A beef patty pressed onto shredded onions on an Oklahoma City flat-top griddle, caramelizing into a salty, sweet crust that defines Depression-era ingenuity.
Where to eat it: 2 restaurants across 2 cities.
The Oklahoma onion burger dates to the 1920s, when short-order cooks in western Oklahoma pressed shredded onions into thin beef patties on a flat-top griddle to stretch ground beef during hard times. The technique gained wide recognition in El Reno, where diners codified the style: onions smashed into raw beef so they caramelize into the meat. Tucker's Onion Burgers brought that tradition to OKC, preserving the flat-top method. El Reno hosts an annual onion burger festival, and Tucker's keeps the style alive with thin patties, American cheese, and a soft white bun.
Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy
Tip from the editors. Use a wide metal spatula and press firmly on the first smash so the onions bond with the meat and caramelize into the crust.
Tucker's Onion Burgers in Oklahoma City serves the Depression-era smash burger with thin beef patties, caramelized onions, and American cheese on a bun.
Order: Oklahoma onion smash burger; crispy tater tots
Tip: Expect a short wait at peak lunch hours. The 23rd Street location is the most local-feeling of the multiple OKC spots.
Oklahoma's iconic fried onion burger counter, serving smash burgers under ten dollars with onions caramelized right into the beef patty on a flattop griddle.
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