The 8 Absolute Best Cocktails To Order With Burgers

Burgers and cookouts go together like tacos and Cinco de Mayo. That combination just can't be beat. But no matter what entrée you choose for your meal, there's one more thing you'll need to make it complete: a drink with which to wash it all down. 

While there are definitely several beers that pair particularly well with a rich, thick burger, cocktails are a great choice as well. The only question is what kind? Should the drink be served up or on the rocks? Should it include bubbles? And what about the liquor? We spoke to five different experts who know their way around a drink-and-burger pairing to find out. 

Mia Mastroianni, "Bar Rescue" consultant; Desmond Edson, lead bartender at the California Surf Club; Brynn Smith, bar director at Bar Next Door; Eddie Gonzalez, bar manager at Oy Bar; and Glen Will, spirits manager at Muskellounge and Sporting Club, all know immediately what they would reach for when enjoying a burger and fries. These drinks run the gamut from whiskey to gin. Some have bubbles and some don't. Read on to see which cocktails made the list so that you can enjoy the perfect drink the next time you're grilling up your favorite burger.

Tequila cocktails, like a margarita or Bloody Maria, may seem like the perfect choice for a taco or burrito, but both Mia Mastroianni, "Bar Rescue" consultant, and Desmond Edson, lead bartender at the California Surf Club, believe they also happen to go really well with a nice, juicy hamburger. 

Margaritas are typically made with a 2-1-1 ratio of tequila, lime juice, and simple syrup. Both bartenders cite the bright citrus as the reason it's their go-to. "The margarita works well because it is so citrus forward and the acidity of the lime juice helps to cut through the fats of a burger," Mastroianni says, also admitting that this drink can be "really refreshing at a summer BBQ." 

Edson concurs with Mastroianni about the lime juice but goes further, adding that "the salt rim enhances the savory flavors in much the same way seasoning does in food." While you could use a reposado or añejo for your margarita, Edson prefers to use a blanco tequila. "[Its] crisp, citrus-forward profile keeps the pairing fresh and balanced," he says.

Brynn Smith, bar director at Bar Next Door, craves a clean and crisp martini with a burger and fries. There are numerous martini variations you could pair with your burger, but Smith says she prefers a dry martini. A dry martini, especially if it's ice-cold, will definitely fulfill that promise of a clean flavor, but more importantly, it won't muddy the flavors of the rich burger and salty fries. Instead, the classic cocktail will complement the dish while being a tasty tipple. 

If you do decide to sip a martini with your burger, there are still a few more choices to make before you sit down to enjoy your meal. First, there's the spirit. You could go with either vodka or gin, but Smith says she prefers a gin martini. Then there's the style of gin. While you could go with a Plymouth or Navy strength, Smith admits she always makes hers with a London dry. 

A burger accompanied by a side of fries or onion rings tends to be a heavier meal. This is why Mia Mastroianni likes to pair it with a lighter beverage. "Carbonated beverages are certainly lighter in style, and also aid in cleansing the palate, but when I don't feel like a beer, my go-to order is most definitely a Moscow mule," she says. "It's light, refreshing, and ginger beer is sharp enough in flavor without overpowering any pairing, and isn't too heavy on the stomach."

Besides the lightness, Moscow mules are also very simple. "I tend to think that simple cocktails work best with burger pairing — it isn't the time to overcomplicate a drink with complex ingredients — give me the cut of some citrus and some crisp bubbles and I'm good to go," she says. It can be built right in that shiny copper mug and calls for only a few ingredients. Sure, you can spice it up if you like your drinks to have a little more zip, but even with an extra ingredient or two, this cocktail is still easy to make, so it's easy to see why Mastroianni believes it's the perfect choice for a burger. 

When it comes to cocktails and red meat, Eddie Gonzalez, bar manager at Oy Bar, prefers a drink made with whiskey. "I think the red meat really ties in well with the whiskey cocktail," he says. Considering the bar manager is a self-proclaimed "whiskey nerd," it's no surprise that he pointed to a whiskey-based cocktail as his drink of choice when enjoying a burger. His first choice after a long day is an old fashioned because, as he says, "it chills you out."

There are several different twists you could try when preparing your old fashioned, including switching out the type of whiskey you use. Gonzalez says he always opts for bourbon, so if you choose to follow suit, make sure you always use the best bourbon and balance the ingredients to create the perfect old fashioned. However you prepare this classic, he admits that when "paired with the burger, which to me is comfort food, I think [an old fashioned] is the perfect pairing after a nice long day at work."

One cocktail with plenty of acidity is the Paloma. "When pairing cocktails with a burger, acidity is king," says Desmond Edson. "A great burger is rich [and] savory, so the best cocktails provide contrast through citrus, carbonation, or subtle bitterness rather than sweetness." Both he and Mia Mastroianni believe the Paloma absolutely fits that bill. "A Paloma is a great option because not only does the grapefruit provide acidity, but the carbonation from the soda is a natural palate cleanser," says Mastroianni.

Crafting a Paloma is pretty easy, since, similar to the margarita, it uses tequila and a little lime juice as its base. But then the drink is topped with grapefruit soda. Sometimes, for those who really love grapefruit, grapefruit juice is added as well. The grapefruit soda is what Edson believes pairs so well with a burger. "The grapefruit provides a refreshing bitter-citrus contrast that cleanses the palate between bites, preventing the meal from feeling too heavy," he says. "The carbonation from the grapefruit soda also helps lift and refresh the palate, making each bite taste as vibrant as the first."

While a zesty Paloma is typically made with tequila, you can also use mezcal as its base. It provides a smokiness that Glen Will says "[plays] well" with a rich, meaty burger. 

If your favorite whiskey is a smoky scotch, Eddie Gonzalez recommends pairing a Penicillin with your hamburger. That recommendation might seem like blasphemy since scotch is typically enjoyed neat or on the rocks, but if you're a cocktail fan, the Penicillin is one cocktail where it's okay to add a few extra ingredients. Those extra ingredients are actually why Gonzalez says it pairs so well with a hamburger. "If I'm looking for something a little more citrusy, something like a Penicillin would be fantastic." 

The citrus Gonzalez is referring to is likely the healthy dose of fresh lemon juice. But that shot of citrus isn't the only reason this drink makes a great burger partner. It's the fresh ginger-honey syrup as well. "The spiciness just pairs well with those pickles on the burger and the smokiness of a charcoal burger, I just think pairs incredible," he says.

While both the lemon juice and syrup are important parts of the Penicillin equation, it's the smoky scotch that makes this cocktail so unique. Not only is the spirit shaken with all the ingredients in a shaker, once strained into a rocks glass, an extra shot of Islay scotch is floated on top, creating a drink that Gonzalez says "pairs well with the flavor profile [of the burger]."

Bubbles are a popular choice for pairing with a burger because the carbonation helps clean your palate between each bite. But there's no hard and fast rule about what form that carbonation must take. Sure, soda is the obvious choice, but it's not the only choice. In fact, Brynn Smith says she'd opt for a delicious Champagne cocktail, like an Old Cuban, since it's "a little more elevated with the lime, [Angostura bitters], mint, and champagne." 

The Old Cuban was originally created by Audrey Saunders as a riff on the classic mojito. Saunders chose to swap out club soda for Champagne and add a couple of dashes of Angostura bitters to create this modern classic. Those simple changes created a sparkling cocktail that Smith shares goes well with a burger. "A little effervescence with citrus and [Angostura bitters] will dance nicely on the palate in between each bite," she says.

For those who like frothy drinks, a classic whiskey sour is definitely the way to go. When made correctly, you end up with a cocktail that's a little sweet, a little sour, and, according to Eddie Gonzalez, has a "nice, beautiful silkiness."

The recipe first appeared in 1862 when famed bartender Jerry Thomas included it in his book, "How to Mix Drinks." It also happens to be one of Gonzalez's favorite whiskey cocktails. "It was the first cocktail that got me into whiskey," he says. It's always high on his list of favorite whiskey drinks. Gonzalez confides that for him, it's all about that egg white. "When done well, hearts beat," he says.

But that's not the only reason Gonzalez believes it pairs so well with a burger; the citrus juice is a big factor as well. "I think that sour cuts through the fattiness of a burger," he says. While lemon juice is usually used to create this classic, lime or orange can be substituted in a pinch to create a stunning sour cocktail.