The Durham Burger You’re Not Eating (But ABSOLUTELY Should Be)

Durham just got a whole lot more dangerous for anyone who thinks they can eat “just one bite” of a burger.

QueenBurger launched first as a backyard‑style pop‑up during the pandemic, turning the team’s shuttered craft‑bar concept into a burger‑driven refuge full of crunchy 90s music and sizzling smash patties. 🍔🎶

The buzz built fast, helped along by word‑of‑mouth that kept repeating the same phrase: “it’s just a burger, but somehow it’s not.” 👀

That runaway popularity helped land QueenBurger on Indy Week’s Best New Restaurant radar and firmly planted it in the local conversation about Durham’s best burgers. 🏆

From there it was a short walk down the block to the American Tobacco Campus, where QueenBurger opened its first brick‑and‑mortar spot in 2023, just steps from Durham Bulls Athletic Park and a quick stroll from DPAC. ⚾🎭

Now neighbors, game‑day fans, and visiting food lovers line up early, not just for a quick bite, but for a full‑on burger experience paired with local craft cocktails, housemade lemonades, and a backyard‑party vibe you’d never expect from a fast‑casual burger bar. 🍹

Breakfast‑Style QueenBurger Wins 🥞🍔

QueenBurger’s menu is built around smash burgers, but the breakfast‑adjacent, hangover‑curing energy is strong, especially for travelers who consider a late‑morning burger a power move.

It’s the kind of place you hit after a night touring Durham’s bar scene—maybe grabbing cocktails at Kingfisher’s ground‑to‑glass basement bar or late‑night bites at Queeny’s—then wake up, wander back toward the ballpark, and reset your life with something cheesy, crunchy, and unapologetically indulgent.

Food Highlights

• Classic Burger: A double smash burger with grass‑fed Brasstown beef, Ashe County hoop cheese, griddled onions, house pickles, and special sauce on a soft bun that’s the benchmark burger that keeps locals loyal and gives visitors an immediate “Oh, this is why people talk about QueenBurger” moment. 🍔🧀

• Patty Melt: Two smashed beef patties piled with hoop cheddar, Swiss, griddled onions, and house melt sauce on buttery bread, a mouth-watering option that delivers a rich, diner‑style experience that feels tailor‑made for brunch‑hour cravings and post‑game hunger alike.

• PB&J Burger: A peanut butter‑topped smashed double with strawberry bacon pepper jam, onion, and hoop cheese many say is a playful special that’s the kind of boundary‑pushing burger that gets QueenBurger mentioned whenever people talk about creative burgers, not just in Durham, but across food‑obsessed North Carolina.

• Bird Dog: A buttermilk‑brined chicken tender on a pillow‑soft hot dog bun, topped with house pickles and Duke’s mayo, with the option to add house gochujang that is made to satisfy people who love crispy chicken, tangy pickles, and a subtle kick of heat that plays well at almost any time of day. 🍗

• Chicken Fingers & Fries: A basket of three hand‑breaded tenders with shoestring fries or tots, seasoned simply or with house fire spice which is a nostalgic, no‑wrong‑answers choice that’s perfect for sharing, for kids, or for grown‑ups chasing that classic comfort‑food fix.

Atmosphere

QueenBurger’s vibe channels a backyard cookout dropped right into the middle of Durham’s sleek American Tobacco District. 🌳

Inside, the space mixes casual counter‑service energy with a buzzy bar feel, helped by its connection to the cocktail‑savvy team behind Kingfisher and Queeny’s just a short walk away.

The atmosphere stays lively thanks to music, game‑day crowds, and a steady flow of locals pairing burgers with beers, cocktails, or zero‑proof sips before heading to Bulls games at DBAP.

Step outside, and you’re just moments from Bulls baseball, DPAC shows, and the rest of downtown’s food‑filled corridor, making QueenBurger feel like the unofficial pre‑game and pre‑show clubhouse.

Bottom Line

QueenBurger is a must‑visit for smash‑burger purists and brunch‑adjacent burger lovers alike.

You get local, grass‑fed beef, inventive specials like the PB&J Burger, and crave‑worthy sides that suit any time of day.

The location inside the American Tobacco Campus makes it a perfect launchpad for Bulls games, DPAC shows, or downtown wandering.

Add in cocktail‑bar DNA, fun frozen drinks, and a lively, backyard‑party vibe, and it’s easy to see why QueenBurger keeps “ruining” other burgers for people.

Address:

📞 +1-919-237-1978

🕔 Open daily, Mon, 11 AM-2:30 PM; Tue–Sun, 11:00 AM–8:00 PM