Cincinnati Burger Week is back, bringing $6 beefy bites (plus plenty of vegetarian options) from nearly 100 different local restaurants to the hungry mouths of the Queen City. The week-long event begins July 12 and continues through July 18.

Participants can snag a Burger Passport and receive stamps for each restaurant they visit. Collect at least 5 stamps and be eligible for a very special grand prize drawing featuring the Ultimate Grill Out, Jack Daniels swag and $250 in gift cards.

And with so many excellent options to choose from, we decided to put together some stand-out and over-the-top creations that burger fanatics won’t want to miss (although all of the participants will be slinging some mouthwatering burgs). Here’s a list of the most creative burgers you will find during Cincinnati’s 2021 Burger Week.

See the full list of Burger Week participants here. 

Agave & Rye Multiple locations including 3825 Edwards Road, Rookwood; 635 Madison Ave., Covington; 7125 Fountain View Drive, Liberty Township THE BABY GOT MAC!: Two burgers smashed together, topped with mac and cheese, caramelized onion and tomato sauce, fried tobacco onions, served on a brioche bun spread with spicy roasted garlic aioli.
Keystone Bar & Grill Multiple locations including 313 Greenup St., Covington; 3384 Erie Ave., Hyde Park; 249 Calhoun St., Clifton MAPLE BACON DONUT BURGER: A seasoned ground beef patty, bourbon-glazed bacon, caramelized onions, and American cheese on a maple-iced donut from Holtman’s Donuts.
Grandview Tavern 2220 Grandview Drive, Fort Mitchell THE PEANUT BUTTER JELLY BACON BURGER: A 5-oz. burger topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, peanut butter and raspberry chipotle jelly.
Highgrain Brewing Co 6860 Plainfield Road, Silverton THE JUICY LUCY: Fresh, hand-pattied, Longdale Farm ground beef with goat cheese blueberry compote, herb aioli, pickled jalapeños and romaine, served on a brioche bun.
Sammy’s 4767 Creek Road, Blue Ash THE SMOKE BURGER : Signature blend burger topped with house-made barbecue ranch sauce, onion straws, cheddar cheese and bacon
Draft Bar & Grille 7029 Yankee Road, Liberty Township THE PEANUT BUTTER BACON BURGER: A 6-oz. patty on toasted high crown white bread topped with provolone cheese, crispy bacon, crunchy peanut butter and a pickle.
Champions Grille 3670 Werk Road, Westwood THE EMPRESS CHILI BURGER: Served on a thick Kaiser bun, this ?-lb. burger is topped with Champion’s Empress Chili, mixed in with diced onions, yellow mustard and a mountain of shredded cheese.
Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint 1207 Main St., Downtown THE COBRA KAI: Jack Brown’s 100% Wagyu beef smashed patty topped with cream cheese, pickled jalapeños, and sweet & spicy jalapeño jelly.
Bircus Brewing 322 Elm St., Ludlow BURGER ALLA PENDLETON : Gravett’s Angus beef, Prosciutto di Parma, arugula and garlic aioli on Sixteen Bricks ciabatta.
Cin City Sea & Steak 6000 State Route 63, Lebanon THE FRIED PICKLE BURGER: Premium patty served on a potato bun, fontina cheese sauce, Sam Adams and bacon braised onions, lettuce, tomato, and hand-battered fried pickles.
Drake’s 6805 Houston Road, Florence SOUTHERN COMFORT BURGER: A fresh patty seasoned with Old Bay, topped with creamy pimento cheese, crunchy potato chips, mayo and pickles on a warm butter-toasted bun.
Kitchen 1883 Anderson 7640 Beechmont Ave., Anderson THE REUBEN BURGER: A pastrami-rubbed burger patty with bacon-braised sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and housemade 1000 Island dressing.
BurgerFi 161 E. Freedom Way #180, The Banks THE SUMMER BBQ BRISKET BURGER: One angus patty with melted white cheddar cheese stacked high with pickle chips, crispy slaw mix, and shredded brisket seasoned with Cattleman’s barbecue sauce, and BurgerFi sauce on a golden, toasted BurgerFi potato bun.
RJ Cinema Distillery & Taproom 4450 Eastgate South Drive, Eastgate BBQ BRISKET BURGER: Smoked brisket, onion straws, lettuce, tomato and bourbon-Sriracha barbecue sauce on a beef burger.
LouVino 1142 Main St., Over-the-Rhine THE LOUVINO BURGER: A burger patty served on a brioche bun with a fried green tomato, pimento cheese, lettuce and a pickle. Add bacon, egg, an extra patty or foie gras for an extra cost.
Sinners & Saints 2062 Riverside Drive, East Walnut Hills VENERABLE BEAST: Specialty beef grind burger topped with pulled pork, smoked gouda cheese, onion straws and housemade barbecue sauce, served on a toasted brioche bun.
LALO 26 W. Court St., Downtown THE MEXI QUESO BURGER: A beef patty, topped with corn relish, chunky guacamole, onions, lettuce and Lalo’s queso sauce on a challah bun.
Mac Shack 249 Calhoun St., Clifton THE CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE MAC + CHEESE: Classic mac and cheese mixed with seasoned ground beef, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, French fries, ketchup and pickles.
Chandler’s Burger Bistro Multiple locations including 10533 Harrison Ave. Harrison; 6135 Cleves Warsaw Pike, Western Hills THE 513: Fresh beef patty, lettuce, mozzarella cheese and spicy cheese curds and topped with housemade garlic parmesan wing sauce.
Wayback Burgers 7690 Voice Of America Centre Drive, West Chester CAROLINA BURGER : A single patty, topped with coleslaw, American cheese, mustard, diced onions and chili.
Wishbone Tavern 5297 Delhi Ave., Delhi NATHAN’S BURGER : Burger served on a bakery bun with jalapeño cream cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato.
Nation Kitchen & Bar Multiple locations include 1200 Broadway St., Pendleton; 3435 Epworth Ave., Westwood The BEER CHEESE BURGER: Two beef patties served with West Side Brewing Common Ale beer cheese and sautéed onions on a pretzel bun.
Mita’s 501 Race St., Downtown THE BOCADILLOS DE HAMBURGUESA: Two beef sliders topped with Mahon cheese, pickles, crispy serrano ham and aioli on a brioche bun.
Moerlein Lager House 115-100 Joe Nuxhall Way, Downtown BOURSIN BURGER: Burger with boursin cheese, candied red onion, sautéed wild mushrooms and black pepper aioli.
Pensive Distilling 720 Monmouth St., Newport THE AMERICAN PHARAOH: 6-oz. beef patty topped with caramelized red onion, and spicy chipotle corn aioli. Photo: Provided by Pensive Distilling
Ludlow Garage 342 Ludlow Ave., Clifton THE NINJA BURGER: Beef patty, wasabi mayo, crispy noodle cabbage slaw, lettuce and tomato on a Kaiser roll.
Press on Monmouth 421 Monmouth St., Newport BREAKFAST BURGER: Burger with maple mustard sauce, cheddar, egg, bacon and greens.
Miamiville Trailyard 368 Center St., Loveland BOURBON SRIRACHA BURGER: Burger patty blend of fresh chuck, brisket, and short rib, served on a toasted brioche bun with provolone, onion straws and a bourbon Sriracha sauce.
Libby’s Southern Comfort 35 W. 8th St., Covington CHEERWINE BRAISED SHORT RIB BURGER: Char-grilled beef burger topped with Cheerwine braised-short rib, house-made pimento cheese, Carolina barbecue sauce and fried Tabasco onion straws on a potato bun.
Frenchie Fresh 5595 Deerfield Blvd., Mason LE PIG CITY: A beef burger topped with garlic and herb cheese and bacon.
Big Bull Burger 3672 Erie Ave., Hyde Park THE SUNDANCE KID: A unique style burger made with teriyaki chicken sausage and topped with their slaw.
MacKenzie River Multiple locations including 2905 Dixie Hwy., Crestview Hills; 3411 Princeton Road, Hamilton THE OL’ PROSPECTOR: ½-lb. all-beef burger patty packed with nuggets of cheddar and smoky bacon, topped with smoked gouda and served on a brioche bun.
Flip Side 7622 Blake St., Liberty Township THE VERMONT MAPLE CHEDDAH: A 7-oz. Ohio grass-fed beef patty topped with two-year aged Vermont cheddar cheese, smoked applewood bacon and spicy maple ketchup.
Craft Burger Bros. Food Truck Multiple locations JR. BACON JAM CHEESEBURGER (JBCB): 6-oz. Wassler’s custom blend patty, homemade bacon jam, American cheese, lettuce, tomato and aioli on a potato bun.
The Turf Club 4618 Eastern Ave., Linwood GUY FIERI : 8.5-oz. hand-pattied burger, seasoned and topped with grilled onions, Swiss cheese and burgundy wine and mushroom sauce; served on a Sixteen Bricks bun.
Copper Blue 900 Main St., Milford THE ULTIMATE BACON CHEESEBURGER: Copper Blue’s signature seasoned grilled beef burger served on a premium grilled brioche bun with applewood smoked bacon, cheddar, pickles, lettuce, red onion, tomato and their house made jalapeño ketchup.
Bebo’s Burgers and Frappes 29 E. Court St., Downtown THE COURT STREET BURGER: A special blend of beef chuck and brisket topped with one sunny side up egg, fried onions, crispy maple bacon strips, melty American cheese and lettuce.
Butcher and Barrel 700 Race St., Downtown THE ARGENTINE BURGER: A brisket patty served on a brioche bun with sliced provolone and dripping in chimi mayo.
Hang Over Easy 13 W. Charlton St., Corryville FATTY PATTY MELT : Ohio Beef on toasted rye with roasted onions, melted swiss cheese, and Hoe sauce.