Every January, Sioux Falls is transformed into a burger lovers paradise as a number of establishments pull out all of the stops for the Downtown Sioux Falls annual Burger Battle.

To say that the idea has caught on is an incredible understatement as a record number of restaurants are vying for the top burger crown in 2022.

Each of the 27 burgers is graded by the public in five different categories:

  • Patty
  • Bun
  • Toppings
  • Creativity
  • Customer Service
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Tommyjack's - 'Big Popper'
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The latest stop on our burger tour of downtown is Tommyjack's for the 'The Big Popper' burger.

The official description of the 'Seasoned fresh hand pattied burger, served on a local bakery bun, topped with bacon, a cream cheese blend, pepper jack cheese, house-made ranch dressing & fresh sliced jalapenos.'

When I first read about this burger I had two concerns:

1) I am not a big fan of cream cheese, especially something smothered in the white stuff.

2) Several people I know do not care for jalapenos and make sure to have them removed from anything they eat.

Imagine my surprise when neither one of these was an issue here.

What looked like an excessive amount of cream cheese and jalapenos turned out to be just the right amount of both.

The cream cheese was blended in a way to take some of the edge off and the peppers, minus the spicy seeds, were cooked to perfection and added just a hint of spice to this burger, which turned out to be the most pleasant surprise of the several that I sampled on this year's burger battle.

The scorecard:

  • Patty (5)
  • Bun (4)
  • Toppings (5)
  • Creativity (4)
  • Customer Service (5)

You can vote on any or all of the burgers by downloading the DTSF Digital Passport to your mobile device.

Tour of the 2022 Downtown Sioux Falls Burger Battle

The 9th Annual Downtown Burger Battle begins January 1, 2022 and runs through the entire month.

This year there are 27 participating restaurants. I hope you have some stretchy pants!


If you've never participated in the Downtown Burger Battle, this is how it works:











  1. Review the participating restaurants and their burgers
  2. Make sure you check their schedule and hours before you go
  3. Go to one of the restaurants
  4. Eat the burger
  5. Use the DTSF Digital Passport to vote and rate the burger
  6. Repeat 26 more times
  7. And you could win prizes
  8. And you help one downtown restaurant win the Burger Battle and reign supreme for one whole year!
Voting criteria consist of patty, creativity, toppings, bun, and customer service.

Here's the complete list of all 27 entries in the 2022 Burger Battle in Sioux Falls:

  • Blarney Stone Pub: Raspberry Jalapeno Popper Burger
    An 8 oz. Certified Angus Beef Patty on top of Beer Battered Jalapeno slices. Served on a toasted Potato Bun. Topped with Roasted Jalapeno & Garlic Cream Cheese, Smoked Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, Fried Onions, and our Signature Raspberry Chipotle’ Sauce. Accompanied with a pickle and your choice of a side.
  • Boki European Street Food: The Euro Burger (REVIEW)
    An 8 oz. Certified Angus Beef Patty topped with strips of gyro meat. Toppings include lettuce, pickle, tomato, onions, mushrooms. All finished off with feta cheese and optional tzatziki sauce. Served with fresh-cut curly fries.
  • Bread & Circus Sandwich Kitchen: When In Rome
    Toasted pine nut infused Angus patty, herbed goat cheese, Duxelles, balsamic plum sauce, arugula, whole grain bun from Look’s Bakehouse.
  • Chef Lance’s on Phillips: The Tuscany Burger (REVIEW)
    1/2 lb. fresh Certified Angus ground beef topped with fresh arugula, balsamic vinegarette, basil pesto, heirloom tomatoes, fontina cheese, Genomi salami, and garlic mayo all on a sun-dried tomato and basil toasted Breadsmith custom bun. Served with a side of Chef Lance’s handmade tots and a side of Sriracha ranch.
  • Crave – Sioux Falls: The Elvis Impersonator (REVIEW)
    A 7oz burger seasoned and grilled to perfection, topped with cheddar cheese, chopped candied bacon, Thai chili peanut butter, sweet fried plantains, chopped peanuts, and our signature salted bourbon caramel! All on a salt and pepper bun.
  • Crawfords: The Boujee Burger
    Bacon-crusted burger, bleu cheese fondu, butter lettuce, beefsteak tomato, red wine braised onions, fried shallot, and mustard caviar. Served with or specialty pommes gaufrettes.
  • DaDa Gastropub: Meatloaf Burger
    Meatloaf burger, cheese sauce, bacon, pickled vegetables, house BBQ
  • Sunny Pizzeria at EightyOne Arcade Bar: Homer’s in Heaven
    1/3 lb. all-beef patty, applewood smoked bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, jalapeno pepper jelly on a toasted glazed Flyboy donut – an altogether sweet, decadent and meaty treat. Comes with a side of chips.
  • Falls Landing Bar & Grill: Southbound Burger
    Signature brisket chuck blend patty, topped with homemade pimento cheese, sweet and spicy bacon, romaine lettuce, and a drizzle of bayou burger sauce. Served with pepper slaw and cajun waffle fries.
  • Fernson Downtown: Murph Burg (REVIEW)
    1/3 lb patty, bacon jam, American, swiss, house sauce, lettuce & onion on a toasted brioche bun
  • Holiday Inn City Centre: The ARC
    Wagyu Beef, Bison, Elk, and Wild Boar patty is served on a bed of Romesco sauce and portobello mushrooms sauteed in red wine. The Burger is then topped with provolone cheese, pickled red onions, fried spinach, and garlic crunch dished up on a toasted butter Brioche bun. Perfectly paired with a side fresh Lobster Mac. No substitutions.
  • JL Beers Sioux Falls: GochuJANG’S All Here Burger (REVIEW)
    The gang is all here on our fresh-tasting Korean BBQ-inspired burger that is made with gochujang BBQ sauce, shredded cabbage, bacon, cilantro, onions, and banana peppers on a quarter-pound patty. It’s a little sweet, a little tangy, and just a little spicy.
  • Leonardo’s Café at the Washington Pavilion: Slap Crispy Cajun Burger
    A thin layer of beef patties “slapped” on the grill, season with our own Cajun spices and three blended cheese grilled directly on the flat top, the patty and cheese create a great lovely texture and flavor. An Urnebes (toned down just a little) base sauce, bib lettuce, tomatoes and all on a Leo’s Brioche Bun.
  • M.B. Haskett Delicatessen: M.B. Haskett Patty Melt
    5.5 oz grass-fed and finished ground beef patty from Berrybrook Organics on Breadico rye bread, with sauteed onions, gruyere and cheddar cheese, Dijon mustard and mayonnaise.
  • MacKenzie River Pizza, Grill & Pub: Rise & Shine
    ½ lb all-beef burger, brown sugar bacon, crunchy deep-fried jalapeños, fried egg & cheddar on a brioche bun.
  • Minervas: The Local (REVIEW)
    Hadrich Ranch Faulkton, SD beef, Breadsmith peppercorn bun, Dimock 4 year aged cheddar, Dakota Hub bib lettuce and red onions, Fruit of the Coop egg mayo
  • Monks Ale House: Salt of the Earth (REVIEW)
    Potato Bun, Tarragon Aioli, Lettuce, Tomato, Certified Angus Beef, House-made Bacon, Dakota Mushroom Trumpets, Herbed Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese
  • Ode to Food & Drinks: Black & Bleu Wagyu (REVIEW)
    1/3 lb house-ground Wagyu patty with blackened seasoning, house-made chunky bleu cheese dressing, Cajun bacon, Cajun aioli, fried onion strings on a toasted egg bun. Served with choice of sidekick {fries, roasted sweet potatoes, soup, cucumber salad, garden salad, Caesar salad, garlic mashed potatoes, sweet potato chips}
  • Papa Woody’s: The Trail Boss (REVIEW)
    1/2 lb Beef and Brisket patty topped with a hunk of hand-cut potato, sautéed diced onions carrots, celery, and then smothered with cheddar and Jack cheese. All piled high on a hearty Kaiser Bun and served with a dunk of Cookies Chuckwagon Gravy. Three wagon rings (onion rings) and a handful of trail nuggets (garlic cheese curds) finish off your dusty trail experience
  • Parker’s Bistro: Raja Burger
    Ground tenderloin, Mexican melting cheese, Huitacoche, pickled poblano, house bacon, chicharron
  • PAve: Le Fred. Loosely translated to “The Fred” (REVIEW)
    Prime rib beef blend, candied bacon, pickled onions, butter lettuce, roasted pepper cheese sauce, cajun aioli, on a buttered brioche bun
  • Phillips Avenue Diner: Fat Randy (REVIEW)
    A classic beef burger topped with fries, cheese curds, and pulled pork on a toasted brioche bun with a side of beef gravy. Served with choice of side.
  • Remedy Brewing Company: The Queen Bee Burger (REVIEW)
    A 1/3 pound hand pattied burger with black truffle roasted garlic aioli, butter bibb lettuce, Queen Bee braised onions, swiss cheese, potato chips, and Queen Bee honey mustard, all on a toasted black garlic parmesan bun. Comes with a side of potato chips.
  • Swamp Daddy’s: Banging 105 Burger (REVIEW)
    A patty blend of tender short rib chunks and seasoned ground beef and American wagyu topped with smoked gouda cheese, smoked peppered bacon, collards greens, cornbread battered onion strings, lettuce, tomato, and finally drizzled with creamy red wine demi-glace. Served on a roasted red pepper aioli toasted salt and pepper sesame seed bun and with our hand-cut seasoned chips.
  • The Treasury at Hotel on Phillips: The Grifter
    6oz Hand Pattied Dry Aged Black Angus Beef, Tallegio Cheese, Double Smoked Applewood Bacon, Korean Cucumber Salad with Honey & Kimchi Vinaigrette, Gochuchang Mayo. Served on Black Sesame Seed Brioche Bun.
  • TommyJack’s Pub: The Big Popper (REVIEW)
    Seasoned fresh hand pattied burger, served on a local bakery bun, topped with bacon, a cream cheese blend, pepper jack cheese, house-made ranch dressing & fresh sliced jalapenos
  • Wileys: The 605 (REVIEW)
    8oz patty ground in house from tenderloin filet and brisket, topped with candied bacon, Carmel apple relish, Stenslands cheese curds, and finished with a homemade caramel Chipotle drizzle, served on a toasted bun. Comes with a choice of fries, sweet potato fries, or onion rings.

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