Forkelo ranking · Updated October 2026
9 smashburgers across San Francisco, ranked on what people say about the dish itself — never the restaurant's overall rating.
Hamburguesa Bar · SoMa
18 dish-specific mentions · 89% positive · 2 source types · menu verified October 2026
Double smash under melted pepper jack, roasted Hatch chiles, chile jam and lime crema. Critics call it the bar's best burger; some find it heavy and not crispy.
Smish Smash · SoMa
28 dish-specific mentions · 82% positive · 2 source types · menu verified October 2026
Lacy, ultra-thin patties with caramelized onions and a Big Mac-style sauce at a Saluhall counter. Fans call it the city's best; critics say the sauce runs heavy and greasy.
The Butcher Shop by Niku Steakhouse · Design District
15 dish-specific mentions · 87% positive · 3 source types · menu verified October 2026
Saucy two-patty wagyu smash from a steakhouse butcher counter, often called the best in SF. Pricey; a few found it basic, dry or salty.
Lovely's · Cole Valley
9 dish-specific mentions · 89% positive · 2 source types · menu verified October 2026
Juicy grass-fed smash with schmaltz onions, special sauce and a soft sesame bun in Cole Valley. One diner missed crispy edges; it can run wet.
Maillards - Noriega · Outer Sunset
19 dish-specific mentions · 79% positive · 2 source types · menu verified October 2026
Crisp, deeply browned patties with Thai chili aioli, fried shallots and a ginger herb salad. Many call it the best in town; a few found it dry, salty or over-charred.
The Laundromat · Outer Richmond
21 dish-specific mentions · 71% positive · 3 source types · menu verified October 2026
Wednesday-only double smash with deep crust, special sauce and potato salad; long lines. Several diners found it too salty, heavy or not worth the wait.
10 dish-specific mentions · 90% positive · 2 source types · menu verified October 2026
Cheesy smash with grilled onions and a sesame-kimchi aioli on a milk-bread-soft bun at a SoMa weekday lunch counter. Edges are not crispy.
Flats Burgers · Excelsior
8 dish-specific mentions · 75% positive · 1 source type · menu verified October 2026
Juicy double smash with a tangy thousand island sauce, the most liked burger at this Excelsior bar counter. Some find the patty bland and the bun dry.
Burger Littles · Embarcadero
10 dish-specific mentions · 60% positive · 2 source types · menu verified October 2026
Hard-seared thin patties with caramelized onions and classic condiments at an Embarcadero counter. Some find the onions mushy and the patties dry.
Every score is built from evidence about the specific dish: how often locals recommend it, how strongly, how recently, and whether independent sources agree. A restaurant's overall star rating is never converted into a dish score.
Quality and confidence are reported separately. A dish two people loved can score high, but it is marked limited data until more evidence backs it up. The whole calculation — every constant, and three dishes worked through line by line — is written out on the methodology page.
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