Dave Spencer’s 5 Favorite Cheeseburgers in Owensboro

Happy National Cheeseburger Day! What are YOU having for dinner?

I'm ranking my Five Favorite Cheeseburgers in Owensboro, but, honestly, I'd be happy to eat ANY ONE of them for dinner today.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I prefer hamburgers to cheeseburgers only because my absolute favorite way to eat a burger is with pickle, onion, ketchup, and mustard. And I don't like condiments touching cheese. So if I eat a cheeseburger, it will always be plain. And that's fine. If you have the right burger, eating it plain with cheese totally works.

Here we go:

1. Old Hickory

I'm learning that I'm not the only who discovered something ELSE that was incredibly delicious on the Old Hickory menu besides barbecue. In fact, the other day I was driving by and was hungry and remembered their burgers. Had to do it.

2. The Big Dipper

Do you know how long it was before I actually HAD a Big Dipper burger? I was an adult...in my 30s. Yep. I've always been a grilled tuna sandwich/pig in a blanket guy. I've since added "burger" to that nickname. I've never understood how different burgers can be from place to place since it SEEMS like it's pretty much cut and dried how you make them. But that's HARDLY an issue if they taste like they do at the Dipper.

3. JD's

When I go to JD's, I'm typically there getting a plate lunch special. But their hamburgers and cheeseburgers are NEVER to be overlooked. Absolutely delicious.

4. Gary's Drive-In

I grew up not too far from here and used to ride my bike over and get cheeseburgers. That's back when it was Carl's. When it became Gary's several years, it didn't miss a beat. It really never has. The burgers are simply amazing.

5. Wonder Whip

Thank heavens for Wonder Whip if I'm on the east side of town and start craving a burger. Kind of like Chad, I remember this place very well from my childhood. My parents had good friends who lived in a nearby neighborhood and we'd visit Wonder
Whip often because of it.

Bonus points for the picnic tables on a nice day. (Just like the Dipper.)

HONORABLE MENTION (from WAY outside the tri-state area):

I'm including this because I can. This isn't a quick drive at all. But the cheeseburger I had here blew my mind, so I have it a little love. I'm talking about Wahlburger's at Mall of America in Minneapolis. I was up there last month and couldn't wait to get to Wahlburger's. I was NOT disappointed. That IS an understatement.

There are also some great burgers that WOULD'VE made the list, but the places that made them no longer exist.

I'm looking at you, Dennis & Akers Drugstore lunch counter, Kresge's, and Ferrell's (well, it's not here in Owensboro anymore.)

Enjoy National Cheeseburger Day!