, but a trendy burger served by hipsters is not one of them. The service was what I expected. It was not very good at first (14 minutes until someone came up to me at the bar to take my drink order), but warmed up when the friendly barkeep realized I was not terrible, I guess. The menu is what you expect in a burger-focused restaurant. Plenty of burgers, and I liked some of the options, e.g. one with pimento cheese; one made of bison; the standard mushroom and swiss; etc. Because it was my first time here, I went with the standard triple L classic. It's important when dining at a burger spot to try their standard burger to see what all the hype is about. Presentation was as expected. Trendy appearance, fries come in a fry holder; nice looking burger, too. Wait time was decent. Again, it was entirely too long for someone to approach me at the bar on a Sunday night (it was not that busy). Food took about 15-20 minutes to arrive. Barkeep followed up a few times once my food arrived. The burger was pretty good. The bun was fresh. You could actually taste the meat. It was a bit overcooked, coming in around medium-well, and I prefer a medium. Interesting they did not even ask how I wanted it cooked. Maybe that's a Nashville thing. Something I was not expecting was the amount of yellow mustard. Yes, the menu proudly announces yellow mustard comes on the triple L, but there was too much in my opinion. If I come back, I'll likely ask to leave it off, or put it on the side. This was a minor thing. The mustard was not too strong that it inhibited in some way the flavor of the burger. But it was always there. Fries = good. This is one area Memphis really needs help in learning to serve properly. Freshly cut, nicely fried, and plenty of salt. And to boot, a homemade maple ketchup. When I was debating a score, it was between 3 and 4, and the ketchup brought it up to a 4. It was a really nice condiment. Full bar, with a nice supply of small batch and high quality vodkas, bourbons, etc. Excellent variety of local and other microbrews on tap. Wines, offered, as well. Water is served without asking. Price is reasonable, IMO. So there you have it. I'll certainly come back and eat here again. read more

Burger Up - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

I want to like Burger Up so badly, bad enough that I racked my brain for a good amount of time trying to remember what I did like about my meal/experience.. until I came to terms and settled with the simple fact that my meal just wasnt good. I got take out from here a few weeks ago and in Burger Ups defense, the blue burger was great. When I walked in to pick up my food I was a little thrown off by the white table cloths and uppity vibe- why make a burger joint something it's not? But anyways grabbed my burger and truffle fries to go and was a happy camper. Came here last night with a friend and the hostesses were a bit rude. Not rude enough for me to complain to a manager but like gossiping, snobby, high school girls type of rude. Our waiter (can't remember his name, whoops) was fabulous! He was so helpful and had great suggestions. This time I opted for the classic burger since I figured classic is the safest bet, and I mistakenly got onion rings instead of truffle fries. My burger came out and was room temp, maybe even cold which.. whatever, not the end of the world. What was almost the end of the world was that my burger was swimming in mustard. Seriously. There was more mustard than meat. After wiping off layers and layers of mustard I moved on to my my onion rings which were so crunchy and hard that they would be more appropriately called onion rocks. Bumm-er. My friend got the bacon cheeseburger which she seemed to enjoy but maybe that was because her burger was not assaulted by mustard. We also ordered drinks, dessert and an appetizer all of which were alright. But with an $80 bill at a burger place I am looking for more than alright. read more

Burger Up - Classic cheeseburger and onion rings - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Never disappoints. Great neighborhood spot with friendly staff and spot on food. Every time. Pick up or dine in. read more

It had been a few years since I had visited so since my hubby and I recently moved back we decided to stop by on our date night. I knew my hubby wanted something simple and also knew that this spot had the Sophistication I like. Also, the sweet potato fries I was craving :). It did not disappoint! I love love love their sweet potato fries! Ask for their ranch dressing to dip them in. I'm usually not a fan of ranch but I don't know what it is about their ranch dressing? There must be unicorn spit in it or something cause its magical. Their fried pickles are a must also. On this particular night I just ordered the sp fries and the tomato and mozzarella salad ( which was great) but the burgers have always been spot on for me. If your a drinker try the strawberry mojito :) read more

Burger Up - Sweet potato fries, tomato and mozzarella salad, strawberry mojito, YUM! - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

My girlfriend and I went here on a rainy Wednesday evening. Atmosphere: The space here is not overly large, but they make use of every square foot. The main dining area is one large room filled with dim lighting and music with a bar on the back wall. The counters and tables are butcher block style with metal finishings. There were multiple candles lit throughout the place which gave it a very homey and cozy feel. Some of the tables are family style, meaning you may or may not be sitting directly next to someone you don't know. Food: I ordered the Woodstock with regular fries and she ordered the Ramsey Pimento Cheese Burger (pictured) with truffle fries. The burgers were cooked perfectly and were very delicious. The fries are wonderful, they have crispy crunchy edges which is my favorite. The only feedback we have is that we would not have guessed the cheese on the Ramsey burger was pimento cheese. It was delicious, but did not taste like pimento cheese. Service: The service we experienced was very nice. We walked it and were given the option to sit at at able (family style) or near the window (which we chose). They were very busy that night and had every seat filled but our server was attentive, happily answered our questions, made recommendations, and made sure our drinks were always full. Even being packed the food did not take long to arrive. Price: Being a craft burger restaurant, the prices where very reasonable, ranging from $11 - $16. Being a craft burger place some of the burgers are going to be slightly more than a burger at a regular restaurant, but they definitely make up for it it taste and quality. Cleanliness: I was happily surprised with the cleanliness of this restaurant. Everything was kept very clean, both on and off the table. I actually noticed how clean the bathrooms were and how wonderful they smell. Normally the only think I notice about bathrooms is how dirty or un-kept they are. But this whole establishment was very clean. read more

Two words: fry flight...need I say more? This place is incredible. Some of the best fries and burger I've ever had. Very fresh and the flavors are unique and delicious. They were very accommodating and knowledge about my gluten allergy, which I really appreciate! I highly, highly recommend. read more

Yum. Sweet potato fries. Great. Burger and buns - great. I am excited that the beef is grass fed and produce local. No paper napkins - all good stuff. It is crowded - a bit of a wait. I have trouble sitting for a long time in a chair w/o a back, but realized after there are booths with some pillows. The waiter was attentive and quite helpful. We will be back - in fact ... tomorrow night. read more

This is an upscale burger joint, so let's start with the most important ingredient: the local beef is awesome. The prices are a little high, but I rarely eat burgers so it's a worthy treat. You're rewarded with great service, cool ambiance, and optional sweet potato fries. I enjoyed my visit with five friends, and the waitress handled our odd and ever changing requests with grace and ease. Tip on parking: look for ample parallel parking on Paris Avenue east of 12th Avenue (across the street from Burger Up) if the small parking lot behind Burger Up is full. read more

Great atmosphere. Our first time to Nashville and we ran across this while traveling around. Great food and high quality. Will definitely come back next time we are in town. read more

The staff is really sweet and incredible but the food wasn't the best. I got the pimento cheese burger with no bacon and the burger really didn't have much flavor. The house made ketchup tasted like Ragu pasta sauce but the house made honey mustard was good. And the drinks were boxed wine and bottom shelf tequila and they just weren't good at all. read more

Ordered the bison burger medium, should have went with my gut filling and ordered medium rare. Burger came out medium well, zero pink. I wasn't asked how the food was and I did not bring it up. I have had the bison burger before and when cooked medium rare to medium, I would recommend. read more

Loved it. And I'm not even a big burger guy. Great sauces and homemade condiments. Customer service top notch. Drinks a little pricey, but spicy bloody mary was spot on. Will be going back. read more

Very delicious burgers and fries! my best friend and her boyfriend might come back to visit me from FL just to go here again

This review is based on a to-go order. I called in my order a little after 6 on a Saturday night, and it was ready in under 20 minutes! They do add a 10% service charge for to-go orders. To pick it up, just walk up to the bar and give your name - super easy! I had been craving a kale salad (I'm weird, I know), and I had always heard good things about the one at Burger Up so figured I'd give it a shot. The CHOPPED KALE is mixed with crunchy and buttery roasted hazelnuts, dried tart cherries that add a flavor punch, and shredded pecorino romano, because of course all great salads come with cheese. The dressing is a bright and refreshing citrus vinaigrette that doesn't weigh down the salad, but full of flavor! The simple ingredients are the perfect pairing together, and the portion is huge! I also topped my salad with the well-reviewed QUINOA PATTY. This "burger" exceeded my expectations. It was crispy on the outside, but moist on the inside, with a lot fo spices to give it flavor. I appreciate that it was wrapped in foil, to keep it warm against the cold salad! And because I felt I had ordered healthy enough, I ordered a side of SWEET POTATO FRIES as well. Again, another huge serving size! However, they weren't crispy :(. I'm not sure if that's how they are all of the time, or because of the to-go order, but the texture was lacking. The flavor was there, and it didn't stop me from eating a bunch anyways. Definitely a spot to return to, and I'm sure their burgers are top-notch! read more

Be prepared to wait if you come here. We were given a 40min wait on a saturday night. But walking around 12 south was always pleasant so I didnt mind that. Also they use an app that shows you in real time how much waiting time you have left and how many people before you in the line. Cool, huh? Food - tasty burgers and even tastier fries!!! We ended up ordering 2 extra portions of fries for takeout after our meal and munched on those during our House of Cards binging session later that day. So worth it! read more

Burger Up - Triple chili burger with truffle fries! Delicious!!!! - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

I am a vegetarian - ever since I had my first burger here 3 years ago; I have been in love. I order the same quinoa burger with avocado , they have home made sauces and seasoning they add, top all this with the truffle fries! You are in vegetarian burger heaven. Burger is moist, well seasoned, flavors work well together. I have taken quite a lot of guests and friends to this place, this place has never disappointed. We took one of our new hires to this place, he ate the lamb burger in less than 2 mins, that's how good he says it was. Definitely my favorite burger joint in Nashville. read more

Lived up to the hype, so that's always good. Solid burger (patty melt) and the kale salad was a nice compliment (salmon on top was fresh and cooked well). Best part of the whole meal was the pimento cheese potato skins. (Damn, those were good.) Peach OFs were also tasty. We sat on the patio on a particularly humid day, so ask to be in front of a fan if you're in the same boat. They were super dog friendly, brought out water for our pup right away. Our server was the perfect balance of attentive, friendly, and chill. read more

Truly some of the best fries I have ever tasted! Having options with several dipping sauces is so fun! Also a great happy hour option with apps and drinks at great prices! Highly recommend! read more

Burger Up - Fry Flight - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Excellent food and service. Ordered the Ramsey Pimento Cheese burger and it was delicious! Housemade ketchup and honey mustard was sooo good! Sweet tea was perfect (I'm a Georgia girl and love my sweet tea). Our waitress was so sweet to my 2 year old son. The restaurant is kind of small but we were still able to socially distance with no problem. Virtual menu to help reduce the spread of germs. Not your typical burger joint ambiance. Very intimate vibe. Masks required until you are seated. Plenty of street parking. read more

Awesome burger place. Prices are very reasonable, with generous portions. There are many different burger enough different burgers to satisfy any taste, and they can be customized to your liking. Also, the pop here is very cool. It is not any name-brand, it is made with real sugar, and all the types are pretty tasty. read more

We have been here numerous times since moving to Nashville 6 months ago.... Usually there is a short wait for a table, It's consistently very good food, a bit noisy, but still one of the top places I go to in 12 south! I usually get a mushroom Swiss Burger, hubby typically gets the Black Bean burger and raves about it, They split the Kale salad for us....perfect meal.... Then coffee at Frothy Monkey.... Places like this are why we moved to Nashville! read more

Black and blue burger for the win! Go during happy hour and add a nice craft brew for $3. I LOVE this place. Only got to go while passing through Nashville and I was just completely impressed. If you're someone who is concerned about animal welfare, this place is wonderful: they use local humanely-raised beef and other animal products; have turkey, bison, and black bean burgers on the menu. My burger was juicy and delicious. The fries were on point. And the homemade ketchup! Fantastic. I got a porter to go with my meal. The atmosphere inside is a beautiful rustic wood with low lighting. I am a fan and when I pass through Nashville again, I will absolutely visit this restaurant. read more

Burger Up - Black & Blue burger, yummy fries, and tasty homemade ketchup. - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

The food was ok. Way too greasy, and not very flavorful. The service was ok. It was loud, very loud. You had to almost yell to talk to someone at your table. We went because people recommended it as allergy-friendly but there weren't a whole lot of dairy free options. The one thing I remember being great was how clean the restroom was and how good it smelled. That's not enough reason to go back but I would if I couldn't find somewhere better. read more

Great crafted burgers and a great balance of meat to other ingredients. The Ramsay Pimento Cheese Burger was fantastic. I usually don't enjoy ice burg lettuce on a burger, but it was really great, paired with the aioli, pickles, and bacon. The house fries are also a great choice, and in general, some of the best in town. The Mac'n Cheese bites are fantastic! Great crunch and flavor when you bite into them. They are served with their house honey mustard and maple ketchup. Unfortunately, neither of them pair particularly well with the cheese bites. Definitely worth getting them to try! Good drafts available. I recommend the Blackberry Farm Saison, which is has a light profile with slightly complex overtones. I rate Burger Up as better than Burger Republic, and just shy of The Pharmacy. Best burger in 12th South! Other Notes: The service was great at the bar on a Saturday evening. Friendly staff. Bar itself seemed a little high from the height of the bar stools. Environment is nicely dimmed and they had great music selection through the entire night. No TVs. read more

See all

Bomb fucking dot com. It was amazing. Beer was fantastic and the burger was delightful. Service was top notch.

One of the best burgers I've ever eaten -- and I'm a burger aficionado. I went with their classic, old school burger: two patties, cheddar cheese, and shredded lettuce. The burger was actually kind of tiny but the two patties are pretty thick. Overall, it's not a massive burger but gets the job done. The flavors are on point and the patty itself had a great beef taste. I'd definitely come back here! read more

I got the lamb burger with added bacon on a jalapeño bun and truffle fries. Delish! My husband got the bison burger and asked for it medium rare but it was definitely more on the rare side but we were also too hungry to send it back. Brownie ice cream on top of the brownie a la mode was amazing. Cold ice cream melting on top of a warm ooey gooey brownie, need I say more? read more

Burger Up - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Sometimes word of mouth is enough to justify visiting a new restaurant you've never experienced. Some of you are basing your Fryday luncheons off of my reviews, I'm sure. If a place is really worthwhile, you'll see recommendation after review after praise, all from different sources. What's rare is what happens with Burger Up: not only are the glowing fry reviews all over the web, but almost every Nashville resident I passed by knew Burger Up, and advised me to check them out. It's not just that this burger joint is at the top of their game; their mission from the get-go was to foster an environment where people care about the quality food that they're eating and where its coming from, and with that goal in mind a thriving community formed around their business. That same shared group mindset formed into the Community Hospitality foundation, which has already spread across the city, and I could see taking hold across the country. Burger Up has two locations, the first being their original location in the quiet but chic 12 South neighborhood. Parking is unintimidating but slightly complicated, however there is an adorable hand drawn parking guide on their website which I advise you all to look at. There aren't any reservations available, and the dining room is usually full of people, but the bussing team is ninja-quick at cleaning tables so even if your wait time gets lengthy, the turn-around won't be. The wide windows welcome in the natural scenery whether you're sitting at the bar or in the dining room proper, and the hints of Southern pride don't distract from bed-and-breakfast aesthetic of the interior. But none of that matters. Let's get to the fries! The first thing you need to know about Burger Up's fries, in keeping with their informed community mission, is that they're fried in peanut oil. The second is that their portions are immense: each side comes in a washbasin of a bowl, which the staff don't mind splitting half-and-half for multiple styles of fries, but the on-plate portions are just as big. Definitely bring friends because even The Frequent Fryer couldn't singularly tackle the house fries ($4), sweet potato fries ($5), AND truffle fries ($6)! As an aside to the sides, Burger Up offers a house ketchup concoction that you'll find on every table as well as on the merchandise cart for $8. You might want to get a few bottles to mail away, because this sauce is unique. It contains soy and isn't gluten free (remember, mindfulness!), but it's an alternative to traditional ketchup that balances the tomato taste with the sweetness of a BBQ sauce. It's not too extreme of a difference, even if it takes a few fries to get used to. But the kicker is the secret ingredients mixed in: brown sugar and Coca-Cola! All of the fries are hand-cut into long imperfect shapes (ugly food tastes just as good!), and arrive warm enough to eat but not hot enough to burn. The regular house fries leave some skin on to help achieve a good crunch, but each fry varies in consistency from crisp to soft. Inside, the potato flesh melts away as soon as you taste it, which is great for not filling yourself up too quickly! Big salt crystals are scattered throughout, and the taste is simple and familiar enough to encourage you to try new sauces. The sweet potato fries taste like they're fresh from a barbecue, and I love them! The bright orange spuds you're used to seeing are hidden under a tough dark skin that looks burnt but actually gives them a smoky flavor that you have to try. The hard nut-like exterior will give you plenty to chew on, but underneath the fries are mildly sweet and soft. The salt in this batch isn't used for taste but as a necessity, like when you're baking with dark chocolate: it unifies the bittersweet flavors and makes a brief impression on your taste buds before the somber smoky aftertaste returns to linger on. The truffle fries don't provide anything new, but do an admirable job when combined with the great base house fries. The truffle oil seeps into the spuds for many juicy bites, though the whole dish becomes very wet (without being soggy) due to the oils and parmesan cheese. The green herbs are only minimally accounted for, but the cheese is grated to flavorful chunks instead of a fine powder. For only $2 extra, there are enough new ingredients to justify the change, but you can't really go wrong with any of these options! Final rating for house fries: 4.5/5 Spuds. Final rating for sweet potato fries: 5/5 Spuds. Final rating for truffle fries: 4/5 Spuds. read more

Burger Up - Final rating for house fries: 4.5/5 Spuds. Final rating for sweet potato fries: 5/5 Spuds. Final rating for truffle fries: 4/5 Spuds. - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Always a good staple burger around town. Burger Up gets pretty crowded at peak hours, but it's usually not too bad. The onion rings are pretty good, and so are their fries. Service can be a little iffy if they're busy, and sometimes they'll forget stuff on your order. Drinks are massively overpriced so don't go if you value your dollar. A little pricier than Pharmacy, but good burger overall. I always come here for special occasions, and I'll definitely be back soon. read more

The food here was good, but not great. Service was A++++. Our waiter was such a sweetie pie! We visited around Happy Hour, and the prices are reasonable, and the vibe of the place is quite lively! I got the Mac & Cheese bites ($6) which were fine, but again, I wasn't really impressed. I also got the Stiegl Radler Paloma drink ($7), which was actually really good! It was strong, and I love me some tequila! As for burgers, we got the Bison Burger ($13) and the Woodstock ($12). My sister was in loooove with both burgers, but I again didn't think it wasn't anything great! It was good, but I wouldn't order either burgers again. The fries were also only okay - I got regular and sweet potato fries. Not sure if I would visit the place again if I'm ever back in Nashville, but I'd say it's worth a visit. read more

See all

This food tastes so good. The drinks taste so good! I got the grapefruit cocktail and it was strong in all the right ways. The fries are great. The burgers are not to tall, so I can bite into it easily. I will definitely be returning. The icing on the cake was the homemade honey Dijon and ketchup. AMAZING BURGER AND FRIES! read more

Another great experience at Burger up tonight. We arrived at 6pm and seating was immediate. As always the ambiance and clientele was cool and service was attentive. I'm going to talk a little about why I liked tonight's visit but I'm also going to talk a little about the foibles of the current Nashville restaurant scene and why I think that Burger Up and other similar restaurants are viable concepts. [Sorry for the rant.] I've learned a few things about Burger Up. One is that there are no salt and pepper shakers on the table for a reason - they know how to season food. Secondly order their burgers. Finally you don't need condiments, order it the way it is on the menu - the food is designed with thought. So on to my next issue. Why are so many concepts failing now, particularly some that have notable chefs/restaurateurs behind them? One problem I see is lack of value - if I see the words "small plates" in reviews I will avoid those places like the plague. In English it means that you will either leave hungry or with a hole in your pocket. Small plate restaurants are a rip. Secondly I've seen some places with good chefs fail because the owner was an "absentee landlord." Take for example the burger place on Charlotte that failed or the so-called New Orleans concept that failed in Germantown - neither owner seemed particularly interested in their restaurant so they failed because of lack of attention. At least that's my observation - there will be more that will fail as well for this reason. Owning and running a successful restaurant is a full time gig, I was in that biz for fifteen years. So avoid the chicanery and go to places like Burger Up where you can get good value for your money. Avoid the cliche restaurants that will just take your money. Be careful out there. [End of rant.] read more

I wanted to give a shout out to Burger Up for online ordering and takeout service. We have not eaten in a restaurant since the pandemic began, but we use takeout services often. Burger Up filled our order correctly for my entire family, and it was ready at exactly the time the online order said it would be. This rarely happens, and we were so excited. The food was good too, as we knew it would be. read more

Burgers were amazing service was very kind and helpful seated us immediately I was not obsessed with the fries but would 100% go again ! Ambiance 8/10 just wish it was easier to read the menus it's pretty dark in there read more

This place is amazing.. unless you're a vegetarian or on a low fat diet... great people great food and drinks.. if you get a chance hit las paletas popsicles on the way in or out to finish off the experience. read more

Burger Up - Double bison burger - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

See all

The truffle fries are the best I have ever had! And their homemade sauces are amazing! The burgers are great, and we really enjoyed the Mac and cheese balls and fried pickles. read more

Great fries, order the sampler so you can try them all :) burgers are great too and lots of veggie options. Make sure to join the Yelp waitlist to avoid an hour and a half wait on weekends! read more

Bomb quinoa burger w house fries was a great vegi option! Also the house sauces (ketchup & yellow mustard) were really delish

Oh my wow! The Bacon they put on the burgers is worth a $20 up charge even if they only charge $2. We ordered four burgers and chicken fingers for the five of us there was nothing left on any plates! The waitress did a good job dealing with our random requests & allergies. We would definitely come back. We came in the rain and there was no wait. read more

I haven't been here in several years because I am still creeped out about what went down, not to mention my last experience was an encounter with a dry hockey puck. However, glad I went back to settle the score. It was actually decent. Service was good, kale salad- delish!! Patty melt was pretty good. Not Waffle House greasy good, but better than the other burger I tried there. It was their 4 year anniversary, so tried an appetizer special- fried Mac and cheese balls. While they were good- swimming in truffle oil like most things there. It's a known fact the smell of truffle will knock you in the face when you walk in the place. It wasn't my first choice, but it was a good experience this time. read more

Burger Up - Fried Mac and cheese balls- too much truffle oil - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee