Get ready for the greasiest, most legendary burger experience in Kentucky! 🍔
Dovie’s has been serving up their unique deep-fried slugburgers since 1938 in tiny Tompkinsville, and this family-owned gem continues drawing hungry crowds from across the country.
With its vintage horseshoe counter and oil-drenched cooking method, this place delivers an unforgettable dining adventure that’ll have you planning your next visit before you finish your first bite! 🤠
How Dovie’s won local’s hearts
Dovie’s legendary status began when the original owner’s grandfather started serving burgers from a covered wagon in 1938, with his sister Dovie running the operation.
The unique cooking method – frying patties in about half an inch of soybean oil – creates an experience unlike anywhere else.
Locals have been coming their whole lives, with generations of families making Dovie’s a regular stop for their famous oil-soaked burgers. 🏆
The restaurant’s reputation spread through word-of-mouth and food critics who recognized the incredible flavor achieved through their three-grill process that moves patties through different temperatures.
Even after new ownership in 2025, sisters Holly and Heather have maintained every tradition, ensuring nothing changes about the beloved burger experience that earned them the title of Kentucky’s best hamburger in 2018 and 2019! 🎉
Food Highlights
- Squozed or Unsquozed Burger: The legendary slugburger made with beef and flour extenders, deep-fried in oil – order it “squozed” for drained patty or “unsquozed” for maximum grease! 💫
- Secret Sauce: A special blend of ketchup, mustard, and pickle juice that’s been the perfect complement to their burgers for decades
- Deep-Fried Hot Dogs: Crispy-charred dogs cooked in the same oil bath as the burgers, creating an incredible texture you won’t find elsewhere
- Traditional Breakfast: Full breakfast menu served daily that locals rave about – though the burgers steal the show! 🍳
Atmosphere
Step into this vintage diner and you’ll find yourself at the famous horseshoe counter that surrounds the cooking area, giving you front-row seats to watch the oil-frying action!
The bustling atmosphere features locals grabbing bags of burgers to go while others enjoy the intimate counter seating.
With awards and recognition covering the walls and the authentic RC Cola signs, this place oozes old-school charm that makes every visit feel like stepping back in time! 🕰️
Bottom Line
Visit for the legendary deep-fried burger experience, authentic 1930s atmosphere, friendly local crowd, secret sauce perfection, and unique cooking method you literally can’t find anywhere else! 🌟
Address: 107 W 4th St, Tompkinsville, KY 42167
📞 (270) 487-0696
🕔 Tue–Fri: 8:30 AM–3:00 PM, Sat: 8:30 AM–2:00 PM (closed Sun-Mon)