Customers Can't Get Enough Of This Denver Restaurant That Puts Chiles Rellenos On Burgers

Every citizen in your city probably has an opinion on the best restaurant in town. Your neighbor might recommend the family-owned Italian joint across the street, but your coworker might argue that the Mexican chain by the mall really knows how to whip up birria tacos. Meanwhile, you're out here vouching for the Chinese takeout restaurant on the other side of town with spring rolls that are worth the drive every time. Denver residents, on the other hand, have come together to agree on one thing: The Cherry Cricket knows how to make a darn good burger.

While customers gush about many of The Cherry Cricket's burgers, they especially can't get enough of patties topped with chile rellenos. The restaurant allows customers to custom-build a burger with several toppings, such as chile rellenos, or gives the option of the specialty 303 Green Chile Relleno burger, which consists of a 1/2 pound Cricket Burger, white cheddar cheese, chile relleno, and pork green chili — here's a recipe for oven-roasted chile rellenos and tomatillo salsa, in case you're craving it now. 

"I had trouble picturing a burger with a chile relleno on it, but had no trouble eating it," said one customer on Tripadvisor, continuing that the burger was simply "excellent." Another customer on Tripadvisor stated The Cherry's Cricket's chile relleno burger "may have been the best burger [they] have ever eaten."

The Cherry Cricket's 303 Green Chile Relleno burger is famous not only by word of mouth, but through the winning of the Denver Burger Battle's Judge's Choice Award in 2019, a competition that the restaurant takes very seriously. In fact, several of The Cherry Cricket's burgers have won Denver Burger Battle awards, such as the Cry Baby burger in 2024, the Cricket Royale burger in 2023, the 983 Big Cheesy burger in 2022, the 720 Jammin' Poblano burger in 2021, and the Vera Cruz burger in 2016. The Cherry Cricket's burgers are topped with wild finishes like ancho apricot barbecue spread, grilled pineapple, and even Cheddar jalapeño Cheetos (which makes us wonder if Cheetos are technically chips). Beyond burgers, the restaurant also dishes out sandwiches, wraps, and a long list of sides.

Since 1945, The Cherry Cricket has become a staple of the Colorado community. The restaurant currently operates four locations, with the most recent opening in August of 2025. Once known as "Mary Zimmerman's Bar" (after the original owner), the eatery went through a name change to The Cherry Cricket back in 1950, as well as several changes in ownership. But, it has remained popular, even making an appearance on the Food Channel in 2009 for its burgers. Given the opinions of Denver residents and the sheer number of awards this place has accumulated, we'd say it earned its spot on our list of the 22 best restaurants in Denver for good reason.