Yesterday, we revealed that Slowboat has regained its title as the 2026 Juicy Burger Cup Champion. However, we are pleased to announce a second champion: Side Street! This venue was honored as the champion by our Burger Expert Panel, which you can learn more about here.
Following the panel's rankings, Side Street edged out Slowboat, the people's champion, by a slim margin in one of the closest evaluations we've ever recorded.
Why do we have two systems? Because each has its flaws when used independently. An expert panel can be perceived as elitist and disconnected from what average diners desire. Conversely, a popular vote can be influenced by populism, get-out-the-vote efforts, and ballot tampering. By combining both approaches, we strive for a more accurate overall view.
While there was a consensus regarding the top two spots, with Side Street and Slowboat ranked #1 or #2 by most panelists, notable discrepancies were observed beyond the leaders.
The largest disparity was seen with Wolfgang's Steakhouse, which was highly rated by experts at #5, while readers placed it at #18. In contrast, readers greatly favored Beersmith Gastropub, ranking it #3, while experts assigned it #15.
A few other establishments also exhibited significant differences in ratings. Experts assessed Burge's Bistro and Bar, Slider Nation, and Huddler Diner and Bar higher than the readers did, while the general public preferred Great Leap Brewing, Goose Island Taproom, and Plan B over the expert rankings.
Aside from these variations, there was considerable agreement between the two groups, with most venues landing within a few ranking positions of one another.
Some venues received first-place votes from expert panelists, indicating that the experts recognized a broader selection among the top contenders: Burge's Bistro and Bar, Wild Kite Brewing, Wagyu Kaiju, Q Mex, Home Plate BBQ, Great Leap Brewing, and Goose Island Taproom.
When it came to the race for the top two, experts were almost evenly divided, with thirteen out of the 21 panelists naming either Side Street or Slowboat in their top two.
The complete top 20 rankings by experts, along with the reader rankings in brackets, are as follows:
1. Side Street (#2)
2. Slowboat (#1)
3. Wild Kite Brewing (#6)
4. Burge's Bistro And Bar (#9)
5. Wolfgang's Steakhouse (#18)
6. Jing-A Brewing Co (#5)
7. Wagyu Kaiju (#4)
8. Slider Nation (#14)
9. Q Mex Bar And Grill (#8)
10. Huddler Diner and Bar (#16)
11. WhyNot (#15)
12. Home Plate BBQ (#10)
13. Great Leap Brewing (#7)
14. Circle Burger (#11)
15. Beersmith Gastropub (#3)
16. Goose Island Taproom (#12)
17. Deli NYC (#17)
18. Plan B (#13)
19. Rich Burger (#20)
20. Take A Bite (#19)
Unsung Heroes
We also asked the Expert Panel for their "Unsung Heroes" — establishments that didn’t make the Top 20 but still deserve recognition. Here are the venues they highlighted, along with their final reader rankings in brackets:
- Overtone Taproom (Reader Rank: #21)
- Hunger Dog (Reader Rank: #22)
- Dosh Gastropub (Reader Rank: #26)
- Blue Frog (Reader Rank: #27)
- The Cheesecake Factory (Reader Rank: #30)
- Commune Reserve (Reader Rank: #33)
- Trips Burger (Reader Rank: #37)
- Burp (Reader Rank: #48)
- Steak Factory (Reader Rank: #50)
- Burning Wood BBQ (Reader Rank: #59)
- Wake and Bite (Reader Rank: #61)
- The Roots (unranked)
- 桔Taproom (unranked)
These locations may not have reached the Top 20, but the experts believe they merit a visit. Sometimes, the most delightful meals are those found off the main road.
READ: Slowboat Reclaims the Throne in 2026 Juicy Burger Cup
Slowboat secured the People's Championship, while Side Street asserts the Expert's title.
