Green County’s Best Burger Contest 2026
*Voting runs from April 1 to July 31
Monroe
Baumgartner's Cheese Store & Tavern — American Burger
Bennett’s Junction House — Some Gouda Lovin’ Burger
Buggywork's Public House — Buckin’ Brisket Burger
Bullet’s Restaurant — Wonton Burger
Cactus Co. Booze N’ Bites — Sun Kissed Tuscan
Devon’s Friendly Inn — Cowboy Butter Burger
Jailhouse Tap — The Bourbon Convict
Leisure Lanes — PB & J Burger
Minhas Kitchen — Huber Bock Bacon Beer Cheese Burger
Suisse Haus Food & Spirits — Banger Burger
Swiss Alps Restaurant — The Wurst Burger
The Depot Bar — The Cheezy Burger
The Fat Badger Pub & Grill — The Mulligan
The Horseshoe Saloon — Stay Awhile Burger
Vince’s Restaurant & Pizzeria — The Don Vince Burger
Brodhead
Bridges Bar & Grill — The Ultimate Patty
Villa Pizza Inn — Bella Sunrise Burger
Browntown
Schwartz’s Ol Grizzly — The Big Anne
The Holler Inn — Trail Boss
Monticello
Pink Heifer Saloon & Smokehouse — The C.K. Smasher
New Glarus
Kleeman’s Bar & Grill — Morning After Burger
Ohana Kitchen — Year One Burger
Ott Haus Pub and Grill — Honey Badger
Sportsman’s Reloaded Bar & Grill — The Farmhand
MONROE — Burger fans are back in force for the annual Best Burger Contest, promoted each year by Green County Beef Producers, and culminating in the giant spatula first-prize being awarded at the producers’ steak fry in August.
The entries are as varied this year as at any other time — from Buggywork's Public House’s offering featuring smoked brisket and onion rings to Leisure Lane’s PB&J Pretzel Burger with bacon and cheddar. And then there is the Honey Badger Burger at the Ott Haus Pub — it’s got bacon, Havarti, fried pickles; all smothered in Hot Honey Aioli.
“It was fantastic,” said one area burger lover, posting on social media.
Also new is the contest promoter — after being led for a decade by the eponymous Nellie McDermott. The new burger boss is Monroe area beef producer Madison Katzenberger, who said anything that promotes beef is very welcome, but especially in a tumultuous market year for U.S. agriculture.
After being extended by an extra month last year, the contest continues to be hugely popular and a big boost to barkeeps and restaurants after a long winter slowdown. It also gives patrons a chance to enjoy their creation at one of the many locations that have outside dining options.
More than 6,000 burgers were sold in the 2025 contest, and over 140 people visited all 22 locations and cast over 400 votes. And so last year, about 600 more burgers were cooked, lovingly assembled; and happily, sold by bars and restaurants across Green County — compared to 2024s 5,400-burger total. Best Burger destinations abound in Monroe itself, but there are also very competitive entries from Brodhead, Browntown, Monticello, and New Glarus.
“I think we’re up to now 24 businesses, so the extra month has really helped,” said Katzenberger. “They really have gotten a lot out of this promotion and seem to be glad to be a part of it.”
There were also $1,900 in prizes given away at the well-attended Burger Contest Ceremony last year at the Steak Out.
At the helm of her first contest, Katzenberger said she is impressed by the diversity and creativity of entries appealing to varied tastes.
“Some of them have gotten pretty crazy,” she said.
