Here are Nashville’s best burgers under $10 right now

The easiest thing to put on a menu right now is a burger. The hardest thing is making one anyone remembers.

One of the best ways to do that is to deliver a killer burger at a good price. High-quality cheeseburgers for under $10 shouldn’t be a rarity, but increasingly they are.

In a city where $20 smashburgers are starting to feel normal, the sub-$10 burger has become something closer to a philosophy than a price point. Providing that service means tighter margins, stronger relationships with suppliers and, in some cases, a willingness to take a hit to keep something essential on the menu.

At Red Headed Stranger, that math gets even tighter. With Gifford’s bacon and Bear Creek beef, the $8 green chile cheeseburger is pushing the limits of what’s possible, even after a somewhat recent price bump.

"I’ve worked with both of them for over 10 years, between Butcher & Bee and Red Headed Stranger," co-owner Bryan Weaver said. "I think I get a pretty good price on the beef, which is a good starting point. There’s also very little waste."

The restaurant moves through a significant amount of bacon, which helps keep costs in check.

"So Gifford is willing to work with us," Weaver said. "Having good relationships with purveyors is a big part of being able to keep the price where it is."

Even then, the numbers do not fully pencil out. But the goal is not just to protect margins. It is to protect the kind of place Weaver said he set out to build.

"I wanted it to be sort of a diner, a neighborhood spot," he said. "I kind of do want to keep it in the single digits."

That tension shows up across the city. For restaurants willing to absorb the hit, a great, affordable burger is still one of the most effective ways to stand out. For diners, it is increasingly something to seek out while it still exists.

But when it works, it does exactly what a great burger should: it brings people back, again and again, not because it’s flashy, but because it delivers.

Here are just some of the Nashville restaurants with affordable, quality burgers.

Red Headed Stranger

Red Headed Stranger is best known for its tacos, but the green chile cheeseburger is reason enough to go. Made with Bear Creek beef, Gifford’s bacon, chopped Hatch chiles, American cheese and ranch on a potato roll, it’s not oversized, but it always hits, especially late at night. It’s also available at breakfast. At $8, it’s one of the best values in the city. 305 Arrington St.

Charmers

Charmers, a bar from the Peninsula crew in the Neuhoff District, keeps a tight menu: one of the best burgers in the city, salt and vinegar curly fries and some dipping sauces. It's more than enough. The $8 double smashburger comes topped with American cheese, onions and a bright, tangy gribiche sauce. 1316 Adams St.

Fly Pelican Fly

Fly Pelican Fly, tucked inside The Wash, comes from the East Side Banh Mi team and works as either a quick stop or a full hang. The cheeseburger is made with Bear Creek beef, American cheese and secret sauce on a Martin’s potato roll. It’s normally $13, but drops to $9 during “Flappy Hour” from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily. 1101 McKennie Ave., Bay 6.

Dreamburger

Dreamburger, parked at Vinyl Tap, turns out some of the crispiest smashburgers in town. The $10 Dreamburger stacks two patties with paper-thin sweet onions cooked into the beef, American cheese, pickles and a tangy, slightly smoky house sauce on a butter-toasted bun. You can go even cheaper with an $8 hamburger or $9 cheeseburger, and add crinkle-cut fries for $3. 2038 Greenwood Ave.

Bad Luck Burger Club

Bad Luck Burger Club operates out of a food truck and a window at Living Waters Brewing. The standard double comes with two smash patties, American cheese, grilled onions, pickles and lucky sauce. The Heckin’ Jalapeño burger, with fresh jalapeños, crispy fried onions and chipotle mayo, runs $10. The best deal is the “Lil Guy,” a $8 no-frills double with cheese. 918 Woodland St.; 4909 Indiana Ave.

Turkey and the Wolf Ice House

Turkey and the Wolf Ice House is known for its killer sandwiches, including the collard green melt, but the $9 “Mama Tried” burger keeps things straightforward. It’s a single patty with special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onion and tomato on a sesame seed bun. Grab a Coors Banquet for $4.50 or one of the house cocktails and settle at a table outside. 800 Meridian St.

Dino’s

Cook Logan Day prepares a chicken fried sandwich and a cheeseburger at Dino's Restaurant Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn.

Dino’s is one of Nashville’s essential dive bars, and the $8 cheeseburger is part of the reason why. It’s simple: melty cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles, served late into the night alongside $5 fries and grilled cheese. No tricks, just consistency. 411 Gallatin Ave.

Cledis

Cledis manages to keep prices low across three locations, including its Gulch outpost. The namesake burger is a half-pound patty with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and Cledis sauce for $8.99. You can go bigger with other options, but the simplest one is still the best value. 719 8th Ave. S; 1011 Elm Hill Pike; 7648 U.S. 70 S

Schulman’s

Schulman’s serves a stacked, straightforward cheeseburger for $9. Two patties come piled with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and special sauce. You can add chili or pastrami if you want to push it further, but it holds up just fine as is. Best enjoyed at the bar with a cold drink. 1201 Porter Road.

Brown’s Diner

Brown's Diner has been a staple in the Hillsboro area for decades, and now serves a new cocktail list in addition to breakfast all day.

Brown’s Diner has been doing this since 1927, and the formula hasn’t changed much. The cheeseburger, still under $10, comes with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion on a soft bun with pickles on the side. You can add bacon or avocado, but keeping it simple is the point — and why people keep coming back. 2102 Blair Blvd.